The Rise and Fall of Comics in the Modern Era
The comic book industry, like any artistic industry, or any industry for that matter, is cyclical. There are up times and there are down times. There are times when sales are through the roof and there are times when sales can't break through the basement floor. Right now comics are in an in-between place, unlike a few years ago when things looked pretty grim. But before that period there was a high that crumbled down before our very eyes.

Final Chance to Save Superman's House Reveals a Part on the TV show Heroes and a Secret Superman Shirt
Week four of the Siegel & Shuster Society charity auction to save the house where Superman was created runs from Sept. 23 - Sept. 30.

Marvel Comic Books: Escape To Fantasy & Fun
These days, surrounded as we are by a vast array of media channels such as movies, television and the Internet, it's hard to imagine how important the first comic books were to teenagers. Comic books were a mirror of the current concerns of society and the often tumultuous events of the world. Superheroes were often the characters in these books that fascinated teenagers the most, drawing them into the fantastic world within. Marvel comic books were there at the very beginning, and they have remained at the forefront of comic publishing ever since. In fact, Marvel is by far largest publisher of comic books.

Iconic Objects in Comics
There are many objects found between the covers of comics that symbolize various characters, storylines or what have you. Some are objects of power, like the M'Kraan Crystal or the Infinity Gauntlet. Others are power sources for their wielders like Green Lantern's lamp or ring, or Quasar's Quantum Bands. And others are simply weapons like Thor's hammer or the captain America shield.