The Rise of Comic Syndicates

In the early 20th century, a group of businessmen realized the potential in comic strips. Instead of individual newspapers hiring cartoonists, they created syndicates to distribute strips nationwide. King Features Syndicate, founded in 1915, quickly became the dominant player, signing artists like George Herriman (Krazy Kat) and E.C. Segar (Popeye).

The syndicate model allowed strips to reach millions, making characters household names. It also set the stage for the global popularity of comics, as syndicates started selling strips to international markets. Without these syndicates, many iconic comics might have remained local phenomena.