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the storyline. When, for example, a face is simplified, the character in the story can become a sort of everyman, as McCloud notes in Understanding Comics (44). In 1938 the game-changing Action Comics made its debut to the world, introducing Superman for the first time. The birth of this publication marked the beginning of the superhero genre of comics (Muir 538). Characterized by simple dramatic story arcs and cinematic pictorial styles, the superhero comic shares a close relationship to the action film. This genre’s popularity would eventually engulf the comics world, defining them for many creators and readers alike. Today the superhero genre is more popular than ever, with associated films churning out of Hollywood at a breathless pace. Though the superhero genre certainly has had a powerful influence on the comic book medium as a whole, early comic book artists like Dirk, Frank and HergÊ have a much closer relationship to contemporary comic artists like Chris Ware, and it is in these pioneer comic artists that we see