“This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe,” states Captain America in The Amazing Spider-Man #537.

A variation of a quote from Mark Twain, these sentiments capture two enduring American ideals, ideals that drew so many people to the United States: the freedom of belief and the power to stimulate change.

Comics are an entertaining art form. They’ve also influenced U.S. culture and immigration. Not only have American superheroes helped to foster the romantic image of the U.S. that draws so many here, but immigrants often turn to comics to learn English because of the genre’s semantic connections between words and pictures.

Although the first-ever collection of comic strips appeared in the late 1800s, comic books–as we know them today–grew to exceptional popularity in the 1930s and 1940s during the Great Depression and Second World War. Faced with the horrors and hardships of war, children (and adults) turned to figures like Superman as a beacon of hope. In fact, the most popular stories in this Golden Age of comic books portrayed hopeful narratives, including superheroes, talking animals, romance, science fiction, and the American frontier.

Interest in comics declined during the early 1950s, in part due to the popularization of the book Seduction of the Innocent by Fredric Wertham (himself an immigrant), which falsely claimed that comic books were a large cause of juvenile delinquency. In 1956, there was a resurgence as Marvel released several new characters and became the leading publisher.

On average, a comic book is a 32-page publication that conveys ideas through images and text. But stories that began in comic-book form have essentially shapeshifted into larger-than-life, onscreen experiences. Today, the movie Avengers: Endgame, featuring numerous superheroes, is the second highest-grossing film of all time at over $1.3 billion. Additionally, popular movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World incorporate traditional aspects of comic books, such as drawn-in pop-ups and stylistic diversity.

For much of the 20th century, there was a notable lack of diversity in the industry. Comic book creators at this time were “predominantly people from Western Europe,” states Jon Da Silva, a curator of this exhibit and assistant manager at the Family History Center. One trend he also noticed was a large population of comic book contributors—including Stan Lee and the creators of Superman and Captain America—were of Jewish descent. Although the lack of diversity carried over to most of the comic book characters, the genre’s messages around hope and idealism rang true to many.

In the 1980s, long-form comics called graphic novels grew to prominence. Contemporary immigrant creators used the space to tell their stories. For example, American Born Chinese by Luen Yang and The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui, both share elements of each author’s experience with U.S. immigration.

Many comic creators, artists, and actors in movie adaptations have Ellis Island connections. Some were immigrants themselves, and some had ancestors who traveled through the Port of New York. “Century of Comics” is an engaging exhibit on display at the American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island through October 2023. It features some of the comic industry’s leading figures, including key players from Marvel and the original artists of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America, alongside some of the most prominent actors from today’s Marvel and DC blockbusters.

This engaging display features some of the comic industry’s leading figures, including key players from Marvel and the original artists of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America, alongside some of the most prominent actors from today’s Marvel and DC blockbusters. Explore some of their stories below.