Most historians agree that this is the third comic ever published. It follows Funnies on Parade and Famous Funnies (A Carnival of Comics) as giveaways produced by Eastern Color in 1933. Eastern Color was trying to think of ways to keep their printing presses active during the Depression when they hit upon the idea of producing promotional giveaways for companies like Proctor and Gamble. A salesman named Charlie Gaines saw the tremendous potential in these giveaways and convinced the powers that be that they should go all out and make this 100 page book for the third giveaway. It seemed only logical; the other two giveaways had disappeared within a month or so of publication. Century of Comics was distributed as a promotional giveaway by companies as varied as Wheetena, Milk-O-Malt, John Wanamaker, Kinney Shoe Stores and others. The book consists of strip reprints and also Sunday reprints. It features Mutt and Jeff, Joe Palooka and a host of others. The pages are cream to off-white. The book is CGC-certified FN- 5.5 . The CGC census lists this copy as the second highest copy they have graded. This is the very beginnings of comics as we know them today. This book helped establish the physical size of the product as well as the incredible popularity of comic characters in general.