One of the most well-known group of superheroes in the comic world is the Justice Society of America. The comic's initial storyline was the gathering of superheroes to protect U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Adolf Hitler's -- leader of Nazi Germany -- cronies. The Justice Society's original members were the Green Lantern, the Flash, Hawkman, Sandman, Hourman, the Spectre, Doctor Fate and Atom. Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman would make occasional appearances with the Justice Society. The creators of the Justice Society were Sheldon Mayer and Gardner Fox. This comic is still published by DC Comics as of summer 2010.
The renowned characters Charlie Brown, Snoopy the Dog, Linus, Lucy and Peppermint Patty were in the comic strip "Peanuts," which debuted in 1950. Charles Schultz, a Minnesota native, was the creator of the comic strip. "Peanuts" was the more popularized revision of "Lil' Folks," a strip Schultz started in 1947. The comic strip's storyline centered around the childhood shenanigans of Charlie Brown and his friends. Universal Press Syndicate published "Peanuts" from 1950 to 2000, shortly after Schultz's passing.
The popularity of the Old West in entertainment and comic books during the 1950s merged to form a genre known as Western comics. One of the most known Western comics was Marvel Comics' "Kid Colt, Outlaw," which was in publication from 1948 to 1979. The comic's story was based on Blaine Colt, an American western cowboy known as Kid Colt, and his trusty horse, Steel. Other Western comics in the '50s were based on real life personalities such as Billy the Kid, Jesse James and Wild Bill Hancock. The '50s also saw the emergence of the Lone Ranger, a fictional U.S. ranger who wore a mask during his adventures.
The early and mid-1940s saw the creation of espionage and hero Sunday morning comic strips, due to U.S. involvement of World War II. "Brenda Starr," "Garth" -- a British-based comic strip -- and "Claire Voyant" were examples of strips where the protagonist were involved in dangerous missions. More light-hearted comic strips invaded U.S. newspapers in the late '40s and '50s after the War was over. One long-lasting comic strip, "Gordo," ran from the '40s to the '80s; this comic offered insight into the Mexican bean farmer and his everyday life in Mexico. Some other light-hearted Sunday comics were "Beetle Bailey," "Dennis the Menace," and "Hi and Lois."