Whether fictional or factual, books have provided entertainment for centuries. According to the University of Texas, Austin, the first substantial book printed was the Gutenberg Bible, printed in Mainz, Germany in the mid 1400s. Today, books include stories, photographs, biographies, drawings and more entertaining features for children and adults alike.
In 1690, according to ThinkQuest Library, Publick Occurrences was the first newspaper published in the United States, which means that newspapers have been entertaining America for over three centuries. While newspapers generally covered only "newsworthy" events and not entertainment in the past, stories about neighbors in the paper were a form of gossip that was very entertaining to read. Today, comics, sports, fashion, concerts, TV and almost any other type of entertainment can be read about in your local newspaper.
The first English language magazine was the Review, published in London in 1704, according to CyberCollege. Since then, magazines have been entertaining with short stories, comics, artwork and images. Magazines are generally printed on glossy paper with more color and photos than books, as they are traditionally meant to be purchased on a whim and need to stand out on a rack. Today, no matter what your hobby or interest, there's probably a magazine geared toward entertaining you.
Comic books first originated as a form of entertainment in 1934 in the United States, according to January Magazine. Comic books are written entertainment with genres of horror, war, mystery and of course, superhero stories. While comics were traditionally read by young children when they were first introduced, adults and children today both collect old and new comic books. Comic books are usually smaller than magazines, with thinner paper and fewer advertisements.
Many popular magazines started out as zines, which are independently published forms of entertainment in a magazine format. A zine is a way for anyone to write what she wants, print as many copies as she'd like and gain a following. Most are printed on standard print paper and thicker and smaller than most professional magazines.