Today is the 200th anniversary of 1st comic book

[Revtim]

According to the Excite.com “On This Day” feature:

Jul 07, 1802, “The Wasp,” created by Robert Rusticoat, was published in Hudson, NY. It was the first comic book to be published.

[Ice_Wolf]

I have to say I’m sceptical without further info. Sites on comic book history tend to start with 1896 on the timelines, and Rusticoat seems to only feature on “This Day in History” lists.

Anyone know who Rusticoat was?

[Mockingbird]

No idea who he was…

In Overstreet’s Comic Book Price Guide’s 32nd edition, Funnies On Parade from 1933 is considered the first comic book.

[samclem]

Say. This Rusticoat guy didn’t happen to offer to pay for his hamburgers next week, did he?

[Ice_Wolf]

An early New York newspaper, the Balance and Columbian Repository, established 1801, was sole-published from 1804 by one of the partners, Harry Croswell. This from [this site on early American newspapers](www.readex.com/scholarl/ EAN%20Selected%20Descriptions%20R.PDF) (pdf format):

Croswell, a militant Federalist, also printed in Hudson The Waspfor the editor “Robert Rusticoat”, undoubtedly a pseudonym for Croswell. His caustic pen in The Wasp caused him to be indicted for libel. Although he was defended by Alexander Hamilton and William Van Ness, the verdict, a foregone conclusion, was guilty. The Wasp ceased publication after only twelve issues.

The Wasp doesn’t appear to be a “comic book” at all – rather it was a newspaper of sorts. Perhaps whoever started the story of the 1802 comic saw the name, associated it with the comic book character of the same name from the 20th century, and the ball kept right on rolling. Possible?