Glasgow Looking Glass (1825, John Watson & Company)

Glasgow Looking Glass ran for 5 issues (1825–1825). Publishing format: was ongoing series. Fortnightly. Purported to be the first comic book. Though some dispute whether or not this is the first comic book, the early issues were in the "illustrated newspaper" format of the day, with the use of illustration and cartoons. During its publication history it helped pioneer the use of word balloons, of the phrase "to be continued," and by issue #4 a feature called "History of a Coat" which is considered a comic strip. All used to back the basis of the claim by Scottish comic historians that this is the first comic book, even before Rodolphe Topffer's work. Alternately those who dispute its comic book claim never-the-less support this publication as an early precursor to the comic strip. The Glasgow University Library owns the full volume of the Glasgow Looking Glass/Northern Looking Glass which has been beautifully hand painted at some time after it was published. All other known examples are in the original black and white.