Cupid

The classic cherubic embodiment of romantic love, this winged, arrow-wielding figure drawn from Greco-Roman mythology appeared in the satirical illustrated press of the 1880s as a recurring allegorical character, personifying desire and longing in political and social commentary.

Few comic characters can claim a publishing life stretching back to 1883, but Cupid — the cherubic embodiment of love and longing — first graced the pages of Puck in the Platinum Age, brought to life by the great Frederick Burr Opper, one of the founding giants of American cartooning. Over a remarkable span now touching 142 years, this winged figure has fluttered through the satirical pages of Judge, Life, and New Masses, keeping extraordinary company alongside icons like Uncle Sam, Theodore Roosevelt, Santa Claus, and even Adam and Eve themselves — a rogues' gallery that speaks to just how central Cupid was to the political and cultural commentary of his era. With a key issue already to his name and 74 catalogued appearances, he's a genuine artifact of the age when illustrated humor shaped public opinion, and a delightful reminder that comics were wielding wit and allegory long before capes ever entered the picture.