Histoire de Mr. Jabot

Rodolphe Töpffer’s Histoire de Mr. Jabot (1839–1842, Aubert) is a landmark of early comics, a single-issue satire following the absurd social climbing of its titular character. Often considered one of the first true comic strips, Töpffer’s pioneering blend of sequential panels and handwritten text established the visual-narrative language that would define the medium. Its influence on generations of cartoonists makes it an essential touchstone in the history of the art form.