The American comic book was one of the most important entertainment forms of the twentieth century in America. Beginning as medium that reprinted popular newspaper comic strips, during the decade of the Great Depression the comic book saw the development of the superhero in characters such as Superman and Batman. The American comic book would go on to feature a wide variety of stories, ranging from horror tales, to Westerns, to love romances, to funny animal stories. During its heyday in the decade following World War II, the comic book rivaled film, radio, and television in popularity. Today, comics continue to inspire the development of the most popular movies and television programs.