What was the first comic in a newspaper?

There isn't a single, definitive "first comic" in a newspaper. The history of comic strips is nuanced, and early examples often blended various features.

Here's a breakdown of key moments:

* Early 1890s: "The Yellow Kid" by Richard F. Outcault is often cited as the first *successful* comic strip. It was published in the New York World in 1895.

* 1894: "Hogan's Alley" by Rudolph Dirks, considered the *first continuously running* comic strip, appeared in The New York World.

* 1896: "The Katzenjammer Kids" by Joseph Keppler Jr., featuring a wildly popular, long-running strip, started in The New York Journal.

Before "The Yellow Kid":

* "The Adventures of Mr. and Mrs. Bunny" (1881) by Frederick Burr Opper in Puck magazine is a prime example of an early strip with a recurring cast and story.

* "The Little Bears" (1883) by J.S. Pughe in The Sunday Mercury is another early example, considered by some as a forerunner of comics.

Important to remember:

* These early comics were more like cartoons than full-fledged story-telling.

* The term "comic strip" didn't become popular until the early 1900s.

* Many other early comics predate these examples, but didn't achieve the same level of success.

Ultimately, pinning down the "first comic" is difficult. However, "The Yellow Kid" is widely considered the first truly popular and successful comic strip in a newspaper, paving the way for the evolution of the medium.