@wgiwf @Arkana Comic books were also made using "over the wall" production lines that systematically kept any one person or small group of people from becoming too valuable or distinct.

It's not now generally known, but newspaper comic artists – who generally owned their own IP, did their own work start to finish, and set their own direction – were considered to be leagues above those corralled in the comic book bullpens.

The Comics Code Authority is much-decried now – it did have a terrible effect – but it's not the only reason we don't have an American equivalent to manga today.