Age Comics
Age Comics
The Golden Age of comics begins in June 1938. This is the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1, published by DC Comics. There had been adventure comic books published before this point (Detective Comics predates Action by over a year, but Batman would not appear until 1939). However, these heroes had much more in common with their pulp magazine counterparts than they did to the super-heroes who would follow. For example, Doc Savage was described as being at the peak of human perfection, but still conceivably within the realm of human possibility, while Superman’s abilities were clearly super-human.
Superman’s (and subsequently Batman’s) immediate popularity caused publishers to launch a wave of super-heroes, or “mystery men” as they were called in the 30s and 40s, at their readers. They were introduced to the Atom, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Captain Marvel, Captain America the Human Torch. But possibly the most popular character of all wasn’t a hero. He wasn’t even human. He was Scrooge McDuck.
Super-hero and adventure comics of the time featured simplistic characterization and power fantasies, with the heroes often battling Nazi threats. By the 1950s, the Nazi threat had been replaced by the Communist “Red menace.”
They also displayed some extraordinarily racist images and characterizations, much like many other forms of media at the time, as the cover to Detective Comics #1 illustrates.
But by the early 50s, comic books had begun to evolve thematically. Super-heroes were on the way out, to be replaced with horror and crime comics popularized by EC Comics. Only Superman, Batman and a handful of others were still being published by the mid-50s. Frederick Wertham’s book, Seduction of the Innocent, a scathing indictment of comic books in general and EC Comics in particular of their corruption of children, ultimately led to the creation of the Comics Code Authority, which prohibited EC Comics from publishing anything they had.
Western and War comics continued to be popular through this time, but it wasn’t until October 1956, when the all-new Flash appeared in Showcase #4 that the Golden Age of comics ended and the Silver Age began.
For more articles on comic books and the comic book industry, go to Examiner.com, keyword: “Wesley Smith.”
Golden Age DC comics?
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about comics but I did grow up on Superman and Batman…I know that they have brought those back with graphic novels by artists like Frank Miller (I think I have those titles written down somewhere) but I want to understand the history more…
their is golden, silver, earth one, earth two, and i think something called like earth b..etc. The comic world is confusing! I was wondering if their is just one book or novel that is the Golden Age DC comics (froms 40s to 50s?)
I am not someone who is out to collect comic books, but it would be nice to familiarize myself with the history a little better. Thanks.
For my favorite brand – Marvel try links 1 an 2:
“In the late ’90s, Marvel was going down the tubes, both financially and creatively. There was an enormous amount of dreck flooding the shelves, and no matter what schemes they tried, either with product or licensing, they were losing money like crazy. Before declaring bankruptcy, they released two trade paperback collections of their Golden Age material, presenting a selection of the best of that era. While they may not have been well-received by the younger crowd, it was one of the best ideas Marvel had in a while (definitely going against the grain), and it was a treat for fans of comic history. Once again, readers could enjoy the simplistic stories of classic WW-II Marvel characters such as Captain America, Sub-Mariner, the Angel, the Destroyer, Marvel Boy, the Fin, Citizen V, and the Human Torch.
The Golden Age of Marvel Comics, Volumes 1 and 2 can be considered Marvel’s equivalent of a public service. It’s historical preservation in a market that has a notoriously short attention span. When the majority of fans and retailers were demanding more high-octane heroes showering their foes with bullets, we got two beautiful yet affordable collections of Golden Age greats, showing readers that, while the stories and art of the Golden Age might not have been all that “golden”, the characters and their appeal more than made up for it. You can clearly see the elements of these stories that fascinated aspiring writers and artists, leading to their expanding these characters in ways never dreamed of during Marvel’s Silver Age and beyond. The covers for both volumes are beautiful: for 1, a battle scene by Ray Lago; for 2, a Kirby/Theakston image. The intros provide some very good historical perspective on the contents.”
For lots of links to the Golden Age of DC, try link 3
For DC: Sixty Years of the World’s Favorite Comic Book Heroes (Hardcover) link 4:
“In 1935, popular culture was transformed forever when DC published its first book of “all-new, all-original comic material. To the delight of millions of kids everywhere, the modern comic book was born.
With the introduction of Superman in 1938. DC Comics made history again, this time with the publication of the first super hero comic book. To this day, the Man of Steel remains the most recognized and celebrated hero in the world. Inspired by its innovative early success, DC went on to create legions of other superheores–Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and dozens more of the most popular comic book characters ever created.
In the sixty years since the first super heroes wer ecreated, the artists, writers, and editors of DC Comics have been develooping, refining and extending the reach of their comic book characters. The DC fictional world has branched into a worldwide profusion of entertainment formats: books, toys, movies, radio, television, videogames, and an online computer network.
Here, for the very first time, is the complete story of America’s favorite heroes and their talented, dedicated creators. In over 100 short and spirited essays, author Les Daniels offers remarkable new anecdotes about the company’s history, traces the complex genealogies of the characters, describes behind-the-scenes politics that influence the stories, and interviews dozens of artists and writers–the real stars of his engrossing tales. The reader can open the book anywhere and become immersed immediately in the fantasy world of high adventure and magical mayhem. ”
Link 5 offers another DC history”:
“History of the DC Universe (Paperback)
by Marv Wolfman (Author), George Perez (Illustrator), Karl Kesel (Illustrator)
Link 6 is the DC comics encyclopedia.
Link 7 is the Marvel comics encyclopedia.
Golden Age, Silver Age Bronze, Modern Comic Books for sale from http://graphic-illusion.com
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NICE VINTAGE GOLDEN AGE – BRINGING UP FATHER NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP LOT MAY 1924 $4.95 |
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NICE VINTAGE GOLDEN AGE – CAP STUBBS NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP LOT MAY 1924 $4.95 |
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NICE VINTAGE GOLDEN AGE – GLAMOUR GIRLS NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP LOT MAY 1924 $4.95 |
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NICE VINTAGE GOLDEN AGE – MUTT AND JEFF NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP LOT MAY 1924 $4.95 |
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NICE VINTAGE GOLDEN AGE – THE NEBBS NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP LOT MAY 1924 $4.95 |
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21 Silver and Bronze Age Avengers Comic Books 1964 – 1972 Good to VG Condition $29.99 |
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GOLDEN AGE LOT OF 5 MINI COMIC BOOKS $21.49 |
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Marvel Comics Marvel Age Spider-man 1 2 3 4 Set $43.00 |
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Black Lightning # 1 bronze age DC comic book $6.99 |
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ARCHIE’S T.V. LAUGH-OUT #30 FN+ comic ~ w/ Sabrina the Teen-Age Witch ! $10.00 |
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MARVEL MASTERWORKS #102 GOLDEN AGE MYSTERY COMICS GOLD FOIL VARIANT LIMITED EDIT $54.99 |
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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #117 UNREAD Bronze Age Marvel Comic $11.05 |
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THE ATOM # 8 FINE FROM DC COMICS SILVER AGE $14.99 |
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The Amazing Spider-Man #30 Silver Age 1965 Marvel Comic The Claws Of The Cat $28.45 |
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Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea #15 June 1969 Gold Key RARE Silver Age comic! $0.99 |
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Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 6 $24.36 Sufferin’ Succotash! It’s the final collection of “Looney Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies” in this series, featuring 60 more unforgettable cartoons, some never before released on home video. Bugs, Daffy, and the other “All-Stars” appear in “Hare Trigger,” “Birth of a Notion,” “Dog Gone South,” “Heaven Scent,” and others; the Stars and Stripes are saluted in patriotic favorites such as “Meet John Dough… |
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Ghost World $6.47 If you’ve ever felt alienated by the world around you, Ghost World will offer laughter, tears, and reassurance that you are definitely not alone. Adapted by Daniel Clowes and Crumb director Terry Zwigoff from Clowes’s acclaimed graphic novel, the movie spends summer vacation with high school graduates Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlet Johansson). They inflict little tortures on the denizens … |
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Def Leppard – Historia / In the Round, In Your Face $18.93 In the mid and late 1980s, Def Leppard was the biggest-selling rock band around, and the two programs on this DVD collection hark back to the British quintet’s commercial heyday. Historia is an 85-minute look at the band’s videos circa 1980-1988, from its debut, “Hello America,” to its huge radio hits “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Love Bites.” These videos, either silly “concepts” or lip-synched pe… |
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Animal Yoga for Kids $5.99 … |
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Animal Yoga for Kids $1.99 … |
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My Best Friend’s Wedding [VHS] $0.01 One of the best romantic comedies of the 1990s, My Best Friend’s Wedding not only gave Julia Roberts a delightful vehicle for her crowd-pleasing comeback, but it further distinguished itself by avoiding the conventional plotting of the genre. Julia plays a prominent Chicago restaurant critic whose best friend (Dermot Mulroney) is a former lover from her college days with whom she’d made a binding … |
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Prince Charming Ask Princess Hand in Marriage – 36H x 35W – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $50.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
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The Avengers: Volume One – Heroes Assemble! (Marvel Super Hero Collection) $10.34 Join the best of the Marvel(R) Universe for the first seven episodes from Season One of the electrifying new animated series, THE AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES! Get ready for nonstop action as Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, the Hulk, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Hawkeye and the Black Panther join forces to battle a legion of villains bent on the total destruction of humanity. Experience The Avengers … |
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DuckTales – Volume 1 $13.99 Ducktales (1987) marked the Walt Disney Studio’s entry into the afternoon syndicated-cartoon market. The series was loosely based on the imaginative adventure stories Carl Barks created for the Disney comic books, featuring Donald Duck, his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and Uncle Scrooge McDuck, a miser who possessed “five cubic acres of money.” This three-disc set begins with episode #6, “Send … |
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Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil $6.99 Finding one’s true path is a difficult process, and Red Riding Hood is finding it doubly complicated since she’s desperate to live up to her grandmother’s reputation as a legendary Sister of the Hood. While Red Riding Hood is sequestered for some very special secret training, the Big Bad Wolf, Granny, Twitchy, and the rest of the Happily Ever After Agency (HEA) are feeling the absence of one of th… |
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