It concerns the golden age dc comics superheroes entering the 1950s and facing the advent of mccarthyism. Comics histories sometimes reduce the golden age to the superman. Quality comics was an american comic book publishing company that operated from 1937 to 1956 and was largely influential in creating the golden age of comic books. Comic book plus free and legal public domain books. The fact that the golden age of comic books occurred alongside the great depression and world war two is no coincidence. Reprints of platinum age comics, like the brownies and yellow kid, become increasingly popular. We are the original and still the premier site to read and download golden and silver age comic books. Sparkle city comics generally prefers purchasing golden age comic books, but well always take a look at what you have to sell. Comics have been in existence since the end of the 19th century, but it was after the depression that the popularity of newspaper cartoons expanded into a major industry. If the golden age of comic books and the silver age of comic books were the childhood of super heroes, the bronze age of comic books was their adolescence, and the dark age of comic books was their angstridden teenage years, then the modern age of comic books is surely the college years. Allan bellman, a beloved golden age artist who worked at timely and atlas in the years before they became marvel comics, has passed away. Its most popular character was captain marvel, the alter ego of radio reporter billy batson, who transformed into the. These eras include the golden age 19381950, the silver age 19561970, the.
Allen bellman, golden age marvel artist, dead at 95. The golden age of comic books useful notes tv tropes. I would purchase comic books on lash larue, tim holt, the lone ranger, roy rogers and other older western heroes. With the actual golden age of comics being seen as a high point of readership and diversity, its not uncommon to hear people herald a new golden age of comics, especially those who remember the decades of derision, dubiousness, and indecision. Combat, plastic man, police comics, smash comics and the spirit. The golden age set the stage for the majority of comics published for the next two decades. My wife and i were killing time, waiting for some friends of hers from college to arrive, when we wandered into barnes and noble. Mar 02, 2016 here are the four major ages for comic books in chronological order. The 1960s was a time of significant growth in the comics industry. Oct 12, 2015 as a matter of fact, they are releasing five separate volumes, each pulling material from the 75 years book, and each highlighting a distinctive historical age in comic books. It hits the ground running with the advent of the modern comic book in 1934 and quickly sharpens its focus to detail the rise of the costumed characters, their. Oct 01, 2011 the golden age of dc comics is a coffee table book covering the history of dc comics from 19351956. Created by jerry siegel and joe shuster, superman is possibly the most recognizable comic book character to this day.
We have such a wide selection that the comics are broken out by letters. But the modern comic book magazine format was born five years earlier. Soon, circumstances led wheelernicholson to partner with printer harry donenfeld and, eventually, accountant jack liebowitz. Reference to lesser known comics in the golden age prompts me to communicate recent august 25th. American comics historians generally divide 20thcentury american comics history chronologically into ages. The golden age of comic books was a period in the history of american comic books, generally thought as lasting from the 1930s until the mid1950s during which comic books enjoyed a surge of popularity, the archetype of the superhero was created and defined, and many of the most famous superheroes debuted. Published on nov 7, 2016 an overview of the 8 ages of comic books from 1897present day which includes key events in american history that. As a matter of fact, they are releasing five separate volumes, each pulling material from the 75 years book, and each highlighting a distinctive historical age in comic books.
Select the range of golden age comic books by choosing a view above. The golden age for comic books is known for plots that dont appear in modern day comics. Many people consider dc comics showcase number 4 to be the beginning of the silver age. Golden age of comic books golden age comics wiki fandom. When you are browsing the racks at your local comic book store and happen upon silver age comic books for sale, you may wonder just what it is that makes them silver. The golden age is a 1993 fourissue elseworlds comic book miniseries by writer james robinson and artist paul smith. The golden age describes an era in the creation of comic books published between the years of 1938 and 1955. The silver age is commonly considered to have begun in 1956 and to have lasted until about 1975. Marvels mercury only had one golden age appearance, but was the first of many marvel attempts to establish a proper speedster. Today on variant, special guests comic tom and jeff the golden age guru highlight the dawn of superhero comics with the history of the golden age. During this time, modern comic books were first published and enjoyed a surge of popularity. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. In june of 1938, national allied publications began a new comic book series, featuring several different heroes. The first release is this one, devoted to as the title suggests the golden age of dc comics, an era ending in 1955, when the silver age was born.
This guide to strictly the golden age of comics covers titles from 1938 to 1956 with some 30,000 prices and is edited by alex malloy and stuart wells iii, the same men who edit the. Jerry siegel and joe shusters superman, bob kanes batman, and will eisners the spirit were all created during the golden age. The silver age of comic books was a period of artistic advancement and widespread commercial success in mainstream american comic books, predominantly those featuring the superhero archetype. The illustrated history taylor history of comics, vol 4 benton, mike on. Oct 15, 2019 in comics, its used to add value to a collectible, to make it more significant. Following the golden age of comic books and an interregnum in the early to mid1950s, the silver age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to circa 1970, and was succeeded by the bronze and modern ages. The 8 ages of comic books by alex grand comic book.
Long made by, read by, and starring only white males, the story goes, comic books. Comics historians divide the history of american comic books into ages. Many iconic characters were introduced in this time period and became part of american culture at a very interesting point in our history. A new character created by two young men from cleveland was featured on the cover.
The top selling comic books that begin with a are alpha flight comic books 1983 series, amazing adventures comic books 1970 series, amazing spiderman comic books 1963 series, archie comic books and avengers comic books 1963 series you can also search 7 more ways. Just go to the top of the page and look in the right column. Ultimately there was 40 years of comics before the comic book that heralded the golden age 19381947 which was action comics 1, 1938, the first appearance of superman. Plus, we also hold a large and growing selection of comic strips and pulp fiction. Even seasoned collectors may have problems attaining comics from this era. Obadiah oldbuck becomes the earliest known sequential comic book to be published in america. This comic, based on circus gear, capes, and douglas fairbanks type heroism was so successful it heralded many other metoo characters like batman in detective comics 27, 1939. Let me begin by saying we have had a number of things happened and i just got the news they pulled the plug on wonder con with no decision yet on sdcc. Learn all about the dawn of the comic book medium and its heights of glory during the 1940s and 50. The golden age of comic books describes an era of american comic books from 1938 to 1956. A new book chronicling the history of dc comics is going way back to see where batman and other heroes really began, and the hollywood reporter has a look inside the golden age of dc comics.
When i saw this collection golden age western comics edited by steven brower of old west comics for a reasonable price on amazon, i. Golden age of comic books hey kids comics wiki fandom. Browse and buy a vast selection of golden age comic. Pregolden age 193338 the birth of the modern comic book. The popularity of the character swiftly enshrined the superhero as the defining genre of american comic books. Similar to the digital comic museum, which we wrote about last week, comic book plus contains a near inexhaustible quantity of golden and silver age comic books. Welcome to superworld comics golden age comics browsing page. Ga comic book collecting in the financial crisis of 2020.
Let me remind all ga true comic book collectors of the history of a number of recovery of equity markets which relates to all market investments. People were coming from all over the world in search of the american dream. This timeline presents milestones, trends, and pivotal events that defined the comics medium during each of these eras. Golden age comics public domain comic books collectible. The golden age of comics comics have been in existence since the end of the 19th century, but it was after the depression that the popularity of newspaper cartoons expanded into a major industry. Apr 03, 2017 the golden age of comics 19381956 technically, the golden age of comics took place between 1938 and 1956. The 60s saw the first major comic book conventions start up and gain popularity. The silver age was preceded by the golden age and followed by the bronze and then the modern ages. Historically, this period covers world war ii, one of. The superhero archetype was created and many wellknown characters were introduced, including superman, batman, captain marvel, captain america, and wonder. Please browse by publishers or series names and check out all the great covers. How censors killed the weird, experimental, progressive golden. The golden age 19381949 its generally accepted among collectors that the first comic book was funnies on parade, published in 1933.
Two of the most common are androids and heroes that needed to convince someone close, or the public at large, that their heroic persona and their alter ego were in fact different people. The precise era of the golden age is disputed, though most agree that it was born with the launch of superman in 1938. The golden age of comic books was a period in the history of american comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or. If use ebays category listings as a functional example, the golden of age of comics ranges from 1938 to 1955. These eras include the golden age 19381950, the silver age 19561970, the bronze age 19701985, and the modern age 1985present. The golden age describes an era in the creation of comic books published between the. Some strict collectors consider the era finished by 1950. The collections timespan ranges from the late 1930s through to the early 1960s, and includes many thousands of comic books in the superhero, scifi, and horror genres. Sothebys how dc ignited the golden age of comic books.
It is unknown how long this golden age of comics lasted, but some say that it started in the late 30s and ended in the late 40s, while others think that the golden age of comics ended in the early. A 15year journey, completed golden age comic books cgc. The reason for supermans instant popularity in the late 1930s is obvious. Marvel comics more publishers shop by character batman. The history of silver age comic books cosmic comics. The american comic strip is born when the adventures of mr. Notable, longrunning titles published by quality included blackhawk, feature comics, g. I had this book when i was a kid and remembered the photos of the old comic book covers superman, batman, wonder woman, the spectre, daredevil, blue beetle, green giant, captain marvel, green lantern and other golden age heroes from the world war ii era. The even better news is that all the content is free and legal. Maybe its the kid in me, but i cant wrap my head around thinking of comics as an investment, despite there obvious value. Golden age of comic books image comics database fandom. I n what was to become a decadeplus journey to complete a run of golden age action comics, all. Enjoy free downloads of as many issues as you like straight to your computer.
Golden age comic books cgc graded golden age comics da. Reprints of titles such as popeye, buster brown and. The comic books of the golden age were also significantly more. Welcome to comic book plus, the site where every day is party day. The modern age of comic books useful notes tv tropes. Explore comic books newly acquired comics original artwork shop by age golden age. The golden age of comic books was a period in the history of american comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s. The superhero archetype was created and many wellknown characters were introduced, including superman, batman, captain marvel, captain america, and wonder woman.
Fawcett comics, a division of fawcett publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the golden age of comic books in the 1940s. The golden age 19391949 marks a terrific teamup between the folio society and marvel comics. The golden age of comic books was a period in the history of american comic books, generally thought as lasting from 1938 until the mid1950s during which comic books enjoyed a surge of popularity, the archetype of the superhero was created and defined, and many of. This period, which witnessed an explosion of englishcanadian comic book publishing, is now described as the canadian golden age of comics.
The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and censored. Following the golden age of comic books and an interregnum in the early to mid1950s, the silver age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to circa 1970, and was succeeded by the bronze and. If youre interested in selling your comic books, give us a call at 8007439205 or you can fill out our seller inquiry form and we will reach out to you as soon as we can. In fact, they are among the older and more desirable comics on the market. The history of comics, part 1 the golden age penn yan public library. There would never again be the heyday of the golden age but the now well underway silver age was allowing more and more comics to be published. The standard guide to golden age comics is the 2006 edition from krause publications, who have been publishing outstanding books about collectibles for many years. A market for such comic books soon followed, and by 1938 publishers were printing original material in the format. This is a list of golden age comic stories that i think are among the best. Scott runs you through a brief history of comic books to dive into what makes the golden age, silver age, bronze age, and modern age so important to how comics and the industry are today. Historically, this period covers world war ii, one of the most popular eras for superhero comics. This is a boy reading a comic book getty imageshutton archive. A book i would recommend for the artwork alone, the text is short but revealing. These are the years when comics were considered a new and exciting form of art.
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