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Golden Age of Comic Books

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"Golden Age (comics)" redirects here. For the DC Comics mini-series, seeThe Golden Age (comics).

TheGolden Age of Comic Booksdescribes an era in thehistory of American comic booksfrom 1938 to 1956. During this time, moderncomic bookswere first published and rapidly increased in popularity. Thesuperheroarchetypewas created and many well-known characters were introduced, includingSuperman,Batman,Robin,Captain Marvel,Captain America,andWonder Woman.

Golden Age of Comic Books
Superman,catalyst of the Golden Age:Superman#14 (Feb. 1942)
Cover art byFred Ray
Time span1938 – 1956
Related periods
Preceded byPlatinum Age of Comic Books(1897–1938)
Followed bySilver Age of Comic Books(1956–1970)

Etymology

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The first recorded use of the term "Golden Age" was byRichard A. Lupoffin an article, "Re-Birth", published in issue one of thefanzineComic Artin April 1960.[1]

History

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An event cited by many as marking the beginning of the Golden Age was the 1938 debut ofSupermaninAction Comics#1,[2][3]published byDetective Comics[4](predecessor ofDC Comics). Superman's popularity helped make comic books a major arm of publishing,[5]which led rival companies to create superheroes of their own to emulate Superman's success.[6][7]

World War II

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Whiz Comics#2 (Feb. 1940), with the first appearance ofCaptain Marvel
Cover art byC. C. Beck

Between 1939 and 1941 Detective Comics and its sister company,All-American Publications,introduced popular superheroes such asBatmanandRobin,Wonder Woman,theFlash,Green Lantern,Doctor Fate,theAtom,Hawkman,Green ArrowandAquaman.[8]Timely Comics,the 1940s predecessor ofMarvel Comics,had million-selling titles featuring theHuman Torch,theSub-Mariner,andCaptain America.[9]Although DC and Timely characters are well remembered today, circulation figures suggest that the best-selling superhero title of the era wasFawcett Comics'Captain Marvel Adventureswith sales of about 1.4 million copies per issue. The comic was published biweekly at one point to capitalize on its popularity.[10]Another notable series wasThe SpiritbyWill Eisner,which deviated from the usual publishing model of the period as a weekly multi-page supplement in theRegister and Tribune Syndicatenewspapers for which Eisner held the copyright, a rare consideration for creators of that period.

Patriotic heroes donning red, white, and blue were particularly popular during the time of the Second World War following theShield's debut in 1940.[11]Many heroes of this time period battled theAxis powers,with covers such asCaptain America Comics#1 (cover-datedMarch 1941) showing the title character punchingNazileaderAdolf Hitler.[12]

As comic books grew in popularity, publishers began launching titles that expanded into a variety of genres.Dell Comics' non-superhero characters (particularly the licensedWalt Disneyanimated-charactercomics) outsold the superhero comics of the day.[13]The publisher featured licensed movie and literary characters such asMickey Mouse,Donald Duck,Roy RogersandTarzan.[14]It was during this era that noted Donald Duck writer-artistCarl Barksrose to prominence.[15]Additionally,MLJ's introduction ofArchie AndrewsinPep Comics#22 (December 1941) gave rise toteen humor comics,[16]with the Archie Andrews character remaining in print well into the 21st century.[17]

At the same time in Canada, American comic books were prohibited importation under theWar Exchange Conservation Act[18]which restricted the importation of non-essential goods. Canadian publishers responded to this lack of competition by producing titles of their own, informally called theCanadian Whites.While these titles flourished during the war, they did not survive the lifting of trade restrictions afterwards.

Post-war and shift from superheroes

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The termAtomic Age of Comic Booksis sometimes used to describe a brief time period, starting with either the end of World War II in 1945 or in 1948 with the first outcry of Fredric Wertham,[19][20]and lasting until the mid-1950s. Some authors consider this aninterregnumperiod or an era in its own right,[21][22]but most regard it as still part of the Golden Age. During this time, the popularity of superhero comics waned. To retain reader interest, comic publishers diversified into other genres, such aswar,Westerns,science fiction,romance,crimeandhorror.[23]Many superhero titles were canceled or converted to other genres.[citation needed]

In 1946,DC Comics'Superboy,AquamanandGreen Arrowwere switched fromMore Fun ComicsintoAdventure ComicssoMore Funcould focus on humor.[24]In 1948All-American Comics,featuringGreen Lantern,Johnny ThunderandDr. Mid-Nite,was replaced withAll-American Western.[citation needed]The following year,Flash ComicsandGreen Lanternwere canceled.[citation needed]In 1951All Star Comics,featuring theJustice Society of America,becameAll-Star Western.The next yearStar Spangled Comics,featuring Robin, was retitledStar Spangled War Stories.[citation needed]Sensation Comics,featuringWonder Woman,was canceled in 1953.[citation needed]The only superhero comics published continuously through the entire 1950s wereAction Comics,Adventure Comics,Batman,Detective Comics,Superboy,Superman,Wonder WomanandWorld's Finest Comics.[25]

Plastic Manappeared inQuality Comics'Police Comicsuntil 1950, when its focus switched to detective stories; his solo title continued bimonthly until issue 52, cover-dated February 1955.Timely Comics'The Human Torchwas canceled with issue #35 (March 1949)[26]andMarvel Mystery Comics,featuring the Human Torch, with issue #93 (Aug. 1949) became thehorror comicMarvel Tales.[27]Sub-Mariner Comicswas canceled with issue #42 (June 1949) andCaptain America Comics,by thenCaptain America's Weird Tales,with #75 (Feb. 1950).Harvey Comics'Black Catwas canceled in 1951 and rebooted as a horror comic later that year—the title would change toBlack Cat Mystery,Black Cat Mystic,and eventuallyBlack Cat Westernfor the final two issues, which included Black Cat stories.[28]Lev Gleason Publications'Daredevilwas edged out of his title by theLittle Wise Guysin 1950.[29]Fawcett Comics'Whiz Comics,Master ComicsandCaptain Marvel Adventureswere canceled in 1953, andThe Marvel Familywas canceled the following year.[30]

Also during this period, the mass media with the advent of television were forcing media companies to put out comics that reflected the popular culture of the time period. Comic books focused on space, mystery, and suspense that television and other forms of media were turning to in the march toward scientific progress.[31] According to historian Michael A. Amundson, appealing comic-book characters helped ease young readers' fear ofnuclear warand neutralize anxiety about the questions posed by atomic power.[32]It was during this period that long-running humor comics debuted, includingEC Comics' seriesMadand Dell's seriesUncle Scrooge(both in 1952).[33][34]

End of the era

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In 1953, the comic book industry hit a setback when theUnited States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquencywas created in order to investigate the problem ofjuvenile delinquency.[35]After the publication ofFredric Wertham'sSeduction of the Innocentthe following year that claimed comics sparked illegal behavior among minors, comic book publishers such as EC'sWilliam Gaineswere subpoenaed to testify in public hearings.[36]As a result, theComics Code Authoritywas created by theAssociation of Comics Magazine Publishersto enact self-censorship by comic book publishers.[37]At this time, EC canceled its crime and horror titles and focused primarily onMad.[37]TheSilver Age of Comic Booksis recognized by some as beginning with the debut of the first successful new superhero since the Golden Age, DC Comics' newFlash,inShowcase#4 (Oct. 1956).[38][39][40]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Quattro, Ken (2004)."The New Ages: Rethinking Comic Book History".Archived fromthe originalon September 5, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 12,2015.... according to fanzine historian Bill Schelly, 'The first use of the words "golden age" pertaining to the comics of the 1940s was by Richard A. Lupoff in an article called' "Re-Birth' inComic Art#1 (April 1960).
  2. ^"The Golden Age of Comics".History Detectives: Special Investigations.PBS.RetrievedFebruary 18,2015.The precise era of the Golden Age is disputed, though most agree that it was born with the launch of Superman in 1938.
  3. ^Spiegelman, Art (August 17, 2019)."Art Spiegelman: golden age superheroes were shaped by the rise of fascism".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.RetrievedMarch 19,2023.
  4. ^"Action Comics #1".Grand Comics Database.RetrievedFebruary 16,2015.
  5. ^Goulart, Ron (2000).Comic Book Culture: An Illustrated History(1st American ed.). Portland, Oregon: Collectors Press. p. 43.ISBN9781888054385.
  6. ^Eury, Michael (2006).The Krypton Companion: A Historical Exploration of Superman Comic Books of 1958-1986.Raleigh, North Carolina:TwoMorrows Publishing.p. 116.ISBN1893905616.since Superman inspired so many different super-heroes.
  7. ^Hatfield, Charles (2005).Alternative Comics: An Emerging Literature(1st ed.). Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi. p. 10.ISBN1578067197.the various Superman-inspired "costume" comics
  8. ^Various (January 19, 2005).The DC Comics Rarities Archives, Vol. 1.New York, New York:DC Comics.ISBN1401200079.
  9. ^Vernon Madison, Nathan (January 3, 2013).Anti-Foreign Imagery in American Pulps and Comic Books, 1920–1960.Jefferson, North Carolina:McFarland & Company.pp.107–108.ISBN978-0786470952.
  10. ^Morse, Ben (July 2006). "Thunderstruck".Wizard(179).
  11. ^Madrid, Mike (September 30, 2013).Divas, Dames & Daredevils: Lost Heroines of Golden Age Comics.Minneapolis, MN: Exterminating Angel Press. p. 29.
  12. ^"Captain America Comics (1941) #1".Marvel Comics.RetrievedMarch 21,2016.
  13. ^Benton, Mike (November 1989).The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History.Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing Company. p. 158.ISBN0878336591.
  14. ^Duncan, Randy; J. Smith, Matthew (January 29, 2013).Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman, Volume 1.Santa Barbara, California:Greenwood Publishing Group.pp.193–201.ISBN978-0313399237.
  15. ^"Donald Duck" Lost in the Andes "| The Comics Journal".Tcj. January 24, 2012.RetrievedNovember 16,2015.
  16. ^Nadel, Dan (June 1, 2006).Art Out of Time: Unknown Comics Visionaries, 1900–1969.New York:Abrams Books.p.8.ISBN0810958384.
  17. ^Telling, Gillian (July 6, 2015)."Mark Waid discusses 'overwhelmingly positive' reaction to Archie Andrews' new look after 75 years of Archie".Entertainment Weekly.Time Inc.RetrievedMarch 29,2016.
  18. ^The War Exchange Conservation Act, 1940,S.C.1940-41, c. 2
  19. ^Sanderson, Peter (April 4, 2017).Marvel Year By Year(Updated, Expanded ed.). DK. p. 40.ISBN978-1-4654-5550-5.
  20. ^Wertham, Fredrick (May 29, 1948).The Comics, Very Funny.Saturday Review of Literature. p. 6.
  21. ^Rhoades, Shirrel (2008).A Complete History of American Comic Books.New York: Peter Lang. p. 5.ISBN978-1433101076.OCLC175290005.
  22. ^William W. Savage,Commies, Cowboys, and Jungle Queens: Comic Books and America, 1945–1954,Wesleyan University Press, 1998, p. 111.
  23. ^Kovacs, George; Marshall, C. W. (2011).Classics and Comics.New York: Oxford University Press. p. 109.ISBN9780199734191.
  24. ^Daniel, Wallace; Gilbert, Laura (September 20, 2010).DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle.New York:DK Publishing.p. 51.ISBN978-0756667429.FollowingMore Fun Comicschange in focus the previous month, the displaced super-heroes Superboy, Green Arrow, Johnny Quick, Aquaman, and the Shining Knight were welcomed byAdventure Comics.
  25. ^Schelly, William (2013).American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950s.TwoMorrows Publishing.ISBN9781605490540.
  26. ^"The Human Torch".Grand Comics Database.RetrievedFebruary 3,2015.
  27. ^"Marvel Mystery Comics".Grand Comics Database.RetrievedFebruary 3,2015.
  28. ^Schoell, William (June 26, 2014).The Horror Comics: Fiends, Freaks and Fantastic Creatures, 1940–1980s.Jefferson, North Carolina:McFarland & Company.p. 82.ISBN978-0786470273.
  29. ^Plowright, Frank (September 22, 2003).The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide.Marietta, Georgia:Top Shelf Productions.p. 159.ISBN0954458907.
  30. ^Conroy, Mike (August 1, 2003).500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes.Hauppauge, New York:Barron's Educational Series.p.208.ISBN0764125818.
  31. ^Szasz, Ferenc (September 15, 2013)."Atomic Comics Cartoonists Confront the Nuclear World".University of Nevada Press. Archived from the original on August 23, 2023.RetrievedAugust 23,2023.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  32. ^Zeman, Scott C.; Amundson, Michael A. (2004).Atomic Culture: How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.Boulder, Colorado: University Press of Colorado. p.11.ISBN9780870817632.
  33. ^Gertler, Nat; Lieber, Steve (July 6, 2004).The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating a Graphic Novel.New York:Alpha Books.p. 178.ISBN1592572332.
  34. ^Farrell, Ken (May 1, 2006).Warman's Disney Collectibles Field Guide: Values and Identification.Iola, Wisconsin:Krause Publications.p. 327.ISBN0896893227.
  35. ^Binder, Arnold; Geis, Gilbert (January 1, 2001).Juvenile Delinquency: Historical, Cultural & Legal Perspectives(Third ed.). Cincinnati, Ohio:Routledge.p.220.ISBN1583605037.
  36. ^Kiste Nyberg, Amy (February 1, 1998).Seal of Approval: The History of the Comics Code (Studies in Popular Culture).Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi. p. 59.ISBN087805975X.
  37. ^abKiste Nyberg, Amy."Comics Code History: The Seal of Approval".cbldf.org.Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.Archived fromthe originalon March 27, 2016.RetrievedMarch 27,2016.
  38. ^Shutt, Craig (2003).Baby Boomer Comics: The Wild, Wacky, Wonderful Comic Books of the 1960s!.Iola, Wisconsin:Krause Publications.p. 20.ISBN087349668X.The Silver Age started withShowcase#4, the Flash's first appearance.
  39. ^Sassiene, Paul (1994).The Comic Book: The One Essential Guide for Comic Book Fans Everywhere.Edison, New Jersey:Chartwell Books, a division of Book Sales. p.69.ISBN9781555219994.DC'sShowcaseNo. 4 was the comic that started the Silver Age
  40. ^"DC Flashback: The Flash".Comic Book Resources.July 2, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon January 12, 2009.RetrievedMarch 26,2016.
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