James bond made his first appearance in the novel casino royale in 1953. This page will deal with the most valuable of all, golden age comic books. Five most popular animated series of the 1950s animation. The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and. David hajdu examines the great comicbook panic of the 1950s. In this section we have a two books by percy crosby, which predate his most notable creation the popular and critically acclaimed skippy comic strip. Eagle was published in a more expensive format, and was a gravureprinted weekly.
Some strict collectors consider the era finished by 1950. War comic books produced during the korean war underscored the domestic and global threat of communism. Great content one of the best comic book books i own and i own a boatload of comic book books. Top 100 most valuable comic books of the golden age 19381956 the 100 most valuable comic books from each age. The only superhero comics published continuously through the entire 1950s were action comics, adventure. You or your parents or grandparents might remember some. This issue has no publication date in the indicia, or elsewhere. The late 1940s to the early 1970s and especially the 1950s were the classic days of the comic strip. This, of course, isnt to say that mccarthyism and the. Romance comic books instructed young females on the vital qualities of domesticity and became, for a time in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the industrys topselling genre. We will say that the golden age begins in 1938 and ends in 1956, when the silver age began.
For example, douglas the robe was first published in 1942, not during the 1950s, and so is excluded here. Idw publishing and yoe books recently released zombies, a hardcover collection of 1950s horror comics hand picked by yoe and banes. Comics influenced emotions and attitudes of the american people superhero comics became. Captain marvel proved to be one of the most popular superhero comics of the golden age.
As an entertainment medium, comics were the digital devices of their day. Two that were my most cheriished both belonged to batman. In this video, we take a look at my top 20 picks for the best, most culturally significant comic book of the 1950s. Coles best covers, a fine example of his striking use of primary colors, which he referred to as poster colors. May 18, 2017 comic book fans and collectors divide the last 80 years of the publication of superhero comic books into four ages. In addition to comic books, it was the subcommittees intention to study the influence of music, movies, and other media upon teenagers as well. The books ultrararity and the fact it was written by one of the greatest writers of the 20th century adds to its value. Romance comics of the 1950s and 60s the vintage inn. In the 1950s the entertainments censorship act of this period in south africas history would have made it more difficult to import foreign comic books. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. Ive also posted more lists of key comic books by year including other decades.
Sep 20, 2019 the golden age of comic books is from 1938 to 1956 roughly. Crosby enlisted in the army during world war i, where he was wounded. With that caveat stated, without further ado, here is a list of 50 important comics from the 1970s. By the early 1950s, dozens of romance titles from major comics publishers were on the newsstands and. Jan 10, 20 this luxurious box collection of 100 vintage postcards presents some of the greatest comic book covers from the 1950s. In the 1950s, there was a nationwide movement to censor comic books. In the early 1980s i found this comic at tommys book exchange, long street, cape town.
Wertham was an anticomic book crusader who did some serious damage back in the 1950s. Whereas current monthly sales of popular comic book titles hover around 100,000 copies, in the early 1940s superman, batman and captain marvel titles each regularly sold in the range of 1. Lupoff in an article called rebirth in issue 1 of fanzines comic art in april 1960 shift from superheroes. Comic books in the 1940s and 1950s comics became popular in the 1930s during the great depression. Salinger and jack kerouac, authors whose books questioned the status quo and the midcentury preoccupation with conformity. If youve read and collected comic books, did you ever suspect that they. Captain marvel proved to be one of the most popular superhero comics of the golden age, regularly outselling the adventures of superman during the 1940s. Influenced by the pulps, radio soap operas, newspaper comic strips such as mary worth, and adult confession magazines, joe simon and jack kirby created the flagship romance comic book young romance and launched it in 1947 to resounding success. The worlds largest comic strip site for online classic strips like calvin and hobbes, dilbert, non sequitur, get fuzzy, luann, pearl before swine, 9 chickweed lane and more. Phantom stranger first appeared in the first issue of his own book in 1952.
Would love to see you continue showcasing strips from the 50s and 60s. In 1954, a popular book called seduction of the innocent linked comic books and juvenile delinquency, leading to calls for censorship. The golden age of comi c bo oks describes an era of ameri can c omic books from 1938 to 1956. The sales of comic books increased markedly during world war ii. Western, romance, crime, horror and science fiction comic books all became immensely popular. Synopsis this is one of a set of lists i made showing a progression of the greatest.
By 1954, the anthropomorphic, talking bunny with the flatbush accent was considered more popular than mickey mouse. The book is already sold out on the distributor level, and is the duos third horror collection through idw, including bob powells terror and dick briefers frankenstein. First, a brief history of comic books from their origins to the late 1940s. The silver age, about 1956 to 1970, marks the superherocentric reemergence of comic. When superman crossed over from comic books to comic strips, his. The golden age of comic books describes an era of american comic books from 1938 to 1956. Why my mother threw out my comic books part 1 of 3 webages. This format was one used originally by mickey mouse weekly during the 1930s. Why my mother threw out my comic books part 1 of 3 webages by adam blatner reposted november 18, 2009 this is based on a talk given on 61209 to the summer session of the senior university georgetown. I returned two copies to amazon because the binding fell apart after i opened the cover of the book. Aug 16, 2017 by 1954, the anthropomorphic, talking bunny with the flatbush accent was considered more popular than mickey mouse. Comic books in the 1940s and 1950s by jaclyn coughlan on prezi. Most valuable comic books of the 1950s personal finance advice.
Super heroes all died out between 1950 and 1955 with only superman, batman and wonder woman and a few smaller ones still being published. The golden age of comic books is from 1938 to 1956 roughly. Women in 50s comic books ramona fradon and marie severin. The golden age describes an era in the creation of comic books published between the years of 1938 and 1955. The most memorable comics for me were the ones with ther really bizarre covers. Golden 19381950, silver 19561970, bronze 19701985 and modern 1985the present. Only humour comics, dell life story and classics illustrated were distributed. The superhero archetype was created and many wellknown characters were introduced, including superman, batman, captai n marvel, capta in america, and wonder woman. The most common 1950s comic books material is ceramic. A new world new stuff the 1950s was an odd time for comic books.
Comic book fans and collectors divide the last 80 years of the publication of superhero comic books into four ages. Fiction house was an american publisher of pulp magazines and comic books that existed from the 1920s to the 1950s. But, as part of the industrys trend toward more realistic stories. The decades best books were mired in the dark realities of recent history, and. Loving comic strips like i do i really enjoyed these clippings you showcased. The most common 1950s comic book material is ceramic. While the super hero was faltering, other genres began to surge in popularity. David hajdu examines the great comic book panic of the 1950s. Sep 25, 20 wertham was an anti comic book crusader who did some serious damage back in the 1950s. See more ideas about comics, comic books and childhood memories. Dc characters are from the silver age of the 1950s and the new 52 would. Even though super heroes had lost a great deal of their popular appeal by. During the 1950s and 1960s the most popular comic for older agegroup boys was the eagle published by hulton press.
Sales could be counted in hundreds of millions, and more than 80% of kids and 90% of teens were reading them. During thi s time, modern com ic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The chilling horror comics history of the 1950s cbr. Nov 10, 20 fifties comic books greatest 1950s stories ever told tpb 1995 dc comic books. Mel blanc voiced the character that went on to appear in a number of short films, feature films, tv series, video games, compilations, albums, comic books, commercials, and amusement park rides. List of important comics from the 1970s rare comics. Other types of comics popular at this time were old west adventures, romantic dramas, horror tales, and lawandorder hero stories. Its comics division, best known for its pinupstyle good girl art, got its birth working with partner iger studio, featuring the talents of will eisner and matt baker, among others. Kids gathered aroundthe radio to hear the adventures of superman, and also other crimefighters, such as gang busters, the fbi in peace and war, and manyother programs. This lesson will investigate the role of the media, its influence on young people, and the growing anxiety about teenagers newfound independence in the 1950s. This luxurious box collection of 100 vintage postcards presents some of the greatest comic book covers from the 1950s. Some 60 years ago, during the era of mccarthyism, comic books became a threat, causing a panic that culminated in a senate hearing in 1954. Crime comics from the 1940s and 1950s includes gallery and history.
The first recorded use of the term golden age was by richard a. The book is already sold out on the distributor level, and is the duos third horror collection through idw, including bob powells terror and. During the return to normalcy in postwar america, superhero comic books sales plummeted and many titles ceased publication. Mar, 2015 some 60 years ago, during the era of mccarthyism, comic books became a threat, causing a panic that culminated in a senate hearing in 1954. Unfollow 1950s comic books to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Comic books in the 1950s the golden age of comic books origin of the term. Jul 31, 2012 idw publishing and yoe books recently released zombies, a hardcover collection of 1950s horror comics hand picked by yoe and banes.
So keep reading to find out if your favorite heroes made my list, and feel free to respond with your different opinions. Humor comics and books page 1 of 9 comic book plus. The worlds largest comic strip site for online classic strips like calvin and hobbes, dilbert, non sequitur, get fuzzy, luann, pearl before swine, 9. In other words these will become great inspirations to future comic characters and stories. King comics, tip top comics, and dc comics were popular during this time. The 1950s saw the emergence of literary lights including j. Dcs comics were far tamer than the gory horror comics from other publishers, but there was a cleanup campaign at dc for some of the characters. Supermans popularity helped make comic books a major arm of publishing, which led rival companies to create. I have really vivid memories of the human punching bag and the twoway deathrap issues.
Another, great character of the 1950s western boom. These kinds of lists are always less the definitive end of the conversation than the start of one. Books listed in these decade lists are included by virtue of their date of original publication, not by their presence on best seller lists in later decades. Last week, i started a twopart column on the greatest comic book characters of the 1950s and 60s. The superhero archetype was created and many wellknown characters were introduced, including superman, batman, captain marvel, captain america, and wonder woman. Jan, 2017 with that caveat stated, without further ado, here is a list of 50 important comics from the 1970s. From classic science fiction and kitsch romance adventures to cautionary crime, grisly horror, and tragic war stories theres a multitude of legendary cover artwork from the golden age of comic books. Greatest 12 characters of the 1930s who is on this list, what this list is about and how they got on the list. Americans turned to comics to put themselves in better moods during these hard times. Dec 08, 2011 last week, i started a twopart column on the greatest comic book characters of the 1950s and 60s. The decades best books were mired in the dark realities of recent history, and looked forward to seismic social shifts to come. These are the years when comics were considered a new and exciting form of art.