In Adventure Comics #271 (Feb 1960), Superboy meets a new kid in town: Lex Luthor. This is the first comic that uses his full name in the story (though it was mentioned in a previous letters column. Lex starts out as a really smart guy who is also a Superboy fan. He ends up saving […]
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The Elongated Man makes his premiere in Flash #112 (Feb 1960) by taking the Flash’s lime light. Ralph Diby is not the first stretchy super-hero nor does he become the most prominent stretchy superhero (I guess that falls to Mr. Fantastic and not Plastic Man?), but he does get some interesting twists when he gains […]
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Atlas/Marvel covers are decorated with more giant monsters in January 1960: Rro! and Taboo! Another thing I’m noticing with Marvel stories from this era is that these anthological tales are now getting sequels, such as “Return of the Martian” features another tale of “Zetora the Martian” in Journey into Mystery #58. Clear indications that the […]
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Both of the Superman and Supergirl stories in Action Comics #262 make it suddenly clear that the reason Kryptonians have powers on Earth is not strictly because of the heavier gravity of Krypton, but because Krypton had a red sun and Earth has a yellow one. I haven’t seen this mentioned before. Clark, Lois, Perry, […]
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Charlton’s Space Adventures #33 (January 1960) introduces a new super-hero: Captain Atom! Created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, Captain Adam was a physics prodigy, chemist, and ballistics genius but woops, he drops a screwdriver and is trapped on a rocket carrying an atomic bomb that detonates in space. He rematerializes soon after back near […]
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Well here we are, at the last post from the 1950s, and it’s a milestone event for DC: The introduction of the Justice League of America in The Brave and the Bold #28 (Dec 1959). Written by Gardner Fox, who also created and wrote the Golden Age Justice Society of America, this new team features […]
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No, we’re not quite done with the 1950s yet. One or two more interesting bits appeared on the newsstand in December 1959. This time, it’s the debut of Aqualad, a predictable sidekick for Aquaman. Aqualad is never given a name in this first story, but harkening back to the story of Aquagirl, Aquaman explains to […]
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Atlas / Marvel Comics continue to populate its fantasy/horror/sci-fi comics with giant monsters. December 1959’s tasty selection is Diablo (The Demon from the Fifth Dimension) and Droom (the Living Lizard).
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In Superman’s Girlfriend, Lois Lane #15 (Dec 1959), readers are treated to a full-issue story in what appears to be Superman and Lois finally committing to each other, getting married, moving in together, having children, and Lois gaining super-powers. The cover makes a bunch of bold promises: “This Super-Wedding is Real! The marriage is not […]
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In Superman #135 (Dec 1959), Lori Lemaris returns thanks to a big fan reaction to her first story. This sequel story, “Superman’s Mermaid Sweetheart”, was written by none other than Jerry Siegel. I have an affection for this story as it appeared as one of 5 Superman stories from the Silver Age in a paperback […]
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