DC continues to attempt Golden Age revivals of their characters in The Brave and the Bold #34 (Dec 1960) with Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Drawn by none other than the amazing Joe Kubert and written by none other than the pretty cool Gardner Fox, this Hawk-couple are alien police officers from the planet Thanegar. Katar and […]
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Showcase #22 (July 1959) finally brings us the last of the original Justice League members: The Silver Age Green Lantern. Hal Jordan, a revival of the Golden Age Green Lantern but changing the battery/ring explanation from magic to pseudo-science. Hal, a test pilot for Ferris Aircraft Company, is summoned by the dying Abin Sur to […]
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Comic book historians like to call the appearance of the Silver Age Flash (Barry Allen) in Showcase #4 (July 1956) the beginning of the Silver Age of Comic Books. From my standpoint, having gone through the first twenty years of superhero comic books, I don’t think there is single defining moment. I believe the Silver […]
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The Sub-Mariner makes his last appearance of the 1950s in Sub-Mariner #42 (July 1955), closing out the last of an attempted resurgence of Marvel (Atlas) characters, just as DC is warming up the engines of its full Silver Age. Atlas Comics gave Sub-Mariner two years, but I guess it wasn’t enough to ignite an interest […]
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In Adventure Comics #207 (October 1954), Johnny Quick has his last adventure of the 1950s, making him the last Golden Age superhero DC retires in this tail end of the superhero decline. It’s a forgettable tale (other than force-feeding his sidekick Tubby Watts hamburgers to drown his heartache), but it does mean that DC will […]
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In DC’s Watchmen timeline, superheroes did not have a resurgence in popularity in comic books in the late 1950s. Instead, pirate-themed comic books took over the industry with “Tales of the Black Freighter” being popular. This apparently is based in some reality: EC’s Crypt of Terror #45 (August 1954), includes the above ad where they […]
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Psst, Atlas! Your superhero revival attempt seems tinged with DC-envy when you describe Namor as “the original Aquaman”. Yes, Namor was introduced two years before the DC aquatic character. Yes, your anti-hero character is more complex and has a more interesting mythology. Yes, your character actually has a supporting cast. Not only that, your character […]
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In Captain America #78 (May 1954), Atlas (Marvel) continues to try to make their superheroes exciting by adding new super-villains. This time, the Commies create their own version of a “super soldier” to square off against Captain America. Ivan Kronov is given electrical powers and the name Electro. Like electric cars, he has one slight […]
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Oddly, all the Atlas/Marvel superheroes that were revived in 1953 happen to have girlfriends named Betty / Betsy. Someone must have loved that name – Stan Lee perhaps? Betty Wilson was introduced as a minor character for the Human Torch. Betsy Ross (no relation to the Hulk’s Betsy Ross?) used to be Golden Girl, but […]
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After taking Captain America out of retirement, Atlas (Marvel) puts Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes back into the Army where they belong, leaving his teaching job behind in Captain America #76 (January 1954).
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