@joshromano40.7905: Comics books had to compete like crazy on the newsstands of the '60s. They were usually displayed on big newsstand bookshelves that covered an entire wall of the drugstore or candy store. And on that wall, along with the comics, were other magazines that ran the gamut from Home and Garden to The Police Gazette. Each issue was faced out, maybe a half dozen deep, with copies spilling left and right in front or behind the adjoining books. There might have been only one issue of the current Flash left, and it could be hiding behind Richie Rich or Field and Stream. DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Harvey Comics, Archie Comics, Dell, and Gold Key all bunched together and fending off encroachment by Life, Look, and The Saturday Evening Post. The comics could be high up on the wall, somewhere on the bottom, or if you were lucky, smack dab in the middle. And the covers had to be damn good to catch your eye amidst all the other competitors. It was always an exciting scavenger hunt to find what you were looking for, and there was always an unexpected sudden rush when a new four-colored gem caught your eye!
It was a great time to be a comic reader!
Really would like to keep this thread going so here’s a question for those of you who remember “Direct Currents”, "Go-Go Checks, and buying your books with bottle deposit money:
Favorite DC Silver Age writer? I’ll start: John Broome, closely followed by Jim Shooter.
I am not old enough to remember the Go-Go Checks, but as a Bronze Age kid i did read a lof old Silver Age comics. My favorite writers would be John Broome, Gardner Fox, and Arnold Drake.
John Broome on Captain Comet, The Flash and Green Lantern, Gardner Fox also on The Flash, and Green Lantern, The Atom, Hawkman, Adam Strange, The Justice League of America, and even Batman, and Arnold Drake on The Doom Patrol and Deadman. Phew!! These guys were prolific, and damn good at their craft.
I always wanted to see John Broome take a shot at the Fantastic Four after Stan left the book. He had a knack for characterization, which was Marvel’s stock and trade, but he could also spin a wild, no holds barred tale. I think he would have written an “impossible” Impossible Man story pitting the FF against their impish foe.
Gardner Fox, Jerry Siegel, Otto Binder, Edmond Hamilton, John Broome and the teen Jim Shooter.
with Julie and Mort on the edits
Early Teen Titans by Haney and Cardy is ridiculously fun to read. It’s also ridiculous. It’s the last train to coolsville, man.
@CaptainYesterday: I am so glad you mentioned Mort. Under the editorial stewardship of Mort Weisinger, the writers you noted (plus others like Leo Dorman, and a young Cary Bates) built the “Superman Family” books and mythos.
And before he ascended to the editorial helm of all the Superman books in 1958, Mort spent three years in Hollywood as story editor on “The Adventures of Superman”.
Mort was supposedly a “tough” guy to work for (Roy Thomas tells a tale of his week working for Mort at DC), but there is no denying the immense contributions he made to the Man of Steel, his four-color world, and supporting cast.
Much of what Mort and his accomplished stable of writers and artists created are still referenced in modern-day Superman offerings.
And in keeping with the title of this post, here are three Mort Weisinger edited Superman titles that definitely fit into the category of Best Silver Age DC Comics:
Superman #141, “Superman’s Return to Krypton!” by Siegel Boring, and Kaye
Superman #149 “The Death of Superman!” by Siegel, Swan, and Klein
Superman #162 “The Amazing Story of Superman Red and Superman Blue!” by Dorfman, Swan, and Klein
All must-reads for any true Superman fanatic.
I actually have not read much Silver age comics. but what really surprises me is how bright the night comics are drawn in older books.
Got half of Zatanna’s creators with Gardner. I (obviously) love em too!!! All great picks!!
My Silver Age faves are from the old Charlton lineup: Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, and the Question. Ditko’s Question is especially a visual treat, even though he tends to hit you over the head with Objectivism in the text.
I mean, they’re DC’s now, so that counts, right?
That’s the Question.
Silver Age Green Lantern is a lot of fun. The setting and supporting cast felt quite different, and it laid the ground work for so much to come, while still having that nostalgic and wacky vibe.
Wow, this came up when I did a Google search for “best Superboy silver age stories.”
Since next to none are digitized yet, checking out a 3 day weekend sale at a certain online retailer based out of Norristown, PA…
Well, back to my search…