Sweet Lou 14

I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with anything you've said here. I don't collect the genres you are referring to -- and I'm not 100% sure how relevant they are to the original question posed, which was about "keys." With very rare exceptions, "keys" means "superheroes" -- and the more you raise the bar (value-wise) on your definition of a "key" the more the word means exclusively superheroes. I am only talking about superhero material in my comments. That's the only genre that is generating any of the film and TV content, and if that changes it will almost certainly because Marvel's stunning success so far spurs them to branch out more and more into other genres. (Even as I type this, I realize that Marvel romance characters have already played minor parts in TV series like Jessica Jones and Daredevil.) When you say Marvel had a great decade that post-dates Showcase #4 and Challengers of the Unknown, that's like saying the Beatles had a great decade that post-dates Elvis and Little Richard. It doesn't in any way diminish the brilliance of what Marvel accomplished. And finally, you are 100% correct that "most Marvel hero titles slipped badly after 1971." I never enjoyed the Bronze Age books nearly as much, and I read them all, even when it felt like I was doing it just to say I did it. I sincerely apologize if you feel insulted by anything I've said. It's not my intent. Thank you for the respectful dialogue.

One last point because I really would like for this to die down. I am not an expert on the Silver Age DC material. Many of the "major characters" (Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern) are just rehashes of the old GA characters, though I agree that the Silver Age character designs are generally what has stuck in pop culture so that makes them significant. As for exposure on the big screen, my sense is that when film and TV writers mine DC material for story ideas, they are not getting much from the Silver Age. The core concepts of DC's big three (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) are all laid out in the Golden Age. Ra's al Ghul, used effectively in Batman Begins, is a Bronze Age character, no? When I watch Marvel movies, time after time after time I am seeing specific images and storylines from the comics I collect play out on the screen. It is simply amazing. I could be wrong but I don't think this happens nearly as often in DC films and TV shows -- and when it does, I don't think the Silver Age is where it's coming from.

I feel I should follow up my last post because I really don't want to upset or insult anyone who feels love and nostalgia for DC Silver Age books. Yes, I am a Marvel collector and those are the books and characters I enjoy the most. That certainly gives me a bias. But it's not like I haven't seen most of the DC movies (from Christopher Reeve to Gal Godot), and it's not like I didn't enjoy modern books like Frank Miller's Dark Knight or the Watchmen (a DC book outside DC continuity), and it's not as though I wouldn't be interested in collecting Superman or Batman comics from the Golden Age if I could afford them. I'm not trying to hate on all things DC. My opinion is just my own, and I'm speaking only for myself, but when someone asks when DC Silver Age books will be valued like Marvel Silver Age books, my answer is never. Comparing the two in terms of quality and impact seems completely ridiculous to me. Could some of the art be "sublime"? Sure, although none of it stacks up to Kirby and Ditko. But art isn't where it all falls apart for me. DC books of that era seem to have been written with almost no regard for the reader's intelligence -- most of the stories are complete gimmicks, severely lacking in creativity or originality. Most of the time when I look at one of the covers, I almost feel insulted. There is a very obvious, deliberate editorial style running through all of this material, relentlessly tossing out the same lazy and derivative material. I've got strong opinions about this but again, I really want to be respectful of DC fans who love this stuff. Definitely love what you love -- and perhaps be glad that what you love is more affordable. But there is definitely a reason why.

By all means, like what you like and collect what you collect. The fact that you can point out some DC work that has good art, and some Marvel work that you consider "mediocre," doesn't really have much bearing on my broader point, that from a storytelling standpoint Silver Age DC material is for the most part not just bad -- it's colossally, almost unimaginably and unforgivably bad.

When someone goes back in time and makes the stories good?

Speaking for myself, I am looking for the following in 9.8 WP with excellent centering: #132, 158, 159, and 170 ... let me know through PM if you have any of those, thanks. /hijack

Another eBay find ...

Thanks! I remember seeing it listed on Bedrock City's web site for over $500 more than I just paid for it, so I think I got a decent deal.

I really don't put any extra value on pedigrees, but for me what made this 9.0 desirable was the colors and the centering.

Hey there ... I just upgraded my FF 11 and have an 8.0 that I would be willing to sell. Are you still looking?

Finally upgraded this tough issue to 9.0, with a Curator pedigree to boot. I would love to push for a 9.4 someday, but I'm really happy with this copy. Will eventually put my 8.0 up for sale.

FYI, one of these is up for auction this week. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?ItemID=51301866

Bullseye.

Great looking book, I agree. Whenever the defects that earn a book a particular grade are "hidden" on the back cover, I feel that makes the book much more attractive than its peers -- and as you point out, for mid-grade books it can give the book more appeal than copies graded one or two points higher.

Sounds about right for many of the posts I've seen from you. Maybe put some more thought into what you say.