The Top 100 Books of the Silver Age !!! This is gonna be fun!

[miraclemet]

The problem with any poll is that Marvel ends up being over represented and DC under. It becomes a popularity contest instead of a merit contest.

 

I think DC has been pretty well represented in most lists.

 

Remember part of the problem is that a fair number of DCs main characters (heroes and villains) were introduced in the Golden age, so they arent going to be as represented in the silver age...

 

but to see if I was being biased I checked my list...

 

59 Marvel, 41 DC. Thats pretty balanced in my mind considering the fact that DCs trinity (Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman) were already well underway by the Silver Age, as were their main villains and key story characters...

[showcase22gr1959]

I recognize that SC4 in Oct 1956 is the generally accepted start of the silver age, but I like neat ends......

 

So, let's go with the assumptoin that the silver age is 1954 through 1970, inclusive and see what we get

 

By the pace of books you are adding, you should have all the top 100 books covered.

[Bluetooth-migration]

cool sigline (thumbs u

[roulette44]

Yes, the question stands at "name any books not listed on the top 150 list I posted, which you think belong on the top 100"

[ComicConnoisseur]

FIRST 50 BOOKS (I SUSPECT NOONE IS GOING TO ARGUE THESE BELONG ON THE TOP 100 LIST)

 

1 Amazing Fantasy 15

2 Fantastic Four 1

3 Incredible Hulk 1

4 Showcase 4

5 Tales of Suspense 39

6 Amazing Spider-man 1

7 Journey into Mystery 83

8 Showcase 22

9 Tales to Astonish 27

10 X-men 1

11 Adventure 247

12 Brave and Bold 28

13 Avengers 1

14 Fantastic Four 5

15 Action 242

16 Flash 105

17 Fantastic Four 2

18 Amazing Spider-man 2

19 Daredevil 1

20 Detective 225

21 Sgt. Fury 1

22 Showcase 8

23 Fantastic Four 4

24 Fantastic Four 12

25 Justice League of America 1

26 Our Army At War 81

27 Green Lantern 1

28 Amazing Spider-man 3

29 Challengers of the Unknown 1

30 Showcase 9

31 Avengers 4

32 Tales to Astonish 35

33 Showcase 14

34 Amazing Spider-man 4

35 G. I. Combat 87

36 Action 252

37 Strange Tales 110

38 Amazing Spider-man 6

39 Journey Into Mystery 84

40 Journey Into Mystery 85

41 Our Army At War 83

42 Showcase 13

43 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 1

44 Adventure 210

45 Amazing Spider-man 14

46 Showcase 6

47 Brave and Bold 30

48 Brave and Bold 34

49 Detective 226

50 Detective 226

With this 50 I get rid of

Showcase 8,Showcase 13,Showcase 9,Showcase 14,Brave and Bold 30,Detective 226.

Why? I don`t see second,third and fourth appearances of DC silver age characters qualifying as keys.

A key is AF #15 or X-men #1.

I am also iffy about Challengers of the Unknown. I know its Kirby,but to call it a key is questionable.

[ComicConnoisseur]

BOOKS 51 to 100 - HERE I THINK WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF SUBSTITUTIONS / ELIMINATIONS!

 

51 Strange Tales 89

52 Amazing Spider-man 9

53 Tales of Suspense 40

54 Batman 121

55 Journey Into Mystery 89

56 Amazing Adventures 1

57 Avengers 2

58 Brave and Bold 29

59 G. I. Combat 68

60 Mystery in Space 53

61 Showcase 15

62 Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane 1

63 Tales to Astonish 44

64 Wonder Woman 105

65 Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1

66 X-men 3

67 Amazing Spider-man 50

68 Flash 123

69 Green Lantern 7

70 Incredible Hulk 2

71 X-men 2

72 Amazing Spider-man 28

73 Showcase 17

74 Showcase 24

75 Silver Surfer 1

76 X-men 12

77 Fantastic Four 13

78 Showcase 34

79 Fantastic Four 16

80 Strange Tales 101

81 Tales of Suspense 48

82 Tales of the Unexpected 40

83 Amazing Spider-man 20

84 Daredevil 2

85 Fantastic Four 48

86 Iron Man 1

87 Justice League of America 4

88 My Greatest Adventure 80

89 Showcase 20

90 Superboy 68

91 Superman 127

92 Tales of Suspense 50

93 Tales of Suspense 57

94 Tales of Suspense 65

95 Tales to Astonish 36

96 X-men 4

97 Adventure 267

98 All American Men of War 67

99 Daredevil 7

100 Our Fighting Forces 45

With this 50 I only keep

Tales of Suspense 50,57,65

X-men 3, 4,12

Amazing Spider-man 9,20,28

Daredevil 7

My Greatest Adventure 80

Iron Man 1

Fantastic Four 13,16, 48

Tales to Astonish 44

Flash 123

Green Lantern 7

The rest are good little books but not considered the top.

[ComicConnoisseur]

And my list goes to 150 (okay 153) for now, so here are the rest

 

101 Showcase 27

102 Star Spangled War Stories 45

103 Star Spangled War Stories 90

104 Strange Adventures 117

105 Strange Worlds 1

106 Avengers 8

107 Captain America 100

108 Amazing Spider-man 39

109 Amazing Spider-man 40

110 Aquaman 1

111 Atom 1

112 Batman 105

113 Batman Annual 1

114 Detective Comics 359

115 Fantastic Four Annual 1

116 Fantastic Four Annual 2

117 Green Lantern 40

118 Hawkman 1

119 Metal Men 1

120 Showcase 30

121 Showcase 37

122 Strange Tales 114

123 Strange Tales 115

124 Tales to Astonish 59

125 Thor 126

126 X-men 14

127 Fantastic Four 49

128 Strange Tales 135

129 Teen Titans 1

130 X-men 10

131 Adventure 229

132 Batman 155

133 Batman 181

134 Fantastic Four 52

135 Rip Hunter, Time Master 1

136 Sea Devils 1

137 Sgt. Fury 13

138 Amazing Spider-man 100

139 Avengers 57

140 Brave and Bold 54

141 Incredible Hulk 102

142 Iron Man/Submariner 1

143 Submariner 1

144 Superman Annual 1

145 Batman 200

146 Captain Marvel 1

147 Fantastic Four 72

148 Fantastic Four 112

149 Superman 146

150 Superman 200

151 Tales to Astonish 93

152 Hawk & Dove 1

153 Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD 1

Keep

Amazing Spider-man 39,40

Detective Comics 359

Fantastic Four Annual 1,2,72, 112

Tales to Astonish 93

Brave and Bold 54

Avengers 57

Strange Tales 135

X-men 14

Showcase 37

Avengers 57

Fantastic Four 52

 

I think there are probally really only 50 top books of the Silver Age because you know your really stretching it when you have to put Hawk & Dove #1 on this list. IMHO

[Flash105]

The only problem with getting rid of Showcase 8 is that while it is the second appearance of the Flash, it is the first appearance of Captain Cold which is probably a top 10 silver age villian for DC.

[ComicConnoisseur]

The only problem with getting rid of Showcase 8 is that while it is the second appearance of the Flash, it is the first appearance of Captain Cold which is probably a top 10 silver age villian for DC.

I always thought of him as a poor man`s Mr. Freeze.

I will have to re-evaluate my thinking of him then.

[Flash105]

I think Mr. Freeze is a poor man's Captain Cold. I will concede the cover to Batman 121 is much better than SC8.

[roulette44]

, why, oh why did I try to bite off the top 100 list...... I think this group would have struggled with the top 22-23

 

well I was hoping for more input, but do appreciate the comments made.

 

I've decided to accept my list as "the list" (top 150 silver + now calling the pre-SC4 books "pre-silver" to get my list up a little higher).

 

Focusing on putting them all together, Marvel in cgc 6.5-7.0 and DCs in cgc 5.5-7.0...... over 85% of the way there would make for a nice group shot, eh?!

[comick1]

Here's my list, now ranked in order. Thanks to Miraclemet (thumbs u for the advice on MIS 53, the 1st appearance of Adam Strange. That book ranks 50th on my list.

 

 

 

Or if you prefer, the list is also in text format, but suffers from "nulls on" & is somewhat jammed together as a result.

 

 

1 Amazing Fantasy 15 100000 1st Spiderman

2 Showcase 4 54000 1st SA Flash

3 Fantastic Four 1 70000

4 Incredible Hulk 1 65000

5 X-men 1 26000

6 Journey into Mystery 83 24000 1st Thor

7 Tales of Suspense 39 20000 1st Iron Man

8 Brave and Bold 28 16000 JLA intro

9 Showcase 22 12500 1st Green Lantern

10 Amazing Spider Man 1 50000

11 Avengers 1 12500

12 Avengers 4 4200 1st Cap America in SA

13 Daredevil 1 7500

14 Fantastic Four 5 13000 1st Dr Doom

15 Fantastic Four 48 1400 1st Galactus & Silvr S.

16 Adventure 247 13500 1st Legion

17 Strange Tales 110 3500 1st Dr. Strange

18 Amazing Spider Man 14 4800 1st Green Goblin

19 Fantastic Four 4 9500 1st SA Submariner

20 Flash 105 16000 SA Flash origin

21 Sgt. Fury 1 5500

22 Tales to Astonish 27 13000 1st Ant Man

23 Action 252 5200 Supergirl 2nd app

24 Detective Comics 225 10500 origin Batgirl

25 Our Army At War 83 5500 1st true Sgt Rock

26 Brave and Bold 34 4600 1st Hawkman

27 Green Lantern 1 11000

28 Justice League of America 1 14000

29 Amazing Spider-man 3 9300 1st Doc Octopus

30 Flash 123 3700 RE intro GA Flash

31 Amazing Spider-man 2 11500 1st Vulture

32 Our Army At War 81 6500 Sgt Rock prototype

33 Showcase 9 14000 1st Lois Lane

34 Showcase 13 8400 Flash 3rd app

35 Fantastic Four 12 9000 1st vs Hulk

36 Showcase 14 9100 Flash 4th app

37 Incredible Hulk 2 7500 1st green skin Hulk

38 Amazing Spider-man 6 4450 1st Lizard

39 Action 242 4800 1st Brainiac

40 Journey Into Mystery 84 5000 Thor 2nd app

41 Brave and Bold 29 5200 JLA 2nd app

42 Showcase 6 8200 1st Challengers

43 Amazing Spider-man 4 6800 1st Sandman

44 Showcase 17 5000 1st Adam Strange

45 Amazing Adventures 1 2700 origin Dr Droom

46 Tales of Suspense 40 4500 Iron Man 2nd app

47 Tales to Astonish 35 4500 Ant Man 2nd app

48 Green Lantern 7 4000 1st Sinestro

49 Journey Into Mystery 85 3100 1st Loki

50 Mystery in Space 53 4300 1st Adam Strange

51 Showcase 23 3700 GL 2nd app

52 Challengers of the Unknown 1 5400

53 Showcase 15 4300 1st Space Ranger

54 G. I. combat 68 2300 Rock prototype

55 Brave and Bold 30 4200 JLA 3rd app

56 Strange Tales 101 2800 Human Torch - Kirby

57 Strange Worlds 1 2150 Kirby & Ditko saucer

58 Avengers 2 2400 Hulk leaves

59 Tales to Astonish 36 1900 Ant Man 3rd app

60 X-men 3 2300 1st Blob

61 Showcase 24 3700 GL 3rd app

62 Wonder Woman 105 2250 secret origin

63 Rip Hunter, Time Master 1 1250

64 Amazing Spider-man 9 2950 1st Electro

65 Aquaman 1 2200

66 Showcase 20 2100 1st Rip Hunter

67 Dectective 226 2250 manhunter

68 Amazing Spider-man 20 1600 1st Scorpion

69 Atom 1 2200

70 Tales of Suspense 48 1400 New Armor I.M

71 Strange Tales 115 1100 origin Dr Strange

72 X-men 12 1100 origin Dr Strange

73 Our Fighting Forces 91 2700 Rock gets stripes

74 Hawkman 1 1350

75 Batman 121 1050 1st Mr. Zero

76 Amazing Spider-man 28 2000 1st Molten Man

77 G. I. Combat 87 2500 1st Haunted Tank

78 My Greatest Adventure 80 1150 Doom Patrol

79 Showcase 27 1900 1st Sea Devils

80 Amazing Spider-man 50 1450 1st Kingpin

81 Showcase 37 1450 1st Metal Men

82 Green Lantern 40 1050 Infinite Earths

83 Showcase 30 1950 1st SA Aquaman

84 Batman 105 1330 1st Batwoman

85 Superboy 68 1100 1st Bizarro

86 Tales to Astonish 44 1150 1st Wasp

87 Adventure 267 1800 Legion 2nd app

88 Strange Tales 89 1050 1st Fing Fang Foom

89 Strange Tales 114 900 Acrobat

90 Showcase 34 925 1st SA Atom

91 Adventure 300 1000 Legion

92 Superman 127 650 1st Titano

93 Metal Men 1 1350

94 Sgt. Fury 13 850 Cap America & Bucky

95 Superman 146 500 retells origin

96 Tales of Suspense 57 1400 Hawkeye

97 Strange Adventures 117 1150 Atomic Knights

98 Star Spangled War Stories 90 1400 1st War time forgot

99 Sea Devils 1 1400

100 Our Fighting Forces 45 1350 Gunner & Sarge

 

#73 should read "Our Army At War #91"

 

Andy

 

 

Actually #73 should read "Our Army at War 90"

 

Thoid times the charm for thoidgreenham. And that'll cost you 3¢.