• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

"Peak" Golden Age, what is the Month/Year?
0

Started by path4play,

27 posts in this topic

path4play

path4play

Posted
Posted (edited)

Tossing October 1940 into ring.

 

I'm wondering what single month/year would have been the ideal cover dates to visually scan and the see breadth superheros and nearly all the greats in development and maturing.

 

So this is not about first appearances, or a big dollar book, or even necessarily max circulation wise but a "glory day" for the Golden Age comic across all publishers, like Johnny Manziel when still in college - the point after which the shark was slowly jumped (you know before Batman and Robin appeared with Santa or on a bicycle, or Superman at the refridgerator).

 

 

Covers Dated Oct 1940

 

Big123-653x1024.jpgBig122-649x1024.jpgBig124-650x1024.jpg

 

Edited by path4play
Link to comment
Share on other sites
path4play

path4play

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I have no concrete suggestion of an alternative date, but I associate the GA with WW II, so I guess I would think maybe some time in 1941/1942 when we start to see WW II covers might be better as the peak month. hm

 

 

Has to be prior to October 1941 because of the World's Finest Comics #3 baseball cover? Still two months from entering War, but Captain America was out, and Pep was burning a swastika. In fact, this might be a good date, with the World's Finest Comics #3 representing the start or early warning of the tipping point?

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrBedrock

MrBedrock

Posted
Posted

national4.jpg

 

So, what is Buddy sitting on before Uncle Sam lifts him up to save him from the torpedo? hm

That is an outstanding question.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
143ksk

143ksk

Posted
Posted
I have no concrete suggestion of an alternative date, but I associate the GA with WW II, so I guess I would think maybe some time in 1941/1942 when we start to see WW II covers might be better as the peak month. hm

 

I agree. I think the second half of 1941 would be a good time frame. 1940 predates several iconic characters such as Captain America, Black Terror and Hangman. If you go all the way out to December 1941, you get Archie, too :grin:

 

Late 1941 gives you a lot of war covers as well.

 

2c

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rjpb

rjpb

Posted
Posted
I have no concrete suggestion of an alternative date, but I associate the GA with WW II, so I guess I would think maybe some time in 1941/1942 when we start to see WW II covers might be better as the peak month. hm

 

I would agree. I have a fondness for post-war and Atom Age books, but while I'd generally include them under Golden Age, the peak of popularity for the superhero era has clearly passed, and originally when the term was coined, it pretty much was in reference to Superhero books.

 

I can see an argument for 1938-1940, being the high point of the era, when most of the more popular characters were introduced, Centaur was still around, and Fox was featuring all those great Fine covers, but when I think Golden Age, the first thing that pops into my head is a colorfully costumed character punching a Nazi in the face.

 

1941/42 are solid years as books were still wider and had 64 pages, and I don't see how it can be peak GA without 64 pages.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rjpb

rjpb

Posted
Posted

national4.jpg

 

So, what is Buddy sitting on before Uncle Sam lifts him up to save him from the torpedo? hm

That is an outstanding question.

 

Is he being lifted or just held and keeping his feet out of the water, firing on the bad guys while Sam stops the Torpedo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
path4play

path4play

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Interesting. Several inflection points mentioned in the threads summarized below.

 

Robin, Detective Comics #38 (cover dated April 1940)

Captain America Comics #1 (cover dated March 1941)

Pep Comics #22 (cover dated December 1941)

Wonder Woman, All Star Comics #8 Dec 1941/Jan 1942

 

Last 68 page Tech, Detective Comics #75 May 1943, Last 68 page Marvel Mystery Comics #44 June 1943

 

We could say that Robin was an appeal to broaden the market into younger readers, Cap might have been the epitome of the WWII patriotic superhero, Archie representative of the beginning of the "fall" of GA Superheros and Wonder Woman the epitome of the female superhero.

 

Given the feedback here, I think it's reasonable to move our imaginary "Peak Golden Age" date back 14 months from Oct 1940 (indeed a good year and month) to December 1941.

 

The "peaking" could be further evidenced by the page size drop (inflation expressed in a manner other than price increase) that occurs 18 months later.

 

Comic circulation peaked at 75 million per month around 1952 - the end of the Golden Age.

Edited by path4play
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
0
Go to topic listing