• 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.

Amazing Spider-Man Collecting Thread!
38 38

14,405 posts in this topic

10 hours ago, Straw-Man said:

11 is indeed a great cover.   and hard to upgrade, dammit.

I was very happy to get this nice mid grade #11 from a fellow boardie a couple of years ago. My old one was the textbook definition of a reader’s copy.

587043D3-1277-400F-AF57-1CBEDDDE2158.thumb.jpeg.7550902832a77e977b7e183e8f0dc091.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Webhead2018 said:

I know some would say pre 100 Era is end of silver. But don't most grading books and folks consider asm121 as the end of silver. So then 122 to what ever is bronze age?

Today went to my lcs to show off my new sketch cover I got in the other day. And I wasn't planning to buy any old books. But he had in a low grade 39. And I decided to pop on it. As it is first romita and all plus I always liked the cover.

20200926_192923_Richtone(HDR)-1.jpg

Love it!

Lower grade reading copies are my passion - would love to find a copy like this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Webhead2018 said:

I know some would say pre 100 Era is end of silver. But don't most grading books and folks consider asm121 as the end of silver. So then 122 to what ever is bronze age?

ASM #121 is a 20-cent book from 1973.  That is WELL into the Bronze Age according to any of the various schools of thought around Silver vs. Bronze.

On the earliest end of the spectrum, you could say that all 15-cent books are Bronze.  The latest you could go is probably the end of the 15-cent era -- in other words, start the Bronze Age when all the Marvel books went to a single 25-cent issue with a picture frame cover before settling in at 20-cent covers that stayed with picture frames for a while.  That would make ASM #102 the first Bronze Age book in the run.  That said, there are lots of people who would say the Silver Age ended somewhere in the middle of the 15-cent era.  Some draw a hard line at a specific date (for example, January 1970 cover date starts the Bronze Age), and I've also heard some tie it to a specific event (e.g. the day Kirby left Marvel or the day Conan #1 hit the shelves).

As someone said previously, it's always going to be debated.  But I don't think anyone would view ASM #121 as a Silver Age book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Sweet Lou 14 said:

ASM #121 is a 20-cent book from 1973.  That is WELL into the Bronze Age according to any of the various schools of thought around Silver vs. Bronze.

On the earliest end of the spectrum, you could say that all 15-cent books are Bronze.  The latest you could go is probably the end of the 15-cent era -- in other words, start the Bronze Age when all the Marvel books went to a single 25-cent issue with a picture frame cover before settling in at 20-cent covers that stayed with picture frames for a while.  That would make ASM #102 the first Bronze Age book in the run.  That said, there are lots of people who would say the Silver Age ended somewhere in the middle of the 15-cent era.  Some draw a hard line at a specific date (for example, January 1970 cover date starts the Bronze Age), and I've also heard some tie it to a specific event (e.g. the day Kirby left Marvel or the day Conan #1 hit the shelves).

As someone said previously, it's always going to be debated.  But I don't think anyone would view ASM #121 as a Silver Age book.

12/69 the end for this hard-liner. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For some reason, I have always believed the start of the Bronze Age began with the release of Conan #1. I remember my brother trading his Hulk 2 for some early Conan books back in the early 70’s, and that title being really hyped at the time.

In retrospect, he was crazy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Sweet Lou 14 said:

ASM #121 is a 20-cent book from 1973.  That is WELL into the Bronze Age according to ANY of the various schools of thought around Silver vs. Bronze.

 

My bronze age starts in 1975. The idea of 1933-1955= gold; 1956-1969= silver; 1970-198?= bronze seems to have come from ebay.

If you want Ages to make sense, you have to apply the same rules for all of them. The reason "it's always going to be debated" is that we have imbedded different rules to define the Bronze age.

There were very popular comics prior to Action #1. The comic book industry in 1938 was not waning. But the introduction of Superman took things to 11, and initiated a Golden Age- a Golden Age of superhero comics. Eventually, interest in superheroes began to fade, and so does the GA (GA 1938-1945). Publishers started concentrating on other genres to maintain sales, horror, sci-fi, etc., seeking anything that would capture attention (Atom Age 1946-1955). The Comics Code put an end to that, and the industry struggled. In my opinion, no code approved comic should ever be thought of as "Golden Age". Then Showcase 4 showed everyone that superheroes were viable again, and Marvel introduced their better mousetraps, and the medium itself was saved from extinction. The Silver Age of Superhero Comics had a glorious run, but gradually became a shadow of itself. (SA 1956-1970). 

In 1970, interest in superhero comics diminished . Publishers were again searching for new ideas, and trying some wild stuff. The comics code was exposed as ineffective, so monsters were ok again. Satanic elements, social relevance, darker themes mingled on the stands with books like Plop! Like the Atom Age, the early 1970s was a time of experimentation.

So Gold is superheroes, and Silver is superheroes; shouldn't Bronze be superheroes, too? The two previous Ages both begin with one defining superhero comic book, run their course, and then fade. There is a comic that does that for a third Heroic Age. Giant-Size X-Men #1 launched a third era of greatness for superheroes. 1975.

 

While this is a fun intellectual exercise, I've long ago given up on the notion that I'll convert anyone to my way of thinking. It's just easier to go with bronze is the 1970s. 

 

Edited by KirbyJack
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
38 38