Editing Golden Age of Comic Books

{{short description|Late 1930s to mid-'50s era of comic books}}
{{Redirect|Golden Age (comics)|the DC Comics mini-series|The Golden Age (comics)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Ages of subjects
| type       = Golden
| subject    = Comic Books
| image      = superman14.jpg
| caption    = [[Superman]], catalyst of the Golden Age: ''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'' #14 (Feb. 1942)<br><small>Cover art by [[Fred Ray]]</small>
| date1      = 1938
| date2      = 1956
| parentage  =
| prevage    = [[Platinum Age of Comic Books]] (1897–1938)
| nextage    = [[Silver Age of Comic Books]] (1956–1970)
| subage     =
| see        =
}}
The '''Golden Age of Comic Books''' describes an era in the [[history of American comic books]] from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern [[comic book]]s were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The [[superhero]] [[archetype]] was created and many well-known characters were introduced, including <!-- in chronological order of introduction -->[[Superman]], [[Batman]], [[Dick Grayson|Robin]], [[Shazam (DC Comics)|Captain Marvel]], [[Captain America]], and [[Wonder Woman]].

==Etymology==
The first recorded use of the term "Golden Age" was by [[Richard A. Lupoff]] in an article, "Re-Birth", published in issue one of the [[fanzine]] ''[[Maggie Thompson|Comic Art]]'' in April 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicartville.com/newages.htm |title=The New Ages: Rethinking Comic Book History |first=Ken |last=Quattro |date=2004 |access-date=September 12, 2015 |quote=... according to fanzine historian Bill Schelly, 'The first use of the words "golden age" pertaining to the comics of the 1940s was by Richard A. Lupoff in an article called'"Re-Birth' in ''Comic Art'' #1 (April 1960). |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905115607/http://www.comicartville.com/newages.htm |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History==
An event cited by many as marking the beginning of the Golden Age was the 1938 debut of [[Superman]] in ''[[Action Comics]]'' [[Action Comics 1|#1]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/the-golden-age-of-comics/ | title= The Golden Age of Comics | work = History Detectives: Special Investigations | publisher = [[PBS]] | access-date= February 18, 2015| quote= The precise era of the Golden Age is disputed, though most agree that it was born with the launch of Superman in 1938.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Spiegelman |first=Art |date=2019-08-17 |title=Art Spiegelman: golden age superheroes were shaped by the rise of fascism |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/aug/17/art-spiegelman-golden-age-superheroes-were-shaped-by-the-rise-of-fascism |access-date=2023-03-19 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> published by [[National Comics Publications|Detective Comics]]<ref name=gcd-action1>{{cite web|url=http://www.comics.org/issue/293/ |title= Action Comics #1 |publisher=[[Grand Comics Database]] |access-date=February 16, 2015}}</ref> (predecessor of [[DC Comics]]). Superman's popularity helped make comic books a major arm of publishing,<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Goulart|first1=Ron|title=Comic Book Culture: An Illustrated History|date=2000|publisher=Collectors Press|location=Portland, Oregon|isbn=9781888054385|page=43|edition=1st American}}</ref> which led rival companies to create superheroes of their own to emulate Superman's success.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Eury|first1=Michael|title=The Krypton Companion: A Historical Exploration of Superman Comic Books of 1958-1986|date=2006|publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|location=Raleigh, North Carolina|isbn=1893905616|page=116|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fcm4JrX-F54C&q=since+Superman+inspired+so+many+different+super-heroes&pg=PA116|quote=since Superman inspired so many different super-heroes.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Hatfield|first1=Charles|title=Alternative Comics: An Emerging Literature|date=2005|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|isbn=1578067197|edition=1st|location=Jackson, Mississippi|page=10|quote=the various Superman-inspired "costume" comics}}</ref>

===World War II===
[[File:WhizComicsNo02.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Comic-book cover with a caped, red-costumed Captain Marvel throwing a car into a wall|''[[Whiz Comics]]'' #2 (Feb. 1940), with the first appearance of [[Captain Marvel (DC Comics)|Captain Marvel]]<br><small>Cover art by [[C. C. Beck]]</small>]]
Between 1939 and 1941 Detective Comics and its sister company, [[All-American Publications]], introduced popular superheroes such as [[Batman]] and [[Dick Grayson|Robin]], [[Wonder Woman]], [[Flash (Jay Garrick)|The Flash]], [[Alan Scott|Green Lantern]], [[Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson)|Doctor Fate]], the [[Atom (Al Pratt)|Atom]], [[Hawkman (Carter Hall)|Hawkman]], [[Green Arrow]] and [[Aquaman]].<ref name=":1">{{cite book|author1=Various|title=The DC Comics Rarities Archives, Vol. 1|date=January 19, 2005|publisher=[[DC Comics]]|location=New York, New York|isbn=1401200079|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/dccomicsrarities0001unse}}</ref> [[Timely Comics]], the 1940s predecessor of [[Marvel Comics]], had million-selling titles featuring the [[Human Torch (android)|Human Torch]], the [[Sub-Mariner]], and [[Captain America]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Vernon Madison|first1=Nathan|title=Anti-Foreign Imagery in American Pulps and Comic Books, 1920–1960|date=January 3, 2013|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|isbn=978-0786470952|pages=107–108}}</ref> Although DC and Timely characters are well remembered today, circulation figures suggest that the best-selling superhero title of the era was [[Fawcett Comics]]' ''[[Captain Marvel Adventures]]'' with sales of about 1.4 million copies per issue. The comic was published biweekly at one point to capitalize on its popularity.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Morse|first1=Ben|title=Thunderstruck|journal=[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]|date=July 2006|issue=179}}</ref> Another notable series was ''[[Spirit (comics character)|The Spirit]]'' by [[Will Eisner]], which deviated from the usual publishing model of the period as a weekly multi-page supplement in the [[Register and Tribune Syndicate]] newspapers for which Eisner held the copyright, a rare consideration for creators of that period.

Patriotic heroes donning red, white, and blue were particularly popular during the time of the Second World War following the [[Shield (Archie Comics)|Shield]]'s debut in 1940.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Madrid|first1=Mike|title=Divas, Dames & Daredevils: Lost Heroines of Golden Age Comics|date=September 30, 2013|publisher=Exterminating Angel Press|location=Minneapolis, MN|page=29}}</ref> Many heroes of this time period battled the [[Axis powers]], with covers such as ''[[Captain America Comics]]'' #1 ([[cover-date]]d March 1941) showing the title character punching [[Nazi]] leader [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Captain America Comics (1941) #1|url=http://marvel.com/comics/issue/7849/captain_america_comics_1941_1|website=[[Marvel Comics]]|access-date=March 21, 2016}}</ref>

As comic books grew in popularity, publishers began launching titles that expanded into a variety of genres. [[Dell Comics]]' non-superhero characters (particularly the licensed [[Walt Disney]] [[animation|animated-character]] comics) outsold the superhero comics of the day.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Benton|first1=Mike|title=The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History|date=November 1989|publisher=Taylor Publishing Company|location=Dallas, Texas|isbn=0878336591|page=158}}</ref> The publisher featured licensed movie and literary characters such as [[Mickey Mouse]], [[Donald Duck]], [[Roy Rogers]] and [[Tarzan]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Duncan|first1=Randy|last2=J. Smith|first2=Matthew|title=Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman, Volume 1|date=January 29, 2013|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|location=Santa Barbara, California|isbn=978-0313399237|pages=193–201}}</ref> It was during this era that noted Donald Duck writer-artist [[Carl Barks]] rose to prominence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcj.com/reviews/donald-duck-lost-in-the-andes-2/|title=Donald Duck "Lost in the Andes" &#124; The Comics Journal|publisher=Tcj.com|date=January 24, 2012|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref> Additionally, [[Archie Comics|MLJ]]'s introduction of [[Archie Andrews]] in ''[[Pep Comics]]'' #22 (December 1941) gave rise to [[teen humor comics]],<ref>{{cite book|last1=Nadel|first1=Dan|title=Art Out of Time: Unknown Comics Visionaries, 1900–1969|date=Jun 1, 2006|publisher=[[Abrams Books]]|location=New York|isbn=0810958384|page=[https://archive.org/details/artoutoftimeunkn00nade/page/8 8]|url=https://archive.org/details/artoutoftimeunkn00nade/page/8}}</ref> with the Archie Andrews character remaining in print well into the 21st century.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Telling|first1=Gillian|title=Mark Waid discusses 'overwhelmingly positive' reaction to Archie Andrews' new look after 75 years of Archie|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/06/after-75-years-archie-andrews-gets-new-look|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|access-date=March 29, 2016|date=July 6, 2015}}</ref>

At the same time in Canada, American comic books were prohibited importation under the ''War Exchange Conservation Act''<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title=The War Exchange Conservation Act, 1940|abbr =S.C.|year =1940-41|chapter = 2|link= https://archive.org/stream/actsofparl194041v01cana#page/6/mode/2up}}</ref> which restricted the importation of non-essential goods. Canadian publishers responded to this lack of competition by producing titles of their own, informally called the [[Canadian Whites]]. While these titles flourished during the war, they did not survive the lifting of trade restrictions afterwards.

===Post-war and shift from superheroes===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:StrangeTales114 detail.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Comic-book cover, with red-white-and-blue Captain America defeating the red Human Torch|1940s comics were called "Golden Age" by 1963, as on the cover of ''[[Strange Tales]]'' #114 (November 1963).]] -->
The term [[Atomic Age of Comic Books]] is sometimes used to describe a brief time period, starting with either the end of World War II in 1945 or in 1948 with the first outcry of Fredric Wertham,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sanderson |first1=Peter |title=Marvel Year By Year |date=April 4, 2017 |publisher=DK |isbn=978-1-4654-5550-5 |page=40 |edition=Updated, Expanded}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wertham |first1=Fredrick |title=The Comics, Very Funny |date=May 29, 1948 |publisher=Saturday Review of Literature |page=6}}</ref> and lasting until the mid-1950s. Some authors consider this an [[interregnum]] period or an era in its own right,<ref name=Rhoades>{{cite book |last=Rhoades |first=Shirrel |title=A Complete History of American Comic Books |year=2008|publisher=Peter Lang |location=New York |isbn=978-1433101076 |pages=5 |oclc=175290005 }}</ref><ref name=Savage>William W. Savage, ''Commies, Cowboys, and Jungle Queens: Comic Books and America, 1945–1954'', Wesleyan University Press, 1998, p. 111.</ref> but most regard it as still part of the Golden Age. During this time, the popularity of superhero comics waned. To retain reader interest, comic publishers diversified into other genres, such as [[war comics|war]], [[Western comics|Westerns]], [[science fiction comics|science fiction]], [[romance comics|romance]], [[crime comics|crime]] and [[horror comics|horror]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kovacs|first1=George|last2=Marshall|first2=C. W.|title=Classics and Comics |date=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=9780199734191|page=109}}</ref> Many superhero titles were canceled or converted to other genres.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}}

In 1946, [[DC Comics]]' [[Superboy (Kal-El)|Superboy]], [[Aquaman]] and [[Green Arrow]] were switched from ''[[More Fun Comics]]'' into ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' so ''More Fun'' could focus on humor.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Daniel|first1=Wallace|last2=Gilbert|first2=Laura|title=DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|date=September 20, 2010|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley|DK Publishing]]|location=New York|isbn=978-0756667429|page=51|quote=Following ''More Fun Comics'' change in focus the previous month, the displaced super-heroes Superboy, Green Arrow, Johnny Quick, Aquaman, and the Shining Knight were welcomed by ''Adventure Comics''.}}</ref> In 1948 ''[[All-American Comics]]'', featuring [[Alan Scott|Green Lantern]], [[Johnny Thunder]] and [[Charles McNider|Dr. Mid-Nite]], was replaced with ''[[All-American Western]]''.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}} The following year, ''[[Flash Comics]]'' and ''[[Green Lantern (comic book)|Green Lantern]]'' were canceled.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}} In 1951 ''[[All Star Comics]]'', featuring the [[Justice Society of America]], became ''[[All-Star Western]]''. The next year ''[[Star Spangled Comics]]'', featuring Robin, was retitled ''[[Star Spangled War Stories]]''.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}} ''[[Sensation Comics]]'', featuring [[Wonder Woman]], was canceled in 1953.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}} The only superhero comics published continuously through the entire 1950s were ''[[Action Comics]]'', ''[[Adventure Comics]]'', ''[[Batman (comic book)|Batman]]'', ''[[Detective Comics]]'', ''[[Superboy (comic book)|Superboy]]'', ''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'', ''[[Wonder Woman (comic book)|Wonder Woman]]'' and ''[[World's Finest Comics]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schelly |first1=William |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950s |date=2013 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=9781605490540}}</ref>

[[Plastic Man]] appeared in [[Quality Comics]]' ''[[Police Comics]]'' until 1950, when its focus switched to detective stories; his solo title continued bimonthly until issue 52, cover-dated February 1955. [[Timely Comics]]' ''The Human Torch'' was canceled with issue #35 (March 1949)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comics.org/series/178/|title=The Human Torch|publisher=[[Grand Comics Database]]|access-date=February 3, 2015}}</ref> and ''[[Marvel Mystery Comics]]'', featuring the Human Torch, with issue #93 (Aug. 1949) became the [[horror comic]] ''[[Marvel Tales (1949–1957)|Marvel Tales]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comics.org/series/137/|title=Marvel Mystery Comics|publisher=[[Grand Comics Database]]|access-date=February 3, 2015}}</ref> ''Sub-Mariner Comics'' was canceled with issue #42 (June 1949) and ''Captain America Comics'', by then ''Captain America's Weird Tales'', with #75 (Feb. 1950). [[Harvey Comics]]' ''[[Black Cat (Harvey Comics)|Black Cat]]'' was canceled in 1951 and rebooted as a horror comic later that year—the title would change to ''Black Cat Mystery'', ''Black Cat Mystic'', and eventually ''Black Cat Western'' for the final two issues, which included Black Cat stories.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Schoell|first1=William|title=The Horror Comics: Fiends, Freaks and Fantastic Creatures, 1940–1980s|date=June 26, 2014|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|isbn=978-0786470273|page=82}}</ref> [[Lev Gleason Publications]]' ''[[Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications)|Daredevil]]'' was edged out of his title by the [[Little Wise Guys]] in 1950.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Plowright|first1=Frank|title=The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide|date=September 22, 2003|publisher=[[Top Shelf Productions]]|location=Marietta, Georgia|isbn=0954458907|page=159}}</ref> [[Fawcett Comics]]' ''[[Whiz Comics]]'', ''[[Master Comics]]'' and ''[[Captain Marvel Adventures]]'' were canceled in 1953, and ''[[The Marvel Family]]'' was canceled the following year.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Conroy|first1=Mike|title=500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes|date=August 1, 2003|publisher=[[Barron's Educational Series]]|location=Hauppauge, New York|isbn=0764125818|page=[https://archive.org/details/500greatcomicboo00conr/page/208 208]|url=https://archive.org/details/500greatcomicboo00conr/page/208}}</ref>

Also during this period, the mass media with the advent of television were forcing media companies to put out comics that reflected the popular culture of the time period. Comic books focused on space, mystery, and suspense that television and other forms of media were turning to in the march toward scientific progress.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Ferenc|last=Szasz|url=https://unpress.nevada.edu/9780874179187/atomic-comics/|title=Atomic Comics Cartoonists Confront the Nuclear World|publisher=University of Nevada Press|date=September 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823224553/https://unpress.nevada.edu/9780874179187/atomic-comics/#:~:text=The%20advent%20of%20the%20Atomic,early%201920s%20to%20the%20present.|archive-date=August 23, 2023|access-date=August 23, 2023|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>
According to historian Michael A. Amundson, appealing comic-book characters helped ease young readers' fear of [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear war]] and neutralize anxiety about the questions posed by atomic power.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Zeman|first1=Scott C.|last2=Amundson|first2=Michael A.|title=Atomic Culture: How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb|url=https://archive.org/details/automiccultureho00scot|url-access=registration|date=2004|publisher=University Press of Colorado|location=Boulder, Colorado|isbn=9780870817632|page=[https://archive.org/details/automiccultureho00scot/page/11 11]}}</ref> It was during this period that long-running humor comics debuted, including [[EC Comics]]' series ''[[Mad (magazine)|Mad]]'' and Dell's series ''[[Uncle Scrooge]]'' (both in 1952).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gertler|first1=Nat|last2=Lieber|first2=Steve|title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating a Graphic Novel|date=6 July 2004|publisher=[[Alpha Books]]|location=New York|isbn=1592572332|page=178}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Farrell|first1=Ken|title=Warman's Disney Collectibles Field Guide: Values and Identification|date=1 May 2006|publisher=[[Krause Publications]]|location=Iola, Wisconsin|isbn=0896893227|page=327}}</ref>

===End of the era===
In 1953, the comic book industry hit a setback when the [[United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency]] was created in order to investigate the problem of [[juvenile delinquency]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Binder|first1=Arnold|last2=Geis|first2=Gilbert|title=Juvenile Delinquency: Historical, Cultural & Legal Perspectives|date=1 January 2001|publisher=[[Routledge]]|location=Cincinnati, Ohio|isbn=1583605037|page=[https://archive.org/details/juveniledelinque0000bind/page/220 220]|edition=Third|url=https://archive.org/details/juveniledelinque0000bind/page/220}}</ref> After the publication of [[Fredric Wertham]]'s ''[[Seduction of the Innocent]]'' the following year that claimed comics sparked illegal behavior among minors, comic book publishers such as EC's [[William Gaines]] were subpoenaed to testify in public hearings.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kiste Nyberg|first1=Amy|title=Seal of Approval: The History of the Comics Code (Studies in Popular Culture)|date=1 February 1998|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|location=Jackson, Mississippi|isbn=087805975X|page=59}}</ref> As a result, the [[Comics Code Authority]] was created by the [[Association of Comics Magazine Publishers]] to enact self-censorship by comic book publishers.<ref name="CBLDF">{{cite web|last1=Kiste Nyberg|first1=Amy|title=Comics Code History: The Seal of Approval|url=http://cbldf.org/comics-code-history-the-seal-of-approval/|website=cbldf.org|publisher=[[Comic Book Legal Defense Fund]]|access-date=27 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327010742/http://cbldf.org/comics-code-history-the-seal-of-approval/|archive-date=27 March 2016}}</ref> At this time, EC canceled its crime and horror titles and focused primarily on ''Mad''.<ref name="CBLDF"/> The [[Silver Age of Comic Books]] is recognized by some as beginning with the debut of the first successful new superhero since the Golden Age, DC Comics' new [[Barry Allen|Flash]], in ''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #4 (Oct. 1956).<ref>{{cite book|last=Shutt|first=Craig|title=Baby Boomer Comics: The Wild, Wacky, Wonderful Comic Books of the 1960s!|publisher=[[Krause Publications]]|location=[[Iola, Wisconsin]]|year=2003|page=20|isbn=087349668X|quote=The Silver Age started with ''Showcase'' #4, the Flash's first appearance.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Paul|last=Sassiene|title=The Comic Book: The One Essential Guide for Comic Book Fans Everywhere|year=1994|publisher=Chartwell Books, a division of Book Sales|location=[[Edison, New Jersey]]|page=[https://archive.org/details/comicbookoneesse0000sass/page/69 69]|isbn=9781555219994|quote=DC's ''Showcase'' No. 4 was the comic that started the Silver Age|url=https://archive.org/details/comicbookoneesse0000sass/page/69}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=10649|title=DC Flashback: The Flash|access-date=March 26, 2016|date= July 2, 2007|website=Comic Book Resources|archive-date=January 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112154005/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=10649}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Comics|1930s|1940s|1950s}}
* [[Silver Age of Comic Books]]
* [[Bronze Age of Comic Books]]
* [[Modern Age of Comic Books]]
* [[List of Golden Age comics publishers]]
* [[List of Marvel Comics Golden Age characters]]
* [[Golden Age of Science Fiction]]

{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://comicbookplus.com/?cid=1507 Comic Book Plus] (scans of presumed [[public domain]] Golden Age comics)
* [http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php Digital Comic Museum] (scans of presumed [[public domain]] Golden Age comics)
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/ Don Markstein's Toonopedia]
* [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/g/goldenag.htm International Catalogue of Superheroes]
* [http://jessnevins.com/encyclopedia/introduction.html Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes]
* [https://www.villainpaper.com Villain Paper] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226031737/http://villainpaper.com/ |date=2021-12-26 }} a Golden Age Comics Subscription Service

{{GoldenAge}}
{{Comics}}

[[Category:1938 comics debuts]]
[[Category:1956 comics endings]]
[[Category:1938 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1956 disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Golden Age of Comic Books| ]]
[[Category:Golden ages (metaphor)|Comic Books]]
[[Category:Nostalgia in the United States]]
[[Category:1930s in the United States]]
[[Category:1940s in the United States]]
[[Category:1950s in the United States]]