The best reading from the Golden Age.

[The Black Hand ®]

I would assume that most people would say either Carl Bark's ducks or Will Eisner's Spirit work.I enjoyed both...a lot.... but my heart has a special place for Uncle Scrooge and friends. The thing about Barks and Eisner is that they had a large and consistantly good body of work, whereas Archie and his gang, had just as many bad stories as good. There were other GA books, like BlackHawks for instance, that had some great stories and of course Lou Fine did some really fine work too.

[rjpb]

The Smithsonian Book of Comic Book Comics reprinted the Scribbly /Ma Hunkle-origin of the Red Tornado story line from several issues of All-American - one of the true gems of the Golden Age!

 

It is interesting that most of the best reading from the GA are not the superhero books: EC's, Bark's Duck books, Stanley's Little Lulu, Eisner's Spirit, Mayer's Scribbly, etc.

 

as for Superhero books - The Black Canary Archive is a fun read. S&K's Newsboy Legion is probably a little superior to their other DC stuff - as Kirby obviously had a soft spot for a NY slum based kid gang.

[MrBedrock]

As much as they have taken a bashing, some of my favorite GA reads are Fawcett stories, especially some of the early stories. The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories (the Human Torch/sub-Mariner battle in Marvel 8,9,and 10 is up there also). Captain Nazi was brutal. The three part crossover story with Spy Smasher and Captain Marvel in Whiz 16 - 18 was great. And the Mr. Mind Monster Society of Evil serial was a blast to read.

[Silver Surfer]

Cap #74. Brief but great story.

[The Black Hand ®]

As much as they have taken a bashing, some of my favorite GA reads are Fawcett stories, especially some of the early stories. The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories (the Human Torch/sub-Mariner battle in Marvel 8,9,and 10 is up there also). Captain Nazi was brutal. The three part crossover story with Spy Smasher and Captain Marvel in Whiz 16 - 18 was great. And the Mr. Mind Monster Society of Evil serial was a blast to read.

 

That's right, and the first ten issues or so of Whiz had some of the best Captain Marvel stories that rank up there with anything DC or Timely ever did.

[nearmint]

The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories

 

Are these reprinted somewhere?

[Silver Surfer]

Human Torch #8 also comes to mind, killer centerfold splash.

[MrBedrock]

The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories

 

Are these reprinted somewhere?

Alan Light reprinted each individual issue (Master 21, Whiz 25, and Captain Marvel Jr. 1), but I don't think the whole story has been reprinted together.

[MrBedrock]

As much as they have taken a bashing, some of my favorite GA reads are Fawcett stories, especially some of the early stories. The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories (the Human Torch/sub-Mariner battle in Marvel 8,9,and 10 is up there also). Captain Nazi was brutal. The three part crossover story with Spy Smasher and Captain Marvel in Whiz 16 - 18 was great. And the Mr. Mind Monster Society of Evil serial was a blast to read.

 

That's right, and the first ten issues or so of Whiz had some of the best Captain Marvel stories that rank up there with anything DC or Timely ever did.

Absolutely. Folks have a perception of Captain Marvel as a humor character, and Beck and company were certainly adept at that.

But the first three years or so they balanced suspense, drama and humor perfectly. The stories were well drawn, nicely paced and they didn't write down to their audience.

As time went on the humor and silliness gradually took over.

 

[nearmint]

The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories

 

Are these reprinted somewhere?

Alan Light reprinted each individual issue (Master 21, Whiz 25, and Captain Marvel Jr. 1), but I don't think the whole story has been reprinted together.

 

I want to read it in color, but might have to settle for the Alan Light reprints.

[Zonker]

The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories

 

Are these reprinted somewhere?

Alan Light reprinted each individual issue (Master 21, Whiz 25, and Captain Marvel Jr. 1), but I don't think the whole story has been reprinted together.

 

Perhaps not in a single volume, but it looks like they are all available. Unlike the Alan Light Flashback editions, these are of course reprinted in color.

 

Shazam Archives 3 4 2003 Captain Marvel Adventures #4, 5; Master Comics #21, 22; Whiz Comics #25; America's Greatest Comics #2

 

The Shazam! Family Archives 1 2006 Master Comics #23-32; Captain Marvel Jr. #1; Captain Marvel Adventures #18

 

Actually, it looks like Shazam Archives #3 #4 is the one you want. The origin "trilogy" is between Master 21, Whiz 25 and Master 22. But some great Raboy Cap Jr. stuff is reprinted in the Shazam Family Archives edition. (thumbs u

[MrBedrock]

The trilogy origin of Captain Marvel Jr. is one of the best golden age superhero stories

 

Are these reprinted somewhere?

Alan Light reprinted each individual issue (Master 21, Whiz 25, and Captain Marvel Jr. 1), but I don't think the whole story has been reprinted together.

 

Perhaps not in a single volume, but it looks like they are all available. Unlike the Alan Light Flashback editions, these are of course reprinted in color.

 

Shazam Archives 3 2003 Captain Marvel Adventures #4, 5; Master Comics #21, 22; Whiz Comics #25; America's Greatest Comics #2

 

The Shazam! Family Archives 1 2006 Master Comics #23-32; Captain Marvel Jr. #1; Captain Marvel Adventures #18

Well there you go! Thanks (thumbs u (You'd think a retailer would know that )

[rjpb]

Shazam Archives #3 -

 

I must confess I've never gotten the appeal of Fawcett's Captain Marvel - though my experience is limited to reading the Treasury edition of Whiz #2 and other reprints DC put out when I was a kid in the 70's - and more recently the Shazam Family 80 pg. Giant - but I have been interested in reading both the CM Jr. origin trilogy and the Mr. Mind storyline to see if there was something I'm missing.

 

 

[nearmint]

Actually, it looks like Shazam Archives #3 is the one you want. The origin "trilogy" is between Master 21, Whiz 25 and Master 22.

 

You sure that's not the line-up for Shazam Archives #4?

[nearmint]

Doesn't matter. I just ordered #3 and #4. Thanks! (thumbs u

[Zonker]

Actually, it looks like Shazam Archives #3 is the one you want. The origin "trilogy" is between Master 21, Whiz 25 and Master 22.

 

You sure that's not the line-up for Shazam Archives #4?

 

You're right. I'm not sure how copy/paste failed me there. At least I included the link to wikipedia for their complete list of the Archives contents.

[Socratic Wonder]

The stories in Batman 1-5 are pretty fun

[Zonker]

One overlooked gem is the "King Faraday" series from the short-lived Danger Trail book of the early 1950s. Most of them are reprinted in Showcase #50 and #51.

[The Black Hand ®]

The early Black Condor stories were really good too.

[october]

Depends on your definition of golden age, but for my money nothing (with the exception of Barks) beats ECs. The stories hold up extremely well after 50+ years...which is probably why they keep being made into TV shows.