top ten silver

[JohnT]

AF15 number 1, no doubt about that

 

 

 

 

It's not even the number 1 Marvel.

 

 

 

I meant to say #1 on the top ten silver age comics

 

I know.

 

Just funnin with you, but I do think FF 1 is the bigger book.

 

 

It might be the bigger book in terms of importance of the silver age but desirability wise-The margin will widen as time passes by

 

AF15 has established itself as the GRAIL of SA. Showcase 22 might possibly be the #1 DC SA and the GL movie will set the direction.

 

Despite all the promotion on these boards, Showcase 4 is a much bigger book than SC 22.

[JohnT]

My Top 10:

 

1. AF#15 - 3rd biggest book in the hobby. Action #1 is king...Tec #27 beats it out for #2 only because of age.

 

 

 

 

Well said (thumbs u

 

How are you defining "bigger"? Maybe based on the number of Zombie collectors who see it as a big grail (and it is), but certainly not biggest in terms of value. There are lots of more valuable GA books. Superman 1? Batman 1? Marvel Comics 1? Etc.

[Speedy-D]

My Top 10:

 

1. AF#15 - 3rd biggest book in the hobby. Action #1 is king...Tec #27 beats it out for #2 only because of age.

 

 

 

 

Well said (thumbs u

 

How are you defining "bigger"? Maybe based on the number of Zombie collectors who see it as a big grail (and it is), but certainly not biggest in terms of value. There are lots of more valuable GA books. Superman 1? Batman 1? Marvel Comics 1? Etc.

Sometimes it hurts to be DC fan, doesn't it?

[G.A.tor]

My Top 10:

 

1. AF#15 - 3rd biggest book in the hobby. Action #1 is king...Tec #27 beats it out for #2 only because of age.

 

 

 

 

Well said (thumbs u

in terms of importance, or value? Importance, introducing Spidey I can live with that behind action 1 and tec 27, but in terms of value, a Superman 1 grade for grade would spank AF 15 into the mutiverse

[G.A.tor]

I collected the entire marvel and dc silver age, before I even bought my first Golden age book...

if I take into account all factors (historical, value, demand, supply, etc) I find myself changing the list even as I type it...

 

I might be able to "stick" with my top 3

af 15, ff 1, sc 4...

after that, I can make an argument for a myriad of diff scenarios

[JohnT]

I collected the entire marvel and dc silver age, before I even bought my first Golden age book...

if I take into account all factors (historical, value, demand, supply, etc) I find myself changing the list even as I type it...

 

I might be able to "stick" with my top 3

af 15, ff 1, sc 4...

after that, I can make an argument for a myriad of diff scenarios

 

Please do so!

[trmoore54]

My seat-of-the-pants Marvel-centric Top Ten...

 

1. FF 1

1. AF 15 tie for 1st...I'm wishy-washy that way, plus they represent my two favorite titles

3. JIM 83 my 3rd favorite title

4. SC 4 my 1 nod to DC as the beginning of SA

5. ASM 1 most popular SA character gets 2 books

6. TOS 39 Just a very cool book to own...will only get bigger...

7. AV 4 1st cap and if I own one Avengers it's #4 vs #1

8. HULK 1 never much of a Hulk fan but nobody has this book and a great book to have in your set to one-up your friends...

9. FF 5 1st Doom and if Spidey gets 2 books on the list FF deserves 2 as well!

9. tie between ASM 14 1st Gobby (had to put this up there as no one else had...and XM 1 makes the list due 1st Mutants book giving rise ultimately to mutant-coolness...

 

er...make that Top Eleven...

[ComicConnoisseur]

I collected the entire marvel and dc silver age, before I even bought my first Golden age book...

if I take into account all factors (historical, value, demand, supply, etc) I find myself changing the list even as I type it...

 

I might be able to "stick" with my top 3

af 15, ff 1, sc 4...

after that, I can make an argument for a myriad of diff scenarios

 

Please do so!

I second the motion, always good to hear your thoughts about the goldenage and silverage. (thumbs u

[ComicConnoisseur]

AF15 number 1, no doubt about that

 

 

 

 

It's not even the number 1 Marvel.

 

 

 

I meant to say #1 on the top ten silver age comics

 

I know.

 

Just funnin with you, but I do think FF 1 is the bigger book.

 

 

It might be the bigger book in terms of importance of the silver age but desirability wise-The margin will widen as time passes by

 

AF15 has established itself as the GRAIL of SA. Showcase 22 might possibly be the #1 DC SA and the GL movie will set the direction.

 

Despite all the promotion on these boards, Showcase 4 is a much bigger book than SC 22.

 

Just like FF 1 was a bigger book then AF 15 was 20 years ago?

 

[showcase22gr1959]

AF15 number 1, no doubt about that

 

 

 

 

It's not even the number 1 Marvel.

 

 

 

I meant to say #1 on the top ten silver age comics

 

I know.

 

Just funnin with you, but I do think FF 1 is the bigger book.

 

 

It might be the bigger book in terms of importance of the silver age but desirability wise-The margin will widen as time passes by

 

AF15 has established itself as the GRAIL of SA. Showcase 22 might possibly be the #1 DC SA and the GL movie will set the direction.

 

Despite all the promotion on these boards, Showcase 4 is a much bigger book than SC 22.

 

Just like FF 1 was a bigger book then AF 15 was 20 years ago?

 

 

SC22 momentum is driven by increase GL fans, story lines, and big money plowing into the movie with a great director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale). It always has been the top SA 20 for sometimes and just showing it's strength. (thumbs u

[showcase22gr1959]

My Top 10:

 

1. AF#15 - 3rd biggest book in the hobby. Action #1 is king...Tec #27 beats it out for #2 only because of age.

 

 

 

 

Well said (thumbs u

in terms of importance, or value? Importance, introducing Spidey I can live with that behind action 1 and tec 27, but in terms of value, a Superman 1 grade for grade would spank AF 15 into the mutiverse

 

[G.A.tor]

one would argue that today, GL is more popular and more relevant in the DC universe than Flash...and I don't think much of an argument can be made to oppose (in other words, would not be much of a debate IMO)

 

does that make SC22 more important to the SA than SC 4... well, no, of course... for 40 years, we have ushered in the Silver age beginning with SC 4... that 40 years can't (and likely won't ) be undone just because SC22's value is rising exponentially while SC 4's value is stagnant, at best...

 

of course, it is stagnant because SC 4 had that exponential rise in value already (kind of like AF15 and SC 22 recently have)...and there really is no "new" reason for folks to want a copy, unlike AF15 or SC22 (whose characters continues to rise in popularity, thus potentially increasing demand relative to current known supply, resulting in higher prices)...

 

now, for my #3 SA pick, it is SC 4...and, if the day was really cloudy, I could probably convice a few folks it is still #1...but, I am not prepared to try that (just yet)

[KirbyJack]

I've heard tons of good arguments for Showcase #4. It was the SA book to own back in the late 80s, when I restarted collecting. I'm thrilled that I have a thrashed copy.

 

But...

 

Collecting is way too personal a thing to let others define for you. For me, It's Fantastic Four #1, first and always. I wouldn't be collecting comics if there were no FF. I tip my hat to those great 50s DCs, and own a copy of almost all the keys. But that 1960s Marvel universe is where my heart lives, and even a Spidey fan would tell you that the FF is the foundation of that universe.

[G.A.tor]

I've heard tons of good arguments for Showcase #4. It was the SA book to own back in the late 80s, when I restarted collecting. I'm thrilled that I have a thrashed copy.

 

But...

 

Collecting is way too personal a thing to let others define for you. For me, It's Fantastic Four #1, first and always. I wouldn't be collecting comics if there were no FF. I tip my hat to those great 50s DCs, and own a copy of almost all the keys. But that 1960s Marvel universe is where my heart lives, and even a Spidey fan would tell you that the FF is the foundation of that universe.

FF 1 is a real close 2nd (to #1 for me)... but, I didn't just look at it "personally" (though I agree, that should be the defining basis for what "you" collect)... I was trying to consider the market as a whole, and thus have to be somewhat "vanilla" in my approach...

 

AF15 at #1

FF 1 at #2

SC 4 at #3...

but what would I put at #4

[G.A.tor]

so, having done a fair amount of "thinking", I would have to say BB 28 is the #4 most important book of the Silver age...

gasp you say

 

Feb 1960 (or there about) DC releases BB 28...this just months after the SC anthology/try out book had pretty much given/provided just enough evidence and support (via sales) that "super heroes" might be "back" (SC 4, 8, 13,14, 22, etc)!

 

in fact, it was the success of BB 28 (and subsequently 29 and 30) that gave way to DC launching the first "real" SA Super hero team book in Oct of 1960... JL of A... (had some, though maybe more minimal impact on Marvel having titles like FF and Xmen, etc)

 

and given that many will agree and argue that FF 1 is in the top 2 in terms of overall value and importance to the Silver Age (we all know SLee/Marvel really "made" the SH team book successful in the early SA, they didn't "start it"), how can BB 28 ,which really did help pave the way and provide a proven and viable template for Marvel to lauch FF 1 a year and a half later, not be almost as important

[Spiderturtle]

Is bb28 undervalued. Seems cheap relative to importance

[JohnT]

My seat-of-the-pants Marvel-centric Top Ten...

 

1. FF 1

1. AF 15 tie for 1st...I'm wishy-washy that way, plus they represent my two favorite titles

3. JIM 83 my 3rd favorite title

4. SC 4 my 1 nod to DC as the beginning of SA

5. ASM 1 most popular SA character gets 2 books

6. TOS 39 Just a very cool book to own...will only get bigger...

7. AV 4 1st cap and if I own one Avengers it's #4 vs #1

8. HULK 1 never much of a Hulk fan but nobody has this book and a great book to have in your set to one-up your friends...

9. FF 5 1st Doom and if Spidey gets 2 books on the list FF deserves 2 as well!

9. tie between ASM 14 1st Gobby (had to put this up there as no one else had...and XM 1 makes the list due 1st Mutants book giving rise ultimately to mutant-coolness...

 

er...make that Top Eleven...

 

Zombie....zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[KirbyJack]

Cogent point, and I'd have to concur from a general POV.

 

When I apply that view to the other key books, Flash 105, of all comics, gets a big bump. If we agree that Showcase 4 broke the ice with a sea-change "try out", then maybe the next stage is NON-try outs. Flash 105 is the first non-try out comic of the Silver Age. DC had decided that super heroes were back, and no longer felt the need to hedge their bets with the safety net of an anthology. Readers could, for the first time, count on a regularly published source of the new style.

 

Now, I don't know how big a step an editorial commitment is, but it seems like Flash 105 matters as far as the chronology of SA events goes.

 

 

 

[oakman29]

I've heard tons of good arguments for Showcase #4. It was the SA book to own back in the late 80s, when I restarted collecting. I'm thrilled that I have a thrashed copy.

 

But...

 

Collecting is way too personal a thing to let others define for you. For me, It's Fantastic Four #1, first and always. I wouldn't be collecting comics if there were no FF. I tip my hat to those great 50s DCs, and own a copy of almost all the keys. But that 1960s Marvel universe is where my heart lives, and even a Spidey fan would tell you that the FF is the foundation of that universe.

FF 1 is a real close 2nd (to #1 for me)... but, I didn't just look at it "personally" (though I agree, that should be the defining basis for what "you" collect)... I was trying to consider the market as a whole, and thus have to be somewhat "vanilla" in my approach...

 

AF15 at #1

FF 1 at #2

SC 4 at #3...

but what would I put at #4

 

I would have to say #4 would have to go to Hulk #1

[namisgr]

Just for purposes of discussion, and since we have so many knowledgeable, serious students of the SA in this thread: is Showcase #4 really as important as all that?

 

It's designation as having started the SA is debatable and perhaps a bit arbitrary. After all, Atlas was publishing new Cap, Subby, and Torch comics a mere two years earlier. What do you think makes it distinct from a Dark Age comic like the Atlas pubs just before it?

 

It's also a reboot. Same with Showcase #22. And while vital to the DC Universe and the first great superhero team book, BB28 also brought together existing heroes. On the other hand, FF#1 stands as the first highly successful comic and original set of heroes to appear in the SA, and it begat the entire Marvel Universe.

 

signed,

An Unrepentant and Troublemaking Marvel Zombie