Top 5 GA covers

[rob_react]

I'll make it easy for myself by confining the definition of Golden Age to the forties. Here are two of my very favourite covers:

Isn't this one cheating, because there are actually 5 covers?

 

All 5 are great, as well. Black Cat covers rock.

[Crowzilla]

my favs in order:

 

 

for back covers, I am partial to this one:

 

 

 

[jbcomicbox]

We ran a poll a few years -- might be time to do a new.

 

I was unable to find that thread using but a more adept searcher might be able to.

 

I'd expect more from you.

 

Here are the results pages since we (Norinn Radd and myself) ran a Super-Hero and a non-Super-Hero poll -

 

Super Hero Results

 

Non Super-Hero Results

 

Thanks to Paris_Fred for still hosting these after so many years

 

Interesting that Action #1 was placed so highly.

 

Wonder whether this was because of its key status rather than the artwork?

 

 

I don`t understand the dismissive attitude of Action 1 that so many seem to have. It was my choice for the best GA cover.

 

It`s a great cover: well drawn, excellent composition, eye grabbing, and groundbreaking.

 

People seem to think it`s too simple, and isn`t drawn by the most talented artist out there. The fact is that it`s harder to pull off simple than complicated. Any hack can draw a ridiculously busy cover with 8000 things going on that attract the 7-year old boy`s eye.

 

Similarly, the best draftsman isn`t necessarily the best artist, and doesn`t necessarily produce the best art. I admit SOME degree of draftsmanship is necessary, which is why I wouldn`t rate any of Kane`s covers because his lack of skill outweighs whatever other merits his covers might have.

 

Some how, my perception is, that inside of four posts, this thread has run off the tracks.

 

The question was:

 

Purely based on cover artwork and regardless of whether a book is a key or not what for you are the top 5 covers of the GA?

 

This is purely subjective. Being purely subjective, it is, well...., purely subjective. This is not whether I like or don't like what someone sees as his five favorite covers. Different strokes for different folks. Variety makes the world go round. No need to be defensive.

 

So go back to thread : What are the five best GA covers for YOU

 

Not why someone is "in error" for her choice.

 

Okay, so what are your favorite FIVE GA covers?

 

JB

 

 

 

Agreed.

 

Each person's favourites will be determined by their personal preferences and exposure to different comics.

 

I love the GA section as it has broadened my comic horizons.

 

There are no right or wrong answers here.

 

Let's leave comparatives till the poll thread.

 

Many years ago I wrote this piece for CBM in response to the editor's request. You can see how I "cheated" big time on doing more than "five".....jb

 

 

Dear Gary,

 

TOP TEN COVERS

 

So, you want to survey the top five favorite covers?!

 

Good idea. Knowing that this would be an impossible task anyway, I decided to set up some self-imposed rules and guidelines. Firstly, I will choose ten instead of five, mainly because this would allow coverage to some covers that I wanted to talk about. Secondly, I will limit myself to only one cover to a particular artist or you would get tired of seeing Lou Fine’s name ten times. Finally, I tried to limit a cover choice to one per G.A. title. So with not much further introduction:

 

1. Mystery Men 3 A Lou Fine cover shows my bias right out front. I suppose others will opt for Fantastic Comics 3 or Hit Comic 5, 6,7, 8 or 9 or Wonderworld 7. Great covers all. But there is something about this large portrait cover that typifies to me the lyrical quality of Fine’s covers. Fine’s artistic abilities shine through on all his covers. He has an uncanny ability to bring motion to the drawn page. Or course, by limiting myself to one cover by an artist does not allow me to mention Fine’s cover to Jumbo Comics 10, or to Science 2 or 3, or to National 7 or Jungle 1 or... (Okay, so I cheated a little.)

 

2. Silver Streak 6 One look at this golden age cover makes you breathless at the versatility of Jack Cole who would gain his greatest fame from his whimsical rendition of “Plastic Man”.

 

3. Target Comics 7 Wolverton rendered only one G.A. cover that I am aware of. Maybe that’s what draws me to the unique drawing style and content of his famous character “The Spacehawk”.

 

4. Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 2/2 Bill Everett gained his greatest fame for the creation and rendition on the “Sub-Mariner.” Some of his earliest work was produced for Centaur Publications when he worked for Lloyd Jacquet. This and his cover for issue 3 are some of my personal favorites.

 

5. More Fun Comics 54 I suppose I’ll initiate a bunch of hate mail, but generally, considering the number of titles produced and its pre-emence in the marketplace, DC-National covers don’t do much for me. They are all sort of static and one dimensional. However, I find Bernard Bailey cover for issue 54 of More Fun to be dramatic and spectacular.

 

6. Champion Comics 10. An esoteric title at best, a young Jack Kirby created this cover that flows with action.

 

7. Daring Mystery Comics 1 Sometimes Joe Simon gets left in the background of Jack Kirby. Many of the covers in the Guide described as “Kirbyesque” (see, for example, Target 10 or Champ Comics) are vintage Joe Simon. The cover for Daring Mystery exemplifies the unbridled energy of the early golden age. In close contention are Simon’s covers for Fantastic Comics 6, Wonderworld Comics 15 and Champion Comics 8 and 9 and Speed Comics 17.

 

8. Submariner Comics 11 How does one pick a Schomburg cover? Could anyone get more action going on a page? By picking this cover it precludes trying to choose between the wonderful air brush covers he did for Wonder Comics, Startling Comics and Thrilling Comics.

 

9. Planet Comics 13 Its tough to choose among all those great Planet Comics covers but somehow a blue skinned monster threatening a damsel as wonderfully drawn by Zolnerowich makes it to my list.

 

10. Funny Pages Vol. 4/1 It was tough to decide between this and Detective Picture Stories 5 or Amazing Mystery Funnies 2/10 as my final choice. But this simple, yet dramatic composition of “The Arrow” firing down on some bad guys does it for me. (and of course AMF 1/3….)

 

I realize that I “cheated” pretty badly, but there are so many goodies. However, by you limiting me to five covers, you allowed me to avoid the difficult choice of picking a cover from Chesler’s Punch, Scoop, or Dynamic Comics of the mid 1940s ....or choosing a Mac Raboy cover from Captain Marvel, Jr.....or a Flessel “Sandman” cover....., or.......

 

Jon Berk 2/26/95

 

 

So this stream of "unconsciousness" should open the door fairly wide and show how "little" as changed no matter the generation of comicbook collector. jb

 

P.S. Can you tell I am confined to the home today, after getting walloped with two feet of snow?

 

[pinball]

National #7

 

 

Wow!!! I love this cover!!!

[1koko]

 

My 5 include 2 of your ten:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1koko]

I don't own any of them, but I would have to give consideration to Exciting 28, Suspense 3 and Cap 46. Detective 31 would make my top 5 for sure.

 

 

 

[jbcomicbox]

 

My 5 include 2 of your ten:

 

 

]

 

 

 

One nuance, often missed on WW7 due to color registration issues is the "drool of the ghoul" saliviatingly drawn by Fine....

 

[1koko]

Just noticed it for the first time.

 

Thanks for the heads up

[telerites]

This one's not bad:

 

 

[Larryw7]

My top five would be:

Detective 31

Suspense 3

Famous Funnies 212(and honorable mention to all of Frazetta's science fiction covers from the fifties)

Silver Streak 6

Strange Worlds 4

[ciorac]

These types of threads are always tough for me. I've never been good at nailing down my favorite cover, or movie, or song.

 

I'm fond of so many of each for different reasons. Each year or sometimes every few years it changes. Think what was your favorite song in high school, or when you were in your 20s, 30s, 40s etc

 

My favorite comic book has long been Batman 1, but my taste in comics is very broad, and has no real focus. I'm as excited about Looney Tunes #1 as I am about Super Comics #1, etc

 

But over the years, the following have always been in the mix of favorite covers. So here are my "favorite" covers in no particular order

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Straw-Man]

We ran a poll a few years -- might be time to do a new.

 

I was unable to find that thread using but a more adept searcher might be able to.

 

I'd expect more from you.

 

Here are the results pages since we (Norinn Radd and myself) ran a Super-Hero and a non-Super-Hero poll -

 

Super Hero Results

 

Non Super-Hero Results

 

Thanks to Paris_Fred for still hosting these after so many years

 

Interesting that Action #1 was placed so highly.

 

Wonder whether this was because of its key status rather than the artwork?

 

 

I don`t understand the dismissive attitude of Action 1 that so many seem to have. It was my choice for the best GA cover.

 

It`s a great cover: well drawn, excellent composition, eye grabbing, and groundbreaking.

 

People seem to think it`s too simple, and isn`t drawn by the most talented artist out there. The fact is that it`s harder to pull off simple than complicated. Any hack can draw a ridiculously busy cover with 8000 things going on that attract the 7-year old boy`s eye.

 

Similarly, the best draftsman isn`t necessarily the best artist, and doesn`t necessarily produce the best art. I admit SOME degree of draftsmanship is necessary, which is why I wouldn`t rate any of Kane`s covers because his lack of skill outweighs whatever other merits his covers might have.

 

Some how, my perception is, that inside of four posts, this thread has run off the tracks.

 

The question was:

 

Purely based on cover artwork and regardless of whether a book is a key or not what for you are the top 5 covers of the GA?

 

This is purely subjective. Being purely subjective, it is, well...., purely subjective. This is not whether I like or don't like what someone sees as his five favorite covers. Different strokes for different folks. Variety makes the world go round. No need to be defensive.

 

So go back to thread : What are the five best GA covers for YOU

 

Not why someone is "in error" for her choice.

 

Okay, so what are your favorite FIVE GA covers?

 

JB

 

 

 

Agreed.

 

Each person's favourites will be determined by their personal preferences and exposure to different comics.

 

I love the GA section as it has broadened my comic horizons.

 

There are no right or wrong answers here.

 

Let's leave comparatives till the poll thread.

 

Many years ago I wrote this piece for CBM in response to the editor's request. You can see how I "cheated" big time on doing more than "five".....jb

 

 

Dear Gary,

 

TOP TEN COVERS

 

So, you want to survey the top five favorite covers?!

 

Good idea. Knowing that this would be an impossible task anyway, I decided to set up some self-imposed rules and guidelines. Firstly, I will choose ten instead of five, mainly because this would allow coverage to some covers that I wanted to talk about. Secondly, I will limit myself to only one cover to a particular artist or you would get tired of seeing Lou Fine’s name ten times. Finally, I tried to limit a cover choice to one per G.A. title. So with not much further introduction:

 

1. Mystery Men 3 A Lou Fine cover shows my bias right out front. I suppose others will opt for Fantastic Comics 3 or Hit Comic 5, 6,7, 8 or 9 or Wonderworld 7. Great covers all. But there is something about this large portrait cover that typifies to me the lyrical quality of Fine’s covers. Fine’s artistic abilities shine through on all his covers. He has an uncanny ability to bring motion to the drawn page. Or course, by limiting myself to one cover by an artist does not allow me to mention Fine’s cover to Jumbo Comics 10, or to Science 2 or 3, or to National 7 or Jungle 1 or... (Okay, so I cheated a little.)

 

2. Silver Streak 6 One look at this golden age cover makes you breathless at the versatility of Jack Cole who would gain his greatest fame from his whimsical rendition of “Plastic Man”.

 

3. Target Comics 7 Wolverton rendered only one G.A. cover that I am aware of. Maybe that’s what draws me to the unique drawing style and content of his famous character “The Spacehawk”.

 

4. Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 2/2 Bill Everett gained his greatest fame for the creation and rendition on the “Sub-Mariner.” Some of his earliest work was produced for Centaur Publications when he worked for Lloyd Jacquet. This and his cover for issue 3 are some of my personal favorites.

 

5. More Fun Comics 54 I suppose I’ll initiate a bunch of hate mail, but generally, considering the number of titles produced and its pre-emence in the marketplace, DC-National covers don’t do much for me. They are all sort of static and one dimensional. However, I find Bernard Bailey cover for issue 54 of More Fun to be dramatic and spectacular.

 

6. Champion Comics 10. An esoteric title at best, a young Jack Kirby created this cover that flows with action.

 

7. Daring Mystery Comics 1 Sometimes Joe Simon gets left in the background of Jack Kirby. Many of the covers in the Guide described as “Kirbyesque” (see, for example, Target 10 or Champ Comics) are vintage Joe Simon. The cover for Daring Mystery exemplifies the unbridled energy of the early golden age. In close contention are Simon’s covers for Fantastic Comics 6, Wonderworld Comics 15 and Champion Comics 8 and 9 and Speed Comics 17.

 

8. Submariner Comics 11 How does one pick a Schomburg cover? Could anyone get more action going on a page? By picking this cover it precludes trying to choose between the wonderful air brush covers he did for Wonder Comics, Startling Comics and Thrilling Comics.

 

9. Planet Comics 13 Its tough to choose among all those great Planet Comics covers but somehow a blue skinned monster threatening a damsel as wonderfully drawn by Zolnerowich makes it to my list.

 

10. Funny Pages Vol. 4/1 It was tough to decide between this and Detective Picture Stories 5 or Amazing Mystery Funnies 2/10 as my final choice. But this simple, yet dramatic composition of “The Arrow” firing down on some bad guys does it for me. (and of course AMF 1/3….)

 

I realize that I “cheated” pretty badly, but there are so many goodies. However, by you limiting me to five covers, you allowed me to avoid the difficult choice of picking a cover from Chesler’s Punch, Scoop, or Dynamic Comics of the mid 1940s ....or choosing a Mac Raboy cover from Captain Marvel, Jr.....or a Flessel “Sandman” cover....., or.......

 

Jon Berk 2/26/95

 

 

So this stream of "unconsciousness" should open the door fairly wide and show how "little" as changed no matter the generation of comicbook collector. jb

 

P.S. Can you tell I am confined to the home today, after getting walloped with two feet of snow?

 

jon, daring 1, you feel, is simon? it's always called a schomburg, and it looks like a schomburg. please elucidate.

[Wayne-Tec]

Two of mine:

 

 

 

Can't argue much with either; especially the first. (thumbs u

[1koko]

 

 

 

Great cover

[cheetah]

These types of threads are always tough for me. I've never been good at nailing down my favorite cover, or movie, or song.

 

I'm fond of so many of each for different reasons. Each year or sometimes every few years it changes. Think what was your favorite song in high school, or when you were in your 20s, 30s, 40s etc

 

 

 

I'm in the same boat. I might pick out five but then someone posts a cool cover I haven't seen before (like this) and I'd have to mess up my list.

 

Richard's Stange Planets book with the gorgeous blue cover is one of my current craves.

[jbcomicbox]

We ran a poll a few years -- might be time to do a new.

 

I was unable to find that thread using but a more adept searcher might be able to.

 

I'd expect more from you.

 

Here are the results pages since we (Norinn Radd and myself) ran a Super-Hero and a non-Super-Hero poll -

 

Super Hero Results

 

Non Super-Hero Results

 

Thanks to Paris_Fred for still hosting these after so many years

 

Interesting that Action #1 was placed so highly.

 

Wonder whether this was because of its key status rather than the artwork?

 

 

I don`t understand the dismissive attitude of Action 1 that so many seem to have. It was my choice for the best GA cover.

 

It`s a great cover: well drawn, excellent composition, eye grabbing, and groundbreaking.

 

People seem to think it`s too simple, and isn`t drawn by the most talented artist out there. The fact is that it`s harder to pull off simple than complicated. Any hack can draw a ridiculously busy cover with 8000 things going on that attract the 7-year old boy`s eye.

 

Similarly, the best draftsman isn`t necessarily the best artist, and doesn`t necessarily produce the best art. I admit SOME degree of draftsmanship is necessary, which is why I wouldn`t rate any of Kane`s covers because his lack of skill outweighs whatever other merits his covers might have.

 

Some how, my perception is, that inside of four posts, this thread has run off the tracks.

 

The question was:

 

Purely based on cover artwork and regardless of whether a book is a key or not what for you are the top 5 covers of the GA?

 

This is purely subjective. Being purely subjective, it is, well...., purely subjective. This is not whether I like or don't like what someone sees as his five favorite covers. Different strokes for different folks. Variety makes the world go round. No need to be defensive.

 

So go back to thread : What are the five best GA covers for YOU

 

Not why someone is "in error" for her choice.

 

Okay, so what are your favorite FIVE GA covers?

 

JB

 

 

 

Agreed.

 

Each person's favourites will be determined by their personal preferences and exposure to different comics.

 

I love the GA section as it has broadened my comic horizons.

 

There are no right or wrong answers here.

 

Let's leave comparatives till the poll thread.

 

Many years ago I wrote this piece for CBM in response to the editor's request. You can see how I "cheated" big time on doing more than "five".....jb

 

 

Dear Gary,

 

TOP TEN COVERS

 

So, you want to survey the top five favorite covers?!

 

Good idea. Knowing that this would be an impossible task anyway, I decided to set up some self-imposed rules and guidelines. Firstly, I will choose ten instead of five, mainly because this would allow coverage to some covers that I wanted to talk about. Secondly, I will limit myself to only one cover to a particular artist or you would get tired of seeing Lou Fine’s name ten times. Finally, I tried to limit a cover choice to one per G.A. title. So with not much further introduction:

 

1. Mystery Men 3 A Lou Fine cover shows my bias right out front. I suppose others will opt for Fantastic Comics 3 or Hit Comic 5, 6,7, 8 or 9 or Wonderworld 7. Great covers all. But there is something about this large portrait cover that typifies to me the lyrical quality of Fine’s covers. Fine’s artistic abilities shine through on all his covers. He has an uncanny ability to bring motion to the drawn page. Or course, by limiting myself to one cover by an artist does not allow me to mention Fine’s cover to Jumbo Comics 10, or to Science 2 or 3, or to National 7 or Jungle 1 or... (Okay, so I cheated a little.)

 

2. Silver Streak 6 One look at this golden age cover makes you breathless at the versatility of Jack Cole who would gain his greatest fame from his whimsical rendition of “Plastic Man”.

 

3. Target Comics 7 Wolverton rendered only one G.A. cover that I am aware of. Maybe that’s what draws me to the unique drawing style and content of his famous character “The Spacehawk”.

 

4. Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 2/2 Bill Everett gained his greatest fame for the creation and rendition on the “Sub-Mariner.” Some of his earliest work was produced for Centaur Publications when he worked for Lloyd Jacquet. This and his cover for issue 3 are some of my personal favorites.

 

5. More Fun Comics 54 I suppose I’ll initiate a bunch of hate mail, but generally, considering the number of titles produced and its pre-emence in the marketplace, DC-National covers don’t do much for me. They are all sort of static and one dimensional. However, I find Bernard Bailey cover for issue 54 of More Fun to be dramatic and spectacular.

 

6. Champion Comics 10. An esoteric title at best, a young Jack Kirby created this cover that flows with action.

 

7. Daring Mystery Comics 1 Sometimes Joe Simon gets left in the background of Jack Kirby. Many of the covers in the Guide described as “Kirbyesque” (see, for example, Target 10 or Champ Comics) are vintage Joe Simon. The cover for Daring Mystery exemplifies the unbridled energy of the early golden age. In close contention are Simon’s covers for Fantastic Comics 6, Wonderworld Comics 15 and Champion Comics 8 and 9 and Speed Comics 17.

 

8. Submariner Comics 11 How does one pick a Schomburg cover? Could anyone get more action going on a page? By picking this cover it precludes trying to choose between the wonderful air brush covers he did for Wonder Comics, Startling Comics and Thrilling Comics.

 

9. Planet Comics 13 Its tough to choose among all those great Planet Comics covers but somehow a blue skinned monster threatening a damsel as wonderfully drawn by Zolnerowich makes it to my list.

 

10. Funny Pages Vol. 4/1 It was tough to decide between this and Detective Picture Stories 5 or Amazing Mystery Funnies 2/10 as my final choice. But this simple, yet dramatic composition of “The Arrow” firing down on some bad guys does it for me. (and of course AMF 1/3….)

 

I realize that I “cheated” pretty badly, but there are so many goodies. However, by you limiting me to five covers, you allowed me to avoid the difficult choice of picking a cover from Chesler’s Punch, Scoop, or Dynamic Comics of the mid 1940s ....or choosing a Mac Raboy cover from Captain Marvel, Jr.....or a Flessel “Sandman” cover....., or.......

 

Jon Berk 2/26/95

 

 

So this stream of "unconsciousness" should open the door fairly wide and show how "little" as changed no matter the generation of comicbook collector. jb

 

P.S. Can you tell I am confined to the home today, after getting walloped with two feet of snow?

 

jon, daring 1, you feel, is simon? it's always called a schomburg, and it looks like a schomburg. please elucidate.

 

My elucidation is that back then i confused Red Raven 1 with this #1. My bad, my mistake. (Yes I know it is mostly, if not all, Kirby) Anyway, I like Daring Mystery 2 better......[so there!]

[Cat-Man_America]

I'll start off with two "honorable mentions" (my excuse for magically turning the number "5" into "7")...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, here are my faves...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and this Jack Cole masterpiece has long been my favorite GA cover, and chock full of great art to boot (over 50% Cole):

 

 

[rockman2008]

We ran a poll a few years -- might be time to do a new.

 

I was unable to find that thread using but a more adept searcher might be able to.

 

I'd expect more from you.

 

Here are the results pages since we (Norinn Radd and myself) ran a Super-Hero and a non-Super-Hero poll -

 

Super Hero Results

 

Non Super-Hero Results

 

Thanks to Paris_Fred for still hosting these after so many years

 

Interesting that Action #1 was placed so highly.

 

Wonder whether this was because of its key status rather than the artwork?

 

 

I don`t understand the dismissive attitude of Action 1 that so many seem to have. It was my choice for the best GA cover.

 

It`s a great cover: well drawn, excellent composition, eye grabbing, and groundbreaking.

 

People seem to think it`s too simple, and isn`t drawn by the most talented artist out there. The fact is that it`s harder to pull off simple than complicated. Any hack can draw a ridiculously busy cover with 8000 things going on that attract the 7-year old boy`s eye.

 

Similarly, the best draftsman isn`t necessarily the best artist, and doesn`t necessarily produce the best art. I admit SOME degree of draftsmanship is necessary, which is why I wouldn`t rate any of Kane`s covers because his lack of skill outweighs whatever other merits his covers might have.

 

Some how, my perception is, that inside of four posts, this thread has run off the tracks.

 

The question was:

 

Purely based on cover artwork and regardless of whether a book is a key or not what for you are the top 5 covers of the GA?

 

This is purely subjective. Being purely subjective, it is, well...., purely subjective. This is not whether I like or don't like what someone sees as his five favorite covers. Different strokes for different folks. Variety makes the world go round. No need to be defensive.

 

So go back to thread : What are the five best GA covers for YOU

 

Not why someone is "in error" for her choice.

 

Okay, so what are your favorite FIVE GA covers?

 

JB

 

 

 

Agreed.

 

Each person's favourites will be determined by their personal preferences and exposure to different comics.

 

I love the GA section as it has broadened my comic horizons.

 

There are no right or wrong answers here.

 

Let's leave comparatives till the poll thread.

 

Many years ago I wrote this piece for CBM in response to the editor's request. You can see how I "cheated" big time on doing more than "five".....jb

 

 

Dear Gary,

 

TOP TEN COVERS

 

So, you want to survey the top five favorite covers?!

 

Good idea. Knowing that this would be an impossible task anyway, I decided to set up some self-imposed rules and guidelines. Firstly, I will choose ten instead of five, mainly because this would allow coverage to some covers that I wanted to talk about. Secondly, I will limit myself to only one cover to a particular artist or you would get tired of seeing Lou Fine’s name ten times. Finally, I tried to limit a cover choice to one per G.A. title. So with not much further introduction:

 

1. Mystery Men 3 A Lou Fine cover shows my bias right out front. I suppose others will opt for Fantastic Comics 3 or Hit Comic 5, 6,7, 8 or 9 or Wonderworld 7. Great covers all. But there is something about this large portrait cover that typifies to me the lyrical quality of Fine’s covers. Fine’s artistic abilities shine through on all his covers. He has an uncanny ability to bring motion to the drawn page. Or course, by limiting myself to one cover by an artist does not allow me to mention Fine’s cover to Jumbo Comics 10, or to Science 2 or 3, or to National 7 or Jungle 1 or... (Okay, so I cheated a little.)

 

2. Silver Streak 6 One look at this golden age cover makes you breathless at the versatility of Jack Cole who would gain his greatest fame from his whimsical rendition of “Plastic Man”.

 

3. Target Comics 7 Wolverton rendered only one G.A. cover that I am aware of. Maybe that’s what draws me to the unique drawing style and content of his famous character “The Spacehawk”.

 

4. Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 2/2 Bill Everett gained his greatest fame for the creation and rendition on the “Sub-Mariner.” Some of his earliest work was produced for Centaur Publications when he worked for Lloyd Jacquet. This and his cover for issue 3 are some of my personal favorites.

 

5. More Fun Comics 54 I suppose I’ll initiate a bunch of hate mail, but generally, considering the number of titles produced and its pre-emence in the marketplace, DC-National covers don’t do much for me. They are all sort of static and one dimensional. However, I find Bernard Bailey cover for issue 54 of More Fun to be dramatic and spectacular.

 

6. Champion Comics 10. An esoteric title at best, a young Jack Kirby created this cover that flows with action.

 

7. Daring Mystery Comics 1 Sometimes Joe Simon gets left in the background of Jack Kirby. Many of the covers in the Guide described as “Kirbyesque” (see, for example, Target 10 or Champ Comics) are vintage Joe Simon. The cover for Daring Mystery exemplifies the unbridled energy of the early golden age. In close contention are Simon’s covers for Fantastic Comics 6, Wonderworld Comics 15 and Champion Comics 8 and 9 and Speed Comics 17.

 

8. Submariner Comics 11 How does one pick a Schomburg cover? Could anyone get more action going on a page? By picking this cover it precludes trying to choose between the wonderful air brush covers he did for Wonder Comics, Startling Comics and Thrilling Comics.

 

9. Planet Comics 13 Its tough to choose among all those great Planet Comics covers but somehow a blue skinned monster threatening a damsel as wonderfully drawn by Zolnerowich makes it to my list.

 

10. Funny Pages Vol. 4/1 It was tough to decide between this and Detective Picture Stories 5 or Amazing Mystery Funnies 2/10 as my final choice. But this simple, yet dramatic composition of “The Arrow” firing down on some bad guys does it for me. (and of course AMF 1/3….)

 

I realize that I “cheated” pretty badly, but there are so many goodies. However, by you limiting me to five covers, you allowed me to avoid the difficult choice of picking a cover from Chesler’s Punch, Scoop, or Dynamic Comics of the mid 1940s ....or choosing a Mac Raboy cover from Captain Marvel, Jr.....or a Flessel “Sandman” cover....., or.......

 

Jon Berk 2/26/95

 

 

So this stream of "unconsciousness" should open the door fairly wide and show how "little" as changed no matter the generation of comicbook collector. jb

 

P.S. Can you tell I am confined to the home today, after getting walloped with two feet of snow?

 

jon, daring 1, you feel, is simon? it's always called a schomburg, and it looks like a schomburg. please elucidate.

 

My elucidation is that back then i confused Red Raven 1 with this #1. My bad, my mistake. (Yes I know it is mostly, if not all, Kirby) Anyway, I like Daring Mystery 2 better......[so there!]

 

Now explain how Wolverton only rendered one GA cover.

[Cat-Man_America]

These types of threads are always tough for me. I've never been good at nailing down my favorite cover, or movie, or song.

 

I'm fond of so many of each for different reasons. Each year or sometimes every few years it changes. Think what was your favorite song in high school, or when you were in your 20s, 30s, 40s etc

 

My favorite comic book has long been Batman 1, but my taste in comics is very broad, and has no real focus. I'm as excited about Looney Tunes #1 as I am about Super Comics #1, etc

 

Agree completely with this. I do have favorites, but they change over time, not markedly, but to some minor degree or order of preference. I'm finding that these threads are just a great excuse to share our diverse interests, posting images and finding new ways of having fun while building a collection.

[agro23]

Right now, if I had to grab five of my favorites, I'd pick these. In part because I have them, in part because if I didn't have them I'd want them, and partly because they represent all that makes the Golden Age great that I can think of. But really, top ten would have been better...