Silver Age Hierarchy Poll - 25th to 28th

[jjonahjameson1]

I think the point is that even if you`re a Marvel collector who seems to have no understanding or appreciation of any comics outside of your narrow little world, there were DC books that should have been voted off before Flash 123.

 

There were plenty of DC and Marvel books that should have been voted off way before Flash #123 if we are looking at significance. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a collector of Marvel books because my favorite characters happen to be Marvel properties, but I have always had a soft spot for the Flash. Currently the only SA DC book I own is a Flash #139. I also really enjoyed the first 120 or so issues of Wally's title but gave it up when I got out of comics for a time.

 

Anyway, it is hard to put the significance of that book into Marvel terms because there is no Marvel equivalent that comes to my mind to use as an example. As others have said, the appearance of a GA hero and the existence of Earth II was a monumental deal for the DC universe. That storyline has had its fingers in just about everything that DC has done for the last 50 or so years. And it barely made the top 30?

 

B&B #34 is the first SA appearance of a 2nd tier DC character, and that got kept in the running over the #123?

 

GL #1 and JLA #1 should have both gone before Flash #123.

 

Sgt. Fury #1, really?

 

FF #4, FF #48, and even ASM #1 should have gone before Flash #123.

 

They way I look at the Flash #123 is that the DC universe would not be the same if not for this book. It set in motion a shift in the way that universe operated and changed the rules for everything that came later. Very few other books on this list can say the same (Showcase #4, FF #1, AF #15 are a few that come to mind). It isn't a huge dollar book or a major first appearance like others on the list are, so it isn't a sexy choice, but in terms of importance (which is what the poll was supposed to measure) it is huge.

 

 

I hear you and respect your opinion, but Flash 123 would only be important to a die hard DC collector/Flash completist and/or comics historian.

 

I've owned a few Flash 123's over the years, but only because they were part of a larger transaction. I have never sought it out for its own merits, which you described so nicely above because this book is just not important to me personally. Adventure 247 is far more important to me than Flash 123, as are several other books in this poll.

 

Quite frankly, I think this book started a huge mess, requiring the reader to keep a scorecard as to who's living on Earth-Prime, Earth-two, Earth-X, Earth tutti-frutti, etc.

[mysterio]

I think the point is that even if you`re a Marvel collector who seems to have no understanding or appreciation of any comics outside of your narrow little world, there were DC books that should have been voted off before Flash 123.

 

There were plenty of DC and Marvel books that should have been voted off way before Flash #123 if we are looking at significance. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a collector of Marvel books because my favorite characters happen to be Marvel properties, but I have always had a soft spot for the Flash. Currently the only SA DC book I own is a Flash #139. I also really enjoyed the first 120 or so issues of Wally's title but gave it up when I got out of comics for a time.

 

Anyway, it is hard to put the significance of that book into Marvel terms because there is no Marvel equivalent that comes to my mind to use as an example. As others have said, the appearance of a GA hero and the existence of Earth II was a monumental deal for the DC universe. That storyline has had its fingers in just about everything that DC has done for the last 50 or so years. And it barely made the top 30?

 

B&B #34 is the first SA appearance of a 2nd tier DC character, and that got kept in the running over the #123?

 

GL #1 and JLA #1 should have both gone before Flash #123.

 

Sgt. Fury #1, really?

 

FF #4, FF #48, and even ASM #1 should have gone before Flash #123.

 

They way I look at the Flash #123 is that the DC universe would not be the same if not for this book. It set in motion a shift in the way that universe operated and changed the rules for everything that came later. Very few other books on this list can say the same (Showcase #4, FF #1, AF #15 are a few that come to mind). It isn't a huge dollar book or a major first appearance like others on the list are, so it isn't a sexy choice, but in terms of importance (which is what the poll was supposed to measure) it is huge.

 

 

I hear you and respect your opinion, but Flash 123 would only be important to a die hard DC collector/Flash completist and/or comics historian.

 

I've owned a few Flash 123's over the years, but only because they were part of a larger transaction. I have never sought it out for its own merits, which you described so nicely above because this book is just not important to me personally. Adventure 247 is far more important to me than Flash 123, as are several other books in this poll.

 

Quite frankly, I think this book started a huge mess, requiring the reader to keep a scorecard as to who's living on Earth-Prime, Earth-two, Earth-X, Earth tutti-frutti, etc.

 

I agree with your assessment that it started a huge mess, but even though many would argue that the consequences of Flash #123 were negative that doesn't mean that its influence wasn't profound. Time's Person of the Year isn't always chosen because they did something good, they are picked because they had the greatest influence on humanity in the opinions of the Time staff.

 

I also see your argument about not caring about Flash #123 because it isn't important to you, and if that was how you voted that makes sense. My argument was precisely that comics historians (and those interested in the history of comics) needed to respect the contributions of Flash #123 to the comic mythos. Of course it had a greater impact on the DC universe, but only in the way that Fantastic Four #1 would be important just to Marvel collectors. I interpreted the poll as being about the overall importance of these books to the hobby and history of comics, which is why I am arguing this so strenuously. I have no desire to own a copy of Flash #123, but do respect the impact (and we can have a whole thread over whether that effect was positive or negative) it had on not only the DC universe but comics in general.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I think the point is that even if you`re a Marvel collector who seems to have no understanding or appreciation of any comics outside of your narrow little world, there were DC books that should have been voted off before Flash 123.

 

There were plenty of DC and Marvel books that should have been voted off way before Flash #123 if we are looking at significance. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a collector of Marvel books because my favorite characters happen to be Marvel properties, but I have always had a soft spot for the Flash. Currently the only SA DC book I own is a Flash #139. I also really enjoyed the first 120 or so issues of Wally's title but gave it up when I got out of comics for a time.

 

Anyway, it is hard to put the significance of that book into Marvel terms because there is no Marvel equivalent that comes to my mind to use as an example. As others have said, the appearance of a GA hero and the existence of Earth II was a monumental deal for the DC universe. That storyline has had its fingers in just about everything that DC has done for the last 50 or so years. And it barely made the top 30?

 

B&B #34 is the first SA appearance of a 2nd tier DC character, and that got kept in the running over the #123?

 

GL #1 and JLA #1 should have both gone before Flash #123.

 

Sgt. Fury #1, really?

 

FF #4, FF #48, and even ASM #1 should have gone before Flash #123.

 

They way I look at the Flash #123 is that the DC universe would not be the same if not for this book. It set in motion a shift in the way that universe operated and changed the rules for everything that came later. Very few other books on this list can say the same (Showcase #4, FF #1, AF #15 are a few that come to mind). It isn't a huge dollar book or a major first appearance like others on the list are, so it isn't a sexy choice, but in terms of importance (which is what the poll was supposed to measure) it is huge.

 

 

I hear you and respect your opinion, but Flash 123 would only be important to a die hard DC collector/Flash completist and/or comics historian.

 

I've owned a few Flash 123's over the years, but only because they were part of a larger transaction. I have never sought it out for its own merits, which you described so nicely above because this book is just not important to me personally. Adventure 247 is far more important to me than Flash 123, as are several other books in this poll.

 

Quite frankly, I think this book started a huge mess, requiring the reader to keep a scorecard as to who's living on Earth-Prime, Earth-two, Earth-X, Earth tutti-frutti, etc.

 

I agree with your assessment that it started a huge mess, but even though many would argue that the consequences of Flash #123 were negative that doesn't mean that its influence wasn't profound. Time's Person of the Year isn't always chosen because they did something good, they are picked because they had the greatest influence on humanity in the opinions of the Time staff.

 

I also see your argument about not caring about Flash #123 because it isn't important to you, and if that was how you voted that makes sense. My argument was precisely that comics historians (and those interested in the history of comics) needed to respect the contributions of Flash #123 to the comic mythos. Of course it had a greater impact on the DC universe, but only in the way that Fantastic Four #1 would be important just to Marvel collectors. I interpreted the poll as being about the overall importance of these books to the hobby and history of comics, which is why I am arguing this so strenuously. I have no desire to own a copy of Flash #123, but do respect the impact (and we can have a whole thread over whether that effect was positive or negative) it had on not only the DC universe but comics in general.

 

Very well put.

[1koko]

Poll has now ended.

 

With at least 78 people voting you have voted:

 

25th OAAW #83

26th B&B #34

27th GL #1

28th JLA #1

 

Thanks to all for participating.

 

Next round starts in 10 mins.

[AlexanderM]

I think the point is that even if you`re a Marvel collector who seems to have no understanding or appreciation of any comics outside of your narrow little world, there were DC books that should have been voted off before Flash 123.

 

There were plenty of DC and Marvel books that should have been voted off way before Flash #123 if we are looking at significance. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a collector of Marvel books because my favorite characters happen to be Marvel properties, but I have always had a soft spot for the Flash. Currently the only SA DC book I own is a Flash #139. I also really enjoyed the first 120 or so issues of Wally's title but gave it up when I got out of comics for a time.

 

Anyway, it is hard to put the significance of that book into Marvel terms because there is no Marvel equivalent that comes to my mind to use as an example. As others have said, the appearance of a GA hero and the existence of Earth II was a monumental deal for the DC universe. That storyline has had its fingers in just about everything that DC has done for the last 50 or so years. And it barely made the top 30?

 

B&B #34 is the first SA appearance of a 2nd tier DC character, and that got kept in the running over the #123?

 

GL #1 and JLA #1 should have both gone before Flash #123.

 

Sgt. Fury #1, really?

 

FF #4, FF #48, and even ASM #1 should have gone before Flash #123.

 

They way I look at the Flash #123 is that the DC universe would not be the same if not for this book. It set in motion a shift in the way that universe operated and changed the rules for everything that came later. Very few other books on this list can say the same (Showcase #4, FF #1, AF #15 are a few that come to mind). It isn't a huge dollar book or a major first appearance like others on the list are, so it isn't a sexy choice, but in terms of importance (which is what the poll was supposed to measure) it is huge.

 

 

I hear you and respect your opinion, but Flash 123 would only be important to a die hard DC collector/Flash completist and/or comics historian.

 

I've owned a few Flash 123's over the years, but only because they were part of a larger transaction. I have never sought it out for its own merits, which you described so nicely above because this book is just not important to me personally. Adventure 247 is far more important to me than Flash 123, as are several other books in this poll.

 

Quite frankly, I think this book started a huge mess, requiring the reader to keep a scorecard as to who's living on Earth-Prime, Earth-two, Earth-X, Earth tutti-frutti, etc.

 

I agree with this sentiment.

 

Although the book is certainly a key I rank quite a few dc and marvel silver age books higher.

 

and it did start a mess that basically made it harder for new readers to start. It was probably nice for the experienced reader to feel in the know but for dc and comics in general I strongly dislike this event.