Silver Age colors/inks.

[Old_Skool]

I can`t remember the details but over the years I have heard mention of certain colors or inks that are either publisher specific or have certain traits associated with them i.e.a certain purple is from dc,this color is hard to find,that color does`nt survive well due to dirt/stain migration etc.

I realize that all the unifield colors (especially those in a yellow,white,or black)will be a challange to find surviving in high grade to the ease of stains,dirt,etc. in showing up/contrasting with them.

Just hoping some of the more expearienced collecters can fill in a few facts for me is all.

[goldust40]

The only thing I've definitely noticed (but this doesn't really apply to Silver Age) is that many, if not most Atlas horror covers (1950s) had a lot of dark green ink, which gave them a certain look.

[shadroch]

I always loved the way Kirby used purple.Avengers 16 and 25 are examples that leap into my mind.

 

The reds in Avengers 19,35 and 38 are way kool,and issue 43 combines the two.

Nuff Said.

[Red Hook]

Well, here's a question.....I always assumed the penciler didn't do the colors. Maybe an indication of what he wanted...but I'm sure someone can clear that up...

 

I thought it was little old ladies.......

[Aman619]

they have colorists who used watercolors on xeroxes of the finished covers....and yes, little old ladies used to cut the colors out of rubylith for each ink combination at Eastman Color.

[shadroch]

Well, here's a question.....I always assumed the penciler didn't do the colors. Maybe an indication of what he wanted...but I'm sure someone can clear that up...

 

I thought it was little old ladies.......

 

Interesting

Never gave it any thought,but you raise a valid point.

All I know is I've never seen a non-Kirby cover that made such exquisite use of purple.

[Old_Skool]

What gets me is Marvel came up with those wonderful light tone colors(pastels?)that we see on many of the early ASM.The soft blues and such you usually see in the background(like ASM#20).Seems like they did a lot of the buildings in a type of greenish tinted grey too.

 

I agree on the purple comments.FANTASTIC.Deep and rich(royal even).

 

 

Any expearience with cover backgrounds that are all,or mostly,white?I`ve historically had a really hard time finding them that were`nt sun faded(like my Captain America #111).

[PUNYHUMAN]

The Marvel Silver Age books ,were colored by Stan Goldberg & Marie Severin mostly from what I've read!!! I think they also used metal printing plates back then!!!

You had metallic inks that were real glossy also !!! IMO, The cover colors were so much better back in the silver age!! Todays covers seem drab in comparison,plus there was more excitement ,composition,etc What do you guys think??

[Red Hook]

Agree, agree, agree, agree,..... and as for your last point...I agree.I actually mentioned once on the boards about the cool gradient blue that Marvel seemed to use alot back in the sixties. I also love the mid sixties covers....back to the pre-hero covers where they used tons of grey, quite effectively I might add.

[Forbush-Man]

The cover colors were so much better back in the silver age!! Todays covers seem drab in comparison,plus there was more excitement ,composition,etc What do you guys think??

 

Excitement + Composition = Kirby !

 

'nuff said!