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The Golden Age of DC Comics

Started by Brandon Shepherd,

19 posts in this topic

Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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A subject I'll never tire of.

 

Last Christmas I received a gift from my brother, a handsome coffee table book called The Golden Age of DC Comics. Author Paul Levitz expands on his impressive 2010 work, 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Myth Making, by revisiting the various comic book ages and devoting a book to each age. Starting with the Golden Age, Levitz presents a single tome with additional photographs and cover images not found in the Golden Age chapter from the 2010 volume.

 

The classic cover art from Detective Comics #31 is exhibited in illuminating and enticing gold for the cover, the back cover uses the classic Jack Burnley cover from Superman #21 (March 1943). This book opens with an interview with Joe Kubert, from there you are introduced to the origins of DC Comics and the beginnings of the world's greatest superheroes. The Golden Age of DC Comics covers the company history from 1935 to 1956.

 

One of the real treats inside this book for me is the black and white photographs of kids reading these comic books during the 1940s and 50s. There are also some great historical photos of comics on the printing press and various workers sorting the different issues. One photograph in particular captures a moment in time showing a few kids throwing their comics into a dumpster for recycling, with a few older women smiling with approval in the background; this was taken in the mid-50s and documents a time when comics were deemed dangerous to youth.

 

After years of viewing high grade Golden Age books from noted pedigree collections like Mile High (Edgar Church), Lamont Larson and the Allentown collection to name a few, whose books are some of the most beautiful copies preserved, I found that the photographs in this book helped me to appreciate how special these books really are. I always knew these pedigree examples were the rare exceptions, and that the production and distribution methods of the day left so few of these books in great condition. After years of only looking at the highest graded examples online, seeing the pictures of the newsstands and inside pages of these comics reminded me how cheap the materials were for these books.

 

Other gems inside include several photos of original cover art, the pieces whose survival is nothing short of a miracle. I've enjoyed flipping through this book, I also enjoy seeing it on my coffee table. This version is also easier to hold and look through, the 75 Years of DC Comics books weighs almost 15 pounds! With over 35 years of experience with working for DC, Levitz presents the Golden Age of DC Comics in spectacular fashion!

15026.JPG

 

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Hibou

Hibou

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Very very cool!

 

I love comic book history... so now I have a tome to add to my want list.

 

DC's Golden Age Rocks!

 

SW3D

 

Just what I was thinking as well!

 

I had no idea this book existed so thank you for sharing it!

 

Now I have to go and find a copy...

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Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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Congrats on the pickup. I love these books that explain the whole history of the company. I picked up a Marvel book similar to this a few years ago. Its a great read and I'm sure yours is too.

 

marvel_chronicle.jpg

 

 

Thanks,

 

I have a similar year by year chronicle for DC, not long after I got it I found out about the Marvel edition you have.

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Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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Very very cool!

 

I love comic book history... so now I have a tome to add to my want list.

 

DC's Golden Age Rocks!

 

SW3D

 

Just what I was thinking as well!

 

I had no idea this book existed so thank you for sharing it!

 

Now I have to go and find a copy...

 

You're welcome! There is also a Silver Age edition! The Bronze Age edition is scheduled to be released in November.

 

Great signature line!

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Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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Another good review, I remember reading your review right after I opened my copy, I failed to notice the familiar name attached to the review the first time around.

 

After going through this book, I went through a Year by Year book for DC's 75th anniversary. After looking at the two books I decided that I like seeing images of actual comic covers over the enhanced color reproductions in the Year by Year book. I saw where you noted the the cover quality for many of the images in your review, I noticed this as well and thought about how nice it would have been if the photos from the Gerber Photo-Journals could have been used. All and all, I'm not complaining about this, and I realized most of these issue could take years to track down.

 

You also mentioned the page quality for the original comic pages for the era, where the ink bled through, and how the great art work did not shine like it could on the quality of paper used. I mentioned looking at pedigree examples and coming to appreciate them more so after the Golden Age book, to elaborate on this, there are also the Archive Editions and other reprints that restore to art work, after years of reading these reprints, the images of the original pages also helped me to appreciate how fragile these old books really are.

 

Brandon

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Primetime

Primetime

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A subject I'll never tire of.

 

Last Christmas I received a gift from my brother, a handsome coffee table book called The Golden Age of DC Comics. Author Paul Levitz expands on his impressive 2010 work, 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Myth Making, by revisiting the various comic book ages and devoting a book to each age. Starting with the Golden Age, Levitz presents a single tome with additional photographs and cover images not found in the Golden Age chapter from the 2010 volume.

 

The classic cover art from Detective Comics #31 is exhibited in illuminating and enticing gold for the cover, the back cover uses the classic Jack Burnley cover from Superman #21 (March 1943). This book opens with an interview with Joe Kubert, from there you are introduced to the origins of DC Comics and the beginnings of the world's greatest superheroes. The Golden Age of DC Comics covers the company history from 1935 to 1956.

 

One of the real treats inside this book for me is the black and white photographs of kids reading these comic books during the 1940s and 50s. There are also some great historical photos of comics on the printing press and various workers sorting the different issues. One photograph in particular captures a moment in time showing a few kids throwing their comics into a dumpster for recycling, with a few older women smiling with approval in the background; this was taken in the mid-50s and documents a time when comics were deemed dangerous to youth.

 

After years of viewing high grade Golden Age books from noted pedigree collections like Mile High (Edgar Church), Lamont Larson and the Allentown collection to name a few, whose books are some of the most beautiful copies preserved, I found that the photographs in this book helped me to appreciate how special these books really are. I always knew these pedigree examples were the rare exceptions, and that the production and distribution methods of the day left so few of these books in great condition. After years of only looking at the highest graded examples online, seeing the pictures of the newsstands and inside pages of these comics reminded me how cheap the materials were for these books.

 

Other gems inside include several photos of original cover art, the pieces whose survival is nothing short of a miracle. I've enjoyed flipping through this book, I also enjoy seeing it on my coffee table. This version is also easier to hold and look through, the 75 Years of DC Comics books weighs almost 15 pounds! With over 35 years of experience with working for DC, Levitz presents the Golden Age of DC Comics in spectacular fashion!

15026.JPG

 

See more journals by Brandon Shepherd

Very cool
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Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

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Does anyone know if there is an EC version?

 

SW3D

 

I checked and couldn't find anything like this for EC, but I did find a few EC references which might be of interest.

 

The EC Reader - 1950 - Birth of the New Trend

http://www.amazon.com/The-EC-Reader-Birth-Trend/dp/098515604X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1389961725&sr=8-3&keywords=ec+comics

 

The Comics Journal Library: The EC Artists (Vol. 8) (The Comics Journal)

http://www.amazon.com/The-Comics-Journal-Library-Artists/dp/1606996088/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1389961725&sr=8-7&keywords=ec+comics

 

Foul Play!: The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics!

http://www.amazon.com/Foul-Play-Artists-Notorious-Comics/dp/006074698X/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1389961969&sr=8-20&keywords=ec+comics

 

The EC Reader - 1951: New Blood (The Chronological EC Comics Review) (Volume 2)

http://www.amazon.com/The-EC-Reader-Chronological-Comics/dp/0985156058/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&qid=1389962034&sr=8-33&keywords=ec+comics

 

 

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