Top 10 Golden Age Moments

[Zonker]

So the Mr. Mind discussion on Brian's thread prompts me to ask for a top ten list, the top "Golden Age Moments." Here is my start-- the first 5 or 6 are obvious, but we can disagree on the remainder, or add to it to make a baker's dozen or what have you. Have fun!

 

1. Krypton explodes. Action Comics #1.

2. The Batman: Who He Is and How He Came to Be. Detective Comics #33.

3. Steve Rogers drinks the super soldier serum. Captain America #1.

4. Billy Batson first becomes Capt. Marvel. Whiz Comics #2.

5. First meeting of the Justice Society of America. All Star Comics #3.

6. Sub-Mariner first battles the Human Torch. Marvel Mystery Comics #8.

7. Mr. Mind Revealed. Captain Marvel Adventures #27.

8. The Sensational Character Find of 1940: Robin. cover/splash to Detective Comics #38.

9. Superman and Batman guest star in JSA. All-Star Comics #38.

10. Eel O'Brian discovers his face can stretttcchhhh!!! Police Comics #1.

 

Cheers,

Z.

[RedFury]

Good idea for a thread!

 

Ma Hunkel, inspired by the Green Lantern, becomes the Red Tornado! - All-American Comics #20 (Nov 1940)

 

Denny Colt is presumed dead, but appears to rise from the grave to fight crime as The Spirit - The Spirit (June 2 1940)

 

Daredevil Battles Hitler! - Daredevil Comics #1 (July 1941)

 

Formation of the All-Winners Squad - All Winners Comics #19 (Fall 1947)

 

Bucky is shot - Captain America Comics #66 (1946)

 

 

[dam60]

I'm going to second that!!! What a great idea for a thread! Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about GA books

But I am all for the intelligent conversation and discussion!

[MonumentalCo]

* What about Superman and Batman learning each other's identities in Superman #76?

 

* All Star #8 which is Wonder Woman's first appearance. The longest running female superhero.

 

* Wonder Comics #1 which featured the 1st character to copy Superman.

 

Tom

[Mister_Comics]

Boy sidekicks.

[CGCMINT]

Batman #1 (The introduction of The Joker and Catwoman!)

 

John

 

[blowout]

Has to be Action #1.

Without it would super hero comics ever have taken off? Would we be on this board today?

[aardvark88]

In 1954, UFOs are revealed as REAL. Jump starts a lot of young imaginations. EC sci-fi art was not too shabby either by Wood, Williamson/Frazetta, Joe Orlando, etc.

[Bonds25]

Odin, that is awesome! I've never seen that cover before.

[aardvark88]

Isn't flying donut another name for UFO? Everybody loves aliens & UFOs.

[seank]

Another top ten golden age moment:

 

Archie meets Betty, way back in Pep 22 (or was it 23?).

[Zonker]

Boy sidekicks.

 

Yep, that's #8 on my list. Robin spawned a lot of imitators, among them:

Bucky

Buddy (w/Uncle Sam)

Speedy

Stuff (w/Vigilante)

Sandy

Thorndyck (w/Hourman)

Toro (arguably)

and, turning the convention upside-down,

Stripesy as the Star-Spangled Kid's "adult sidekick."

 

But speaking of side-kicks, how about another trend-setter, the rotund comic relief sidekick? I believe the originator of this trend is

 

Doiby Dickles (All-American Comics #27 June 1941)

 

Followed by:

Woozy Winks

Uncle Dudley/Marvel

Maximillian O'Leary (w/Sargon)

Etta Candy (arguably)

and, turning the convention upside-down,

"Stretch" Skinner as Wildcat's tall skinny comic relief sidekick.

 

Cheers,

Z.

 

[MW1]

Moving forward in time a bit, how about "Spinner" -- Web Woman's annoying green sidekick? A shiny nickel to whoever can tell me exactly what he (it) was.

[Zonker]

Ya got me. I don't even know what a 'web woman' is...

 

[seank]

Late golden age, but we can't forget:

 

Donald and his nephews do Christmas on Bear Mountain

[drbanner]

Donald and his nephews do Christmas on Bear Mountain

 

Yeah! This is quite the key book, and one of my favorite comic books of all time. Uncle Scrooge was one of very few Disney characters that appeared in comic books before films, shorts, or cartoons and is quite well-known now outside of comic books due to the Ducktales TV show and movies. I drooled over this book, but couldn't quite come up with the $15k Mark Wilson was asking!!

 

[Zonker]

How about Batman 25, first Joker-Penguin teamup?

 

And... does anyone know of an earlier team-up of pre-existing villains? (Not intended as a quiz... I'm unaware of any such teamup myself...)

 

Z.

[ELBRUJO]

All American #16 1st apperance of Green Lantern, I guess I am really bias because G.L is my favorite! Awesome thread though!

[LucyBop]

Archie has to make the top ten in one form or another... A book for teenyboppers when it started and still for today...... True classic americana... Somehow, Archie needs to be in the top ten.

[Zonker]

Hey Lucy,

No argument here. Archie is an icon!

 

Maybe I should have actually defined Golden Age Moment-- it is the precise instant, whether it be a panel or a cover (or an innovative whole page layout I suppose) where you say "a-ha...

 

...so Superman came from another planet! or

...look at all these characters teamed up as the Justice Society of America! or

...so the evil Mr. Mind is... a... worm?

 

something like that. So, we need help from our Archie authority here: what was the 'a-ha' Golden Age Moment associated with Archie? Was it the first appearance in Pep 22 (what happened there)? Or was it the first cover (was there one earlier than Pep 41?)

 

That kinda thing.

 

Thanks!

Z.