Silver Age Hierarchy: Poll 5: 19th - 21st

[KirbyJack]

In many ways of pure analysis and comparative thinking...Spidey 1 is really a far more significant book than HULK 1 for example.

 

I realize the majority will give this little recognition...but I think it bears some thought...

 

I think I see what you mean here, Tom! In the context of silver age comic book storytelling, the excellent work done in Amazing Spider-Man outweighs the hit-and-miss (and often just plain BAD) Hulk stories by a wide margin. The SA Hulk was a b-level character at his best. Spidey was Marvel's entire A list! Compared to Spider-Man, every other single MU character was a B or C.

 

 

 

(Of course, the Fantastic Four as a team were A level, too. )

[bronze johnny]

In many ways of pure analysis and comparative thinking...Spidey 1 is really a far more significant book than HULK 1 for example.

 

I realize the majority will give this little recognition...but I think it bears some thought...

 

I think I see what you mean here, Tom! In the context of silver age comic book storytelling, the excellent work done in Amazing Spider-Man outweighs the hit-and-miss (and often just plain BAD) Hulk stories by a wide margin. The SA Hulk was a b-level character at his best. Spidey was Marvel's entire A list! Compared to Spider-Man, every other single MU character was a B or C.

 

 

 

(Of course, the Fantastic Four as a team were A level, too. )

 

Which brings us back to criteria. Tom is applying excellent criteria- he's not just saying "well the movie's coming out or it's a hit tv show. Ultimately, after we are gone and future generations of comic book collectors look to references that define these great books, I'm willing to bet they won't be looking at any movies or tv shows - they'll need to go back to the great ages these books were published in and how they impacted the postwar generation kids who embraced the superhero.

[oakman29]

In many ways of pure analysis and comparative thinking...Spidey 1 is really a far more significant book than HULK 1 for example.

 

I realize the majority will give this little recognition...but I think it bears some thought...

 

I think I see what you mean here, Tom! In the context of silver age comic book storytelling, the excellent work done in Amazing Spider-Man outweighs the hit-and-miss (and often just plain BAD) Hulk stories by a wide margin. The SA Hulk was a b-level character at his best. Spidey was Marvel's entire A list! Compared to Spider-Man, every other single MU character was a B or C.

 

 

 

(Of course, the Fantastic Four as a team were A level, too. )

 

Which brings us back to criteria. Tom is applying excellent criteria- he's not just saying "well the movie's coming out or it's a hit tv show. Ultimately, after we are gone and future generations of comic book collectors look to references that define these great books, I'm willing to bet they won't be looking at any movies or tv shows - they'll need to go back to the great ages these books were published in and how they impacted the postwar generation kids who embraced the superhero.

 

All movie hype aside,and when history tells the story of a timeline of Marvel greatness. Fantastic Four #1 will be at the top of the heap.

[bronze johnny]

In many ways of pure analysis and comparative thinking...Spidey 1 is really a far more significant book than HULK 1 for example.

 

I realize the majority will give this little recognition...but I think it bears some thought...

 

I think I see what you mean here, Tom! In the context of silver age comic book storytelling, the excellent work done in Amazing Spider-Man outweighs the hit-and-miss (and often just plain BAD) Hulk stories by a wide margin. The SA Hulk was a b-level character at his best. Spidey was Marvel's entire A list! Compared to Spider-Man, every other single MU character was a B or C.

 

 

 

(Of course, the Fantastic Four as a team were A level, too. )

 

Which brings us back to criteria. Tom is applying excellent criteria- he's not just saying "well the movie's coming out or it's a hit tv show. Ultimately, after we are gone and future generations of comic book collectors look to references that define these great books, I'm willing to bet they won't be looking at any movies or tv shows - they'll need to go back to the great ages these books were published in and how they impacted the postwar generation kids who embraced the superhero.

 

All movie hype aside,and when history tells the story of a timeline of Marvel greatness. Fantastic Four #1 will be at the top of the heap.

 

The book that started the Marvel Age! No argument from me.

[KirbyJack]

 

FF 1 will forever be the single most important comic of the silver age.

To me.

[zosocane]

 

FF 1 will forever be the single most important comic of the silver age.

To me.

 

Me too.

[gaz2810i]

 

FF 1 will forever be the single most important comic of the silver age.

To me.

 

Me too.

 

And me

[namisgr]

 

FF 1 will forever be the single most important comic of the silver age.

To me.

 

Me too.

 

And me

 

Ditto. It's my 'grail' comic book.

[thunsicker]

 

FF 1 will forever be the single most important comic of the silver age.

To me.

 

Me too.

 

And me

 

Ditto. It's my 'grail' comic book.

 

I'd love to get a nice mid grade Amazing Fantasy 15...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I could sell it and buy a nice higher grade Fantastic Four #1.

[makeminemego]

Here's my list of importance, at least in terms of Marvel keys:

 

AF15>FF1>HULK1>JIM83>TOS39>ASM1>XMen1>TTZ27>ST110>DD1-Avengers1-Avengers4>TTA44>TTA35

 

The top 2 are pretty much interchangable, as are 4-6. To each his own, I suppose.

 

 

 

If thinking FF1 is right there with AF15 is wrong, I don't want to be right.

[FineCollector]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

[jjonahjameson1]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

To think of Spidey #1 in such narrow terms is a non-starter

[seredynskib]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

1st issue in a 700 issue run.

1st JJJ

1st Chamaeleon [1st Spider-Man villain (not counting the burglar)]

1st Fantastic Four crossover

Last 12cent circle cover (only one in title)

2nd appearance of Spider-Man

 

And most importantly:

1st appearance of Peter Palmer

 

This book has a lot going for it, even if it wasn't a 1st issue.

[Chillax23]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

1st issue in a 700 issue run.

1st JJJ

1st Chamaeleon [1st Spider-Man villain (not counting the burglar)]

1st Fantastic Four crossover

Last 12cent circle cover (only one in title)

2nd appearance of Spider-Man

 

And most importantly:

1st appearance of Peter Palmer

 

This book has a lot going for it, even if it wasn't a 1st issue.

 

But I think it is a somewhat valid question - would this have mattered if Spider-Man continued in the Amazing Fantasy series and this was really AF16? I think if this happened people would think differently about the book - i.e., the content is important, but what makes it such a mega key is the fact that it is the #1 issue of ASM.

 

I happen to think ASM1 is a major key, but I liken it to what DC did with their heroes 1st appearances (i.e., they appeared in Showcase or Brave and the Bold and then got their #1 issues - like JLA #1, Flash 105, GL #1 etc.). IT just seems odd that the DC equivalent books get dinged for this fact, but ASM1 goes unscathed - but then again Spider-Man is Marvel's #1 character, and a top 3 character of all time (albeit #3 on that list), so perhaps this is why it does not get dinged?

[MusterMark]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

 

Are Sup 1 and Bats 1 very highly regarded, after Action 1 and Tec 27?

For very similar reasons (if not necessarily exactly the same reasons).

 

And why are we even talking about this???

 

 

 

[gaz2810i]

 

 

Here's my list of importance, at least in terms of Marvel keys:

 

AF15>FF1>HULK1>JIM83>TOS39>ASM1>XMen1>TTZ27>ST110>DD1-Avengers1-Avengers4>TTA44>TTA35

 

The top 2 are pretty much interchangable, as are 4-6. To each his own, I suppose.

 

 

 

If thinking FF1 is right there with AF15 is wrong, I don't want to be right.

 

Don't get me wrong both AF15 and Hulk 1 are very important books. However, they are both tied significantly to the popularity of their characters (which are huge) while FF1 has more historical significance beyond its team based characters. If I had to choose one out of the 3 it would be an FF1 even though I have a bigger affinity with Spider-man over the Fantastic Four.

 

[Chillax23]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

 

Are Sup 1 and Bats 1 very highly regarded, after Action 1 and Tec 27?

For very similar reasons (if not necessarily exactly the same reasons).

 

And why are we even talking about this???

 

 

 

Not entirely sure why we are talking about this - but Superman 1 and Batman 1 are different books than ASM1 based on scarcity and age alone - not to mention that historically both Superman and Batman are much more popular characters. Also, Batman 1 has the single most important first appearance of a villain ever in the Joker (and Catwoman is no slouch either) - so I don't really think they are comparable. See above, but I liken ASM1 more to Flash 105 (and AF15 to SC4) - but again I still think ASM1 is a top 15 book and possibly a top 10 book.

[Jaydogrules]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

 

Are Sup 1 and Bats 1 very highly regarded, after Action 1 and Tec 27?

For very similar reasons (if not necessarily exactly the same reasons).

 

And why are we even talking about this???

 

 

 

Not entirely sure why we are talking about this - but Superman 1 and Batman 1 are different books than ASM1 based on scarcity and age alone - not to mention that historically both Superman and Batman are much more popular characters. Also, Batman 1 has the single most important first appearance of a villain ever in the Joker (and Catwoman is no slouch either) - so I don't really think they are comparable. See above, but I liken ASM1 more to Flash 105 (and AF15 to SC4) - but again I still think ASM1 is a top 15 book and possibly a top 10 book.

 

That is highly debatable , but we won't go there.

 

-J.

[makeminemego]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

As someone who "pumps" ASM1, it's impossible to answer the above question.

 

I'm not going to compare ASM 1 to SC4, 22, FF 1, IH 1, etc. but I do think of ASM1 right there with JIM 83 and maybe a smidge behind TOS 39. In baseball terms, it's more Duke Snider than Mays or Mantle, but the Duke was pretty good in his own right.

 

I know people who think of ASM 1 as the red headed stepchild of SA Marvel keys get tired of hearing it, but it's the 2nd appearance of Spider-Man. It's also the first issue of the company's flagship title. If Spider-Man had more appearances in Amazing Fantasy, like JLA (which was comprised of heroes with WAAAYYY more than 2 appearances) in BB, or Flash and Lantern in SC, then maybe ASM 1 is more of a Strange Tales 110/Avengers 1/FLASH 105/DD 1 sort of key, but that's all conjecture since it's not the reality of the situation.

 

[FineCollector]

Spidey 1, 14, and FF 48 got my vote.

 

A question to the people pumping Spidey 1... if Spidey had continued in Amazing Fantasy instead of getting his own title, would AF16 be this high on the list?

 

As someone who "pumps" ASM1, it's impossible to answer the above question.

 

...If Spider-Man had more appearances in Amazing Fantasy, like JLA (which was comprised of heroes with WAAAYYY more than 2 appearances) in BB, or Flash and Lantern in SC, then maybe ASM 1 is more of a Strange Tales 110/Avengers 1/FLASH 105/DD 1 sort of key

 

So... you did answer it... and the answer is no. That's what I thought, thanks!