Silver Age DC keys? Build a list here...?

[TeddieMercede]

I think you would have to take all of those things into consideration when looking at Key issues, meaning scarcity, interest level, and importance. Value of the books is usually determined by those categories. Otherwise you may just go down the path of 1st appearances being the only relevant key issues. Like what was reiterated in the previous posts Lois Lane 1 and Challengers 1 are important books, but in terms of interest by fans( or more namely OS advisors) which I think goes a long way towards determining which books are key and which are not, Flash 105 is way ahead of those books. I mean Ive been a big silver age guy for a little while now and if you brought up a list like this 10 years ago Strange Adventures 180 would probably have appeared on the list. Nothing has changed with that book besides the interest level.

 

Also I guess technically Tec 225 isnt a silver age book but thats up for a different debate

 

.Just off the top of my head I think adding books such as the first Superman/Flash Race (Superman 199) and maybe Adventure 260 would be a good addition to that key list.

[tth2]

Actually I didnt keep looking, but perhaps even Challengers#1 beat Flash 105 to the stands too,.

You're correct. Lois Lane came out in Mar/Apr 1958, Challengers of the Unkown 1 came out in April/May 1958, and Flash 105 didn't come out until Feb/Mar 1959. Poor Challengers, they never get any respect. They were the first SA superheroes to get their own title, but Flash 105 gets all the glory, and they were the first SA superhero team, but B&B 28 gets all the glory.

 

I checked the census just now, and amazingly there is a 9.4 copy of Challengers #1. Wow!

[tth2]

I think you would have to take all of those things into consideration when looking at Key issues, meaning scarcity, interest level, and importance. Value of the books is usually determined by those categories. Otherwise you may just go down the path of 1st appearances being the only relevant key issues. Like what was reiterated in the previous posts Lois Lane 1 and Challengers 1 are important books, but in terms of interest by fans( or more namely OS advisors) which I think goes a long way towards determining which books are key and which are not, Flash 105 is way ahead of those books.

Very good point, which is why AF 15 seems to be held by most of fandom as the most important Marvel key when most of the true Marvel cognoscenti realize it's FF 1.

[jim1968]

Also what about......

Adventure #210 - 1st Krypto - too early?

Adventure #260 - 1st SA Aquaman

Adventure #269 - 1st Aqualad

Superboy #68 - 1st Bizzaro

Those are a few off the top of my head, that I didn't see listed anyway!

[Aman619]

Also what about......

Adventure #210 - 1st Krypto - too early?

Adventure #260 - 1st SA Aquaman

Adventure #269 - 1st Aqualad

Superboy #68 - 1st Bizzaro

Those are a few off the top of my head, that I didn't see listed anyway!

 

 

210 is usually considered too early, but I'd include it since its not really GA either and its a great book.

260 is only the SA 'origin story', and IMO not such a big deal issue.

269.... I neverf see this issue listed but if the keys list got long enough, I would include it.

68 - - Bizarros are cool, but also a minor key in the second 25 maybe...

[Aman619]

Actually I didnt keep looking, but perhaps even Challengers#1 beat Flash 105 to the stands too,.

You're correct. Lois Lane came out in Mar/Apr 1958, Challengers of the Unkown 1 came out in April/May 1958, and Flash 105 didn't come out until Feb/Mar 1959. Poor Challengers, they never get any respect. They were the first SA superheroes to get their own title, but Flash 105 gets all the glory, and they were the first SA superhero team, but B&B 28 gets all the glory.

 

I checked the census just now, and amazingly there is a 9.4 copy of Challengers #1. Wow!

 

a 9.4!! that sa tough book!

[rjpb]

well I looked it up on Mikes DC Time Machine. (gawd I love looking at all the covers!!)

heres a screenshot of March 1958. Lois made it out of the minor leagues a few months before Flash,..

 

 

OT I know - but those war book covers blow everything else away - actually where are the war books on these lists ( or Sugar and Spike #1 for that matter)?

[HouseofComics.Com]

 

 

Man, the war covers are sooo much better than just about any of the others.

[tth2]

OT I know - but those war book covers blow everything else away - actually where are the war books on these lists ( or Sugar and Spike #1 for that matter)?

No question, OAW 81 & 83 should be here. Maybe also first Haunted Tank and first Enemy Ace.

[Batfiend-migration]

Actually I didnt keep looking, but perhaps even Challengers#1 beat Flash 105 to the stands too,.

You're correct. Lois Lane came out in Mar/Apr 1958, Challengers of the Unkown 1 came out in April/May 1958, and Flash 105 didn't come out until Feb/Mar 1959. Poor Challengers, they never get any respect. They were the first SA superheroes to get their own title, but Flash 105 gets all the glory, and they were the first SA superhero team, but B&B 28 gets all the glory.

 

I checked the census just now, and amazingly there is a 9.4 copy of Challengers #1. Wow!

 

Some great covers as well (along with Sea Devils), plus some overlooked Adams covers. I have a particular soft spot for this series and think it is amazing that you can collect them for a relatively small amount of money.

[Rich_Henn]

People who start a thread throwing a topic out and then never respond or provide feedback to responses really really bug me.

 

I must apologize then...I have been offline for several days getting my computer repaired.

 

I do appreciate all of you adding to this list.

thanks a million!

[bigfiver69]

Nice to see some appreciation on the list for those Silver books.... super!!!!

 

Okay DC war keys, majors and minors.

 

GI Combat #44 - First DC issue (after DC took it over from Quality). Early greytone cover.

GI Combat #75 - Greatest run of Greytone covers begins (title remains largely greytone until #104)

GI Combat #87 - First Haunted Tank, by Heath.

GI Combat #91 - First Haunted Tank cover, by Heath

GI Comabt #138 - First Losers

 

Our Army at War #81 - 'Sgt. Rocky', final Sgt. Rock protoype.

Our Army at War #82 - First True Sgt. Rock by Kanigher and Kubert

Our Army at War #88 - First Sgt. Rock cover, Kubert

Our Army at War #90 - First full-length Rock story

Our Army at War #126 - The only Sgt. Rock greytone cover.

Our Army at War #151 - First Enemy Ace

 

Our Fighting Forces #45 - First Gunner and Sarge

Our Fighting Forces #123 - First Losers in this title

 

Star Spangled War #45 - First DC greytone cover

Star Spangled War #84 - First Mlle. Marie

Star Spangled War #94 - First Dinosaur/War that Time Forgot

 

Showcase #3 - The Frogmen by Heath, precurser to many frogmen stories, and an influence of 'Sea Devils'. Also, a super hard greytone cover to find.

 

Showcase #45 - Origin of Sgt. Rock, by Kubert and Kanigher

 

Showcase #57 and #58 - Full-length Enemy Ace stories

 

I've got most of them, and good luck finding a lot of these better FN. Sweet! I'll try and post some of my Silver DC war scans over the next few days, if anyone's interested.

 

Shep

[Scrooge]

Shep,

 

you bet we are all interested. Thank you for the list. I know very little about the Big DC War books and can't wait to be further educated.

[Jayman]

Star Spangled War #45 - First DC greytone cover

Star Spangled War #84 - First Mlle. Marie

Star Spangled War #94 - First Dinosaur/War that Time Forgot

 

Just noticed on the GCD Database it lists issue # 90 with a dinosaur cover and lists the feature story as The War that Time Forgot.

 

[bigfiver69]

Jayman,

 

You are correct.... I am a MASSIVE fan of the Big five War books (Have about 70% of them) but I do not have a single dino issue. It is the one lone corner of DC war that I am truly not interested in.

 

If thea big dino lot over came up for a deal that I could not resist, I would hook them up because there's lots of Heath in there. But man, the stories are just ridiculous. And not good ridiculous.

 

But as for early silver DC war.....

 

I was very fortunate to get first picks on a beauty Silver Age collection out of London, Ontario a year and half ago. Neil over at N8K comics (good guy, nice comics) contacted me on a Sunday night in January 2004. He had just had an original owner collection of DC books 1955-1961 walk in off the street, literally. Books that an older man had collected, forgotten about, found in the attic, etc. I was probably the first person besides Neil to see the war books. I bought 40 very nice, very clean VG+ to F/VF books from him, in that very tough 1956-58 period. Average grade would be strong, strong FN. Flat, nice pages, still showing gloss. Just tough books to find. I'll post as many of them as I can, starting Wednesday (because tomorrow is a busy one). What most people don't know is that most of those wonderful covers are by the very underrated Gerry Grandenetti, who thank the Almighty still walks among us. The coloring is also extraordinary. Who did the color then? Was it Adler, or did he have Sol Harrison doing it? Curious.

 

My experience with DC war books from any era is that you have to keep a war chest aside for when nice stuff pops up, and then go for it. Particularly pre-1960 books. The covers are INSANE!!!! Especially the greytones. And forget the guide on a lot of issues... if you can find those books nicer than FN+, you are gonna pay.

 

I'll get scanning ASAP.

 

Shep

[Jayman]

I agree that these books are fantastic although I haven't been collecting them myself, (can't collect everything but I try)!

Don't know about the coloring but as for cover credits to SSWS # 90 the GCD states:

Cover Credits:Ross Andru (Pencils) Mike Esposito (Inks)

 

Looking forward to seeing some of your scans!

[bigfiver69]

Hey guys,

 

To me, a classic cover (while not a key) from the Silver Age. In fact, it may be my favorite cover of all time.

 

I promised to post a bunch of other DC silver war covers. For the sake of maximum exposure, I'm posting them over on the 'Show us your 10 centers' thread.

 

Not high grade, but nice to see all the same

Shep