Re-Writing Comic History: Who Coined "Golden Age"? 0

[sfcityduck]

According to the great comic fandom historian Bill Schelly, the first written use of the words "golden age" pertaining to the comics of the 1940s was by Richard A. (won't let me use the D word) Lupoff in an article called'"Re-Birth' in Comic Art #1 (April 1960).  There's no doubt, no dispute, and general consensus that Lupoff's use of the term "golden age" to describe the comics of the first era of superhero comics was hugely influential.  He is the one we can rightly blame for the whole "ages" thing.

BUT, it turns out that Richard A. (won't let me use the D word) Lupoff was not the first collector to use that term.  Instead, the term was used twelve years earlier by the person I view as the "first great comic collector."  You can read about that comic collector here:

In continuing my research into the history of this very early and prominent comic collector, I was amazed to read the following passage in a 1948 exchange of correspondence between that collector, Dave Wigransky, and comic legend Basil Wolverton:

Quote

I am making the comparison to show you just exactly what is wrong with today's comic magazines, as compared to those of the 1939-1940-1941-1942 period.  I am not meaning to knock your work, as you are one of the very few artists whom time has not harmed.  Right after the golden age had passed out, in 1943, you were at your best, but you still remain one of the best in the business.  Your stuff is meant to be funny and is funny.  What nauseates me is the supposedly serious and supposedly illustrative comics that are funny, and the supposedly humorous and supposedly mirthful comics that are serious, while neither are either, making them all silly.  Superman cavorts with Mr. Mxyztplk, Mighty Mouse fights a battle to the death with The Claw.  Only a very few, such as, in the serious line, The Shadow, and in the funny line, Powerhouse Pepper, remain true to tradition.

So even back in 1948, serious comic collectors were viewing the key era of the birth of superhero comics as a "golden age."  Now the use of that term is not particularly original, so maybe this isn't all that profound, but it caught me by surprise.  Especially because Dave Wigransky was in contact with prominent comic collectors back in the early 1960s, in fact was used as a resource by them due to his great depth of comic knowledge, and it makes me wonder if he ever used the term in discussions with them and had any influence on its use by Lupoff.   I don't think we'll ever know.  But, interesting for those who are into comic history.

If you want to read the page of the letter I quote above, click on the thread link above.  If you want to know a LOT more about Basil Wolverton and his correspondence with Dave Wigransky, go buy Greg Sadowski's Brain Bats of Venus book - one of the best comic creator bios ever (and filled with incredible Wolverton comics!).

Edited February 26, 2020 by sfcityduck

[sfcityduck]

To make it easier on everyone, here's the first page of the letter with the quote I mention above.  It is fascinating and remarkable for comic collecting in 1948.  Dave Wigransky's story is one that anyone interested in the history of comics and our hobby should learn:

[N e r V]

And here I thought all those Greek and Roman poets using the term were predicting what was to come in the future with comics collecting...

[sfcityduck]

2 hours ago, N e r V said:

And here I thought all those Greek and Roman poets using the term were predicting what was to come in the future with comics collecting...

Hey, he could of talked about the era of Obidiah Oldbucks or strip reprint books, but instead he used it to describe the era of the birth of superheros and their rapid proliferation in the comic rmarket.  At the every least, shows great collecting minds think alike.

Edited February 26, 2020 by sfcityduck