Top 10 D.C. Silver Age Keys 3 3

[tth2]

On 4/3/2022 at 12:05 PM, PeterPark said:

Why Flash 105 and not Green Lantern 1?

Flash 105 was the first SA superhero with his own comic.

What new ground did GL 1 break?

[bronze johnny]

On 4/2/2022 at 10:50 PM, Terry E. Gibbs said:

That is a great summary and I do not disagree, but Julie's children are what now drive half of DC while Batman drives the other half. The Challs were the most successful of the monster hunter books. They are enormously important and if a collector is solely interested in history of the medium I can see that, but that is not what drive's prices. Not sure whether the OP was referring to top priced and most collectable Top Ten or the most significantly important. Lois lane and Challs are certainly extremely significant.

Prices can be driven up for the wrong reasons and there are plenty of people jumping on books because of superficially inflated hype. The mere mention of a character’s potentially appearing in an underwear commercial or on the “Mickey Mouse Club” draws attention to a number of buyers who haven’t got a clue about the history behind these comic books. I stand by the history and it should be that alone that defines these great books. The guys who instantly overpay for books (see Marvel keys) because of an upcoming movie or series miss the essence of the comic book medium - regularly collecting and reading the comics over the decades and years to see and appreciate the growth and changes. Books like Showcase 6, Challies 1, Showcase 9, Lois Lane 1, Showcase 17, Showcase 30, Brave and the Bold 28, Justice League 1, Our Army at War 83, Green Lantern 1 (throw it in because it’s the Guardians first appearance and Hal’s first comic book run) and Flash 105 haven’t been appreciated historically to the extent that they should be. In the case of BB 28 and Justice League 1, all I ever hear about is “the movie was subpar so these books aren’t increasing in value…” Absurd! It’s the true collectors  who define this hobby not the fly by nights, flippers, speculators, investors (love this one!), neophytes, and resellers. I’m a “Marvel Comics Group”guy who grew up in the late Bronze Age and didn’t care for DC but later grew to appreciate its characters and universe(s). Having collected the Marvel and DC Silver Age keys, one of the greatest things I learned and deeply appreciated is how these books complemented one another and the evolving second great age of the American comic book started with DC’s creations in a number of genres followed by Marvel’s redefining the superhero itself.

On a side note, there’s one constant for both DC and Marvel throughout the Silver Age. One person who influenced DC’s Silver Age at its dawn while also concurrently carrying Atlas-Marvel’s prehero period. That person would later take part in giving us the Marvel Silver Age. True to form, that same person would provide us with the mid to later Silver Age with its greatest cosmic creations. The one constant for an entire great age is Jack Kirby, comics greatest visionary and creative master. Jack continues to Challenge the generations of artists and writers that followed and will do so with those in the future. The Challenge to create new universes and redefine the Unknown in the comic book medium. Jack Kirby was and remains comic book’s and for that matter, the Silver Age’s, first “Challenger of the Unknown!”

Edited April 3, 2022 by bronze johnny

[KirbyJack]

Very well said. 
When people ask me about comics history (it happens), I say, “ You’ve heard of Stan Lee, right? The name you should know is Jack Kirby.” Then I read their faces to know when to stop telling them things he created.

All hail the King!

Edited April 3, 2022 by KirbyJack

[Straw-Man]

he was indeed the king.  

[bronze johnny]

On 4/3/2022 at 2:17 PM, Straw-Man said:

he was indeed the king.  

America has had 46 Presidents and 2 Kings… Elvis Presley and Jack Kirby!

[Straw-Man]

On 4/3/2022 at 2:20 PM, bronze johnny said:

America has had 46 Presidents and 2 Kings… Elvis Presley and Jack Kirby!

you forgetting gable?

[bronze johnny]

On 4/3/2022 at 3:34 PM, Straw-Man said:

you forgetting gable?

Then I have to add Bogart and Parker. 

[Terry E. Gibbs]

On 4/4/2022 at 12:08 AM, bronze johnny said:

Prices can be driven up for the wrong reasons and there are plenty of people jumping on books because of superficially inflated hype. The mere mention of a character’s potentially appearing in an underwear commercial or on the “Mickey Mouse Club” draws attention to a number of buyers who haven’t got a clue about the history behind these comic books. I stand by the history and it should be that alone that defines these great books. The guys who instantly overpay for books (see Marvel keys) because of an upcoming movie or series miss the essence of the comic book medium - regularly collecting and reading the comics over the decades and years to see and appreciate the growth and changes. Books like Showcase 6, Challies 1, Showcase 9, Lois Lane 1, Showcase 17, Showcase 30, Brave and the Bold 28, Justice League 1, Our Army at War 83, Green Lantern 1 (throw it in because it’s the Guardians first appearance and Hal’s first comic book run) and Flash 105 haven’t been appreciated historically to the extent that they should be. In the case of BB 28 and Justice League 1, all I ever hear about is “the movie was subpar so these books aren’t increasing in value…” Absurd! It’s the true collectors  who define this hobby not the fly by nights, flippers, speculators, investors (love this one!), neophytes, and resellers. I’m a “Marvel Comics Group”guy who grew up in the late Bronze Age and didn’t care for DC but later grew to appreciate its characters and universe(s). Having collected the Marvel and DC Silver Age keys, one of the greatest things I learned and deeply appreciated is how these books complemented one another and the evolving second great age of the American comic book started with DC’s creations in a number of genres followed by Marvel’s redefining the superhero itself.

On a side note, there’s one constant for both DC and Marvel throughout the Silver Age. One person who influenced DC’s Silver Age at its dawn while also concurrently carrying Atlas-Marvel’s prehero period. That person would later take part in giving us the Marvel Silver Age. True to form, that same person would provide us with the mid to later Silver Age with its greatest cosmic creations. The one constant for an entire great age is Jack Kirby, comics greatest visionary and creative master. Jack continues to Challenge the generations of artists and writers that followed and will do so with those in the future. The Challenge to create new universes and redefine the Unknown in the comic book medium. Jack Kirby was and remains comic book’s and for that matter, the Silver Age’s, first “Challenger of the Unknown!”

That was exceptionally well put. I also shake my head at how the hobby has changed and how little respect some many comic fans give the history on which their fandom is based. . . . and that brings us to the famous Schiff Kirby disagreement. I think Kirby at Marvel is their story but if it had not been for Julie and his teams of writers and artists DC by 1968 may have gone the way of Gold key.

Edited April 4, 2022 by Terry E. Gibbs