Battle of the Golden Age Sci-fi Series 2 2

[LDarkseid1]

Always wondered, what's people's perceptions of the various golden age sci-fi series, as far as how they compare? Talking story content, cover art, interior part, key elements, etc... Just the full array of what makes them great.

I'm not super well versed with all the titles that might make this list, so feel free to add onto your own.

I guess my list would go like this, from favorite to least favorite:

1) Planet Comics

2) Strange Adventures

3) Weird Science-Fantasy

4) Mystery in Space

5) Space Adventures

I'm sure there's many many more but that's what I got haha. Also to be clear, I'm a HUGE Strange Adventures collector so my biased nature really wants to put it at #1, and I'm sure it may not even be many people's #2. However, I just love the art alone soo much from Planet Comics, that has to be my #1.

Edited January 14, 2022 by LDarkseid1

[Flex Mentallo]

Good list. Planet Comics would have to be top of my list as well. I'd have to extend the reach into the Silver Age to accommodate Adam Strange! [And I'd have to squeeze Avon one-shots in there as well.]

[LDarkseid1]

On 1/14/2022 at 2:53 PM, Flex Mentallo said:

Good list. Planet Comics would have to be top of my list as well. I'd have to extend the reach into the Silver Age to accommodate Adam Strange! [And I'd have to squeeze Avon one-shots in there as well.]

Yeah I mean was close to putting MIS at #3. Love that series! Amazing cover art.

[adamstrange]

It's objectively obvious that Mystery In Space is the best series.

 

[LDarkseid1]

On 1/14/2022 at 4:00 PM, adamstrange said:

It's objectively obvious that Mystery In Space is the best series.

 

I see your Adam Strange, and raise you a Captain Comet.

Edited January 15, 2022 by LDarkseid1

[Flex Mentallo]

Just add a helmet to Captain Comet and voila -Adam Strange!

[mikefeen]

Planet would definitely be #1 for me, but I also like Weird Tales of the Future and Captain Science!

[Ricksneatstuff]

On 1/14/2022 at 6:28 PM, mikefeen said:

Planet would definitely be #1 for me, but I also like Weird Tales of the Future and Captain Science!

I concur with this, as my top 3 personally. 

[Robot Man]

Got to say, I have never really been a huge sci-fi fan. Horror, that is another story. I easily have tons of them.

I do have some GA sci-fi though. The ones I have the most of and like the best are Planets and the ECs.

There is always something good to be said on GA & SA DC covers…

[Robot Man]

On 1/14/2022 at 4:52 PM, Ricksneatstuff said:

I concur with this, as my top 3 personally. 

Capt Science and WTOTF are kind of weak story wise but oh, that Wolverton and Wood art…

[mikefeen]

On 1/14/2022 at 7:52 PM, Robot Man said:

Got to say, I have never really been a huge sci-fi fan. Horror, that is another story. I easily have tons of them.

I do have some GA sci-fi though. The ones I have the most of and like the best are Planets and the ECs.

There is always something good to be said on GA & SA DC covers…

A guy who gave himself the moniker of Robot Man isn't a sci-fi fan!  I definitely didn't see that coming!

[fifties]

Early Atlas books were no slouches for cover art or stories;

[KCOComics]

On 1/14/2022 at 10:41 PM, fifties said:

Early Atlas books were no slouches for cover art or stories;

 

 

I think Planet, Strange adventure and Weird Science-fantasy should all be at the top. But I love those Speed Carter covers! Awesome books to own. 

[Cat-Man_America]

On 1/14/2022 at 4:16 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

Always wondered, what's people's perceptions of the various golden age sci-fi series, as far as how they compare? Talking story content, cover art, interior part, key elements, etc... Just the full array of what makes them great.

I'm not super well versed with all the titles that might make this list, so feel free to add onto your own.

I guess my list would go like this, from favorite to least favorite:

1) Planet Comics

2) Strange Adventures

3) Weird Science-Fantasy

4) Mystery in Space

5) Space Adventures

I'm sure there's many many more but that's what I got haha. Also to be clear, I'm a HUGE Strange Adventures collector so my biased nature really wants to put it at #1, and I'm sure it may not even be many people's #2. However, I just love the art alone soo much from Planet Comics, that has to be my #1.

Anything with Weird in the title would get my attention for SF and horror, because that word went away with the CCA.  Planet is pretty kewl with early groundbreaking SF for comics although like Jungle, Wings etc., ...most Fiction House comics turned into thinly veiled excuses for GGA not that that's a criticism.  There's some pretty good SF in early Strange Adventures ...featuring the continuing character Captain Comet... and Mystery in Space from DC.  The best of the best will always be EC's clever thought-provoking stories in Weird Science, Weird Fantasy and the combined title Weird Science-Fantasy.  

For post-code SF the short run Atlas/Marvel title Strange Worlds ('59-'60) is definitely worth a second look. From DC, Carmine Infantine's work on Adam Strange in Mystery in Space is superb as is Murphy Anderson's work on the Atomic Knights in Strange Adventures.

Here's a good cross section of out of this world pre-code SF covers (Feldstein, Wood, Williamson & Everett)...

 

[AJD]

I think it would be hard to go past any of the EC sci-fi books with Bradbury stories in them. I think it's daylight to the rest.

[Flex Mentallo]

On 1/15/2022 at 6:36 AM, AJD said:

I think it would be hard to go past any of the EC sci-fi books with Bradbury stories in them. I think it's daylight to the rest.

True. I have never owned the originals, but I have them all in facsimile comic form, and doubled up with the color hardcover editions when those came along.

[Flex Mentallo]

We should not neglect newspaper strips!

[Flex Mentallo]

Garth is a British strip with art by the great Frank Bellamy.

 

[Flex Mentallo]

[Flex Mentallo]