When was “Silver Age” 1 1

[Mokiguy]

Just looked this up on line before I started typing this out .................

The encyclopedia Britannica article says 1956 to 1969.

Wikipedia says 1956 to 1970

Biowars says 1956 until the “early” 70’s and Bronze age beginning in 1973

Cosmic comics says 1956 to 1975

MileHigh Comics says 1956 to 1975 with Bronze age beginning in 1976

Looks like a consensus on when it started but when did it end ..... when is a silver age comic a silver age comic book?

 

[shadroch]

There is no one correct answer.   I define SA  Marvel as any 10-12-15 cent regular comic and the 25-cent giants.  BA begins with the 20-cent cover priced books.

Others have slightly different criteria.  Some say 15-cent covers are B.A.   It's not a hill worth dying over.  For DC, I use the 52 page issues as the dividing point.

[SOTIcollector]

You did your homework, and you found the answer.  The answer is that there’s no rock-solid single answer.  There are differing opinions, but there is no industry-standard consensus.

My opinion is that Showcase 4 started the Silver Age, and the cover price increase to 20 cents ended it.  If you ask a dozen seasoned collectors, they may have a dozen different definitions.  Most or perhaps all of those dozen would agree that there is no absolute right answer.

Edited April 10, 2023 by SOTIcollector

[Mokiguy]

 Well since there is no silver age ending date consensus, I'm going with 73 for Marvel and 74 for DC. That seems to be a middle ground, not the earliest like 69, and lot the latest like 75.

[Forbush-Man]

Showcase #4 until Conan the Barbarian #1 and Green Lantern #76.

[LowGradeBronze]

For me, Silver ends with the last 12c covers. 

Edited April 10, 2023 by LowGradeBronze

[KCOComics]

On 4/10/2023 at 4:11 PM, LowGradeBronze said:

For me, Silver ends with the last 12c covers. 

I agree. 15C always felt like BA to me. Not sure if the exact year, but anything from 1970 on. I generally consider BA. 

[MattTheDuck]

There's even some debate about the "change over" that you can find in the Silver Age Fantastic Four thread.  Some go all the way to Kirby's exit from the title, others are strict Dec 1969 issue.  It is pretty amazing how many definitions you can use "generally accepted" to describe.

[namisgr]

Completely agree that there's no single answer.  Not only is it a matter of opinion, but even my own single opinion can't pinpoint a single month.  The three events that all seem to signal the beginnings of the Bronze Age for me are Kirby leaving Marvel starting with FF #103 (October 1970 cover date), Conan the Barbarian #1 (also October 1970), and the socially topical turns begun in Green Lantern #76 (April  1970) and Amazing Spiderman #96 (May 1971).

Edited April 11, 2023 by namisgr

[theCapraAegagrus]

I typically denote 1970.

[davidpg]

15 cent cover times = bronze.

[marvelmaniac]

For me, the beginning of the Silver Age was with Showcase #4 in Oct. 1956, it was the 1st appearance of a superhero other than Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman since the end of WWII, introducing a totally new/different character and storyline.

For me the end of the Silver Age happened gradually, the cover price increased from .12 cents to .15 cents, The expansion of titles by Marvel in 1968 doing away with TOS and TTA and giving Capt. America, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Silver Surfer, Capt. Marvel, Nick Fury, Doctor Strange their own titles, and the end for me was the introduction of new horror titles and characters by Marvel in 71/72.

[jimjum12]

On 4/11/2023 at 7:10 AM, namisgr said:

Completely agree that there's no single answer.  Not only is it a matter of opinion, but even my own single opinion can't pinpoint a single month.  The three events that all seem to signal the beginnings of the Bronze Age for me are Kirby leaving Marvel starting with FF #103 (October 1970 cover date), Conan the Barbarian #1 (also October 1970), and the socially topical turns begun in Green Lantern #76 (April  1970) and Amazing Spiderman #96 (May 1971).

That is basically the correct answer. The incorrect opinions of other people do not gain credence just because they want it to be true. Everyone does NOT get a trophy. Even my opinion is likely wrong, as I begin the across the board BA when the books went briefly to the 25 cent giant size format. There is some blurring depending on the title, and books like Archie may have never left the Silver Age. GOD  BLESS ... 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[JollyComics]

Showcase #4 began Silver Age for sure.

I always thought Green Lantern #76 started Bronze Age.   I wondered why CGC chose 1975 as Modern Tier.

[DougC]

Obviously there is no "correct" answer as it is not only based off opinion but the age of the collector as many lived through multiple "ages" of comics.

My opinion is pretty much heresy but here it is:

• Platinum: Pre-1938
• Gold: 1938-1959
• Silver: 1960-1969
• Bronze: 1970-1985
• Copper: 1986-1999
• Modern: 2000-Current

[KCOComics]

On 4/11/2023 at 7:10 AM, namisgr said:

Completely agree that there's no single answer.  Not only is it a matter of opinion, but even my own single opinion can't pinpoint a single month.  The three events that all seem to signal the beginnings of the Bronze Age for me are Kirby leaving Marvel starting with FF #103 (October 1970 cover date), Conan the Barbarian #1 (also October 1970), and the socially topical turns begun in Green Lantern #76 (April  1970) and Amazing Spiderman #96 (May 1971).

Next time this comic comes up, I'm going to say October 1970, when Kirby left marvel. 

I've always considered the 70s bronze, but Kirby leaving Marvel feels like a fitting moment to officially end an era. 

[pemart1966]

On 4/10/2023 at 4:11 PM, LowGradeBronze said:

For me, Silver ends with the last 12c covers. 

I was there.  The above is partially correct.  The full answer includes the above and two other events that happened at the same time - the arrival of Neal Adams and the simultaneous and unceremonious dumping/diminished roles of most of the stable of DC artists etc.

Edited April 14, 2023 by pemart1966

[shadroch]

On 4/14/2023 at 4:54 AM, pemart1966 said:

I was there.  The above is partially correct.  The full answer includes the above and two other events that happened at the same time - the arrival of Neal Adams and the simultaneous and unceremonious dumping/diminished roles of most of the stable of DC artists etc.

It's so cute that you think DC has a place in this discussion.