Following the golden age of comic books and an interregnum in the early to mid1950s, the silver age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to circa. Historians generally divide the timeline of the american comic book into eras. He still pulls tidbits out of thin air and when i ask where he learned that fact, he says, from that history comic book you got me. A brief history of comic books the pioneer 15001828, victorian 18281883 and platinum 18831938 ages please note. The three eras of the modern comic book movie the artifice. History comics and graphic novels libguides at arizona state. Famous for comics such as spawn, the walking dead, invincible and saga. Pulps were small 10 cent books sold on the newsstands, usually filled with action heroes going to exotic places and having adventures.
The character is a hit, and many more superhero comics follow. The super hero genre is bestknown in the medium of american comic books. We also see the introduction of batman, robin, wonder woman, flash, green lantern, aquaman, captain america and many more iconic superheros. The history of american comics began in the 18th century in mass print media, in the era of yellow journalism, where newspaper comics served as a boon to mass readership. The bronze age of comic books is an informal name for a period in the history of american superhero comic books usually said to run from 1970 to 1984. As of 2018 marvel comics has announced a return of conan comics, a series of all ages disney comics through idw publishing, and a big hero 6 comic, in addition to the excellent star wars titles that marvel has been releasing. Platinum age 18971937, golden age 19381947, atomic age 19481955, silver age 19561969. Its hard to imagine dc comics coming up with dark and disturbing stories. The golden age of comic books introduced the archetype of the superhero. Mar, 2017 so without further ado, here it is a conclusive history and timeline of the evolution of comic books in india, divided by a phasewise segregation of decades as opposed to individual years, documenting almost a century of indian comic books and graphic novels. The 1930s was the start of the golden age of comics. This starts at the platinum age through golden, silver. There is not a sign, so far, that it will spell the end of print comics or the local comics shop.
These eras include the golden age 19381950, the silver age 19561970, the bronze age 19701985, and the modern age 1985present. Image comics was created by artists that had left marvel comics. The sales of comic books increased markedly during world war ii. American comics historians generally divide 20thcentury american comics history chronologically into ages. The events are placed in the same order they appear in. The available quantity of golden age books would be incalculably higher than what it is today and the collecting industry would be a very different. Hey, if a comic book helps him learn history, im all for it. The graphic novel was illustrated by mike konopacki.
The ages are related to comic book grades in that they help determine the relative price based on the period that they represent as well as the age of the book. A carnival of comics eastern color printing was released. An overview of the 8 ages of comic books from 1897present day which includes key events in american history that helped shape the timeline. Welcome to cbh, today were talking about the 8 ages of comic books including the. This is a fairly weak book with some lesser known writers but if youre wanting to read the batman timeline in full and want to read clayfaces origin. At first they were simply reprints of previously published newspaper strips such as the. Supermans debut established the predominate superhero genre of comic books. Its short, its only a small portion of history, but its a good introduction, especially if you have a child that is interested in comics. But still, superhero history can be tricky to navigate, and dc comics is looking to clarify it all with a new timeline. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Our channel is packed with oneoff documentaries and series from the worlds top broadcasters.
The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and. There are an unknown amount of victorian age comic books, this era of comic book history is still being discovered, researched and recorded. Rather, the history of dc comics is the history of the comic book industry as a whole, layered with intrigue, greed, great stories, politics, financial hell holes, but ultimately an innate desire in all of us for a great story. These eras include the golden age 19381950, the silver age. It contains many features, but its cover feature, superman, is the one who explodes onto the scene and transforms comic books into a cultural force. Comic book time is a historically fluid affair, operating on a sliding.
A brief history of graphic novels timeline timetoast timelines. Action comics makes its first appearance, and features the first superhero ever. Sparkle city comics is most interested in purchasing comic books pre1985, so if youre interested in selling your golden age, silver age or bronze age comics, give us a call at 8007439205. Scott runs you through a brief history of comic books to dive into what makes the golden age, silver age, bronze age, and modern age so important to how comics and the industry are today. Nov 07, 2016 an overview of the 8 ages of comic books from 1897present day which includes key events in american history that helped shape the timeline. In the 20th century, comics became an autonomous art medium and an integral part of american culture. Comics replaced dime novels as the corrupting paper medium of the day and were blamed for many crimes across multiple decades. Comics historians divide the history of american comic books into ages. Itself a work of history, jules feiffers 1965 essay was arguably the first attempt to create a critical history of the golden age of comic book superheroes, with the writer looking at the impact.
We provide reading orders for characters and events from marvel, dc, and other publishers. Each age has had its own good and bad qualities, its classics and its trash. America under communism, this postwar whatif dramatization details the russians conquering and enslaving america. The superhero archetype was created and many wellknown characters were introduced, including superman, batman, captain marvel, captain america, and wonder woman. There are several key events and characters from the 30s that shaped the formation of modern comics. The 8 ages of comic books by alex grand comic book. Well be exploring the mysteries of ancient egypt, shedding light on the dark ages of medieval europe and examining the first and second world wars, along with everything in between. The for better or for worse comic strip debuts, telling the story of the patterson family. Dec 10, 2019 the 10 darkest timelines in dc comics history. Jul 05, 2018 welcome to timeline the home of world history. O timeline tem grande interesse em divulgar trabalhos independentes.
It is based on zinns classic book a peoples history of the united states. Learn about marvel comics s characters and prominent writers and. It follows the silver age of comic books, 3 and is followed by the modern age of comic books. The silver age of comic books was a period of artistic advancement and widespread commercial success in mainstream american comic books, predominantly those featuring the superhero archetype. Escolha a editora, o arco e comece a diversao no ar desde 15082015. However, in the history of dc, creepy timelines emerged take a look.
With experience and a broad selection of the highly popular issues and the lesserknown comics, cosmic comics may be one of the best places to begin your search. As far as comic book history, comic books have been aroundfor a very long time. Modern age comic books are swathed in realism, rather than in earlier themes, such as patriotism and morality. Jul 25, 20 if you are looking for a great source of silver age comic books for sale, you may want to check out cosmic comics. Jun 11, 2014 scott runs you through a brief history of comic books to dive into what makes the golden age, silver age, bronze age, and modern age so important to how comics and the industry are today.
Sequential art predates contemporary comics by millennia. But even there, its fortunes have gone up and down, and this has influenced the perception of superheroes in general. Sometimes, to follow the goldsilverbronze progression, the dark age is folded in with the modern age and called the iron age of comic books, and at other times it is jokingly called the. The characters age in real time, and the strip becomes. In 1899 a funny folks comic book came out, taking a close first stab at a format for many platinum age comic books. This is a timeline of comics considered canon in the new continuity. Comic ages timeline i grew up accepting the traditional gospel that the superhero genre dictated the ages, but lately ive been leaning towards classifying the ages based on the inception and subsequent changes to the comic code authority. An index page listing ages of super hero comics content. The dark age of comic books was the culmination of a gradual move towards an older audience for comic books, particularly those featuring superheroes that had started in the bronze age of comic books. The silver age of comic books is the time when superheros were produced again, and it began in the 1950s and ended around 1970.
The goal of this site is to be the most extensive resource for comic book reading orders on the internet. The development of the modern american comic book happened in stages. Comic books began to reflect the perceived threat of communism and nuclear warfare. Tracing the evolution of comic books by looking at the pictures, panels, and text that brought them to. This is really the biggest change to how people purchase and consume comics in the history of the industry. It didnt take long for marvels superhero mashup avengers. Also included are major events in marvel history that take place in a single series like the kreeskrull war and infinity abyss. Its parent company, marvel entertainment, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the disney company. The golden age of comics comics have been in existence since the end of the 19th century, but it was after the depression that the popularity of newspaper cartoons expanded into a major industry. With soti and the creation of the cca the golden age came to a halt. May 18, 2017 the boom of licensed superhero products began and hollywood turned to comic books as inspiration for future blockbuster movies. The history of comic books may seem like a series of articles on comic books, but it shows the infectious nature of heroes. The 8 ages of comic books by alex grand comic book historians. He can run faster than a train, leap over tall buildings, and block bullets with his chest, but isnt yet able to fly.
The five ages of comics introduction pointless ephemera. It was almost immediatley successful, and is still one of largest comic book publishers in north america. Sep 17, 2018 due to this, the developers realized that the movies do not affect comic book sales. In 1837, we have the first recorded graphic novel with sequential. Batman comics were among those criticized when the comic book industry came under scrutiny with the publication of psychologist fredric werthams book seduction of the innocent 1954. The dark age of comic books useful notes tv tropes. When more information is available ill be writing about this as well. However, through this period comic books based on the superman, batman, and wonder woman characters retained a modest audience.
Mar 02, 2016 as you can see, comic books have gone through a clear evolutionary path to get us to where we are today. History of marvel comics timeline timetoast timelines. Marvel comics, american media and entertainment company that was widely regarded as one of the big two publishers in the comic industry. Looking at the enormous number of comics that have come out in. Monsters is a legends of the dark knight series where the link between the stories are monsters werewolves, bio engineered soldiers and finally clayfaces modern age origin story. Platinum age 18971937, golden age 19381947, atomic age 19481955, silver age 19561969, bronze age 19701984, dark or copper age 19851991, extreme age 19921998, movie age 1998 2016. American historians generally divide 20thcentury american comics history chronologically into ages. See american comic books comics are generally divided into ages.
It has been a form of entertainment since the early 1900s for all ages and genders. Platinum age 18971937, golden age 19381947, atomic age 19481955 welcome to cbh, today were talking about the 8 ages of comic books including the. The ages discussed in this node refer directly to north american comic book publishers, as different worldwide comic book publishing industries experienced different defining eras. The untold story was a reminder of the many wonderful prose books dedicated to the history of the comic book industry out there, telling the. History comics and graphic novels libguides at arizona. Comic books were the rage in the 50s, 60s and 70s, some of the most. Jun 05, 2012 fred van lentes comic book history of comics not only looks over a history of a medium that is at once taken for granted and denigrated by snooty idiots but truly appreciated by those with a discerning eye, it is a pleasure to read and examine, because its a visual thing, after all and educational as well.
The history of silver age comic books cosmic comics. While the foundations of todays industry started in the 1920s, the events of today are shaping the industry of tomorrow. Well, im up for the challenge to explain 79 years of comics. The golden age in comic books is the era where comics became widespread and popular when many of the icons made their debut, from the 1930s1950s. One particularly nasty crime was the torture and killing of a boy in 1948. More importantly, comic books begin to be acknowledged as a legitimate art form. This was when the seed of everything we know in comics today were first planted. He proved so popular in the 1940s that sales of his comic books outsold those featuring superman. This timeline is organized by chronology, and separated by era, as defined by lucas licensing. Oct 18, 2012 last weeks release of sean howes marvel comics. Oct 06, 2016 the 8 ages of comic books by alex grand.
They cover topics in maths, english, science, history, geography and pshe. Archaiapublished stories related to the dark crystal in chronological order. With the exception of the beginning of the golden age and the beginning of the silver age, little consensus exists on startingending dates. Jul 17, 2016 the ages of comic books explained people do mention the golden age, the silver age, the bronze age, and the modern age. The 100 most influential pages in comic book history. Graphics is the timeline maker wich provides you free with some limits and premium version without restrictions. Dekko comics teach lessons through fun and very wacky comic stories. When you are browsing the racks at your local comic book store and happen upon silver age comic books for sale, you may wonder just what it is that makes them silver. Comics have played a huge part not only in the history of the united states, but really all of human history.
This is a list of all marvel events and crossovers in chronological order. The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and censored comic books. Thats not to say there werent comic books before supermansthere were plenty, such as dick tracy, tarzan, and flash gordonbut superman sparked a fire for the industry. New events that shape the comics industry are always happening. This book is an updated history of the american comic book by an industry insider. Ages of comic books there are 5 different ages of comic books. Platinum or pregolden age 18971937 begins with the first printed collections of weekly comic strips from newspapers. Youll follow the development of comics from the first appearance of the comic book format in the platinum age of the 1930s to the creation of the superhero genre in the golden age, to the current period, where comics flourish as graphic novels and blockbuster movies. Batman reading order and timeline modern age gotham. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. People do mention the golden age, the silver age, the bronze age, and the modern age.
Published by the catechetical guild education society and titled is this tomorrow. This timeline is organized by chronology, as defined by the lucasfilm story group. Evolution of comic books timeline timetoast timelines. Dick grayson returned to the mantle of nightwing and appeared in his own ongoing series nightwing, vol. For, no matter where heroism comes from, it inspires people young and old, past and present. The history of the new universe was chronicled in a twoissue perfectbound miniseries called history of the dc universe, followed by highprofile reboots of superman, batman, and wonder woman. They contain 144 comic stories in total, plus extra. And i think there are definitely books and stories that pushed for the change, or shift, in the content of comics in the late 60s and early 70s. This timeline presents milestones, trends, and pivotal events that defined the comics medium during each of these eras. Contentsshow platinum age 18421938 american comic books predate the appearance of superheroes by nearly a century. Jan 29, 2003 here is a summary of the milestone books that mark the beginning of the ages.
The golden age of comic books describes an era of american comic books from 1938 to 1956. Some of the earliest examples are cave paintings, egyptian hieroglyphics, and precolumbian american picture manuscripts, which were recurrent media of artistic expression. The five ages of comics introduction posted on april 3, 2011 by pointlessephemera starting with supermans first appearance in 1938, super hero comics have been going for almost threequarters of a century. Hes also known as shazam, after the cry that changes the. The history of the world, from the stone age to the digital age hardcover august 19, 20. Started in 1933 when jerry siegel and joe shuster created superman and sold the character to dc comics. Werthams thesis was that children imitated crimes committed in comic books, and that these works corrupted the morals of. The 12 issues of dekko comics you see below have been uploaded online as a free resource to help with homelearning during the covid19 isolation. Fans use these ages to categorize the different eras of comic books based on times in history that share concerns, storytellings, techniques, marketing strategies, styles of writing and art, and approach genre conventions. The most commonly used of these are golden, silver, and bronze though some people add the terms platinum and iron age. The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and censored comic. There are many books that can be cited as causing the death of the golden age precode and the start of the silver age 1954code.
683 1628 321 353 1627 32 542 564 438 1320 477 82 1289 801 1142 1310 1252 1540 986 701 396 772 623 647 198 795 1302 232