This one isn’t about to be the actual ages of comics (like age range 14+ etc.), but the classic ages, like the Golden Age, Silver Age, etc. So let’s get going with today’s topic, the Golden Age

The Golden Age

The Golden Age of Comics was shortly after the origins of modern comics. Ranging from the late 30’s until early 1950’s. This was essentially the period immediately after “Pulp Fiction Magazines” as comics and lasted until around the time the Comic Code Authority was formed.

The Starting Point, and WW2

The most common considered starting point of the Golden Age was with DC’s Action Comics #1, with the debut of Superman in 1938. During WW2, it wasn’t uncommon to see all the heroes in the American Colours fighting and punching Nazi’s. This included The Shield in 1940, and the iconic Captain America punching Adolf Hitler cover of Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941). This period introduced the DC heroes Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Arrow, The Atom, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Aquaman. Timely Comics (the predecessor to Marvel Comics), introduced Captain America, The Human Torch (the Original Human Torch, the Android, not Johnny Storm), and Namor the Sub-Mariner. There was a third major comic publication at the time, though it is little remembered. That was Fawcett Comics, and their Whiz Comics #2 introduced Captain Marvel (that pre-dates Carol Danvers or Mar-Vell of Marvel, or Shazam of DC). These comics were so popular that they were selling 1.4 million copies of each issue on average (this was during wartime, where a lot of frivolous spending didn’t exactly happen).



Popularity Growing, New Genre’s

As these comic books grew in popularity, other publications started up, and the genre expanded. Dell Comics did a lot of non-superhero comics based around Walt Disney animated characters) that even outsold most superhero comics. 1939 also included the founding of MLJ Magazines, better known today as Archie Comic Publications. This lead to what was known as Teen Humour comics, when Archie Andrews was introduced in their Pep Comics #22. You also had some science-based comics like Dagwood Splits the Atom (based off of characters from the newspaper comic Blondie), which used humour to educate and attempt to ease fears about atomic power. You also started to see long-running humour gags, such as in Dell Comics with Uncle Scrooge.



Shift Away from Superheroes

In the late 1940’s there was a drastic shift away from superheroes and into other genre’s, such as Westerns, Sci-Fi, Horror, Romance and War. This period led to the cancellation of many superhero comics (including Flash and Green Lantern), and others being converted over to other genres (Batman focusing on Detective/Mystery for example). Marvel Mystery Comics (which often featured The Original Human Torch) was switched to a horror series, which became known as Marvel Tales.



The Decline of the Golden Age

The decline of the golden age (and also part of the reason why so many series got cancelled and switched genres) was because of the formation of the Comics Code Authority. The CCA was formed by the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers to censor comics (which were recently deemed to be “corrupting of the youth, and encouraging juvenile delinquency.” The main codes were as follows:

Sexy, wanton comics should not be published. No drawing should show a female indecently or unduly exposed, and in no event more nude than in a bathing suit commonly worn in the United States of America. Crime should not be presented in such a way as to throw sympathy against the law and justice or to inspire others with the desire for imitation. No comics shall show the details and methods of a crime committed by a youth. Policemen, judges, Government officials, and respected institutions should not be portrayed as stupid, ineffective, or represented in such a way to weaken respect for established authority. No scenes of sadistic torture should be shown. Vulgar and obscene language should never be used. Slang should be kept to a minimum and used only when essential to the story. Divorce should not be treated humorously or represented as glamorous or alluring. Ridicule or attack on any religious or racial group is never permissible.

This severely impacted some publishers (nearly putting EC Comics out of business, with their only remaining asset, MAD converting to magazine format to avoid the rules).