Silver Age of Comics

<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

The Silver Age of Comics is the second era when super-heroes became in vogue again, after a long dry period following World War II. It is said to have officially started in 1956, when editor Julius Schwartz of DC Comics decided to re-invent many of the heroes of the 1940s, beginning with a new version of the Flash (Barry Allen). Soon, other heroes like Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Hawkman (Katar Hol) would join the fun. When Marvel Comics began publishing Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, the Silver Age of Comics was in full swing. Other comics publishers, such as Charlton, Quality, Harvey and Archie Series, were also part of this era.

Comics at this time were ruled strictly over by the Comics Code Authority, without whose stamp of approval comics would not be put on the stands. This was the era before "Comic Book Stores" and comics were mostly sold from a circular wire stand next to the newspapers and magazines in candy stores, malt shops, and stationary stores. Comics then were marketed for elementary and middle school level kids, and creators were very sensitive to that.

Superheroes from this era are often called "Silver Age Heroes". When distinguishing between the Superman the 1960s from the Superman of today, we would call the older character the "Silver Age Superman".

The Silver Age was said to end in the early 1970s when DC Comics and Marvel Comics began doing more topical and mature subject matter. This was said to be the beginning of The Bronze Age of Comics.