History of Superheroes: Part 4

The Silver Age of Comics

Towards the end of the 1940s, sales and interest in superhero comic books began to decline. However three superheroes did make their debuts on the big screen in that decade. Batman (1943), Captain America (1944), and Superman (1949), were all featured in film serials.

Then in 1952, Superman made his television debut in ‘The Adventures of Superman’, starring George Reeves as the Man of Steel. The television series ran for six seasons, the last three of which were filmed in colour.

The success of the series slowly rekindled the public’s interest in superhero comic books. In a bid to capitalise on this, DC’s Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino reimagined the Flash. Although perhaps a risk, it paid off. Sales of superhero comics increased quite dramatically, and this surge was the beginning of the ‘silver age of comics’, which would last throughout the 1960s, and into the early 1970s.

The 1960s began with the formation of the Justice League, who appeared for the first time in ‘The Brave and the Bold’ issue 28, in 1960. The ‘League’ brought together DC’s Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter, to battle the evil alien, ‘Starro’.

Although DC had previously introduced the Justice Society in 1944,  it was predominately a permanent band of minor heroes, which occasionally featured major superheroes such as the Flash and Green Lantern. The name was changed to the Justice League, and the minor heroes were replaced with DC’s major heroes. The concept was a resounding success.

In 1961, Atlas Comics, along with its subsidiaries merged, and formed Marvel Comics. Although Marvel’s first offering was a science fiction comic, the success of the Justice League prompted editor in chief Stan Lee to create the Fantastic Four in 1941. This began a hugely successful era for Marvel when the majority of their most iconic superheroes were created.

The team at Marvel, which included Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko introduced Spiderman and The Hulk in 1961. The following year saw the debuts of both Ironman and the X-men, as well as The Avengers (Marvels version of DC’s Justice League). The Avengers originally included Iron Man, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Thor, and the Hulk, with Captain America joining soon after. This was followed by the introduction of Daredevil in 1964, and the Silver Surfer in 1965.

With such a prolific output of iconic superheroes during this short period of time, it is no surprise the sixties are sometimes referred to as the ‘Marvel Age’, by comic historians.

Then in 1965 Lorenzo Semple Jr was approached by then ABC producer William Dozier, to help bring Batman to the small screen. Although television executives expected a gritty drama, Dozier and Semple Jr. gave them an outrageously camped up and comedic adaptation of the caped crusader.

The series premiered in 1966, and ran for three seasons, made up of 120 episodes. Such was its popularity, it aired twice weekly during the first two seasons.

Starring Adam West as Batman, and Burt Ward as Robin, the series also boasted a talented array of guest actors, who lined up to play the various villains on the show. Caesar Romero, Eartha Kitt, Burgess Merideth, Julie Newmar, Frank Gorshin and Vincent Price all starred as adversaries of the dynamic duo at different times.

The popularity of the television show was transferred to comic book sales, and by the end of the sixties, the superhero comic book industry was the healthiest it had been since the late 1930’s and early 1940s.