Silver 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. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books, the Silver Age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to 1970, and was succeeded by the Bronze Age.
Showcase #4 (October 1956), generally considered the start of the Silver Age Cover art by Carmine Infantino and Joe Kubert
Julius Schwartz, an instrumental figure at DC during the Silver Age
The Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961), the cornerstone of Marvel Comics Cover art by Jack Kirby (penciler)
Artist Neal Adams, whose work with writer Denny O'Neil on Green Lantern/Green Arrow marks one possibility for the end of the Silver Age
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of Action Comics, which included the debut of the superhero Superman. This was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of World War II. After the war, while superheroes were marginalized, the comic book industry rapidly expanded and genres such as horror, crime, science fiction and romance became popular. The 1950s saw a gradual decline, due to a shift away from print media in the wake of television and the impact of the Comics Code Authority. The late 1950s and the 1960s saw a superhero revival and superheroes remained the dominant character archetype throughout the late 20th century into the 21st century.
German refugee child at N.Y. Children's Colony, 1942, reading a Superman comic book.
The Yellow Kid in McFadden's Flats (1897)
Comic Monthly #1 (Jan. 1922)
Famous Funnies: A Carnival of Comics (Eastern Color Printing, 1933)