DC Comics didn’t know they were launching the Silver Age of Comics 70 years ago when they published a revamped version of The Flash, the Golden Age speedster character, who—for all intents and purposes—died in 1950. When editorial director Irwin Donenfeld decided to start a book called Showcase as a tryout for new concepts and characters, he created a launching pad for some of the most memorable—and not-so-memorable—superheroes ever, even if some of them felt just a little bit familiar. And it all started almost three-quarters of a century ago with Showcase issue 4, cover-dated for October 1956.
The success of the Flash, edited by Julius Schwartz, written by Robert Kanigher, and drawn by Carmine Infantino and Joe Kubert, anointed Schwartz as the costumed superhero revival guy. Up next was a new Green Lantern, followed by the Justice League of America, the Atom, Hawkman, and the Spectre. In the summer of 1961, Schwartz combined the Golden and Silver Ages with the groundbreaking “Flash of Two Worlds” story in Flash 123, and comic fans’ minds were blown as more and more of the Golden Age heroes came roaring back to four-color life.
Tales From My Spinner Rack! Episode 36, “DC Comics: Showcase Presents the Silver Age,” takes a look back at the 100+ issue history of that title, plus the superhero revivals Schwartz pulled off over in The Brave and the Bold, showcasing (yeah, I went ther) close to 150 covers, plus numerous pieces of art and photos by and of the writers and artists involved.
Seventy years later, everything old is new again, with revamps of characters like The Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter—not to mention Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman—in DC’s Absolute line of comics. Old heroes never die … they just come back with new costumes, powers, and secret identities for new generations of comic fans to read and enjoy. This episode explores the first time this happened, mainly in the pages of a DC title called Showcase.
You can watch Episode 36 right here, right now, or click on the video below and see it in all its full-screen glory on the official Tales From My Spinner Rack channel on YouTube! Please subscribe on YouTube, where you’ll get my latest episodes a day earlier than here on my blog! And while you’re there, check out all of our other numbered episodes of Tales From My Spinner Rack, collected in the “Complete” playlist, which includes our two live streams.
Tales From My Spinner Rack! Episode 36: DC Comics Showcase Presents the Silver Age
Click here for more than 30 Tales From My Spinner Rack! posts featuring nostalgic essays loaded with art and info about the comics I loved growing up in the 1960s and ‘70s!
Leave a Reply