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Post by tingramretro on Aug 18, 2016 9:33:09 GMT -5
And Wonder Man was Fox, not Better/Standard/Nedor (unless there's a later character I've not yet encountered). Cei-U! I summon my research notes! There was also a Wonder Man (real name: Captain John Justice) published in the UK by Paget Publications in 1948. His creator was Mick Anglo, who later created Marvelman. He lasted 24 issues. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 10:33:57 GMT -5
Cei-U's Post in Blue
This what he written below: Mech has confused Ace Comics, a David McCay title reprinting King Features comic strips, with Ace Publications, the pulp publisher who expanded into comics in 1940. They had a small line-up of super-hero titles in the early '40s, their main heroes being the electrically powered Flash Lightning (changed to Lash Lightning to avoid legal harrassment from All-American), Vulcan the Volcanic Man, and Magno the Magnetic Man. The early stories of Magno and Flash/Lash were scripted by Robert Turner, later a TV writer, and drawn by a very young Jim Mooney.One thing that bothers me about Cei-U is Ace Publications - I thought it was Ace Magazines ?!?!? ... I have never ever heard of Ace Publications until now. That's Confusion Number 1. Another thing - I want him to tell me who is this hero is ... Flash Lightning or Lash Lightning? (Or both?) ... and this is Confusion Number 2. And, that bothers me too ...  To me, he is Flash Lightning - If he is Lash Lightning due to the lawsuit that Cei-U has outlined to me that's a whole new ballgame here and that's problem back then because of the lawsuit(s) back then. Until then, I need to have him clears these things for me and I have to wait patiently for that.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 10:43:12 GMT -5
Read the above post to everyone and I want Cei-U to answer my questions and I have two Confusion(s) that I need to have him clear things up and that's wrong with Cei-U's post because I'm having a hard time understanding what he said to me. I will be back in six hours to check this thread again for more updates. |
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Post by Cei-U! on Aug 18, 2016 11:05:11 GMT -5
You're right, Mech, it's Ace Magazines. Sorry about that. As for your second question, the character began life in Sure-Fire Comics #1 as Flash Lightning. His name was changed to Lash Lightning in the June 1940 issue of Lightning Comics (as Sure-Fire was renamed late in '40). He was likely renamed to lesson his resemblance to The Flash, who also wore a red shirt with lightning on it. Clear enough?
Cei-U!
I summon the details!
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Post by hondobrode on Aug 18, 2016 12:54:21 GMT -5
A few notes to catch up: Gold Key started in the early 60s when Western publishing started publishing in-house rather than having them published, distributed, and branded by its partner, Dell. So, essentially, if you remember seeing a lot of Gold Key comics in the 60s, it'll give you an idea of the ubiquitousness of Dell in the 40s and 50s. But we're talking GA here, when Gold key didn't exist. The idea of the Atom Age really is needed to differentiate the explosive growth of comics up to and through the war--fueled largely by superheroes--from the genres that proliferated post-war. Also, as seen in movie audiences, audiences and readers were attracted to different types of stories pre- and post-war. EC started in '44 and pretty much limped along until '51 or so, so wasn't much of a force in the GA.I'm going to split hairs here just a wee bit. You're right MDG, about EC not being anything particularly exceptional under the Educational Comics banner. Later, after the boating accident that caused the death of Max Gaines, his son Bill Gaines takes over the family business and takes it in a whole new direction as Entertaining Comics with his New Trend titles. I agree that the post-war period up until the Comics Code Authority is the Atomic Age, but IMO that's a subset of the Golden Age, not necessarily distinct from the Golden Age, hence, my inclusion of EC here. EC produced the greatest genre comics of its time, and they hold up with the best of genre comics even today IMO.     
 
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,872
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Post by shaxper on Aug 18, 2016 13:09:26 GMT -5
Got into a fascinating conversation with a comic creator and historian on Facebook who was surprised Fiction House hadn't come up in this conversation, and had some great reasons why they were a contendor for the #1 spot. I'm hoping she'll chime in.
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Post by MDG on Aug 18, 2016 13:49:09 GMT -5
I'm going to split hairs here just a wee bit. You're right MDG, about EC not being anything particularly exceptional under the Educational Comics banner. Later, after the boating accident that caused the death of Max Gaines, his son Bill Gaines takes over the family business and takes it in a whole new direction as Entertaining Comics with his New Trend titles. I agree that the post-war period up until the Comics Code Authority is the Atomic Age, but IMO that's a subset of the Golden Age, not necessarily distinct from the Golden Age, hence, my inclusion of EC here. EC produced the greatest genre comics of its time, and they hold up with the best of genre comics even today IMO. You don't have to sell me on EC--if it wasn't for the chapter on EC in Les Daniels' book Comix, I probably would've dropped comics in 1973 and never looked back. I just have to advocate for a distinct period between the Golden Age and Silver Age to reflect the differences between the comic products and audiences (as well as popular culture) of, say, 1942 and 1952. (if it was up to me, there'd be something between Silver and Bronze as well, but we'll leave that foir another day.) |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Aug 18, 2016 14:03:13 GMT -5
I'll agree with MDG. There's a huge difference between Golden Age and Atomic Age comics. Obviously, the preponderance of superheroes vs the lack of same is the first thing one notices. The absence of horror and romance comics in the Golden Age vs those two genres making up more than 50% of the variety in the Atomic Age. Golden Age comics were 64 pages, Atomic Age 32-48 pages
But behind the scenes there was another big difference. In the Golden Age, publishers had no idea if the comic book art form would last. Many creators were given more freedom than what they were to expect for decades later. They were in charge of the characters they devised and many signed their work too. By the Atomic Age, it was obvious comics were here to stay. Publishers were now in total control. There was now a big public concern over the influence of comics on youngsters and several attempts to regulate content began. Even individual states started passing laws about what comics can be sold
Easily the difference between Gold and Atomic was as big, if not bigger than Silver and Bronze age books
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 15:21:31 GMT -5
You're right, Mech, it's Ace Magazines. Sorry about that. As for your second question, the character began life in Sure-Fire Comics #1 as Flash Lightning. His name was changed to Lash Lightning in the June 1940 issue of Lightning Comics (as Sure-Fire was renamed late in '40). He was likely renamed to lesson his resemblance to The Flash, who also wore a red shirt with lightning on it. Clear enough? Cei-U! I summon the details! Thanks a Million Cei-U ... We are clear as a bell!  |
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Post by hondobrode on Aug 18, 2016 17:56:11 GMT -5
I know there are differences between the Golden Age and Atomic Age, but to me Golden Age meant pre-Authority, but the differences you've both pointed out help to clarify.
Based on excluding EC then, as it was Atomic Age, I'm torn.
Time for a little more research.
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