Comic Book Era Timelines & Notable Comics From Each Time Period

Golden Age Comics: 1938 - 1955

     Generally, Golden Age Comics would have a cover price of .10c. The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought as lasting from the late 1930s until the mid 1950's. During this time, modern comic books were first published and enjoyed a boost in popularity; the archetype of the superhero was created and defined, and many of the most famous superheroes debuted, among them Superman, Batman, Captain America, and Wonder Woman. 

The Golden Age period saw the arrival of the comic book as mainstream art form, and the defining of the industry's artistic vocabulary and creative conventions by its first generation of writers, artists, and editors. 

Notable Comics: 
Action Comics #1 (DC Comics, 1938) 
Detective Comics #27 (DC Comics, 1939) 
Marvel Comics #1 (Timely Comics, 1939) 
Whiz Comics #1 (Fawcett Comics, 1940) 
All Star Comics #3 (DC Comics, 1940) 
 

What are Silver Age Comics?

Generally, Silver Age Comics have a cover price of 12c or 15c. The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and the interregnum the Atomic Age, the Silver Age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to around 1970.

Silver Age Comics: 1956 - 1970

     Generally, Silver Age Comics have a cover price of 12c or 15c. The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and the interregnum the Atomic Age, the Silver Age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to around 1970. 

Notable Comics:  
Showcase #4 (DC Comics, 1956) 
The Brave and the Bold #28 (DC Comics, 1960) 
Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel Comics, 1961) 
Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel Comics, 1962) 
The Avengers #4 (Marvel Comics, 1964)

Bronze Age Comics: 1970 - 1985

      
     Comics started seeing a darker tone in the storylines, reflective of the Vietnam-Era time period. Many stories cover real world issues such as politics, drug abuse, overall superhero comics became more realistic.  

Notable Comics:  
Conan The Barbarian 
The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 & #121, 122, 129 
Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85 
New Gods #1 
Giant-Size X-Men #1 
Howard the Duck #1 
New Teen Titans #1 
Daredevil #168