History MediaNotes / TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks

** ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko'' (1962-1966) -- The initial and defining run of the character, which over it's 4 year span introduced many of Spidey's friends and foes, and to this day remains the foundation for the character.

* Two ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' spinoffs notable for their often bizarre plots and even more bizarre science. They were so remarkably campy that they could be read as outright comedy nowadays. The former series is generally thought of by comic readers as the single most stereotypical example of Silver Age tropes, especially in modern {{Shout Out}}s.

The Silver Age lasted from 1954[[note]]Some Marvel partisans claim 1961, instead, for the first issue of ComicBook/FantasticFour, or else refer to the period from 1956 to 1961 as the "Early Silver Age"[[/note]] to about 1972 (although some people count everything up until 1985 as part of it, folding in UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks). Note that this is the period that spawned the Creator/AdamWest ''Series/{{Batman|1966}}'' series and the ''Superman'' Broadway musical, and no, this is not a coincidence. The Silver Age was a time of talking gorillas and super-powered pets, of covers that were created before the story and seventeen types of Kryptonite. It was naïve and visionary, futuristic and outdated.

In the late 1930s, the {{Superhero}} was born. The genre quickly exploded, with hundreds of titles published at the height of the time now known as UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks. Unfortunately, by 1950, the popularity of superhero comics had declined precipitously. This was due largely to the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII taking away nearly all of the go-to enemies for heroes to fight, plus the knock-on result of people just being tired of fighting in general. During [[UsefulNotes/TheInterregnum this period]], superhero comics slowly vanished from the stands, to be replaced by horror comics, Westerns, monster comics, romance comics, humor comics, and other genres, with only a few (ComicBook/{{Superman}}, ComicBook/{{Batman}}, and ComicBook/WonderWoman among them) still surviving.

That all changed in 1954 with the publication of Frederic Wertham's ''Seduction of the Innocent'', a book that [[MoralGuardian accused comics of creating juvenile delinquency and sexual "deviancy"]], creating a backlash that led directly to the creation of UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode, which caused the destruction of the old comics paradigm almost literally overnight.

The Silver Age was, in a word, silly. Especially by today's standards. Due to the assumptions of UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode, creators were generally restricted to creating entertainment for children, and the Code's guidelines as to what was age-appropriate were very strict, precluding a lot of possible storylines that might deal with more mature themes. TheFifties also saw a general turn toward conservatism in American society as a reaction against the disruption of the War, and pushing the envelope or questioning social norms was frowned upon. This is most obvious when it comes to female characters, who had been more independent back in the Golden Age – this is the era when ComicBook/WonderWoman became [[NoGuyWantsAnAmazon vaguely apologetic about rescuing male characters]]; and Lois Lane, who had been portrayed as an ambitious career woman before, decided [[AcceptableFeminineGoalsAndTraits her main goal in life]] was [[AndNowYouMustMarryMe forcing Superman to marry her]] and becoming a housewife.

Over time, social mores relaxed and the moral panic around comic books faded. The {{Superhero}} genre began deliberately distancing itself from Silver Age silliness in an attempt to prove that comic books were a medium that could tell stories that were relevant to adults as well as kids and could deal with serious real-world issues. This trend toward [[DarkerAndEdgier a more serious tone]] and [[VerySpecialEpisode more socially relevant stories]] continued throughout the [[UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks Bronze Age]] and culminated in the grim darkness of the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age]]. In the [[UsefulNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks Modern Age]], however, the pendulum has started to swing back (which might qualify the various Ages as parts of a CyclicTrope). ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', which ran from 2008-2011, attempted to revive the age in a modern setting.

Usually accepted as lasting from the foundation of UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode until Creator/JackKirby's move to DC. (1954-1970). Alternatively starting with the reintroduction of ''ComicBook/TheFlash'' (1956), or the first issue of ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' (1961). Alternatively ending with price increases to 15 cents (1969) or ''The Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan'' #100 (1971). Many also argue that ''The Amazing Spider-Man ''#121 is a much more important and fitting end: ''ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied'', in which the violent death of a major sympathetic character in a manner other than DeathByOriginStory killed off both the optimism of the Silver Age, and its StatusQuoIsGod.

The Silver Age can be split between two approaches -- the more old-fashioned Golden Age style with stalwart, lantern-jawed heroes solving the plot through logic and creative use of their signature abilities... and the more characterization-based style, where heroes dealt with supervillains and inner demons alike. One could say that the Silver Age ended when Creator/JackKirby, one of the creators of the latter style at Marvel, moved to DC, the mainstay of the old-fashioned approach. However, Creator/SteveDitko, the third major founding talent of Marvel Comics and co-creator of Comicbook/SpiderMan, had crossed over before him.

* ''[[ComicBook/SpiderMan Amazing Spider-Man]]'' -- Most successful instance of the Marvel style.

Morality in Silver Age comics was extremely {{black and white|Morality}}; heroes in particular followed a strict, moralistic code of conduct. Since dealing with serious real-world issues was frowned upon, wacky SpeculativeFiction plots that bore no relation to reality became increasingly common. Supervillains' plans were usually [[LighterAndSofter more goofy than genuinely threatening]]. Superheroes had names like [SomethingPerson] or [TheAdjectivalSuperhero], which would seem too {{narm}}y today, and they would develop NewPowersAsThePlotDemands no matter how flimsy the justification or how absurd the power (one word: [[http://www.superdickery.com/super-weaving/ super-weaving]]).

** ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk1968'' (1968-1999): The longest-run second run, which was originally titled "Tales To Astonish".

The Silver Age lasted from 1954[[note]]Some Marvel partisans claim 1961, instead, for the first issue of ComicBook/FantasticFour, or else refer to the period from 1956 to 1961 as the "Early Silver Age"[[/note]] to about 1972 (although some people count everything up until 1985 as part of it, folding in UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks). Note that this is the period that spawned the Creator/AdamWest ''Series/{{Batman|1966}}'' series and the ''Superman'' Broadway musical, and no, this is not a coincidence. The Silver Age was a time of talking gorillas and super-powered pets, of covers that were created before the story and seventeen types of Kryptonite. It was naive and visionary, futuristic and outdated.

** ''ComicBook/FantasticFourNumberOne'' (1961) -- The first appearance of the team.

** ''[[ComicBook/AmazingFantasyNumberFifteen Amazing Fantasy #15]]'' (1962) -- The first appearance of the character.

Which is not to downplay its significance, mind you. Many of the most famous comic book characters and story-lines came from this era (The Avengers, ComicBook/SpiderMan, X-Men, Daredevil) and many new ideas were created that would become standard in future comics: Superheroes as a social platform? The teenage masked hero? They started here. As well as how already existing characters were changed. (Many of the most famous elements and characters in The Green Lantern were non-existent in the Golden Age). And despite its reputation as being whimsical, this view is often based less on the actual comic books and more on its parody or the Batman TV show. While it generally had a lot of silly moments, it was also host to surprisingly mature storytelling at times.

* ''Showcase'' -- An AnthologyComic series that acted as a [[PoorlyDisguisedPilot testing ground]] for new ideas, that introduced updated versions of Golden Age heroes, such as Flash, ComicBook/GreenLantern and ComicBook/TheAtom, as well as popular new characters like the ComicBook/MetalMen and ComicBook/TeenTitans.

** ''ComicBook/ShowcaseNumberFour'' (1956) -- The first appearance of the second Flash, Barry Allen.

Another fascination of the Silver Age was '''Science!''' The Silver Age occurred alongside UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace. Science was [[ForScience the answer to]], [[ScienceIsBad and source of]], every problem. The mutations of the ComicBook/XMen, the alternate universe known as Earth-Two,[[note]]DC's way of explaining the shift in tone and continuity between the Gold and Silver Ages -- the Silver Age comics were set in Earth-One, while the older Golden Age stories took place on the alternate Earth-Two[[/note]] the alien conqueror known as Starro -- the genre was filled to the brim with SpeculativeFictionTropes. Many of the more fantasy-based heroes of the Golden Age were remade with scientific origins and powers. Of course, the science wasn't necessarily very ''[[{{technobabble}} scientific]]''. The authors were rarely scientists themselves, and even those who were [[RuleOfCool didn't let the facts get in the way of an exciting story]], especially when the stories were already so goofy. Thus, you had stuff like ice missiles that were attracted to speed, people who were [[ILoveNuclearPower exposed to radiation receiving superpowers]] instead of cancer, and so on.

** ''ComicBook/PeterCannonThunderbolt'' -- An early martial arts hero with a touch of mysticism, trained in UsefulNotes/Tibet and the inspiration for Ozymandias in ''Watchmen''. Rights to Peter Cannon, uniquely among the Charlton heroes, remained with his creator, which is why he has appeared in publications by a company other than DC.

Which is not to downplay its significance, mind you. Many of the most famous comic book characters and story-lines came from this era (The Avengers, Spider-Man, X-Men, Daredevil) and many new ideas were created that would become standard in future comics: Superheroes as a social platform? The teenage masked hero? They started here. As well as how already existing characters were changed. (Many of the most famous elements and characters in The Green Lantern were non-existent in the Golden Age). And despite its reputation as being whimsical, this view is often based less on the actual comic books and more on its parody or the Batman TV show. While it generally had a lot of silly moments, it was also host to surprisingly mature storytelling at times.

** ''ComicBook/TheQuestion'' -- A faceless vigilante created once again by Steve Ditko, as a more commercial version of his UndergroundComics character ComicBook/MrA, who acted as a walking AuthorTract for Ditko's Objectivist beliefs. This character would inspire ''Watchmen'''s Rorshach, and his DC revival has become a [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan favorite]], with notable appearences in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', portrayed there by Creator/JeffreyCombs.

** ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeDitko'' (1962-1966) -- The initial and defining run of the character, which over it's 4 year span introduced many of Spidey's friends and foes, and to this day remains the foundation for the character.

** ''ComicBook/LeeDitkoSpiderMan'' (1962-1966) -- The initial and defining run of the character, which over it's 4 year span introduced many of Spidey's friends and foes, and to this day remains the foundation for the character.

** ''ComicBook/JackKirbysFantasticFour'' (1961-1970): The initial run of the team, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.

"Theatre/HolyMusicalBatman" is an homage and affectionate parody of superheros in general, but with a special emphasis on the Silver Age. The moral of the play is essentially "don't take it so seriously," and "superheroes are cool in their own right and don't need to be made dark or gritty to be entertaining."