History MediaNotes / TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks

This was also the era of the {{Sidekick}}. After Robin was introduced in 1940, nearly every hero picked up a young lad or lass to assist them in crimefighting. The Human Torch had Toro; Sandman had Sandy, the Golden Boy; Bulletman had Bulletgirl. PluckyComicRelief adult sidekicks were also popular; they were usually fat and clumsy, like ComicBook/GreenLantern's Doiby Dickles or ComicBook/PlasticMan's Woozy Winks. This being in an era when segregation was legal, a few regrettable characters showed up here as well, especially the Whizzer's "Slow Motion" Jones, a chubby black man with huge lips and a heavy drawl.

** ''ComicBook/ComicCavalcade'' (Franchise/WonderWoman, Franchise/GreenLantern, Franchise/TheFlash)
** ''ComicBook/DetectiveComics'' (Batman). The oldest continuously running American comic book series, though between 2011 and 2016 it was renumbered after a [[ComicBook/New52 linewide reboot]] before resuming the original numbering at #934.

*** origin of Franchise/TheDCU

** ''ComicBook/DetectiveComics'' (Franchise/{{Batman}}). The oldest continuously running American comic book series, though between 2011 and 2016 it was renumbered after a [[ComicBook/New52 linewide reboot]] before resuming the original numbering at #934.

This was also the era of the {{Sidekick}}. After Robin was introduced in 1940, nearly every hero picked up a young lad or lass to assist them in crimefighting. The Human Torch had Toro; Sandman had Sandy, the Golden Boy; Bulletman had Bulletgirl. PluckyComicRelief adult sidekicks were also popular; they were usually fat and clumsy, like ComicBook/GreenLantern's Doiby Dickles or ComicBook/PlasticMan's Woozy Winks. This being prior to the concept of political correctness, a few regrettable characters showed up here as well, especially the Whizzer's "Slow Motion" Jones, a chubby black man with huge lips and a heavy drawl.

*** [[ComicBook/FreedomFighters Phantom Lady, Human Bomb, Firebrand]]

[[quoteright:300:[[Franchise/{{Superman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/GoldenAgeSuperman.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:And the rest is history.]]

Notable publishers and series of UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks:

In June of [[TheGreatDepression 1938]], National Allied Publications began a new comic-book series, featuring several different heroes. A new character created by two young men from Cleveland was featured on the cover. The comic was ''ComicBook/ActionComicsNumberOne'', and the character was Franchise/{{Superman}}.

** [[ComicBook/HarveyComicsBlackCat Golden Age Black Cat]]

In June of [[TheGreatDepression 1938]], National Allied Publications began a new comic-book series, featuring several different heroes. A new character created by two young men from Cleveland was featured on the cover. The comic was ''Action Comics'' #1, and the character was Franchise/{{Superman}}.

** ''ComicBook/{{Airboy}}''

** ''ComicBook/StardustTheSuperWizard''

** ''ComicBook/SensationComics'' (Franchise/WonderWoman)

** ''All-Star Comics'' (ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica)

** ""ComicBook/TheInvisibleTerror''

Thus began The Golden Age of Comic Books. Throughout the Golden Age, comics as a medium were not yet synonymous with superheroes as a genre -- horror stories, [[FunnyAnimal funny animals]], mystery-solving detectives, Westerns, romances, and more all remained popular throughout this period, in some cases more popular than superheroes. However, the gradual rise of the SuperHero defined the Golden Age in many ways. The SuperHero had ProtoSuperhero antecedents that went back beyond Superman -- indeed, Superman was in large part a product of these -- but they had never come together in this way before. The two-fisted pulp action hero merged with science fiction and fantasy, which merged with the crimefighting vigilante, which merged with ancient heroic sagas, to produce an explosion of new characters, individual men and women with strange abilities and the responsibility to use them against evil.

This was also the era of the {{Sidekick}}. After Robin was introduced in 1940, nearly every hero picked up a young lad or lass to assist them in crimefighting. The Human Torch had Toro; Sandman had Sandy, the Golden Boy; Bulletman had Bulletgirl. PluckyComicRelief adult sidekicks were also popular; they were usually fat and clumsy, like GreenLantern's Doiby Dickles or ComicBook/PlasticMan's Woozy Winks. This being prior to the concept of political correctness, a few regrettable characters showed up here as well, especially the Whizzer's "Slow Motion" Jones, a chubby black man with huge lips and a heavy drawl.

** ''Sensation Comics'' (Franchise/WonderWoman)

** Licensed Franchise/TheGreenHornet comics

* Ace Publications:

-->-- '''Ching Lung''', the very first super villain from [[https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/a/a8/Detective_Comics_1.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/350?cb=20130119231308 the cover]] of ''Detective Comics'' #1, ''ComicBook/NewSuperMan'' #8

** ''Action Comics'' (Franchise/{{Superman}})

** ''Detective Comics'' (Franchise/{{Batman}}). The oldest continuously running American comic book series, though between 2011 and 2016 it was renumbered after a [[ComicBook/New52 linewide reboot]] before resuming the original numbering at #934.