The Folio Society Releases "DC Comics: The Golden Age" Hardcover Comic-Book Collection

Posted on September 05, 2023 by Neil Cole

Witness the creation of the world's very first Super Heroes in "DC Comics: The Golden Age". The Folio Society has teamed up with the legendary publishers of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman to present the first in a brand-new series of prestige comic-book collections.

Witness the creation of the world's first multiverse, when the publisher that would become DC Comics founded the superhero genre as we know it today. The groundbreaking debut adventures of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and more return in Folio's earth-shattering new collection, "DC Comics: The Golden Age".

Former DC Editor-in-Chief Jenette Kahn selects and introduces eighteen epoch-making stories published during the formative age of American comic books. Scanned directly from original copies held in the DC archives, these seminal stories collect the earliest - often startling - incarnations of our modern Super Hero icons. Discover original work by the founding fathers of the genre, from Superman creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, Batman's Bob Kane with Bill Finger, and Wonder Woman writer William Moulton Marston.

This astonishing collection includes a complete 68-page replica of Action Comics #1, the world's very first superhero comic. Presented in a dynamic clamshell case with a separate art print by modern Batman artist Yanick Paquette, "DC Comics: The Golden Age" explores the roots of a pop culture phenomenon, the first instalment in a brand-new series from The Folio Society in partnership with DC Comics.

"DC Comics: The Golden Age" retails for US$260.00 and is currently available for purchase exclusively from FolioSociety.com.

OWN THE MOST IMPORTANT COMIC OF ALL TIME

Many of the founding Super Heroes of DC Comics are the stuff of Olympian myth - Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman are practically gods - while Batman and the Joker are carved from the darkness of our own world. This primal energy buzzes throughout Superman's rollicking debut in Action Comics #1, included in this collection in the form of a glorious 68-page replica, complete with original accompanying strips and charming vintage ads. First published in April 1938, the comic flew off the newsstands for ten cents apiece; an original copy later auctioned in 2022 for $3.18 million. This is the comic book that gave the world its first superhero and inspired Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Award-winning DC artist Yanick Paquette bookends this lineage with an original art print that updates the classic montage featured in 1939's Superman #3. Full bound in shimmering gold cloth with a printed band of classic comic-strip panels, as well as endpapers featuring an array of DC's Golden Age pantheon, the book itself comes in a gloss clamshell case in bold blue, red and yellow, emblazoned with the classic trinity of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.

GRAPHIC CLASSICS FROM A GOLDEN ERA

DC Comics: The Golden Age spotlights every major character debut from this formative era, including the earliest incarnations of some of the world's most iconic Super Heroes. In these early stories, Superman has yet to gain his famous powers of flight and battles corrupt landlords in lieu of crazed Super-Villains. Elsewhere, you'll meet the original Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern and DC's Captain Marvel (later known as 'Shazam'). Classic adventures abound, including Wonder Woman's first mission to America in 1942's Sensation Comics #1 and the classic Catwoman caper Claws of the Catwoman from 1947's Batman #42. Presented here in prestige format are perfect examples of Golden Age comic-book art. Plastic Man #5 from 1946 showcases the brilliantly expressive cartooning of John Spranger, while legendary artist Wayne Boring updates Superman's origin story for 1948's Superman #53, establishing the signature look that would define the character throughout the 1950s. This is a truly exhaustive collection that brings you back to the day the superhero genre was forged, retaining every authentic detail of the original comic books. Available only from The Folio Society, DC Comics: The Golden Age showcases the birth of a modern American mythology.

CONTENTS

• Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)

• Superman #3 (December 1939)

• Flash Comics #1 (January 1940)

• Whiz Comics #1 (February 1940)

• Batman #1 (March 1940)

• Action Comics #23 (April 1940)

• All-American Comics #16 (July 1940)

• Police Comics #1 (August 1941)

• More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941)

• All-Star Comics #8 (January 1942)

• Sensation Comics #1 (January 1942)

• Plastic Man #5 (September 1946)

• Batman #42 (August 1947)

• All-Star Comics #37 (November 1947)

• Batman #44 (December 1947)

• Superman #53 (August 1948)

• Sensation Comics #81 (September 1948)

BIOGRAPHIES

About Jenette Kahn

After graduating from Harvard in 1968 and founding several magazines for young readers, Jenette Kahn joined National Periodical Publications as its publisher in 1976. She quickly revived the name DC Comics to publicly proclaim the company's pride in the comic book medium. In 1981, Kahn became president of the division, the youngest ever within what is now Warner Bros. Discovery to hold that title – and the first woman. A key architect of DC’s modern shared universe, she introduced the graphic novel to America and transformed comics into a sophisticated art form. She oversaw the launch of two seminal imprints, Vertigo and Milestone, and under her leadership, DC became known for addressing critical issues of domestic violence, sexual orientation, gun violence, homelessness, racism and AIDS in the company’s mainstream titles. In an industry where creators had few rights, Kahn granted royalties, reprint payments and a share in merchandise, film and television revenue. Inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame, Jenette Kahn has also been honoured by the Library of Congress, and by numerous organizations for DC's work on landmines and gun control.