Martin Deer reviews Superman: The Silver Age Newspaper Dailies Volume 1: 1958 – 1961…
The Superman Dailies are reprints of the daily Superman stories that were printed in the newspapers between 1939 and 1966. There will be three volumes, with each covering a specific area of comic book history; The Silver Age, The Atomic Age and The Golden Age. Volume 1 – out on Tuesday 13th August – is The Silver Age era, containing almost 800 strips, which covers the period December 15th 1958 to July 1st 1961.
These stories have never been reprinted, however thanks to a partnership between the Library of American Comics and DC Entertainment, fans of the oldest superhero on the planet can finally get a look at an important part of the characters history. The strips that ran in the newspapers usually had the same premise as those that had featured in the comics, yet they were completely different in story and execution, and serve as an entirely new read – the book even features a new take on Jerry Siegel’s ‘Superman Returns to Krypton‘ story.
The Silver Age was a great time for the Man of Steel, and with these daily strips along with a great foreword and introduction, you can gain a real insight in to just what the significance and historical context of these stories were. This first volume features art from Curt Swan, Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye, as well stories from Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. For Superman and comic book fans this is a real collectors piece, and for anyone complaining that Superman in the New 52 and recent films has been a little solemn, then these Silver Ages stories are an absolute must.
Martin Deer
Originally published August 7, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
