DC COMICS: 1950 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Star Comics #57 | John Broome, Alex Toth | Final Golden Age appearance of the Justice Society of America (JSA). The team would not appear again for over a decade. | Mar |
| Batman #59 | David Vern Reed, Lew Sayre Schwartz | First appearance of Floyd Lawton, the original Deadshot. | Jul |
| Sensation Comics #97 | Robert Kanigher, Harry G. Peter | First detailed retelling of Wonder Woman's origin since her debut issue. | Jun |
| Strange Adventures #1 | Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson | Premiere issue of DC's first major science fiction anthology series. | Sep |
| Superboy #10 | Bill Finger, John Sikela | First appearance of Lana Lang, a cornerstone character of the Superman mythos. | Oct |
| Superman #61 | Bill Finger, Wayne Boring, Al Plastino | Landmark retelling and expansion of Superman's origin, establishing key elements of the mythos. | Nov |
| Tomahawk #1 | Fred Ray, Ed Herron | First issue of the solo series for the popular Revolutionary War hero. | Oct |
| World's Finest Comics #43 | Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan | First time Batman is referred to as the 'Dark Knight' in a story title. | Mar |
DC COMICS: 1951 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| ISSUE TITLE & NUMBER | CREATORS | WHY IT IS A KEY | COVER DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mystery in Space Vol 1 #1 | Carmine Infantino, Frank Giacoia, Gardner Fox | First issue of the classic science fiction anthology series; significant Silver Age precursor. | April-May 1951 |
| House of Mystery #1 | Alex Toth, Nick Cardy, Sheldon Mayer | First issue of DC Comics' enduring horror/mystery anthology series, featuring early iconic art. | Dec 1950 - Jan 1951 |
| All-Star Comics #57 | Gardner Fox, Irwin Hasen, Bernard Sachs | Final Golden Age appearance of the Justice Society of America (JSA), a landmark historical issue. | March 1951 |
| Superboy Vol 1 #14 | Curt Swan, John Sikela, Don Cameron | Significant early issue in Superboy's solo series, contributing to the character's mythos. | Jan-Feb 1951 |
| Superman Vol 1 #70 | Wayne Boring, Stan Kaye, Edmond Hamilton | Continues important stories for the iconic hero in the early 1950s. | May-June 1951 |
| Plastic Man Vol 1 #29 | Jack Cole | Later issue in the Golden Age run of the Quality Comics hero, known for unique art and humor. | March-April 1951 |
| Action Comics #152 | Wayne Boring, Stan Kaye | Key issue in the longest-running Superman title, featuring classic Golden Age stories. | Jan 1951 |
| Detective Comics #171 | Bob Kane, Charles Paris | Early 1950s issue of the legendary Batman title, showcasing Golden Age Detective stories. | May 1951 |
| World's Finest Comics #50 | Curt Swan, Stan Kaye, Jerry Siegel | Milestone 50th issue for the popular team-up title of Superman and Batman. | Jan-Feb 1951 |
| Flash Comics #123 | Carmine Infantino, Frank Giacoia | Final issue of the Golden Age Flash's original series, ending an era for the Scarlet Speedster. | Feb 1951 |
DC COMICS: 1952 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #168 | Edmond Hamilton & Al Plastino | 1st appearance of Negative Superman. | May |
| Action Comics #171 | Otto Binder & Al Plastino | 1st appearance of Titano the Super-Ape. | Aug |
| Adventure Comics #172 | Robert Kanigher & Alex Toth | 1st appearance of the Fiddler (Isaac Bowin). | Jan |
| Adventure Comics #180 | Uncredited | Origin of Green Arrow retold. | Sep |
| All-Star Western #63 | Robert Kanigher & Alex Toth | 1st appearance of Johnny Thunder (John Tane). | Jan-Feb |
| Batman #69 | David Vern Reed & Bob Kane | 1st appearance of the second Royal Flush Gang. | Feb-Mar |
| Batman #73 | Bill Finger & Bob Kane | 1st appearance of the Signalman. Iconic Joker cover. | Oct-Nov |
| Detective Comics #184 | Ed Herron & Dick Sprang | 1st appearance of the Firefly (Garfield Lynns). | Jun |
| Detective Comics #190 | Bill Woolfolk & Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of the second Mad Hatter (Jervis Tetch). | Dec |
| House of Mystery #1 | Various | 1st issue of the long-running horror/supernatural anthology series. | Dec-Jan |
| Our Army at War #1 | Various | 1st issue of the classic war anthology series. Precursor to Sgt. Rock. | Aug |
| Strange Adventures #18 | Murphy Anderson (Cover) | Classic robot cover art by Murphy Anderson. | Mar |
| Superman #76 | Edmond Hamilton & Curt Swan | 1st time Superman and Batman officially team up and learn each other's secret identities. "The Mightiest Team in the World". | May-Jun |
| The Fox and the Crow #1 | James F. Davis | First issue of the popular funny animal title, previously featured in Real Screen Comics. | Jan-Feb |
| Wonder Woman #50 | Robert Kanigher & Harry G. Peter | Anniversary issue. | Jan-Feb |
| Wonder Woman #51 | Robert Kanigher & Harry G. Peter | 1st appearance of the Angle Man. | Mar-Apr |
DC COMICS: 1953 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| ISSUE TITLE & NUMBER | CREATORS | WHY IT IS A KEY | COVER DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superman #83 | Otto Binder, Curt Swan, Ray Burnley | First appearance of Krypto the Superdog. An iconic character from Superman's mythology. | Aug 1953 |
| Action Comics #180 | Bill Finger, Wayne Boring, Stan Kaye | Lois Lane temporarily gains superpowers and becomes Super-Lois. Early theme of Lois Lane as a super-powered character. | May 1953 |
| Detective Comics #199 | Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff, Stan Kaye | First appearance of Professor Milo, an early villain for Batman, known for his chemical experiments. | Sep 1953 |
| World's Finest Comics #64 | Various | Classic Superman and Batman team-up story, featuring early versions of their collaborative adventures. | May 1953 |
| Adventure Comics #188 | France Herron, George Papp | Features Green Arrow and Speedy, showcasing early inventive use of Green Arrow's trick arrows, including the boxing glove arrow. | May 1953 |
| Sensation Comics #115 | Robert Kanigher, Harry G. Peter | The final issue of the Golden Age Sensation Comics, featuring Wonder Woman. A significant milestone in the character's publication history. | May-Jun 1953 |
| Captain Marvel Jr. #118 (Fawcett) | Various | Last issue of Captain Marvel Jr. title from Fawcett Comics before the company ceased publishing new superhero material due to the National Comics Publications (DC) lawsuit. Important historical Fawcett book. | Mar 1953 |
| Marvel Family #87 (Fawcett) | Various | The final issue of the Marvel Family series from Fawcett Comics, marking the end of the original Captain Marvel family era. Important historical Fawcett book. | Dec 1953 |
| Plastic Man #52 (Quality) | Jack Cole | The final issue of Quality Comics' Plastic Man series. A significant end to the Golden Age run of an iconic character created by Jack Cole. | Nov 1953 |
| Blackhawk #70 (Quality) | Various | The final issue of Blackhawk published by Quality Comics before DC Comics acquired the character. A key historical transition point for the team. | Nov 1953 |
DC COMICS: 1954 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #189 | Wayne Boring (a) | Classic Bondage Cover by Wayne Boring | Feb 1954 |
| Action Comics #192 | Al Plastino (a) | 1st Appearance of Krypto's full origin and name. | May 1954 |
| Adventure Comics #199 | Curt Swan (a) | Classic Superboy Robot Cover | Apr 1954 |
| Adventure Comics #201 | Otto Binder (w), Curt Swan (a) | 1st Appearance of the Kryptonite Man (Pre-Crisis) | Jun 1954 |
| Adventure Comics #205 | Otto Binder (w), Curt Swan (a) | Origin of Krypto | Oct 1954 |
| All-American Men of War #2 | N/A | 1st Issue of All-American Men of War | Apr-May 1954 |
| Batman #81 | Bill Finger (w), Sheldon Moldoff (a) | 1st Appearance of the Bat-Cave trophy room. | Feb 1954 |
| Batman #83 | France Herron (w), Dick Sprang (a) | 1st Appearance of the Firefly (Garfield Lynns) | Apr 1954 |
| Batman #84 | France Herron (w), Sheldon Moldoff (a) | 1st Appearance of the Bat-Hound (Ace) | Jun 1954 |
| Detective Comics #203 | Bill Finger (w), Sheldon Moldoff (a) | 1st Appearance of Catwoman's purple and green costume. | Jan 1954 |
| Detective Comics #205 | Edmond Hamilton (w), Dick Sprang (a) | Classic Robot Cover by Win Mortimer | Mar 1954 |
| Detective Comics #211 | Bill Woolfolk (w), Dick Sprang (a) | 1st Appearance of Captain Stingaree | Sep 1954 |
| Detective Comics #215 | Bill Finger (w), Dick Sprang (a) | 1st Appearance of the Bat-Men of All Nations | Jan 1955 |
| House of Mystery #23 | N/A | Classic Alien Cover | Feb 1954 |
| Our Army at War #21 | Robert Kanigher (w), Joe Kubert (a) | 1st Sgt. Rock Prototype (The Rock) | Apr 1954 |
| Showcase #1 | Arnold Drake (w), Mort Meskin (a) | 1st Issue of Showcase | Mar-Apr 1956 |
| Strange Adventures #30 | N/A | Classic Dinosaur Cover | Mar 1953 |
| Superboy #30 | Otto Binder (w), Curt Swan (a) | 1st Appearance of the Phantom Zone Projector | Jan 1954 |
| Superboy #34 | Otto Binder (w), John Sikela (a) | Origin of Smallville | Jul 1954 |
| Superman #87 | Bill Woolfolk (w), Wayne Boring (a) | 1st Appearance of Bizarro prototype (The Thing of Steel). | Feb 1954 |
DC COMICS: 1955 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #201 | Al Plastino (a) | Classic Superman test of strength cover. | Feb 1955 |
| Adventure Comics #210 | Otto Binder, Curt Swan | 1st appearance of Krypto the Superdog. | Mar 1955 |
| Batman #92 | Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of Ace the Bat-Hound. | Jun 1955 |
| Brave and the Bold #1 | Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert | 1st appearance of the Silent Knight, Golden Gladiator, and Viking Prince. Series premiere. | Aug 1955 |
| Brave and the Bold #3 | Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert | Classic Rustam cover. | Dec 1955 |
| Detective Comics #215 | Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of the Bat-Men of All Nations (Club of Heroes). | Jan 1955 |
| Detective Comics #225 | Joe Samachson, Joe Certa | 1st appearance of J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter. | Nov 1955 |
| Detective Comics #226 | Manly Wade Wellman | 1st appearance of the "When Batman Was Robin" concept (anti-gravity suit). | Dec 1955 |
| My Greatest Adventure #1 | Various | 1st issue of the anthology series (later home to the Doom Patrol). | Feb 1955 |
| Superman #97 | Wayne Boring (a) | Classic "Superboy vs Superman" cover. | May 1955 |
| Superman #100 | Bill Finger, Wayne Boring | Anniversary issue. Superman retells his origin. | Sep 1955 |
| Wonder Woman #72 | Robert Kanigher, H.G. Peter | Features the "Wonder Woman of the Sea" story. | Feb 1955 |
| World's Finest Comics #74 | Curt Swan (Cover) | First issue to feature Superman and Batman teaming up in every story moving forward. | Jan-Feb 1955 |
DC COMICS: 1956 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Comics #229 | Ramona Fradon | 1st appearance of Topo the Octopus (Aquaman's sidekick). | Oct 1956 |
| Batman #98 | Sheldon Moldoff | Classic "Batman Returns to the Past" story. | Mar 1956 |
| Batman #100 | Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff | Anniversary issue. Retelling of the "Batman II" Olympic story. | Jun 1956 |
| Detective Comics #225 | Joe Samachson, Joe Certa | 1st appearance of Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz). (Note: Cover date Nov 1955, often cataloged in '56 runs due to distribution). | Nov 1955 |
| Detective Comics #233 | Edmond Hamilton, Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance and origin of Batwoman (Kathy Kane). | Jul 1956 |
| Showcase #4 | Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of the Silver Age Flash (Barry Allen) and Iris West. The official start of the Silver Age. | Oct 1956 |
| Showcase #5 | Jack Kirby | 1st appearance of the Manhunters (Mark Merlin). Early DC work by Jack Kirby. | Nov-Dec 1956 |
DC COMICS: 1957 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Comics #247 | Otto Binder, Al Plastino | 1st appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes (Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad). | Apr 1957 |
| Blackhawk #108 | Dick Dillin, Charles Cuidera | 1st appearance of Lady Blackhawk (Zinda Blake). | Jan 1957 |
| Detective Comics #241 | Sheldon Moldoff (Cover) | Classic "Rainbow Batman" cover and story. | Mar 1957 |
| Flash #105 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | 1st issue of the Silver Age Flash series (numbering continued from Flash Comics). 1st appearance of Mirror Master. | Feb-Mar 1957 |
| Showcase #6 | Jack Kirby (w/a) | 1st appearance and origin of the Challengers of the Unknown. | Jan-Feb 1957 |
| Showcase #8 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Captain Cold (Leonard Snart). | May-Jun 1957 |
| Showcase #9 | Robert Bernstein, Al Plastino | 1st Silver Age solo Lois Lane story. Title becomes "Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane" soon after. | Jul-Aug 1957 |
| Superman #113 | Edmond Hamilton, Dick Sprang | 1st appearance of the Superman of Zur-En-Arrh (Planet X). | May 1957 |
| Wonder Woman #95 | Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru | Classic "Wonder Woman of History" feature (Lady Diane). Early Ross Andru art on the title. | Jan 1958 |
| World's Finest Comics #88 | Edmond Hamilton, Dick Sprang | First issue to feature Superman and Batman teaming up in the lead story (continuing the format from #71). | May-Jun 1957 |
DC COMICS: 1958 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #241 | Wayne Boring (a) | 1st appearance of the Fortress of Solitude (Silver Age version). | Jun 1958 |
| Action Comics #242 | Otto Binder, Al Plastino | 1st appearance of Brainiac and the City of Kandor. | Jul 1958 |
| Adventure Comics #247 | Otto Binder, Al Plastino | 1st appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes (Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad). | Apr 1958 |
| Detective Comics #252 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of the Elongated Man (Ralph Dibny). | Feb 1958 |
| Detective Comics #259 | Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of Calendar Man (Julian Day). | Sep 1958 |
| Showcase #13 | Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino | 2nd appearance of The Flash (Barry Allen). First time Flash appears on the cover since his debut. | Apr 1958 |
| Showcase #15 | Gardner Fox, Bob Brown | 1st appearance of Space Ranger. | Jul-Aug 1958 |
| Showcase #17 | Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky | 1st appearance and origin of Adam Strange. | Nov-Dec 1958 |
| Superman #123 | Otto Binder, Dick Sprang | 1st appearance of the "Prototype" Super-Girl (conjured by Jimmy Olsen). | Aug 1958 |
| Wonder Woman #98 | Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru | Retelling of Wonder Woman's origin (Silver Age version). | May 1958 |
DC COMICS: 1959 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #252 | Otto Binder, Al Plastino | 1st appearance and origin of Supergirl (Kara Zor-El). 1st appearance of Metallo (John Corben) in the backup. | May 1959 |
| Action Comics #254 | Otto Binder, Al Plastino | 1st appearance of Bizarro-Lois Lane. | Jul 1959 |
| Adventure Comics #260 | Robert Bernstein, Ramona Fradon | Silver Age origin of Aquaman revealed (The Lighthouse Story). | May 1959 |
| Adventure Comics #267 | Jerry Siegel, George Papp | 2nd appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes. 1st appearance of Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, and Invisible Kid. | Dec 1959 |
| Batman #121 | Dave Wood, Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of Mr. Freeze (originally named Mr. Zero). | Feb 1959 |
| Brave and the Bold #25 | Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru | 1st appearance of the Suicide Squad (Silver Age team: Rick Flag, Karin Grace). | Sep 1959 |
| Detective Comics #267 | Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of Bat-Mite. | May 1959 |
| Flash #105 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Mirror Master (Sam Scudder). 1st issue of the Silver Age title (continuing numbering from Flash Comics). | Mar 1959 |
| Flash #106 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Gorilla Grodd and the Pied Piper. | May 1959 |
| Flash #110 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Kid Flash (Wally West). 1st appearance of Weather Wizard. | Dec 1959 |
| Showcase #22 | John Broome, Gil Kane | 1st appearance and origin of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan). 1st appearance of Carol Ferris. | Oct 1959 |
| Showcase #23 | John Broome, Gil Kane | 2nd appearance of Hal Jordan. 1st appearance of the Green Lantern Power Battery. | Dec 1959 |
| Superman #129 | Bill Finger, Wayne Boring | 1st appearance of Lori Lemaris (Superman's mermaid college sweetheart). | May 1959 |
| Wonder Woman #105 | Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru | Origin of Wonder Woman retold. | Apr 1959 |