DC COMICS: 1960 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Brave and the Bold #28 | Gardner Fox (Writer) Mike Sekowsky (Artist) |
1st appearance and origin of the Justice League of America (Aquaman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman). 1st appearance of Starro the Conqueror. | Mar 1960 |
| The Flash #110 | John Broome (Writer) Carmine Infantino (Artist) |
1st appearance of Kid Flash (Wally West), who later becomes The Flash. 1st appearance of the Weather Wizard. | Jan 1960 |
| Green Lantern #1 | John Broome (Writer) Gil Kane (Artist) |
1st issue of the Silver Age Green Lantern's ongoing series. Retells the origin of Hal Jordan. | Jul 1960 |
| Adventure Comics #269 | Robert Bernstein (Writer) Ramona Fradon (Artist) |
1st appearance of Aqualad (Garth), Aquaman's sidekick. | Feb 1960 |
| Justice League of America #1 | Gardner Fox (Writer) Mike Sekowsky (Artist) |
1st issue of the team's self-titled series. 1st appearance of Despero. | Nov 1960 |
| Action Comics #267 | Jerry Siegel (Writer) Wayne Boring (Artist) |
1st appearance of the Phantom Zone and the Phantom Zone criminals (General Zod, Jax-Ur, Kru-El, and others are depicted but not named). | Aug 1960 |
| The Brave and the Bold #29 | Gardner Fox (Writer) Mike Sekowsky (Artist) |
2nd appearance of the Justice League of America. Origin of Starro the Conqueror. | May 1960 |
| Adventure Comics #271 | Jerry Siegel (Writer) Curt Swan (Artist) |
1st appearance of the Legion of Super-Pets (Krypto, Streaky, Beppo, and Comet). | Apr 1960 |
| The Brave and the Bold #30 | Gardner Fox (Writer) Mike Sekowsky (Artist) |
3rd appearance of the Justice League of America. 1st appearance of Professor Amazo. | Jul 1960 |
| Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #40 | Otto Binder (Writer) Curt Swan (Artist) |
1st appearance of Jimmy Olsen as Elastic Lad. | Jan 1960 |
| Showcase #25 | Jack Miller (Writer) Ruben Moreira (Artist) |
1st appearance of the Silver Age Rip Hunter, Time Master. | Apr 1960 |
| Batman #131 | Bill Finger (Writer) Sheldon Moldoff (Artist) |
Iconic cover. 1st appearance of Bat-Mite in the Batman title. | May 1960 |
DC COMICS: 1961 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Comics #283 | Robert Bernstein & George Papp | 1st appearance of General Zod. | Apr |
| Action Comics #276 | Jerry Siegel & Jim Mooney | 1st appearance of Streaky the Supercat. | May |
| The Atom #1 | Gardner Fox & Gil Kane | 1st issue of The Atom's self-titled series. Origin of The Atom (Ray Palmer) retold. | Jul |
| Batman #139 | Bill Finger & Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of the original Bat-Girl (Betty Kane). | May |
| The Brave and the Bold #34 | Gardner Fox & Joe Kubert | 1st appearance of the Silver Age Hawkman (Katar Hol) and Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol). | Mar |
| The Flash #123 | Gardner Fox & Carmine Infantino | Iconic "Flash of Two Worlds" story. 1st Silver Age appearance of the Golden Age Flash (Jay Garrick). Establishes the DC Multiverse (Earth-One and Earth-Two). | Sep |
| Green Lantern #9 | John Broome & Gil Kane | 1st appearance and origin of Sinestro. | Dec |
| Justice League of America #4 | Gardner Fox & Mike Sekowsky | 1st Silver Age appearance of Green Arrow (Oliver Queen). Green Arrow joins the Justice League. | May |
| Our Army at War #111 | Robert Kanigher & Joe Kubert | Classic Sgt. Rock cover by Joe Kubert. | Oct |
| Showcase #34 | Gardner Fox & Gil Kane | 1st appearance of The Atom (Ray Palmer). | Oct |
| Superman #149 | Jerry Siegel & Curt Swan | Classic imaginary story, "The Death of Superman!". | Nov |
| Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #53 | Jerry Siegel & Curt Swan | 1st appearance of Lucy Lane. 1st appearance of Professor Potter. | Jun |
DC COMICS: 1962 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Showcase #37 | Gardner Fox, Gil Kane | 1st appearance of the Metal Men (Gold, Iron, Lead, Tin, Mercury, Platinum) | Mar-Apr 1962 |
| The Brave and the Bold #42 | Joe Kubert (cover) | Classic Hawkman cover | Jun-Jul 1962 |
| Our Army at War #118 | Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert | 1st appearance of the Haunted Tank | May 1962 |
| Adventure Comics #293 | Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan | 1st appearance of Bouncing Boy (Chuck Taine) | Feb 1962 |
| Detective Comics #300 | Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of Polka-Dot Man (Abner Krill) | Feb 1962 |
| The Brave and the Bold #43 | Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert | 2nd appearance of Hawkman and Hawkgirl in the Silver Age; 1st appearance of their classic costumes | Aug-Sep 1962 |
| Green Lantern #11 | Gil Kane (cover) | Classic Hector Hammond cover | Mar 1962 |
| Justice League of America #9 | Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky | Origin of the Justice League of America retold; 1st time JLA members learn each other's secret identities | Feb 1962 |
| The Flash #128 | Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Abra Kadabra | May 1962 |
| Adventure Comics #290 | Robert Bernstein, George Papp | 1st appearance of Eltro Gand | Nov 1961 |
| Action Comics #285 | Curt Swan (cover) | 1st appearance of the Superman Revenge Squad | Feb 1962 |
| Mystery in Space #75 | Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino | Classic Adam Strange cover | May 1962 |
| The Brave and the Bold #44 | Joe Kubert (cover) | 3rd appearance of Hawkman and Hawkgirl | Oct-Nov 1962 |
| Showcase #40 | 4th appearance of Metal Men | Sep-Oct 1962 | |
| Superman #155 | Curt Swan (cover) | Iconic cover; 'The Downfall of Superman!' | Aug 1962 |
| Green Lantern #16 | 1st appearance of Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris) in the Silver Age | Oct 1962 | |
| The Flash #130 | Carmine Infantino (cover) | 1st appearance of Heat Wave | Aug 1962 |
DC COMICS: 1963 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Showcase #41 | Gardner Fox & Mike Sekowsky | 1st appearance of the Silver Age Atom (Ray Palmer) in a solo story. | Jan-Feb |
| The Brave and the Bold #45 | Bob Haney & Ramona Fradon | 1st appearance of Metamorpho (Rex Mason). Origin of Metamorpho. | Dec-Jan |
| The Brave and the Bold #50 | Bob Haney & Bruno Premiani | 1st appearance of the Doom Patrol (The Chief, Elasti-Girl, Negative Man, Robotman). 1st appearance of General Immortus. | Oct-Nov |
| The Flash #139 | John Broome & Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Professor Zoom, the Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne). Iconic cover. | Sep |
| Green Lantern #21 | John Broome & Gil Kane | 1st appearance of Dr. Polaris. | Jun |
| Justice League of America #21 | Gardner Fox & Mike Sekowsky | 1st meeting and team-up of the Justice League of America (Earth-1) and the Justice Society of America (Earth-2). 1st appearance of the Crime Syndicate of America (Earth-3). Iconic cover. | Aug |
| Justice League of America #22 | Gardner Fox & Mike Sekowsky | 2nd meeting of the JLA and JSA. Death of the Wizard. | Sep |
| Strange Adventures #156 | Gardner Fox & Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of the Animal Man (Buddy Baker). | Sep |
| Teen Titans #1 | Bob Haney & Bruno Premiani | 1st appearance of the Teen Titans (Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad). Published in The Brave and the Bold #54. | Jul |
DC COMICS: 1964 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #309 | Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster | 1st appearance of Brainiac's new look, a key redesign for the character. | Feb 1964 |
| Adventure Comics #317 | Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan | 1st appearance of Universo, a powerful Legion of Super-Heroes villain. | Feb 1964 |
| Detective Comics #326 | Bill Finger, Bob Kane | Iconic cover featuring Batman vs. The Joker. | Apr 1964 |
| The Brave and the Bold #54 | Bob Haney, Bruno Premiani | 1st team-up of Kid Flash & Aqualad, a significant precursor to the Teen Titans. | Jun 1964 |
| Flash #147 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Zoom (Hunter Zolomon), a major Flash villain. | Aug 1964 |
| Green Lantern #30 | John Broome, Gil Kane | Origin of Hector Hammond, a classic Green Lantern foe. | Oct 1964 |
| Doom Patrol #87 | Arnold Drake, Bruno Premiani | 1st appearance of the Brotherhood of Evil, a recurring antagonist group for the Doom Patrol. | Nov 1964 |
| Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #76 | Otto Binder, Curt Swan | Iconic cover featuring Jimmy Olsen transformed into a werewolf. | Dec 1964 |
| World's Finest Comics #140 | Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan | Significant Batman and Superman team-up story. | Jan 1964 |
| Justice League of America #27 | Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky | 1st appearance of the Crime Syndicate of America, an evil alternate version of the Justice League. | May 1964 |
| All-Star Comics #21 | Gardner Fox, Martin Nodell | Features Golden Age Flash and Green Lantern stories. (Reprint/Golden Age relevance) | Mar 1964 |
| Captain Marvel Adventures #150 | Otto Binder, C.C. Beck | Final issue of the Fawcett Comics series, marking an end of an era for the original Captain Marvel. | Sep 1964 |
| Showcase #50 | Bob Haney, Nick Cardy | 1st appearance of the Inferior Five. | Nov 1964 |
DC COMICS: 1965 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Comics #331 | Jim Shooter (writer), Curt Swan (artist) | 1st work in comics by Jim Shooter (at age 13), 1st appearance of the Fatal Five (Emerald Empress, Validus, Mano, Persuader, Tharok) | April 1965 |
| Atom #19 | Gardner Fox (writer), Gil Kane (artist) | 1st appearance of Chronos | June 1965 |
| Batman #171 | Gardner Fox (writer), Sheldon Moldoff (artist) | 1st appearance of the second Riddler (Edward Nigma) in the Silver Age | May 1965 |
| Detective Comics #340 | Gardner Fox (writer), Carmine Infantino (artist) | 1st appearance of the Spellbinder | June 1965 |
| Flash #153 | John Broome (writer), Carmine Infantino (artist) | 1st appearance of the Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne) as Professor Zoom | June 1965 |
| Green Lantern #36 | John Broome (writer), Gil Kane (artist) | Origin of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) retold | April 1965 |
| Jimmy Olsen #86 | Otto Binder (writer), Curt Swan (artist) | 1st appearance of Titano the Super-Ape | April 1965 |
| Justice League of America #38 | Gardner Fox (writer), Mike Sekowsky (artist) | 1st appearance of the Crime Syndicate of America (Ultraman, Owlman, Superwoman, Johnny Quick, Power Ring) | September 1965 |
| Strange Adventures #180 | Dave Wood (writer), George Roussos (artist) | 1st appearance of Animal Man | September 1965 |
| Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #57 | Leo Dorfman (writer), Kurt Schaffenberger (artist) | 1st appearance of the Composite Superman | August 1965 |
| World's Finest Comics #151 | Edmond Hamilton (writer), Curt Swan (artist) | 1st team-up of Superman, Batman, and Robin in the Silver Age | August 1965 |
DC COMICS: 1966 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| Issue | Creators | Why It Is A Key | Cover Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detective Comics #359 | Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino | 1st appearance of Batgirl (Barbara Gordon). | Jan |
| Showcase #60 | Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson | 1st Silver Age appearance of The Spectre (Jim Corrigan). | Feb |
| Teen Titans #1 | Bob Haney, Nick Cardy | 1st issue of the Teen Titans own series. | Feb |
| The Doom Patrol #102 | Arnold Drake, Bob Brown | 1st appearance of Beast Boy (Garfield Logan). | Mar |
| Showcase #61 | Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky | 1st Silver Age appearance of the Phantom Stranger. | Apr |
| Strange Adventures #187 | Bob Haney, Howard Purcell | 1st appearance of the Enchantress (June Moone). | Apr |
| Batman #181 | Robert Kanigher, Sheldon Moldoff | 1st appearance of Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley). | Jun |
| Showcase #62 | E. Nelson Bridwell, Joe Orlando | 1st appearance of the Inferior Five. | Jun |
| Adventure Comics #346 | E. Nelson Bridwell, Curt Swan | 1st appearance of the Adult Legion of Super-Heroes. | Jul |
| Action Comics #340 | Jim Shooter, Al Plastino | 1st appearance of Parasite (Raymond Maxwell Jensen). | Aug |
| Justice League of America #46 | Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky | Crisis on Earth-Three! 1st appearance of the Crime Syndicate of America. | Aug |
DC COMICS: 1967 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| ISSUE TITLE & NUMBER | CREATORS | WHY IT IS A KEY | COVER DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #349 | Jim Shooter, Curt Swan | First appearance of the Composite Superman (Joe Meach). | May |
| Adventure Comics #352 | Jim Shooter, Curt Swan | Beginning of the two-part story, "The Death of Ferro Lad." | Jan |
| Adventure Comics #353 | Jim Shooter, Curt Swan | Conclusion and "The Death of Ferro Lad." | Feb |
| Aquaman #35 | Bob Haney, Nick Cardy | First appearance of Black Manta. | Oct |
| Batman #189 | Gardner Fox, Sheldon Moldoff | First Silver Age appearance of the Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane). | Feb |
| Batman #197 | Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino | Iconic cover featuring Batgirl. | Dec |
| Brave and the Bold #73 | Bob Haney, Ross Andru | First Silver Age appearance of the Golden Age Atom (Al Pratt). | Sep |
| Detective Comics #359 | Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino | First appearance of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. | Jan |
| Detective Comics #363 | Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino | First appearance of the Spellsbinder. | May |
| Doom Patrol #107 | Arnold Drake, Bruno Premiani | First appearance of Beast Boy in his iconic purple and black costume. | Nov |
| The Flash #167 | Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino | First appearance of the Cosmic Treadmill. | Feb |
| The Flash #174 | John Broome, Carmine Infantino | Second appearance of the Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne). | Nov |
| Green Lantern #52 | Gardner Fox, Gil Kane | First detailed explanation of the weakness to the color yellow. | Apr |
| Justice League of America #55 | Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky | First Silver Age appearance of the Crimson Avenger. | Aug |
| Metamorpho #10 | Bob Haney, Sal Trapani | First appearance of Element Girl (Urania Blackwell). | Feb |
| Showcase #66 | Bob Haney, Mike Sekowsky | First appearance of B'wana Beast. | Feb |
| The Spectre #1 | Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson | First issue of The Spectre's own ongoing series. | Dec |
| Strange Adventures #205 | Arnold Drake, Carmine Infantino | First appearance of Deadman (Boston Brand). | Oct |
| Superman #199 | Jim Shooter, Curt Swan | Iconic "Superman's Race with the Flash!" story. | Aug |
| Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #106 | Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan | First appearance of the new Morgan Edge. | Oct |
DC COMICS: 1968 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| ISSUE TITLE & NUMBER | CREATORS | WHY IT IS A KEY | COVER DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Lantern #59 | John Broome, Gil Kane | 1st appearance of Guy Gardner, a prominent Green Lantern. | Mar 1968 |
| Batman #200 | Mike Friedrich, Chic Stone | Milestone issue with Scarecrow appearance and cameos from other classic Batman villains. | Mar 1968 |
| Wonder Woman #178 | Dennis O'Neil, Mike Sekowsky | New creative team takes over, leading to a major shift in the character's direction. | Sep-Oct 1968 |
| World's Finest Comics #175 | Leo Dorfman, Ross Andru | Neal Adams' first work on a Batman story. | May 1968 |
| Captain Action #1 | Jim Shooter, Wally Wood | DC's first toy tie-in comic book. | Oct-Nov 1968 |
| House of Mystery #174 | Various | Return to horror roots under new editor Joe Orlando, challenging the Comics Code Authority. | May-Jun 1968 |
| Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #80 | Leo Dorfman, Kurt Schaffenberger | Lois Lane's fashion is updated to a more contemporary look. | Jan 1968 |
| Blackhawk #243 | Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert | Final issue of the series until its revival in 1976. | Oct-Nov 1968 |
DC COMICS: 1969 KEY ISSUE CATALOG
| ISSUE TITLE & NUMBER | CREATORS | WHY IT IS A KEY | COVER DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detective Comics #387 | John Broome, Bob Brown | Cover title changes to "Batman" from "Detective Comics," featuring an iconic cover by Neal Adams. | May |
| Batman #217 | Frank Robbins, Irv Novick | "One Bullet Too Many!" story where Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson move to Wayne Tower, marking a return to Batman's darker, gothic roots. | Dec |
| The Brave and the Bold #85 | Bob Haney, Neal Adams | First appearance of Green Arrow's new costume, goatee, and modern look, crafted by legendary artist Neal Adams. | Sep |
| Justice League of America #73 | Dennis O'Neil, Dick Dillin | First appearance of the Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance) on Earth-One. She gains her Canary Cry ability in this issue. | Aug |
| Adventure Comics #381 | Cary Bates, Kurt Schaffenberger | First appearance of the new Supergirl costume, which would become her iconic 1970s look. | Jun |
| Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #97 | Robert Kanigher, Werner Roth | First appearance of The Thorn (Rose Forrest), a vigilante with a split personality. | Nov |
| Teen Titans #20 | Robert Kanigher, Nick Cardy | Introduction of new members Joshua (the original Herald) and Lilith Clay, a powerful psychic. | Apr |
| The Flash #186 | Mike Friedrich, Neal Adams | Classic story "Who Stole the Flash's Super-Speed?" featuring sought-after artwork by Neal Adams. | Mar |
| Showcase #82 | Denny O'Neil, Nick Cardy | First appearance of Nightmaster, a rock star transported to a fantasy dimension. | Jun |