RP305 Where Giants Walk the Earth

 RP305 Where Giants Walk the Earth

He doesn't look a day over 35 (and never has), but Superman will soon be 80 years old. He first appeared in the pages of Action Comics number 1 in June 1938. That comic book cost 10 cents when it was published, but in 2014 a copy sold on eBay for an eye-popping US$3,207,852. The Man of Steel, apparently, is also the Man of Gold!
The world's most expensive comic book, of course, is a story in itself. But it's just one of many stories involving Action Comics' publisher, DC Comics. Within a year of Superman's debut, DC introduced Batman in issue 27 of its Detective Comics title. The fastest man alive, the Flash, followed very quickly indeed in 1940, and the first major female superhero, Wonder Woman, in 1941. All were highly successful, and came to define what is called the Golden Age of Comics.
By the late 1940s, however, superheroes were losing their popularity. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman survived, but many other DC characters did not. The company's comedy, horror, science fiction, and romance comics helped it hold on to fans. Still, the 1950s were a difficult decade for most comic book publishers, including DC. One highlight occurred in 1956, when the Flash was reintroduced with a new origin, costume, and secret identity. This was the beginning of the Silver Age of Comics, though no one knew it at the time.
Ironically, the new age DC had started would cause it to lose the top spot among American comic book publishers. The company's fiercest rival, Marvel Comics, dominated the industry for the next 30 years. Even Superman and Batman couldn't compete with Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Hulk, and Marvel's many other hugely popular characters. DC still got plenty of respect, but it was a distant second in terms of sales.
That started changing in the late 1980s. The success of the Batman film series renewed people's interest in DC's characters. Superman and Wonder Woman later found new fans through movies as well. DC and Marvel now battle year after year for sales just as their superheroes battle villains for the safety of mankind. Who says life can't imitate art?