Comic Book Resources

I had somehow known about the THUNDER Agents in 1969, although my only exposure to comics at the time was whatever revolved around my local drug store rack and I’m fairly certain there were never any Tower books spinning around until this issue, THUNDER AGENTS #20, appeared. I gobbled it up, although I had to pass on two of my regular 12 cent books to afford it. There was a lot to read in there. Small panels and great Wally Wood art. A mixture of superhero, spy and paranoid, conservative government gendres.

A couple of interesting comments about this issue. The free bonus pin-up? That would be the cover! You were supposed to cut out that panel of Dynamo, No-Man and Lightning. This issue also featured The THUNDER Agents, which included a scruffy sort of individual who always had a hand-rolled “cigarette” in his mouth. He went by the name of Weed.

The team that Weed belonged to was actually called the THUNDER Squad. The THUNDER Agents was the codename for the entire organization.

Should we really say these books end the Silver Age?

Many books from the Golden Age have specific issues that are deemed when they started into the Silver Age. It all did not happen at once. The general idea I have often gotten from comic historian types is that the Silver and Bronze ages evolved and not every publisher and book entered it at the exact same time.

So it seems to me we are not really showcasing a specific end of the Silver Age, but the beginning of the Bronze Age, right?

P.S. It might take years for ideas to develop on this (It seems to take longer to define an Age than the actual Ages last?), but I also have heard some people refer to the Bronze Age as the last “Age” as well. The thought is that the 80′s saw a boom of small publishers, independents, manga, and a wider variety of genres and storytelling options. Comics as a whole are becoming more like traditional book publishing and the movements, trends, and fads from the larger publishers have less impact. So are we moving away from Ages as we know them or will they just become a term used more to define the movements in capes and spandex genres?

Nope – Ages do not evolve. A certain event ends it and triggers the beginning of the next age. It’s a clean kill.

First, I thought I had the answer with Metal Men #37 as the end of the Silver Age, but an epiphany last night revealed that THUNDER Agents #20 to be the one, true answer to the question of what ended the Silver Age.

Who knows what will come to me in my dreams tonight?

I’m planning on eating a lot of unpasteurized cheese while sipping absinthe so hold onto your shortbox lids!

PS – Weed was based on Wally Wood himself.

Scott,

Was Wally Wood a chain tobacco smoker or known to participate in a more recreational leaf? Even in 1969 (I was 13 at the time), I thought the disheveled look, droopy eyes, unfiltered cigarette and nickname meant to suggest Weed was a pot smoker. Let’s not forget, Marijuana was just becoming mainstream and many “artistic” types were experimenting.

>>Was Wally Wood a chain tobacco smoker

I believe he was. At least, virtually every photo &/or drawing of him I’ve ever seen seems to have featured a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

Also, like Paul, I remember buyng this one out of the spinner rack as a kid. It almost certainly would’ve been the only issue I ever saw. And like him as well, I had some vague knowledge of the THUNDER characters beforehand, thanks undoubtedly in my case to having seen them parodied about a year before as “The Blunder Agents” in one of my favorite comics ever, Not Brand Ecch #10 (actually reprinted from ish #2).

Of course, by my own estimation the Silver Age had already ended shortly before this comic came out, anyway, with the price rise to 15 cents.

In the afterward to the Dark Horse collection of MARS Patrol – Dan Adkins specifically mentions Woody’s record-setting chain smoking (but acknowledges that it was the norm in the industry).

I’ve never heard anything about marijuana use by Woody.

Booze on the other hand….

Dan. You’re absolutely right. Thnaks for sparking my memory. It was indeed The BLUNDER Agents in Not Brand Ecch #10 that introduced me the the THUNDER Agents. That was the greatest NBE issue of all. Green Lampburn, Wotta Woman. Priceless.

This book came out in August of 1969,& was one I snatched up with great joy! The month before, marvel had reduced their surfer book to just another 32 pager,therby also ending the tales from the watcher series.August as well,of 1969,seen the last also of the Agent of shield & dr. strange books. As well,starting in june of 1969, marvels annuals went reprint.Along with the first big price increase, of many more to follow, yeah,the twilight of the silver age can be seen by mid 1969.1970 seen 2 pages cut from story & letters pages,as well as an explosion of word ballooons on covers.Kirbys departure was the last straw for many, who didnt follow him to dc, and wouldnt buy any marvels without him.

I like clip ‘n’ keep pin -ups. I am so tired of clipping pin-ups only to have to give them back. The Silver Age was where it’s at!

These are excellent! I’m a believer already, and it’s only the second installment!

Commenter Scott refers to Wood as “Woody” rather than “Wally”; I have read on Toonopedia that, much as Theodore Roosevelt liked to be addressed as “T. R.” and not “Teddy”, Wood hated to be called “Wally”. We have to respect the wishes of the artist who created Power Girl’s look.