‘The Silver Age of Comics: Rise of the Flawed Superhero’ Webinar

Flashback to the early 1940s when the “Golden Age” of comic books was in full swing. Little boys and girls all across America were clamoring for the next edition of their favorite comic book, eager to see how pure-hearted superheroes like Superman or Wonder Woman would defeat those pesky evil villains and save the day. But by the early 1950s, between a post-World War II society and accusations of being linked to violence among adolescents, comic books struggled to capture the hearts and minds they once did.

Enter the “Silver Age” of comic books — the morally perfect superheroes replaced with more relatable, flawed heroes dealing with unresolved issues from a troubled past. These stories led to a revival of the medium, geared no longer toward young children, but adults. This is the story of an era that produced some of the greatest artists, superheroes, and storytelling in the history of comic books.

Join New York Adventure Club as we explore the Silver Age of comic books, a period between 1956-1970 that introduced hyper-realistic superheroes into real-world settings, blurring the lines between fact and fiction.

Led by award-winning comic book art illustrator and historian Arlen Schumer, and author of The Silver Age of Comic Book Art, this pop culture “visualecture” filled with stylized images and original art will include:

• The origin story of the superhero tradition and its personification of American ideals and values
• An overview of the Silver Age of comics and why the medium’s greatest artists and superheroes arose during this time period
• How comic book art was heavily influenced by the turbulent 1960s, from futuristic idealism of the Kennedy years to post-Vietnam realism
• A deep dive into eight of the most influential comic book artists, such as Steve Ditko (Spider-Man, Dr. Strange), Carmine Infantino (The Flash, Batman), and Gene Colan (Iron Man, Daredevil)
• A discussion around the political divide amongst superhero characters, from establishment conservatives like Superman, The Flash, and Green Lantern; to counterculture liberals like Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and Green Arrow

Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Arlen — any and all questions about the Silver Age are welcomed and encouraged!

See you there, virtually! $10.

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Arlen

Arlen Schumer, MFA is one of the foremost historians of comic book art, named by Comic Book Artist magazine in 1998 as “one of the more articulate and enthusiastic advocates of comic book art in America.” His coffee table book, The Silver Age of Comic Book Art, won the Independent Publishers Book Award for best Popular Culture book.

Schumer is also one of comic book art’s most idiosyncratic practitioners, creating award-winning illustrations for the advertising and editorial markets.

Testimonials

“Arlen is profoundly informative, engaging, and clear.” -Joel

“Arlen knew his stuff and was able to explain to common folks. Great comparisons of art in the presentation. Linked to current trends or popular movies of which most people would have a connection. Presented at a level that wasn’t too geeky.” -Brent

“Extremely knowledgeable presenter; amazing visuals, great pacing!” -Jesse

“Arlen was super knowledgable, and did a really good job relating the information to current day comic book movies and characters. It really was a great job by all.” -Joseph

“Really engaging speaker with polished presentation and command of the subject” -Al