Top 10 Comic Books 1960

1The Brave and the Bold 28

It ranks first because it is the single comic that created the superhero team-up genre as a commercial category, introducing the Justice League of America in a February 1960 anthology issue that had previously featured rotating solo try-outs. Gardner Fox scripted seven heroes sharing one cover for the first time, and the issue sold well enough that DC greenlit a standalone title within months. Everything else on this list exists downstream of that decision.

This is for readers or collectors chasing the actual root of the shared-universe idea rather than its more famous sequels. It trades the polish of a dedicated ongoing for the rougher anthology format it was still using at the time. Compared to the pick below it, Justice League of America #1, this is the untested prototype rather than the confirmed hit.

2Justice League of America 1

It ranks second because it converted a successful try-out into a dedicated ongoing series, proving DC's team-book gamble had legs beyond a single issue. Released in October 1960, it gave the League a stable numbering, a recurring creative team, and room to build longer storylines than Brave and the Bold's anthology slot allowed. Sales data from this launch shaped how DC greenlit team books for the next decade.

This suits readers who want the League's first dedicated chapter rather than its cameo origin. It sacrifices the historical novelty of the pick above for a more consistent, better-produced reading experience. Compared to Green Lantern #1 below it, this book carries more institutional weight since it anchors an entire team rather than one hero.

3Green Lantern 1

It ranks third for delivering one of the cleanest full reinventions of the Silver Age: an entirely new lead, Hal Jordan, replacing the Golden Age Alan Scott with a space-cop mythology built around the ring and the Guardians of Oa. Released in mid-1960, John Broome and Gil Kane's redesign became a template other DC revivals imitated. It set the visual and conceptual language for cosmic superhero comics for decades.

This is for readers drawn to the reinvention story rather than team dynamics. It gives up the ensemble scale of the two picks above for a tighter, single-hero focus. Compared to Flash #105 below it, this book had less pressure riding on it since the Flash's Silver Age revival had already been market-tested first.

4The Flash 105

It ranks fourth because it carried forward the numbering from the Golden Age Flash Comics into a new Barry Allen ongoing, making it the book that proved DC's Silver Age superhero revival could sustain a long-term series rather than a one-off try-out. Released in early 1960, it built directly on Showcase's earlier reader response. Its commercial success gave DC the confidence to greenlit further single-hero revivals that year.

This suits readers tracking the mechanics of how the Silver Age snowballed from experiment to industry standard. It trades the outright novelty of Green Lantern's redesign above for continuity with an older legacy name. Compared to Action Comics #263 below it, this book is about a hero's rebirth rather than a single standout story arc.

5Action Comics 263

It ranks fifth for introducing Bizarro World, a single-issue concept from April 1960 that became one of the most reprinted and referenced Superman ideas of the entire Silver Age. The imperfect-duplicate premise let writers satirize the main continuity while selling extremely well on newsstands. Its popularity led directly to recurring Bizarro appearances across multiple Superman titles for years afterward.

This is for readers who want a standalone high-concept story rather than a franchise-launch issue. It gives up the lasting institutional impact of the four picks above for a single, self-contained gimmick. Compared to Superman #149 below it, this book introduces a new concept rather than reworking an existing one.

6Superman 149

It ranks sixth for popularizing the imaginary story format with its November 1960 tale depicting Superman's death, one of the most frequently cited non-canon Superman stories of the era. The premise let writers explore consequences the ongoing continuity could never risk, and its reception encouraged DC to keep using imaginary-story framing throughout the decade. It remains a commonly referenced touchstone in Superman retrospectives.

This suits readers interested in how Silver Age writers worked around continuity constraints. It trades the introduction of a lasting new concept, as with Bizarro above, for a one-time thought experiment. Compared to Uncle Scrooge #29 below it, this book is corporate superhero output rather than a single cartoonist's personal craft.

7Uncle Scrooge 29

It ranks seventh because it represents Carl Barks working at the height of his craft on the Duck universe, with tightly plotted adventure comedy and detailed cartooning that critics and later cartoonists singled out repeatedly. Released in 1960, it reflects the consistency Barks maintained across his solo writing-and-art run on the title. Original art and near-mint copies of Barks-era Scrooge issues command strong prices among collectors today.

This is for readers who prize sustained cartooning craft over superhero continuity events. It gives up the industry-shaping significance of the picks above for a purely personal, author-driven body of work. Compared to World's Finest Comics #113 below it, this book is a single creator's vision rather than a shared studio anthology.

8World's Finest Comics 113

It ranks eighth for maintaining DC's steady Batman-and-Superman team-up format through 1960, giving readers a reliable anthology pairing rather than any single landmark story. The title's consistency across its run made it a dependable newsstand seller even without the reinvention drama surrounding the Flash or Green Lantern relaunches. It kept two of DC's biggest names sharing panels well before crossovers were common elsewhere.

This suits readers who want dependable team-up comfort reading over historic firsts. It trades the singular impact of the picks above for steady, formulaic execution. Compared to Richie Rich #1 below it, this book continues an established DC pairing rather than launching an entirely new publishing franchise.

9Richie Rich 1

It ranks ninth because it launched an entirely new franchise for Harvey Comics in 1960, spinning the wealthy child character out of supporting appearances into his own headlining title. The character's success went on to spawn numerous spin-off titles through the following decades, making this an origin point for one of Harvey's most durable properties. Its simple, benevolent-billionaire premise proved easy to merchandise well beyond comics.

This is for readers interested in franchise origins outside the DC and Marvel superhero space. It gives up the shared-universe weight of the JLA-related picks above for a standalone humor property. Compared to Donald Duck #69 below it, this book is a brand-new launch rather than a continuation of an already-established character.

10Donald Duck 69

It ranks tenth for continuing Carl Barks' long-running Duck universe stories through 1960 with the same reliable comic adventure plotting that defined his Uncle Scrooge work, though without introducing anything as singular as Scrooge's standout issues. It kept Donald as a working everyman lead balanced against the wealthier Scrooge spin-off. The issue reflects steady studio output rather than a breakout moment.

This suits readers who want more Barks-era Duck material after finishing his Scrooge issues. It trades the standout craft of Uncle Scrooge #29 above for a more workmanlike continuation of an existing lead. Compared to every pick above it, this book is the most incremental entry, extending an established status quo rather than starting or reinventing one.

How we ranked these

Selection weighted first-appearance significance — which 1960 issues launched characters, teams, or storylines that endured — alongside creative pedigree (writer, penciler, and inker credits from the Julius Schwartz-edited DC line and contemporaneous Dell, Gold Key, and Atlas/Marvel anthologies). Market corroboration mattered too: CGC census population figures and realized Heritage Auctions prices served as a proxy for scarcity and sustained collector demand across six decades.

Deliberately ignored: cover price alone, nostalgia-driven fan polls untethered from sales data, and any book whose only claim is age rather than impact — 1960 produced hundreds of forgettable licensed and funny-animal one-shots. Restoration-heavy or trimmed copies were excluded from value citations since altered books distort price comparisons, and foreign or undated newsstand variants were treated as the same core issue rather than ranked separately.

What to look for

What actually matters is grading and completeness: a CGC or CBCS slab, page quality (white or off-white pages command a premium over 1960's naturally browning newsprint), and an unrestored, attached cover. A detached or married cover can cut value in half even at an otherwise high grade, and provenance from a documented collection or prior auction sale strengthens a price beyond what condition alone suggests.

The most common buyer mistake is chasing a 'key issue' reputation without checking restoration notes or grade — an honest, unrestored VG copy routinely outsells a cosmetically touched-up NM once graders flag amateur repair. Buyers also confuse later reprints, digests, or treasury editions with true first printings, paying original-issue money for a book that was never the first one off the press.

Related questions

What made 1960 a pivotal year for DC Comics?

Editor Julius Schwartz used 1960 to formalize the Silver Age revival he'd started with Showcase reintroductions: The Brave and the Bold #28 assembled DC's heroes into the Justice League for the first time, and Green Lantern graduated from tryout issues into his own ongoing title, cementing a superhero-team format Marvel would copy a year later.

Did Marvel publish superhero comics in 1960?

No — Marvel, then still branded Atlas, hadn't relaunched superheroes yet. Its 1960 output was dominated by monster and science-fiction anthologies like Tales to Astonish, Strange Tales, and Journey Into Mystery, giving Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko a testing ground for the giant-monster stories that preceded Fantastic Four #1 in 1961.

What is the Silver Age of comic books?

The Silver Age is the era, roughly 1956 to 1970, when DC's reintroduction of the Flash in Showcase #4 revived superhero comics after the genre's late-1940s decline. It's marked by science-fiction-flavored reboots of Golden Age characters, the Comics Code Authority's tighter content rules, and the eventual rise of Marvel's interconnected universe.

Why is The Brave and the Bold #28 considered a key issue?

It's the first appearance of the Justice League of America as a team, uniting Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter in one story. That team-up format proved commercially strong enough that DC spun it into its own title within the year, reshaping how publishers packaged superhero rosters.

How is a 1960 comic book's value determined today?

Value tracks CGC/CBCS census population (how many surviving copies have been graded), realized auction prices from houses like Heritage, and page quality. Because no contemporaneous 1960 price guide existed, today's market relies entirely on retrospective grading and sales history rather than any period-accurate benchmark.

What role did Julius Schwartz play in 1960s DC Comics?

Schwartz was the editor who systematically revived Golden Age heroes with science-fiction origins — Flash, Green Lantern, Atom, Hawkman — through the late 1950s, then greenlit their team-up in 1960. His editorial instinct for reinvention is widely credited with starting the Silver Age and setting the template DC and Marvel both followed.

Were funny-animal and licensed comics still popular in 1960?

Yes — Dell and Gold Key's Disney and Warner Bros. licensed titles, plus Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge stories, remained some of the best-selling comics on newsstands throughout 1960, often outselling superhero titles even as the Silver Age superhero revival was underway at DC.

What's the difference between a CGC-graded copy and a raw copy?

A CGC-graded copy is sealed in a tamper-evident holder with a numeric grade and page-quality assessment from an independent third party, which reassures buyers about authenticity and condition. A raw (ungraded) copy relies entirely on the seller's description, so it typically sells for less unless the buyer can inspect it directly.

FAQ

What was the best-selling comic book genre in 1960?

Licensed and funny-animal titles from Dell and Gold Key, especially Disney properties and Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge stories, generally outsold the emerging superhero revival. Superhero comics were growing fast at DC but hadn't yet overtaken the newsstand dominance of humor and licensed comics that had carried the industry through the 1950s.

How much can an original 1960 Justice League comic sell for today?

High-grade copies of The Brave and the Bold #28 or Justice League of America #1 have sold for tens of thousands of dollars at auction in top CGC grades, while lower-grade or restored copies trade for a few hundred to a few thousand, reflecting how heavily condition and restoration status drive Silver Age pricing.

What's the difference between Golden Age and Silver Age comics?

Golden Age spans roughly 1938 to 1956, covering the original debuts of Superman, Batman, and wartime patriotic heroes. The Silver Age, starting around 1956, reintroduced many of those concepts with science-fiction origins under tighter Comics Code Authority rules, and 1960 sits squarely in this reinvention period.

Did any 1960 comic introduce characters still used today?

Yes — the Justice League of America lineup formalized in 1960 remains the core template for DC's flagship team in comics, film, and television. Individual runs like Green Lantern's 1960 solo title also established supporting characters and concepts, such as the Guardians of the Universe, that persist in current continuity.

Why don't 1960s comics have Overstreet-style grading from that era?

The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide didn't launch until 1970, and third-party grading services like CGC didn't exist until 2000. Collectors in 1960 had no formal condition or value framework, so all pricing and grading applied to these books today is retrospective, built decades after original publication.

What condition issues are common in comics printed in 1960?

Newsprint from this era ages toward tan or brown rather than staying white, staples rust, and spine rolling is common from decades of storage folded in boxes. Cover detachment and moisture staining are also frequent, since acid-based paper stock wasn't archival and most copies weren't stored with preservation in mind.

Are 1960 Dell and Gold Key comics collectible?

Yes, particularly Uncle Scrooge and other Carl Barks-illustrated Disney titles, which command strong prices due to Barks' now-recognized artistic reputation. General licensed titles without a notable creator attached are collectible but typically trade far below contemporaneous DC superhero key issues from the same year.

How can I verify a 1960 comic isn't a reprint?

Check indicia details like the exact cover price, issue number placement, and paper stock against a database entry on the Grand Comics Database, or have a graded copy authenticated by CGC or CBCS. Reprints, treasury editions, and digests from later decades usually carry different trim sizes or reprint disclaimers in the indicia.

What is CGC census data and why does it matter for pricing?

CGC's census is a public tally of how many copies of a given issue it has graded at each grade level. Fewer surviving copies at high grades signal scarcity, which collectors and auction houses use alongside sales history to justify premiums on the best-preserved examples of any 1960 comic.

Were 1960 comics sold on newsstands or in stores?

Almost exclusively newsstands, drugstores, and spinner racks — the direct-market comic shop system didn't emerge until the mid-1970s. This distribution model is part of why so few 1960 comics survived in high grade: they were treated as disposable periodicals rather than collectibles worth preserving.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Age_of_Comic_Books
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League_of_America
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brave_and_the_Bold
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern_(comic_book)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flash_(comic_book)
• https://www.comics.org/
• https://www.heritageauctions.com/
• https://www.cgccomics.com/

Related on PULSE

• More comic books 1960 rankings and buying guides
• PULSE Tools and calculators
• Everything on PULSE RevOps