They say in some way I'm responsible for this whole thing.

    It may be true that my small efforts to preserve the Golden Age of comic books through my web site led to the first meeting between Richard and Darrin. And maybe in one of my e-mails to Darrin I did discuss the need for a "Who's Who" style web site for Golden Age characters.

    But that's about the extent of my involvement. I can't take any credit for what has happened since -- Richard and Darrin have taken it to another level entirely. Their "Good Guys and Gals of the Golden Age" web site has provided in-depth histories of a growing number of Golden Age comic book characters, all in an entertaining, educational and easy-to-navigate format. This CD-ROM is the natural expansion of that site, offering comic book fans an invaluable resource at an affordable price.

    The World Wide Web is perhaps the last hope for preserving the great characters and stories of the Golden Age. The "Big Two" companies, DC and Timely/Marvel, have made attempts to preserve their Golden Age stories for future generations, but with varying success. Also, a company in New Jersey offers a slew of Golden Age comics on microfiche, but doesn't stray too far from the "Big Two" and M.L.J. It's the characters and stories from the smaller companies which are in danger of disappearing completely, especially with the cost of Golden Age comics, even those from the smaller publishers, climbing to astronomical levels, pricing a majority of fans out of the hobby.

    The World Wide Web offers a potential solution to that distressing problem. Through my own limited efforts and the efforts of a small but growing cadre of others, including Richard and Darrin, comic book fans are being introduced to a whole world of stories and characters which have not been seen in over 50 years. These preservation efforts all stem from a genuine love of the Golden Age, which shines through on every site, no matter how small. And I hope that the growing availability of writable CD-ROM drives will lead to even greater preservation efforts. There is already at least one company that offers Golden Age comics on CD-ROM, with more surely to follow. I look forward to a day when fans around the world trade CD-ROM versions of their collections with one another.

    Richard and Darrin's endeavor also points out another fascinating aspect of modern technology. Because of the Internet, two people living in two different countries were able to get together to explore their shared interest in Golden Age comic books. I'm not sure if Richard and Darrin have anything else in common, but with the 'Net it doesn't matter. Despite the geographical distance and other factors separating the two, the Internet has allowed them to work together to produce something wonderful which benefits fans not just in their own circles of friends, but throughout the world.

Let's hope it continues for a long, long time!

Bill Nolan

Editor, Pure Excitement Comics
http://members.xoom.com/pfeonline/