Editing Gardner Fox (section)

===Silver Age===
{{Main article|Silver Age of Comic Books}}
During the early 1950s, Fox wrote [[Vigilante (comics)|Vigilante]] in ''[[Action Comics]]'', as well as Western stories in the pages of ''[[Western Comics]]'' and science-fiction stories for DC's ''[[Mystery in Space]]'' and ''[[Strange Adventures]]''.<ref name="Mike"/><ref>[[Alexander C. Irvine|Irvine, Alex]] "1950s" in Dolan, p. 64: "DC picked up on renewed public interest in science fiction by launching its first comic in the genre, the anthology series, ''Strange Adventures''. The series kicked off its 244-issue run with an adaptation of the first color science fiction movie, ''Destination Moon'' (released that same month), written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Curt Swan."</ref> During 1953, he entered into correspondence with fan [[Jerry Bails]], which initially emphasized Bails' fondness for the Justice Society and ''All-Star Comics'', but ultimately became a friendship that not only influenced the beginning of comics' so-called "Silver Age", but also comics [[fandom]], in which Bails had a major role.<ref>Letter from Jerry Bails to Roy Thomas, November 24, 1960. Excerpted in Roy Thomas' "Jerry, You're The Bestest!" editorial, ''[[Alter Ego (magazine)|Alter Ego]]'' Vol. 3 Issue #25 (June 2003)</ref><ref>{{cite book |author-link=Bill Schelly |last=Schelly |first=Bill |title=The Golden Age of Comic Fandom |publisher=Hamster Press |year=1995}} Excerpted online as {{cite web |url=http://www.billschelly.com/pages/aebirth.html |title=The Birth of Alter-Ego |access-date=July 17, 2008 |archive-date=February 21, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030221174140/http://www.billschelly.com/pages/aebirth.html%3C |url-status=dead}}</ref>

During the mid-1950s, after [[Fredric Wertham]]'s publication of ''[[Seduction of the Innocent]]'' and the [[United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency]] hearings on the dangers of comic books, the content of comics was changed and became subject to censoring by the private [[Comics Code Authority]]. In partial response to this shift, DC editor [[Julius Schwartz]] began a widespread reinvention/revival of many earlier characters, and "Fox was one of the first writers... Schwartz called in to help".<ref name="Fifty"/> The [[Silver Age of Comic Books]] began in the pages of ''[[Showcase (comics)|Showcase]]'' #4 (Oct. 1956) with a radically changed [[Barry Allen|Flash]] character by writers [[Robert Kanigher]] and [[John Broome (writer)|John Broome]] with penciler [[Carmine Infantino]].<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 80: "The arrival of the second incarnation of the Flash in [''Showcase''] issue #4 is considered to be the official start of the Silver Age of comics."</ref>

Fox scripted most of the Silver Age adventures of science-fiction hero [[Adam Strange]], who debuted in the comic book ''Showcase'' #17 (Nov. 1958) with art by [[Mike Sekowsky]].<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 91: "Adam Strange debuted in a three-issue trial starting with ''Showcase'' #17, which was written by Gardner Fox and featured art by Mike Sekowsky."</ref> The Adam Strange stories were co-plotted by Fox and the character's creator, Julius Schwartz.<ref>{{cite book|last = Amash|first = Jim|author-link = Jim Amash|chapter= Foreword|title = The Adam Strange Archives: Volume 1|publisher = DC Comics|year = 2004|pages = 5–8|isbn = 978-1401201487}}</ref> With the "creative guidance" of Fox and Schwartz, "[[Hawkman (Katar Hol)|Hawkman]] and the [[Atom (Ray Palmer)|Atom]] were given new costumes, new identities," and drew an audience of fans old and new. Fox penned the reinvention of the new Hawkman in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #34 (March 1961)<ref>McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 102: "DC's...renaissance soared to new heights with the return of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Writer Gardner Fox and artist Joe Kubert...ushered in a pair of Winged Wonders that, costumes aside, were radically different from their Golden Age predecessors."</ref> and the Atom, who debuted in ''Showcase'' #34 (Sep–Oct. 1961) with art by [[Gil Kane]].<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 103: "The Atom was the next Golden Age hero to receive a Silver Age makeover from writer Gardner Fox and artist Gil Kane."</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Pasko|first = Martin|author-link = Martin Pasko|title = The DC Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the DC Universe|publisher = [[Running Press]]|year = 2008|location= Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|isbn = 978-0762432578|page= 101|quote = Old [All-American] heroes like Hawkman and the Atom were revived – both by writer Gardner Fox – and given the [science fiction] makeover with as many new twists as possible.}}</ref>

====Justice League of America====
{{Main article|Justice League of America}}
Another of Fox's major achievements was his revival of the concept of the [[Justice Society]] as the [[Justice League of America]], debuting in the comic book ''[[The Brave and the Bold]]'' #28 (Feb.–Mar. 1960).<ref>McAvennie, "1960s" in Dolan, p. 99: "Editor Julius Schwartz had repopulated the [superhero] subculture by revitalizing Golden Age icons like Green Lantern and the Flash..He recruited writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, and together they came up with the Justice League of America, a modern version of the legendary Justice Society of America from the 1940s."</ref> Soon given their own title during Oct.–Nov. 1960, the Justice League would become the basis of the DC Universe.<ref>{{cite book|last = Daniels|first = Les|author-link = Les Daniels|title = DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes|chapter= The Justice League of America A Team of Good Sports|publisher = Bulfinch|year = 1995|page = 127|isbn = 0821220764|quote= ''Justice League'' was a hit. It solidified once and for all the importance of super hero groups, and in the process provided a playground where DC's characters could attract new fans while entertaining established admirers.}}</ref> The supervillain [[Doctor Light (Arthur Light)|Doctor Light]] first battled the team in issue #12 (June 1962).<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 105: "In a tale written by Gardner Fox, with art by Mike Sekowsky, Dr. Light's first [adventure] was almost the JLA's last."</ref> ''Justice League of America'' #21 and #22 (August–September 1963) featured the first team-up of the Justice League and the [[Justice Society of America]] as well as the first use of the term "Crisis" in reference to a crossover between characters.<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 109: "The two-part 'Crisis on Earth-One!' and 'Crisis on Earth-Two!' saga represented the first use of the term 'Crisis' in crossovers, as well as the designations 'Earth-1' and 'Earth-2'. In it editor Julius Schwartz, [writer Gardner] Fox, and artist Mike Sekowsky devised a menace worthy of the World's Greatest Heroes."</ref> The next year's team-up with the Justice Society introduced the threat of the [[Crime Syndicate of America]] of [[Earth-Three]].<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 112: "Writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky crafted a tale in which the Crime Syndicate...ambushed the JLA on Earth-1."</ref> The character [[Zatanna]], introduced by Fox and artist Murphy Anderson in ''Hawkman'' #4 (Nov. 1964), was the center of a plotline which ran through several DC titles and was resolved in ''Justice League of America'' #51 (Feb. 1967).<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 112</ref> Fox and Sekowsky were the creative team for the title's first eight years. Sekowsky's last issue was #63 (June 1968) and Fox departed with #65 (September 1968).<ref name="GCD" /><ref>{{cite book|last = Eury|first = Michael|author-link = Michael Eury|chapter= The Writers and Artists of ''Justice League of America''|title = The Justice League Companion|publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing|year = 2005|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|pages = 96–97|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QxJPl_R0FtwC&q=Gardner+Fox+Justice+League+Companion&pg=RA2-PA1908|isbn = 978-1893905481}}</ref>

====Multiverse====
{{Main article|Multiverse (DC Comics)}}

Fox's script for "[[Flash of Two Worlds]]!", from ''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' #123 (Sept. 1961), introduced the concept that the Golden Age heroes existed on a parallel Earth named [[Earth-Two]], as the current Flash, [[Barry Allen]], travels to the Earth of [[Flash (Jay Garrick)|Jay Garrick]], the 1940s Flash. This event heralded more generally the concept of the DC Comics [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|Multiverse]],<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 103: "This classic Silver Age story resurrected the Golden Age Flash and provided a foundation for the Multiverse from which he and the Silver Age Flash would hail."</ref> a decades-long recurring theme of the DC Comics universe, allowing old and new heroes to co-exist and crossover.<ref name="comicsalliance" />

In a mischievous twist, Gardner Fox is actually referenced in the story—in Barry Allen's world, the adventures of Jay Garrick's Flash appeared in comic books written by Fox. As Barry explains, "A writer named Gardner Fox wrote about your adventures -- which he claimed came to him in dreams! Obviously when Fox was asleep, his mind was 'tuned in' on your vibratory Earth! That explains how he 'dreamed up' the Flash!" At the end of the story, Barry says, "I'm going to look up Gardner Fox, who wrote the original Flash stories, and tell it to him! He can write the whole thing up... in a comic book!"<ref>{{cite book |last=Wandtke |first=Terrence R. |date=2014 |title=The Meaning of Superhero Comic Books |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vgGNFxy602kC&pg=PA139 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |pages=139–140 |isbn=978-0-7864-6491-3}}</ref>

====Silver Age Batman====
During 1964, Schwartz was made responsible for reviving the Batman titles<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Greenberger|first1 = Robert|author-link = Robert Greenberger|last2 = Manning|first2 = Matthew K.|title = The Batman Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the Batcave|publisher = [[Running Press]]|year = 2009|isbn = 978-0762436637|page= 19|quote = DC shifted its editorial staff around, placing legendary editor Julius 'Julie' Schwartz in charge of the denizens of Gotham City...Schwartz brought two of his Flash cohorts, writers Gardner Fox and John Broome, on to his team.}}</ref> and Fox returned to writing Batman stories.<ref name="Bails"/> Obeying the Silver Age trends, he reintroduced characters including the [[Riddler]] and the [[Scarecrow (DC Comics)|Scarecrow]]. Fox's "Remarkable Ruse of the Riddler" with art by [[Sheldon Moldoff]] in ''[[Batman (comic book)|Batman]]'' #171 (May 1965).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/comic.php?comicid=3701|title= ''Batman'' #171 'Remarkable Ruse of the Riddler'|first= Mike|last= Voiles|year= 2015|publisher= Mike's Amazing World of Comics|df=mdy-all|access-date= September 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 114: "Nearly eighteen years had passed since the Riddler last tried to stump Batman and Robin. Therefore, when writer Gardner Fox and artist Sheldon Moldoff released Edward Nigma, the villain insisted that he had reformed."</ref> Eighteen issues later, Fox and Moldoff similarly resuscitated and relocated Professor Jonathan Crane, launching the Earth-1 Scarecrow in "Fright of the Scarecrow", ''Batman'' #189 (Feb 1967).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/comic.php?comicid=3719|title= ''Batman'' #189 'Fright of the Scarecrow'|first= Mike|last= Voiles|year= 2015|publisher= Mike's Amazing World of Comics|df=mdy-all|access-date= September 7, 2015}}</ref> He and artist Carmine Infantino created the [[Blockbuster (DC Comics)|Blockbuster]] in ''Detective Comics'' #345 (Nov. 1965)<ref>{{cite book|last1= Forbeck|first1= Matt|author-link1= Matt Forbeck|last2=Dougall|first2=Alastair, ed.|chapter= 1960s|title= Batman: A Visual History|publisher= [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year= 2014|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 88|isbn= 978-1465424563|quote= Gardner Fox and penciller Carmine Infantino introduced the villain Blockbuster in this issue.}}</ref> and the [[Cluemaster]] in issue #351 (May 1966).<ref>Forbeck "1960s" in Dougall, p. 93: "The villainous Cluemaster debuted in this story by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino."</ref> Fox and Infantino introduced [[Barbara Gordon]] as a new version of [[Batgirl]] in a story titled "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!" in ''Detective Comics'' #359 (January 1967).<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan p. 122 "Nine months before making her debut on ''Batman'', a new Batgirl appeared in the pages of ''Detective Comics''...Yet the idea for the debut of Barbara Gordon, according to editor Julius Schwartz, was attributed to the television series executives' desire to have a character that would appeal to a female audience and for this character to originate in the comics. Hence, writer Gardner Fox and artist Carmine Infantino collaborated on 'The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!'"</ref> Fox's final Batman story, "Whatever Will Happen to Heiress Heloise?", was published in ''Detective Comics'' #384 (Feb. 1969).<ref name="GCD" />