Tea Bronze Age of the comics is a time period between the early 1970s and 1986.
The 1970s were a time of transition for the comic book publishing industry. Marvel Comics, with its more realistic take on superheroes, was rapidly outgrowing DC Comics’ Silver Age sensibilities to become the most profitable comic book publisher.
The Comics Code Authority had loosened some of its restrictions after Stan Lee was asked by the US government to write a Spider-Man story about drug abuse. As a result, Marvel reintroduced horror comics onto the stage with titles like Dracula’s Tomb Y werewolf at night.
Underground comics were becoming more popular with older readers as a more mature alternative to DC and Marvel superhero titles. While the subversive elements of many underground comics eventually disappeared for the most part, the independent spirit of them took hold and independent, non-CCA-approved comics such as Dave Sim were published. cerberus and that of Wendy and Richard Pini ElfQuest they became high points of the independent scene that is still highly regarded.
In response, the two biggest publishers (especially Marvel) begin experimenting with different kinds of heroes inspired by other media, like the “blaxploitation movie” that was the genesis of Luke Cage in hero for hireand the kung-fu movies that inspired the character that would become Cage’s sidekick, Iron Fist.
It is also in the Bronze Age that we begin to see the newspaper distribution model that comics had used from the beginning crumble. For one thing, traditional magazine outlets (newsstands, pharmacies, convenience stores, etc.) were not ordering as many copies of each title. On the other hand, specialty comics stores might cater specifically to comic book readers and stock older issues. In the late 1980s, comics all but disappeared from traditional media.
And the 1970s saw the premiere of the last truly standout, crossover superhero character. You may have heard of him. His name is Wolverine, and he is the best at what he does.
The Bronze Age clearly stops at 1986, where two things happened, both involving writer Alan Moore:
- Even with the more adult tone superhero comics were taking, Moore see men The miniseries took on a dramatically darker tone, exploring themes never before explored in superhero comics.
- “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow”, also written by Moore, was the culmination of the Superman character as portrayed up to that point. by John Byrne iron Man The miniseries later that year “rebooted” the Superman character to make him more relevant to the 1980s.