What was the Greatest Single Comic of the Bronze Age?

[500Club]

 

- 'Death' of a major character, Jean Grey

- A chance to win $2,500

- Classic cover

- Byrne, Austin, Claremont

- The end of a fantastic storyline

- Double sized issue

 

My pick is DD 181. But you almost convinced me otherwise, and then I recalled the brilliance of X-Men 141, and almost switched again.

 

Yet, Daredevil 181 it is. What makes it great?

 

-the climax of a seminal story

-the apex of Frank Miller's legendary run

-double size

-top tier villains - Bullseye/Elektra

-death of Elektra

-fantastic cover -one wins, one dies

 

It also was the high point of a run that was a major step towards the grim and gritty tone that comics took on as bronze became copper, then modern.

 

Except for the fact that it's a Copper Age book, I might agree with you.

 

 

Actually there really isn't a 100% consensus for the end of the Bronze Age, although in my opinion it stops in late 1979, with X-Men 137, a full 2 1/2 years ahead of the aforementioned DD ish

 

Yeah, I'd kinda debated that myself.....

 

Do we then decide 137 is the end, and stories like the Wendigo issues and 'Days of Future Past' are copper, though part of the same run? Tough call. Miller's run to me was a different kind of storytelling, an evolution, and would make a good transition from bronze to copper....

 

If consensus is that DD 181 is copper, I would go with X-Men 137 myself, and BlowUpTheMoon's reasons.

 

 

[500Club]

 

- 'Death' of a major character, Jean Grey

- A chance to win $2,500

- Classic cover

- Byrne, Austin, Claremont

- The end of a fantastic storyline

- Double sized issue

 

My pick is DD 181. But you almost convinced me otherwise, and then I recalled the brilliance of X-Men 141, and almost switched again.

 

Yet, Daredevil 181 it is. What makes it great?

 

-the climax of a seminal story

-the apex of Frank Miller's legendary run

-double size

-top tier villains - Bullseye/Elektra

-death of Elektra

-fantastic cover -one wins, one dies

 

It also was the high point of a run that was a major step towards the grim and gritty tone that comics took on as bronze became copper, then modern.

 

Very well put. That was a great run and a great book.

 

Grim and gritty tone was set several years earlier with the appearance of Wolverine and The Punisher, IMHO.

 

n.b. 'major step'

 

IMHO, Watchmen and Dark Knight were the two biggest catalysts of grim and gritty. But the DD run was a step.

 

I agree, Punisher and Wolverine were the start of grim and gritty, but they were not written that way in the bronze age in general. Wolverine only started to take that tone in the middle of the Byrne/Claremont X-Men run.

[TupennyConan]

DD181 is the perfect example of a CA book or what I call modern book.

 

[Currin Comics]

Man, all of these are good suggestions, but I guess we gravitate towards are favorites, and for me it was WBN 15 (the first time Ploog drew Drac in the BA and perhaps the only time) the new orgin for WBN and the Drac tie-in etc, plus IMO one of the best covers of the BA.

 

MSpot 5 was good as well, as selling your soul to the devil and all the satanic over-lays were really pushing it for that era especially with the Manson/Helter Skelter still fresh in the public conscious etc.

 

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

X-men #137 is a mid-1980 book, not late 1979....and Bronze really can't just be 10 years. DD #181 is great, and it's the tale end of Bronze.

[Jayman]

Thor issue #193. Love how the Demolisher strains to break the Surfer's board.

I remember as a kid thinking "How could he do that?"

One of my favorite Bronze Age memories!

 

[Twistty1]

Its the first book that got you hooked.

 

If that's the case then it would be DD 184 which is more of a copper book I think..

[Bronty]

thats a different question, isnt it?

 

I think G X-MEN 1 takes the consensus lead here without too much contention.

 

And isn't that sad though? Because to me GSX1 is like the opposite of what 70s comics are about. There's all this weird and wonderful stuff going on creatively in all these new and/or revived genres, all these wonderful new artists and writers expressing themselves creatively, and the book that takes the crown..... is a bland superhero book? Pleh. :doh: Its a cool book and all but in some ways its kind of a watered down, lowest common denominator expression of the era

 

I guess I'm viewing it from the point of significance;

 

As I said in my earlier posts, its probably the most significant book. But for quality of story and art its "a bit of a joke" as tuppeny said, compared to some of the other books. Its a half decent superhero book. Average. It just happened to catch lightning in a bottle however and led to more significant books down the road.

[Bronty]

thats a different question, isnt it?

 

I think G X-MEN 1 takes the consensus lead here without too much contention.

 

And isn't that sad though? Because to me GSX1 is like the opposite of what 70s comics are about. There's all this weird and wonderful stuff going on creatively in all these new and/or revived genres, all these wonderful new artists and writers expressing themselves creatively, and the book that takes the crown..... is a bland superhero book? Pleh. :doh: Its a cool book and all but in some ways its kind of a watered down, lowest common denominator expression of the era

 

Maybe it would be more appropriate to say something like greatest all around title of the bronze age (think gymnastics)?

 

If we're going to use the gymnastics definition... ie best blend of importance, story, and art it has to be hulk 181 IMO. almost as important a book as gsx1 but more readable. Its a little cheesy but still it holds up surprisingly well... its still a fun read and an above average (if decidely unspectacular) bronze age marvel for story and art. I find gsx1 a real slog to read through whereas hulk 181 is a fun little brainless adventure. Kind of a popcorn flick but at least you're entertained.

 

 

[Ant-Man]

Thor issue #193. Love how the Demolisher strains to break the Surfer's board.

I remember as a kid thinking "How could he do that?"

One of my favorite Bronze Age memories!

 

 

One of the last holes in my Thor run. I'm a bigger Surfer fan, but I have got to get a copy.

[Jayman]

I know that pic is cropped on the right side but this issue is a TOUGH picture box cover to find perfectly centered without having that question mark cut off at the bottom. Great story too!

[Flash105]

I know when I really got fired up about collecting bronze age books in the mid 80s, the first two runs I went for was the GL Adams/O'Neil run and Miller's Daredevil run. I loved both. But 181 is probably the best book of the run. Now that I am collecting again, the run I am going for is the X-Men 94-143. I think the book really hits its stride around 110 and just keeps getting better. To pick one book is really hard. There are some fantastic covers, stories, and keys throughout the run.

[electricprune]

I know when I really got fired up about collecting bronze age books in the mid 80s, the first two runs I went for was the GL Adams/O'Neil run and Miller's Daredevil run. I loved both. But 181 is probably the best book of the run. Now that I am collecting again, the run I am going for is the X-Men 94-143. I think the book really hits its stride around 110 and just keeps getting better. To pick one book is really hard. There are some fantastic covers, stories, and keys throughout the run.

 

There are a handful fo great Bronze runs, but that X-Men run is hard to beat for reading purposes.

[40sJohn]

Greatest BA book? Got to be a Fantastic Four issue - Marvel say its the "THE World's Greatest Comic Magazine"

 

But seriously:

 

For me it's a toss-up between GSXM 1 and ASM 121. Hulk 181 would not be the book that it is without the Claremont/Byrne/Austin X-men run - period. Being an avid collector during the Bronze age, the Xmen run of 94-121 were MUST read books - couldn't wait for each issue to hit the rack. It was this span of books that elevated Wolverine to being a first tier hero. (My guess is that collectors desired the 1st appearance of the new Xmen lineup much quicker after it's release than did the demand for the Hulk 181 book.). So why is GSXM great? It showed us that a good comic could become great from a character standpoint and a writing/art standpoint.

 

Thoughts on why ASM 121 should be considered "the greatest":

 

In many ways, Spidey is the quintessential Bronze hero (Wolvie, in my mind, is the quintessential Copper-Modern hero). that struggles with his poor everyday life. He is the antithesis of the DC superhero, who never seemed to struggle. The death of GS seemed to seal his fate to a life that never seems to go right. This is why so many could identify with Peter/Spidy - In other words, the UNEXPECTED death of GS really meant something in the life of a character that was/is hugely popular. From a comic world perspective, we now believed that no character was safe - important characters could die. And to me, this is what the Bronze Age was about - the blossoming of ambiguity in the storylines of our heros.

 

[Yannis]

It seems that Batman 227 is really leaping towards the top spot these days

[Zonker]

It seems that Batman 227 is really leaping towards the top spot these days

 

Greatest single comic? Really? Sure, outstanding cover. Completely serviceable art by Novick & Giordano. O'Neil's -script has a nice gothic atmosphere, but as I've mentioned before, his -script doesn't really earn the would-be tragic ending he's shooting for...

 

[Yannis]

It seems that Batman 227 is really leaping towards the top spot these days

 

Greatest single comic? Really? Sure, outstanding cover. Completely serviceable art by Novick & Giordano. O'Neil's -script has a nice gothic atmosphere, but as I've mentioned before, his -script doesn't really earn the would-be tragic ending he's shooting for...

 

 

well, maybe it should be in the single greatest cover of the Bronze era thread instead? Is there a thread like that? If not then maybe it could be? Overall with story and all.... oh boy that is beyond tough. Maybe the Dark Phoenix X-Men 137 ? or 94 ? Or maybe Rom 1 (one of my personal favorites although not the biggest impact - if that is what you mean) ? or Maybe Spidey 122 ? or 129 ? Or Hulk 180 and 181 ?

[Yannis]

 

- 'Death' of a major character, Jean Grey

- A chance to win $2,500

- Classic cover

- Byrne, Austin, Claremont

- The end of a fantastic storyline

- Double sized issue

 

My pick is DD 181. But you almost convinced me otherwise, and then I recalled the brilliance of X-Men 141, and almost switched again.

 

Yet, Daredevil 181 it is. What makes it great?

 

-the climax of a seminal story

-the apex of Frank Miller's legendary run

-double size

-top tier villains - Bullseye/Elektra

-death of Elektra

-fantastic cover -one wins, one dies

 

It also was the high point of a run that was a major step towards the grim and gritty tone that comics took on as bronze became copper, then modern.

 

Except for the fact that it's a Copper Age book, I might agree with you.

 

 

Actually there really isn't a 100% consensus for the end of the Bronze Age, although in my opinion it stops in late 1979, with X-Men 137, a full 2 1/2 years ahead of the aforementioned DD ish

 

From what the market shows, the Bronze goes into 1982. Maybe down the line it could stretch into the mid 80s. The Silver age already reaches into the early 70s. Who coined these terms anyway?

[mrlatko]

Let's just end this debate, and agree that WWBN 32 is the best Bronzie ever.

 

Great cover, but the story and interior art: Not so much

[gaz2810i]

It's between either GSXM 1, ASM 121 and X-men 141 for me.