"Experimentation & Expansion in the Bronze Age"

[bronze johnny]

So after reading "Marvel Comics: The Untold Story," I took notice of the author's description of "experimentation" with drugs done by some Marvel artists/writers during the 1970s and was wondering if their contemporaries at DC also experimented? Did such experimentation and an "expansion" of the mind that some of these drugs supposedly provide have any impact on the artwork and storytelling? If so, how much of an impact did it have on the Bronze Age Comic Book? Moreover, did it give Marvel an edge over its competition during the BA?

 

Did "experimentation and expansion" influence the experiments that occurred during the Bronze Age of the American Comic Book?

 

John

[DeliBebek]

I'm not really addressing the main question here, but I was interested recently reading Star*Reach #1 (1974) and seeing that Jim Starlin wrote and drew himself into the story and actually showed himself taking a hit of acid at the end of the story.

[catrick339]

I grew up in Kalamazoo Michigan during those exact days (graduated high school in 1972) and literally EVERY ONE of my contemporaries smoked weed with the exception of one friend, who had suffered a bout of something nasty (Rheumatic fever? Scarlet fever?) as a kid and had a weak heart.

 

He wouldn't smoke anything at all, but was delighted to narf down a weed-filled brownie.

 

I understand that Kalamazoo is a big college town and dope was probably more prevalent thereabouts then other towns, but I can't imagine that it was any less prevalent in New York at the same time.

 

 

 

Conclusive assumption unless otherwise proven is that all the Young Turks, Marvel and DC both, experimented with weed and probably other drugs.

[oakman29]

Those times changed everything,can't imagine why comics would be any different.

[namisgr]

Did "experimentation and expansion" influence the experiments that occurred during the Bronze Age of the American Comic Book?

 

John

 

What do you think?

 

Wrightson, Jones, Smith, Kaluta:

 

[catrick339]

Did "experimentation and expansion" influence the experiments that occurred during the Bronze Age of the American Comic Book?

 

John

 

What do you think?

 

Wrightson, Jones, Smith, Kaluta:

 

 

HEH HEH, like I said...

[oakman29]

Did "experimentation and expansion" influence the experiments that occurred during the Bronze Age of the American Comic Book?

 

John

 

What do you think?

 

Wrightson, Jones, Smith, Kaluta:

 

They look like Led Zeppelin!

[bronze johnny]

Makes for a great LP album cover.

[jools&jim]

 

Uh...yeah...

 

 

These guys--especially Wrightson and Barry Smith--were basically the artistic rock stars of the comics world, ca. 1969 - 1973. They looked the part, too, and probably lived it up as much--and in much the same way--as any similarly creative young people (musicians, poets, actors, etc.) of the era...

 

 

[Brian48]

Cool. Who's who in that picture?

[jools&jim]

 

L to R: Kaluta, Jones, Wrightson, Smith

 

 

[jjonahjameson1]

So after reading "Marvel Comics: The Untold Story," I took notice of the author's description of "experimentation" with drugs done by some Marvel artists/writers during the 1970s and was wondering if their contemporaries at DC also experimented? Did such experimentation and an "expansion" of the mind that some of these drugs supposedly provide have any impact on the artwork and storytelling? If so, how much of an impact did it have on the Bronze Age Comic Book? Moreover, did it give Marvel an edge over its competition during the BA?

 

Did "experimentation and expansion" influence the experiments that occurred during the Bronze Age of the American Comic Book?

 

John

 

Yes, of course it did. There are other reference to 'mind expanding' experiments by Marvel and DC creators in the pages of Comic Book Artist and I recall Englehart, Rogers, Weiss, Starlin, among many others cited over the years.

[bronze johnny]

Was there any reaction to the "newer guys" experimenting from the "old guard" (Infantino, Kirby, Ditko, etc.)?

[Phil Maguire-migration]

Oh come on, guys.

 

Drugs had been popular in the Fifties with the Beat Movement and popular in the Sixities with the Hippy Movement before it became popular in the Seventies. I mean you only have to look at some of Kirby's stuff with Fantastic Four (specifically the Negative Zone) or Ditko with Dr Strange and it makes you wonder what they might have taken.

 

Of course, just because it looks drug-fueled doesn't necessarily mean it was. The animators of Disney were challenged on this point concerning "Pig Elephants on Parade" from Dumbo and "Heffalumps and Woozels" from Winnie the Pooh. When asked what drug they used to inspire them, they replied that it was the most powerful one - imagination.

 

Also, I think you'll find that Rennaisance Art was more of an influence on Barry Smith than drugs ever were. Not that I mind either way, they were all great artists.

 

By the way, I don't think they meant to dress like a rock band. That was just the way we all dressed back then (I have some very embarrassing photos from that era myself)

 

[kidcolt]

Worked for Jimmie Hendrix can't see why it couldn't hurt something like comics where creativity is a must. The thing is that outside of the kids everyone reading it was also whacked on something .

[shadroch]

Uh...yeah...

 

 

These guys--especially Wrightson and Barry Smith--were basically the artistic rock stars of the comics world, ca. 1969 - 1973. They looked the part, too, and probably lived it up as much--and in much the same way--as any similarly creative young people (musicians, poets, actors, etc.) of the era...

 

 

I doubt they had many female groupies, though.

The guy smoking has an uncanny resemblence to Duane Allman.

[jools&jim]

 

By the way, I don't think they meant to dress like a rock band...

 

 

That's a Gibson Les Paul Custom being played by Barry -- not an inexpensive instrument, even after the first reissues hit the market in 1968...and probably not widely available in England at the time, either.

 

So I gather he was at least semi-serious about music: he has stated in interviews that if he hadn't become a comics artist, he'd have joined--or started--a rock band. From what I've read, he's apparently a fairly capable guitar player, too...

 

 

 

 

[Phil Maguire-migration]

OK, I stand corrected - maybe he was trying to dress like he was in a rock band.

 

Still, I didn't know that about him. Thanks for enlightening me

[shadroch]

He may have had an expensive guitar, but it appears he only owned one shirt.