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Bronze Age Keys -The List!

Started by whetteon,

125 posts in this topic

blowout

blowout

Posted
Posted

 

If you don't consider DD 158 a key, then why do you consider X-MEN 108 one? confused.gif

 

I see that you included MTU 53....but not IF 15. confused.gif

 

DD 158 should be on there. blush.gif

 

MTU 53 is Byrne's 1st work on the X-Men, IF #15 is not. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

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blowout

blowout

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Posted
We could go on forever.

 

If ASM 194 is considered "key", then why not X-MEN 129? Surely Kitty is as important as the Black Cat.

 

I wouldn't consider either of those books keys.

 

BUT, it comes back to personal opinion, and how important you consider a certain character. For example, earlier in the thread donut mentioned that he didn't consider FF 52 (1st Black Panther) to be a key, but I am certain that many collectors (including me) would strongly disagree. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

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Jeffreykli

Jeffreykli

Posted
Posted

Amazing Adventures 11

Amazing Spider-Man 96, 97, 98, 101, 121, 122, 129, 136, 194

American Splendor 1

Batman 232, 234, 251

Cerebus 1

Conan 1

Daredevil 168, 181

Giant Sized X-Men 1

Green Lantern 76

House of Secrets 92

Hulk 180, 181

Iron Fist 14

Iron Man 55

Jimmy Olsen 134

Marvel Feature 1

Marvel Premiere 1, 15

Marvel Special Edition 15

Marvel Spotlight 2, 5

Marvel Team Up 1

Superman 233

Tomb of Dracula 10

X-Men 94, 101,108, 121,137

 

I agree with most of your cuts, but in the interest of shortening the list some more, I'd also cut the following:

 

ASM 97, 98, 101, 194 -- #96 was the key book of the #96-98 run, since it's the first one, so 97 and 98 can be cut. #101 Morbius is a weaker argument than Jonah Hex, Deathlok, Moon Knight, etc. Same for #194 - Black Cat.

 

Marvel Premiere 1 -- Origin of Warlock? Not a short list key.

 

Marvel Spotlight 2 -- If Dracula isn't a key bronze character, is the Werewolf?

 

Uncanny X-Men 108 -- First Byrne in the run isn't a short-list key.

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blowout

blowout

Posted
Posted

 

I agree with most of your cuts, but in the interest of shortening the list some more, I'd also cut the following:

 

ASM 97, 98, 101, 194 -- #96 was the key book of the #96-98 run, since it's the first one, so 97 and 98 can be cut. #101 Morbius is a weaker argument than Jonah Hex, Deathlok, Moon Knight, etc. Same for #194 - Black Cat.

 

Marvel Premiere 1 -- Origin of Warlock? Not a short list key.

 

Marvel Spotlight 2 -- If Dracula isn't a key bronze character, is the Werewolf?

 

Uncanny X-Men 108 -- First Byrne in the run isn't a short-list key.

 

All your cuts make sense except for the last two, which I feel have to stay on the list.

MS #2 First Werewolf By Night, an important BA character and one that defined Marvels horror output during the period.

X-Men #108 The start of probably one of the greatest runs in comic book history, and as important IMO as X-Men #94.

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Norrin_Radd

Norrin_Radd

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Posted
BUT, it comes back to personal opinion, and how important you consider a certain character. For example, earlier in the thread donut mentioned that he didn't consider FF 52 (1st Black Panther) to be a key, but I am certain that many collectors (including me) would strongly disagree. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

sumo.gif FF 52 is a SA key! Period! sumo.gif

 

He was an Avenger for god's sake! And has had his own title 6 times (including Jungle Action). If his first appearance isn't a key, then I don't know what is.

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

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Works for me:

Amazing Adventures 11

Amazing Spider-Man 96, 121, 122, 129, 136

American Splendor 1

Batman 232, 234, 251

Cerebus 1

Conan 1

Daredevil 168, 181

Giant Sized X-Men 1

Green Lantern 76

House of Secrets 92

Hulk 180, 181

Iron Fist 14

Iron Man 55

Jimmy Olsen 134

Marvel Feature 1

Marvel Premiere 15

Marvel Special Edition 15

Marvel Spotlight 5

Marvel Team Up 1

Superman 233

Tomb of Dracula 10

X-Men 94, 101,121,137

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

Posted
Posted
Astonishing Tales 25 NO Deathlok? Because a book sells for a lot doesn't make it a key. 1st Perez work at Marvel?

15 NO Why Iron Fist 15? I can't think of any reason to have it on the list. Byrne's 2nd work on the X-MEN?

Marvel Team Up 1 YES , 53 NO Cool book, but not a KEY

Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man 27, 28 NO Cool books, but KEYS How are Byrne's 1st work on the X-MEN & Miller's 1st work on DD not keys?

X-Men 94, 101,108, 121,137

The 1st appearance of Alpha Flight is a key, but 109 isn't? Without Vindicator...no Alpha Flight.

 

Because a list of keys should be, by definition, very short.

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Zanarkand

Zanarkand

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Interesting thread. Why don't we hash out the definition of a "key"?

 

A "key" is, in a nutshell, a milestone comic that collectors still care about, all these years later. That could be a #1, or an origin issue, or an artist' first work, but not every #1, every origin issue, or every artist's first work.

 

Here're some "key" criteria:

 

#1 issue: The Bronze Age was just littered with #1s, many of which were utterly unimportant. So while a GA or SA book might be a "key" due to #1 status alone, a BA #1 won't qualify unless it's also important in some other way.

 

1st appearances: The BA was also littered with these. Some are clearly important while others were minor but have picked up steam, but again, a 1st appearance isn't enough to qualify a book as a key, unless it's a big deal. We get into a gray area here, because there are obviously majorly important vs. somewhat important 1st appearances. Wolverine vs. Sabretooth. New X-Men vs. Defenders. Here's where we get into major vs. minor keys.

 

What else? Not artist's/writer's first work on a character, unless it was a major character and it changed the character. Miller on Daredevil yes (and Wolverine, and Batman...), Byrne on X-Men no. Adams on Green Lantern. Artist's first work in comics maybe, if it can be agreed that the artist was important in some way (let the games begin...)

 

Also historically important books. The beginning of the Indy explosion (Cerebus #1). Cracks in the Comics Code (ASM drug issues). Revamps of major characters (though often this coincides with an artist/writer 1st work on a character).

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Aman619

Aman619

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My Top 10 list:

 

Amazing Spider-Man 122, 129

Conan 1

Daredevil 158

Giant Sized X-Men 1

Green Lantern 76

House of Secrets 92

Hulk 181

Marvel Spotlight 5

X-Men 94

 

whew! that was harder than I thought... I hadda take out the villain first appearances, and the lesser heroes. I admit my list is a bit dated, that is, going with the old standards over the newer hotter books (AA12, XM101) but there it is..

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Jeffreykli

Jeffreykli

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Nice top 10 lists. Here's mine:

 

Amazing Spider-Man 122, 129

Cerebus 1

Conan 1

Giant Sized X-Men 1

Green Lantern 76

House of Secrets 92

Hulk 181

Jimmy Olsen 134

Marvel Spotlight 5

 

Looking over the list, I guess I think that first appearances are the most significant events. Sadly, I still need 3 off this list. foreheadslap.gif

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Murph

Murph

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For a top 10, I like (in no particular order):

Amazing Spider-man 121

Amazing Spider-man 122

Amazing Spider-man 129

Hulk 181

Marvel Spotlight 5

X-men 94

Giant Size X-men 1

Werewolf by Night 32

Tomb of Dracula 10

Daredevil 168

 

Sorry, no DC's as I haven't read any so it'd be just a popularity title pick if I were to add them.

 

Brian

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Mephisto

Mephisto

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I'm glad that somone added Batman 251 to the list very early on and that others agreed. Although it's not a first appearance of anything it's a much more important book other than the fact that it's got a great Neal Adams cover. Personally I think the story is more important than the cover. It's the first time that the Joker kills anyone in about 30 years! Frank Miller didn't return the Dark Knight, Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil did!

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