....what book ended the bronze age?

[blowout]

.....after all this talk about what started the bronze age.............it's now time to argue, sorry i mean debate, which book ended the bronze age..........or more acurately which book started the 'modern age'?

 

.......daredevil #158 ? dark night returns? watchmen #1..............?

 

 

....any others?................

[comicinvestor-migration]

Well, I truly believe that there is a "tweener" period between the End of the Bronze Age and the Start of the Modern. ie. that crappy period in the early to mid-80's.

 

So my guesses are X-Men 137 and Daredevil 181.

 

Take your pick, as these basically shut the door on the edgy, death/violence-oriented Bronze Age in a big way. Plus, they heralded the end of two of the most impressive creator runs ever, which really put Marvel (and the industry) in a funk.

[aardvark88]

Think this topic was prev. discussed w/ that long diatribe on beginning of bronze. The start of modern age was 1984 TMNT 1 b/w by Mirage. Start of the huge b/w explosion of independent comics w/ retail prices pushed to the MOON by CVM. For those few who still believe bronze started in 1975 w/ Gt Sz X-men 1, 1984 almost fits into a nice 10 yr historical period for their theory.

[comicinvestor-migration]

I think the Modern Age started with Dark Knight, but TMNT is also a great pick. My only point is that I think these are mutually exclusive to the actual question of what book edned the Bronze Age; the end of the Bronze and the start of the Modern happened years apart from my POV.

 

There was a period in the early 1980's where comic time seemed to stand still, and there were virtually no key issues, no real movement and it seemed that both Marvel and DC were waiting for something to happen.

[Zonker]

I'm sure I'll get no takers on this one, but since I believe the Bronze Age started with Detective 395 in January 1970, here goes nothing...

 

The Bronze Age ended with Detective 443, December 1974, the last Goodwin-edited issue, the end of the first great modern Batman era.

 

By the end of 1974 that special something of the early seventies was gone. Neal Adams mainstream monthly comics work was over. Wrightson had left Swamp Thing, Barry Smith had left Conan, Kaluta had left The Shadow. Kirby's 4th World--Cancelled. GL/GA-- Cancelled. Cockrum had left the Legion, Len Wein was no longer writing JLA. The Spider-Man milestones were over: the drug books, Morbius, Deaths of Gwen & Goblin, the intro of the Punisher. (Time to bring on the friggin clones!) Wolverine had entered the stage.

 

There was good stuff coming in the future, including the Miller Daredevil and the Claremont/Byrne X-Men. I just don't call it Bronze Age. If we all don't buy in that Giant-Size X-Men was the beginning of the Modern Age, then I feel we need to define a New Age for the late seventies to mid eighties.

 

Cheers,

Z.

[murph0]

What book was the first available in both newstand and direct edition versions?

 

Brian

[actionuniverse-migration]

How about the Wolverine mini-series? After this was a success, just about all Marvel character and team had a mini-series. Just a thought

[murph0]

That's more modern.

 

Brian

[melmoth]

Slightly off period, but when is the Modern Age going to end? This period, even if you take Dark Knight Returns as the start of it, is pushing it in years. Is is just going to dribble on for 20 more years?

 

And if has ended, why is no-one stepping forward in industry circles to announce the start of the new age? Or claiming that their issue started the new age?

 

And why don't I go something productive instead of smoking this stuff?

[Kevin Boyd]

I think this may have been discussed before but my choices for the beginning of the Modern Age are:

 

DC - Crisis on Infinite Earths #1

 

Marvel - Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1

 

They are the first big "event" driven books that pretty much set the pace for the Modern Age - death, revamps, multi-part crossovers, continuity thrown out the window, new costumes at the drop off a hat, and other gimmicks.

 

Kev

 

 

[Darthdiesel]

beginning in 10/2000 we entered the Ultimate Age!

[comicinvestor-migration]

Yeah, an dbefore that we had the New Universe Age, the 2099 Age, the Heroes Reborn Age, the Heroes Return Age, and M Age, and probably a zillion other Marvel "revamps" that peetered out years later.

 

I think Marvel's MAX line and losing the Comic's Code may be a more important transition.

[Darthdiesel]

You would see it that way because the Max line is the Marvel Bronze Age "revamp..."

 

Unlike previous quantity instead of quality "revamps" you mentioned, the Ultimate line has bucked that trend and focused on hi grade writing and artistic talent. IMO, it will be more influential in the future of Moderns than you think.

 

Dropping the comic code is pretty big, but I always just saw it as losing the little stamp on the front of the cover. DC seems to be following suit, but the CCA is an outdated, obsolete authority no longer needed in a day and age where children are regularly exposed to swearing, sex, violence, and that's just from watching an episode of Teletubbies (oh that mischievous Poe!). wait till they turn the channel to FOX!!!

[FlyingDonut]

Bronze Age ended with Contest of Champions 1 - first Marvel mini series. It was a stupid book but was the beginning of the end.

[melmoth]

Any advance on the Ultimate Age or the MAX Age?

 

They're not quite as snappy though!

[Darthdiesel]

 

I alwyas considered the CGC Age...

[aardvark88]

Both newsstand & direct edition = Dazzler 1 (Mar/81) w/c is 1 of Supa's fave semi-key bks.

[hogations]

I really liked the story-concept of this mini-series but Marvel really blew it out of their butts in the last issue. The final score was wrong!

[murph0]

I'll go with Dazzler #1 as the beginning of the modern age

 

Brian

[comicinvestor-migration]

I'll take Daredevil 181 (the last big character death) as the end of the Bronze, and Dazzler #1 (although Secret Wars is also intriguing) as the start of the Modern.