The “Dark Age” of Comics

Most of the edgy shit of the early 2000s like the massive collateral damage, arsehole heroes and Frank Miller was indistinguishable from late 80s and 90s trash. I would argue that the "dark age" didn't really end end until the 2010s, and even that was mainly because as much as people whine about it, political correctness was taking over and comics had to clean themselves up. Modern edge is just garden variety gore.

The current age system needs to be retired, it is worthless because it only applies to Marvel and DC.

Golden Age runs from 1924 (Launch of Little Orphan Annie & Wash Tubbs) to 1954 (CCA).

1955-1980 is the Cape Era where everything slowly withered away except capes.

1981-1996 is the Rise of the Direct Market

1997-present is the death of the direct market and the industry's slow transition from comic stores to bookstores.

Your system is worthless because it only applies to America.

>because it only applies to Marvel and DC
But golden age basically just refers to EC Horror as is?

yea, there isn't the easy 1 issue to point to for the start of the bronze age is there is for the start of the silver or gold ages. But they are all around 70-72

EC Horror? The fuck is that? Never heard of it. We're talking IMPORTANT comics here, kid.

Blatant trolling. Try harder next time.

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Nope, 2000s had a lot of identifiers. It was nothing like the 90s.

2016-present

Wiki is shit. Anyone can update it. Dark age ended around the period of the market crash, Morrison's JLA, Authority, Ultimates, Ultinate Spider-man, Queseda and Jemas era, retirement of O'Neil and Jeanette Kahn from DC. These moments have huge gaps, but they were what ushered in a new era.

>Barry Allen showing up until the night gwen stacy died is silver age
>Gwen stacy's death until crisis on infinite earths/watchmen is bronze age (essentially bronze age dies with Barry Allen)

Gwen's death doesn't work as a start marker because there's too many Bronze Age stuff in the three years before that story.

Different comic industries around the world evolved mostly independently from each other and went through their own ups and downs, you would have to devise a different system for each one.

Actual Bronze age started earlier when Kirby left Marvel, O'Neil's GA, Green Goblin Reborn, CCA loosened and Superhero titles were cancelled and replaced with horror. Gwen Stacy's death was deep into the Bronze age.

Most people agree it starts about 1985-86, with Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Maus, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Daredevil Born Again, and the Mutant Massacre.

When it ends is up for debate.
Kingdom Come is clearly the beginning of the end of the Dark Age.
Marvel's Heroes Return is a show of the failure of the overly muscled and violent heroes.
Personally, I think the success of Ultimate Spider-Man was the end of the Dark Age. The Cinematic style of comic took off, and the success of superhero movies changed the medium to having comics that acted more like storyboards.

It's all pretty easy to categorize up until the 90's end. How do you anons think of post-90's comics?

The "Widescreen" or maybe "Cinematic" age is a big one. Spearheaded by Ellis' Authority, Morrison's JLA, The Ultimates, Ultimate Spider-Man, all of Millar's output, etc. there was a concerted effort to make comics more like Hollywood movies. The confusing thing is that era was ended by Hollywood embracing comics and creating today's Capeshit Ad Era.

In my opinion:
>Platmum Age was Hogun's Alley to Action Comics #1
>Golden Age was Action Comics #1 to the initiation of the Comics Code Authority
>Some people say the end of World War II to Showcase Presents #4 was the Atomic Age of Comics.
>Silver Age was The creation of the Comics Code to the relaxation of it, with The Amazing Spider-Man #97
>Bronze Age was Spider-Man #97 to 1985, with the creation of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1.
>Dark Age was 1985 to 2000, where Ultimate Spider-Man moved in the more cinematic/storyboard age of comics.
>We are moving out of the cinematic age, into a new age of comics. If it's happening, or already happened will be discussed in the future.

Even though Authority started it off (and preceded by Ellis and Hitch's Stormwatch, which was preceded by Morrison's JLA) I think is right that USM should be the marker because that was when Bendis' style was a major hit, and Ultimate X-Men gave Millar a larger audience than he had on Authority.

I think you guys are on to something with the "cinematic age" but I don't know that we're quite out of it yet

I still see a lot of comics with that template

Probably when Rob Liefied was still drawing.

You mean now, user?

thats capeshit darkage, alt comics were lit in the 90s, cape shit should have stayed dead

When was the last time since that New 52 fallout he had with Brian Smith?

He's writing now for Marvel

Literally last week

the 90s to the 2000s

2010s: soja age