Transition points leading to what we know today as the Copper Age 1 1

[jimjum12]

I hate to sound like Roy here, but there really is no right or wrong answer.

 

I mean, the Silver Age is still in debate for most folks (1956 or 1961) depending on whether you are a DC or Marvel fan primarily.

 

I can buy pretty much any argument for either 1982, 1983, or 1984. 1980-1981 was almost certainly too early, and 1985-1986 is almost certainly too late in my opinion. It is very much like practicing revisionist history and selectively molding the facts to your cookie cutter view of how things occured. Fun, and makes for good discusion, but ultimately non-productive.

For me personally, I've always considered the start of the copper age NTT 1.

 

 

 

.... groundbreaking stuff..... GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Bosco685]

I hate to sound like Roy here, but there really is no right or wrong answer.

 

I mean, the Silver Age is still in debate for most folks (1956 or 1961) depending on whether you are a DC or Marvel fan primarily.

 

I can buy pretty much any argument for either 1982, 1983, or 1984. 1980-1981 was almost certainly too early, and 1985-1986 is almost certainly too late in my opinion. It is very much like practicing revisionist history and selectively molding the facts to your cookie cutter view of how things occured. Fun, and makes for good discusion, but ultimately non-productive.

For me personally, I've always considered the start of the copper age NTT 1.

 

 

 

.... groundbreaking stuff..... GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

DC Comics Presents #26 and New Teen Titans #1 have always been favorites.

 

[jimjum12]

I hate to sound like Roy here, but there really is no right or wrong answer.

 

I mean, the Silver Age is still in debate for most folks (1956 or 1961) depending on whether you are a DC or Marvel fan primarily.

 

I can buy pretty much any argument for either 1982, 1983, or 1984. 1980-1981 was almost certainly too early, and 1985-1986 is almost certainly too late in my opinion. It is very much like practicing revisionist history and selectively molding the facts to your cookie cutter view of how things occured. Fun, and makes for good discusion, but ultimately non-productive.

For me personally, I've always considered the start of the copper age NTT 1.

 

 

 

.... groundbreaking stuff..... GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

DC Comics Presents #26 and New Teen Titans #1 have always been favorites.

 

 

...at the time I was NOT a buyer of D.C. books..... a classic Marvel Zombie..... I can't remember my first issue, but the wall sure came down. With Saga of the Swamp Thing and the exceptional stuff coming out in the Batman titles it was all over for me. Another book that places the beginning of the CA much, much earlier than 1984 (...for me) is GI Joe...... it just is not BA in my eyes. GOD BLESS......

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

Edited April 10, 2016 by jimjum12

[Bosco685]

...at the time I was NOT a buyer of D.C. books..... a classic Marvel Zombie..... I can't remember my first issue, but the wall sure came down. With Saga of the Swamp Thing and the exceptional stuff coming out in the Batman titles it was all over for me. Another book that places the beginning of the CA much, much earlier than 1984 (...for me) is GI Joe...... it just is not BA in my eyes. GOD BLESS......

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

I was an Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Daredevil and X-Men fanatic. Anything they were appearing in as well. Then, like you, I read Swamp Thing and before this New Teen Titans. My eyes were opened!

 

[Bosco685]

 Can't believe I didn't have John Ostrander's Grimjack/John Gaunt on the list. 

• Aug 1978: Eclipse Comics publishes Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy (one of the earliest of graphic novels, and first exclusive to Direct Market)
• May 1979: Daredevil 158- First Miller art
• Nov 1979: Iron Man #128 "Demon in a Bottle"
• Feb 1980: She-Hulk #1
• Mar 1980: King Conan 1
• Apr 1980: Star Trek 1
• Spring 1980: Epic Illustrated 1
• Sep 1980: X-Men 137- Death of Dark Phoenix
• Oct 1980: DC Presents 26- first New Teen Titans
• Nov 1980: New Teen Titans 1
• Nov 1980: Moon Knight gets his own series
• 1980 : Superboy Spectacular- Direct Sales only 1-shot
• Jan 1981: Daredevil 168- First Miller --script; Intro Elektra
• Jan 1981: X-Men 141 "Days of Future Past" launches alternate timeline which would form the basis for many X-continuity books/characters over the next several years.
• Jan 1981: Capital Comics launches and publishes Nexus 1
• Mar 1981: X-Men 143- Final Claremont/Byrne
• Mar 1981: Dazzler 1- First direct-sales-only for an ongoing series
• Mar 1981: Bizarre Adventures starts
• Mar 1981: Captain Canuck is cancelled
• May 1981: Eclipse Magazine starts
• June 1981: The Hulk magazine ends
• Jul 1981: Fantastic Four 232 - Byrne takes over FF writing/art duties.
• Aug 1981: Rogue debuts
• Aug 1981: Marvel Premiere ends
• Nov 1981: Captain Victory 1- First Pacific Comics issue, direct-only publisher
• 1981: Marvel cancels many of its reprint titles, including MGC, AA, TTA, MSA, etc.
• 1981: Stan Lee moves to California to head Marvel TV/movie properties, leaving Jim Shooter in charge
• Jan 1982: Comico Comics founded: publishes Comico Primer #1.
• Feb 1982: Comico Primer #2 introduces the character Grendel (Hunter Rose) by Matt Wagner.
• March 1982: Warrior Magazine #1 (Marvelman, V for Vendetta)
• May 1982: Saga of the Swamp Thing #1
• June 1982: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1
• June 1982: Marvel Super-Hero Contest of Champions #1 (first Marvel mini-series, precursor to Secret Wars)
• Sept 1982: Love and Rockets debuts
• Sept 1982: Wolverine Mini #1
• 1982: Harvey Comics, Warren Publishing and Spire Comics cease operations
• 1982: DC cancels remaining Horror titles
• 1982: Start of creator royalties at Marvel and DC
• 1982: Steve Geppi founds Diamond
• 1982: Marvel introduces Graphic Novel series, including Death of Captain Marvel and X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills.
• Dec 1982: New Mutants introduction published in Marvel Graphic Novel #4, leading to a 1983-1991 dedicated title.
• Jan 1983: Bill Willingham’s The Elementals introduced as part of backup story of Justice Machine Annual 1 (Texas Comics).
• Jan 1983: Albedo Anthropomorphics #0 published by Steven Gallacci.
• Feb 1983: The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom is acquired by Krause Publications and changes its name to Comics Buyer's Guide.
• Mar 1983: Warp published by First Comics, which also is its first comic by this later recognized independent publisher.
• May 1983: Jason Todd makes his debut as the second Robin in Detective Comics #526.
• Jun 1983: Master of Kung Fu, with issue #125, is cancelled by Marvel.
• Jun 1983: Marvel Two-in-One, with issue #100, is cancelled by Marvel (replaced the following month by the new title The Thing).
• Jun 1983: Jon Sable published by First Comics.
• Jul 1983: First issue of Frank Miller's Ronin limited series published by DC Comics.
• Jul 1983: Final issue of Brave and the Bold; also features a preview insert for the new title Batman and the Outsiders.
• Jul 1983: Mike Baron’s The Badger #1 published by Capital Comics.
• Aug 1983: Alan Moore's "The Bojeffries Saga" starts with Warrior #12, published by Quality Communications (continued through 1986).
• Aug 1983: Harris Publications acquired Warren Publishing's company assets (Vampirella, Creepy, Eerie); later gives up Creepy and Eerie.
• Aug 1983: Warp Comics #5 back-up story by John Ostrander & Lenin Delsol & Rick Burchett 'The Dogs of War' contains hidden 1st cameo of Grimjack/John Gaunt.
• Sep 1983: With issue #503, DC ceases publishing Adventure Comics, which had been running continuously since November 1938.
• Oct 1983: House of Mystery, with issue #321, canceled by DC.
• Oct 1983: American Flagg! published by First Comics.
• Nov 1983: Walt Simonson makes his debut as writer/artist on Thor with issue #337; introduces Beta Ray Bill.
• Nov 1983: Starslayer #10 back-up story by John Ostrander & Tim Truman 'Mortal Gods' contains 1st full appearance of Grimjack/John Gaunt.
• 1983: DC Comics acquires most of Charlton's superhero characters (includes Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, The Question).
• Jan 1984: Alan Moore takes over writing responsibilities for Saga of the Swamp Thing title with issue #20.
• Feb 1984: Saga of the Swamp Thing #21 (The Anatomy Lesson) reveals Swamp Thing is not Alec Holland, but rather microorganisms which absorbed his memories.
• May 1984: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 published by Mirage Studios.
• May 1984: Marvel launches the Secret Wars; includes the introduction of a Spider-Man black suit in issue #8.
• Nov 1984: Albedo Anthropomorphics #2 contains Stan Sakai’s “The Goblin of Adachigahara”, introducing Usagi Yojimbo.
• 1984: Antarctic Press, Continuity Comics, Deluxe Comics, Matrix Graphic Series, and Renegade Press launch comic publication.

[Coverless 9.8]

On 4/6/2013 at 5:32 PM, Bosco685 said:

 

I always considered Shooter tied to helping usher in the Copper Age with his work at Marvel, so this makes sense to me. His leadership from 1978-1987, and his Direct Market focus in 1981 with Dazzler #1, definitely made some good and bad changes.

 

Oddly enough, in a January 2012 interview he made a 180 on the Direct Market decision and started saying the Direct Market focus by Marvel was a mistake. He felt the Newsstand Market focus helped capture new reades by being in c-stores, big book stores, etc. Then those new readers would end up coming to comic stores for more. So he felt there should have been an equal focus to maintain and grow both.

No problem!  All they have to do is go back and fix it now!  

[PeterPark]

When I read that list 1981 seems to be definite copper age as well as everything later. Some things previous seem copper but some don't quite yet.

[Bosco685]

8 hours ago, PeterPark said:

When I read that list 1981 seems to be definite copper age as well as everything later. Some things previous seem copper but some don't quite yet.

And that's the thinking behind the Bronze-to-Copper Transition Period. There was no one book you can cleanly point to like an Action Comics #1 or Showcase #4. It was a series of events, companies, creator and creations.

[PeterPark]

3 hours ago, Bosco685 said:

And that's the thinking behind the Bronze-to-Copper Transition Period. There was no one book you can cleanly point to like an Action Comics #1 or Showcase #4. It was a series of events, companies, creator and creations.

And the bronze age is even more muddled...