April 30, 2024
Comic Books – Bronze Age (1970-1984)
Bronze Age Comic Books - Description
The Bronze Age of American comic books begins in 1970 and ends in 1984. Some comic book historians extend the age to 1986.
The superheroes of the Silver Age remained the mainstay of the Bronze Age. The tone of the stories separates the two ages. Bronze Age stories are darker in tone and focus on social issues such as civil rights, drugs, environmental deregulation, racism, and women’s rights.
Bronze Age Comic Books - History
The Bronze Age was not triggered by a single event. Rather a series of events took place. First, in April 1970, Green Arrow was added as a title character to Green Lantern. Written by Denny O’Neill, penciled by Neil Adams, and inked by Dams or Dick Giordano, the new issues dealt with the Green Arrow’s self-doubts and exposed the characters to the issues of poverty.
In late 1970, the partnership between Jack Kirby and Stan Lee ended at Marvel Comics. Kirby moved on to Marvel. Mort Weisinger, long-time Superman editor, retired and was replaced by Julius Schwartz. Schwartz toned down the Superman storyline and removed Kryptonite from the title.
The beginning of the Bronze Age marked the retirement of many of the veteran Golden and Silver age authors and writers. A new generation of writers and editors entered the comic book market scene.
The price of comic books started to rise. The per issue cost rose from 12 to 15 cents in early 1969. Subsequent increases would follow during the period.
The biggest transition of the Bronze Age was to shift market appeal away from juveniles and teenagers and redirect it at adult markets. The realism and maturity of the new storylines appealed to adult readers. Necklines came down and shirts came up.
Marvel launched Robert E. Howards Conan the Barbarian in 1970. Conan’s success led to spin-offs for King Kull, Red Sonja, and Solomon Kane. DC Comics responded with titles featuring Beowulf, Fritz Leiber’ Fathrd and the Gray Monster, and Warlord and licensing Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan from Gold Key. Other Burroughs series such as John Carter followed.
In 1971 working with the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, created a three-issue Spider-Man story about drug abuse. This led to the rebirth of the Green Goblin. Opposed initially by the Comics Code Authority, the Comic Code Authority eventually altered its rules to allow this type of comic book content.
The 1973 murder of Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man’s girlfriend, by the Green Goblin in the 1973 The Amazing Spider-Man #121 was a shock to comic book fans. It is credited with taking comic book storylines into a dark period.
In the early 1970s, ghouls, vampires, and werewolves became frequent comic book characters. New titles include Swamp Thing and The Tomb of Dacula. Non-superhero genre such as fantasy, horror, pulp fiction, science fiction, and westerns grew.
DC Comics canceled most of its superhero titles with the exceptions of Batman and Superman. Marvel canceled Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, and The X-Men and turned their attention to horror, monster, pulp adaptations, and western genres. By the mid-1970s, these shifts peaked.
Archie Comics dominated the alternative superhero market. Betty and Veronica had their own title. Children’s comics consisted of Disney reprints and Harvey’s stable of characters. DC Comics and Marvel produced numerous knockoffs.
During the later 1970s, superhero titles reemerged at the top of the sale charts. In 1975, Marvel reintroduced the X-Men. DC Comics responded by issuing it’s the New Teenage Titans.
DC Comics and Marvel also agreed to several crossover titles. These proved highly popular. Reprints of early comic books also began in the mid-1970s.
DC Comics attempt to launch numerous new titles in the mid-1970s met with limited success. Page count was increased and the price raised to 50 cents. Collectors identify DC Comics’ financial difficulties in 1978 as the DC Implosion.
As the Bronze Age ended, most publishers canceled their romance, western, and war titles. No single event ended the age. Some collectors site the publication DC Comics’ Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Marvels’ Secret War as a shift to the Modern Era. The appearance of new independent publishers such as Image Comics also marked a shift to a new approach.
What is the Value of your Bronze Age Comic Books? View more in our Bronze Age Comic Books Price Guide.
Bronze Age Comic Books In Price Guide
Bronze Age Comic Books - Identification & Value
DC Comics and Marvel remained the two dominant American comic book publishers. Other publishers include Archie Comics, Atlas, Charlton, Dell Comics, Fawcett Comics, and Harvey Comics.
A new realism appeared in comic book art created by artists such as John Byne, Howard Chaykin, Frank Miller, and Jim Starlin. Neal Adams work in Green Lantern/Green Arrow led the way.
The character and personality of established superheroes such as Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, and Wonder Woman changed continuously throughout this period. New heroes such as Conan the Barbarian and its spinoffs and John Carter resonated with collectors. Horror and monster titles gained in popularity.
The Bronze Age marked the introduction of minority superheroes. These included DC comics Black Lightning, Bronze Tiger, Cyborg, Green Lantern John Stewart, and Vixen. Marvel countered with Luke Cage, Monica Rambeau, and Storm Blade. Marvel’s Iron Fist, Mantis, and Shang-Chi were an attempt to cash in on the Kung Fu movies.
Specialty collecting subtopics include a cartoon or comic character, Disney, horror titles, monster titles, movie tie-ins, television tie-ins, superhero, romance, westerns, villains, and more.
DC Comics and Marvel crossover titles included Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk, and X-Men vs. Teen Age Titans.
The first issue of a long-running comic book series is often the most valuable comic in the series. The same is true for the first appearance of a specific character. The initial appearance may occur in another series in advance of the character being given his own title.
Misprints, low distribution issues, and promotional comic-dealer incentive printings have scarcity value. Variants also increase value.
The cover price on a comic helps date it. The key dates are: 1968 ($0.15), 1975 ($0.25); 1980 ($0.40); and 1985 ($0.75).
Comic book grading is not for amateurs. Most individuals, including collectors, tend to over grade their comic books. Overstreet uses 14 different comic book grades; mint, near mint/mint, near mint, very fine/near mint, very fine, fine/very fine, fine, very good/fine, very good, good/very good, fair, fair/good, fair, and poor. Grading services also use these designations.
Value increases exponentially as the grade increases. When deciding whether or not to have a comic book graded, make a determination on its condition and check its value in Overstreet or another price guide. If the value exceeds $500, consider paying to have it graded. Grading is expensive. Most grading companies do not charge a flat rate. Rather the grading cost increases as the condition grade and value rises.
In 2000, Comics Guaranty (CGC) began grading and slabbing comics. Comics are graded on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest grade. Other grading services are CBCS Comics (Comics, Grading, Certification Company), and PGX Comic Grading Services. Although purporting to be objective, there is some subjectivity involved in all grading. A healthy degree of skepticism is required when relying on a sealed, graded comic.
Individuals buying for nostalgia reasons are encouraged to comparison shop and not buy the first issue encountered. Buy issues in very good or better condition. While they will not increase much in the long-run, they are nice copies to read and frame.
Find the Value of your Bronze Age Comic Books. WorthPoint is the largest resource online for identifying, researching and valuing antiques. Explore over 425 Million “sold for” prices with item details and images.
Books In Library
Bronze Age Comic Books - Symbols
Comic books are published in sequential numbers. Information is usually found inside the front cover, on the bottom of the first page, or early in the page count. Information includes volume number, issue number, date, name of publisher, and often information on cartoonist, inker, and others who worked on the issue.
Identify your Bronze Age Comic Books Symbols.
Relevant Books, Paper & Magazines Articles
Further Reading on Bronze Age Comic Books
Book and Periodicals
Note: There are many specialized titles that focus on a single comic book character or publisher. They are too numerous to be included here.
Gadbois, Jacob. Comic Book Pressing and Cleaning: A How-To-Guide. Fredymaze Publishing, 2019.
Overstreet, Robert. The Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics, 2016 Edition. Gemstone Publishing, 2016.
Sorensen, Michael, Gregory Defoor, et. al. Comic Book CPR: How to Clean and Press Comic Books. Independently published, 2019.
Daniel, Lee and John Peck. Comix: A History of Comic Books in America. Random House Value Publishing, 1988.
Horn, Maurice. The World Encyclopedia of Comics. Chelsea House, 1998.
Johnson, Jeffery. Super-history: Comic Book Superheroes and American Society 1938-Present. McFarland & Company, 2012.
Lee, Stan and DK. Marvel Encyclopedia, New Edition. DK, 2019.
Levitz, Paul. 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Taschen, 2017.
Manning, Matthew. DC Comics Encyclopedia All-New Edition: The Definitive Guide to Characters of the DC Universe. DK, 2016.
Morris, Jon. The League of Regrettable Superheroes: Half-Baked Heroes from Comic Book History. Quirk Books, 2015.
Morris, Jon. The League of Regrettable Super Villains: Oddball Criminals from Comic Book History. Quirk Books, 2017.
Morris, Jon. The League of Regrettable Sidekicks. Quirk Books, 2018.
Pustz, Matthew. Comic Books and American Cultural History: An Anthology. Continuum, 2012.
Rhoades, Shirrel. A Complete History of American Comic Books. Peter Lang, Inc., 2008.
Sanderson, Peter, and Stan Lee. Marvel Year by Year, Expanded, Updated Edition. DK, 2017.
Van Lente, Fred and Ryan Dunlavey. Comic Books History of Comics: Comics for All. IDW Publishing, 2018.
Wald, Mark and Javier Rodriquez. History of the Marvel Universe Treasury Edition. Marvel, 2020.
Wallace, Daniel, Alan Cowsill, Alex Irvine, and Matthew Manning. DC Comics: A Visual History. DK, 2014.
Wright, Bradford. Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Pres, 2003.
Frankenhoff, Brent. Comic Book Price Guide 2010. Iola, WI: KP Publications, a subsidiary of F +W Books, 2010.
Overstreet, Robert. Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Volume 49. Gemstone Publishing, 2019.
Levitz, Paul. The Bronze Age of DC Comics. Taschen, 2015
Web Resources
The Artifice. “The History of Comics: Decade by Decade.” The-artifice.com.
Kowalski, Jessie. “Comics: Comic Books.” Illustrationdhistory.org.
TvTropes. “Useful Notes / The Bronze Age of Comic Books.” TVtropes.org.
Wikipedia. “Bronze Age of Comic Books.” Wikipedia.org.
Wikipedia. “Comic book.” Wikipedia.org.
Related Dictionary Pages: Comic Books – Modern Age (1985 to the Present), Comix Books – Underground Comix, Comic Books – Atomic Age (1948-1956).