by Denis Hundhausen
The
Bronze Age
1974:
Peter
Parker’s long-time friend Harry Osborn
blamed Spider-Man for his father’s death and dons Norman’s costume[1], thus becoming the second Green Goblin. In the same year, one of Marvel’s
best known mutants makes his debut: Wolverine[2].
 |
Giant-Size X-Men #1, art by G. Kane, D. Cockrum & D. Crespi
|
1975:
Several
debuts change the world of the X-Men forever: The characters Colossus, Storm and Nightcrawler
among others all appear in the same issue[3], while Chris Claremont
writes his first X-title[4], continuing to write it
for 17 years in a row. Also: Jim Starlin starts work on his
well-received Warlock
run[5].
1976:
DC and
Marvel work together to launch the first official intercompany crossover
when Superman and Spider-Man meet for the first time, fighting each
other and Lex Luther and Dr. Octopus[6].
Jean
Grey encounters the Phoenix[7], gaining its powers,
ulimately leading to her turning evil (s. 1980).
1977:
Among
this year’s debuts are Spider-Woman[8] (Jessica Drew) and villain
Arnim Zola[9].
1978:
Star
Hunters #7 by David
Micheline & Rich Buckler delivers a mythology to the Multiverse, thereby marking its first origin
story.
1979:
Batman’s
corporate executive Lucius Fox debutes[10] as well as Jim Rhodes, who later went on to become War Machine,
in Iron Man #118.
1980:
After
Jean Grey’s assumption of the Phoenix power (s.
1976), she gets corrupted by it, turning against her former teammates and in
the end forcing her to sacrifice herself to stop the Phoenix. The Dark
Phoenix Saga starts in The
X-Men #129 by Chris
Claremont & John Byrne, an
issue which also features the first apperances of Kitty
Pryde, Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw as well as the first mentioning of
the name Hellfire Club, and ends with
Jean’s funeral in The X-Men #138, after which Scott
Summers (Cyclops) leaves the X-Men and
Kitty Pryde joins them. This material influenced the X-Men Animated Series as well
as parts of the live-action movie trilogy among other adaptions.
1981:
Chris
Claremont and Brent Anderson have a go on topics such as
religious fanaticism and mutant genocide in their accalimed story God Loves, Man Kills[11]. Also in the X-Cosmos
this year: A very distopian look on the X-Men’s Future is presented during Days Of Future Past[12].
Another
important topic is adressed in the Avengers title[13]: domestic violence. Hanky
Pym (Ant-Man), after verbally abusing
this wife Janet (Wasp), hits her and gets
drawn into a vicious circle that ultimately leads to their divorce.
1982:
Being only
a book about a superhero in the non-strict way, DC releases Alan Moore’s
and David Lloyd’s first Issue of V for Vendetta[14].
1983:
Two
authors start their acclaimed runs on two different heroes: First Alan Moore
helps shape the Swamp Thing’s
character’s new approach[15] by ultimately linking him
to esoteric and buddhistic themes, then Walt Simonson starts his four
year long work on Thor[16]. The very same Simonson
also drew the cover to Batman #366 (written by Doug Moench
and drawn by Don Newton), featuring Jason Todd’s first appearance
the new Robin.
1984:
The Secret Wars – actually reaching into 1985 – was
the first major crossover, featuring various super heroes from different titles
joining their forces to fight a greater threat. The events of the Secret Wars
also had long term effects on Spider-Man (in giving him the black alien
symbiote costume, which later created Venom and even later Carnage) and on the
Fantastic Four (Ben Grimm dropped out, being replaced by She-Hulk). All this
took twelve issues, underlining its significance[17].
The Teen Titans had to face a crisis of their own
in The Judas Contract, where the
origin of Deathstroke and the true
nature of heroine Terra are revealed.
The
Dark Age
1985:
DC tried
to get rid of their overwhelming mass of parallel earths and time line
confusions by creating a huge clash of superheroes from all earths[18]. During these events, The
Flash/Barry Allen sacrifices himself to save the universe (#8) and Wally West takes over his costume (#12). Among
the victims of the Crisis as well: Supergirl
(#7).
Also in
’85: Alan Moore’s & Dave Gibbon’s Superman storyline For The Man Who has Everything[19].
1986:
 |
| Superman #423, art by
Curt Swan & Murphy Anderson
|
The first
issue of Watchmen hits stores in September
of 1986 and comics never where the same again. Critically acclaimed, brilliant
in its very unique ways of telling an alternative cold war tale, which was so
spot-on that it is still the state of the art when it comes to mainstream
superhero[20].
Also in
this year – Frank Miller’s trilogy to give a new edge to superheroes: First, his
dark, grim and gritty future version of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns[21], then Dardevil: Born Again[22] and finally Elektra: Assassin[23].
And, yet two more: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow[24], where Moore writes the ending to the myth of
Superman, while John Byrne modernizes
Superman’s origin and supporting cast dramatically[25]
to lead him into a new era.
1987:
Frank
Miller and David Mazzucchelli look back at Batman’s beginning – a time
before the Joker and the other colorful rogues entered the scene, where the
real enemy was the corrupt Gotham City Police Department. Showing the reader an
unexperienced, vulnerable Batman and an integre young police lieutenant namend
James Gordon: Batman: Year One[26].
Meanwhile
J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck tell the tale of Kraven’s Last Hunt
- the story of Spider-Man’s defeat and replacement through Kraven the Hunter,
which leads to Spider-Man being burried alive[27] – but this year had something good coming for
Peter Parker as well, when he finally marries his long-time girlfriend Mary-Jane Watson[28].
1988:
Alan Moore and Brian Bolland create the ultimate
confrontation between Batman and the Joker: The
Killing Joke[29]. After the later had shot
Barbara Gordon in the spine (leaving here in a wheelchair for over 20 years of
comics) and tried to drive Comissioner Gordon into madness, Batman hunts him down
and confronts him in one of the most iconic scenes of all times. But this
wasn’t the Joker’s last win in 1988:
After
fans had the opportunity to make a decision via telephone voting, the 2nd
Robin
(Jason Todd) gets killed by him[30].
Also in
this year: Grant Morrison & Chas Troug start shattering the fourth
wall in their highly praised Coyote Gospel
storyline, which helped define the tone of further Animal
Man issues[31].
1989:
Neil Gaiman reboots
the Sandman franchise[32] and makes this new
creation one of the most outstanding characters in superhero comics. Talking of new approaches: Grant Morrison’s & David McKean’s Arkham
Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth delivers a very unique look at both the inmates of Arkham and the
narrative storytelling of comics.
1990:
DCs relaunches
the anti-hero Lobo[33], making him one of their
most popular character in the 90’s, while Clark
Kent and Lois Lane
get engaged[34].
Meanwhile,
the new Spider-Man series with
writer-artist Todd McFarlane enters the comic scene with a bang. The debut
issue[35] became the best selling single
issue up to that point with 2,5 mio. copies[36] sold – however, this
record is broken only one year later (s. 1991).
 |
| Action Comics #662, cover by
Brett Breeding, & Kerry Gammill
|
1991:
The
adjectiveless X-Men series is rebooted
with a new number one, thus becoming the world’s best-selling single issue in
comic book history until today[37] – in the same year, Deadpool enters the Marvel Universe[38].
In the
DCU, Superman finally reveals his secret
identity to his spouse Lois Lane[39].
1992:
Superman
dies. After a prolonged battle with new enemy Doomsday, Superman manages to stop
this force of nature, but sacrifices his life[40]. He actually stayed dead
until 1994, with four impostors trying to claim his place.
In quite
a different landmark in comics, author Scott Lobdell is finally allowed
to have the hero Northstar confess “I am
gay”[41].
Sources
If not stated otherwise, all comic titles refer to the title's first volume.
[1] The Amazing
Spider-Man #136 by Gerry Conway & Ross Andru.
[2] He first
fully appears in The
Incredible Hulk #181 by Len Wein & Herb Trimpe, after a short
cameo in the previous issue.
[3] Giant-Size X-Men #1
by Len Wein & Dave Cockrum.
[4] Uncanny X-Men #94 by said
Chris Claremont, Len Wein & Dave Cockrum.
[5] Strange Tales #178 by Jim
Starlin. More: http://geoffklock.blogspot.de/2009/07/jim-starlins-1975-warlock-series.html
[6] Superman Vs.
The Amazing Spider-Man by Gerry Conway & Ross Andru.
[7] The
Phoenix Saga stretches from The X-Men
#101 to #108
by Chris Claremont & John Byrne.
[8] Marvel
Spotlight #32 by Archie Goodwin & Sal Buscema.
[9] Captain
America #208 by Jack Kirby.
[10] Batman #307 by Len Wein
& John Calnan.
[12] X-Men #141 and Uncanny X-Men #142, both
by Chris Claremont & John Byrne.
[18] Crisis on
Infinite Earths #1-12, Marv Wolvman & George Perez.
[20] Watchmen #1-12, Alan Moore
& Dave Gibbons.
[30] A Death in
the Family in: Batman #426-429 by Jim Starlin & Jim Aparo.
[31] Animal Man #5 by Grant
Morrison & Chad Troug. More on the Coyote Gospel and its interpretation,
which would go beyond the scope of this post: http://www.fourthageofcomics.com/?p=45
[32] His
dream-esque approach starts in Sandman (vol. 2) #1 (with
artist Sam Kieth).
[33] Lobo #1 by Keith Giffen,
Alan Grant & Simon Bisley.
[34] Superman (vol. 2) #50 by
Jerry Ordway and various artists.
[35] Spider-Man #1 by Todd
McFarlane.
[36] s. http://marvel.wikia.com/Todd_McFarlane#Professional_History:
“Spider-Man #1 sold 2.5 million copies, partially thanks to the variant covers
that were used to encourage collectors into buying more than one edition“.
[38] New Mutants #98 (Scott
Lobdell & Rob Liefeld).
[40] The death
itself takes place in Superman
(vol. 2) #75 by Dan Jurgens.
[41] Alpha
Flight #106, by Scott Lobdell & Mark Pacella
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