Are late 70s and 80s comics better or worse than comics of the 00s??

[Prognosticator]

I haven't read a single issue of any new comic recently since I'd say about 2002, really it's been that long, the only thing I ever do sometimes to catch up in general is to read some of the spoiler summaries that are so well given here on these forums... I used to read much older comics

I was wondering for all of you out there who are big marvel fans, do you think comics of the mid 70s and the 80s are much better or much worse than comics of say the past 4-5 years? The only ones I ever read were from way back when and I thoroughly enjoyed them but I don't know how good or bad current comics are.

I'm purposely leaving the 90s out of this cuz i feel that's a separate topic...

I'll give props that i can't even give away to the classic stories of the late 70s and 80s, but the artwork today ALONE puts today's work light years ahead of anything that has EVER come out, EVER! You seriously cannot beat today's artists and the passion they pour into comics! That, mixed with updated printing technology, and you've got something that "should" only get better with time

 

[rigel7soldiers]

I think Jack Kirby is the best comic artist ever, actually. Oh, right, sorry, Jacob Kutzberg. I'm just saying, nobody calls Ryan Sook "The King."

And nobody beats Walt Simonson in an art-off. You know why? Not only was he a fantastic artist, but his signature looks like a dinosaur.

 

[Themanofbat]

You seriously cannot beat today's artists and the passion they pour into comics!

It is my opinion that while many of today's artists are splashy and make great poster art panels, they unfortunately lack the ability to tell a story with their artwork... unlike comic book artists of the 70's.

So while it may look "pretty", sometimes it's difficult to follow.

And I doubt that yesyeryear's artists lacked "passion".

 

[Ben Urich]

(psst, what about Miracle Man?)

Never read it.

 

[Elijya]

 

[The Cleric]

back in the day, the books made sense and weren't spoiled by Joe q. the art, while not as flashy as today, did look great for the time while giving more space for dialogue and story-telling. (thats all i ask for in a comic) these days, it could take 7 minutes to read a book. for three bucks, at least let it be 8 minutes long. also, with books like waldy the wanderer, who can go against the 80's?
Another thing worth mentioning is that these days, it is hard to have books like thor, or silver surfer. boneheads these days simply dont appreciate the good old times.

 

[boywonder13]

COmics from the 60s, 70s,80s and some of the good stuff from the 90s is better than the comics today.

I was born in the 90s and I notice how much better they are than today's comics. Its a sad, sad world.

 

[Prognosticator]

COmics from the 60s, 70s,80s and some of the good stuff from the 90s is better than the comics today.

I was born in the 90s and I notice how much better they are than today's comics. Its a sad, sad world.

...is they really?!?

 

[Prognosticator]

But seriously, I agree... that's why there are literally thousands and THOUSANDS of indie comics coming out with so many original ideas. I mean, how stupid!

I hate it that so many books are getting released with original concepts; such as "Y: The Last Man", or "Peanut Butter & Jeremy", or "The Goon"...it pisses me off so bad. I wish Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were still the only people doing anything that gets attention!

It sucks that labels such as Dark Horse and Black Bull among others have the opportunity to put out new and different stuff for people to read! I wish the only book they published was "Aliens Vs. Predator" like back in the good ole' 90s!

 

[Themanofbat]

(psst, what about MiracleMan?)

Yep... MarvelMan kicks major arse... far superior stuff than Miller's DareDevil as far as I'm concerned.

Issue #2 was one of the most gruesome super-hero battles ever put to print.

 

[Themanofbat]

Bill Willingham's Elementals was another fantastic super-hero book that just grabbed people by the balls... and his art was simply gorgeous. as was his writing.

Yes... I believe it's the same Bill Willingham that writes Fables.

 

[Prognosticator]

back in the day, the books made sense and weren't spoiled by Joe q. the art, while not as flashy as today, did look great for the time while giving more space for dialogue and story-telling. (thats all i ask for in a comic) these days, it could take 7 minutes to read a book. for three bucks, at least let it be 8 minutes long. also, with books like waldy the wanderer, who can go against the 80's?
Another thing worth mentioning is that these days, it is hard to have books like thor, or silver surfer. boneheads these days simply dont appreciate the good old times.

I DO agree about jerks like Joey Q going "spoil-happy" but seriously, unless you're a flipper it shouldn't take 7 minutes or less to go through a normal book unless you're just impatient. I set my own pacing to soak stuff in and I'll go through a single issue in maybe 18-22 minutes, and I'm not a slow reader...but I hear you loud and clear about spoilers!

 

[deemar325]

The 80's are the best period to me, It was like the heavens openned and guys like Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman,Peter David and Grant Morrison came out the woodwork. Then you got stuff like 'Born Again',Swampthing,DKR,Hulk by David,Watchmen.

The 80's was the shyt!!

Even cartoons then where the shyt!

 

[rigel7soldiers]

I hate it that so many books are getting released with original concepts; such as "Y: The Last Man", or "Peanut Butter & Jeremy", or "The Goon"...it pisses me off so bad. I wish Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were still the only people doing anything that gets attention!

It sucks that labels such as Dark Horse and Black Bull among others have the opportunity to put out new and different stuff for people to read!

Black Bull is still around?
And as Elijya once told me, the "Last man on earth" thing is far from original. But seriously. You know, Dark Horse and Image are not the only independant publishers. Hell, they're the least independant of all of them.

Sure, Shadow Star and What is Michael and Who is the Moth and Four Letter Worlds and Feather probably should have gotten more attention. A lot more. But there's stuff that's just as good from Slave Labor and the like. (Little Gloomy, Serenity Rose, Pirate Club, Pistolwhip, etc.)

 

[livrule]

I DO agree about jerks like Joey Q going "spoil-happy" but seriously, unless you're a flipper it shouldn't take 7 minutes or less to go through a normal book unless you're just impatient. I set my own pacing to soak stuff in and I'll go through a single issue in maybe 18-22 minutes, and I'm not a slow reader...but I hear you loud and clear about spoilers!

7 minutes ???

Thats silly ......... Astonishing X-men takes 3-4 minutes .... tops!

 

[Prognosticator]

The 80's are the best period to me, It was like the heavens openned and guys like Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman,Peter David and Grant Morrison came out the woodwork. Then you got stuff like 'Born Again',Swampthing,DKR,Hulk by David,Watchmen.

The 80's was the shyt!!

Even cartoons then where the shyt!

You are definitely throwing out the creme-de-lah-creme there in terms of writers, and some UNDISPUTED work from those creators...my stance was how much the artwork impacts books today, it's FAR better than 80s artwork, and the writers would tell you that themselves (save Frank Miller or Alan Moore)...but the 80s was a time of new-genesis in comics writing for sure!

 

[Ben Urich]

I'm confined to DC and Marvel; the only indies I've read are Hellboy and Queen & Country.

 

[Anubis]

You should check out Invincible.

 

[UK_Stu]

It is my opinion that while many of today's artists are splashy and make great poster art panels, they unfortunately lack the ability to tell a story with their artwork... unlike comic book artists of the 70's.

So while it may look "pretty", sometimes it's difficult to follow.

And I doubt that yesyeryear's artists lacked "passion".

I think you've got this spot on. Ok, a lot of the time it was simply panel after panel, rather than we large splashs we see today, but it certainly made the story more free flowing. Plus 80's stories weren't bogged with the idea that a story arc has to be the right length to fit into a TPB. They had sub plots too.

 

[Elijya]

Black Bull is still around?
And as Elijya once told me, the "Last man on earth" thing is far from original. But seriously. You know, Dark Horse and Image are not the only independant publishers. Hell, they're the least independant of all of them.

Sure, Shadow Star and What is Michael and Who is the Moth and Four Letter Worlds and Feather probably should have gotten more attention. A lot more. But there's stuff that's just as good from Slave Labor and the like. (Little Gloomy, Serenity Rose, Pirate Club, Pistolwhip, etc.)

no, Black Bull's not still around

(BTW, didn't know you were that much of an inide fan. If you like SLG, check out a book called Evenfall)

 

[Themanofbat]

I think you've got this spot on. Ok, a lot of the time it was simply panel after panel, rather than we large splashs we see today, but it certainly made the story more free flowing. Plus 80's stories weren't bogged with the idea that a story arc has to be the right length to fit into a TPB. They had sub plots too.

I miss sub-plots...

 

[GNR]

When it comes to people getting into comics currently for the first time,there's no way you could get any of them to read through issues from the 70s and 80s.I've seen it.