Favorite Era?

[DocLathropBrown]

Reading through a smattering of the comics in the last couple of days, I figured I'd ask: what's your favorite era of the comics and why?

Mine is a tie between the 70s and the 80s. Once Denny and Neal came on board, the stories were just perfect. Even when Denny started editing, he kept the stories awesome.

They just had that heavy adventure aspect. The modern era, I feel, has ventured too much into a plain crime-drama. Not that it's bad, but I love that swashbuckling aspect that the 70s and 80s had in Batman comics. It was a much simpler time. Less of the multi-title crossovers that you get today.

So, speak up!

 

[CConn]

70s and 80s for me too.

Honestly, it's almost as if Batman's an entirely different character in those stories - his characterization's so different. I really prefer it to the modern day Batman. I also love how those old stories could tell great naratives in a single issue, rather than big long story arcs. Beauty in simplicity.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

70s and 80s for me too.

Honestly, it's almost as if Batman's an entirely different character in those stories - his characterization's so different. I really prefer it to the modern day Batman. I also love how those old stories could tell great naratives in a single issue, rather than big long story arcs. Beauty in simplicity.

Yeah, you gotta love those self-contained stories. If you missed an issue, it didn't fowl up the continuity for you!

Also, wasn't it great to get a great cover and get movie serial-style advertisement on it? Something like "The Riddler's back! And he's got 1,001 riddles for Gotham!" Just made me want to read it right then and there. And I really dig the blue-and-gray suit with emblem. Tried-and-true.

About the characterization: I completely agree. Up until the end of Denny's writing/editorial run, Batman was serious, but friendly. He was bold, commanding, and not a jerk. He wasn't overly obsessed, he was dedicated. He felt like the World's Greatest Detective. These days, you could call him the world's coldest detective. For God's sake, just because he looks grim doesn't mean he's got to be so damn tight.

 

[CConn]

Batman started being an ******* when O'Neil was still editing, though. It was really after he got his back broken, I think.

In any case, the Batman of the pre-90s just, well, felt like a normal guy. Rich, sure, incredibly smart and dedicated and whatever, sure. But he was still...normal. As you said, today's Batman is an obsessed, cold, psychologically troubled individual. Which, honestly, makes plenty of sense. But I still don't like it compared to the alternative.

Honestly, I've taken to reading the comics based on the animated Batman series. They remind me much more of the stories of the 70s and 80s than anything that's coming out today; all self-contained stories, all with a normal characterization of Batman...I like 'em a lot.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

Batman started being an ******* when O'Neil was still editing, though. It was really after he got his back broken, I think.

In any case, the Batman of the pre-90s just, well, felt like a normal guy. Rich, sure, incredibly smart and dedicated and whatever, sure. But he was still...normal. As you said, today's Batman is an obsessed, cold, psychologically troubled individual. Which, honestly, makes plenty of sense. But I still don't like it compared to the alternative.

Honestly, I've taken to reading the comics based on the animated Batman series. They remind me much more of the stories of the 70s and 80s than anything that's coming out today; all self-contained stories, all with a normal characterization of Batman...I like 'em a lot.

Was Denny still editing after "Knightfall" ended? Damn shame if so. That's when the comics went down a notch for me. Knightfall was a seminal story to end the O'Neal-style Batman, though, I suppose. One of my favorite Bat story arcs to this day.

Man, they need to put out, like, real 70s and 80s TPBs of the comics. Both 'Tec and Batman. Not the "Batman in the Seventies/Eighties" junk, but TPBs comparable to DC's "Showcase"... only in color. I don't wanna wait for either "Showcase" or "Chronicles" to get around to the 70s/80s.... I'll be an old man by then. Because otherwise, there's so many of those issues that won't fit into a themed TPB, and the aforementioned "Batman in the..." books don't cover anywhere NEAR enough ground for me.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I don't think I have a specific era I love the most--really, except the 60s stuff (the 50s have their own trippy appeal I can dig), you got good stories about the characters.

I think, however, his best stuff is intersperced between the 80s and today. From Miller's work on DKR and YO, Loeb and Sale/Lee with TLH & DV & Hush, Archie Goodwin's Night Cries, Azzarello's Broken City, Daryn Cooke's Ego, and Alan Moore's The Killing Joke.

 

[Cain]

70's and 80's because it was the only time that we got a proper balance between the caped crusader and the dark knight. Aside from O'Neil and Adams what Englehart and Rogers did in the 70's was just awesome. Hugo Strange finding out Batman's ID, The Laughing Fish the return of Deadshot all that stuff stands the test of time better than anything published in the 90's. Plus the penthouse kicks ass, good to see that it's still around in today's comics.

 

[CConn]

Was Denny still editing after "Knightfall" ended? Damn shame if so. That's when the comics went down a notch for me. Knightfall was a seminal story to end the O'Neal-style Batman, though, I suppose. One of my favorite Bat story arcs to this day.

Man, they need to put out, like, real 70s and 80s TPBs of the comics. Both 'Tec and Batman. Not the "Batman in the Seventies/Eighties" junk, but TPBs comparable to DC's "Showcase"... only in color. I don't wanna wait for either "Showcase" or "Chronicles" to get around to the 70s/80s.... I'll be an old man by then. Because otherwise, there's so many of those issues that won't fit into a themed TPB, and the aforementioned "Batman in the..." books don't cover anywhere NEAR enough ground for me.

Denny was the editor of the Batbooks until the early 00's, I think.

Yeah, they really need to start putting out more '70s trades. Even collect entire runs into omnibuses. Like how Cobblepot's always wishing for a Grant/Breyfogle collection.

 

[Ceb-Man]

70s and 80s for me too.

Honestly, it's almost as if Batman's an entirely different character in those stories - his characterization's so different. I really prefer it to the modern day Batman. I also love how those old stories could tell great naratives in a single issue, rather than big long story arcs. Beauty in simplicity.

I agree. I love those stories.

 

[Ceb-Man]

70's and 80's because it was the only time that we got a proper balance between the caped crusader and the dark knight. Aside from O'Neil and Adams what Englehart and Rogers did in the 70's was just awesome. Hugo Strange finding out Batman's ID, The Laughing Fish the return of Deadshot all that stuff stands the test of time better than anything published in the 90's. Plus the penthouse kicks ass, good to see that it's still around in today's comics.

I loved it when Bruce lived in the Penthouse too.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Batman comics are what really kind of turned me onto comics back in the mid to late 80's. I remember reading Batman back in the 80's and reading the Death in the Family story back when it was first coming out. I have to say that was a favorite time of mine because it's what sparked my interest in comic books.

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

I loved it when Bruce lived in the Penthouse too.

That was cool and then in the 80's Batman moved back into Wayne Manor with Man-Bat waiting for him

The 70's and 80's are the best in my opinion of Batman tales.

 

[The Batman]

70-80 is batman's golden age. Batman hasnt been the same since, really...

 

[BubbaGump]

I loved the O'Neil/Adams era. The stories were so direct and to-the-point, and Adams's art still stands, even today, as one of the best. And you have to give props to O'Neil for creating Ra's Al Ghul.

I loved the covers, as well. They caught your attention and wanted to make you read it--not like today's Detective Comics (I mean, how is a black and white cover of Batman really going to make you interested enough to read it?). The only other time when the covers were eye-catching was during the Silver Age with Carmine Infantino's art.

The comics back then were so different. Batman was dark, but not psychotic. The character today seems to be lost in this modern "dark, gritty" age. Maybe Miller is right to parody the condition of the comics today in All Star B&R. I think he wants to make the comics just a bit cheerier now?

 

[DocLathropBrown]

God, seeing Jim Aparo's art just takes me right back to childhood. Whenever I could afford Batman back issues when I was a child, they always edned up being from the 70s and the 80s. That Bat-logo/masthead and Jim Aparo's art just ARE Batman to me. It's one of those things that, as Tim Burton said, just "Sets off a little chemical in the brain."

Between the Denny-edited back issues and the 60s Filmation cartoon series, I was one adventure-hungry Batfan. Not to mention the Adam West series reruns. At that age, I didn't get the satire so I really, really dug the adventure.

Add to the fact that Burton's first film really took its cues from the more adventure-oriented comics of the time, and I was hooked for life. I think that, in spite of Keaton and Burton going for subtle psychosis in their Bruce Wayne, it was nothing like the "He will die alone and unloved" Bruce that's in the comics now. Keaton's Batman may have been a "lost little child", but he wasn't an over-obsessed jerk. His obsession is more of a subconscious obligation to him than a dark and unhealthy one. It's kind of hard to describe, but there's a very fine line between Keaton's portrayal and an interpretation like, say, All Star Batman, which is helped by Burton, I guess.

Though that version of Batman has its merits. I quite like the tragic aspect in it. But as a kid, man. The antics of West and Ward were exciting. And when you don't play up that wild, adventurous aspect of Batman, it's just not as exciting. Even today, I can easily look past some of the camp and get caught up in the drama (However overblown) of the 60s series. Perhaps not much on the second and third seasons, but that first one, they played it far less over-the-top in the scripts. When they did go over the top (With a villain's trap, maybe), West and Ward didn't increase their camp. Grounds the show slightly and allows me to still watch the first season and say: "That's cool. That's still totally Batman!"

And that 60s movie. I think I've seen that one even more than B89, since I needed time to warm-up to Keaton's darker Bat. Man, that's still one of my favorite Batman films. Right up there with 89, Returns and MOTP. It was a rip-roaring, colorful, action-packed adventure with mystery, intreague and a healthy dose of the things I like out of comic books. Romance, lots of villains, the dashing heroism, and even today, West has some truly great acting moments, and they aren't even the campy scenes. Particularly the resolution with Catwoman being revealed as Kitka, and West's reaction. I honestly feel that he was never given the chance to show what he could really do, and since all everyone wants out of him is to act silly, we'll never see it. Just imagine a Batman show like they had first planned it before Dozier produced it; they were gonna play it straight, more adult than Adventures of Superman, for a mature primetime audience. West would have become my favorite Batman if that had happened, I think.

Damn, did I type all that? Sorry for the trip down memory lane. I guess the point of it all is this: today's Batman comics aren't any fun to read. If you picked up an issue of Batman pre-"Prodigal", I honestly feel that they were a lot more fun to read. The above image.... I'd gladly plop down today's cover prices to read it. Today's comics just aren't worth that price on the individual basis.

 

[screena]

God, seeing Jim Aparo's art just takes me right back to childhood. Whenever I could afford Batman back issues when I was a child, they always edned up being from the 70s and the 80s. That Bat-logo/masthead and Jim Aparo's art just ARE Batman to me. It's one of those things that, as Tim Burton said, just "Sets off a little chemical in the brain."

Between the Denny-edited back issues and the 60s Filmation cartoon series, I was one adventure-hungry Batfan. Not to mention the Adam West series reruns. At that age, I didn't get the satire so I really, really dug the adventure.

Add to the fact that Burton's first film really took its cues from the more adventure-oriented comics of the time, and I was hooked for life. I think that, in spite of Keaton and Burton going for subtle psychosis in their Bruce Wayne, it was nothing like the "He will die alone and unloved" Bruce that's in the comics now. Keaton's Batman may have been a "lost little child", but he wasn't an over-obsessed jerk. His obsession is more of a subconscious obligation to him than a dark and unhealthy one. It's kind of hard to describe, but there's a very fine line between Keaton's portrayal and an interpretation like, say, All Star Batman, which is helped by Burton, I guess.

Though that version of Batman has its merits. I quite like the tragic aspect in it. But as a kid, man. The antics of West and Ward were exciting. And when you don't play up that wild, adventurous aspect of Batman, it's just not as exciting. Even today, I can easily look past some of the camp and get caught up in the drama (However overblown) of the 60s series. Perhaps not much on the second and third seasons, but that first one, they played it far less over-the-top in the scripts. When they did go over the top (With a villain's trap, maybe), West and Ward didn't increase their camp. Grounds the show slightly and allows me to still watch the first season and say: "That's cool. That's still totally Batman!"

And that 60s movie. I think I've seen that one even more than B89, since I needed time to warm-up to Keaton's darker Bat. Man, that's still one of my favorite Batman films. Right up there with 89, Returns and MOTP. It was a rip-roaring, colorful, action-packed adventure with mystery, intreague and a healthy dose of the things I like out of comic books. Romance, lots of villains, the dashing heroism, and even today, West has some truly great acting moments, and they aren't even the campy scenes. Particularly the resolution with Catwoman being revealed as Kitka, and West's reaction. I honestly feel that he was never given the chance to show what he could really do, and since all everyone wants out of him is to act silly, we'll never see it. Just imagine a Batman show like they had first planned it before Dozier produced it; they were gonna play it straight, more adult than Adventures of Superman, for a mature primetime audience. West would have become my favorite Batman if that had happened, I think.

Damn, did I type all that? Sorry for the trip down memory lane. I guess the point of it all is this: today's Batman comics aren't any fun to read. If you picked up an issue of Batman pre-"Prodigal", I honestly feel that they were a lot more fun to read. The above image.... I'd gladly plop down today's cover prices to read it. Today's comics just aren't worth that price on the individual basis.

this "sets off a little chemical in the brain" thing works for me too when it comes to 70ies and 80ies bat-stuff.

and the tv show is really something special: as you wrote the adventure aspects did work very well for kids, while the grown ups were entertained by all this silly and funny camp and pop. this fact (as the show itself) is way underrated in my opinion!

i wonder if there will be a golden bat era again someday or at least something like the batmania back in 1989. who knows. it might be a mistake that there will not be bat-movie in 2009 when the bat turns 70. on the other hand: it would not affect the quality of the books anyway.

bat books are always at their best when they have to struggle to survive and to stop loosing readers. so stop reading bat titles to enhance the quality of them!

 

[dude stannis]

I accidentally voted 1990 - 2000, but the late 80's are my favourite era. Followed by the pulp noirish work Kane and Finger in the 40's.

 

[Mylord]

I honestly don't have a clue why 70's comics are always considered the best.
It's just pure nostalgia, I guess. To me, as I read a few of them, they are just campy, sometimes really goffy and stupid, kids targeted stories.
Of course they are better than 50's and 60's ****, but for today standards, they just suck. But, I must admit, the art was really gorgeous back then. Adams, early Aparo stuff... it's just a shame that stories weren't as good.

My favourite era is late 80's. Now there we have bunch of great graphic novels, wchich are responsible for changing the look of Batman from stupid, one-dimensional superhero to a really complex and ineresting fictional character. Year One, Arkham Asylum, Killing Joke and of course Dark Knight Returns - I love all of them and I'm really grateful that these great writers managed to write adult oriented material based on a something that was simple kid stuff for four decades.

A also like very much simpler, pulpish stories by Grant and Breyfogle. Just love
that run - a bunch of new, really interesting villians were created and some of modern day social problems were touched there and here (drugs for the most part, but not only).

I will add that I'm very fond on the original Finger/Kane stories before Robin was introduced. I always laugh when little fanboys are whinning about Batman killing and being mean. He was back from the start, a vigiliante who broke necks and threw others from the tall buildings - real archetype for characters like Spawn and Punisher. I would like to read some miniseries or even ongoing witch that version of Batman who's a psycho not afraid to kill someone, and I mean a good, adult oriented story not self-parody like
Miller's All-Star. A Batman title with Vertigo mark on the cover, why not?

 

[Cobblepot]

Around Breyfogle's run.
ANd these are classics!

 

[Spider-Bat]

I love Batman from the 70's to after the Knightfall saga, then everything got crappy, but things have gotten better since Kubert came on. It's nice how they cleaned him up.

 

[The Empire Ape]

I love Batman from the 70's to after the Knightfall saga, then everything got crappy, but things have gotten better since Kubert came on. It's nice how they cleaned him up.

You are absolutely right, dude.

But the Moench/Jones-Run was nice, too.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I honestly don't have a clue why 70's comics are always considered the best.
It's just pure nostalgia, I guess. To me, as I read a few of them, they are just campy, sometimes really goffy and stupid, kids targeted stories.
Of course they are better than 50's and 60's ****, but for today standards, they just suck. But, I must admit, the art was really gorgeous back then. Adams, early Aparo stuff... it's just a shame that stories weren't as good.

My favourite era is late 80's. Now there we have bunch of great graphic novels, wchich are responsible for changing the look of Batman from stupid, one-dimensional superhero to a really complex and ineresting fictional character. Year One, Arkham Asylum, Killing Joke and of course Dark Knight Returns - I love all of them and I'm really grateful that these great writers managed to write adult oriented material based on a something that was simple kid stuff for four decades.

A also like very much simpler, pulpish stories by Grant and Breyfogle. Just love
that run - a bunch of new, really interesting villians were created and some of modern day social problems were touched there and here (drugs for the most part, but not only).

I will add that I'm very fond on the original Finger/Kane stories before Robin was introduced. I always laugh when little fanboys are whinning about Batman killing and being mean. He was back from the start, a vigiliante who broke necks and threw others from the tall buildings - real archetype for characters like Spawn and Punisher. I would like to read some miniseries or even ongoing witch that version of Batman who's a psycho not afraid to kill someone, and I mean a good, adult oriented story not self-parody like
Miller's All-Star. A Batman title with Vertigo mark on the cover, why not?

Throughly agree, sir.

 

[Cain]

I honestly don't have a clue why 70's comics are always considered the best.
It's just pure nostalgia, I guess. To me, as I read a few of them, they are just campy, sometimes really goffy and stupid, kids targeted stories.
Of course they are better than 50's and 60's ****, but for today standards, they just suck. But, I must admit, the art was really gorgeous back then. Adams, early Aparo stuff... it's just a shame that stories weren't as good.

Well see I look at those books in the context of when they were written so I guess in that sense nostalgia plays a factor. Mind you I read them in the early 90's. I started reading Batman in '89 cause of the movie. I just had a lot of Spidey & Daredevil comics handed down before that and my cousin put me on to 70's Batman and Green Arrow. Yet reading them in the early 90's they did not seem out of date in terms of writing, they kept my interest. What I really dig though is that was when Batman really found his stride as a character. He evolved for the better. Bat-Mite was written out, Robin was sent to college, Batman was Batman again.

That era touched on everything from further exploring Bruce Wayne's childhood, to the return of the more sinister Joker and the introduction of Rupert Thorne & Ra's Al Ghul. It did all that throughout a decade thanks to people like O'Neill & Englehart maintaining a consistent vision of the mythos. To me I think any story that over 20 years later could still read better and have a better pace than something released last wednesday is a testament to why that era is so highly regarded.

There is not one decade of Batman comics be it 70's, 80's or 90's that didn't have it's clunkers. The 70's to me in terms of structure and execution was just the best one. It gave the character a balance that appealed to me as a reader.

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

In the 90's I stopped reading after Knightfall, Knightsend, Knightquest, it seemed to fall apart and Kelley Jones' art was a big factor in it.

I only collected the "big event" stuff like Hush and recently Andy Kuberts stuff.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

70 -80's for me. Particularly the mid 70's. Nostalgia, really;

I was 10 years old, and i had a neighborhood pal who was 7. We WERE "Batman & Robin", lol... Batman was just everywhere. The Superfriends were on every Saturday...the old Adam West show was repeated every afternoon...the Mego Action Figures were the RAGE at the schoolyard...and the comics were excellent! There's a particular run of Detective that is really special for me, that went from around #442 through #455 that i LOVE. I would literally jump into a fire to save those books, lol...

Just a great part of my childhood that i've never forgotten. :heart: