Bronze Age Appreciation

[Kuwagaton]

So there had been discussions in the past on whether the term had an official existence and what its parameters were, but I think any experience with the line can help identify the unique attributes in or around the Schwartz stewardship dates. We do already have a Superman appreciation but aside from technically losing him as he was (we've seen enough separate returns for Kal L that we can count him as different versions of just the golden age, not so of Earth 1) the features (epilogues, Air Wave, private life, etc.) relationships (Atom and Katar Hol have comparitively been on the fringe at best, Superboy's Legion was never entirely restored), facets of the status quo (newscaster, the GBS specific crew), and other things that were a normal part of the publishing line are worth acknowledging and celebrating, even if D.C. is frugal with reprints.


All that said, I open with a two parter on the masterwork of Jose Luis Garcia Lopez. The stories collected or to be collected aren't really called masterpieces and don't elevate the medium by a consensus, but his work certainly elevated whatever was there. For all the praise for his aesthetics on covers and promo work I think it's often forgotten that he is a genius storyteller. Consecutive page after page really drive the point but hopefully these bits with Pasko show a certain something wonderfully unique.

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[Kuwagaton]

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The upcoming sequel to his Adventures hardcover should be excellent, but pretty much all 90s stuff.

[BBally]

I'm looking forward to the Superman Bronze Age Omnibus when it comes out, it's about that time more people get to witness the awesomeness that is Elliot S! Maggin.

[Vordan]

For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow get a lot of love, but there’s a third highly underrated Moore Bronze Age Superman/Swamp Thing story, Jungle Line. That story to me definitely deserves to be up there with the other two as one of the best Superman stories.

[Lvenger]

For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow get a lot of love, but there’s a third highly underrated Moore Bronze Age Superman/Swamp Thing story, Jungle Line. That story to me definitely deserves to be up there with the other two as one of the best Superman stories.

I believe this story is printed in a collection of Moore's Superman bibliography which includes the aforementioned two more famous stories. I got a copy of it for Christmas from my dad and I thought Jungle Line was equally as thoughtfully written and poignant as Moore's other two Bronze Age Superman tales.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I'm looking forward to the Superman Bronze Age Omnibus when it comes out, it's about that time more people get to witness the awesomeness that is Elliot S! Maggin.

There's going to be a Bronze Age Superman Omnibus? When is that coming out? I wish they would have released one golden, one silver, and one bronze age omnibus every year instead of 6 golden age omnibus over the last 5 years.

The Ghost of Superman Future is such a terrific comic. Maggin was able to update those big, mythic Silver Age style stories in a way that felt more contemporary. He also does a nice job of writing about Superman in a way that Alan Moore or Grant Morrison would.

Highly recommend checking out that podcast someone recommended. "Elliot Makes Stuff Up" I listened to all of Miracle Monday and started Last Son of Krypton. The short story Starwinds Howl is also so good.

I think my favorite run of Superman comics might be from 290 to 310!

One Bronze Age comic I also love: "Make Way for Captain Thunder!"

[Kuwagaton]

I really enjoy Cap Marvel (who has a bronze age collection soon I think, in addition to Power Of) but I think Cap Thunder was the best of "Superman vs Shazam." Some months ago I referenced it for Superman's static electricity move and it's been hard to stop thinking about it.

It's weird: making a compilation is so easy that it's hard. What do you even put? The Seventies trade included Power Play, Curious Black, the initial Terra Man, and Galactic Golem... but you could so easily include other stuff over those. Superman 2001 was in another trade sure, but that's a pretty fantastic anniversary for a character who does anniversaries so well. My favorite of that trade as-is was actually the Krypto story from Superman #287.

Einstein Connection is obviously good but gotta love the lead story and its excellent cover. I'm a big Barreto fan.

[Johnny Thunders!]

The Captain Marvel Book came out: I think it was called The World's Mightiest Mortal. I think they just reprinted from issue 1 and on. I already have the B/W showcase book.

If the Superman book is an Omnibus I hope they just choose a date and just start publishing comics in order. I think people have read all the warhorses and they should just start publishing in order. One Bronze Age Omnibus for Superman and One Bronze Age Omnibus for Action. A ton of those old stories are 1 and 2 issue stories.

[BBally]

There's going to be a Bronze Age Superman Omnibus? When is that coming out? I wish they would have released one golden, one silver, and one bronze age omnibus every year instead of 6 golden age omnibus over the last 5 years.

The Ghost of Superman Future is such a terrific comic. Maggin was able to update those big, mythic Silver Age style stories in a way that felt more contemporary. He also does a nice job of writing about Superman in a way that Alan Moore or Grant Morrison would.

Highly recommend checking out that podcast someone recommended. "Elliot Makes Stuff Up" I listened to all of Miracle Monday and started Last Son of Krypton. The short story Starwinds Howl is also so good.

I think my favorite run of Superman comics might be from 290 to 310!

One Bronze Age comic I also love: "Make Way for Captain Thunder!"

That's the plan with these omnibuses DC's been releasing recently, they already announced/released Superman Golden Age Omnibus Vol.6 so we still got a long way.

I'm already aware of his podcast, I actually made a thread about it on the forums.

[Johnny Thunders!]

That's the plan with these omnibuses DC's been releasing recently, they already announced/released Superman Golden Age Omnibus Vol.6 so we still got a long way.

I'm already aware of his podcast, I actually made a thread about it on the forums.

I knew it was someone on the board who suggested the podcast. Thanks for finding it!

I think some must read Bronze Age Stories, and I mention these all the time, are the big oversized collectors edition comics. (We really should just call them Treasury Editions, even if that's a Marvel thing. They are big, oversized books, and they were my "Absolute Editions" of the time. Both Superman/Spiderman books are must read as is the Superman VS. WonderWoman that's in the Garcia Lopez hardcover. Of course Superman Vs. Ali!

I think the Superboy and the Legion of Superhero stories from the time are also must read. Superboy back then had a shaggier mane and looks like he could be Greg Brady with a cape. I am looking at one of the Collectors Edition oversized books from the time. The art by Mike Grell is really fantastic. Track down the wedding of Saturn Girl and Lighting Lad, "The Millennium Massacre"!

Maybe not Greg Brady, a young dark haired Robert Redford!

[BBally]

I knew it was someone on the board who suggested the podcast. Thanks for finding it!

Don't mention it

[Adekis]

There's a handful of details about the Bronze Age Superman I really don't like or don't consider to be part of my ideal of the character, like his occasionally inconsistent characterization, or his code against killing that is never broken, unless there's some kind of moral shrug about the foe's living state, in which case it's always broken really easily.

But ultimately, the vast swath of Bronze Age Superman material is, I think something of a height for the character. He's the Apex of Superman, to which every other Superman must be compared and almost inevitably fall short.

[Kuwagaton]

Characterization wise I almost remembered something... and forgot, as far as what I don't like goes. There were some very random moments in some of his reactions I guess. Like just being a total jerk to Mister Miracle in a way that didn't get neatly explained at the end. I usually notice it quickly with shorter stints as they tried to make him more contemporary.

And yeah, if there was the slightest twist on defining whether or not a being was alive, it was time to die. I like his absolute no killing rule very much. It goes along with the idea that he's unbeatable which I know a lot of people don't like... except it's all the rage as a character niche in anime.

Powers wise the depictions were great. It would seemingly take some effort to do things slightly less impressive than he did in the 60s. I just didn't like how he would make giant versions of household items, like a giant spatula to move a bunch of people at once. Not all that interesting a solution imo.

For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow get a lot of love, but thereÂ’s a third highly underrated Moore Bronze Age Superman/Swamp Thing story, Jungle Line. That story to me definitely deserves to be up there with the other two as one of the best Superman stories.

I think the exposure is a huge factor but I did like Jungle Line better than Annual 11. The atmosphere with the Williamson inks and everything just feels like such a refreshing vibe for the foremost superhero. Swamp Thing and Grundy made surprisingly good cameos. You could make a trade just based on Superman + Mudfolk.

As far as a large collection goes they really need to get like Marvel and pack 500 pages into a softcover, with the regular lead stories and the back ups that have some character relation. For the omnibus editions I'm stuck at trying to figure out a good starting point since they already did Kryptonite Nevermore. Superman 243 is kind of obvious but what about Action?

[Johnny Thunders!]

I had to check Cover Browser, but just by looking at the covers, I think Action Comics 419 could be a starting point for Superman's Bronze Age in Action. I have read bits and pieces of those late Silver Age stories before Action 419. There are so many odd, heavy Sci-Fi stories that are unique to Superman. So many of these stories work for me in the same way as Sandman or the Spirit. They are just little windows into strange ideas where the main character acts more like a host for an unreal concept. (I would totally be up for choosing an issue from the Bronze Age and reading it with other CBR members to to strike up a conversation about the bronze age. Anybody interested in Action Comics 422?) http://www.coverbrowser.com/covers/action-comics/9

[Johnny Thunders!]

https://kidr77.blogspot.com/2016/06/...art-forty.html
Who took the Super Out of Superman is just as good, if not better, than the Death of Captain AND Gwen Stacy.