Bronze Age 1970-1984 Appreciation

[Kubert]

Discuss your favorite,

Stories
Writers
Quotes / Jokes / Word baloons
Art (post pictures too)
Artists
Topics (Vietnam, Disco, etc.)
Memories (newsstands, spin racks, a bygone lcs, early conventions)
Etcetera

[kcekada]

Favorites from early Bronze Age that I read at the time are the Joker stories and werewolf stories illustrated by Neal Adams. I also liked any Catwoman story from the early 70s when she was still a villain (though I did also appreciate the later BA stories when she became more heroic).

I liked the latter BA stories with Don Newton as artist-- particularly the Detective Comics anniversary where Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman and Talia take on virtually ever Bat villain that existed at the time.

Any cover by Nick Cardy featuring Batman was always an instant classic.

[Kubert]

Cardy art kicks ass!

[TheBatman]

Strange Apparitions is my favorite Batman story.

[John Venus]

I enjoy any story that shows Batman and his supporting cast doing something that would be unexpected in the modern day. I love Haney/Aparo's Batman: The Brave and the Bold stories. The 'Batman Family' title starring Batgirl and Robin was fun as well. Barbara as a Congresswoman and Dick as her junior love interest was an interesting dynamic and the stories were off kilter.

Another great thing about this era was how Batman was a street level detective. The default Batman story was one wherein he had to solve a mystery. Plus many of the great episodes of Batman: The Animated Series were stories that were adapted from this era of Batman comics.

[John Venus]

Strange Apparitions is my favorite Batman story.

Seconding Strange Apparitions. The most definitive take on Hugo, the Laughing Fish, Rupert Thorne.

[ngroove]

Honestly, one of my favorite runs, was Len Wein's run on BATMAN, 1978 - 1980.

He might have brought Bruce Wayne, as head of Wayne Enterprises, back as part of the issues, as Wein brought in Lucius Fox into the fold.

As well as gave Bruce a steady love life, as allowed him to start a relationship with Selina Kyle, not to mention probably three-dimensionalizing her for the first time, under the first, truly honest path of her reformation.

And, best of all, any and all villains were up for grabs, the more wacky and forgotten, the better! Along with still regularly utilizing Two-Face, Riddler, and Joker as any one else would, he brought back, from the Silver Age and into the Bronze - Copper age, and they probably would not be still sometimes relevant today had it not been for Wein - Kite Man! Calendar Man! Crazy Quilt! Catman! Not to mention, the classic face offs between Batman and the Gentleman Ghost!

[cgh]

Gerry Conway's run, which treated Batman and Detective Comics as a single title. Stories started in one would finish in the other, effectively making Batman a bi-weekly title for a time. Conway had previously worked at Marvel and he brought the sort of ongoing background stories and continuity with him to DC.

Plus you had the immortal Don Newton/Dan Adkins team on art for much of it, as well as Gene Colan(!). This run saw the introduction of Killer Croc, explored Alfred's past in the French Resistance of WW2, saw Dick Grayson's first steps as an independent human being and a lot more. Of course, there were some duds and absurd villains (the Sportsman springs to mind) but overall a great and underrated run.

[ngroove]

Plus you had the immortal Don Newton/Dan Adkins team on art for much of it, as well as Gene Colan(!). This run saw the introduction of Killer Croc, explored Alfred's past in the French Resistance of WW2, saw Dick Grayson's first steps as an independent human being and a lot more. Of course, there were some duds and absurd villains (the Sportsman springs to mind) but overall a great and underrated run.

Richard Grayson had already started his independence from being kid sidekick / ward to Batman / Bruce Wayne, started with his graduation from High School, and entered Hudson University, on Batman #217 (December 1969). From there, his appearances crimefighting with Batman was sparser, while he went to college, fighting alongside the Teen Titans, Batgirl, ect, or on his own cases, as he regularly had his own back up feature on DETECTIVE COMICS and BATMAN FAMILY.

[scary harpy]

I have learned to appreciate the Bronze Age comics.

1970s and early 80s were a departure form earlier silliness and the emergence of a more serious tone.

I am glad comics were able to take themselves seriously without being grim-dark. If it was done before, it can be done again.

[Mace Dolex]

Gerry Conways's brief run got me hooked on Batman, people will swear by O'Neil/Adams and Englehart/Rodgers memorable stories but to me Conway's run will be my quintessential Batman and with art by Don Newton and Gene Colan it was a far cry from the Adam West show.

[K7P5V]

Gerry Conways's brief run got me hooked on Batman, people will swear by O'Neil/Adams and Englehart/Rodgers memorable stories but to me Conway's run will be my quintessential Batman and with art by Don Newton and Gene Colan it was a far cry from the Adam West show.

Agree with you about Conway's run. From that run, my favorite story would be...

Batman #355

"Never Scratch a Cat"

Another personal favorite and a childhood treasure of mine would be the Two-Face two-part crossover event...

Batman #346
Detective Comics #513

[Kubert]

I am glad comics were able to take themselves seriously without being grim-dark. If it was done before, it can be done again.

Any specific arcs or pages that shows that?

[signalman112]

Inspired by poster, KUBERT here is Joe Kurbert's cover to BATMAN #328.

Batman328.jpg

[Will Evans]

Silver St Cloud.