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  1. #1
    Comix Addict! Comics N' Toons's Avatar
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    Default Favorite Era of Superman?

    Perhaps more than any other comics character, Superman has had more decent eras as far as stories, world building and mythos go... quite a feat for being 82 years old.

    What is your fav. era of Superman?

    For me, it's a tie between the Seigel/Shuster era (1938-early 40's) and the immediate Post Crisis era from Byrne through the "Triangle Era" up through the Death and Return Saga (1986-1992)

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  2. #2
    Ultimate Member Ascended's Avatar
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    I'm not sure if I really have a favorite. There's stuff in every era that I love, and stuff in every era I don't.

    If I absolutely had to pick, I guess I'd say the Golden Age. I adore the social crusader who fought for the little guy and threw his weight around, and there's a raw energy in those pages you just don't find anymore.
    "We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."

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  3. #3
    Astonishing Member Adekis's Avatar
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    I love different eras for different reasons.

    So for example, I think the Golden Age, especially from '38-'42, is the "purest" form of the Superman fantasy, a fantasy of a man who's both righteous, and strong enough to set this imperfect world to right, one injustice at a time. No job to big, no job too small, whether he's ending a war, or helping a meek man gain self-confidence. I think it's really beautiful in its primitiveness. Superman is a bit of a roughneck, he doesn't care for the laws of men or care who he pisses off, all that matters is doing what's right. He doesn't need to make sure that all his solutions to social ills are realistic, because they're a four-color fantasy for a world in need of comfort. Love it!

    The Silver Age of the late fifties and sixties, what can I say? It's fantasy for fantasy's sake, and I'm here for it! Jimmy Olsen's transformations, Krypto, Streaky, Comet, Supergirl, the Bottle City of Kandor, Brainiac, and best of all, the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th Century! There's so much absolutely wild stuff, utterly divorced from reality, and that's great fun! The Bronze Age basically treats that cartoonish material with a little more seriousness, and I think that mix created one of, or maybe THE best "classic" Superman.

    Of course while I often think the post-Crisis period threw a little bit of baby out with the bathwater as far as Clark and Krypton are concerned, I also think it has by far the best Lois Lane, the best Metropolis, and the best supporting cast for Superman all around - except maybe for Silver Age Jimmy, haha!

    Then there's the New 52, a bold attempt to bring the Golden Age Superman into the 21st century and unite him with his more fantastical space-faring future self! Also to varying degrees of success I have to admit, but under Morrison and Pak, New 52 Superman is probably my personal favorite version of the Man of Steel himself, in the attempt to combine elements of the Golden and Bronze ages with more contemporary sensibilities.

    If I had to pick a single favorite era, I don't know that I could!
    "You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me."

  4. #4
    Father Son Kamehameha < Kuwagaton's Avatar
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    It's a cheat because we're talking about two major shifts lumped together, but I'd say 1970-1999. Those thirty years have more fun stories than I've seen for almost any comic across any stretch, with insane variety. Otherwise my top three:

    1. 1987-1999/2003*: the Post Crisis era. Extremely coherent across hundreds of stories and creative hands. Superman contrasting against a generation of anti heroes with his affable charm and straight man humor, a much expanded focus on superhero action, a grasp of the stars, melodrama, and hard nosed street level serials rolled together.

    Bonuses include great family runs (Kesels, David, Jurgens) and out of continuity hits like the Elseworlds and Adventures line. 1999 really was the end of an era, but it did continue in spirit and story until 2003 with very strong work along the way and a few instant classics.

    2. 1970-1986. Pretty much neck and neck with me. Less coherent and varied, but more imaginative and outright humorous. The most far out, legendary stories in the vein sci-fi action with a great Scooby-doo like quirk. If Post Crisis is a model for modern stories, this irreverent style is actually a good model for where to go next, or where we should have been heading in a post modern sense.

    Excellent Supergirl stories and the legendary beginning of Fourth World. Reeve changed the game outside and somewhat inside of comics.

    3. 1942-1949: seems like an arbitrary stretch to make except that this covers the stronger Golden age imo, from power stone to the end of the current collections, I suppose the end of the decade. Lois seems to be coming down from the peak of her character, which I guess is dormant until the early 70s.

    The hardest and most "authentic" Superman, stands next to peers and ahead of its time in many ways. Incredible synergy with the newspapers and cartoon
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  5. #5
    Astonishing Member kingaliencracker's Avatar
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    I love all facets of the character, so by default I also love different eras of the character, different as they may be.

    However, I suppose my absolute favorite would be 1986-2003, really because that's the era I grew up with and started getting into the character.

  6. #6
    Incredible Member SuperCrab's Avatar
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    The New 52 Superman was by far my favorite. He was actually so impressive to me and so in tune with what I wanted out of an iteration of Superman that I have had a ton of trouble getting into any of the subsequent versions of Superman, who really don't resemble him in anything more than a "They are both versions of Clark Kent/Superman and have the basic things that are required to be an iteration of that character" kind of way.
    Last edited by SuperCrab; 01-05-2021 at 09:58 AM.

  7. #7
    The Man Who Cannot Die manwhohaseverything's Avatar
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    1930s and 40s
    70s to 86bronze age stuff.
    Some major aspects and runs of new52
    Everything after donner movies is a hard pass except for cool world building.
    Last edited by manwhohaseverything; 01-04-2021 at 03:43 PM.
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  8. #8
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    1938 - 1986.

    But I think if I could cycle back through time, I'd just keep cycling back through the 1960s and 1970s and that would give me the best chance of getting the best comic books. In 1960, there wasn't much of a collectors market. But there were collectors who had the comics in very good condition, for relatively little money. I could get all the comics from the 1930s to 1950s. At that point ACTION COMICS No. 1 was only 22 years old and available for not a whole lot of money. And that's also when the Annuals started.

    So I could get all the 80 Page Giants and the Super-Spectaculars. While at the same time reading all the new comics as they came out. Hopefully I'd get a good enough paying job (and use my knowledge of the future to make wise investments), then I could afford all those comics. And I guess in 1979 I'd have to sell my whole collection because I'd be at the end of my time cycle. And really 1979 would have been a good time to sell ones collection.

  9. #9

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    As a big Superman nut, I loved the triangle era. There were some good stories and STRONG continuity.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by SuperCrab View Post
    The New 52 Superman was by far my favorite. He was actually so impressive to me and so in tune with what I wanted out of an iteration of Superman that I have had a ton of trouble getting into any of the subsequent versions of Superman, who really don't resemble him in anything more than a "They are both versions of Clark Kent/Superman and have the basic things that are required to an iteration of that character" kind of way.

    I liked that era too.
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  11. #11
    Incredible Member magha_regulus's Avatar
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    This is a hard one. I love the philosophical sci-fi elements of the Maggin era. I love Morrison and Pak/Kruder's run during the New 52 because they fully embraced and honed in on the Champion of the Oppressed angle from the late 30s/early 40s. I can't say which I like best.

  12. #12
    Fantastic Member ERON's Avatar
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    Silver Age, hands down. I got interested in it after reading Alan Moore's Supreme, and fell in love with the over-the-top goofiness of it all.

  13. #13
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    I'm not sure I have a favorite 'era' as such, but in many ways the 1986-2004 era of Superman was my Superman. My first exposure to the character was the TAS, which came out during this time and was largely inspired by this era. A lot of the earliest Superman comics I read were from this time too. Its also the reason why I like the Snyder Superman movies, since they are a kind of pseudo-realistic take on this era too.

    In general, I think the 2010's have also been a great era for Superman, not so much because of the 'mainline' comics as much as some of the interesting re-imaginings of the character. Grant Morrison's New 52 run for sure. American Alien. Superman Smashes the Klan. And probably a few others I'm missing.

  14. #14
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    The 1990s onward sometimes had explosions of Superman content, but previous to that, I think that the 1960s may have had the most Superman related stories. You had SUPERMAN, ACTION COMICS, ADVENTURE COMICS, WORLD'S FINEST COMICS, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE, SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN, SUPERBOY, plus Superman still had his own comic strip and he got his own cartoons.

    Anyway, as much of the 1960s content as I've consumed, there's still much more I need to get to. It's a fruitful area to explore.

  15. #15
    Superfan Through The Ages BBally's Avatar
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    Bronze Age with elements of 90s and mid 2000s, some Golden and Silver Age and Rebirth and a bit of New52
    No matter how many reboots, new origins, reinterpretations or suit redesigns. In the end, he will always be SUPERMAN

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