Favorite era of Marvel?

[comiccollector5538]

What time frame was your guys favorite? Or specific time frame for a certain character or series? Would love to hear thoughts!

[paurru]

The 1980s for me since I'm an 80s child. I was raised on Power Pack, Groo, Alpha Flight, NOW Comics, the little books of Archie double digest, Elfquest, some issues of the first couple issues of g.I. Joe, and the 1983-1984 issues of the Marvel Star Wars series

[Rincewind]

I began reading in 1983, so the early to mid 80s is the Golden Age to me. I've read up on Marvel's history and gone back to read some of the lesser titles to realize that there were still problems during that time. But when I reread a collection of some of my favorite stories from that time, I get lost in nostalgia.

But overall, I enjoy the current era beginning with Joe Quesada becoming EiC. I get to enjoy a greater diversity of characters and stories. From the Jenkins/Lee Inhuman title, to Garth Ennis Punisher Max, to Hickman's opus that ran from Fantastic Four through the Avengers and ending in Secret Wars, to the fun of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, to the old fashioned adventure of Waid's Daredevil. There's been a lot of misses in the current era, but there are misses in every era. The hits have been numerous and make it worthwhile.

[teamhawkeyes]

I feel like most of these answers are going to be the era in which the poster started reading Marvel. Including mine.

For me, it's the current 00s/10s era. I've tried reading older stuff and found that it very much isn't for me. Current day Hawkeye (both Clint and Kate) have had great books, both volumes of Young Avengers (especially Gillen/McKelvie's) were great, with Ms. Marvel also shining bright. I've also particularly enjoyed the growth of the Inhumans as well as plenty of other Marvel stories. Sure, there are some bad stuff, but it's easy to ignore.

And maybe it's my lack of the larger MU context in some of the older stories, but they just seem to fall flat for me. There's also a lot of X-Men stuff, and I've never really gotten into them. I constantly feel like there's something I'm just... not... getting or connecting to when I read X-Men books (and even when I watch the movies). Can't really put a finger on it. And it's probably just because I'm used to the more modern art styles and decompressed stories, but older stories just seem very rushed to me. Like plot and action seemed to take priority over character work and that's not exactly what I'm into.

[North]

The writing is as good as it's ever been right now. If characters like Bruce Banner & Wolverine weren't dead (& iconic characters like Thor Odinson & Clint Barton weren't being painted as unworthy or inept), & we could chill out with all the cash grabbing mediocre events we would be in great shape.

The writers are talented, but I think Marvel is condescending in its attempts at being politically aware & correct. Disembowling Clint Barton after Matt Fraction built him up just for the sake of having a female character show him up (which made Kate less likeable, honestly) just seemed forced. How could Kate abandon the person who made her great? Even if he is a mess... it was classless.

The characters are being written as well as ever, even if the direction they're taking isn't always well executed. Right now is a special time for Marvel comics.

[SJNeal]

1986/7 - 2000

Which happens to be approximately the same as my favorite DC era, because what I grew up with is better than everything else.

[The Whovian]

The 80's. So many amazing stories and great creators.

[Rogue Star]

Claremont Uncanny X-men

And dat Silvestri art!

[Rincewind]

1986/7 - 2000

Which happens to be approximately the same as my favorite DC era, because what I grew up with is better than everything else.

That's interesting. In my view DC was head and shoulders above Marvel during this time. And I say this as a reader who started out as Marvel only and my reading list has always been a majority of Marvel titles.

[Xalfrea]

Well, this current decate is the first and only era of comics I'm reading, so I guess logically, my favorite era is...right now.

[UltimateTy]

Late 90's/early 00's

[Panic]

I started reading comics in the mid seventies, and though there are some great comics from that era I think the eighties would be my pick: Power Man & Iron Fist, Claremont's (when he was still good) Uncanny X-Men and The New Mutants (with Sienkiewicz art), Davis/Moore Captain Britain, Simonson's epic Thor run, Moench & Sienkiewicz' Moon Knight... lots of great stuff that made an impact on me.

[gurkle]

It's the late '90s for me because while I didn't start reading then, the books that really got me into Marvel were mostly from that post-Onslaught era: Busiek Thunderbolts and Avengers, Waid Captain America, Jurgens Thor, Kelly Deadpool.

I don't think it was the best era of Marvel because the X-Men and Spider-Man lines went to hell in this period even as the Avengers books were getting better. (Not a good tradeoff for a company whose biggest franchises at the time were X-Men and Spider-Man.) But the combination of nostalgic continuity references with easy jumping-on points made it the period where I really learned to love the convoluted history of Marvel.

Even the Comicraft lettering with its overuse of special fonts ("rock" font for the Thing, "fire" font for the Human Torch) makes me kind of nostalgic.

[KingsLeadHat]

I started regularly following and collecting Marvel in 1987 and the height of my collecting was 1987-2000. That said, my favorite era of Marvel was 1977-1985, having had a chance to go back and read most of the best material: Claremont/Byrne X-Men, Byrne FF, Simonson Thor, Miller Daredevil, Stern Spider-Man/Avengers, etc.

It was second only to 1961-1969 in terms of innovation and overall, in terms of mainstream all-ages superhero comics, I think it was the best era for Marvel in terms of story/art/continuity.

[Cap808]

Why not? Any time I can show how old I am....

For me it would be the late 70's, early 80's. Reason being is that there weren't that many characters flooding the market, and all of the titles truly shared a universe. What happened in one comic was felt in another. Not to mention, any loyal reader new exactly who was running around Earth in spandex, and it made following the characters a lot more fun.

You knew the Avengers would be the Big 3 plus Hank (in some form of costume), Wasp, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Black Panther, Hercules, and then eventually Ms. Marvel, Black Widow, Wonder Man, the Beast, and the Falcon.

The Fantastic Four was Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny, with constant visits by the Silver Surfer, Namor, and the Inhumans.

You could actually name all of the X-Men. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel, Beast, Iceman, with appearances by Havok and Polaris. Then the All-New X-Men debuted, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Banshee, Sunfire, and Thunderbird. Along with Professor X, or course.

The non-team of Defenders consisted of Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer, Hulk, Namor, and then you'd have Nighthawk, Hellcat, and Valkyrie.

Street level heroes were easier to name as well: Spidey, Daredevil, Power Man and Iron Fist, Moon Knight, etc.

I know I missed several other heroes from that era, but my point being is that the comic universe was so much more compact, so much more connected, and in my opinion, so much more fun.