Superman: the Bronze Age thread

[The Darknight Detective]

The Bronze Age interpretation of Superman is the one that is most familiar and appealing to me.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

To this day, when I think of comic-book Superman, I think of how Curt Swan drew him during that time.

[Powerboy]

To this day, when I think of comic-book Superman, I think of how Curt Swan drew him during that time.

The Bronze Age caused a resurgence of my interest in Superman just when I was the right age myself for it.

[Kuwagaton]

Terra-Man, I know I talk about Terra-Man way too much but for me he is a true under appreciated character. I was just watching Guardians of the Gallery and for me Peter Quill is Terra Man with-out the Pancho, mustache, and some sit ups. I also see the same backstory for Jack Hawksmoor of the Authority.

For me, Terra Man is a terrific Superman enemy, and one of those mirror image characters. In my mind, he is like Clint Eastwood's Man with With No Name but able to withstand cold space, and even though Superman would knock him out with a pinkie, he still has the tools to take on Supes.

For some reason, manning never seems to get much love. He's such a recognizable character of the era though. That cover where he rides Superman is what piqued my curiosity in bronze age.

[superduperman]

I recently started re-reading some Bronze Age stuff and it's amazing how well a lot of it holds up today. Outside of clothing and references to technology or specific dates. They could do a lot of those stories today and they'd still fit.

[Johnny Thunders!]

For some reason, manning never seems to get much love. He's such a recognizable character of the era though. That cover where he rides Superman is what piqued my curiosity in bronze age.

I think some of it is Curt Swan's design for Terra Man, he looks bloated. Most Superheroes today look seven feet tall and they breathe pilates.

Terra-Man looks like a over inflated Burt Reynolds, or to my mind, and definitely worth googling, Vicente Fernandez.

I only have one comic book idea, Terra Man is from Smallville and resents the Kents, Kryptonian or otherwise, from way back!

[TruthAndJustice]

There were some good Bronze Age stories, of course. But the things I didn't like outweighed the stuff I did.

Clark Kent, anchorman for WGBS. Never made any sense to me at all.

Everybody knows EVERYTHING about Krypton. Why?

Superman can still fly forward and backward in time though his own power. Never liked that.

Luthor starts wanting to challenge Superman physically. I just don't think that ever really seemed consistent with his character.

Superman starts feeling very much like a "stranger in a strange land" on Earth despite being raised by the Kents. Didn't make sense to me. Not very nice to the Kents, too!

Too many boring "Untold Tales of Krypton."

Many, Many gimmicky stories by Cary Bates. (Marty Pasko and Elliot Maggin wrote better ones.)

[Kuwagaton]

Why would Lex not want to beat Superman physically? Isn't that exactly what he tried on Lexor in the famous silver age super duel?

Superman for me had the best time traveling of any hero. It was used just enough to let us know it was still a useful story idea. His bout with Vandal in #516 was cool although abrupt. That's what tended to happen when Wolfman or Bates did a two or three part story. Bates just had a ridiculous imagination so that a weak issue or two couldn't slow him down. Almost 20 years as a main writer.

And though I think his serial style was a nice wrinkle to add, ultimately I think Pasko in the mid to late 300s did some unmemorable issues. The original STAR and Metallo stuff, I read about a month ago.

[Johnny Thunders!]

Metallo was a great Bronze Age Villain, actually all the main rogues: Toyman, the Parasite, Metallo, Bizarro, Lex, Brainiac, all update terrifically in the 70's. Cary Bates is terrific, no more out there than Scott Snyder or Geoff Johns at their worst. That's who he reminds me of Geoff Johns, but I prefer Cary Bates' Superman comics by a mile. Bates and Maggin are my favorite from the time. Len Wein, Cary Bates, Denny O'Neil, Maggin, and Pasko, there were a ton of great writers showing up on Superman from time to time.
Bronze Age Legion of Superhero stories are a blast too. I just re-read the wedding of Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl. The designs are so out there.

[ironman2978]

There were some good Bronze Age stories, of course. But the things I didn't like outweighed the stuff I did.

Clark Kent, anchorman for WGBS. Never made any sense to me at all.

Everybody knows EVERYTHING about Krypton. Why?

Superman can still fly forward and backward in time though his own power. Never liked that.

Luthor starts wanting to challenge Superman physically. I just don't think that ever really seemed consistent with his character.

Superman starts feeling very much like a "stranger in a strange land" on Earth despite being raised by the Kents. Didn't make sense to me. Not very nice to the Kents, too!

Too many boring "Untold Tales of Krypton."

Many, Many gimmicky stories by Cary Bates. (Marty Pasko and Elliot Maggin wrote better ones.)

I don't know. I think the stranger in a strange land theme worked (Martin Pasko explained why it made more sense for silver/bronze age Superman as opposed to Post Crisis Clark, I didn't see it as disrespectful to the Kents because Clark still viewed and loved Kents in High regards and still has moments of humanity), same with the Krypton stories and elements. As for Lex, I always saw him as subconsciously want to be seen as Superman's better in every way, while also matching the theme that Clark and Lex are both outsiders in different ways.


I agree the anchorman part didn't work, Clark worked better as a reporter with his face not all on the news.

[Kuwagaton]

I miss Clark the anchor, especially at the dawn. It was this weird, new school gonzo idea and I'm not sure how exactly readers felt at the time except from particular comments from some on the actual stories (DC was always pretty good about printing mixed reviews) but it all feels far out. Action Comics #406:



Check out this "retro review":
http://dangermart.blogspot.com/2015/...omics-406.html

[Gernot]

This ad kind'a rang in the Bronze for ME. What about YOU guys? 000 Ad-Superman-in-1971-2.jpg