Especially if you’re new to comics (and even if your’e a long-time fan), having an understanding of the history of comics can be a little confusing.  How can you tell if a comic was from the golden or silver age?  Well, I decided I’d make this handy go-to guide explaining what happened during each of the different ages.  There are 5 predominant time periods during which comics as a medium were characterized quite differently.

On a side note, I realize that the precise dates are still debated as to how they line up with the eras so if you start screaming at me in the comments for mucking up the start/end of an era then why don’t you writer the article, smart guy!?  No, seriously, I really wanna go get chinese so if you can write it instead that’d be awesome.

Ok,  Let’s start with the oldest:

The Proto-Comic/Platinum Age (1833 – Late 1930s)

Comics weren’t always centered around superheroes and and tied into multi-million dollar film endorsement deals.  In fact, while there is still some debate, most experts agree the first comic book released in America was The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck in 1843. Written by Swiss caricaturist  Rodolphe Töpffer, it was originally made available in a variety of European territories in 1837 before making its way stateside.

I realize the above looks like something out of a nightmare but it represents the humble beginnings of the multi-billion dollar industry we know today. The format was primarily told with pictures and words but without the speech bubbles we know of and it was in a hardbound book that had been collected from the original work in Europe.  So no speech bubbles and certainly no Modok Honda ads.

Of course, as the popularity of these types of books began to increase, America quickly found itself entering…

The Golden Age (Late 1930s – Late 1940s/Early 1950s)

One of the hallmarks of the Golden Age began with the release of Action Comics #1. When DC released this it was the first time superheros really began to barrel into the mainstream. It’s also important to note that this is the same time when the comic format that we know today was defined.

As World War II began, comics began turning more war-centered and patriotic, featuring heroes duking it out with Hitler himself was a common theme.

It made sense as comics served to inspire patriotism and match the collective sentiments of the nation as the allies and axis duked it out. Furthermore, comic books were viewed as an inexpensive form of entertainment when the country was entrenched in war. When the war came to its end, superhero comics began to wane having fallen out of favor with readers.  The medium diversified dramatically as publishers began releasing western, romance, science fiction, and horror comics to compensate.

Naturally, our heroes wouldn’t remain in the shadow forever because right around the corner came…

The Silver Age (1956 – circa 1970)

The Silver Age showed up right around 1956 and was the beginning of some of the greats you’re probably more familiar with if you’re new to comics.  This is when comics began to surge in popularity in a massive way and so many of our favorite Marvel heroes came into being.  It was characterized by a variety of artists and writers including the likes of  Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr., and Stan Lee.

However, crime and horror books in particular had created controversy as many felt there was a link between comics and juvenile delinquency, prompting the creation of the Comics Code Authority as a body to regulate the content of comic books.

As this caused publishers to favor superhero comics, many iconic heroes were born during this time period including Spider-Man, Justice League of America, and the Fantastic four.

So, as time progressed superheros matured and before you know it, BAM!

The Bronze Age (Circa 1970 – Circa 1985)

Characterized by an increase in mature storytelling, heroes evolved during this era to tackle more relevant social issues within their narratives.   Storylines surrounding drug use, politics, environmental issues, and other real problems were prevalent during this time.  Artistically speaking, much of the artwork within comics began to take on a far more realistic look, notably in Neal Adams’ Green Lantern. Aside from the storytelling embracing more realistic issues and the art rapidly matching it, this was also the period of time where more minority superheroes came on the scene.

That maturity really began to came to a head when we found ourselves facing our current age…

The Modern Age (1985 – Present Day)

Everything post 1985 is referred to as the Modern Age.  Most believe it started with Alan Moore’s Watchmen.  Some even call what we’re in now the Dark Age of Comics on account of dark and gritty story lines so prevalent in titles like Spawn.  Characters became more psychologically complex and darker as well, leading to the kinds of story lines and situations that would have given the Comics Code Authority an aneurism.

So there you have it- a fairly brief introduction to what the history of comic books looks like.

What age did your oldest comic come from?