This question may depend on an oversimplification and thus be inherently flawed, but I'm interested in people's thoughts. Please note this is not a thread intending to compare Marvel and DC in a competative manner or to discuss which is better. Okay, onto the setup and the question:
IMHO, Silver Age Marvel represented a significant change in comics writing. As opposed to the golden age, each character tended to have a distinct personality. Also characters were flawed as people, often had conflict with each other, and had personal problems. Finally, there was a significant sense of continuity both within and across series. Plotlines continued for a span of issues, and characters in different books clearly were in the same world.
Silver Age DC to me retained the Golden Age sensibility in these regards. Any member of the JLA could have uttered any line of dialogue interchangably. Batman and Superman had the same personalities. They seemed to have very two-dimensional personal lives and no major personal problems. Few plotlines really spanned several issues.
These seem to be fairly well accepted differences. Personally, during my collecting years (roughly early to mid 70s to early to mid 80s), I collected and read most Marvel and DC superhero comics. In general I much preferred Marvel, although I had a few favorites that were DC such as Legion, All Star Squadron and New Teen Titans.
Here's my question: About at what point did the DC titles in general shift into a more "modern" sensibility for lack of a better word. In other words, stress on continuity, more realism, characterization, and conflict. The reason I ask is that I am interested in what 70s or early 80s DC series I might enjoy, given that I tend to like Marvel more and tend to find golden and silver age DC kind of tedious. I read a lot of DC superheroes in the 70s, but how I experienced the material as a 10 year old isn't necessarily going to tell me how I'd like it now.
Any thoughts regarding around when the shift in DC happened? Or what particular series might best represent a sensibility similar to what Marvel was producing at the time. All of the ones I noted as DC favorites (considering Legion during say Levitz era) seem to me to have a similar sensibility to Marvel material that was being released contemporarily.
I hope this question makes sense.
IMHO, Silver Age Marvel represented a significant change in comics writing. As opposed to the golden age, each character tended to have a distinct personality. Also characters were flawed as people, often had conflict with each other, and had personal problems. Finally, there was a significant sense of continuity both within and across series. Plotlines continued for a span of issues, and characters in different books clearly were in the same world.
Silver Age DC to me retained the Golden Age sensibility in these regards. Any member of the JLA could have uttered any line of dialogue interchangably. Batman and Superman had the same personalities. They seemed to have very two-dimensional personal lives and no major personal problems. Few plotlines really spanned several issues.
These seem to be fairly well accepted differences. Personally, during my collecting years (roughly early to mid 70s to early to mid 80s), I collected and read most Marvel and DC superhero comics. In general I much preferred Marvel, although I had a few favorites that were DC such as Legion, All Star Squadron and New Teen Titans.
Here's my question: About at what point did the DC titles in general shift into a more "modern" sensibility for lack of a better word. In other words, stress on continuity, more realism, characterization, and conflict. The reason I ask is that I am interested in what 70s or early 80s DC series I might enjoy, given that I tend to like Marvel more and tend to find golden and silver age DC kind of tedious. I read a lot of DC superheroes in the 70s, but how I experienced the material as a 10 year old isn't necessarily going to tell me how I'd like it now.
Any thoughts regarding around when the shift in DC happened? Or what particular series might best represent a sensibility similar to what Marvel was producing at the time. All of the ones I noted as DC favorites (considering Legion during say Levitz era) seem to me to have a similar sensibility to Marvel material that was being released contemporarily.
I hope this question makes sense.
