Comics and Superhero Gaming

[klofft]

I decided to post this question here rather than on a comics forum, because I seek the answer in regards to conceptualizing a superhero game.

In the "ages" of comics, the Iron Age came about in the 90s with bad attitudes, lots of loners, black leather, and guns.

In the new millennium, especially as typified by the attitude of Marvel's "Ultimate" universe and largely mirrored in the attitudes of Marvel's summer movies Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk, is this still considered the "Iron Age"? Or have we moved on to something new? And if so, what is it called? And how would you typify its shared characteristics as they apply to a role-playing game?

 

[sukael]

"Modern Age" is the label I've usually seen - the sensibilities of the Iron Age with, generally, a rather less intentionally offensive attitude.

 

[Vigilance]

You could almost call the current age of comics the Second Bronze Age, because a lot of modern writers like Brian Bendis and Ed Brubaker and Grant Morrison are consciously harkening back to the 70's and 80's and trying to recapture the magic brought into comics by Chris Claremont, Marv Wolfman, George Perez and John Byrne.

 

[am181d]

It's generally bad form to name an age while it's still going on, but I will say that we're going to be in trouble if we keep downgrading out metals. What'll be left for the 2070's? The Tin Foil Age?

There are a few big trends in the last decade: Big cosmic threats. (See Authority, Infinite Crisis.) Super serious anti-heroes in leather. (See Authority, New X-Men, Ultimates, Supreme Power.) "Realistic" explanations for super powers. (See Authority, Ultimates.) Revisiting classic continuity with revisionist, modern take. (See Identity Crisis, Secret Invasion, Planetary sort of, but sadly not the Authority.)

Defining writers of the last 10 years: Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, Geoff Johns, Warren Ellis, Brian Bendis, Warren Ellis, Mark Millar, and that guy who created the Authority.

An iconic "modern superhero" RPG campaign would probably involve a juxtaposition between edgy modern heroes, the "good old days" that turn out to be a lot more complicated than you would have thought, and a huge menace that ties the two eras together.

(So far my effort to push the industry back towards [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Archenemies-Sinners-Saints-Drew-Melbourne/dp/1593076991/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215484989&sr=8-1"]Giffen-DeMatteis-esque hi-jinx and pathos[/ame] has been in vain.)

 

[Relique du Madde]

(So far my effort to push the industry back towards Giffen-DeMatteis-esque hi-jinx and pathos has been in vain.)

You wrote that?!?! I've been trying to find that book ever since I first read about it on CBR.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Also, if you consider that there are titles like "Powers," "Project Superpowers" or "Astro City" out there, almost every superheroic comic book era is enjoying some kind of Renaissance, even if only in homage.

 

[Vigilance]

It's generally bad form to name an age while it's still going on, but I will say that we're going to be in trouble if we keep downgrading out metals. What'll be left for the 2070's? The Tin Foil Age?

There are a few big trends in the last decade: Big cosmic threats. (See Authority, Infinite Crisis.) Super serious anti-heroes in leather. (See Authority, New X-Men, Ultimates, Supreme Power.) "Realistic" explanations for super powers. (See Authority, Ultimates.) Revisiting classic continuity with revisionist, modern take. (See Identity Crisis, Secret Invasion, Planetary sort of, but sadly not the Authority.)

Defining writers of the last 10 years: Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, Geoff Johns, Warren Ellis, Brian Bendis, Warren Ellis, Mark Millar, and that guy who created the Authority.

An iconic "modern superhero" RPG campaign would probably involve a juxtaposition between edgy modern heroes, the "good old days" that turn out to be a lot more complicated than you would have thought, and a huge menace that ties the two eras together.

(So far my effort to push the industry back towards Giffen-DeMatteis-esque hi-jinx and pathos has been in vain.)

You forgot Frank Miller. He could definitely take the place of one of your multiple Warrens.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

A term I ran across (well two actually) one of which is from Kurt Busiek - and it describes the kind of comics that Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek are best at; taking the good bits of the iron age (really nasty villains, some dark bits, more "realistic") and the silver/bronze age (Heroes are heroic, and ideals are in place).

Gilded Iron or Tarnished Silver (or Neo-silver).

 

[Vigilance]

I also contend that the current age of comics has actually been going on for about 20 years. I think it started with the Claremont/Byrne X-men run and the Miller Daredevil run.

Those runs were darker and more serious in tone, with a greater emphasis on dramatic storytelling (as in, like a movie, as opposed to the Roy Thomas style that had a ton of exposition) and with more long-form storytelling.

Both those things were unusual back then. If you look at Avengers or Iron Man, for example, most stories were three issues or less.

Today, that style of writing comics is pretty much the norm.

 

[klofft]

Yes, Vigilance, but what I see as distinctive in, say, the Ultimates, which is what I think I want to in the game, is that the idealism of the common man for superheroes is muted or altogether absent. The man on the street finds superheroes not to be saviors, but potential problems, terrorists, marketing gimmicks, or just the reason it takes so long to get home from work. I don't think that was a part of 80s and 90s comics.