WAIT...WHEN? While it isn't as clearly defined as some other eras, the Copper Age of Comic Books is generally agreed to have spanned from 1984/85 to 1991/92. These bookend dates correspond to Marvel's twelve issue Secret Wars limited series and DC's universe streamlining Crisis on Infinite Earths, through the release of Jim Lee's adjectiveless X-Men series and the Marvel artist "defection" soon thereafter to form Image. The Copper Age was a very exciting time for both collectors and the comic book industry in general. Now -- twenty or so years later -- teenagers of the 1980s are in their thirties and forties, and Copper Age nostalgia is really starting to hit...similarly to how comics from the Silver Age became fiercely sought after in the '80s, by (former) teens of the '60s. Notable trends, characteristics, and events of the Copper Age include: - The essential rebooting of all major DC Universe characters; relaunches or revamps of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, the Justice League, etc. - Dark and gritty explorations and dissections of superheroes, with Watchmen and Dark Knight. - The continued rise in popularity of the anti-hero; Batman, the Punisher, Lobo, Wolverine, etc. - Marvel's aggressive expansion of their X-Men line of titles. - Crossover stories / events, sometimes with dozens of tie-ins - Introduction of hot new characters, such as Gambit, Cable, and Deadpool. - Superman's 50th anniversary, and the mainstream "Batmania" in anticipation of Tim Burton's first Batman movie, which brings a lot of attention to the comics industry. - Strong followings for maturely written supernatural titles, such as Hellblazer and Sandman - The emergence of strong independent publishers, most notably Dark Horse's success with their Alien and Predator licenses. - A mini-era within the Copper Age, a flood of third-tier black & white independent books, that crashes around 1987. - The rise of Marvel's "rock star" comic artist trio of Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, and Jim Lee. - Huge leaps in production value (higher quality paper and printing technology), design, and packaging.   BACK ISSUES If you're looking to buy Copper Age back issues, we encourage you to support your local comic book retailer! To find a retailer in your area, use the Comic Shop Locator. To purchase back issues online, we highly recommend mycomicshop.com. In addition to great pricing and free shipping for orders over $50, their easy to navigate site can get quite addictive; you'll not only find what you're looking for, but you'll also stumble across tons of great titles you probaby never even heard of! Be sure to sign-up for their weekly discount codes. Of course, there's also eBay. Yes, there's some deals to be had there, but try to avoid being caught up in bidding wars...you can end up paying more than you should! If you're inexperienced in buying on eBay, listening to this podcast will be very helpful. COLLECTED EDITIONS Hey, though we personally love collecting the "real deal" original back issues, we totally understand those who prefer trade paperbacks and / or hardcovers. Please visit our Amazon aStore for the best in Copper Age Comic collections! LINKS We hope the following sites / resources are helpful to you, whether you're a current collector who is now getting into Copper Age Comics, or you used to be a collector, and now getting hit with nostalgia! Comic Book Database Comics.org Comics Price Guide Very Fine / Near Mint Blog