Bronze Age of DC Comics: 1970-1984

Comics grow up the humanized super hero. On December 15, 1978, the dreams of generations of American children finally came true. "You'll believe a man can fly" read the posters and billboards for the blockbuster film Superman. With an undeniable mass appeal, it cemented the role of the super hero as America's most enduring archetype, and the comic book as one of the country's most significant native art forms.

That art form, however, was already moving in a new direction. Influenced by the emergence of underground comics and shifting political tides, DC's line of comics was increasingly aimed at adults, and sold in comic book shops, rather than on newsstands. Socially relevant subjects such as drug addiction, racism, and women's rights had entered the mainstream, and comics weren't just for kids anymore.

The Bronze Age of DC Comics includes an original interview with Green Lantern/Green Arrow writer Denny O'Neil. About the series: Taschen's series on DC Comics explores the origins of comics' most enduring legends and the behind-the-scenes stories of the men and women who created them, era by era. Expanded from the Eisner Award-winning XL book, 75 Years of DC Comics, this new series hits the shelf at a reader-friendly size with essays updated by author Paul Levitz and more than 1,000 new images across five volumes.

Thousands of covers and interiors, original illustrations, photographs, film stills, and collectibles have been reproduced to bring the story lines, the characters, and their creators to vibrant life, making this an invaluable reference for comics fans.