Superhero Comics - The Modern Age

The Modern Age

Superhero Comics became darker with the release of landmark deconstructive works such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, which led to many imitations. In the 1990s, Image Comics released successful new characters including the Anti-Hero Spawn which were predominately creator owned as opposed to Marvel and DC's which were corporate owned. The Comic Book Mini Series Kingdom Come brought an end to the popularity of the Anti-Hero and encouraged instead a reconstruction of the genre with superhero characters that endeavored to combine artistic and literary sophistication with idealism.