History MediaNotes / TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks

The era was arguably prefigured in the late 70s and early 80s by iconic stories like ''ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga'', ''ComicBook/GodLovesManKills'', ''ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied'', and ''ComicBook/TheJudasContract''. However, the Dark Age is generally agreed to have begun in 1986 -- a watershed year in comics, seeing the publication of Creator/FrankMiller's ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' and Creator/AlanMoore's ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''. While works both by these authors and others in the field had also displayed Dark Age sensibilities prior to these such as Moore's ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'' and ''ComicBook/{{Miracleman}}'' (both 1982), and Miller's ''ComicBook/Ronin1983'', ''Watchmen'' and ''The Dark Knight Returns'' were the two works which provided much of the [[TropeCodifier direct]] [[FollowTheLeader inspiration]] for what followed. Both were dark, gritty and complex works which took the superhero genre and [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed it]], infusing it with greater political and psychological complexity and a greater amount of graphic sexual and violent content than had been seen previously. They also kick-started a trend for portraying superheroes not as the [[TheCape whiter-than-whitebread heroes of pure moral standing]] that had been the common default prior to these works, but as neurotic, tormented and at times borderline-fascistic {{Anti Hero}}es whose violent methods masked a whole range of psychological and sexual issues. Superhero teams would often be made of [[BadassNormal a human]] [[TheLeader leader]], [[TheBigGuy a big guy]] [[TokenNonHuman (most likely a robot or monster)]], [[TheSmurfettePrinciple a woman]] [[MsFanservice dressed in]] [[{{Stripperiffic}} something skimpy]], a {{Wolverine Wannabe}} and [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg another character]]. They also achieved widespread mainstream attention, and acclaim within intellectual circles, something unheard in the industry before, marking the origin of the NinetiesAntiHero. This had the effect of briefly turning comics into a "hip" and "rebellious" medium.

In order to draw in more adult readers while still keeping their main universes at least nominally family-friendly, the main publishers began to set up and use "imprints", sub-publications of a company that specialized in specific content for people with certain interests. One of the most successful imprints was [[Creator/DCComics DC's]] Creator/VertigoComics, which specialized in a [[{{Revision}} re-imagining]] of obscure characters from the DCU in DarkerAndEdgier contexts.

While the groundwork had been laid during the eighties, the Dark Age reached its peak in the early [[TheNineties 90s]], the same period that spawned ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' and {{Grunge}} rock. No, this is not a coincidence; all had their roots in the same jaded, cynical, Gen X attitude that was common at the time. In fact, a key figure of the Dark Age, Creator/RobLiefeld, was even the same age as Music/KurtCobain (both being born in 1967).

*** Other notable Dark Age stories include ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily'', ''ComicBook/TheLongHalloween'', and ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}''. The first modern [[Film/Batman1989 Batman movie]] also came out during this era.

*** ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' began in 1989, ended in 1996. One of the most successful and critically acclaimed comic series of TheNineties, and arguably of all time, second only to ''Watchmen''.

*** ''ComicBook/{{Starman|DCComics}}'', which started out as a spinoff of ''ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime'' but surpassed its originator in terms of quality. A thorough exploration of the LegacyCharacter concept that delved into DC's rich history like few comics before it and helped lead the way to MediaNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks.

*** ''ComicBook/{{Wonder Woman|1987}}'' (Vol 2) Which rebooted Diana and the Amazons as a more warrior driven society protecting the earth from the horrors beyond Doom's Doorway, and changed the Amazons from women who'd chosen to become Amazons after arriving on the island to reincarnations of women murdered by men. The volume also eventually did away with Diana's long standing no killing stance which she'd had since her introduction.

*** Perhaps the best remembered CrisisCrossover of TheNineties, the ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' event which had all X-Men comics put on hold for several months so as to explore a dystopian alternate timeline where the X-Men never existed.

*** ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': Hal Jordan, long-standing Green Lantern who debuted during the Silver Age of Comics, has a FaceHeelTurn after the tragedy of his home town of Coast City and becomes villain Parallax (as depicted in ''ComicBook/EmeraldTwilight'').
*** Lobo, though a character and not a series, was reimagined as a parody of [[NinetiesAntiHero this kind of hero]], and quickly [[MisaimedFandom gained popularity]] ''[[MisaimedFandom as]]'' [[MisaimedFandom one]].

*** Youngblood member, Badrock had two mini-series at the time: ''Violator Vs. Badrock'' and ''Badrock & Company''.

*** ComicBook/{{ThePunisher}} was a pre-existing ultra-violent AntiHero VigilanteMan, created in the mid-1970s. Starting in the late-1980s, his stock went way, way up, even helming ''three'' titles during this period: ''The Punisher'', ''The Punisher: War Journal'' and ''The Punisher: War Zone''.

*** ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' was a pre-existing ultra-violent AntiHero VigilanteMan, created in the mid-1970s. Starting in the late-1980s, his stock went way, way up, even helming ''three'' titles during this period: "The Punisher", "The Punisher: War Journal" and "The Punisher: War Zone".

*** Liefeld's creation become something of a mini-franchise for a time during the time period: apart from the short-lived main title ''Youngblood'' (11 issues, from #0 to 10), there were also the equally short-lived ''Youngblood'' Vol. 2 (issues #1-10 and #14), and satellite books like the longer-lived ''Team Youngblood'' (lasting 22 issues) and ''Youngblood: Strikefiles'' (with meagre 11 issues). Youngblood member, Badrock had two mini-series at the time: ''Violator Vs. Badrock'' and ''Badrock & Company''.

*** Liefeld's creation become something of a mini-franchise for a time during the time period: apart from the short-lived main title ''Youngblood'' (11 issues, from #0 to 10), there were also the equally short-lived ''Youngblood'' Vol. 2 (issues #1-10 and #14), and satellite books like the longer-lived ''Team Youngblood'' (lasting 22 issues) and ''Youngblood: Strikefiles'' (with meagre 11 issues).

** ''ComicBook/YoungbloodImageComics'', the most infamous of the original Creator/ImageComics titles, often considered to be the epitome of everything bad about the era and not only one of the worst works of Creator/RobLiefeld but one of the worst comics period.

Sex and violence are two other big contentions among comics fans in regards to the Dark Age. While some used the relaxed Comics Code (or published comics unregulated by it) to add sexuality, nudity, and graphic violence in pursuit of telling good stories, others saw relaxed or nonexistent restrictions as permission to indulge in drawing copious amounts of blood and/or bare breasts. This leads to criticisim of the Dark Age as "juvenile" instead of "mature" -- ultraviolence, sex, sexy ultraviolence and ultraviolent sex are percieved as existing for their own sake, not to support an engaging narrative.

* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' started in 1993, the height of this era. Early issues even took time to parody the excesses of the period. Ironically, the comic dove into its own Dark Age at the same time mainstream comics were finally lightening up, even doing a crossover with Creator/ImageComics. It would suffer years of horrible characters, horrible plotlines, horrible artistry and [[Creator/KenPenders one of its writers]] trying fervently to gain control of his characters for royalties ([[TorchTheFranchiseAndRun even if he had to take down the entire comic with him]]). This would result in a reboot that wiped almost all of that writer's characters, but it was not enough to keep the comic from getting its plug pulled in 2017. The licence would quickly be handed over to IDW, where the series [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW would start anew]]. [[VideoGame/SonicForces Sort]] [[AlternateContinuity of]].

On a more mixed note, during the Dark Age the entire sub-genre of "[[BadGirlComic Bad Girls]]" comics started to appear. They featured female main characters (usually [[TheVamp witches, demons, vampires, etc]]) that were frequently portrayed in highly {{Stripperific}} outfits and supernatural storylines with sexually suggestive tones, but were also deadly and morally ambiguous protagonists who didn't have to rely on men to achieve their goals, possibly explaining how the genre gained a surprisingly diverse audience and cosplay scene at its peak. An early TropeCodifier for this was ''ComicBook/LadyDeath''. There was a time when this kind of material made up 90% of the material produced by Creator/AvatarPress. The "Bad Girls" genre declined after the '90s but has since stabilized as its own niche, with series like ''Lady Death'', ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}}'' (who is much older, but saw a revival during this period) and ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose'' continuing to this day, while the genre influenced the modern portrayals of popular characters like Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Poison Ivy, even if in a LighterAndSofter way.

The Dark Age of Comic Books was the culmination of a gradual move towards an older audience for {{Comic Book}}s, particularly those featuring superheroes that had started in UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks. Sometimes, to follow the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Gold]]/[[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver]]/Bronze progression, the Dark Age is folded in with UsefulNotes/{{the Modern Age|OfComicBooks}} and called UsefulNotes/TheIronAgeOfComicBooks, and at other times it is jokingly called "the Chrome Age", owing to the frequency of publishers selling comics with holofoil covers as a marketing gimmick during the period, but "Dark Age" is the much more common and accepted term. Usually characterized by an increased focus on [[HotterAndSexier sex]], [[BloodierAndGorier violence]], and [[DarkerAndEdgier dark, gritty portrayals of the characters involved]], much of the content produced during this era is very controversial among comic book fans and is (depending on whom you ask) regarded as either a welcome breath of fresh air after the medium languished for so long in its own version of the AnimationAgeGhetto, or a period of grotesque excess and immaturity... or maybe a little of both.

Also around this time, creator-owned companies such as Creator/DarkHorseComics (founded in 1986) and Creator/ValiantComics (founded in 1989) began to gain prominence following disputes between creatives and [[ExecutiveMeddling executives]] over issues such as creators' rights and the restrictions of UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode, the influence of which was steadily weakening. Like the imprints of the main publishers, these smaller companies often specialized in material aimed at more adult readers than previously, and which continued the process of deconstructing established tropes of the superhero genre. Dark Horse, founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson out of his chain of comic shops of the same name, still exists to this day, and is well known for being versatile. It published such critically acclaimed creator owned series as ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' and ''ComicBook/SinCity'', as well as licensed works, such as comics set in the Franchise/{{Alien}}, Franchise/{{Predator}}, and [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Star Wars]] Expanded Universes, and was even an early source for translated manga (itself a growing cultural force) such as ''Manga/{{Akira}}''. Valiant was founded in 1989 by former Creator/MarvelComics editor in chief Creator/JimShooter.[[note]]Shooter had put in a bid to buy Marvel Comics, only to be narrowly beaten out by corporate raider Ron Perelman, which will play a significant role in the next stage of comic book history. Valiant was, in essence, Shooter's attempt to StartMyOwn.[[/note]] In 1986, Shooter spearheaded the short lived ComicBook/TheNewUniverse imprint, with the idea of creating a new "more realistic" approach to traditional superhero tropes. Its failure inspired him to leave and try the same thing again with a new company. Valiant attempted to create a hard SciFi superhero universe without ComicBookTime, with events happening in the same time frame as the publication schedule. Valiant achieved a lot of early success, briefly becoming a legitimate competitor to the Big Two, and producing such critically acclaimed works as ''Harbinger'' and ''[[ComicBook/DoctorSolar Solar, Man of the Atom]]'', and still has a [[CultClassic small, but devoted]] following of fans.

An overly dark, cynical tone appeared even in works for which such a tone was unsuitable. While not always a {{deconstruction}} of UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks, it was certainly a [[StopHavingFunGuys deliberate opposition]], and although touted as being more adult and mature, in too many cases the works produced during the age were no more sophisticated than or superior to earlier, 'immature' works – merely nastier (this is Alan Moore's big complaint about the era).

Keep in mind that the above paragraphs primarily describe the output from Creator/ImageComics, which specialized in overly dark, incredibly cynical works. One of which was even titled ''ComicBook/{{Bloodstrike}}'' and had a first issue with a blood filled cover. While this may seem like only one company, Image was absolutely huge at the time to the point where most people's [[AccidentalPun image]] of 90s comics is ripped directly from Image's output, which was not approved by any regulatory board, and thus was able to get away with far more extreme content than either Marvel or DC were ever willing or able to publish at the time. While allowing for new boundaries to be broken in the medium, Image's work in retrospect is often viewed as tacky. Thankfully, the company has GrowingTheBeard in UsefulNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks, while a Marvel and DC who are now both free of the Comics Code are both showing more sophistication and restraint than 90s Image ever did.

Big Events and {{Crisis Crossover}}s were also immensely common by this point, frequently as an excuse to replace an established "old fashioned" character with an AntiHeroSubstitute, with events such as ComicBook/{{Superman}} [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman dying and being replaced by feuding alternatives]], ComicBook/{{Batman}} [[ComicBook/{{Knightfall}} having his back broken and]] [[AntiHeroSubstitute replaced by a considerably more psychotic]] [[ComicBook/{{Azrael}} individual]], UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} ComicBook/GreenLantern [[ComicBook/EmeraldTwilight turning evil]], and ComicBook/SpiderMan [[ComicBook/TheCloneSaga being replaced by a clone]][[note]] or going around like [[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NJy-7ZehUuw/UFuK6jqbp7I/AAAAAAAAVso/64r0f1r4_v8/s1600/lf.jpg this]][[/note]]. Even ComicBook/WonderWoman and ComicBook/TheFlash were briefly replaced by darker doppelgangers, and ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} lost a hand and [[BeardOfSorrow grew a beard]]. However, many of these events were poorly received by fans, who didn't appreciate their favorite characters being altered beyond recognition, and the constant crossovers tended to interrupt the flow of stories in individual titles (thus making a jumbled mess of ongoing storylines), requiring readers to purchase numerous different books – including titles they may not particularly like or usually read – in order to follow the narrative.

[[BrokenBase Opinion is divided]] on when – or even ''if'' – the Dark Age ended. Earliest estimates put it in the mid-to-late 1990s. In 1995, the critically acclaimed ''ComicBook/AstroCity'', a [[{{Reconstruction}} love letter]] to super-heroes of the Silver Age style debuted. 1996 saw the publishing of ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'', a {{Deconstruction}} of [[DarkerAndEdgier the direction comics had been going in for the past ten years]]. 1996 also saw the end of ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', Creator/ValiantComics being bought out, and UsefulNotes/TheGreatComicsCrashOf1996. It's also worth noting that DC's CrisisCrossover for 1996 was ''ComicBook/FinalNight'', which undid [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan's]] FaceHeelTurn through his HeroicSacrifice to re-ignite the sun. 1997 saw Creator/GrantMorrison's celebrated run on ''ComicBook/JLA1997'', which did more to {{Reconstruct|ion}} the main DCU than anything else. 1997 was also when Marvel filed for bankruptcy. The late '90s saw Creator/WarrenEllis gaining prominence with works such as ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'' (1997) and ''ComicBook/{{Planetary}}'' (1999), as well as DC's acquisition of Wildstorm, and is thus often tied into UsefulNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks. Later estimates put it at the turn of the millennium, with the introduction of ComicBook/UltimateMarvel via ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' (2000), offering a fresh take on the Marvel Universe unfettered by decades of continuity and modernized takes on old stories and characters (though while ''The Ultimates'' was a parody of the Dark Age and a merciless critique of turn of the millennium US imperialism by Creator/MarkMillar, far too many people took it at face value). Still others argue that while the excesses of the Dark Age have by-and-large disappeared, comics today are nevertheless still notably dominated by a DarkerAndEdgier mindset which indicates that it might be around for a while - and Big Events and {{Crisis Crossover}}s are even ''more'' commonplace.

See also NinetiesAntiHero and DarkAgeOfSupernames. See UsefulNotes/TheGreatComicsCrashOf1996 for what was happening during this Age outside of the content.

*** ''ComicBook/{{Starman|DCComics}}'', which started out as a spinoff of ''ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime'' but surpassed its originator in terms of quality. A thorough exploration of the LegacyCharacter concept that delved into DC's rich history like few comics before it and helped lead the way to UsefulNotes/TheModernAgeOfComicBooks.

*** ''ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime'': A 1994 CrisisCrossover from Creator/DCComics. Relatively tame by this page's standards, it was nonetheless about a [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] hero's descent into madness, forcing his friends to fight and apparently kill him. Also featured the deaths of many surviving GoldenAge ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica characters in a brutally quick and dismissive fashion.

* ''ComicBook/{{Deathmate}}'', the crossover that is often blamed for [[UsefulNotes/TheGreatComicsCrashOf1996 the comics crash.]]

The decade and the resulting material has been hotly contested by fans with regards to its quality. Certainly, the age produced a lot of widely-acclaimed and notable works, both affiliated with the mainstream universes and the independents -- such as ''ComicBook/TheMaxx'', ''ComicBook/{{Static}}'', ''ComicBook/SinCity'', ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'', ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'', Creator/NeilGaiman's ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'', Creator/GrantMorrison's runs on ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' and ''ComicBook/AnimalMan'', Todd [=McFarlane=]'s ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'', Erik Larsen's ''ComicBook/TheSavageDragon'', etc. At their best, creators were using the new lack of constraints to transcend the old limitations and develop stories that were interesting, imaginative, complex and mature, embracing the possibilities of the medium and going beyond the traditional literature in the process. Many genuine classics have their origins in the moods and tones of the era.

** ''ComicBook/{{Youngblood}}'', the most infamous of the original Creator/ImageComics titles, often considered to be the epitome of everything bad about the era and not only one of the worst works of Creator/RobLiefeld but one of the worst comics period.

On a more mixed note, during the Dark Age the entire sub-genre of "[[BadGirlComic Bad Girls]]" comics started to appear. They featured female main characters (usually [[TheVamp witches, demons, vampires, etc]]) that were frequently portrayed in highly {{Stripperific}} outfits and supernatural storylines with sexually suggestive tones, but were also deadly and morally ambiguous protagonists who didn't have to rely on men to achieve their goals, possibly explaining how the genre gained a surprisingly diverse audience and cosplay scene at its peak. An early TropeCodifier for this was ''ComicBook/LadyDeath''. There was a time when this kind of material made up 90% of the material produced by Creator/AvatarPress. The "Bad Girls" genre declined after the '90s but has since stabilized as its own niche, with series like ''Lady Death'', ''Vampirella'' and ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose'' continuing to this day, while the genre influenced the modern portrayals of popular characters like Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Poison Ivy, even if in a LighterAndSofter way.

Big Events and {{Crisis Crossover}}s were also immensely common by this point, frequently as an excuse to replace an established "old fashioned" character with an AntiHeroSubstitute, with events such as ComicBook/{{Superman}} [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman dying and being replaced by feuding alternatives]], ComicBook/{{Batman}} [[ComicBook/{{Knightfall}} having his back broken and]] [[AntiHeroSubstitute replaced by a considerably more psychotic]] [[ComicBook/{{Azrael}} individual]], UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} Comicbook/GreenLantern [[ComicBook/EmeraldTwilight turning evil]], and ComicBook/SpiderMan [[ComicBook/TheCloneSaga being replaced by a clone]][[note]] or going around like [[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NJy-7ZehUuw/UFuK6jqbp7I/AAAAAAAAVso/64r0f1r4_v8/s1600/lf.jpg this]][[/note]]. Even ComicBook/WonderWoman and ComicBook/TheFlash were briefly replaced by darker doppelgangers, and ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} lost a hand and [[BeardOfSorrow grew a beard]]. However, many of these events were poorly received by fans, who didn't appreciate their favorite characters being altered beyond recognition, and the constant crossovers tended to interrupt the flow of stories in individual titles (thus making a jumbled mess of ongoing storylines), requiring readers to purchase numerous different books – including titles they may not particularly like or usually read – in order to follow the narrative.

** ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':
*** ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}: [[ComicBook/BatmanYearOne Year One]]'' (went hand-in-hand with ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' in defining Frank Miller's vision of the Caped Crusader).
*** Other notable Dark Age ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' stories include ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily'', ''ComicBook/TheLongHalloween'', and ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}''. The first modern [[Film/Batman1989 Batman movie]] also came out during this era.

** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

** ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'':

** ''Franchise/TheAvengers''

** ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':

The Dark Age of Comic Books was the culmination of a gradual move towards an older audience for {{Comic Book}}s, particularly those featuring superheroes that had started in UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks. Sometimes, to follow the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Gold]]/[[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver]]/Bronze progression, the Dark Age is folded in with UsefulNotes/{{the Modern Age|OfComicBooks}} and called UsefulNotes/TheIronAgeOfComicBooks, and at other times it is jokingly called "the Chrome Age", owing to the frequency of publishers selling comics with holofoil covers as a marketing gimmick during the period, but "Dark Age" is the much more common and accepted term. Usually characterized as a DarkerAndEdgier period featuring an increased focus on sex, violence, and dark, gritty portrayals of the characters involved, much of the content produced during this era is very controversial among comic book fans and is (depending on whom you ask) regarded as either a welcome breath of fresh air after the medium languished for so long in its own version of the AnimationAgeGhetto, or a period of grotesque excess and immaturity... [[TakeAThirdOption or a little of both.]]

The era was arguably prefigured in the late 70s and early 80s by iconic stories like ''ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga'', ''ComicBook/GodLovesManKills'', ''ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied'', and ''ComicBook/TheJudasContract''. However, the Dark Age is generally agreed to have begun in 1986 -- a watershed year in comics, seeing the publication of Creator/FrankMiller's ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' and Creator/AlanMoore's ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''. While works both by these authors and others in the field had also displayed Dark Age sensibilities prior to these such as Moore's ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'' and ''ComicBook/{{Miracleman}}'' (both 1982), and Miller's ''ComicBook/Ronin1983'', ''Watchmen'' and ''The Dark Knight Returns'' were the two works which provided much of the [[TropeCodifier direct inspiration]] for what followed. Both were dark, gritty and complex works which took the superhero genre and [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructed it]], infusing it with greater political and psychological complexity and a greater amount of graphic sexual and violent content than had been seen previously. They also kick-started a trend for portraying superheroes not as the [[TheCape whiter-than-whitebread heroes of pure moral standing]] that had been the common default prior to these works, but as neurotic, tormented and at times borderline-fascistic {{Anti Hero}}es whose violent methods masked a whole range of psychological and sexual issues. Superhero teams would often be made of [[BadassNormal a human]] [[TheLeader leader]], [[TheBigGuy a big guy]] [[TokenNonHuman (most likely a robot or monster)]], [[TheSmurfettePrinciple a woman]] [[MsFanservice dressed in]] [[{{Stripperiffic}} something skimpy]], a {{Wolverine Wannabe}} and [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg another character]]. They also achieved widespread mainstream attention, and acclaim within intellectual circles, something unheard in the industry before, marking the origin of the NinetiesAntiHero. This in effect briefly turned comics into the "hip" and "rebellious" medium.

*** ''Death's Head II'', a sequel InNameOnly to Marvel UK's ''ComicBook/DeathsHead''. At his peak, he was as popular in the UK as Wolverine was in the US, including [[WolverinePublicity cameos out the wazoo]].

** The Malibu Comics flagship title ''Prime'' was created with the "What if Superman was a huge jerk" premise and ended up being a deconstruction of the era once that company folded and sold all their assets to Marvel.

[[quoteright:348:[[ComicBook/{{Cable}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/New_Mutants_87_1714.jpg]]]]

Big Events and {{Crisis Crossover}}s were also immensely common by this point, with events such as ComicBook/{{Superman}} [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman dying and being replaced by feuding alternatives]], ComicBook/{{Batman}} [[ComicBook/{{Knightfall}} having his back broken and]] [[AntiHeroSubstitute replaced by a considerably more psychotic]] [[ComicBook/{{Azrael}} individual]], UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} Comicbook/GreenLantern [[ComicBook/EmeraldTwilight turning evil]], and ComicBook/SpiderMan [[ComicBook/TheCloneSaga being replaced by a clone]][[note]] or going around like [[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NJy-7ZehUuw/UFuK6jqbp7I/AAAAAAAAVso/64r0f1r4_v8/s1600/lf.jpg this]][[/note]]. Even ComicBook/WonderWoman and ComicBook/TheFlash were briefly replaced by darker doppelgangers, and ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} lost a hand and [[BeardOfSorrow grew a beard]]. However, many of these events were poorly received by fans, who didn't appreciate their favorite characters being altered beyond recognition, and the constant crossovers tended to interrupt the flow of stories in individual titles (thus making a jumbled mess of ongoing storylines), requiring readers to purchase numerous different books – including titles they may not particularly like or usually read – in order to follow the narrative.

The third influence Liefeld had was through Creator/ImageComics, a key source of some of the Age's most influential content, founded in 1992 following a dispute between seven of Marvel's top artists (including Liefeld) over creator's rights. Image, founded on the principle that [[ProtectionFromEditors creators were entirely in control of their own product]], was entirely free of the Comics Code, and with some of the most popular creators of the time on board, they became known for two things: comics that relied heavily on sex and violence, and comics that sold like wildfire. Naturally, the success of Image prompted the other companies to [[FollowTheLeader sit up, take notice, and try their hardest to catch the same lightning]].

On a more mixed note, during the Dark Age the entire sub-genre of "[[BadGirlComic Bad Girls]]" comics started to appear. They featured female main characters (usually [[TheVamp witches, demons, vampires, etc]]) that were frequently portrayed in highly {{Stripperific}} outfits and supernatural storylines with sexually suggestive tones, but were also deadly and morally ambiguous protagonists who didn't have to rely on men to achieve their goals, possibly explaining how the genre gained a surprisingly diverse audience and cosplay scene at its peak. An early TropeCodifier for this was ''ComicBook/LadyDeath''. There was a time when this kind of material made up 90% of the material produced by Creator/AvatarPress. The "Bad Girls" genre declined after the '90s but has since stabilized as its own stable niche, with series like ''Lady Death'', ''Vampirella'' and ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose'' continuing to this day, while the genre influenced the modern portrayals of popular characters like Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Poison Ivy even if in a LighterAndSofter way.

Also around this time, creator-owned companies such as Creator/DarkHorseComics (founded in 1986) and Creator/ValiantComics (founded in 1989) began to gain prominence following disputes between creatives and [[ExecutiveMeddling executives]] over issues such as creators' rights and the restrictions of UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode, the influence of which was steadily weakening. Like the imprints of the main publishers, these smaller companies often specialized in material aimed at more adult readers than previously, and which continued the process of deconstructing established tropes of the superhero genre. Dark Horse, founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson out of his chain of comic shops of the same name, still exists to this day, and is well known for being versatile. It published such critically acclaimed creator owned series as ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' and ''ComicBook/SinCity'', as well as licensed works, such as comics set in the Franchise/{{Alien}}, Franchise/{{Predator}}, and [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Star Wars]] Expanded Universes, and was even an early source for translated manga (itself a growing cultural force) such as ''Manga/{{Akira}}''. Valiant was founded in 1989 by former Creator/MarvelComics editor in chief Creator/JimShooter. In 1986, Shooter spearheaded the short lived ComicBook/TheNewUniverse imprint, with the idea of creating a new "more realistic" approach to traditional superhero tropes. Its failure inspired him to leave and try the same thing again with a new company. Valiant attempted to create a hard SciFi superhero universe without ComicBookTime, with events happening in the same time frame as the publication schedule. Valiant achieved a lot of early success, briefly becoming a legitimate competitor to the Big Two, and producing such critically acclaimed works as ''Harbinger'' and ''[[ComicBook/DoctorSolar Solar, Man of the Atom]]'', and still has a [[CultClassic small, but devoted]] following of fans.