By the 1970s, the world felt different — and comic books felt it too.
As trust in institutions eroded and certainty gave way to doubt, comics turned away from bright optimism. Stories became heavier, more grounded, and more willing to confront loss, failure, and consequence.
Heroes no longer stood above the world. They were shaped by it.
The Bronze Age pushed comics closer to reality, asking harder questions and offering fewer easy answers.
It was the bridge between innocence and awareness — and from that uncertainty, a darker era was ready to emerge.
This is Part 3 of a five-part documentary series examining how comics evolved — and why those changes mattered.
New episodes release weekly.
Newsdesk