The modern age of comics started, according to different sources anywhere from 1979 to 1981. In 1979 Marvel started a "toy" licensing of Micronauts (January 1979) and Shogun Warriors (February 1979). With the success of these books and their associate toys, Marvel started ROM, a comic book specifically aimed at creating nifty toys. Marvel veterans Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema created the ROM comic book. Frank Miller started his run on Daredevil in May 1979.
Over at DC, John Byrne created "World of Krypton" in 1979. In 1980, the Legion of Super-Heroes returned, this time minus Superboy.
In my opinion, all of the books above are still part of the "Bronze Age" of comics books. The real start of the modern age of comics came on two events in 1981. The first event is that Pacific Comics released the number one issue of a book called "Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers" The significance of this comic book is two fold. First, this book was the first that a company allowed the creators to retain all the rights to the characters. This book was written and drawn by Jack Kirby.
On a footnote, two independent comics of note started in the late 1970's. One was "Cerebus", the Aardvark self-published by Dave Sim in 1977 and "Elfquest" self-published by Richard and Wendy Pini in late 1997. Richard and Wendy freely admit that they were inspired to create this book after seeing the first "Star Wars" movie in 1977. (Documented earlier here at Suite 101).
Second, this comic was the first to be marketed directly to comic book shops, completely bypassing convenience stores, chain stores, and super market outlets. Pacific Comics was it's own comic book distributor as well as a publisher.
"Retaining the rights" is a very important point in the history of comic books. When you go to work for a company, if you come up with a new idea or have a concept that can be patented, the company, not the individual, usually holds all rights to any additional profitable sales from the manufacture and sale of anything based on this idea. This is a "benefit" to the company of hiring intelligent people and treating them well. It is a benefit to the individual that the company wants to maintain their employment and pick up a weekly paycheck.
For writers and artist, most today are "self employed". This is the opposite of the company "retaining the rights". Thus, if their book or comic sells well, they make a significant amount of money. Sometimes this leads to lack of incentive for the artist to continue to produce, as they have already made plenty and are no longer "hungry". The comic book "Danger Girl" by Hartnell and Campbell is a prime example. It sold extremely well, the creators made plenty of money, and the creators are now no longer really interested in continuing the comic book. What shall I call this? I'll call this the "Gen X Syndrome". Single artists with little personal responsibility are fortunate enough to make a pile of money and are no longer interested in working hard.
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