Over at the AV Club, there’s an article about Bronze Age comics (the ones published between 1970-1986, where Watchmen ushered in a new era). There was some fun in the comments section over what the current age is called. The current popular term is “Modern Age,” but pretty much everyone considered that pretty dumb, since anything in the Now is modern. (Other fun alternatives: Iron Age, Adamantium Age, Mylar Age, Aluminum Age, Silicone Age, etc.)

But is that age already over? Most of those terms seem to be focused on the “grim n’ gritty” excesses of the 90′s, which we current comic readers now look back and laugh about. Print comics are now all about harsh realism (The Ultimates 1 & 2, Civil War, Captain America, Daredevil) and a healthy respect for the camp aspects of the past (starting with Kingdom Come and continuing with New Frontier, Justice Society, etc.). In addition, there’s the webcomic boom to consider. Even the old bricks-and-mortar publishers see online as the future.

So are we now in the Fifth Age of Comics?

Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, Modern/Iron/Adamantium Age …

Digital Age?