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The Modern Age of Comic Books^[1] is an informal name for the period in the history of mainstream American comic books generally considered to last from the mid-1980s until present day^[2]. In this period, comic book characters generally became darker and more psychologically complex, creators became better-known and active in changing the industry, independent comics flourished, and larger publishing houses became more commercialized^{[citation needed]}.

An alternate name for this period is the Dark Age^[3] of Comic Books^[4], due to the popularity and artistic influence of grim titles, such as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen.