When did the Comics Code loosen?

In 1971. Marvel published an anti-drug storyline in Amazing Spider-Man #96–98 without Code approval, and the Code was revised that year to permit drug references and classic horror characters.

Why did so many horror titles start in the 1970s?

The revised Code allowed vampires, werewolves, and other traditional monsters again after nearly two decades. Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf by Night, and Swamp Thing all launched in the years right after.

Where were 1970s comics sold?

Mostly on newsstands and spinner racks, which were shrinking through the decade. The first direct-market shops opened late in the 1970s and reshaped distribution in the 1980s.

1970s Comic Book Series

Browse comic book series that launched in the 1970s, the decade the Comics Code loosened and horror titles returned.

Comic series that began publishing between 1970 and 1979. The Comics Code was revised in 1971 after Marvel ran an anti-drug storyline in Amazing Spider-Man #96–98 without Code approval, and the revision reopened horror to mainstream publishers. Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf by Night, and Swamp Thing followed within a few years. Newsstand distribution declined through the decade while the first direct-market shops opened at the end of it. Browse every 1970s series in the catalog with its issue list, creator credits, covers, and release dates.