Age of Comics: The Golden Years
- Players
- 1-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 120 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 13+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.6 / 5
- Year
- 2023
About the game
Age of Comics: The Golden Years is a worker-placement game for 1-4 players who run a publishing company during the golden age of comics from 1938-1954. Players position editors across six tasks, hiring, developing, ideas, printing, sales, and royalties, to build a portfolio of successful comic books. Printing requires spending money, matching idea tokens, and combining cover, writer, and artist cards to determine each comic's value. Across five rounds, a fan chart tracks accumulated popularity, awarding victory points based on player rankings each round.
Hobbli's Notes
Age of Comics offers a fresh spin on worker placement by leaning into the creative process of making comics: pairing writers and artists to boost a book's value is a nice thematic touch. The five-round fan-chart scoring creates recurring tension as rankings shift throughout the game. At two hours and moderate-heavy complexity, it's a satisfying mid-weight economic Euro for fans of the genre. The golden-age comics theme gives it a distinct identity in a crowded worker-placement space.
What we like
- Distinctive golden-age comics theme woven into worker placement.
- Combining writer and artist cards adds a creative, thematic layer.
- Recurring fan-chart scoring keeps rankings dynamic each round.
- Playable solo as well as with up to four players.
Keep in mind
- Two-hour playtime is a real commitment for a mid-weight game.
- Higher complexity may require a full teaching session for newcomers.
- Worker placement mechanics, while polished, are familiar territory.
Who it's for
Good for Euro gamers and comic fans in groups of 1-4 who enjoy worker placement with an economic, portfolio-building focus.
