Batman has quite definatly become a lot darker over the years as have a number of spin off comics, Robin gained his own series (there have beena number of Robins) and there was even a post apocoliptical series for a while.
Some comics such as Razor are of a very adult nature the art work in the Shi comics is great as are the trading card sets that followed.
Could never get into the Archie stories, I think that I started with Nemo and Superman closely followed by Sargant Rock then i was hooked.
Found that most of the comics in the seventies where not that great. to many new charecters.

Well thats my view :-)

De Orc