A Brief Respite
You have no idea how weary I am of the wailing. The constant unceasing wailing from some corners of the multiverse. The constant lament that "comics aren't fun" or that "DC has killed all their fun characters."
Now, if you are one of those people who thinks that there is nothing fun or exciting in the DCU then wow. We really are living in different universes.
Are you reading the All-New Atom as written by Gail Simone (I love you Gail!)? It's got wild floating alien heads and the "Palmerverse" and Jetpack Hitler. Jetpack Hitler, people!
Are you reading Blue Beetle? It's touching, funny, exciting, and a whole lotta fun! There are few books on the stands that make me break into a goofy grin as often as Blue Beetle does.
Did you read the Doctor Thirteen backup in Tales of the Unexpected? Holy crap, that was crazy! Crazy in a light-hearted, fun way. It had a Nazi/vampire/gorilla. A Nazi/vampire/gorilla, people!
And if you're still not happy and the stuff I've mentioned isn't happy or fun or cutesy enough for you then, well, I can't... No, wait! There's a flippin' Captain Carrot mini coming out this fall! I dare you to spin that as "grim 'n' gritty." I f%$*in' dare ya.
So is there some dark stuff in comics these days? Absolutely. DC's got it's fair share, just like Marvel does. But stuff like that has always been there. Stretching back through the Bronze and Silver Ages to the Golden. And rose-colored glasses ain't gonna change that.
posted by Diamondrock @ 6:02 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Well,when you're right,you're WAY COOL FREAKING RIIIIGHT! (and about Mount Fuji,you mean the Net is NOT everywhere?)
I love Blue Beetle. Its the only regular DC floppy I currently buy. But its hardly DC's flagship title. I'd say Countdown is. With 52 before that and Infinite Crisis before that. And if you want to claim that those books and ALL the stuff that tie into them aren't darker, bloodier and "less fun" than you sir are wrong...
Part of the perception is due to DiDio's constant insistence that heroes need to be taken "seriously," a stand that has dismissed such past works as JLI, Impulse, Superboy (he was a FUN character once), Young Justice, et al. It doesn't help matters that all those characters are either dead now or substantially changed.
While there has been dark elements in all eras, especially the Golden Age, modern comics easily churn up the most gore with the least consequences. Somebody might kill thousands in the old days, but they were dang well punished for that. Nowadays, they're called anti-heroes and given a mini-series (hello, Black Adam!).
Blue Beetle is a good comic, and I would include The Spirit and Brave & Bold as fun titles as well. But those are the exceptions.
(The Atom has crappy art, which prevents me from reading it. I guess I'm one of the few bloggers out there who feel good art is equally important as good writing in the creation of a successful comic.)
The Marvel argument holds no water, because Marvel's universe was always more "troubled" than DC's. DC heroes are supposed to be icons for hope, while Marvel's characters have a more "everyman" quality.
Marvel may go overboard in the "flawed heroes" category these days, but at least they know how their characters should work. I'm not as sure about DC these days.
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