TELLE writes:Of course, Sailor Moon and the animated Teen Titans and Justice League all wear costumes and are/were extremely popular. Examples abound of costumed superheroes for a general audience with a huge fan-base that is not (any more than normal) sadistic.
That's kind of my point. When and where people do superheroes that are positive, emotionally secure, morally centered, confident and fun, people inside and outside of fandom respond in a big way. Unfortunately, as you indicate, that tends to happen mostly in cartoons and movies now (the examples above, plus the Incredibles, for instance) and not so much in comics. Comics editors and writers seem under the impression that such portrayals are quaint and old-fashioned at best, and childish at worst. They bend over backward to prove how "grown up" they are and what "serious" storytellers they are by introducing misery and sadism wherever they can. And all they do is look stupid.
Much as modern writers like to pat themselves on the back for the infusion of pathos and sturm and drang into comics, the simple truth is that it's much easier to write stories about death and destruction -- cheap sales tricks ultimately -- than it is to write fun, solid, even uplifting stories about people we might look up to. I'd be a lot more impressed with today's "superstar" writers if they could add to legends instead of tearing them down. It may sell issues when you kill off a good character, but it takes a lot more talent to create one.
Klar Ken T5477 writes:Well you read it here first.
Another scoop for the kid from 2965.
Well, since you're from the future, tell us: how bad does Byrne's next run turn out?
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