Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninja Dodo
Several reasons.
- They look silly wearing spandex.
- Who needs super-powers? Wow, you can shoot lasers with your eyes. Congratulations. They're such a narrative cop-out. Like a character can't be made interesting without being somehow supernatural. Actually that's the only reason I don't mind Batman. He's just a dude what kicks ass in ethically debatable fashion...
Also Miller's "300". That's a historical (if romanticized) battle that actually happened in some form. That stuff is interesting. X-men, not so much.
- They promote the idea that people can be divided up into 'good guys' and 'bad guys' which is a view that you would think anyone over twelve grows out of, but apparently not.
- They take themselves too effing seriously which brings me back to previous point.
Well, rather than link me to Wikipedia maybe you could give me some titles you like that offer the substance I seem to be missing. I'm not entirely unfamiliar with American comics. For example, I'm aware that for years due to stringent censorship brought on by ye olde public outrage comics were too chicken to do anything that was not considered kid-friendly....
But seriously, do tell, what except for superheroes is there? The only title I'm aware of is Ghost World, but I'd love to hear about other good ones.
Have you tried any of the French or Belgian comics? They're quite something. |
You grew up in Europe I'm assuming, so it is reasonable to think you're going to be partial to French or Belgian comics. I grew up in the United States, so I am partial to American comics. The links I mentioned to you in my previous post, were just meant to give more background info on Amercian comics and why super heroes are so popular in American culture, that's all.
To those of us who love American comics, super heroes are of great substance...because of all the different types of stories we've read all our lives surrounding them. Many super hero stories also incorporate things going on in the real world, into story lines, which adds more dimension to the stories themsevles, or personal things the main heroes are going through.
Many super hero comics have delt with very "real world" issues over the years. Rape, teen pregnancy, divorce, war, poverty, violence, social issues, government issues, etc. As much as I enjoy realism in comics, I also enjoy being able to fantasize about what it would be like to be able to fly, shoot lasers out of my eyes, be invisible, etc. I mean, why not? Comics are a great way to feed creativity and the imagination.
As an artist, I also love the variety of art in comics these days.
I wouldn't be caught dead reading Belgian or French comics... (I'm teasing)
I am not familiar with Belgian or French comics, because I grew up on American comics. But I'm not one to judge something immediately, just because it's new, or different to me. I like to give new/different things a bit of a chance, before I judge them with sweeping generalities.
