Fugazi
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
R.W.S
Posts: 56
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Post by Fugazi on Jan 10, 2014 14:25:06 GMT -5
Am I alone in feeling that I really DISLIKE super hero comic books? When I say "Super Hero" I mean characters with super-human powers, Batman doesn't count. The only Super Hero books I read right now are Spider-Man/Hulk. I have a real hard time getting into Super Hero books...Here are some reasons:
- I have a hard time looking at artwork of buff men in tights.
- They are virtually invincible - sure some die but they're always back.
- Their only challenge is an equally super villian that always conveniently exists.
- A lot have rhyming first/last names/titles - Mirror Master, Bruce Banner, Reed Richards, Peter Parker - totally trite (I know Stan Lee said he did this so he could easily remember their names).
- They're almost always created by some scientific experiment gone wrong, again trite.
When I read a book like The Walking Dead or Saga I go through REAL emotions because they are just people and the good and bad things that happen to them MATTER. Unlike when Wolverine gets cut up into pieces and just regenerates back together again. How can I feel for that? I cannot.
Am I alone?
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Post by drocat on Jan 10, 2014 16:18:55 GMT -5
No way. You're not alone. I feel the same way to an extent. The only super heroes I give a damn about are Batman and the X-Men. It all depends on the artist and writer for me. I love Bendis so that's why I'm super into X-Men right now. I really don't like Superman/Aquaman or anybody that has really gimmicky powers. The flash is cool but I don't really think I've ever read a Flash arc. I prefer to watch superhero movies, because they are sometimes more relatable.
I really don't like super campy men-in-tights superheroes that have the typical sexist "save the woman" type story line.
But if the story is good enough you look past all that. I do prefer a story about real people (or sci-fi people) that have emotions like me. I also love unconventional super heroes like Rocket Girl for instance.
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Fugazi
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
R.W.S
Posts: 56
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Post by Fugazi on Jan 10, 2014 17:39:08 GMT -5
No way. You're not alone. I feel the same way to an extent. The only super heroes I give a damn about are Batman and the X-Men. It all depends on the artist and writer for me. I love Bendis so that's why I'm super into X-Men right now. I really don't like Superman/Aquaman or anybody that has really gimmicky powers. The flash is cool but I don't really think I've ever read a Flash arc. I prefer to watch superhero movies, because they are sometimes more relatable. I really don't like super campy men-in-tights superheroes that have the typical sexist "save the woman" type story line. But if the story is good enough you look past all that. I do prefer a story about real people (or sci-fi people) that have emotions like me. I also love unconventional super heroes like Rocket Girl for instance. I totally agree, I do like superhero movies, I hadn't thought of that. I would possibly consider reading some X-Men because their super powers come from genetic mutations, which, to me is more believable. I've stayed away from X-Men though because every time I look into them there are like 20 gagillion different books and I'm like uh...where to start? I always wondered how being bitten by a radioactive spider GAVE Peter Parker powers...Wouldn't being bitten by a radioactive thing just basically make you dead? I understand these are called FICTION for a reason but sometimes I just can't get into something if its way too far in left field. I do like spider-man though so hehe.
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Post by monkeywithamonocle on Jan 10, 2014 18:22:33 GMT -5
I personally like my Superhero books, but at times I feel like the writing can be a bit lazy, I mean I love the Green Lantern books, but any problem faced can almost always be beaten by something he imagines with his ring.
Saying that I'd say superhero books are more escapism for me, where-as American Vampire, Saga, Morning Glories and other non-superhero books are more for the story.
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Fugazi
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
R.W.S
Posts: 56
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Post by Fugazi on Jan 10, 2014 19:19:33 GMT -5
I personally like my Superhero books, but at times I feel like the writing can be a bit lazy, I mean I love the Green Lantern books, but any problem faced can almost always be beaten by something he imagines with his ring. Saying that I'd say superhero books are more escapism for me, where-as American Vampire, Saga, Morning Glories and other non-superhero books are more for the story. Y Yeah there is nothing wrong with liking superhero books. I kinda wanted some people to post WHY they like their superhero books to maybe help me open up to a few. So far I appreciate both your posts! I do get that escape feeling that you describe when reading spider-man at times. When something crazy happens to spidey you're like "I KNOW HE'LL PULL THROUGH" hehe. Although, side note, Superior Spider-Man makes me feel dirty. Otto is such a DOUCHE and I want to cheer him on but then I'm like thats not what Peter would do!!!!! hehe Thanks for your posts guys
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Post by Nick on Jan 10, 2014 19:33:01 GMT -5
Superhero books are a part of a balanced comic book diet (sorry I'm remembering old cereal commercials). Too much of any genre will lead to burn out (I remember deadanchoress mentioning getting somewhat burned out on superhero comics a few times on the podcast). It doesn't help that the business side of superhero comics can hurt the fans and creators. I know for a lot of people, including myself, superheroes were the ones who ushered us into this hobby -- they were a part of our childhood, they are a part of what makes us, us. There will always be a place for superheroes in my heart, no matter much I mature or grow older, corny/dorky as that may sound.
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Post by deadanchoress on Jan 10, 2014 21:11:41 GMT -5
Superhero books are a part of a balanced comic book diet (sorry I'm remembering old cereal commercials). Too much of any genre will lead to burn out (I remember deadanchoress mentioning getting somewhat burned out on superhero comics a few times on the podcast). It doesn't help that the business side of superhero comics can hurt the fans and creators. I know for a lot of people, including myself, superheroes were the ones who ushered us into this hobby -- they were a part of our childhood, they are a part of what makes us, us. There will always be a place for superheroes in my heart, no matter much I mature or grow older, corny/dorky as that may sound. I have found myself burning out from time to time. We read A LOT of books in preparation for the show (although we don't always discuss all that we read. That would take forever), but I do love me some Animal Man and several other "super hero" types. You all know this already, but Captain Marvel is my mother fucking jam. My love for her (and not just for Kelly Sue, although she is a lovely and talented woman as well) has grown so much over this past year that simply thinking about her makes me smile.
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Fugazi
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
R.W.S
Posts: 56
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Post by Fugazi on Jan 10, 2014 21:40:29 GMT -5
deadanchoress I suppose I need to check out Captain Marvel at some point, you guys are really lovin' on that book hehe.
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Post by drocat on Jan 10, 2014 22:41:35 GMT -5
Superhero books are a part of a balanced comic book diet (sorry I'm remembering old cereal commercials). Too much of any genre will lead to burn out (I remember deadanchoress mentioning getting somewhat burned out on superhero comics a few times on the podcast). It doesn't help that the business side of superhero comics can hurt the fans and creators. I know for a lot of people, including myself, superheroes were the ones who ushered us into this hobby -- they were a part of our childhood, they are a part of what makes us, us. There will always be a place for superheroes in my heart, no matter much I mature or grow older, corny/dorky as that may sound. I have found myself burning out from time to time. We read A LOT of books in preparation for the show (although we don't always discuss all that we read. That would take forever), but I do love me some Animal Man and several other "super hero" types. You all know this already, but Captain Marvel is my mother fucking jam. My love for her (and not just for Kelly Sue, although she is a lovely and talented woman as well) has grown so much over this past year that simply thinking about her makes me smile. I have been wanting to give Captain Marvel a shot, but I don't know where to start off. What issue is a good place to start? I literally know nothing about her (until this week I thought she was a he). I've tried to get into superheroes recently but I really get turned off by the corny ones. I only really like the dark heroes (which is why I like forever evil I think). They are also really overwhelming because of the sheer amount of stuff. When I was a kid I was really only into Batman (and a little bit of Spider-Man) so I don't know very much about super heroes. So when I'm trying to get into the books I feel pressured to read it all. I obviously don't have the money for that, so I just usually steer clear of them altogether.
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Post by edthehyena on Jan 10, 2014 22:46:27 GMT -5
I used to hate Superman. What was the point? Every story seemed to be some version of "Bad guy hatches plot. Superman foils plot with his endless list of powers. Bad guy pulls out Kryptonite. Superman just barely hangs on and wins anyway." Then I read a book that taught me how to enjoy Superman. The first was Waid's Birthright. It's a powerful tale of figuring out who you are. Clark's development made it one of my favorite stories. The heroics were note secondary, but I found myself cheering because Superman saving the day was really Clark becoming a full person. It really all comes down to creative teams. There's as much variation in types of stories on the tights and capes side of things as anywhere else in the medium.
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Turk
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posts: 97
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Post by Turk on Jan 11, 2014 14:23:08 GMT -5
I prefer super hero comics because
it reminds of when I was a child when men in tights didn't seem silly. I wasn't cynical i just wanted to believe that there were heroes out there protecting the rest of us and that maybe i could be one too if I was bitten by the right spider or survived a terrible lab accident.
I like that one exceptional person can make a difference. I like the visuals that come with colorful costumes and auras that usually come along with a laser eye blast or mystical lightening bolt.
I haven't experienced too many other genres but there are more comics published every week than I can read with content that i love so I don't really have a reason to branch out.
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Post by lennyreid on Jan 11, 2014 14:27:34 GMT -5
When criticising super hero books people often go for the sum of the parts. It's easy to highlight the banality of a Superman type (myself included until last year), but I think the draw is in between the tropes and cliches. Like with Captain Marvel as an example: in the hands of an average writer, Captain Marvel could be uninteresting given her powers but Kelly Sue writes a character first and the super hero parts just set the circumstances in the story. Super or not so super, a bad story is a bad story.
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Fugazi
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
R.W.S
Posts: 56
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Post by Fugazi on Jan 11, 2014 21:52:03 GMT -5
drocat I did some research and it seems Captain Marvel Vol. 1: In Pursuit of Flight is a good starting point for Captain Marvel, anyone feel otherwise?
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Post by Almeida77 on Jan 12, 2014 9:31:21 GMT -5
A good story is a good story
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Post by Blencs on Jan 12, 2014 12:30:37 GMT -5
I love super-hereos but its always characters before powers for me. Good powers dont make an interesting story they just help to move it along in my book.
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