What I Like In Superhero Comics
I spend a lot of my life in escapism. I like getting out of the drudgery of real life, and into action-adventure filled world of heroes fighting desperate odds and triumphing against horrible villainy.
If I'm reading to escape a dark, drudgy world, I want to escape into a world that's brighter and less drudgy than this one.
At their best, comics provide that.
Story:
Comics have a reputation of being about nothing but a bunch of perfect heroes beating up a bunch of totally evil bad guys. Conversely, they have a rep as being an ongoing soap. I think the best balance these two aspects; they have ongoing personal drama, but it's about people who are doing battle with evil-doers. That said, I like the comics that are all soap, no battle a lot lot LOT! better than the ones that're all battle and no soap. Without soap, the smell starts up...
I like stories about heroes vs. villains... and you can tell the difference. I like to see the people we're supposed to relate to saving worlds, putting it all on the line for something - and someone - other than themselves. I like them to be defeating people who are genuinely evil and real threats.
This isn't to say they can't be nuanced; I like the nuance. I like characters to have depth, and personality. The good guys can have flaws, the bad guys can have virtue - as long as they're not overwhelmed by either, so I don't know who to root for.
(Or so that I can't root for either side.)
Comics at their best introduce me to people I want to follow around, want to share my life with.
I like to have high stakes; even if they're personal. Saving the world from a galactic threat; or saving their sainted aunt from the eight-armed villain; both good. But the heroes have to have strong, solid goals to fight for; and the villains have to have strong, solid goals to be fought against.
Characters:
I like characters who have personal lives, and a strong supporting cast. I want to get involved in their lives; but, again, I'm reading to follow heroes, not a teen soap. I want them to be self-sacrificing, dedicated, good role-models. People I want to be like, people I want to spend time with. When I read Claremont/Byrne's run of X-Men, or Byrne's Alpha Flight, I'm thinking about Kurt and Ororo, Heather and Mac - not Nightcrawler and Storm, Vindicator and Guardian.
Again, they can still have flaws.
The best characters feel 'whole', which is a word that goes through my head a lot when reading some of my favourites.
Art:
My favourite art is detailed, fairly realistic, and feels 'big' (for want of another term). Uncluttered, despite the detail, is good. It will be stylised just enough to make them distinctive, without going cartoonish. Artists like John Byrne, Alan Davis, Paul Smith, Alex Ross.
The colouring should be bright. I don't mind flatness, but I do like photorealism - as long as it's bright, and uses the full spectrum.
Tone:
The tone of the book should be good-spirited, and sincere, the book should be aimed at people who love reading superhero comics. It should be about people who genuinely want to do the right thing.
Comics shouldn't be for kids, but they should be something you'd let a kid read.
I read comics to have fun, not to get depressed.
That said, I like a little bit of an edge, just a touch of darkness to cut through the treacle - as long as it doesn't overwhelm the story. I don't want nothing but darkness and 'edginess'.
I want to be wishing I was in the world with these people, part of their group, not just reading cool stories. I want to feel their triumphs, and be part of their world.
Realism is good, but not when it buries all the goodness of the comic. When I pick up stories about people who change into giant apes, or fly around in battlesuits, or pull just about anything from a small medicine pouch, realism is not my A#1 priority. I'm not trying to read a scientific textbook. I want verisimilitude, not realism: have consistent characterisation (or give a reason); don't insult my intelligence; don't base the story on science that any high-schooler would know is wrong... but beyond that, let it don't worry too much. Just have fun with it!
I don't care if it's all about minorities - but I'm nobody's minority. Don't make me feel like you're deliberately excluding me as revenge for all those things that people like me have done. If you want to fill a comic with minorities, that's fine, but don't keep shoving it in my face (I'm thinking of Supa Ninjas and Avatar: The Last Airbender right now, but they're TV examples).
I don't care about being taken seriously; I care about enjoying the stories. I'm in it for fun (I can't say that enough!).
Specifics:
There are a few comics where this has all come together for me.
Byrne's Alpha Flight is the obvious example; everything fell into place, and it became my favourite book. It had intriguing mystery (Nemesis!), bright colours, detailed writing as well as art. The characters were a fun 'family' to be around, and I loved the innovative approach of single-character stories.
There's a reason the Byrne-Claremont (and Paul Smith later) X-Men are so popular. I want to be around Kitty and Ororo, have fun in the Danger Room, stop the Sentinels, etc...
The Wolfman-Perez Teen Titans are a great mix of people and stories.
Peter David's Young Justice was charming and fun, a great mix of humour and drama; though the artwork was too cartoony for my regular tastes, it grew on me, and now I don't think it'd work without it.
More recently, Avengers Academy has done pretty well, and the pre-reboot Batgirl. The new Wolverine, of all things, looks promising (but it is Alan Davis).
~ Mik
Calvin:I've got to write a report for school.
Hobbes: Bats. Can you imagine anything more stupid?
Calvin: Heck, I don't know anything about bats! How am I supposed to write a report on a subject I know nothing about?! It's impossible!
Hobbes: I suppose research is out of the question.
Calvin: Oh, like I'm going to learn about bats and then write a report?! Give me a break!
