Man, as a kid I only ever saw the overpowered Superman who was weak to kryptonite, and I was totally not interested. I preferred Batman, who beat villains with his brains and gadgets (I grew up on the 1960s comedy series and took it dead serious), and Spiderman who was always the wise-cracking underdog who managed to win anyway. I watched the TV shows in the 90s because the comics were too dark and gross. I keep thinking that if they want to make money, they need to make kid friendly comics again, but this is anathema to every comic writer I've talked to. "But muh mature storylines!"
Yeah, and your hero wears his underwear outside his clothes. Your point is?
Superhero comics may need another spell on the bench to let other genres out to play, similar to what they had from about 1947 to 1956 (Showcase #4, Silver Age Flash origin). The removal of compliance with a Comics Code, to prevent excesses that lead to Lowest Energy State of Creativity, and out-and-out perversion, was a mistake of the first rank and it needs to be re-instituted in some form.
Perhaps just voluntarily adopting the current MPCA (https://mpcafilm.com/) definitions and putting that rating (G, PG, PG13, R, X) on the cover is enough. Parents would know what their kids are reading. If you as the creator or publisher aren't honest about it, you can be called out on social media.
Regardless, the Big Two characters need some time on the bench, but don't expect the IP farms to give it to them.
The CCA was focused on juvenile delinquency, which, statistically, was not a legit worry with the Silent Generation (or even the Boomers, until they left home and, for most of them, comic books). It was with Generation X that a significant spike of JD behavior occurred--and we grew up with the code in place.
It was the Marxism and cultural Marxism gradually introduced (throughout pop culture, not just comics) that would be the true pox on society. The Comics Code did almost nothing to prevent the damage they would wreak.
For me, I'm not sure characters from the Big Two can ever be reputationally salvaged, even if they are put on the shelf for a while. I could forgive a lot of stupidity and ineptitude over the ages, but not the perversity and hatred of me they were made to champion.
I really don't see the same "cape fatigue" problem that many others have brought up. I see a corrupted institution problem.
I guess I would like to be able to tell readers, and especially parents, that a specific book of mine is geared for audiences similar to the way you view movie ratings. A glance that says it's relatively safe to purchase a book for their 8-year old or not. It's more about "This isn't part of the Pox; we are trying to fight the Pox."
That was the original cachet of the CCA stamp if you weren't already Dell Comics.
As a kid, I came across material in books I probably shouldn't have been exposed to, whereas in a movie theater, I assume I wouldn't have been allowed in to watch an R-rated movie.
Also, comics sometimes used occultic practices as plot devices, in CCA-approved issues. Not just Dr. Strange and Dr. Fate. Maybe there was more in comics I never read, but there was enough even in that to make curious readers decide to learn more, maybe try it to see if it worked.
Man, as a kid I only ever saw the overpowered Superman who was weak to kryptonite, and I was totally not interested. I preferred Batman, who beat villains with his brains and gadgets (I grew up on the 1960s comedy series and took it dead serious), and Spiderman who was always the wise-cracking underdog who managed to win anyway. I watched the TV shows in the 90s because the comics were too dark and gross. I keep thinking that if they want to make money, they need to make kid friendly comics again, but this is anathema to every comic writer I've talked to. "But muh mature storylines!"
Yeah, and your hero wears his underwear outside his clothes. Your point is?
LOL.
Superhero comics may need another spell on the bench to let other genres out to play, similar to what they had from about 1947 to 1956 (Showcase #4, Silver Age Flash origin). The removal of compliance with a Comics Code, to prevent excesses that lead to Lowest Energy State of Creativity, and out-and-out perversion, was a mistake of the first rank and it needs to be re-instituted in some form.
Perhaps just voluntarily adopting the current MPCA (https://mpcafilm.com/) definitions and putting that rating (G, PG, PG13, R, X) on the cover is enough. Parents would know what their kids are reading. If you as the creator or publisher aren't honest about it, you can be called out on social media.
Regardless, the Big Two characters need some time on the bench, but don't expect the IP farms to give it to them.
The CCA was focused on juvenile delinquency, which, statistically, was not a legit worry with the Silent Generation (or even the Boomers, until they left home and, for most of them, comic books). It was with Generation X that a significant spike of JD behavior occurred--and we grew up with the code in place.
It was the Marxism and cultural Marxism gradually introduced (throughout pop culture, not just comics) that would be the true pox on society. The Comics Code did almost nothing to prevent the damage they would wreak.
For me, I'm not sure characters from the Big Two can ever be reputationally salvaged, even if they are put on the shelf for a while. I could forgive a lot of stupidity and ineptitude over the ages, but not the perversity and hatred of me they were made to champion.
I really don't see the same "cape fatigue" problem that many others have brought up. I see a corrupted institution problem.
I guess I would like to be able to tell readers, and especially parents, that a specific book of mine is geared for audiences similar to the way you view movie ratings. A glance that says it's relatively safe to purchase a book for their 8-year old or not. It's more about "This isn't part of the Pox; we are trying to fight the Pox."
That was the original cachet of the CCA stamp if you weren't already Dell Comics.
That would be helpful.
As a kid, I came across material in books I probably shouldn't have been exposed to, whereas in a movie theater, I assume I wouldn't have been allowed in to watch an R-rated movie.
Also, comics sometimes used occultic practices as plot devices, in CCA-approved issues. Not just Dr. Strange and Dr. Fate. Maybe there was more in comics I never read, but there was enough even in that to make curious readers decide to learn more, maybe try it to see if it worked.