As this is my first post, let me take it as an opportunity for some quick back story, like most of the first of any series of a new comic book movie launch. I am a geek, I’ve been a geek my whole life and once I reached the age of reason I realized that this was not something to be ashamed of, but something to wear as a badge of honor. I am a geek and a freak and I still truly believe that if there were more of us in this world that it would be a much happier and understanding place. I’ve stepped off my soapbox now in case you were wondering.
One of the few hobbies that I have and have been able to hold onto since the birth of my son is reading comics. Let me premise this by saying I am a DC man. I read a lot of Marvel when I was younger, but for whatever reason I am now mostly a DC man. My current titles are Justice League of America, Batman, Superman/Batman, and Super Friends for my son. Some parents force their kids into sports, me, just comics. Can I be called a stage dad for that?
As it is one of my few “my time” activities and seeing as how I am a self-proclaimed geek, I take it more seriously that I probably should. That being said, I am sick of major characters being killed off and then, inevitably, being brought back. Superman being killed off in 1992, Superman #75, was awesome. I still remember standing outside the comic book store waiting to pick up a copy, it was all over the national news. I still read it every once in awhile. The apparent death of Green Arrow is another example. To a lesser extent, Hal Jordan turning to the dark side and then coming back and finally, we are dealing with the “death” of Bruce Wayne, the Batman. This story is being told over multiple titles, another personal annoyance, rather than one title, and he will undoubtedly be brought back. The visual of Batman killing Darkseid and his lifeless body being held by Superman was striking, but I couldn’t help but feel like I was being tricked again. It was another rich ending to sell some comics that would eventually be flipped around to put everything back where it should be. I am starting to feel like I am watching a soap opera. Maybe it was Bruce’s cousin’s sister’s son’s friend who was killed. I have had enough.
I am a lunatic, I get that, but I take this stuff to heart. In addition to that, I am an absolutist – dead is dead. When you know no matter what that the good guys win and they always come back to life after the bad guy gets them, it takes away from any drama leading up to the climactic moment. Its like knowing the end to the movie, knowing who Keyser Soze is before you watch The Usual Suspects. It takes the fun away and you can still have fun when you are all grown up. Another lunatic once told me years ago during my serious phase, “Shawn, you are going to be an adult for the rest of you life, you should be a kid as long as you can.” All that being said, I’ll be back at the store next week picking up a few more things to read.
