What's so Great about the DCU anyway?
playdohsrepublic
Posts: 1,377
So I was writing a post before describing my digital comic buying habits and I came to a realization. Very nearly all of the DC purchases I made were of alternate reality non-canon type stories, like Kingdom Come, All-Star Superman and New Frontier. No New 52, no Post Crisis. I watch the movies, the cartoons and the TV shows. But I tend to tune out when people start talking about anything DCU, and beyond the basics (that's comic nerd basic, not general audience basic) I don't really know anything about it. At least not like I know Marvel, which I'll keep apprised of even when I'm unhappy with their quality, and now that I think of it, almost never dabble in anything non-canon.
It's not like I haven't tried, I have at different times read and even enjoyed JLA, Superman, Various Bat-titles, Flash, Blue Beetle, Teen Titans, Green Lantern (which I stuck with by far the longest) and others. Even now, I enjoy Grayson very much. But I can't seem to get invested.
For instance, at one point I was making a real effort to read a bunch of different DC titles, probably 7-8, which was a lot for me. I even got excited about the new weekly event that was happening, 52. But I got to issue 26 and remember thinking I was wasting my money and suddenly my DC was down to just 1-2 titles. Now, years later everyone talks about how amazing it was and I don't get it.
But I think this is a failing on my part. There is something about the DCU I just don't understand and I want to know what gets people excited about it? What got you invested?
It's not like I haven't tried, I have at different times read and even enjoyed JLA, Superman, Various Bat-titles, Flash, Blue Beetle, Teen Titans, Green Lantern (which I stuck with by far the longest) and others. Even now, I enjoy Grayson very much. But I can't seem to get invested.
For instance, at one point I was making a real effort to read a bunch of different DC titles, probably 7-8, which was a lot for me. I even got excited about the new weekly event that was happening, 52. But I got to issue 26 and remember thinking I was wasting my money and suddenly my DC was down to just 1-2 titles. Now, years later everyone talks about how amazing it was and I don't get it.
But I think this is a failing on my part. There is something about the DCU I just don't understand and I want to know what gets people excited about it? What got you invested?
Comments
For that matter, what comic fan that got started before the beginning of the direct market didn't miss issues depending upon the whim of the drug store/newsstand?
If the DCU isn't to your taste, it's not to your taste and that's OK. I grew up with a love for characters from both publishers, as well as an assortment of things from Gold Key and the like, but they were whatever issues I got from my uncles or in the three-packs from the Five and Dime - rarely did I land consecutive issues.
Maybe that's just a moment of old-fartedness on my part.
What Marvel writers and artists do you enjoy? John Byrne fan? Read his Superman run. Like Mark Waid? Try his Flash.
Sample from creators you already enjoy and I think things will go easier for you.
Marvel feels more down to earth. The heros come across as more fallible. Their power sets are typically lower than DC. Also, I could see Marvel characters hanging out with normal folk. I've never felt DC characters would mingle well with "the commoners". Of course this is not true of every single character in each universe.
Another way to look at it is this: DC's mascot is Superman - the intergalactic Moses or Christ-figure. Marvel's mascot is Spiderman - the everyman.
I can't really offer an explanation. Like I said I was multi publisher friendly growing up. Got back into comics in the late 80s with Evolutionary War from Marvel, was briefly a Marvel Zombie (plus Legion) and then a friend loaned me his Crisis books and my love of DC was rekindled.
There are some exceptions but I still would take almost any DC character over any Marvel character.
My very first X-Men comic was Sinister confronting Cyclops and being being extremely vague, hinting at another Summers brother, and a bunch of other characters I didn't know at the time attacking Cyclops and various other X-Men. And there was something in Japan with people.
I loved it :p
DC characters see their powers as a gift. Marvel's characters see their powers as a curse.
Characters like Superman, the Flash, Green Lantern, even darker heroes like Batman, see their powers as a way to help humanity, do good deeds, and fight for justice. Characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, and pretty much every X-Person also do good deeds, but it seems to be in spite of their having powers.
Both concepts work, and I enjoy books from both companies. But it's kind of telling when DC tries to be Marvel (New 52) how it really doesn't work that well. Of course there's exceptions to this idea, but it's how I've always viewed them.
As to long, convoluted histories? That's why the back-issue 50 cent bin and Showcase/Essential editions were created! :)
DC is not so great
It's not that I believe that statement, but I've always felt if you need someone to convince you about something (a book, movie, job, engagement, etc.), then it's probably not for you.
M
I have taken the idea that it's just "not for me" for granted for years. That may still be true. But listening to Pants get into Marvel over the last 18 months or so, and listening to and reading the excitement over Convergence or Multiversity makes me wonder if I'm maybe missing out on DC.
I'm not trying to be convinced, I want to know more about what people like about the DCU mythology, as a relative outsider. Not comparative to the MU, just objectively, why do you go back to this universe and it's stories?
I haven't read DC (aside from the #1s for n52) since Fall 2006. There are only 2 DC characters I find consistently interesting: Batman & Lex (primarily Batman.) when I lost interest in Batman with the new direction, I lost interest in DC. I haven't looked back.
Now, when I first picked up Marvel's GIJoe series in trades, it followed the release of the first movie. I started researching some of the characters, which grew interest. Then, I picked up the trades.
I normally pick something new up after I hear one thing in passing that sparks an interest. I use Wikipedia & Google to get some more background, then decide to pursue it or not.
M
The JSA is a family, and is deeply rooted in the traditions and legacy of the DCU. And, more often than not, it's happy.
Unlike today.
They had Roy Thomas do it, when they brought it back in the early 90's, they canceled it before the first issue came out, and they are doing it now (the Earth 2 JSA just didn't work for me....sorry).
The good thing is, they keep coming back.
... reflecting for a moment, between last weeks swimming nerd and this weeks metallurgy nerd, I may just be a multifaceted nerd. Multi-nodal nerd? Multi-nerdal?