Now being a geek of noteworthy status, at least in my own opinion, I have some very set ideas about comics and their publishers, including the fact that the DC universe is much better than Marvel. I understand the impact that Stan Lee had on the comic industry and I thank him for his contribution, and The Punisher is one of my favorite characters, but DC just offers a more enjoyable read.
Now my dear reader you ask why is DC so much better? Well for one thing they have some of the iconic figures of the industry: Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern to list a couple of my favorites. Superman is literally the yardstick against which all other superpowered heroes are measured and during the late 80's to mid 90's had some of the most creative writing that I have ever had the pleasure to read. Batman writing never quite reached that quality during that time but then how do you fault one of the only truly unpowered people to ever fight crime. Green Lantern is one I didn't really appreciate until a few years ago, but it's a great concept and some fine characters have worn the power ring over the years.
Characters in themselves are not enough to drive the universe, you also need writers and artists to put it altogether and although I've never been an art critic writing is something else. The stories in the Marvel universe are always to emotional and thinky, DC has always been about packing a punch and showcasing superpowers. If I want high drama I'll read a real book, I don't need that in my comic books, that is a visual medium first and mental medium second.
As I previously stated I like some of the Marvel universe, but then who doesn't? The Punisher rocks, watch for more about him specifically in the future, and some of the other characters are great concepts; Spiderman comes to mind, along with Iron Man, Captain America and a few others, however these same characters showcase my point. I don't care about Peter Parkers love life or how many girlfriends he has gone through or accidentally killed, I want to watch him mix it up with Doc Ock or the Goblins, either one is good, even Sandman. Furthermore, I don't really care about the personal motivations of these bad guys either, they just need to be evil. Case in point, the Joker; this guy is the most brilliant bad guy ever and what's his motivation? He's crazy and he likes to kill, what more do you need? Lex Luthor? He hates aliens and wants to rule the world, love it, perfect, lets decide how this '"normal" man is going to almost kill Superman this time.
During the 80's there was a great concept for an Iron Man 6 parter, the Armor Wars, where he decided that his armor designs were being used for evil so he set out to destroy all armor but his own, including that used by the American government. Like I said a great concept, but then they went and put in alcoholism and personal relationships breaking apart for Tony Stark; I can't stress this enough: I DON'T CARE. I want to see him destroy stuff with his repulsors, not guzzle Scotch and hurt peoples feelings. The Punisher, the anomaly in the Marvel universe, works because we know his motivations, he lost his family and is going to die while making the bad guys pay.
There are more publishers out there worth noting but they are in a slightly different class, guys like Dark Horse and Vertigo, so I'll get into them another time. The purpose of this was just to put my feelings out there, everyone who is into comics has their opinion on the publishing giants of the world and I firmly believe that everyone should pick a side, hold it, and say it loud and proud. Agree with me or disagree with me, that's your choice and I don't care, I'm here to simply state 1 thing: Vive Le DC!
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