Good Grief

I am bitter. I have been for quite some time. At the very least since Man of Steel was released and gave me (and me alone [see that was bitter]) the emotional satisfaction I was looking for from a superhero movie. My gushing about the artistic style, earnest tone and different levels of character development at play was constantly met with derision and snide remarks about "hobo Superman," and the ever popular, "Superman killed MILLIONS!"

Meanwhile, Marvel marches on churning out good movie after good movie and building on a worldwide success that the Marvel name has never seen.

For a long time I've been denying my bitterness about Marvel's success, but I think its time I accept it. I am bitter. But not directly because of Marvel, but because I think DC deserves better.

Sure, I had Spider-Man and Iron Man Secret Wars figures growing up, but they always played second fiddle to DC's Super Powers line. And I was the absolute perfect age to accept Christopher Reeve as the one and only Superman. John Williams' Superman theme still chokes me up. Couple that with Tim Burton's Batman and then the Animated Series and Marvel didn't stand a chance when it came ingraining these characters in my nerd DNA as a kid.

"But when you grew up, wasn't it easier to relate to Marvel's character's real world issues?" Well, I certainly drink more like Tony Stark than Bruce Wayne, but real world relatability isn't what I look for from comic characters. I want my comic characters to be larger than life. Impossibly good with gigantic power sets. Unfortunately, that also takes away from the fact that these characters are just as complex, but in different ways. Just because Superman has the strength to move a mountain doesn't mean he doesn't deal with personal responsibility or acceptance on a world wide and personal level. The fact DC heroes have both of these things is what sets them apart and makes them more interesting. All I want is for the greater movie going audience to see these characters the way I do: with awe and adoration.

So here we are, eight months out from the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and another opportunity for DC to finally wow audiences and bring people along for the ride. To finally generate the kind of love and acceptance Marvel has.

As much as I want Superman to kick the proverbial football, I won't be all that surprised if I'm left fighting the good fight once again with the minority.

DC heroes may not be for everybody, but they are for me. If it makes me sound bitter from time to time, that's just fine, because I know it only comes from a place of love.

-Gint

Ps Thanks to Charles Schultz for giving us Peanuts.

Pps The above-mentioned bitterness may have gotten the best of me when I wrote a special fourth panel for the above comic: