Welcome to Gaia! ::

* while Robert is holding her and they're flying..*
" WWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLYYYYYYYY!!!!"

Which is an idea that I applaud, although I could see writers bitching until they're blue in the face about it. So let's say in a fit of logic, the DC brass monkeys decide to comission these "writing guides". Who can be trusted to write them since we've already established that the nostalgists are revisionists in disguise?

*Witholds airsex joke*

The fans, naturally. Think about it. How big of an allure would it be at, say, a WizardWorld convention if you were asked to qualify to write one of these bibles? A competition to see who is the biggest expert in "X" character would be a huge attraction for DC. Mind you, I'm saying that these people would be fact generators. Consultants. Someone like Max Mercury would be invaluable to DC just in the case of keeping straight who fought who when, or which hero currently happens to be DEAD and thusly unavailable for a crossover...

In the end it would be the editors job to say "These facts are incontrovertable, and therefore all writers should adhere to them." Let me give an example. Disney comics have a bible like this. Naturally, the a**l-retentiveness of the Disney company trickles down to the comics, and those who write them have a STRICT set of codes regarding character content and interaction. I got a chance to read the "Roger Rabbit" bible once, and it specifically instructed that Jessica Rabbit was never to be the butt of a joke. Peoples REACTIONS to her were to be the joke.

It's not super heroics, but the point is the same. Characterizations are the lifeblood of comics, and while there is room for an individual writer to put their own spin on things, it's sad when you can open a comic and just say "This character would NEVER do that." Look at Dissassembled for examples.

That certainly would boost DC's image from the fans' perspective. Which brings me to another dreaded issue. DC and Marvel versus their fans. To me it doesn't make any sense at all that they (Marvel especially) take such and adversarial approach to their bread and butter. Any thoughts on this?

Marvel and DC are businesses, and therefore, naturally, they want to attract MORE business, as to make more money. However, like some other businesses, for some reason they seem to want to take the approach to get NEW business that alienates their CURRENT business. Both Marvel and DC have a hardcore fanbase. This is incontrovertable. There is a segment of the population that WILL buy a certain percentage of their titles, no matter what.

Usually.

The problem comes when this facet of the fanbase is taken for granted in the attempt to attract new fans. The constant yearly, full-universe-scope storyline arcs are created SOLELY with the intent of luring fans from one book and casual fans into more books. They hope that the hype about this particular crossover being the "story of the year" will not only sell well on its own, but increase sales across the board.

The method used to do this is called "shock programming." At least, it is on TV. The intent is the same, though. Present something to the fans they can't BELIEVE would really happen in comics (Oh my god! An Avenger has become evil? And is killing everyone off? Or Oh my God! they're going to kill off a superheroes wife? And you don't know who did it?). 'Shock' the fans into getting the series, hope that they'll find some of the characters they didn't read about before interesting, start buying their monthly books too.

The problem is that these 'shock' tactics can only be 'shocking' for so long until the the shock wears off and you realize it's just empty sensationalism in the vein of pandering for sales. And THIS is what alienates the passionate fanbase. They realize that characters they are emotionally invested in are being strung around strictly for sales, and acting out of character-and being abused. And there in lies the problem.

Bye Wally.. sad
*feels lost and alone crying *

Understood.