Comicscape - December 3, 2003

By: Tony Whitt
Date: Wednesday, December 03, 2003

OPINION:

Don't let the title to this column fool you: I'm well aware that the difference between Marvel and DC is actually huge, to the point that, even now, there are still people who are avid fans of one company and who refuse to buy any books published by the other, regardless of how good they might be. The long-standing rivalry between fans of the two companies (if not the companies themselves) has often found its way into responses to my columns and reviews - I've often been accused of being a "DC-basher" or a "Marvel-hater," when, truth be told, I read titles from both companies. But the recent fight between Superman and Thor in JLA/AVENGERS (or AVENGERS/JLA, depending on which company is selling it that month), in which Supes mopped the floor with the Thunder God, has raised such ire amongst fans that it's surprising that Marvel fans are even willing to pick up a DC comic at all. Thing is, when we look at the ethos behind each company's heroes, the bigger surprise is that fans of either company can read the other company's books at all.

Two things in addition to the Busiek crossover series brought this disparity to my attention, even though I'm sure I,

like many other fans, had realized it subconsciously for years. One was reading the 1995 novel WHAT THEY DID TO PRINCESS PARAGON by Robert Rodi, a book in which the fictional superheroine Princess Paragon (in every way a dead-ringer for Wonder Woman) is given a John Byrne-style facelift by an up-and-coming gay comics writer who boosts the hero's flagging sales by remaking her as a lesbian. A stereotypical comics fan (who bears a remarkable resemblance to Ignatius J. Reilly from John Kennedy Toole's A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES) objects to the change and kidnaps said up-and-coming gay writer. Hilarity ensues. This book probably won't interest regular readers of this column so much as disgust or anger them: for one thing, it's gay-themed, or for another, Rodi uses broadly drawn characters and doesn't present writers or fans in the most flattering light. But whatever else Rodi may seemingly get wrong about comics writers and fans (even if it's obvious he's done his research and knows our community quite well), he's definitely pegged the difference between the two companies. In the very first chapter, Rodi's writer character Brian Parrish considers that difference as he considers leaving Electric Comics (read: Marvel) to write the Princess Paragon series for Bang Comics (read: DC):

"He'd been an Electric Comics company man for ten years. More than that, he genuinely loved the hip irreverence of the Electric Comics 'house style.' Its characters talked in slang, argued with each other, had money problems and romantic difficulties - all the attributes of real life that never came within a mile of a Bang Comics character. Electric Comics had the smart-alecky, vital vulgarity of the early sixties, which is when the company had been founded. Electric Comics were lively in a way that Bang Comics had never been. To Brian, Bang Comics heroes represented grim authority; Electric Comics heroes, joyful anarchy.





"Yet as he began to contemplate his possible career moves in the face of an almost certain break with Electric, he discovered that he nursed a secret admiration for the Bang heroes as well. Sure, they were a hoary, square-jawed, stodgy lot. But he loved their bigness, their iconic resonance. Weren't they all indelible figures of Americana?...Somehow, the Electric Comics heroes seemed petty and venal by comparison.





"He was rather surprised by this epiphany; despite the amicable camaraderie between the Electric and Bang cartoonists, there was always that basic ideological difference that separated them. To find himself contemplating defection was startling. You were either Democrat or Republican, Mets or Yankees, Bang or Electric. Some bridges were just not crossed."

Even though Marvel and DC both exist in Rodi's fictional world in addition to Electric and Bang, there's no denying how spot-on some of these observations are, not only of the difference in ethos underlying both companies but also the attitudes of the writers and fans. Even though there's been a great deal more "cross-polination" between the two companies in the last ten years than ever before, it's still possible to think of a writer or artist primarily as a "Marvel man" or a "DC man."

But to be honest, after thinking about this as a possible subject for a column, I didn't think about it again until the whole Superman-Thor debacle, when a recent letter from Rob Casaletta both brought my own subconscious thoughts on the subject to the surface and (I suspect) unknowingly echoed Rodi's observations: "I've been collecting comics since I was 5 and my ma bought me my

first AVENGERS book. She thought it'd spark my interest in reading; little did she know that, 28 years later, I'd still be following the heroes and villains of the Marvel universe. That first book I bought concerned Hank Pym's insanity while being brainwashed by Ultron, and Ultron's almost pathetic Oedipus complex regarding his 'mother.' That's heady stuff for a 5 year old, man. It hooked me, even though I didn't understand much of it at the time. I was around when Dark Phoenix first burst through, and got all choked up when Jean Grey killed herself to save those she loved (and am still simmering that they brought her back- it cheapens everything). I was there through Tony Stark's battle with alcoholism, Hank Pym's abuse of his wife, and have seen the persecution of mutants build from your mundane lynch mobs to the slaughter of millions on the island of Genosha. You know what hooked me? The realism of it all. That sounds silly when we're talking about guys who can shoot power beams from their eyes or ladies who shrink down to 6" and sprout wings from their back, but what the heck. I've always felt like Marvel had a handle on what superheroes would be like if they existed in our world. The Marvel universe is gritty and violent, and people in it are prejudiced and petty. It mirrors our own.

"I've always known this, but I guess it's never occurred to me how much of a disparity there is between the DC and Marvel universes until this JLA/AVENGERS deal. I mean, think of it- even the team names reflect the atmosphere of their respective realms! The Justice League, with boy scouts like Superman, unnecessary and annoying comic relief like Plastic Man[,] and smartasses like the Flash or Green Lantern. Then you have the Avengers: their very name suggests vengeance. You have Iron Man, the recovering alcoholic. Giant Man, who's just now gotten over severe personality disorders (plus the whole abusive spouse deal). Thor, who in his own series is nothing short of a megalomaniac these days. Oh, and you have Carol Danvers (aka Warbird), who's also a recovering alcoholic. That's real, man, and it just puts folks like Superman into a pale shadow of their counterparts at Marvel.

"I don't mean to bash DC overly, but come on.

What do they have to offer? I was suitably impressed when I heard Hal Jordan went nuts and killed the rest of the Green Lantern Corps. Wouldn't you lose your frigging mind (not to mention your patience) when confronted with the deaths of everyone you held dear, only to be lectured by some diminutive blue dude with a big head who still insists on telling you only to do noble things? Then I read the trade paperback where Jordan goes nuts, and it's... I don't know. Kind of rushed. Like they just made it up as a way to usher in the new GL. Disappointing, really. [Also,] I have all the trade paperbacks concerning the death and return of Superman; I'd purchased them in the hopes that such a deep experience would change the character. No such luck. You'd think being dead and reborn again would have some kind of lasting effect on the guy, wouldn't you?...

"Anyway, to me the DC universe is almost nostalgic, and the people doing the JLA/Avengers book have tapped into that. There's no mutant persecution (no mutants either, far as I know) and their heroes are revered and idolized, whereas the Marvel heroes are regularly discredited and investigated by the very government they side with. I mean, how many times have the Avengers been busted by the White House? Of course the DC heroes would look on the Marvel universe with something akin to horror: they live in some sheltered, idyllic bubble, while people like Captain America and Spiderman have to deal with the crap of day to day living as well as fighting Baron Whoever and still make a go of it. Marvel heroes are harder, grittier, so you'd think they'd have an edge when fighting their DC counterparts! But no, we still have an even match when Superman and Thor knock each other around. It makes sense for Batman and Captain America to be evenly matched... to a point. But while Bats is just a very highly-trained guy, Cap still has the Super-Soldier Formula in his veins. The Flash vs Quicksilver deal worked for me, mostly because they really pulled off Quicksilver's arrogance...

"Where am I going with this? Jesus, I wish I knew! Ha! Comparing the two companies and the characters therein would make a great couple of columns, wouldn't you think? And talk about sparking some emails... I just don't see how anyone could defend Superman, who's always defending the status quo and never, ever loses his temper. I mean, how boring can a superhero get? He's so powerful, you know damn well no one's ever really going to give him a thrashing without help from (insert color here) kryptonite. Batman I like, and always have- he's the closest thing to a Marvel hero that DC has: dark, driven, with origins rooted in tragedy. (Although I do take issue with him being able to kick the hell out of the Punisher and us not being able to see it!) On the Marvel side, everybody goes through crises. Even Captain America, which I never would have thought possible. When I was growing up, Cap was almost as boring as Superman- you could always trust him to spout out great pro-USA platitudes while kicking the hell out of neo Nazis or whatever. But now, ah, now... he's questioning his government and everything he's stood for in the past 30-some years. Talk about comics reflecting life, eh?"

Rob finishes his letter by saying he "...Just had to vent some of my frustration at what I saw in the JLA/Avengers book as a 'talking down' kinda mood to my favorite Marvel characters...," and while I'm not sure that's Busiek's intent, both that feeling and his observations raise interesting questions in light of Rodi's earlier observations. (I also agree that it makes one hell of a great column topic - thanks, Rob!) Is this what the real difference is between DC and Marvel - that, despite some very

talented writers coming in to create realistic characters in realistic situations for DC (for example, Ed Brubaker's take on CATWOMAN), do they still seem somehow less realistic and more idealized than Marvel's characters? And, to ask a question based on Rodi's ruminations, do the DC characters have a larger "iconic resonance" than Marvel's - in other words, is Superman more the prototypical hero than, say, Spider-Man? (Awfully telling, though, isn't it, that the first Marvel-DC crossover was a Spider-Man/Superman one, in a "fight" that couldn't have been more mismatched if it tried but which brought together each company's most popular character?) Much like Rob, I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this, but I want to hear your thoughts as Marvel fans, DC fans, or fans that both go ways (hey, no snickering back there, get your minds out of the gutter!) on what you believe the biggest differences between the two companies are, and what makes you choose the company you prefer. And, for those of you reading the Busiek crossover, do you agree with Rob that it "talks down" to the Marvel characters? (If I get enough responses on that question, it may just spawn a completely different column on its own...) Send your thoughts by Saturday, December 6th to comicscape@cinescape.com, or to me directly, if you choose. And once again, don't forget our discussion boards! Now, no matter which side you choose, here are some books you might be reading...

THIS WEEK:

Not a lot for Superman fans this week, but you can get your fix (and assuage your bruised feelings at hearing Supes criticized again) by reading ACTION COMICS #810. And remember, Clark Kent would never send hate mail.

There's one other

way DC and Marvel are different: can you imagine Marvel ever doing a book called SPIDER-MAN FAMILY? They probably could now; not only is there SPIDER-GIRL, issue #67 of which ships this week, but there are plenty enough Spidey titles, such as SPIDER-MAN & DR OCTOPUS: NEGATIVE EXPOSURE, issue #3 of which also goes out this week. Can't imagine it working with Spider-Woman or Spider-Mite, though.

One of DC's coolest miniseries is coming up on its end! But would BAD GIRLS #5 (Of 6) be all that grittier if Marvel did it? Or is it merely a jokey version of NYX?

Guess "gritty" truly defines events in INCREDIBLE HULK #64, as our Green Goliath tracks the Krills back to Home Base. Three guesses what he's likely to do, and "macrame" cannot be counted as one of them.

Bat-Fans have some decisions to make, but only if you haven't been keeping up with their comics buying in the last four years. You'll all need BATMAN: CITY OF LIGHT #3 (Of 8), and you may need DETECTIVE COMICS #789 (if you can stand the new writer); but whether you need the BATMAN: HUSH VOL 2 hardcover for $19.95, or the BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND VOL 1 trade paperback for $14.95 depends on whether you have the original issues in the first place. Or on whether your pocketbook can stand it.

Gee,

I guess it is rather odd that Cap and Bats should have been so evenly matched, isn't it? Perhaps it's because Cap comes from a world where the heroes are weaker in power, so his Super-Soldier Formula bring him up to Batman's level? Oh, boy, here comes the hate mail... Oh, just go read the new storyline starting in CAPTAIN AMERICA #21 and leave me alone, willya?

Not that new Cap scribe Robert Morales writes THE CREW or anything, but issue #7 of that series is also out this week. Sorry, I just couldn't think of anything else to say.

Wildstorm's offerings are also meager this week, though if you like the Authority or the Thundercats, you're on cloud nine: both AUTHORITY VOL 2 #8 and THUNDERCATS: ORIGINS, HEROES, AND VILLAINS #1 are on the shelves.

Here's a question: is the "Rob Rodi" that the Marvel website has listed as writing ELEKTRA #30 the same as the "Robert Rodi" who wrote the novel I mentioned above? Or is it just one of those vast coincidences that I should have known about before now that always makes my teeth hurt?

OK, OK, I apologize for slagging off on FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE all this time - I've finally gotten around to reading the comedy series featuring these clowns, and it's not as bad as all that. Typically, #6 (Of 6) is going out this week, meaning I now have to track down the other five issues. Saying "I'm sorry" is bad enough, but saying it too late to benefit from it really sucks.

Slow week for you X-Philes, too (or is that word only used for fans of X-FILES? Seems like there's more of you and you've been around longer, so it should be your word, X-Fans... Anyway...): EXILES #38 and X-TREME X-MEN #35 are the only offerings featuring your favorite characters. But hey, X2 is out on disc, so things aren't that bad, are they? Well?

HAWKMAN #22 concludes the three-part "Headhunter" storyline, but rather than make some sick and twisted joke about that again, I'd like to point something out on the DC website, which lists this story as being set in the "City the Saints Forgot." Forgive me if I'm wrong, but if St. Roch is supposed to be the DCU's version of New Orleans (where I live, by the way), shouldn't that be the "City that Care Forgot"? Or has someone over at DC been watching the Saints play lately and drawn the obvious conclusion?

Meanwhile, Hawkman's teammates finish up their reshuffling in JSA: ALL STARS #8 (Of 8), and they get a surprise visit from the Spectre. After all, no one expects the Spectre. His chief weapon is surprise and an unswerving devotion to God...uh, his two chief weapons are...oh, forget it.

JMS introduces the world to his own version of a speedster in SUPREME POWER #5. If you haven't looked at this title yet, do it. It's obligatory for comics fans and guys named Eel.

And if that

wasn't the most tortured segue of all time... Honestly, though, the arrival of PLASTIC MAN #1 needs no silly segue. The fact that Kyle Baker is both writing and drawing it, and those sample pages from this issue available on the DC website, should be more than enough to make anyone buy it, even those who hate Plas. Gee, don't know anyone like that...

Vertigo is only shipping Y: THE LAST MAN #17 this week, but you're not that upset, are you?

I have yet to read SENTINEL, issue #10 of which goes out this week, but as Sean McKeever is writing it, I probably should, and so should you. Wanna come with me to go get a copy?

And finally - one might even say "ultimately," if it were the right word for this context - both the double-sized ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #50 and the regular-sized but big-on-plot ULTIMATES #12 ship this week, as well.

All right, go do some reading, already, and don't come back till you're done.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@cinescape.com. -- and don't forget to participate in our comic book message forum!

Comicscape is our weekly Comics column.