Green Arrow Fans!

[EMCE Hammer]

What used to be the standard is now a handful of titles aimed at kids with a wink at adults. Brave & Bold, DC Superfriends, Art's Titans and Shazam, and their Marvel counterparts like Super Hero Squad etc. I'd like a little more of a happy medium. I love Blackest Night, but I don't want to see those themes in the majority of titles the majority of the time. I stumbled across a wave of 'All New Silver Age' DC titles that ran in 2000 that I missed, and they're an enjoyable read. No rape, amputations, murder, etc. I don't want all cheese either, but that's why there's Punisher.

[The Toyroom]

I stumbled across a wave of 'All New Silver Age' DC titles that ran in 2000 that I missed, and they're an enjoyable read.

Those the ones Mark Waid had a hand in? Good stuff!

[EMCE Hammer]

Those the ones Mark Waid had a hand in? Good stuff!

Yep - pulled them out of a two for $1 bin at a toy show a few months ago. I know I don't have them all, but I am going to track them down. My 5yr old and I are "sharing" them. They don't make them like they used to

[johnnystorm]

Yep - pulled them out of a two for $1 bin at a toy show a few months ago. I know I don't have them all, but I am going to track them down. My 5yr old and I are "sharing" them. They don't make them like they used to

Those are great books, a very overlooked series.

I think that you hit upon the part of comics that's missing..that there is something you can share with your children. I'm all in favor of comics for adults. But there also needs to be a Batman, Superman, or Spiderman you can read to your child, that will encourage them to go on reading. And be a book that is not aimed or written toward kids, a gateway type for that 8-11 age group. Exciting stuff that might inspire them to go on to regular books, adventure series, imaginative stuff. For example, Green Arrow would be a great character to later introduce a kid to the Robin Hood stories. Unless of course, he's shooting arrows into people's brains.
And I think just about everybody on here agrees that they like the Brave & Bold cartoon, or the Justice League Unlimited series. So why can't the books be more along those lines?

[samurainoir]

Everyone always neglects to acknowledge the fact that Marvel has been quietly publishing their Marvel Adventures brand comic books and "Manga-sized" digest paperbacks for years now.



Anyone who ever grouses at the lack of Old School Superheroes that they can give to kids should be guying these up by the boatload and handing them around the neighbourhood if they want to see "all ages" titles succeed in this market.

Oh and Spidergirl has come back once again from beyond the grave to appease the mythical 12 year olds who I believe would rather be reading Naruto.

[BlackKnight]

I think just about everybody on here agrees that they like the Brave & Bold cartoon

While I like Aspects of that toon ..., I do not hold it in the Same Reguard to JLU. It's more so Kiddie themed, and I do enjoy watching the toon with my Son ..., I would rather not personally read that world in Comics. That's why I started buying my son his own books he get's that, Art's Titans and the New Super Hero Squad.

[BlackKnight]

if they want to see "all ages" titles succeed in this market.

And that's really the Thing ..., If today's comics and Direction Didn't sell ,.. and those were all that did , well thats what you would see..., and little to No of the "Dark Ages".

[Earth 2 Chris]

Comic sales today are abysmal to what they were in the 80s, and those were abysmal compared to comic sales of the 60s, during the "cheese fest" you mention.

Admittedly, there are some Silver Age (and lots of Golden Age) stories I have a hard time reading. The expositional dialog is really hard to swallow. Gardner Fox is particularly guilty of this. But I can appreciate the well-thought out and dense plots that these guys managed to cram into 8 to 17 pages.

I'm not saying comics shouldn't have matured. I agree BTAS/STAS/JLU offer the best of both worlds; engaging stories adults and children can enjoy on several levels. The tone of these series is more reminiscent of the comics of the 70s and early 80s that managed to strike a balance between the plot-oriented 60s and the modern characterization of the time. Unfortunately, most comic writers can't seem to strike that balance now.

I have no problem with death and seriousness in comics. Drama is needed to move stories along. It's the constant barrage of carnage, death and the general wallowing in such themes that make most modern comics by DC and Marvel unenjoyable by me.

Storylines like The Dark Phoenix Saga and The Judas Contract were deadly serious and characters evolved and died. But the creators were smart enough to realize that they were actually special events, not to be repeated every 6 months.

Oh and that Silver Age event that Mark Waid spear-headed was a lot of fun.

Chris

[The Toyroom]

I'm not sure I understand exactly what "cheese fest" is being referred to in regards to the Silver Age.....True, the really EARLY Silver Age gave us all of those Sci-Fi Batman stories and wacky villains (who I profess to have a great love for) but that's not what it's all about....There's a LOT of gold in those so-called "cheesy" stories that is still be mined today....You just might not realize it. The difference is in the execution. And that's where a lot of today's stuff falls flat IMO...it goes for the throat in order to get a quick response from the reader, a gut reaction...Say what you want about the Silver Age but the stories and characters had heart and soul. Sure there was death and destruction but it was an occasional thing....a rarity. See Doom Patrol #121 for how the death of heroes should be handled.

[david_b]

Bring back the fun aspect and they might get the next generation of readers they so desperately need.

BEST Answer I've heard yet..!!

Sorry, even reading other blogs about the current Titans stories and how to re-energize their appeal (for example..), most of it's all a lot of gore. I'll personally stick with vintage stories.

david_b

[johnnystorm]

Everyone always neglects to acknowledge the fact that Marvel has been quietly publishing their Marvel Adventures brand comic books and "Manga-sized" digest paperbacks for years now.

Oh and Spidergirl has come back once again from beyond the grave to appease the mythical 12 year olds who I believe would rather be reading Naruto.

Yes, the discussions do become very DC-centric. Those Marvel books are pretty good, I've read the Avengers ones in digest form. And I also read Spider-Girl & the A-Next books like American Dream.

[EMCE Hammer]

How many of those titles are there? I have to admit I only know of Avengers and Super Hero Squad.

[samurainoir]

How many of those titles are there? I have to admit I only know of Avengers and Super Hero Squad.

4-6 on any given month. Plus don't forget Mini-Marvels, Franklin Richards, Pet Avengers and Power Pack has been revived recently in various miniseries teaming them up with the Big Guns.

[Nostalgiabuff]

DC needs a management shakeup....with the exception of Darkest Night, all the recent big crossovers have been left seriously wanting..IMO. I enjoyed 52 but then came Countdown and Final Crisis which were both confusing as hell and did not really go anywhere. then the Batman RIP which was extremely hard to follow, and again, did not really go any where. Add that to the fact that you know Bruce Wayne would never really stay dead and it takes away the excitement of the story. those kind of event storylines only work if the story is done exceptionally well.....ie the Death of Superman. a great read, i still reread that one every now and then.

I lost all interest in Comics around 95...then tried to get back into them in the early 2000's but couldn't. I tried again with 52 and although I am still picking up a few books(other than balckest night) I still find the stories lacking for the most part. I do like the Batwoman storyline , so far. Also Red Robin has been entertaining, so far, but that is about it

[BlackKnight]

I just read this book last night ..., And I am not quite sure, as to why everyone's Panties are in a Ruffle. It had perhaps maybe Mature content in the book, with a very serious Story ..., however it was no where near as Graphic as Half the Books that have come outta Marvel in the last yr or so. I dunno, it's just a book ..., and given the circumstances involved ...., Green Arrown didn't do what any other person wouldn't have done, providing they could do that in the 1st place.