Something that stands out in my memory...........

In Planetary #8 (I THINK) Ellis touches on the 80's Goth/Vertigo/British writers, and how they handled characters.

The main thrust of the issue is the supposed death/Murder of a Constantine type character. We find out that that he was 'killed' by a "Superhero" Said Superhero discovered (via the Constantine archtype) that he was NOT  created by a trancendant scientist-mentor, he was however, the product of a perverse and unholy union of something having to do with Hitler, and super sex midgets; that he didn't need split-personalities, nervous breakdowns, or to find out that his whole life was a lie. He says that he was happy as he was, as un-hip and un-trendy as that may have been, and that if no one liked him that way they should have just left him alone.

There have been some amazing, thought provoking things I've read in that series, but that one just stood out to me.

That last line pretty much sums up the problem with most writers these days.

If you don't like the toys, OR the sandbox for that matter, then DON'T F#$%*ING PLAY WITH THEM.

12) You basically don't believe in superheroes: People who do the right thing because they're better than we are. You believe that such a motivation is "thin" and you need to beef it up by revealing that someone is an alcoholic or driven by revenge. You don't believe in "villains" -- that's also too thin. Something must have made them go bad and maybe even the superhero is responsible.

BUFFY and ANGEL had *true* superheroes and supervillains. One of my favorite moments in ANGEL is when Lindsay is giving the standard "This is why society made me a bad guy" speech and Angel basically dozes off before snapping, "Oh, sorry... can we skip to the part where you're evil?"

I'll restrain myself from quoting ANGEL too much but I think this one, from the finale, is also very revealing: "People who don't care about anything will never understand those who do."

Also similar to Willow's comeback to Faith, after Faith had gone into her miserable childhood and how Buffy had it so much better. Expecting Willow to be at least slightly sympathetic, she comes out with: "oh boohoo! get over it!"

We indulge that "society made me a monster" rationale way too much. People have figured out that it's an easy way to get sympathy and excuse their antisocial impulses. Pop psych 101.

Which is a longwinded way of saying I agree with Stephen's point.

Great line form Batman Begins, sums it up best.

"Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding."

In Planetary #8 (I THINK) Ellis touches on the 80's Goth/Vertigo/British writers, and how they handled characters.

Sounds like someone didn't like Moore's handling of Marvelman/Miracleman.

(1) You come from screen writing, and think writing comics is just the same.

Do they actually think that? I know script writer Heinburg on the Young Avengers is writing a good comic. What ever technique he is using is working for me.

(2) You think the civilian guise is much more interesting than the superhero.

The maximum I can enjoy as a reader is a 60/40 split. I don't mind civilian story arcs at all but they must not take over the Superhero side of a comic.

(3) You think having superheroes say "fuck" is "sophisticated".

I agree that swearing does not equel mature if anything it means the opposite.

(4) You think being assigned to a long established title is an automatic mandate to blow everything up and start over.

Depends I guess if that is what you have been brought on to the title to do. It rarely works for the benifit of the title in my opinion though.

(5) You think the characters should serve your stories, not the other way 'round.

I think this is forgivable once in a while. Some people like Chuck Dixon did start to make a habit of it though.

(6) You think Batman is "crazy".

That became lazy thinking after about 1990

(7) You think Superman is a "boy scout".

Ditto

(8) You use the characters and stories as therapy.

I have never noitced this

(9) You pepper your stories with "jokes" (usually at the expense of the characters) to amuse your fanboy friends.

This usually fails to amuse me

(10) You've "always" thought superheroes were stupid (and have often said so), but they sell better than your own comics, so you're in it for the money.

This is something I do hate. Although some people who are not keen on superheroes (not haters though) have turned out great work. John Buscema as an artist for one and Steve Gerber as a writer.