The problem with today's comics is that there seems to be almost no one left in the business who actually understands how to write (or draw) good superhero comics anymore. Todays "creators" seem to think that comicbooks have to be either for adults only OR for kids only. When I was growing up, comicbooks were pretty much just comicbooks. Superhero comics like Spider-Man and Batman were made for ALL AGES. They were colorful and fun enough to appeal to kids, and had fast paced, action movie style stories, with complex enough plots to make them compelling for adults.

When I get into this discussion with other comicbook readers who think that comics need to be the way they are now or adults won't read them, I always point to examples like the Star Wars movies. A 10 year old can watch Star Wars (the originals anyway) and be totally enthralled and entertained (because I was at that age), and a 45 year old can watch the exact same movies and love them just as much and be just as entertained.

That's exactly the way comics USED to be in the 70's and 80's (when they were at their absolute best, IMO). Just sophisticated enough to appeal to adult readers, without going over the top with the dark, sex and violence, grim and gritty crap as to become inappropriate (and uninteresting) for children. We really lost something somewhere along the the way when the wrong people took over reigns of the industry and reshaped it into the dystopian landscape we have today.

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The talent for writing in "layers" seems definitely to have atrophied in the time I have been in the Biz. And really, even before I got into comics professionally, when the fad for "relevance" was starting to take over, and more and more comics hit that same (soon tired) note.

Good writers used to be able to produce tales that could be read at 10 years of age, then again at 20, then again at 30, and accumulating life experience would modify what the reader took from the story.

This is @Pure Genius@ marketing, of course. Put the product in hard to reach, out of the way locations, and then stock those locations with the least kid-friendly, girl-friendly, civilian-friendly material you can find. And be sure to have that sun-faded cardboard Wolverine cut-out prominently displayed in your front window!

(Somehow, the Europeans manage to get this right, while producing results that can be jarring to North American sensibilities. Strolling down a street in Paris, some years back, I passed a comic shop whose front window had displayed right next to each other, an "album" featuring a woman being raped by a gorilla on the cover, and a Tin Tin collection! Somehow, apparently, those French guys were able to tell that those products were not intended for the same audience, and that to target one did not mean excluding the other.)

It seems that no one at Marvel or DC takes into account that many adults (myself included) don't enjoy being dragged down into the seedy underbelly of humanity in order to be entertained. Some of us actually like the more lighthearted, upbeat kind of stuff that used to be found in mainstream superhero comics.

A good example are the Disney / Pixar movies like "The Incredibles". I have a good friend who is not at all into comics, but the Incredibles is his favorite movie - and he's 45. It's one of my favorite movies as well, and think it is probably just about the best superhero movie ever released on the big screen. Or what about the Bruce Timm "Batman Animated Series"? That had a very large adult following, but was totally appropriate for kids as well.

Another good recent example is the recent "Big Hero 6" movie. I took my 14 year old nephew to see it, and we both enjoyed it immensely. It had a very distinct old-school comic feel to it, that struck a perfect balance of fun, adventure, humor, and excitement, with just enough of a dark edge to convey a real since of danger and menace for the heroes to overcome. My nephew, in fact, loathes new-school comics. Especially the modern art style. (He's a good kid).

Someone else who really understands how to do great action/adventure is Jackie Chan. Movies like "Rumble In The Bronx", "Police Story", and "Super Cop", are a total blast, and are filled with high-octane action and insane fight scenes. They convey a sense that the characters are in real danger, without relying on excessive bloodshed, and hardcore deadly violence. His movies convey a lighthearted sense of fun and adventure that make them appropriate for all ages without sacrificing complex "adult" story elements. It takes a certain talent to pull that off successfully.

So, when people argue that comics today are created for "adults", I say "which adults?" It seems "they" have decided to make comics only for one segment of the adult population that gets off on things like "The Walking Dead", which presents tons of over the top violence, torture, blood, gore, sex, and a distinct aura of pessimistic hopelessness. That kind of thing is not really my bag. I prefer my comics a little more fun, colorful, and optimistic. Like the FF and Superman when JB was doing them, or Roger Stern's Spider-Man, or the Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League, just to name a few. Not dumbed down kiddie fare, just well written, story driven adventures that aren't bogged down with too much angst and deep interpersonal reflection. Uhg!