Does anyone here even LIKE comic books?

Anyway, on to a post of my own:

I've been a fan of comic books all my life, Western style superheroes growing up, and Japanese Manga and Anime when I was a teenager. I don't really have a problem with any of them, I like all the genres, and couldn't care less if they are compatible or not.

One thing I do feel I have to point out, is that comic books, particularly in the West, are our modern age's version of mythology. It's not a coincidence that Thor and Hercules and mythologically inspired superheroes like Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel draw from Ancient Greek and Norse myths. We are retelling those myths, in our modern day and age, with our modern backdrop of science and technology. But the stories are still the same old stories, and the heroes are still the same old heroes.

Star Wars is the same thing. Check out Joseph Campbell some time.

In the Golden Age, heroes were mostly magical and mythical in nature. Wonder Woman started out as an Amazon empowered by the Greek Gods. Dr. Fate and many of the other heroes mentioned previously were derived from the same sources. Even today, you've still got characters like Dr. Strange with magical powers, dealing with the occult, or recurring demonic characters like Mephisto providing magical and mythical influences for heroes that are otherwise science or technology-based.

The Silver Age introduce the science and technology angle, with Green Lantern reinvisioned as a member of a space Corps, and The Flash with less nods to Mercury. (Garrick's origin was apparently somewhat scientific in nature, but then so was Superman, but this was considerably expanded on after the birth of the Atomic Age) And the dark anti-heroes of the 80's and 90's, whether you like them or not, are part of the history of the genre as well. So I think CoH does a good job of combining all these influences, and building a backstory and universe of its own.

For me, personally, my main characters have always been superheroes in the Golden Age and Silver Age sense. Jade Dragon, Blue Diamond, Genie Gold and Silver Bolt would all have been completely at home in any comic of the 50s through 70s. Element Dog, the original version of Genie Gold, was very much based on the funny animal characters, like Krypto and Marvel Bunny. Although he was also very strongly inspired by Mr. Peabody of the Rocky and Bullwinckle Show.

My two cyberpunk characters, though, Alan Midnight and his AI Rachel, are very much influenced by modern dark comics, as well as film noir detective movies, and cyberpunk influences like Neuromancer and Johnny Mnemonic. Not a small amount of Tron, as well. Bloodwolf is definately a modern hero in the non-costumed, mercenary vigilante mold, plus very strongly inspired by a TV Series called the Sword of Justice.

Sandy, and in fact Rachel, are inspired by Anime, specifically Battle Angel Alita and Ghost in the Shell. Sandy goes beyond that into a sort of teenage angst, reluctant heroine kind of mold, like Sailor Moon, the X-Men, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her story would be perfectly at home in a totally different genre, as she was originally created for a fanfic story I wrote for another game, but she makes a great (if reluctant) superhero too.

I guess ultimately what I have to say is that when comic books range from Looney Tunes to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Strangers in Paradise, to The Maxx to Maus, what does it really mean to say, "this is a game about comic books?" Is it a game about comic book SUPERheroes? Or is it just a game about comic book HEROES? Is it a game about heroes in general? About heroes in the movies and TV shows as well? Is a pulp novel detective, or a mystical space-faring knight, or a sword swinging barbarian really out of place here?

You know, I actually find the fact that you can create other MMOs' characters here, and you can't create these characters there, to be a GOOD thing.

It's about time someone stood up and did something about these ridiculous characters ruining the game. They are interfering with the story of my telekinetic babe from Earth 2561.xxx.09 who came back to life after swallowing a star while possessed by the Phoenix Force that created a clone that flirted with a regenerating science experiment but married lazer beam guy whose kid went to another dimension and returned with big guns.

I seem to see a ton more creations based on anime than actual comics.

And most of the comic-related characters I see are so horribly dark and gritty that you sometimes want to start cutting yourself, and maybe even others, due to the sheer emo and attitude they put off.