I don't like superheroes anymore. Do you like superheroes?

[shaolin_monkey]

It depends what you classify a 'superhero'.  Is Batman 'super'?  He has above average intelligence and athletic prowess, combined with a multi-million dollar cave with accessories.  He doesn't have laser-beam eyes though.

I've read some Batman and enjoyed it, but I wouldn't say he's a 'superhero'.

I've never really enjoyed Superman, X-Men, Fantastic Four, or anything where people are basically indestructible 'cos of being able to get out of situations by means of fire, water, ice, ginormous strength, climbing walls, being stretchy etc etc.

'Watchmen' is an interesting one.  Are they superheroes?  Nah, they're a bunch of masked vigilates like Batman.  What about Doc Manhattan though?  He's got super powers, but is he a hero or a victim of time/fate/circumstance?  There wasn't anything heroic about turning the Vietnamese inside out... 

I really enjoyed Watchmen, but wouldn't class it as being about superheroes, more about human frailty really.  That's where I really get enjoyment from comics - taking a human being and placing them in situations of adversity, then watching how they survive it (or not).

So I'm not really keen on the Superhero comics.  I can't relate to them much.  I'll read them at a push, but I much prefer comics on standard human beings, even if they are incredibly rich and highly trained.

[Tiplodocus]

I suppose I actually like Superhero comics MORE now than when I was a child.

Growing up, I was aware of the pop culture impact of superheroes (TV shows, trading cards, plastic toys) but never really read Superhero comics (it was all British Boys comics for me - especially war comics).

It wasn't until I was older (late teens) that I started picking up Superhero books; sometimes because of the hype attached (Dark Knight Returns) and sometimes because I was following a 2000ad alumni into the world of DC and Marvel.  I then started picking up the odd back issue or borrowing from friends. Even then, I mostly preferred my Warriors, Deadlines and 2000ad to Marvel and DC output.

I've never got into buying DC or Marvel monthly titles on an ongoing basis though.

Again, it's just trades (I started following Batman for a while through the trades of Knightfall and the Gotham earthquake one that I can never remember the name of) of "important" events especially if they involve 2000ad born talent.

So yeah, I definitely read more Superhero stuff now than as a child (many years ago). I appreciate that to my mind, most of the Superhero output isn't worth bothering about.  But I get the feeling that the odd gem that you do get COULDN'T EXIST without the groudswell of support for the genre generated by the "less worthy" titles.

(Similarly, I feel the same about Fast & Furious movies. I have no intention of watching every cheap car based action flick but the F&F movies seem to be the pick of the bunch but only viable because the other movies have created a market. This is probably all skewed thinking).

Spaceghost - No worries.     

[Professor Bear]

Give Torque a gander - it's about bikes rather than cars, but is just as ludicrous and enjoyably silly as F&F, and it ends with what I can only describe as a series of superhero fights.