So, In Conclusion
Last week’s posts were written over a fairly long period, and in retrospect I ramble a little with no clear conclusions drawn. When I started writing them, I’m pretty sure I had a point, but if so I’ve long since forgotten it.
This is what I think I’m trying to get at:
a) Increasing danger is a crucial element of drama, but needs to be handled carefully in ongoing comics.
b) Serial comics are not one long film. Using a movie style story structure works well in single issues or limited story arcs, but when applied to long runs of various titles, can lead to repetition rather than innovation.
c) A black and white worldview is inevitably reinforced by super-hero comics, but is not an acceptable way to interact with the world.
d) This kind of worldview is damaging, and has led, I believe, to the kind of offensive intolerance all too often fostered by and published on the largely anonymous internet.
e) I really like super-heroes with secret identities.
f) Regardless of anything else I’ve written, and due to my own fannish lack of perspective, if Peter Parker gets his secret identity back, I will forgive damn near anything.
g) I don’t really know if it should be “Spider-Man” or “Spider-man”. The latter, I suspect.
