Comic Book's Aversion to Relationships
I was just reading this week's release, Nightwing #123, today and it just appalls me to see what they've done with the Dick/Barbara marriage proposal from issue #117 (Pre-IC).
Basically at the end of issue #117, then series writer, Devin Grayson had in the final panel, Dick realizing what he needed and proposed to his on-again/off-again love, Barbara Gordon. She says yes and it made a lot of hopes of what could be once OYL started the next month in DC Comics. Unfortunately, as can be seen in how Infinite Crisis #5 went on, Dick Grayson was supposed to be killed in that issue. Apparently the 'genius' that is Dan Didio, felt Dick was a redundant character and no one would care if they offed him.
How sad is it that the guy running DC has no clue how special a character Dick Grayson is. One of the oldest characters in DC, and I imagine he'd be up there with the Top 3 if it wasn't for poor writing, and DC's reluctance to give any push for different heroes. They got rid of Wally West for what? To age Bart Allen 4 years into some young guy in denial to take over the Flash mantle. There was no need to change Flash, but they did. Wally was fine as Flash, and Bart was doing well as Kid Flash/Impulse. Didn't need to happen but it did.
They killed Superboy. I don't think it's a coincidence that they're dealing with the Siegels legally and they decide to sacrifice Conner. I actually thought the way he went out was touching, and heroic. Especially with how Robin and Wonder Girl are handling their grief... or not handling it. But this is getting off topic. Didio was going to kill Dick. When it got out.. the outrage started, and Didio was shocked out of his pants. They decide to change it and keep him around, and also to make sure Nightwing changed in OYL, I'm guessing to make him stand out more (still waiting on that).
Anyway, now they had no idea what to do with Dick Grayson. Not to mention the accepted proposal that they obviously had no intention of following through on (sad). From the way Nightwing started OYL, it seems they had planned on the recently resurrected Jason Todd to take over the mantle of Nightwing and be a more vicious version. That might've been interesting had it not been at the demise of Dick Grayson (if they ever wanted to make Dick Batman... it would be interesting to have Jason as Nightwing). Bruce Jones, the OYL writer for Nightwing, put Dick Grayson in New York and sleeping with a fashion designer named Cheyenne Fremont (redhead... coincidence?), who happens to be a metahuman.
Basically the arc deals with Dick trying to stop Jason, Cheyenne gets mixed up in it, and there are these bad guys called the Pierce Brothers who need to be stopped as well. We get to issue #123 (which is the first of two extended issues DC called BJ to write) where Cheyenne has to move in with Dick due to being evicted (by the Pierce Brothers). He goes to talk to his friend Clancy, who asks him what he's doing with his life and if he loves his current involvement. He responds he doesn't, and talks about his lack of success in that department and of the one that got away. Clancy states that he saw her for who she was? Dick is all emo with the 'no, i saw myself for who i really am.' (during this conversation you see a panel with a crying Barbara). So basically it looks like Dick broke it off, I'm guessing for not being worthy of her or some crap like that.
Which makes me mad, because I think one of the basic points Nightwing is that he's different from Batman. What more can you do than give him a stable relationship. And if you put them together, it doesn't mean that it has to dramatically alter the books that the two star in, 'Nightwing' and 'Birds of Prey'. Yea, you'd probably see small cameos by each in the other's book when it applies, and maybe even see Oracle help out Nightwing sometimes in what I would call like 'Mr & Mrs. Smith' went down near the end of that movie.
This brings me to the point of this. What is DC's problem with relationships? The book doesn't have to turn into a lovefest just because the hero has a significant other. What do they fight for then? Not all can be as noble as Superman (ironic he's the one with the relationship), or as focused as Batman. There's Clark/Lois, and they only got married as part of the big sale buzz DC was doing in the 90's. I'm glad they did it because it's actually lasted and it hasn't hurt the book. Other than that? Exactly.
Even Marvel can't get away from this. Their EIC, Quesada has talked openly about wanting to 'free up' Peter Parker. I can see why, because there are quite a few temptations out there that they can't take advantage of because of the marriage to MJ. But that's what friggin' is Ultimate line is for. But what do they do, they kill Gwen Stacy in the early 40's of that series by Carnage in a lame way. I don't want to see a 30+ year old single Peter Parker. Him and Mary Jane make a cute couple. But they don't stop at Spidey, no they have the first family of Marvel in their sights as well. With this cool idea, poorly executed Civil War going on, they have Reed Richards being uncaring and way too focused on the pro-registration. Why they want to split him and Sue i'll never understand, and perhaps they won't in the end.. but still to toy with that just shows the weird aversion comic companies have to relationships. Characters evolve over time. Sure they don't have to age much, but I don't see why they can't be happy when they're out of costume too. Maybe it's just me.
I'm still holding out for them to steer Nightwing back towards Oracle.. but if it ever happens, it'll probably be a long time away. I just had to write this and get it off my chest.
Basically at the end of issue #117, then series writer, Devin Grayson had in the final panel, Dick realizing what he needed and proposed to his on-again/off-again love, Barbara Gordon. She says yes and it made a lot of hopes of what could be once OYL started the next month in DC Comics. Unfortunately, as can be seen in how Infinite Crisis #5 went on, Dick Grayson was supposed to be killed in that issue. Apparently the 'genius' that is Dan Didio, felt Dick was a redundant character and no one would care if they offed him.
How sad is it that the guy running DC has no clue how special a character Dick Grayson is. One of the oldest characters in DC, and I imagine he'd be up there with the Top 3 if it wasn't for poor writing, and DC's reluctance to give any push for different heroes. They got rid of Wally West for what? To age Bart Allen 4 years into some young guy in denial to take over the Flash mantle. There was no need to change Flash, but they did. Wally was fine as Flash, and Bart was doing well as Kid Flash/Impulse. Didn't need to happen but it did.
They killed Superboy. I don't think it's a coincidence that they're dealing with the Siegels legally and they decide to sacrifice Conner. I actually thought the way he went out was touching, and heroic. Especially with how Robin and Wonder Girl are handling their grief... or not handling it. But this is getting off topic. Didio was going to kill Dick. When it got out.. the outrage started, and Didio was shocked out of his pants. They decide to change it and keep him around, and also to make sure Nightwing changed in OYL, I'm guessing to make him stand out more (still waiting on that).
Anyway, now they had no idea what to do with Dick Grayson. Not to mention the accepted proposal that they obviously had no intention of following through on (sad). From the way Nightwing started OYL, it seems they had planned on the recently resurrected Jason Todd to take over the mantle of Nightwing and be a more vicious version. That might've been interesting had it not been at the demise of Dick Grayson (if they ever wanted to make Dick Batman... it would be interesting to have Jason as Nightwing). Bruce Jones, the OYL writer for Nightwing, put Dick Grayson in New York and sleeping with a fashion designer named Cheyenne Fremont (redhead... coincidence?), who happens to be a metahuman.
Basically the arc deals with Dick trying to stop Jason, Cheyenne gets mixed up in it, and there are these bad guys called the Pierce Brothers who need to be stopped as well. We get to issue #123 (which is the first of two extended issues DC called BJ to write) where Cheyenne has to move in with Dick due to being evicted (by the Pierce Brothers). He goes to talk to his friend Clancy, who asks him what he's doing with his life and if he loves his current involvement. He responds he doesn't, and talks about his lack of success in that department and of the one that got away. Clancy states that he saw her for who she was? Dick is all emo with the 'no, i saw myself for who i really am.' (during this conversation you see a panel with a crying Barbara). So basically it looks like Dick broke it off, I'm guessing for not being worthy of her or some crap like that.
Which makes me mad, because I think one of the basic points Nightwing is that he's different from Batman. What more can you do than give him a stable relationship. And if you put them together, it doesn't mean that it has to dramatically alter the books that the two star in, 'Nightwing' and 'Birds of Prey'. Yea, you'd probably see small cameos by each in the other's book when it applies, and maybe even see Oracle help out Nightwing sometimes in what I would call like 'Mr & Mrs. Smith' went down near the end of that movie.
This brings me to the point of this. What is DC's problem with relationships? The book doesn't have to turn into a lovefest just because the hero has a significant other. What do they fight for then? Not all can be as noble as Superman (ironic he's the one with the relationship), or as focused as Batman. There's Clark/Lois, and they only got married as part of the big sale buzz DC was doing in the 90's. I'm glad they did it because it's actually lasted and it hasn't hurt the book. Other than that? Exactly.
Even Marvel can't get away from this. Their EIC, Quesada has talked openly about wanting to 'free up' Peter Parker. I can see why, because there are quite a few temptations out there that they can't take advantage of because of the marriage to MJ. But that's what friggin' is Ultimate line is for. But what do they do, they kill Gwen Stacy in the early 40's of that series by Carnage in a lame way. I don't want to see a 30+ year old single Peter Parker. Him and Mary Jane make a cute couple. But they don't stop at Spidey, no they have the first family of Marvel in their sights as well. With this cool idea, poorly executed Civil War going on, they have Reed Richards being uncaring and way too focused on the pro-registration. Why they want to split him and Sue i'll never understand, and perhaps they won't in the end.. but still to toy with that just shows the weird aversion comic companies have to relationships. Characters evolve over time. Sure they don't have to age much, but I don't see why they can't be happy when they're out of costume too. Maybe it's just me.
I'm still holding out for them to steer Nightwing back towards Oracle.. but if it ever happens, it'll probably be a long time away. I just had to write this and get it off my chest.