User blog comment:Nausiated/The Golden Age of Comics? It wasn't that golden../@comment-821340-20110406010336/@comment-60868-20110406194744

I agree... on the majority of what you and Nausiated said. The Dark Reign was a lead-in to other events -- and mainly just money in the pockets of Marvel (and yes the events scheduled every other month are getting WAAAAAY out of hand). Heroes, however, by definition are courageous and stick to "good" morals while facing adversity -- for the benefit of others (self-sacrificing). If Spider-Man were to "deal with him" in the way that you (and truthfully I) think he should, he would become something other than a hero.

Marvel will RARELY sell out their flagship characters to this antagonist way of thinking. Wolverine is one though who DOES give in to his "I'll deal with you how I see fit" and we ALL know how well HE does... you'd think that they would do this more often, but no. Marvel needs to realize that they can manage good characters doing things against "social norms" while still self-sacrificing for the benefit of others and it still builds to a good storyline. For instance, Spider-Man could deal with killing someone (intentionally or by accident) that he personally knew (like Green Goblin) and this would be an ongoing storyline. They did this in the movie adaptations and it went over pretty well... in fact it's what reinforced his belief in BEING Spider-Man. I think Marvel would not get away with doing this as the majority of society sees all killing whether intentional or even for others benefits -- as murder. This would probably get several people to complain, ban, create some sort of rating system, etc... for comics.

Overall though, comics as a whole reflect the ideas, ideals and sometimes even realities of the readers/writers. This is the reason for the change from the ways people dealt with problems "back then" to ways we deal with problems now. In the "good ol' days" people saw dealing with problems as kicking the crap out of those who were bad or did bad to others.. with the intent of making them learn not to do it anymore or they get physical pain -- or death. These days we "can't" do that or we are seen, by society, as uncontrollable, undiplomatic or even a villain -- and NO ONE wants society to think badly of them, do they?? ;) This is why you see even bad guys running things... cause in some senses it is plausible (not the way the Green Goblin inherited the stuff, but him being in charge at least).