Are the Crisis comics too violent ??

[lordlad]

I'm not sure if this had been discussed before but.....

Are the Crisis books too violent. I mean, i have no problem with violence with comics. I am a regular reader of Vertigo and Marvel Max and Punisher is one of my favourites. I read Battle Royale and i felt a bloody good time. But for some reason, seeing all these DC characters doing all these violent acts just seems wrong to me. From Dr Light raping Sue Dibny in Identity Crisis, to Blue Beetle biting the bullet on panel and then superboy prime tearing & smashing C & D-listers to bits.....to the latest issue, where black Adam 'poke' the psycho pirate's heads to piece. I mean, do they have to show on these on panel with FULL COLOR, eyeballs included (psycho pirates' among others)....?

What do u guys think ?

[Syphre Zero]

I think the violence is an essential component to the story. Alex, E2 Superman, and Superboy-Prime showed up intent on remaking the Multiverse because our Earth was too corrupt and dark for their taste. In order for that perceived inequality to be tangible, the disparity between Silver Age and Modern Age needs to be crystal clear. Consider how SBP dispatched Pantha: in the Silver Age world, the punch that vaporized Pantha's head would be obscured by an action balloon that says BIFF! Instead, we see a shower of blood and gore, the result one might reasonably expect from a thirty-megaton punch landing on a superhero with no invulnerability; the difference between the two is apparent to us all, and to none more than Superboy-Prime himself.

I think the brutality of Infinite Crisis events has also shown us the deadly seriousness of the situation. There is no cackling or twirling of mustaches, and to the best of my knowledge, no one has said MUHUHAHAHAHA. In this conflict, the price of failure is death or worse. The consequences are real for heroes and villains alike, and that reality becomes impotent if the worst thing that can happen is if Connor gets knocked out for a couple hours or Psycho Pirate goes to Arkham. The violence is a clear message intended for us, the readers: playtime's over, boys and girls.

[kane]

I think the brutality in the Superboy P vs. Titabs fight was okay. We are talking about a pre crisis kryptonian vs. post crisis titans. The power level is so different, it would be silly having the fight without injured and dead titans.

[Meta 05]

I find it ironic that for Marvels style all the series play out like an over the top pg13 action movie with alot of science fiction.

then you have dc old school heros an villans with corny names. that feel like there stuck in the passed
EX
Phycho Pirate
Catman

yet you have these corny heros with corny names an costumes brutally riping each other apart.
Yet its like

[Damo]

Too violent or too lurid?

There's nothing wrong with violence.

On the other hand, having a major miniseries that everyone reading the DC titles is going to want (including the young ones), then putting in Black Adam making a man's head explode - complete with brain and gore flying... you didn't need to actually show that to make the point, and I'd be surprised if a few parents wouldn't let their kid buy the book because of it. Thumbs down, I expect this in The Authority, not a major DC crossover.

[seaflower]

I can understand the need to protect little tykes from violence. But I don't think there is much of a difference between the violence they witness in comic books and the stuff they watch on t.v, movies and games. Hell many parents buy their kids vice city without a thought to the general content.

I think the level of violence in the DCU is very simpler to the level of violence in other media, that many young kids watch these days....

[Smokeyjay]

The brutality of the Superboy Prime fight made him a more respected foe. It was hard to take seriously a whiny stupid kid. Now he's a whiny stupid kid with the powers of a god with the emotional control of a 4 year old.

There was something just scary to see all these heros gang up on SBP and have SBP one punching them and killing them in one panel.

I think showing the deaths and the brutality off panel also retracts from the seriousnes of the Infinite Crisis.

Showing Blue Beetles and other heros death also humanizes them in a sense. Shows that they are just as vulnerable-which is another side of Infinitie Crisis-that heros are also prone to mistakes.

I thought the death of Psycho Pirate was excessive though. It was very detailed gore complete with the eyeball.

[botch]

You're concerned with what kids will see? Most people who read comics are over 18. Little violence is the reason DC was always behind marvel. Now look at DC, best sales in years. Comics grew up. It's progression. Don't need to stay stagnant and have a smiling batman laughing at the end of every book.

[LordEd1976]

Lest anyone forget, in CoIE, Psimon was blasted through the head by Brainiac. On panel we see the blast sliced through the top of his head and we see Psimon's brain flying out of the head.

Also its not just IC. In JSA, Icicle steps on Ultra-Humanite's brain and squishes it ON-PANEL. And a few issues before, we see the back of Ultra-Humanite's gorilla body and the top of his head is missing.

[AceOfSpades]

I think the violence and the gore is one of the integral parts of the storyline for Infinite Crisis. The more graphic the violence, the more we feel its effects, and this crisis is supposed to leave us with some kind of not all too happy feeling.

Not that I actually expected the level of blood and gore, Pantha head flying off hit me like a bag of bricks. I was like "What the hell did Superboy-Prime just do
?"

[Expletive Deleted]

I can't speak to CRISIS because I haven't been reading it, but I was shocked to see some of the images that they're using to promote the OYL titles in other DC titles.

In this week's issue of JONAH HEX, the ad for the new Wonder Woman title features the panels of Diana snapping Max's neck and the ad for the new Blue Beetle title features the panel of Max blowing Ted's brains out. Those panels were on par with the actual Western genre guns, knives, 'n arrows action of the Jonah Hex book (if not slightly more so). And they're presented with the message "If you liked that, you'll love what's next!"

Ick. Not for me.

[Jason H]

I'm really not a fan of over-the-top violence or violence for violence's sake, but the stuff in the IC books hasn't bothered me at all, because it fits the story.

Black Adam is a violent and somewhat evil individual and it was totally in-character for him to do what he did, just as it was for Superboy prime to do what he did to the titan's d-leaguers. and as far children being exposed to this: I think it's safe to assume that most any kid reading comics has also played a video game or 2. To me a lot of video games are much more graphic than most super hero comics.

[Lex]

If they have to have characters doing these excessively violent acts, then I wish they would use shading or other techniques to cover up the gore. The fact that the characters are doing those acts doesn't bother me as much as having to see the actual goriness of it.

It's unnecessary.

[Meta 05]

The violence thing is just one reason i favor Marvel over DC.I don't find over the top gore an people in capes punching stuff as true entertainment.

I am in my 20s, seeing these characters do more then beat people up would let me know the books i am reading our not a pricy version of some kids cartoon.I want to see chars out of costumes being people ,Marvel at the current time gives me that DC just for some reason doesn't

[Lord Ichabod]

aren't the OYL ads more like "if crisis shocked you, you won't believe what happens next!"? It's not implying that it's more of the same, it's saying there are more surprises coming your way. totally different things there. also, didn't those ads run in Blood of the demon? I didn't see them anywhere else. I mean, if you're reading that book you're looking at a demon missing two legs and an arm about to get the tortured by a dead chick with no hair making out with the lord of the dead all while some dead old wizard just ripped a fake demon out of a fake body? not like those ads are too shocking.

[lawman]

As story elements? The level of violence may or may not be appropriate; that's debatable.

As depicted on panel, with detailed full-color gore? I think it's completely over the top. And I say this as a longtime reader, an adult without children. I don't find that sort of thing exciting on film, and I'd rather avoid it in my comics too.

Just a matter of taste, perhaps -- call me squeamish -- but why alienate the readers who feel similarly when you could tell the exact same story with more visual sublety?

[Violently Apathetic]

What, punching someone's head off their shoulders or someone violently jamming their fingers into someone else's eyesockets is too violent for you, lawman? What are you, some kinda wuss?

I kid, actually I agree with you. The violence doesn't BOTHER me, per se, as its come off as sort of goofy and cartoony more than anything but it's in poor taste and I can't say I'm very impressed. I believe that violence, when and if it is shown, should always be depicted in a manner that suggests the seriousness of what is going on, people accidently ripping each other in other in half with a sort of Dubya Bush expression of 'Did I do that?' is hardly what I have in mind. It reminds of an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon more than anything.

[Xephon23]

Too violent or too lurid?

There's nothing wrong with violence.

On the other hand, having a major miniseries that everyone reading the DC titles is going to want (including the young ones), then putting in Black Adam making a man's head explode - complete with brain and gore flying... you didn't need to actually show that to make the point, and I'd be surprised if a few parents wouldn't let their kid buy the book because of it. Thumbs down, I expect this in The Authority, not a major DC crossover.

I've never seen anyone under 20 in my local comic store.

Kids buy manga or play video games en masse. Those are equally as violent as IC.

I dont think kids really read super hero books. Maybe the books are cartering to a more mature audience? I dunnow.

[J. Roberts]

I kid, actually I agree with you. The violence doesn't BOTHER me, per se, as its come off as sort of goofy and cartoony more than anything but it's in poor taste and I can't say I'm very impressed. I believe that violence, when and if it is shown, should always be depicted in a manner that suggests the seriousness of what is going on, people accidently ripping each other in other in half with a sort of Dubya Bush expression of 'Did I do that?' is hardly what I have in mind. It reminds of an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon more than anything.

I'm with you. Everytime I see one of these hyperviolent comic scenes, I can't help but think, "That's a guy in spandex pajamas punching somebody's head off." Kind of takes me right out of the comic.

[NotSuper]

I think certain scenes in Infinite Crisis are too violent (Black Adam and the Psycho-Pirate, Superboy-Prime tearing people to pieces, ect), but I don't find the whole to be too violent. At most it's a minor complaint.

The ultra-violence itself doesn't bother or offend me (why should it?) it just looks wrong. A previous poster used the word "cartoony" and I'd have to agree. It kind of reminds one of an Itchy and Scratchy style of cartoony violence.

Overall, though, I'm still enjoying the story a lot.

[wellsoul2]

I'm a fan of the Vertigo and Max lines and I think the violence fits with
the whole story there.

In Infinite Crisis I really think it doesn't fit.
You have all these characters from different lexicons and the universe is
really inconsistent.
It's like killing Mickey Mouse and then next year his book is all happy
and jokey again. Will JLA become jokey rejects again or does this
lead to a new serious direction? Sorry but I think the violence is just
stupid and wasted.

I'm especially disgusted with how they wiped out the Earth-X
heroes and Hawkwoman.

I wish they'd make up their minds...either go back to the old silly
DC Universe or be serious and have consistent editorial control.

It really moved me to have Phantom Lady squished but I was
equally pissed to see this as an excuse for a new cuter younger
character in the future. (Ads already for it)

I don't see any point in the killings..did someone with some larger vision
sit down and plan how this would wake the DCU better?
It seems more like individual writers requesting a kill so they can shake up
individual pantheons. I fail to see any great fix with IC.

[Buried Alien]

I fail to see any great fix with IC.

That's likely because the struggle isn't over yet. One more issue to establish the future direction of the DCU.


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[wellsoul2]

That's likely because the struggle isn't over yet. One more issue to establish the future direction of the DCU.


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Hope Springs Eternal :) I do hope there's some point to it all.

I'd really prefer some sort of multiverse setup where different
pantheons had their own world. I just find one world very
cluttered. (I do doubt this will happen though)

With all the DC,Charlton, Fawcett, Golden, Silver, Bronze and tin
heroes and their retinue/sidekicks/villians on one world it's a wonder
that there is room for any other humans on Earth DC.

I preferred the old setup. If you wanted some character on Earth 1
like Black Canary you could shuffle them in. Pick and choose.
Now you have to deal with having them all being there in some
mythological city that coexists with New York City.

Some DC books are really good but leave that book and try to tie them
all together and my "suspend disbeleif" button overloads with frustration.

Ah well..I wouldn't care if I didn't like SOME of it.
(Actually I liked The Spectre-Vengeance series) :p

[theflyingfrogunderdog]

I think Jim Steranko said it best:

But we must be prepared to define the difference between "learning from violence" and "learning violence." More blood! More fangs! More brains being blasted out of skulls! Comics have become models for cynicism, corruption, and malevolence, and, in some cases, blueprints for crime. Post that on your message board!
In an effort to be cool and sell units, creators contrive scenes for sheer shock value. They begin the process by asking themselves how they can out gross last month's slaughterfest and snare a Diamond Preview spotlight.
In 1968, I had a conversation with Stan Lee about producing real adult comics. To this very day, there are hardly any, although there are many that pretend to be adult. To most creators and readers, adult means maximum gore, encyclopedic obscenity, and mindless T&A-schismatic, testosterone fantasies. What I said to Stan still applies: adult comics should dramatize adult themes in an adult manner. Simple!
For the full Steranko interview...

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=520

[Arkham Resident]

sometimes you need to be graphic to justify a particular scene. IC haas been consistent in doing so. I like it.

I mean, i totally agree that a pissed-off SBP could possibly punch the head-off of an opponent. Do they have to show it?

Yes. to make sure that readers know that this or that hero died. With DC's penchant of flip flopping on the question of whether a hero is dead or not i think in IC its necessary to be graphic.

[killerseamonkey]

It's funny how this story started off with an almost metafiction vibe of the old school hero coming back to show the current heroes how they've become convoluted, compromised, and indistinguishable from villains as inspirational role models. A complaint doubling into comics that have used "grittier, more realistic" themes, gimmicks, and sensationalism to grab the attention of a fading audience.

And then that's exactly what this series becomes.

If a creative team devolves into graphic violence and stark language to make itself relevant to it's readers, what sort of precendent does that set? If this is DC's "new beginning" is there anywhere to go from here other than downhill? I fully expect a certain level of violence from certain types of media, like say from a Tarantino movie or a comic marked and geared toward a certain type of audience. But this is Superman and Batman and the biggest event of the year. Call me Old School, but is it really so outdated to prefer comics that attempted to capture the imagination instead of those that play into the lowest and most basic of human desires?

[Kara Zor El]

I love gore. But its definately about taste. I can't get enough of exploding rib cages, shattered bones, blood flying in globulets across the page, brain matter, intestines... I've always loved it. I enjoyed Video Nasty's back in the day. I like it as a work of art, not in reality. So I was pleasantly surprised at all the lovely gore in IC. But if your one of those people who it makes feel sick to the stomach then that's a shame because obviously it's spoiling it for you. Maybe with the two different covers thing going on they should have had one cover having the X-Rated version inside and the other having a show it to your neice over crab cakes and tea, version inside.

[killerseamonkey]

Again, not really a matter of personal sensitivity or dislike of graphic violence, there is plenty of that around in appropriate places for it's fans. But, does Black Adam really need to put his hand through another character's head, blood and brains and eyeballs flying out, to tell a good story? It's seems cheap and sensationalistic. I see it as a failure when an artform remolds it's characters into rapists and murderers in a glorified manner. Was the intended effect of Black Adam's action to horrify you with the brutality of a psychopath? Or to elicit a simple "kewl".

It's the general state of the industry I guess in the days post-NuMarvel. The Hulk doesn't just get mad anymore, he gets horny. Thanks Joe Q. :rolleyes:

[Kara Zor El]

I think that it was to do with the fact that Black Adam was aware that he'd been used and come close to being killed by Alex through the pyrate. He was humiliated and the anger was bubbling up like a shaved bear in a barrel of bees. He lashed out and did something slightly out of character, because of the sheer anger.

[heystacy]

I think the SB-Prime and Titans fight was extremely violent, but its the true consequence of fighting someone with superman's powers, none of his limits or weaknesses. It was shocking, but I understood it.

Black Adam has been violent for some time. JSA's Black Reign was a good story that dealt with war and violence. It was very tragic in the end. As long as there are consequences, and not violence for violence sake.

[kaped_kruzader]

I have always been an advocate of "less is more." Though I have not been personally offended by the violence per se, I have always noted that when watching Hitchcock's films, the viewer was always left with the priviledge of IMAGINING the violence occurring on the screen. This avenue of storytelling I believe lends credibility and respect to the viewer/reader, rather then having someone tell you that your too stupid to understand what is happening.
Still, I have been enjoying the series. :)

[shyguy]

I don't mind violence; I just think it's stupid to have previously whimsical and fun characters behaving like they're in a slasher movie all of the sudden (and that applies to villains, too). Some characters (Psycho Pirate, Blue Beetle) just aren't compatible with graphic violence because that's not the kind of characters they were.

Having Superboy Prime mutilate a bunch of Teen Titans strikes me as incongruous and, ultimately, juvenile.

But, since it's not a huge part of IC (and, as some have mentioned, sort of functions as an element of the story), it doesn't really bother me that much.

[Guts/Batman]

On the whole, the level of gore has been tasteless and relatively pointless. They didn't nedd as much gore as they did to convey the point that Superboy Prime is just so much higher than every damn person on Earth...

Hell, anyone in DCU on the whole....

[WolverinesSon]

Was the SBP vs. Titans scene extra bloody? Hell yes. Was it uncalled for? Hell naw. I've always wanted to see a Super unleashed and uncontrolled getting busy and see the ending results, which happened to be heads exploding and people dying quickly. It's graphic, but it's what alot of people wanted to see for a looooong time. Superman is always, almost holding back when he fights so we never see that from him. This was an opportunity that couldn't be passed up. The Blue Beetle thing was necessary to show us that (a) The guy Max is insane to all hell and (b) that there is no way possible Blue Beetle is coming back from this and (c) spreading word of mouth that the new IC series coming out is going to be way serious. When Wonder Woman snapped the dudes neck, I was, and I'm sure everyone was like "Yes". The bastard deserved it. Thanks Wonder Woman. The Psycho Pirate deserved everything his hypnotic eyeball ass got. I enjoyed seeing that guy get his just desserts. Thanks Black Adam!!

[Suzanne]

I have no problem with the blood and gore. As it's been said, it's a necessary part of the story. This is a "crisis" afterall, so the stakes would be higher. Besides, how else could the severity of this mess be conveyed without it? Sure, the original wasn't this bloody, but that was 20 years ago. Those standards would be a joke if applied today. I can understand concern for the kiddies, but there's a simple solution to that -- don't buy it for them.

[lawman]

I love gore. But its definately about taste. I can't get enough of exploding rib cages, shattered bones, blood flying in globulets across the page, brain matter, intestines... I've always loved it... But if your one of those people who it makes feel sick to the stomach then that's a shame because obviously it's spoiling it for you.
You pretty much nailed it there. To each his own... I'm just naturally squeamish about that sort of thing. A Tarantino film is about as much gore as I can comfortably tolerate; you won't find me in a theater watching Saw II or anything like that. As far as comics go, I'm a big fan of Vertigo titles, but once in a while some of their visuals are (IMHO) a bit ovet-the-top as well.

Thing is, in a Tarantino picture or a Verigo comics you at least know what you're in for; the violence is an important thematic aspect of the storytelling. With super-hero titles that's not generally expected to be the case, so when that sort of thing lands on the page it seems (to me) really inappropriate.

[Lord Ichabod]

After rereading all of it if black adam didn't spew guts everywhere it wouldn't have been as cool. the level of gore felt neccesary. I do wish joker's scene was a lot more intense.

[PercussionMasta]

I have mixed feelings about the violence in IC. I don't think that violence is necessarily a healthy thing in general. If you're sensitive to it or you can't seperate the fantasy from reality, then stay away from it.

Yet, I think the violence greatly enhanced the emotional scope of IC. One of the biggest reasons I haven't been much involved with the DCU at large is that it's just all too happy. I want stories with some realism, with some pain and suffering, and with some perseverance and redemption. I've been reading the early issues of the Wolverine relaunch for the first time recently. The violence is insane! Yet, it tells a great story about who Wolverine is, what he thinks, and how he feels about himself and the things he does. The biggest title I've been attracted to at DC is Batman. It's darker, it doesn't present an unbalanced view of superheroes that live in a world that has real evil, and it is more realisitic sometimes in the fact that Batman battles regular people who have gone off the deep end.

I think the point is that violence is REAL, and that people are confronted with violence every day, and to try to sugar coat that is in my opinion a little frustrating. I see the world that I live in. I don't want an unrealistic view of the world. I don't want to pretend that violence does not exist, and I don't want to sweep it under a rug. I want to confront it and let it affect me so that I can respond in a way that fosters peace. Since I live in a world that has evil and violence, I resonate with stories that confront this.

I like the fact that IC came across much more realistically through violence. In real life, when people fight, there are injuries. I don't appreciate a fight between two peple who supposedly have powers far beyond a normal person who are beating the piss out of each other and don't have a scratch to show for it.

I think the violence was necessary to elicit an emotional response. When you see SBP ripping someone's head off, you understand the level of his power and the threat he represents, you feel a certain emotion towards him, you want the heroes to succeed in ending the violence he is creating, and ultimately it thrusts you deeper into the story. One shot of a head being ripped off is so much more powerful than a bunch of dialogue or a vague shot of "something bad" happening. How could you take SBP, a character rarely used, and turn him into an insane, uber-powerful murder in the span of 7 packed issues without getting to the point in a way that communicates a multitude of emotion and feeling?

I understand the fear of this influencing children. I completely agree with it. Yet, I in now way agree that it is the responsibility of anyone but PARENTS to teach, guide, counsel, and, when necessary, censor. It's not DC's job to raise kids.

[theflyingfrogunderdog]

I think the point is that violence is REAL, and that people are confronted with violence every day, and to try to sugar coat that is in my opinion a little frustrating. I see the world that I live in. I don't want an unrealistic view of the world. I don't want to pretend that violence does not exist, and I don't want to sweep it under a rug. I want to confront it and let it affect me so that I can respond in a way that fosters peace. Since I live in a world that has evil and violence, I resonate with stories that confront this.

Again, i think Jim Steranko said it best:

Personally, I'm sick of evil, particularly the psychotic, nihilistic garbage that's pitched as entertainment and has signalled the twilight of the comics era. All I have to do to witness evil in its highest form is to look out any window--it's FREE! I don't have to pay $2.95 to know that I'm surrounded by hatred, fear, destruction, and death.

A few years ago, I asked Stan Lee about the bleak direction comics had taken. It was easy to see that he wasn't pleased with it, but he said, "It's what the readers want." I don't believe it. I do believe we want well-developed characters, compelling dialogue, interesting plots, and our money's worth of solid entertainment--God forbid, something that suggests an atom of virtuosity or a new age of awareness.

Instead, we are confronted with an avalanche of over-priced booklets in which it's no longer possible to distinguish between the heroes and the villains because of panels choked with numbingly repetitive fangs and claws, blood and gore, fan-boy rage and T&A chaos.

For the full Steranko interview...

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=462

[gentlesatirist]

...YES they were too violent. If these are "mainstream" DC books - which you'd think they are, since they're resetting the ground rules for the entire company - I don't think they needed the gore.

But...

The violence level has just about convinced me once and for all that DC doesn't want young kids reading its comics. As a father of 2 kids under age 10, the only comics I can safely show them are the Johnny DC titles - Justice League Unlimited, etc.

It seems like DC's accepted method of finding new fans - and everyone under age 25 reading this, like it or not, has to acknowledge that DC needs new fans - is set up as the following :

1 - Discover and follow the characters via cartoons on Cartoon Network or box-set DVD releases of older cartoons or live-action movies.

2 - Maybe get them to pick up a Johnny DC title or two.

3 - Then when the kids get old enough - say, 14 years old - they can "graduate" to the "real comics" - the ones with guys and gals in tights punching each other, complete with blood and sex and everything.

This is DC's new business model. It's not the one that I or many others grew up with, so we'll see if it's successful.


- FE
Wickliffe OH

[JeffreyWKramer]

I think there is way too much gratuitious death and mayhem in this book, but I think the problem of these books are more "too stupid" than "too violent."

[Evan Waters]

I've got nothing against gore in and of itself, or even cartoony gore- I love the EVIL DEAD movies.

But the excessive gore in this story pretty much ruined it for me. The visual action's messy enough as is without adding in geysers of blood and flying entrails. The whole thing screams "excess" in a very 90s way.

And as for it being used to comment on the Silver Age vs. the Modern Age- didn't we already have KINGDOM COME? And IDENTITY CRISIS? Are all superhero stories going to be metacommentary on the state of comic books now?

[PercussionMasta]

It seems weird to me that violence in a dumbed-down form seems to be acceptable. As long as we don't actually see the violence, it's okay? It seems like that if you don't like violence, then don't read comics, since the vast majority of comics are built on conflict, mostly physical, as a foundation. If you don't like violence, in any of its forms, then you're probably in the wrong medium.

I don't think violence is in itself good, but I'd rather see it for what it is than try to sugar coat it so I don't have feel bad for looking at it. If I want my kids to not see "worse" violence, then I'll probably abstain from all violence myself (when I have kids). I don't see much point in telling my kids to stay away from things that are too violent when I myself am engaging them.

[theflyingfrogunderdog]

It seems weird to me that violence in a dumbed-down form seems to be acceptable.

And Psycho Pirate's head exploding on panel is somehow intellectual? :)


As long as we don't actually see the violence, it's okay? It seems like that if you don't like violence, then don't read comics, since the vast majority of comics are built on conflict, mostly physical, as a foundation. If you don't like violence, in any of its forms, then you're probably in the wrong medium.

Of course, violence is a necessary component of telling a story that's supposed to be about good versus evil, but when an evil act becomes the focus to the point that it's shown in all it's bloody evil glory, i think that's a perverted way of telling a story in a superhero comic book that's presumably for all ages since DC has not done the responsible thing by putting advisory labels on their comics.

I don't think violence is in itself good, but I'd rather see it for what it is than try to sugar coat it so I don't have feel bad for looking at it. If I want my kids to not see "worse" violence, then I'll probably abstain from all violence myself (when I have kids). I don't see much point in telling my kids to stay away from things that are too violent when I myself am engaging them.

Violence can be a powerful teaching tool when shown responsibly and in a responsible manner, but there's no need to show so much gore in a regular DC comic book. Now, it's graphic gore, in the next DC Crisis i suppose it will be super heroes and heroines sleeping with eachother complete with full frontal nudity? :rolleyes: I see DC entering a realm of "entertainment" that's not only not kid friendly, but will alienate a portion of their readership who are old-school or religious and just don't go for seeing "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" type content on panel. IMHO DC is misdirected and seem to think that injecting images of gunshots to the head, dismemberment and decapitation in a DC comic somehow makes that "mature" when in reality, it just cheapens a potential classic, which apparently Infinite Crisis is not.

Some R rated movies have that kind of content, but i think comics are a much different medium, in that a scene in a movie comes and goes, but in a comic, the reader can stare at the image on the page for as long as the reader wants to. I don't see how it's mentally healthy to stare at a brain exploding on panel for extended periods of time. Some people may enjoy looking at it, to each their own. I'm no psychiatrist, but none for me, thanks. :(