The best comic universe in my book is Gotham City and its art deco architecture, tormented villains and rich playboy emo hero.  I like the undercurrent theme that most of the villains had one bad day or succession of small events which led to their descent into criminal madness, illustrated fully by the Joker in The Killing Joke.  We all have bad days and sometimes, it seems like one hell of a good idea to adopt a secret identity and cause a ruckus in response.

Much love to Bruce Wayne.

I was always a fan of the Flash, DC universe (Superman/Batman/etc).  So delighted when it came to TV about 15 years ago, and crushed that it only lasted a season or so.  (I think it was pre-empted by Gulf War I).  Plus, it had Mark Hamill as a villain!  There's a book out detailing the history of the many different versions of the Flash, the last of whom died saving the DC universe some years after I put comic books down for science-fiction.

Never read any of the Marvel universe series (Spiderman/Hulk/Fantastic Four)--I have a feeling my life would've turned out much different had I gotten hooked on that franchise instead.  DC was for the goody-goody types, Marvel for the tortured souls.  If only I'd known which I was at eleven...

I have been a collector for years. I've collected DC, Marvel and Indie. While my favorite was always Spider-Man, because he was the first book I ever collected, I am also a hige Batman fan. The best series I ever read, one that really affected me, was the Identity Crisies storyline for DC a few years back. You really got a glimpse into the the downside of being a superhero. No other series ever had such an impact.

Highlights:

1. Finding out The Elongated Man's wife was raped by a villain.

2. Finding out the "heroes" wiped his memory of doing it from his mind.

3. The Elongated Man's wife being killed by XXXXXXXXX.

4. Finding out the "heroes" wiped Batmans memory when he found out what they were doing.

5. Robins dad getting killed by Capt. Boomerang.

6. Elongated Man's conversation with his dead wife as he goes to sleep.

And so much more. Available as a series on one graphic novel.

Hey Random,

WWFSMD?

B

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIV...