Superheroes and Cynical Fanboys

[RONDC20]

Hello fellow Fan boys and Fan girls. I want you to ask yourselves one question. Why do you like Superhero comics? Is it the flashy costumes? The Cool Superpowers and awesome action? The Badass characters? Or are you drawn to Superheroes because of something deeper, something more meaningful and substantial

For me this is an easy answer. I am drawn to the sheer unwavering amiable and idealistic heroism of these characters.

I am an idealist. I strive to be a better person. To be selfless and kind to my fellow man and a huge part of why I am desperate for self improvement is because of Superheroes.

They inspire me to see the good in myself and others. To strive for something better. To simply be the best that I could possibly be. Is this not what these stories and characters should do for all of us?

Should, would, could. You know The Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons? He's a major jerk. He's patronizing and sarcastic and just plain mean spirited. Ironically I have actually met people like him in real life.

I have been to many comic books stores filled with these types of Fan boys and Fan girls. Cynical and overly judgmental and just angry. I am left wondering why? I mean should not the Superheroes we read about motivate us to be better?

I was at a message board for a new Spider-Man video game
called Web of Shadows and several of the people there were asking if in the game Spider-Man could hit or kill civilians.

This irked me greatly.

I mean what the HELL!! Is wrong with these people? This is a Superhero game, not a Super *****ebag game. Spider-Man is a Super "hero" a decent and upstanding person. He is selfless, amiable and idealistic even in the face of adversity.

What really bothers me is that so many Superhero/comic book fan boys can be so mean spirited, rude and just plain nasty. I mean you would think that some of the qualities of the Superheroes they read about would rub off on them.

If I had a nickel for every time I've been to a forum that has anything to do with Superheroes and read some truly appalling and inexcusable things. Things about raping someone's children or the ever popular skull f&@ing I would be rich.

I have read some really, really nasty and reprehensible stuff from people who are supposed to be Superhero fans.

I just don't get it. Do we really live in such a mean spirited and cynical world where the Superheroes that should inspire us to be better people don't and instead we just become meaner and nastier to each other and ask for things like killing or hitting innocent civilians in a Superhero game?

I don't know about you guys, but I never want to see a world where spider-man hurls an innocent person off a building. I strive to be a better person. Yea it may sound corny, but I'm an idealist so sue me.

 

[MilkmanDan]

Superhero-comics should inspire people to be more caring about the wellfare of others. Inspiring people to be constantly nice, pleasant and perky is the job of Julie Andrews movies. And possibly Pepsi commercials.

I mean, you're not wrong thinking that superheroes could and perhaps even should inspire us to be better people. I just think you're confusing superficial "niceness" with morality.

 

[RONDC20]

I don't think so MilkmanDan. I know the difference between the 2. I'm talking about genuine respect for each other.

I’m talking about simple decency. Even this seems lost on most today. The amount of disrespect and rudeness toward each other that I see among the superhero fan community astounds me.

Here at the Hype I see a lot of it. The example I gave before about the comments I read of one person commenting about raping someone's children and skull ....ing them was right here at the hype in a Thread about which was going to be the better Superhero film Dark Knight or Iron Man. Most of course said Dark Knight but some said they were probably going to like Iron Man better.

They were attacked mercilessly because of their different opinion. Some truly vulgar and awful things were said. They said these inexcusable things simply because they might like Iron Man more than Dark Knight.

Tell me is that respecting you fellow man? I think not.

 

[MilkmanDan]

Fair enough. Internet discussions do get out of hand from time to time. And that kind of pointless attacks and hateful internet trolling are obviously out of line. I think your post would have been better had you limited your judgement to that kind of incidents. It was your comments about the Comic Book Guy and the Spider-Man game that made you sound a bit over-sensitive.

And, yeah, I suppose it is strange that people who read and apparently enjoy stories about altruistic characters should choose to behave in that matter. I guess the opportunity to let off steam in the anonymity of internet is too tempting.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I'm a powers junkie

 

[Anubis]

I don't think so MilkmanDan. I know the difference between the 2. I'm talking about genuine respect for each other.

I’m talking about simple decency. Even this seems lost on most today. The amount of disrespect and rudeness toward each other that I see among the superhero fan community astounds me.

Here at the Hype I see a lot of it. The example I gave before about the comments I read of one person commenting about raping someone's children and skull ....ing them was right here at the hype in a Thread about which was going to be the better Superhero film Dark Knight or Iron Man. Most of course said Dark Knight but some said they were probably going to like Iron Man better.

They were attacked mercilessly because of their different opinion. Some truly vulgar and awful things were said. They said these inexcusable things simply because they might like Iron Man more than Dark Knight.

Tell me is that respecting you fellow man? I think not.

Those aren't superhero fans, those are superhero movie fans. Kind of a difference. Though I do believe the skull f**king comment could have been said here, but it's mostly used as a term of endearment.....

 

[RONDC20]

Anubis skull f**king as a term of endearment? seriously?

 

[Vanguard07]

It's all about context and the general sense of humor people here on the hype have.
If some random newbie on the boards here started making comments about skullf***ing me I might think it rude and inexcuseable.
If it comes from Anubis then i take it mean that he likes me.

... likes me so much he wants to ram his d*** into my brain.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Here at the Hype I see a lot of it. The example I gave before about the comments I read of one person commenting about raping someone's children and skull ....ing them was right here at the hype in a Thread about which was going to be the better Superhero film Dark Knight or Iron Man. Most of course said Dark Knight but some said they were probably going to like Iron Man better.

Batfans. No surprise there

It's all about context and the general sense of humor people here on the hype have.
If some random newbie on the boards here started making comments about skullf***ing me I might think it rude and inexcuseable.
If it comes from Anubis then i take it mean that he likes me.

... likes me so much he wants to ram his d*** into my brain.

Hahaha. Too vulgar, Vanguard!

 

[Vanguard07]

Hahaha. Too vulgar, Vanguard!

I dont believe there's any such thing.

 

[RONDC20]

Ok so theres a rather strange, bizzare somewhat vulgar sense of humor on these board, A very niche group here can say these things to eachother without any concequences.

I get that, but I think that a lot of times things are missunderstood over the internet. Lets face it skull f***ing is a rather graphic thing to say. It's hard to read intentions and sarcasm on the internet (never mind the fact that I don't care for sarcasm).

It just seems that it's a rather shocking thing to say even if you are just joking. I used to have a sailor mouth too a few years ago. I used to curse with the best of them and say some preatty sick things, but recently I made a decision to stop swearing and clean up my vocabulary.

Look I just don't see the need to drop F Bombs every other word when your trying to make a point. It just bothers me how people refuse to be responsible on the internet.

They can just be mean and rude and vulgar and they never have any consequences. Just have a simple sense of respect for eachother.

I guess this will never happen, but I can try.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Some people just aren't offended by curse words. I curse all the time and people curse at me all the time. Who cares? They're just words.

 

[Anubis]

Ok so theres a rather strange, bizzare somewhat vulgar sense of humor on these board, A very niche group here can say these things to eachother without any concequences.

I get that, but I think that a lot of times things are missunderstood over the internet. Lets face it skull f***ing is a rather graphic thing to say. It's hard to read intentions and sarcasm on the internet (never mind the fact that I don't care for sarcasm).

It just seems that it's a rather shocking thing to say even if you are just joking. I used to have a sailor mouth too a few years ago. I used to curse with the best of them and say some preatty sick things, but recently I made a decision to stop swearing and clean up my vocabulary.

Look I just don't see the need to drop F Bombs every other word when your trying to make a point. It just bothers me how people refuse to be responsible on the internet.

They can just be mean and rude and vulgar and they never have any consequences. Just have a simple sense of respect for eachother.

I guess this will never happen, but I can try.

....What the f**k are you talking about?

It's all about context and the general sense of humor people here on the hype have.
If some random newbie on the boards here started making comments about skullf***ing me I might think it rude and inexcuseable.
If it comes from Anubis then i take it mean that he likes me.

... likes me so much he wants to ram his d*** into my brain.

I would totaly like to ram my d*** into your brain Vandy.

 

[Doc Destruction]

And I would like to ram your d*** into Vandy's brain, Anubis!

 

[Anubis]

Yeah, we're all brain gay for each other here in the comic boards.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Oh my

 

[RONDC20]

Ok this thread has gone to hell. Thanks everyone. I guess I did not get my point across.

 

[Anubis]

Your point is pointless, so we made the thread awsome with our Brainsexuality.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It's a valid point. Internet cynicism and insults are pretty ridiculous at this point. The anonymity of the internet gives everyone a pair of balls the size of Nebraska, and those balls sing a siren-song of temptation to spew bile at anything and everything to an extent no one would ever dream of doing in real life. Problem is, most people just grow a thicker skin and adapt to it. The desensitized masses of today don't even mind the kind of shockingly graphic insults they come across on the internet because they're around it all the time, and when people try to illustrate how pervasive the trend is and move them away from it, they can do nothing but lol at how lam0r the oversensitive n00bz are over it. Like those cyberbullying ads on TV now. I watch them and I know that they have some merit because stuff online does genuinely hurt some people's feelings, but then I just shrug and think those people shouldn't be such *****es.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Everything was good until that last line Corp lol. We really should be a heap nicer to each other. I can't help but laugh at how riled up some people get over comics books. Like there's nothing else goin on in their lives so they put all their passion and emotion into defending books about superheroes and "teh boobs"

 

[Anubis]

The key is to focus a bit of your passion upon everything and all things in your life. I approach porn and comics with the same passion I do my cooking and shot glass collection.

 

[Ion Kenshin]

It's a valid point. Internet cynicism and insults are pretty ridiculous at this point. The anonymity of the internet gives everyone a pair of balls the size of Nebraska, and those balls sing a siren-song of temptation to spew bile at anything and everything to an extent no one would ever dream of doing in real life. Problem is, most people just grow a thicker skin and adapt to it. The desensitized masses of today don't even mind the kind of shockingly graphic insults they come across on the internet because they're around it all the time, and when people try to illustrate how pervasive the trend is and move them away from it, they can do nothing but lol at how lam0r the oversensitive n00bz are over it. Like those cyberbullying ads on TV now. I watch them and I know that they have some merit because stuff online does genuinely hurt some people's feelings, but then I just shrug and think those people shouldn't be such *****es.

very well said i agree wholeheartedly

 

[Colossal Spoons]

The key is to focus a bit of your passion upon everything and all things in your life. I approach porn and comics with the same passion I do my cooking and shot glass collection.

Cooking eh? Never would have guessed.

 

[Anubis]

The god of Death is a multifaceted individual. I have friends and keys and everything.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I really don't have a lot else going on in my life, but I don't get too worked up over anything because I'm generally unemotional and apathetic.