I hate shared universes

[PCN24454]

The problem is that it makes each individual world smaller.

It doesn't help that being part of a shared universe decourages aging as a whole.

[Digifiend]

Kind of hard to argue that to DC when most of their non-Bat characters can't hold more than one or two comics. It's more the sort of thing to be explored in miniseries and OGNs than a line.

Yeah, even when Marvel did this, they made it a Spider-Man focused story. If DC did it, it would be Batman. Marvel actually has a second Life Story planned, Fantastic Four.

[Sutekh]

Since the 80s, with Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC has demonstrated that they weren't really comfortable with a shared universe *for their comics,* so it hardly shocks me that they are not exactly nailing the landing on adapting the DCU into a shared movie-verse. There's always been a bit more creative freedom to ignore the 'shared DC setting' when crafting stories in the DC universe, and anything that was too far off tone would get Flashpointed out of continuity in a few years anyway.

I'm fine with them making great standalone Wonder Woman, Teen Titans, etc. movies and shows, and not bothering with the shared universe concept, for now. You gotta learn to make a sammich before catering a meal for a sixty guest wedding. Get the solo stuff right. Worry about crossovers later.

[Agent Z]

Since the 80s, with Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC has demonstrated that they weren't really comfortable with a shared universe *for their comics,* so it hardly shocks me that they are not exactly nailing the landing on adapting the DCU into a shared movie-verse. There's always been a bit more creative freedom to ignore the 'shared DC setting' when crafting stories in the DC universe, and anything that was too far off tone would get Flashpointed out of continuity in a few years anyway.

Crisis on Infinite Earths was about removing the multiverse not the shared universe. They wanted a more streamlined continuity. It didn't mean they didn't want a shared one.

[kalai]

Honestly I would prefer a Superman stand alone universe right now, instead of being used as the tool in a shared one.
The problem with DCEU is giving directors too much creative freedom while handing the mainline into the hands of one director.
They should do it the way comic does it, you make your own movie, then you come together to make a team movie together,
not the other way around.

[exile001]

I like the shared universe, but I feel the balance has shifted to the shared universe being bigger than any individual character in it (except Batman, who is arguably his own shared universe within DC's).

For DC this really started changing in the 90's, where you'd get the occasional guest-star (say GL in Flash) and there would be a yearly cross-over that took over an issue of every book DC published. This continued spiraling until (what became) Infinite Crisis started to consume almost every book DC was running for the better part of two years. They broke away from this in the weird, directionless period between 2005-2011 but still characters crossing over was incredibly common. Then you have New 52's Justice League being DC's main book with other titles having to reflect it and you have a huge problem.

With the exception of Justice League and Batman/Superman (which should each be, for all intents and purposes, their own continuities), I think characters crossing over should become a rarity again. It makes the shared universe more special.

[mathew101281]

I like the shared universe, but I feel the balance has shifted to the shared universe being bigger than any individual character in it (except Batman, who is arguably his own shared universe within DC's).

For DC this really started changing in the 90's, where you'd get the occasional guest-star (say GL in Flash) and there would be a yearly cross-over that took over an issue of every book DC published. This continued spiraling until (what became) Infinite Crisis started to consume almost every book DC was running for the better part of two years. They broke away from this in the weird, directionless period between 2005-2011 but still characters crossing over was incredibly common. Then you have New 52's Justice League being DC's main book with other titles having to reflect it and you have a huge problem.

With the exception of Justice League and Batman/Superman (which should each be, for all intents and purposes, their own continuities), I think characters crossing over should become a rarity again. It makes the shared universe more special.

What about Teen Titans? Or Green Lantern(who borrows a lot of characters and concepts from other space related DC characters)?

[CosmiComic]

The problem is that it makes each individual world smaller.

It doesn't help that being part of a shared universe decourages aging as a whole.

I think the no-aging thing is more of not using the universe properly.

I like the shared universe, but I feel the balance has shifted to the shared universe being bigger than any individual character in it (except Batman, who is arguably his own shared universe within DC's).

For DC this really started changing in the 90's, where you'd get the occasional guest-star (say GL in Flash) and there would be a yearly cross-over that took over an issue of every book DC published. This continued spiraling until (what became) Infinite Crisis started to consume almost every book DC was running for the better part of two years. They broke away from this in the weird, directionless period between 2005-2011 but still characters crossing over was incredibly common. Then you have New 52's Justice League being DC's main book with other titles having to reflect it and you have a huge problem.

With the exception of Justice League and Batman/Superman (which should each be, for all intents and purposes, their own continuities), I think characters crossing over should become a rarity again. It makes the shared universe more special.

I think that problem is assuming every crossover has to be a big event, instead of a smaller story featuring multiple characters

[Digifiend]

What about Teen Titans? Or Green Lantern(who borrows a lot of characters and concepts from other space related DC characters)?

Yeah, Titans couldn't exist without the shared universe, as it started with the sidekicks of Batman, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Flash, plus an accidentally created new character who the writer mistook for Wonder Woman's sidekick (she wasn't - Wonder Girl was originally just a younger Diana, Donna had to be retconned as WG's secret identity later).

[CosmiComic]

Yeah, Titans couldn't exist without the shared universe, as it started with the sidekicks of Batman, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Flash, plus an accidentally created new character who the writer mistook for Wonder Woman's sidekick (she wasn't - Wonder Girl was originally just a younger Diana, Donna had to be retconned as WG's secret identity later).

Plus, not every character has their own series, so creating a shared universe can allow them to continue in group settings

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I see. I personally don't think it's unreasonable for different heroes to not engage with each other all the time. Different situations may call for different power levels and so forth. If villains actually remained locked up, it wouldn't be a problem. But I think comics could do better by allowing the characters to age and evolve

Age is something that affects the younger characters more. Like I find it harder to care about Tim Drake still being Robin. If he goes back to high school, I'd wouldn't care. But I think it's more cause I'm not that interested in redoing the past. I rather see characters move forward than back. Tim in College would appeal to me more.

With the older crowd, they have more options because adulthood is longer and more meandering. If you are bored with them, I'd suggest just reading other characters. I stopped liking Spiderman and switched to Daredevil.

Ironically they could've replace the characters more easily in the Bronze age. That started in the 1970s so you could've had the Titans grow up and affect the 70s more. Same with Crisis or New 52.

The pre-52 had Dick Grayson as Batman, Wally as the Flash a few years before. So just letting them take over is easier to commit too for me.

[Thor-Ul]

I'm surprised Rambo Terminator and Die Hard hasn't been retconned to exist in same universe.

Strictly speaking, Rambo Terminator and Die Hard exists in the same univerese: they are movies in on our universe. Lol.

Sorry, but I understand your point.

The idea of shared fictional universes come from old. Just remeber Abbot and Costello meeting Frankenstein... with Bela Lugosi. And older references can be found, but I'm to lazy to search.

I suppose it is a phenomenom normal. We like something and we want more of that thing, but eventually that thing, concept or idea becomes so satured, overexploded or repetitive, than we grow tired of everything.
And always remember, these are works of fiction, the only real conection is what happens outside the pages. They are fan jokes and speculation. But now the big corporations had found they could make money with that fan game and create expectation and obtain revenues. But as big bussiness go, they will overexplote the concept and make people grow tired of them eventually.

I must add, I am a fan of multiverses, but in the last few months, the idea is slowly becoming a repetitive trope lacking new surprises and I glady welcome histories more concentrated in one reality only.

[CosmiComic]

Age is something that affects the younger characters more. Like I find it harder to care about Tim Drake still being Robin. If he goes back to high school, I'd wouldn't care. But I think it's more cause I'm not that interested in redoing the past. I rather see characters move forward than back. Tim in College would appeal to me more.

With the older crowd, they have more options because adulthood is longer and more meandering. If you are bored with them, I'd suggest just reading other characters. I stopped liking Spiderman and switched to Daredevil.

Ironically they could've replace the characters more easily in the Bronze age. That started in the 1970s so you could've had the Titans grow up and affect the 70s more. Same with Crisis or New 52.

The pre-52 had Dick Grayson as Batman, Wally as the Flash a few years before. So just letting them take over is easier to commit too for me.

I see what you mean. But if the younger characters need to progress in the lives, the older ones can't stay young forever, or else it would get confusing

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I see what you mean. But if the younger characters need to progress in the lives, the older ones can't stay young forever, or else it would get confusing

They don't have to stay young. Most Of the old guard at DC and Marvel are in their mid 40s to me. Plus I don't think the Silver Age cats make for convincing young people to me. So just letting the kids grow up and deal with adulthood is more easier to me than forcing the old guard to be "hip".

[CosmiComic]

They don't have to stay young. Most Of the old guard at DC and Marvel are in their mid 40s to me. Plus I don't think the Silver Age cats make for convincing young people to me. So just letting the kids grow up and deal with adulthood is more easier to me than forcing the old guard to be "hip".

Makes sense to me.