10 Worst Tropes DC Comics Still Rely On

[caj]

Agree or disagree with the list? Please add your own examples that weren't included. It's a pretty solid list from CBR.

https://www.cbr.com/worst-current-dc-tropes/

01. Batman Keeping Secrets Is Nothing New
02. Everything Is A Crisis
03. The Constant Continuity Reboots Are Getting Out Of Hand
04. There Are Too Many Batman Books
05. Evil Superman Stories Are So Played Out
06. DC Goes Back To The Well And Waters Down Amazing Villains
07. The Multiple Lanterns Corps Aren't As Great As They Once Were
08. Other Villains Trusting Lex Luthor Is Laughable By Now
09. Deathstroke Remains A Credible Threat Despite His Many Failures
10. Powerless Vigilantes Defeat Superpowered People

[Proto Man]

My least favorite is probably the events. I just don't tend to like those. I'm primarily attracted to good stories, and I often find that they are a lot of flash with little substance in that regard. I also don't like the general model. They are fine if they come around rarely, but with the frequency they currently have, I can't stand them. Especially when they have less and less worthwhile or lasting effects. Unfortunately, when I first got into reading comics more seriously, the DC Universe was just starting to get mired in never-ending events. If it wasn't for back issues, I don't know that I would ever actually be a fan of the DC Universe with it operating like that. You can say that you can just ignore them, but can you!? They oftentimes have a way of interrupting what you're trying to enjoy and dictating how the universe is going to go.

I also think they contribute heavily to making comics unapproachable to more people. Or at least superhero universe comics.

[Tzigone]

Despite being played as a near unstoppable villain, Deathstroke has been defeated far too many times.

This is true. But it's also kinda true of most villains that have lasted very long, and it's built into the genre.

You can say that you can just ignore them, but can you!? They oftentimes have a way of interrupting what you're trying to enjoy and dictating how the universe is going to go.

I also think they contribute heavily to making comics unapproachable to more people. Or at least superhero universe comics.

I agree with this. Overall, I agree with most of the list.

[Timothy Hunter]

Agree or disagree with the list? Please add your own examples that weren't included. It's a pretty solid list from CBR.

https://www.cbr.com/worst-current-dc-tropes/

01. Batman Keeping Secrets Is Nothing New
02. Everything Is A Crisis
03. The Constant Continuity Reboots Are Getting Out Of Hand
04. There Are Too Many Batman Books
05. Evil Superman Stories Are So Played Out
06. DC Goes Back To The Well And Waters Down Amazing Villains
07. The Multiple Lanterns Corps Aren't As Great As They Once Were
08. Other Villains Trusting Lex Luthor Is Laughable By Now
09. Deathstroke Remains A Credible Threat Despite His Many Failures
10. Powerless Vigilantes Defeat Superpowered People

Most of these aren't even tropes.

[king81992]

Titans dying, turning evil or betraying teammates and being a dysfunctional team in general.

[Arctic Cyclist]

Agree or disagree with the list? Please add your own examples that weren't included. It's a pretty solid list from CBR.

https://www.cbr.com/worst-current-dc-tropes/

01. Batman Keeping Secrets Is Nothing New
02. Everything Is A Crisis
03. The Constant Continuity Reboots Are Getting Out Of Hand
04. There Are Too Many Batman Books
05. Evil Superman Stories Are So Played Out
06. DC Goes Back To The Well And Waters Down Amazing Villains
07. The Multiple Lanterns Corps Aren't As Great As They Once Were
08. Other Villains Trusting Lex Luthor Is Laughable By Now
09. Deathstroke Remains A Credible Threat Despite His Many Failures
10. Powerless Vigilantes Defeat Superpowered People

Those are themes, not tropes.

[Sutekh]

05. Evil Superman Stories Are So Played Out

This isn't even just a DC problem. The Boys, with Homelander, Invincible, with his dad, Image with Supreme, Marvel with King Hyperion, *everyone* has their 'evil Superman' it seems... But yes, if you're go-to story is 'what if someone with the same powers as one of our flagship heroes went bad,' that gets old. Plus heroes fighting mirror-copies with the same powerset is cute *once,* but by the 37th time, not so much.

09. Deathstroke Remains A Credible Threat Despite His Many Failures

Anyone called 'the world's greatest assassin,' who is in the role of adversary to heroes, and therefore *never allowed to kill one,* suffers from this. Not just Deathstroke, but Arcade, over at Marvel, as well (who is far more ridiculous, IMO). But yeah, Slade's both hampered by constantly going up against people with plot armor, and also by the fact that his powers are kind of weak, compared to every League member not named Batman (who has the strongest plot armor of them all!).

[caj]

Titans dying, turning evil or betraying teammates and being a dysfunctional team in general.

Agree with this. Stop this now.

[Captain Nostalgia]

Agree or disagree with the list? Please add your own examples that weren't included. It's a pretty solid list from CBR.

https://www.cbr.com/worst-current-dc-tropes/

01. Batman Keeping Secrets Is Nothing New
02. Everything Is A Crisis
03. The Constant Continuity Reboots Are Getting Out Of Hand
04. There Are Too Many Batman Books
05. Evil Superman Stories Are So Played Out
06. DC Goes Back To The Well And Waters Down Amazing Villains
07. The Multiple Lanterns Corps Aren't As Great As They Once Were
08. Other Villains Trusting Lex Luthor Is Laughable By Now
09. Deathstroke Remains A Credible Threat Despite His Many Failures
10. Powerless Vigilantes Defeat Superpowered People

I would add two more to your list.

11. Big events that crossover and intrude into everyone else's favourite comics.

12. The overuse of the Joker in the DCU for maniacal events.

[Stanlos]

Agree or disagree with the list? Please add your own examples that weren't included. It's a pretty solid list from CBR.

https://www.cbr.com/worst-current-dc-tropes/

01. Batman Keeping Secrets Is Nothing New
02. Everything Is A Crisis
03. The Constant Continuity Reboots Are Getting Out Of Hand
04. There Are Too Many Batman Books
05. Evil Superman Stories Are So Played Out
06. DC Goes Back To The Well And Waters Down Amazing Villains
07. The Multiple Lanterns Corps Aren't As Great As They Once Were
08. Other Villains Trusting Lex Luthor Is Laughable By Now
09. Deathstroke Remains A Credible Threat Despite His Many Failures
10. Powerless Vigilantes Defeat Superpowered People

The Rainbow cosmology which has consumed DC irritates me to no end. In addition to making the speed torce a worn out plot device AND claiming it started with the Mah Parenhts version of Barry Allen the Speed Force now has its very own rainbow style mythology expansion.

Ick.

But the one thing that broke me was that cosmic bleepin doorknob. Dear strawberry blonde jayzus! WHY??? How did it get past Go?

[Stanlos]

My least favorite is probably the events. I just don't tend to like those. I'm primarily attracted to good stories, and I often find that they are a lot of flash with little substance in that regard. I also don't like the general model. They are fine if they come around rarely, but with the frequency they currently have, I can't stand them. Especially when they have less and less worthwhile or lasting effects. Unfortunately, when I first got into reading comics more seriously, the DC Universe was just starting to get mired in never-ending events. If it wasn't for back issues, I don't know that I would ever actually be a fan of the DC Universe with it operating like that. You can say that you can just ignore them, but can you!? They oftentimes have a way of interrupting what you're trying to enjoy and dictating how the universe is going to go.

I also think they contribute heavily to making comics unapproachable to more people. Or at least superhero universe comics.

I don't see how events can be ignored. It feels like at least thelast ten years haven been nothing but events. An entire multi year volu,e of JLA was an inconsequential mattress stuffer just filling space until the 40 bazillionth Metal event happened

[Sutekh]

The Rainbow cosmology which has consumed DC irritates me to no end. In addition to making the speed force a worn out plot device AND claiming it started with the Mah Parenhts version of Barry Allen the Speed Force now has its very own rainbow style mythology expansion.

I feel like this started with the rush to label everyone and everything as an 'elemental' after the surprising (to them) popularity of Morrison's Swamp Thing. Over the next few years, Red Tornado, Firestorm, Vixen and Aquaman, IIRC, were all tied to elemental forces, and later, even Solomon Grundy and Beast Boy got into it.

The whole emotional spectrum ring thing just followed it to it's logical conclusion, as did the proliferation of Sage/Still/Strong Forces that nobody had ever heard of before.

[lefthanded]

#2 and #3 seem to be the same idea, so not sure why they separated it out.
#7 isn't really an ongoing thing, as now it is just Green and Yellow Lanterns.

The only actual trope on the list is how unpowered heroes can beat superpowered heroes.
Everything else is not a trope, but more a business decision. Having a lot of Batbooks is not a trope.

It is like saying having too many types of Coke/Pepsi flavors is a trope.

Really seems like the author struggled to come up with a full 10 list items.

[The Darknight Detective]

The only actual trope on the list is how unpowered heroes can beat superpowered heroes.
Everything else is not a trope, but more a business decision.

Is there anything that isn't a business decision? What many people complain about here is because it makes DC more money than not.

[Tzigone]

I feel like this started with the rush to label everyone and everything as an 'elemental' after the surprising (to them) popularity of Morrison's Swamp Thing. Over the next few years, Red Tornado, Firestorm, Vixen and Aquaman, IIRC, were all tied to elemental forces, and later, even Solomon Grundy and Beast Boy got into it.

I really don't like the retconning of their powers to elemental things. I'm not overly fond of retcons in general (a downside to being a comic fan), and ones so fundamental (or that should be, but then end up getting ignored) are worse. But heck, I didn't even like the Speed Force retcon, which took Barry's origin (it was about Wally, but still changed Barry's) from simple science to sort metaphysical or pseudo-magical or whatnot. Though I can't say Flash didn't have a weird one back when.

I don't see how events can be ignored. It feels like at least thelast ten years haven been nothing but events. An entire multi year volu,e of JLA was an inconsequential mattress stuffer just filling space until the 40 bazillionth Metal event happened

Yep.

Everything else is not a trope, but more a business decision.

True enough. Still a list of things I don't really like.

Is there anything that isn't a business decision? What many people complain about here is because it makes DC more money than not.

Also true. But I've said repeatedly "what's good for DC is not necessarily what's good for me"...or maybe I usually reverse it. Same difference. Though I would be more like to say DC thinks it will make DC more money than doing otherwise. Likely correct, but we can't test the counterfactual. Especially as a long-term sort of thing.