Heroes having kids - Yes or No?

[The Darknight Detective]

While I'd say that most of the silver age guys are in some sort of "perpetual 35" at the age department, there's the simple fact that we humans changed a little along the way. We look younger, live longer and are generally healthier. People can and do sustain their "peaks" for a longer time now, and as that societal view changes, comics can reflect them.

Sure, to someone who started reading in the 60s, 70s or even 80s, a 30 year old Superman may seem old. But a 30 year old in 2023 barely stepped out of his teens, in comparison.

Since Superman was only in his late twenties during the Bronze Age, I'm pretty sure anybody from my generation or even earlier wouldn't have freaked out over a 30-year-old one. Besides, the difference between the '70s and now isn't as large as you're painting it.

[Digifiend]

Superman and Batman have to be in their early 40s by now. Dick's group should be in their 30s by now, due to how old Lian Harper is. And Bruce should be a decade or so older than Dick.

[The Darknight Detective]

Superman and Batman have to be in their early 40s by now. Dick's group should be in their 30s by now, due to how old Lian Harper is. And Bruce should be a decade or so older than Dick.

But Clark and Bruce are not that old, regardless. DC won't allow it due to their iconic status.

[JBatmanFan05]

But Clark and Bruce are not that old, regardless. DC won't allow it due to their iconic status.

And I agree. I definitely view both as perpetually 35ish.

[Jackalope89]

And I agree. I definitely view both as perpetually 35ish.

Hah! I view both to now be in their early 40s!

[dswynne]

I don't see why not. YOUNG JUSTICE, the animation series, was able to balance things with kids being around. I'm just surprised that there are more running around.

[dswynne]

And I agree. I definitely view both as perpetually 35ish.

Well, with Superman, it's not a problem being "ageless", and Batman could be fifty years old and still be active. I mean, look at George Foreman, when he came out of retirement, of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson still doing his wrestling thing from time-to-time. With so many resources and allies at Batman's disposal, you'd think he would have developed the proto-type to the BATMAN BEYOND suit by now, in order to provide some measure of protection.

[The Darknight Detective]

Well, with Superman, it's not a problem being "ageless", and Batman could be fifty years old and still be active. I mean, look at George Foreman, when he came out of retirement,

He wasn't nearly as good as he was in his prime (which I can remember), but his opponents were inferior enough for him to succeed, anyway.

of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson still doing his wrestling thing from time-to-time.

Wrestling? If the script requires Dick Van Dyke to win the match, it can be done. Now before anybody mentions newly retired Tom Brady, did he even have a tenth of the punishment on the field that an average superhero does in a comic book?

[BohemiaDrinker]

Since Superman was only in his late twenties during the Bronze Age, I'm pretty sure anybody from my generation or even earlier wouldn't have freaked out over a 30-year-old one. Besides, the difference between the '70s and now isn't as large as you're painting it.

I was not around in the 70s, but I remember the 80s quite well and I sustain it that yes, it is. Both phisically and socially, we're in a total different place than them.

But Clark and Bruce are not that old, regardless. DC won't allow it due to their iconic status.

Yeah, that's the point I was making. Soon, maybe even now, being 40 will do nothing to affect said iconic status. Beyonce is 41. She's still just Beyonce, a luxury that Madonna didn't have, being dubbed an older star before even reaching 40. Almost the entirety of the Avengers cast is is formed by 35s to 40 somethings and older. Hell, Paul Rudd is now older than Wilford Brinley was when he starred in Cocoon. Stuff changed a lot. We barely noticed because we lived trough those changes as they gradually happened, and then when confronted with "Batman is a 40 something ", it sounds weird to us, even illogical. But it really isn't.

[The Darknight Detective]

I was not around in the 70s, but I remember the 80s quite well and I sustain it that yes, it is. Both phisically and socially, we're in a total different place than them.

I wasn't addressing socially, but only physically. Again, I think you would have a hard time proving your assertion that there is a great difference beyond mere anecdotal evidence.

Yeah, that's the point I was making. Soon, maybe even now, being 40 will do nothing to affect said iconic status. Beyonce is 41. She's still just Beyonce, a luxury that Madonna didn't have, being dubbed an older star before even reaching 40. Almost the entirety of the Avengers cast is is formed by 35s to 40 somethings and older. Hell, Paul Rudd is now older than Wilford Brinley was when he starred in Cocoon. Stuff changed a lot. We barely noticed because we lived trough those changes as they gradually happened, and then when confronted with "Batman is a 40 something ", it sounds weird to us, even illogical. But it really isn't.

Comparing singers and actors playing superhero to "real" superheroes is a huge stretch, don't you think?

[The Darknight Detective]

To elaborate further: an NFL running back takes the most physical abuse in that sport. The career average is only 8 years for an RB and about double that for the most durable all-time. As tough a position it is, does anybody really think it is as nearly as demanding as what a fictional non-super superhero has to deal with?

[BohemiaDrinker]

I wasn't addressing socially, but only physically. Again, I think you would have a hard time proving your assertion that there is a great difference beyond mere anecdotal evidence.

Not at all. Average age in professional sports has been getting higher at a steady pace around the world, as is life expectancy. Even if those things weren't quite visible by just looking at the world around us, there are several studies and data about it. There's also media and que a bit of footage from the last 70 years or so, if we want to look at it without letting our memories getting in the way.

Comparing singers and actors playing superhero to "real" superheroes is a huge stretch, don't you think?

Not at all. These guys look the part at the age they're in, they're able to put on the physique necessary for it, and they mostly play those parts as of they were their real ages or close to it. Snyder Superman began his career at 33. Battinson was an early 30s guy in the year 3 of his Batman career. Those portrayals all influence the public perception about how old a superhero can be, or even what constitutes their peak age. Coupled with the societal changes in the real world, it's only natural that comics might reflect this. It's not that DC or Marvel would ever key their characters get old, it's just that that "Old" today is not represented by the same number it once was.

[The Darknight Detective]

Not at all. Average age in professional sports has been getting higher at a steady pace around the world, as is life expectancy. Even if those things weren't quite visible by just looking at the world around us, there are several studies and data about it. There's also media and que a bit of footage from the last 70 years or so, if we want to look at it without letting our memories getting in the way.

Look, I'm not some old fogie that thinks everything was better years ago. I thought that was crap as a kid and I still think that today. So I'm not saying that athletes are not in better condition today than 50 years ago, but it's not that much more.

BTW, the average peak for an athlete is still about age 27 in professional sports, which is no different than it was 100 years ago.

Not at all. These guys look the part at the age they're in, they're able to put on the physique necessary for it, and they mostly play those parts as of they were their real ages or close to it. Snyder Superman began his career at 33. Battinson was an early 30s guy in the year 3 of his Batman career. Those portrayals all influence the public perception about how old a superhero can be, or even what constitutes their peak age. Coupled with the societal changes in the real world, it's only natural that comics might reflect this. It's not that DC or Marvel would ever key their characters get old, it's just that that "Old" today is not represented by the same number it once was.

Did you see my previous post about running backs? At least there we can make some reasonable resemblance to what Bruce has to face, instead of trying it with Beyonce and Robert Pattinson.

[BohemiaDrinker]

Look, I'm not some old fogie that thinks everything was better years ago.

I am, but that's really beside the point. :P

Did you see my previous post about running backs? At least there we can make some reasonable resemblance to what Bruce has to face, instead of trying it with Beyonce and Robert Pattinson.

Why wouldn't Robert Pattinson be a valid example? He is literally how DC/WB decided to portray Batman. The point I'm arguing is not that if a 50 year would be an effective running back in the real world (I don't even know what a running back is), the point I'm disagreeing with you is that "DC would never age the Trinity above age XX because of their iconic status". And for this, the underlying logic of professional high impact sports is not that important: yes, in American football specifically, or several kinds of martial arts, there's only so much abuse one can take before having to call it quits because it adds up. Batman doesn't have this concern, he can take infinite abuse and be healed next month. The very tiny amount of realism we have to take into account for is more on the line of "How strong/fast/good looking can a 40 or fifty year old be. How interesting a life can they lead?". And for those aspects, the social perception has changed radically, for a variety of reasons. Now, in the 80s, let's say, "40" evoked the image of a guy with a beer belly, receding hairline and screaming at kids to get off their yard. It was important for DC to keep their main properties under this hypothetical age because of this. Now, that's not so true anymore, and said fact may as well be reflected in comics as it already is in movies or animation.

[Digifiend]

And I agree. I definitely view both as perpetually 35ish.

They can't be. The Justice League has been active for 15 years at this point and Batman's a founder. He would've also had to be in his mid 20s already when he took in Dick, which he did very early in his career. And then there's Damian's age to consider, when did Bruce first meet his mother Talia? He's probably been Batman for nearly 20 years. Same goes for Clark being Superman, though of course he'll look young for some time anyway, his problem is avoiding aging Lois up too much. But her being in her 40s is fine. They had a will they won't they thing going on for years when she loved Superman rather than Clark, then she finds out they're one and the same, she marries him and they have Jon. Who was 11 years old pre-ageup. And bear in mind their wedding was after Death of Superman. Young Justice needs aging up to early 20s and Jon's origin needs tweaking, as he's five years too old for the timeline to work even before he went off with Jor-El (otherwise Conner is too young, but he shouldn't be aged up that far as Tim should be 21 which would make his age gap to Damian match how it was pre-Flashpoint). They probably need to have spent time in a pocket universe or something, which would age Clark up further.