CRISIS was the biggest example. That came along, and I was stunned by the number of Marvel fans who declared Marvel's continuity was "perfect" and therefore would never need anything like CRISIS to tidy it up! (I agree CRISIS was not even remotely necessary -- but to call Marvel's continuity "perfect"? Oy!)

I have to admit, I have kinda-sorta been in that camp. Sure there were continuity glitches at Marvel in the past, but by and large Marvel considered everything to have "happened", just with a behind-the-scenes explanation of the fix to the glitch, even if in a convoluted fashion (see 50's Captain America). Crisis seemed to explain away Pre-Crisis stories as "They still happened, but not exactly as printed, and we may or may not tell you what's changed now" (See Wonder Woman's removal as a founding member of the JLA).

Kraven the hunter is not only alive again, but he has a whole Kraven FAMILY. 

A family? Let me guess...his wife is The Gatherer?

DC has ruined the Batman character for me.

At least I have my reprints...

MPH

Good one, Brian R.

De-uniqueing seems to be the in-thing in comics these days. Watering down what is interesting by "creating" the same character over and over again. You either get four Robins, three Colored Arrows, three Supermen and two Batmen. Or, you get the "new" character in the stead, even though the original character would suffice for any story needing such a character.

My problem with comic books is that the readers think the pedantic, overwrought, rejected-screenplay stories they read in comic books are good. I mean, when Stephen King was the top storyteller in the land, I didn't think people were f*cking idiots for reading King. King was great, and I was happy everyone knew it. Jack Kirby and Sinnott, everyone knew it. Roger Stern and JB, everyone knew it.

Now everyone who bother to read comics praises the most sophomoric shite as "layered" and "insightful." Morrison has spearheaded this "intellectual" comic book reader phase for a long-ass time. Longer than Alan Moore, at this point. A bunch of pretentious college students are supposed to be able to hold up the modern superhero comic without fear of being viewed as "lowbrow" or "tasteless."

And what would you rather have? For me, I'd be happy with a comic book medium, superheroes, that appealed directly to kids and young teens, but still general enough to be read by an adult. An adult ready to accept the comics about men in tights with super strength are not designed for them. Thus, Spider-Man will never marry. Robin will never grow up.

This doesn't mean great stories won't still happen. Stories like that pill-popping Harry Osborn story still happen. Dr. Strange meets God story still happens. "This Man, This Monster." Death of the Doom Patrol. Aquababy. The stories that really matter, that pretty much every comic book story since has derived from, they still happen even in a world where the "important artists" like Morrison and Moore are held in check.

Outside of Trademarked superheroes, I could give a sh*t. The comic book medium is open to any and all, for any story you can think of. Goon. Hellboy. CRIMINAL. Darwyn Cooke's PARKER. I love stories told as comic books. They're absolutely brilliant when done right.

But leave the superheroes to talented people who understand why superheroes exist and why we, the aging audience, still care about them being deformed into adult pleasure fantasies.

What the heck is up with the current phase of comics having 70 of everyone?

Specifically with DC, they made an effort to allow the sidekicks (that were already allowed to grow up) take on the mantle of their mentor, most significantly in the case of the Flash, and having Kyle Rayner take over as Green Lantern.

Fans and then eventually the actual DC editors/writers/artists rejected the new heroes to varying degrees, prompting them to bring back the ones they preferred.  But now you're stuck with a different fanbase that discovered the Flash as Wally West, and Kyle as Green Lantern.  Now they want/have to please both camps.    

Then add in stunt deaths like Bruce Wayne's and it gets worse

Marvel gets less imaginative and just says, "what if the Hulk was red?"