Prior to 9/11 (yeah, I’m gonna go there), this sort of wanton destruction seemed to be increasing, in no small part due to the success of books such as Wildstorm’s Authority, who took city-leveling events as routine business. Sales and enthusiasm for Authority and books featuring city-wide catastrophes seemed to disappear for a few years there, but, yeah… they’re back.

Whatever bad taste 9/11 left in the mouths of readers for the realities depicted in such works, I’m on board with your notes regarding the human viewpoint of both Marvel and DCU’s. The increasing marginilization of the Jimmy Olsens and Lois Lanes (both made super in their time, but that’s a story for a different say) has meant that the comics have forgotten some of what the heck the protagonists are supposedly fighting for.

I dunno. Maybe i missed your point here.

Superhero fights are fun, but superheroes are in danger of losing the supporting casts and remarkable relationships that make them worth reading…