Lazy Writing in Superhero Stories

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

I don’t really read comics, but lazy writing certainly isn’t limited to comics. Look at the alien movie franchise.

Not once, not twice, but FOUR TIMES have they ended the movies with blowing the fucking xenomorph out into space:

Alien
Aliens
Alien Resurrection
Alien Covenant

 

[minute bull]

Don't write novels if you're writing comic books. It's not words then images -- it's the combination of the two together.

One terrible trick is repeating (semi-)static images that bore the eye while conveying some written gag or heavy back-and-forth dialogue exchange.

Kevin Smith can barely write movies let alone comics.



What's even worse is when there's too much dialogue for the amount of action.

Two opponents are giving full speeches both in mid-leap. Ripclaw was awesomely terrible when it came to this; should have been renamed Filibuster.

 

[zapataxiv]

Part of the fun is accepting that things like that are possible. That being said the amount of super geniuses that run around in tights fighting super geniuses committing crimes is pretty crazy.

Just the JLA has Batman, the Flash, Cyborg, as certified geniuses that can produce mind boggling shit. While the others can written to be super genius level.
At least with pro wrestling they aren’t telling me the mayor of “suplex city” isn’t also a chemistry whiz that graduated at 16 with a specialization in advanced robotics.

 

[HomerThompson]

Don't write novels if you're writing comic books. It's not words then images -- it's the combination of the two together.

One terrible trick is repeating (semi-)static images that bore the eye while conveying some written gag or heavy back-and-forth dialogue exchange.

Kevin Smith can barely write movies let alone comics.



What's even worse is when there's too much dialogue for the amount of action.

Two opponents are giving full speeches both in mid-leap. Ripclaw was awesomely terrible when it came to this; should have been renamed Filibuster.

LOL. X-Cutioner's Song in the X-books is the GOAT for overly verbose action scenes.

I love that arc though.

 

[MikeMcMann]

He's at the courthouse, or wherever the bomb was going to go off, and makes it back to the prison in like 3 seconds to seal in Gerard. It's literally impossible. Gerard would've been long gone by the time Jaime got back to him.

Ok I would have to rewatch as I cannot remember if they made the time frames that definitive.

if true it does sound lazy as they could have easily written it as if he had lots of time by putting the timer on the bomb far enough out with Gerard wanting to ensure he was back at the prison and safe and cozy with his alibi intact. there is no need for tight time frame between those actions.

 

[MikeMcMann]

I don’t really read comics, but lazy writing certainly isn’t limited to comics. Look at the alien movie franchise.

Not once, not twice, but FOUR TIMES have they ended the movies with blowing the fucking xenomorph out into space:

Alien
Aliens
Alien Resurrection
Alien Covenant

HEY!

Don't knock that, because without that Stark and Spiderman would have never been able to rescue Dr. Strange from Ebony Maw!

 

[loyalyolayal]

What's even worse is when there's too much dialogue for the amount of action.

Two opponents are giving full speeches both in mid-leap. Ripclaw was awesomely terrible when it came to this; should have been renamed Filibuster.

Ahhh...Silvestri the Liefeld with less pouches and more feet.

 

[eworden78]

Jessica Jones's 2nd season consisted of this. Everything was just nonsensical, it's like the writers just didn't gaf.

I think that was kind of different though. Most of that season was pretty well explained. It was more of a sloppy incohesive story.
It kind of just dragged on and didn't go anywhere.

Most of the examples here are things that implausibly happened that are never explained by the story.

 

[FyrFytr998]

It's the nature of the beast. If you try to apply real world logic to these stories, you can't enjoy them. My attitude to comics is the same as a Christian reading the Bible; I'll just take it on faith.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

Anyone remember when Iron-Man conveniently pulled out "carbon-nanotube" technology out of his ass to beat Magneto?

 

[Horse Style]

Don't write novels if you're writing comic books. It's not words then images -- it's the combination of the two together.

One terrible trick is repeating (semi-)static images that bore the eye while conveying some written gag or heavy back-and-forth dialogue exchange.

Kevin Smith can barely write movies let alone comics.



What's even worse is when there's too much dialogue for the amount of action.

Two opponents are giving full speeches both in mid-leap. Ripclaw was awesomely terrible when it came to this; should have been renamed Filibuster.

The few times they try to explain how a genius, like Reed, created some over-the-top invention, they give this long-ass explanation that takes up a page or two.

It's filled with scientific jargon but you just know the explanation is horse shit. I'm just think "bro, just say he did it because of magic." It saves frames and doesn't insult the reader's intelligence

Anyone remember when Iron-Man conveniently pulled out "carbon-nanotube" technology out of his ass to beat Magneto?

This is a good example. Stop wasting a page with this explanation no one buys and just say Tony used the Dragon Balls to wish Magneto's powers didn't work on him. It's equally as believable.

 

[TheLinguist]

Anyone remember when Iron-Man conveniently pulled out "carbon-nanotube" technology out of his ass to beat Magneto?

I believe it because it’s possible in their world /s

 

[KnightTemplar]

My Wakandan

 

[Fedorgasm]

Superman is the ultimate example of lazy writing.
Every time the writer couldn't think of a way for Superman to win, he just gave him a new power.

Superman literally has super ventriloquism as one of his powers. Look it up.

 

[SmilinDesperado]

Anyone remember when Iron-Man conveniently pulled out "carbon-nanotube" technology out of his ass to beat Magneto?

Ehhhhh..i don't have an issue with this.
Tony Stark is a genius, and Magneto and his powers are well known.
I don't see why it would be hard to believe that in the galaxy there exists some sort of material he could use to make a suit that doesn't have metallic properties.
Magneto isn't some street level player. If there's an Avengers database that ranks villains, Magneto has to betop 20 at least

 

[SmilinDesperado]

Forge is a bullshit character. I don't know where he is now in the comics, but he's best known for his time with X-Factor. His powers are to create. ..anything. whenever an invention ,or tool is needed, or something needs to be fixed, they just tell Forge to make it.

 

[JosephDredd]

When writers decide every character should talk and act like themselves, the writer.

(That's Wolverine, btw.)

 

[UFC=Pride]

I know this is about superhero stories, but the worst example to me was in the movie, Law Abiding Citizen.

There is literally no way that Jamie Foxx could have traveled fast enough to trap Butler at the end. No possible way. They just wanted to wrap the movie up, and have Jamie Foxx "win". Fucking ruined a terrific movie.

Yeah this ruined the whole movie just a stupid ending.

 

[HomerThompson]

Yeah this ruined the whole movie just a stupid ending.

I'm still pretty pissed, frankly.

 

[Fedorgasm]

When writers decide every character should talk and act like themselves, the writer.

(That's Wolverine, btw.)

Oooooh that's what they did to Wolverine. I always wondered why he was so angry.