Gabriel Hagmann of DreamStrands Comics in Seattle, Washington saw the column by Steve Bennett (see 'Confessions of a Comic Book Guy -- Giving the People What They Don't Want') and numerous Talk Back comments on it, and notes the many books that already fit the criteria that those critical of darker content are seeking:

After reading the 'comics are too dark' posts over the last couple of days, I felt the need to comment with my own 2 pence.  While I do agree to a certain extent, I believe that everyone is overlooking the books that ARE out there.  I'm talking about Spider-Girl, any of the Marvel Adventures/Marvel Age line, Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, and even Plastic Man!  These books are awesomely written and exactly the kind of *fun* that everyone seems to be talking about.

Do I think there are enough of them?  Not by a long shot.

Marvel should wake up and instead of reprinting Amazing Spider-Man, Astonishing X-Men, Captain America, and New Avengers in their flip-books, they should spend that money expanding their Marvel Adventures line with other characters.  DC could do the same thing by expanding their measly three 'toon titles to include other characters as well.  Where are the Superman, Hulk, Wonder Woman or Captain America Adventures books, eh?  Comics are an entertainment of their own, and don't need to be tied to a cartoon or movie in order to be successfully marketed to kids (Even many of my adult box customers purchase the all ages books to read themselves!).

The aforementioned all ages books have one thing in common; they introduce the characters, villains, antagonist, or situation and then resolve the conflict in one issue!!  Writing for trade paperbacks is fine, and as an adult I like those types of stories, but that type of writing alienates kids (and some adults).

I mean would you spend $3.00 on chapter 4 of a 12-chapter prose novel when you aren't sure if you can find the other chapters?  Don't comic editors and writers remember when you could pick up an issue of Amazing Spider-Man and have the conflict of that particular issue resolved by the end?  I'm talking about a single-issue story that leaves the villain in the hands of the law, or barely escaping from the hero so that we'd wonder when he'd return.

And for those who say, 'Well, you can't hook readers into a story that way and they won't buy the next issue,' I say 'Insanity!'  It is perfectly feasible to leave other sub-plots going but still have the villain-of-the-month tied up at the end....like, who is that mysterious, shadowy figure hatching a plot in those last two panels?  Lois Lane got arrested while Supes was out fighting Metallo!?  Who's been following Wolverine all day and why can't he smell them?  I'm just saying that not every story has to be a 4+ issue arc, and it's much more satisfying for kids to spend their money on something which is going to give them a complete story, but still leave them asking questions.  It's one of the reasons manga is so popular right now even with its higher price.

Along with this, though, is the need for a lower price point for these periodical magazines.  Why can't a ten-year-old walk into any comic shop or newsstand or 7-11 and walk out with at least three comics for his $5 allowance?  It's ridiculous.  Marvel has already started expanding into convenience stores, which I think is great, but the price points are still too high, man.  $1.50 - $1.75 is still a decent markup and if there was an All Ages title for every major character available for purchase at multiple outlets, I truly believe the volume increase in sales would make up for a smaller profit margin.

Warren Ellis had a similar idea with his new book, Fell.  While not an all ages book, it encompasses everything I mentioned above (go read it).  I doubled my orders, have almost no copies left, and so far everyone who's read it has said that they can't wait for the next issue!  I know it can work.  There's no reason we adults can't have our multi-part-crossover-graphic-novel-collections.  But there's also no reason we can't have the fun of a well-written all ages book!

In closing, I'd like to thank the writers like Erica David, Mike Raicht, Jeff Parker, Akira Yoshida, Sean McKeever, J. Torres, Ty Templeton, Adam Beechen, Tom DeFalco, and Kyle Baker as well as the editors of the various all ages lines for doing such a great job so far.

What's that quote from Animal House?