[kritika]

Been thinking a lot about how superhero stories usually start with someone saving the world…
But what if the world needed saving from its heroes?
The comic I’m developing - MOKSH - starts from that question. It’s set in a world where ancient myths bleed into modern reality, and morality isn’t always black and white.
Would love your take - do you enjoy stories where the “hero” might actually be the cause of the conflict?
(Also happy to share a few early sketches if people are interested!)

[SuperScrounge]

Seem to recall Gerry Conway touching on this idea in his run on JLA back in the '70s. Then there was a Justice Society story where the villain set things up so that heroes using their powers wouldd destroy the world, so the heroes saved the day by... doing nothing. (There was also a boring Highlander story where Dylan defeated the villain... by not fighting. Zzzzzzzz...)

I suppose Kingdom Come qualifies, although it's debatable if some of those 'heroes' were really heroes or just superpowered beings who liked fighting.

Since most superheroes like saving people and not destroying things, you'd probably have to have the heroes be unaware of the danger, but then what happens when they discover the truth? How do they save the day without destroying the world?

[The Australian Panther]

They are not uncommon.
There was the JLA story where Batman was so paranoid that he compiled a help-file on the JLA in case they went bad and it was exposed and used against them.
Then there is an earth where there is an all villain JLA.
Then there is this series.

The Wrong Earth
On one world, Dragonflyman and his sidekick Stinger enjoy a life of adventure. On another Earth, the Dragonfly hunts criminal parasites like a lethal exterminator. But what happens when these two heroes change places?

[paw broon]

See, that's the problem with so many modern superhero comics; save the world, save the universe, save all existence. Whether it's super villains, extra terrestrials, planet eaters, it's all out of proportion. Aren't there times when you simply want the masked mystery person to catch some bad guys?
There are great villains, super powered or not in modern/silver age comics.  Joker even got his own title.
Villains however, particularly in Italian comics, costumed but not super powered, didn't save the universe, they were too busy robbing and being chased by the police. Good stories, sometimes even well drawn.  Diabolik has been running since early '60's and, arguably, despite the violence having to be toned down following censorship, the plot lines are even more ingenious nowadays.
Many of these characters aren't, like Batman, vigilantes, they are outright villains/criminals who, especially in their early issues, were very violent with big death counts. Kriminal was wonderful, Sadik was, well, the name tells you all you need to know, Demoniak - says it all.
Doesn't mean I wont re-read Crisis or early Authority but I do need more down to earth thrillers, no matter how improbable costumed, masked heroes and villains might be. I think many of you need that too - at least as a break from whichever universe eating monster turns up next.

[SuperScrounge]

Threat-Level Creep. Which sometimes feeds into Power Creep and vice versa. Start with a hero who fights guys stealing TVs and after a while he's knocking out villains the size of the moon. 

[The Australian Panther]

See, that's the problem with so many modern superhero comics; save the world, save the universe, save all existence. Whether it's super villains, extra terrestrials, planet eaters, it's all out of proportion. Aren't there times when you simply want the masked mystery person to catch some bad guys?

Paw and Scrounge, I am with you 100% on this.
I have the theory that to write about the current real world and situate 'Superheroes' in it, like much of the world the Golden age heroes interacted with, is impossible for the current generation of comics creators. It's a very different world now and too polarizing to deal with.
One of the few characters that still operates in the real world is the Phantom.
On 'The Wrong Earth' I may have given the wrong idea.
The basic idea was, 'what happens if Adam Wests Batman and Frank Millers Batman accidentally swap universes?' So the narrative is both serious and not so serious.
The idea has been extended into other comic book environments, like Frank Miller's Batman (Dragonflyman)  in the Teenage comic Universe.
Which has of course already been done, or didn't they know that there has been a real 'The Punisher meets Archie' comic?         

[paw broon]

Ta for mentioning Ghost Who Walks Panther.  I didn't want to as I can bore for Scotland on him - and will happily do so with the slightest encouragement. Yes, he is one of the few based in "the real world", as is Diabolik to a great extent.
British comics in the past had many costumed/MMM who inhabited a world very like our own: Billy The Cat, a particular favourite of mine, Leopard of Lime Street, Spring-heeled Jackson inhabited Victorian England and there was more than enough villainy and downright evil to keep him occupied.
King Cobra - no, not the later Marvel character - was set in "our world" - in his civilian i/d he was a Fleet St. Reporter. Lots like that and most are very entertaining and well drawn.
I've gone back to reading older comics after a period of total fed-up-ness with what is currently on the shelves out there.  But re-reading old American, British and some Euro comics has re-ignited my interest.
Guys with bows and arrows fighting giant alien super-powerful world destroyers is too much. Almost a lack of imagination. BUT, do we really want the Arrow Car brought back?

[SuperScrounge]

BUT, do we really want the Arrow Car brought back?

Well, maybe. If he pulls an arrow out of his quiver, with a toy car for an arrowhead, and after firing it expands in size and teleports GA into the driver's seat...