History Main / RUnningTheAsylum

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a HeavyWorlder, [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter in reverse]], a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the [[NeverLiveItDown much mocked]] "super ventriloquism" and "reverse the Earth's spin {{time travel}}" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands were getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman use their suggested powers either and so new abilities [[SerialEscalation just kept coming up]], [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as ComicBook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms that put [[ComicBook/CaptainMarvelMarvelComics Monica Rambeau]]'s to shame, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and [[ExtradimensionalPowerSource extradimensional energy absorption]]. Well into the 2020s fans showed no sign of ceasing to write DC about things Superman hasn't done yet that they want to see explored, and it has been all editorial can do to keep Superman at ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' [[PowerOfTheSun solar powered]] FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range. Fans often joke that ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was written ''solely'' to {{depower}} Superman. On the otherhand, ''The Adventures of Superman'' story ''Strange Visitor'' was written to show exactly what would happen if the SerialEscalation of new powers and ever increasing feats was allowed to run unchecked.
* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, WeatherManipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NinetiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor[[note]]In terms of being gruff and bitter anyway. DC Writers didn't have the courage to turn Aquaman into a sexual predator, murderer, or even make him as arrogant as [[ByronicHero Namor]][[/note]] and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excel in situations the character didn't have any logical business being in just because they like him.

** After the DarkerAndEdgier [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2011 Volume 4]]'s laser focus on Myth/ClassicalMythology, ''ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth'' and ''ComicBook/WonderWomanInfiniteFrontier'' seem intent on not just bringing back as much as they can from the Post Crisis Wonder Woman run, such as Artemis of Bana-Mighdall and Captain of Hippolyta's guard Philippus, but also restoring some times that ''weren't'' in Post Crisis, such as removing Nubia from limbo while and removing her newer powers in favor of making her roughly equal to Diana as she had been in The Silver Age, bringing back Atalanta, who also had been absent since the Silver Age, undoing Antiope's PostHumousCharacter status and bringing back "The Amazons Of The Amazon", [[ReTool albeit no longer as a splinter lead by Atalanta.]] ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2023'' is even revisited ''ComicBook/AmazonsAttack'', of all things. There has been [[ArmedWithCanon some push back]], as not everyone in the Asylum wants to throw out New 52 entirely.

* As ''The Kingdom''(Mike Zeck, Mark Waid), ''Convergence''(Ethan Van Sciver, Jeff King, Dan Jurgens), ''Doomsday Clock''(Geoff Johns), ''Dark Knights: Death Metal''(Greg Capullo, Scott Synder), ''Infinite Frontier'' and ''Dark Crisis'' have made clear, there are a lot of writers at DC Comic who have been waiting to tell ''their'' story that undoes ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' basically since it happened and aren't going to let paltry facts like a previous writer or three getting the chance to undo it before they did get in their way. Infinite Frontier and Dark Crisis in particular show that Joshua Williamson had to reverse the events of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' twice before he got it out of his system.
* Throughout the Post Crisis and New 52 continuities Silver Age characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen tended to be pushed front and center while their golden age predecessors like Alan Scott and Jay Garrick, as well as their iron age successors like Kyle Rayner and Wally West, tended to get pushed to the outskirts. This was mostly related to Geoff Johns being a fan of the Silver Age, Jordan and Allen being his favorites in particular, and Johns ascending to Chief Creative Officer of DC.
* Vice President Editorial of DC Comics Dan [=DiDio=] dislikes {{legacy character}}s because he thinks having a character that is defined by another complicates things too much for potential new readers. This is fair enough reasoning for his Wally West Flash distaste, preferring he not be in focus because he is a part of a legacy, but he was also behind the canning of the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, which had been running strong for 28 months after its {{revival}} and was producing popular {{spinoff}}s while pushing successors to JSA characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen because he was a fan of the Silver Age but the Golden Age was before his time. Despite establishing how the DC multiverse would function, ''Flash Of Two Worlds'' made it clear Barry Allen knew who Jay Garrick was, and was inspired to become The Flash because of him. This was {{retcon}}ned out, but by that same logic Wally West's legacy character status could just as easily be retconned away. [=DiDio=] did allow the Justice Society characters a place in New 52's "Earth 2", but not without liberal re imagining that tended to alter the nature of their powers and turned them all into hip twenty somethings.

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a HeavyWorlder, [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter in reverse]], a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the [[NeverLiveItDown much mocked]] "super ventriloquism" and "reverse the Earth's spin {{time travel}}" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands were getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman use their suggested powers either and so new abilities [[SerialEscalation just kept coming up]], [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as Comicbook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms that put [[ComicBook/CaptainMarvelMarvelComics Monica Rambeau]]'s to shame, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and [[ExtradimensionalPowerSource extradimensional energy absorption]]. Well into the 2020s fans showed no sign of ceasing to write DC about things Superman hasn't done yet that they want to see explored, and it has been all editorial can do to keep Superman at ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' [[PowerOfTheSun solar powered]] FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range. Fans often joke that ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was written ''solely'' to {{depower}} Superman. On the otherhand, ''The Adventures of Superman'' story ''Strange Visitor'' was written to show exactly what would happen if the SerialEscalation of new powers and ever increasing feats was allowed to run unchecked.

* Comicbook/{{Batman}} was fairly gritty and serious during his earliest years of publication, but gradually got more comedic and lighthearted as the decades went on, especially after ''Seduction Of The Innocent'' lead to the establishment of the comics code and the Silver Age of Comic Books where virtually everything was sanitized. Suffice to say, there were a lot of Batman fans who didn't like this, who have been trying to move him "back" to being gritty, brooding and gothic ever since. Alan Moore has flat out admitted "The Killing Joke" was a drastic over correction and that Batman was never supposed to be ''that'' disturbing. To Moore's [[MagnumOpusDissonance disgust]] "The Killing Joke" was lauded as a landmark Batman story by fans, who proceeded to make Batman and Gotham City even heavier, drearier and more depressing as they became DC Comics writers.

** Reviving Franchise/TheFlash Barry Allen in ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.

** After the DarkerAndEdgier [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2011 Volume 4]]'s laser focus on Myth/ClassicalMythology, ''ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth'' and ''ComicBook/WonderWomanInfiniteFrontier'' seem intent on not just bringing back as much as they can from the Post Crisis Wonder Woman run, such as Artemis of Bana-Mighdall and Captain of Hippolyta's guard Philippus, but also restoring some times that ''weren't'' in Post Crisis, such as removing Nubia from limbo while and removing her newer powers in favor of making her roughly equal to Diana as she had been in The Silver Age, bringing back Atalanta, who also had been absent since the Silver Age, undoing Antiope's PostHumousCharacter status and bringing back "The Amazons Of The Amazon", [[ReTool albeit no longer as a splinter lead by Atalanta.]] ''Comicbook/WonderWoman2023'' is even revisited ''Comicbook/AmazonsAttack'', of all things. There has been [[ArmedWithCanon some push back]], as not everyone in the Asylum wants to throw out New 52 entirely.

* From the way he writes [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny ultimate showdowns of ultimate destiny]], it's apparent that Creator/FrankMiller likes Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} but not any of DC Comics' other heroes. Still, he is quite aware of the PowerPerversionPotential of certain superheroes and CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass characteristics of characters like ComicBook/TheFlash and Comicbook/PlasticMan, and plays those up when he gets the chance to write them (not to mention the PhysicalGod aspects of someone with a ComicBook/GreenLantern Ring). The only one he really seems to hate (and whom constantly gets the [[TheWorfEffect short end of the stick]]) is Characters/{{Superman|TheCharacter}}. Of course, he's aware of people saying this about him, and has said that if he ever writes a ''Superman'' comic, he'll give the same dressing down to Batman. As of ''[[Creator/DCBlackLabel Superman: Year One]]'' however, many fans remain unconvinced.

** Ed Brubaker has said many times in interviews that the first two comics he bought with his own money were ''Comicbook/IronFist'' and an issue of ''Comicbook/CaptainAmerica'' featuring the Evil '50s Cap as a villain; in his later career, he revived Iron Fist in a new solo title and, while writing ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'''s solo title, brought back Evil '50s Cap. Both these runs are widely acclaimed, [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools so this is one of the good examples]]. He also has said that one of the few issues he still has from his youth is one of Steranko's, when Cap "died" for the first time. Not only has he based his entire 50+ issue run on the three Steranko issues, he also "killed" off Cap--to much critical and fan acclaim.

* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel: When Creator/JonathanHickman was hired to write ComicBook/TheUltimates, he said this: "I was pretty excited. When I first started at Marvel, one of the gigs I had looked at as a king of homerun job was the Ultimates. I loved how Brian and Mark had started things off - how real and large the world felt - and I always thought there was a logical next step to be taken. So here we are, one small step..." In his new [[ComicBook/XMen2019 X-Men run]], he also shares the common fan sentiment with Franchise/XMen in the '10s were a massive AudienceAlienatingEra for the ''X-Men'' as a brand, and set out to whip the property in shape and make them A-list again in time for their [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU reboots.]] This does explain why very little of the elements introduced post-2008 actually sticks, the few that do being treated as BroadStrokes that he cherry-picks and reinvents himself (such as making Betsy into ComicBook/CaptainBritain and Kwannon into [[Characters/MarvelComicsPsylocke Psylocke]] following Betsy's return to her old body). In general, his run and the accompanying relaunch acts as though it were a sequel building off ''ComicBook/NewXMen'' by Creator/GrantMorrison and ''ComicBook/AstonishingXMen'' by Creator/JossWhedon, than anything even remotely continuing the '10s status quo. Note that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Tropes Are Not Bad]] is in full effect here, because many fans agree with this, that trying to build off the '10s status quo only made for an even bigger dork age, and Hickman was wise to just ignore it.

* Vice President Editorial of DC Comics Dan [=DiDio=] dislikes {{legacy character}}s because he thinks having a character that is defined by another complicates things too much for potential new readers. This is fair enough reasoning for his Wally West Flash distaste, preferring he not be in focus because he is a part of a legacy, but he was also behind the canning of the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, which had been running strong for 28 months after its {{revival}} and was producing popular {{spinoff}}s while pushing successors to JSA characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen because he was a fan of the Silver Age but the Golden Age was before his time. Despite establishing how the DC multiverse would function, ''Flash Of Two Worlds'' made it clear Barry Allen knew who Jay Garrick was, and was inspired to become The Flash because of him. This was
{{retcon}}ned out, but by that same logic Wally West's legacy character status could just as easily be retconned away. [=DiDio=] did allow the Justice Society characters a place in New 52's "Earth 2", but not without liberal re imagining that tended to alter the nature of their powers and turned them all into hip twenty somethings.

* Played with in ''Webcomic/MSPaintAdventures''. While the crux of the site is that its fans are the ones driving the story beats, it's ultimately Hussie that decides where these plots go. After he closed the suggestion box partway into ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', fans got their influence in another way through either joining the official staff or having strong enough {{Fanon}} to be considered by the fans on the team. Invoked in ''Webcomic/Homestuck2'', which builds off of ''Literature/TheHomestuckEpilogues''' themes of what can be considered canon to a narrative. In a complete inverse to the site's beginnings, fans of the series make up almost the entire staff of the comic, with ''Hussie'' being the one handing out the plot beat suggestions.

* The famous ''ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied'' is often accused of being a vehicle for Gerry Conway to [[DieForOurShip kill Gwen so that Peter could hook up with Conway's preferred girlfriend]], [[Characters/MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson Mary Jane Watson]]. In reality, a graphic novel compilation of the original Clone Saga says the idea of killing [[Characters/SpiderManLoveInterests Gwen Stacy]] was already bandied about when he became the writer, and he was simply the guy who executed it. He admits that he thought Mary Jane was a better love interest for Peter, but more to the point, felt that the death of beloved Gwen Stacy would be another defining moment for a character defined by tragedy. As he says, "tragedy and pathos are meat and potatoes to a guy like me."

** ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' is a particularly loathed example of Running the Asylum, with editor in chief Creator/JoeQuesada being 24 when [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Spider-Man]] got married and [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks hating that Spidey got changed from when he was a kid]]. Apparently everyone else who has read and enjoyed Spider-Man within the past twenty years [[NoTrueScotsman don't count as real fans]], since they want the case to be "Spidey grows old and dies off". That was a direct quote from Quesada.

* While we're at it, let's consider Characters/{{Wolverine|JamesLoganHowlett}}'s ridiculous PowerCreepPowerSeep over the years--his HealingFactor going from a simple neck wound being potentially lethal to coming back [[FromASingleCell from being burned down to his adamantium bones]]--and consider that this is what happens [[PopularityPower when childhood fans join up and power-boost their favorite character]].

** Robert Kirkman: ComicBook/{{Onslaught}}, Characters/{{Cable|NathanSummers}}, Stryfe. ''Anime/DragonballZ'' also has a distinct influence on ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}''.

* [[Characters/UltimateSpiderManMilesMorales Miles Morales]]: Saladin Ahmed is the first writer of Miles Morales after his creator Creator/BrianMichaelBendis left Marvel. In reference to that, he said "I've not spoken to Bendis, but he is absolutely brilliant, and his writing was one of the things that brought me back to super hero comics after years away. So of course there's some intimidation factor. But ultimately you have to just respect the work and creation of those who came before you while still being confident enough to put your own stamp on the stuff. Superheroes are myths built with layers of story. If other creators hadn't gone on to help define Peter Parker after Lee and Ditko, we wouldn't have the Spider-Man we know and love today".
* ArchEnemy of the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' Doctor Doom owes a fair bit to this trope. He was already a villain with a lot going for him. Then as he dodged losses via Doombot and gained some PowerCreepPowerSeep, fans really starting bolstering up his reputations and the writers began to buy what they were selling. The result is that Doom is treated as an unstoppable force whom readers think should be allowed to TakeOverTheWorld because he'd be the best for it.

* Vice President Editorial of DC Comics Dan [=DiDio=] dislikes {{legacy character}}s because he thinks having a character that is defined by another complicates things too much for potential new readers. This is fair enough reasoning for his Wally West Flash distaste, preferring he not be in focus because he is a part of a legacy, but he was also behind the canning of the Justice Society Of America, which had been running strong for 28 months after its {{revival}} and was producing popular {{spinoff}}s while pushing successors to JSA characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen because he was a fan of the Silver Age but the Golden Age was before his time. He did give the Justice Society Characters a place in New 52's "Earth 2", albeit with some liberal re imagining that tended to alter the nature of their powers and turned them all into hip twenty somethings.

* Creator/MarvelComics got into this a bit slower (Timely Comics' ''Marvel Comics #1'' started one year later than Detective Comics' ''Action Comics #1'' and only a handful of the earliest Timely work got incorporated in the "Marvel Universe" Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko crafted roughly twenty years later while the DCU leaned a lot more heavily on early material as well as contemporary work to it appropriated from competing companies DC crushed), but it's definitely there. Stuff like ''ComicBook/AvengersForever'' is sometimes referred to as "ContinuityPorn".

* This has been happening on an industry-wide level since the late [[UsefulNotes/TheEighties 80's]], heralded by the growth of ''[[Creator/{{Gainax}} Studio Gainax]]'': a studio founded by a group of anime & tokusatsu-loving Otaku, including ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' creator Creator/HideakiAnno. This has continued on to the modern generation of animators & mangaka, which has led to the popularisation of the [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Isekai]] genre in the past decade.

* Creator/MarvelComics got into this a bit slower (Timely Comics' ''Motion Picture Funnies: Marvel Comics #1'' started one year later than Detective Comics' ''Action Comics #1'' and only a handful of the earliest Timely work got incorporated in the "Marvel Universe" Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko crafted roughly twenty years later while the DCU leaned a lot more heavily on early DC material as well as existing work appropriated from competing companies DC crushed), but it's definitely there. Stuff like ''ComicBook/AvengersForever'' is sometimes referred to as "ContinuityPorn".

* As ''The Kingdom'' (Mike Zeck, Mark Waid), ''Convergence'' (Ethan Van Sciver, Jeff King, Dan Jurgens), ''Dark Knights: Death Metal''(Greg Capullo, Scott Synder), ''Infinite Frontier'' and ''Dark Crisis'' have made clear, there are a lot of writers at DC Comic who have been waiting to tell ''their'' story that undoes ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' basically since it happened and aren't going to let paltry facts like a previous writer or three getting the chance to undo it before they did get in their way. Infinite Frontier and Dark Crisis in particular show that Joshua Williamson had to reverse the events of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' twice before he got it out of his system.

* Vice President Editorial of DC Comics Dan [=DiDio=] dislikes {{legacy character}}s because he thinks having a character that is defined by another complicates things too much for potential new readers. This is fair enough reasoning for his Wally West Flash distaste, preferring he not be in focus because he is a part of a legacy, but he was also behind the canning of the Justice Society Of America, which had been running strong for 28 months after its {{revival}} and was producing popular {{spinoff}}s while pushing successors to JSA characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen because he was a fan of the Silver Age but the Golden Age was before his time. He did give the Justice Society Characters a place in New 52's "Earth 2", albeit with some liberal reimagining.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, WeatherManipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NinetiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor[[note]]In terms of being gruff and bitter anyway. DC Writers didn't have the courage to turn Aquaman into a sexual predator, murderer, or even make him as arrogant as Namor[[/note]] and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excel in situations the character didn't have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Vice President Editioral of DC Comics Dan [=DiDio=] dislikes {{legacy character}}s because he thinks having a character that is defined by another complicates things too much for potential new readers. This is fair enough reasoning for his Wally West distate, preferring he not be in focus because he is a part of a legacy, but he was also behind the canning of the Justice Society Of America, which had been running strong for 28 months after its {{revival}} and was producing popular {{spinoff}}s while pushing successors to JSA characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen because he was a fan of the Silver Age but the Golden Age was before his time.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NinetiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor[[note]]In terms of being gruff and bitter anyway. DC Writers didn't have the courage to turn Aquaman into sexual predator, murderer, or even make him as arrogant as Namor[[/note]] and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excel in situations the character didn't have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NinetiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor[[note:In terms of being gruff and bitter anyway. DC Writers didn't have the courage to have Aquaman engage in sexual predation and murder, or even make him as arrogant as Namor[[/note]] and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excel in situations the character didn't even have any logical business being in just because they like him.
* Comicbook/{{Batman}} was fairly gritty and serious during his earliest years of publication, but gradually got more comedic and lighthearted as the decades went on, especially after ''Seduction Of The Innocent'' lead to the establishment of the comics code and the Silver Age of Comic Books where virtually everything was sanitized. Suffice to say, there were a lot of Batman fans who didn't like this, and have been trying to move him "back" to being gritty, brooding and gothic ever since. Alan Moore has flat out admitted "The Killing Joke" was a drastic over correction and that Batman was never supposed to be ''that'' disturbing. To Moore's [[MagnumOpusDissonance disgust]] "The Killing Joke" was lauded as a landmark Batman story by fans, who proceeded to make Batman and Gotham City even heavier, drearier and more depressing as they became DC Comics writers.
* Several of the primary architects of the modern DCU are fans of the Silver and Bronze Ages and slowly brought aspects of those eras back into the zeitgeist. This includes:

* As ''The Kingdom'' (Mike Zeck, Mark Waid), ''Convergence'' (Ethan Van Sciver, Jeff King, Dan Jurgens), ''Dark Knights: Death Metal''(Greg Capullo, Scott Synder), ''Infinite Frontier'' and ''Dark Crisis'' have made clear, there are a lot of writers at DC Comic who have been waiting to tell ''their'' story that undoes ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' basically since it happened and aren't going to let paltry facts like a previous writer or three getting the chance to undo it before they got the chance to get in their way. Infinite Frontier and Dark Crisis in particular show that Joshua Williamson had to reverse the events of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' twice before he got it out of his system.
* Throughout the Post Crisis and New 52 continuities Silver Age characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen tended to be pushed front and center while their golden age predecessors like Alan Scott and Jay Garrick, as well as their iron age successors like Kyle Rayner and Wally West tended to get pushed to the outskirts. This was mostly related to do Geoff Johns being a fan of the Silver Age, Jordan and Allen being his favorites in particular, and Johns ascending to Chief Creative Officer of DC.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NinetiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor[[note:In terms of being gruff anyway. DC Writers didn't have the courage to have Aquaman engage in sexual predation and murder, or even make him as arrogant as Namor[[/note]] and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excell in situations the character didn't even have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NinetiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excell in situations the character didn't even have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" Aquaman is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NinetiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excell in situations the character didn't even have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" Aquaman is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[{{90sAntiHero}} even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excell in situations the character didn't even have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" Aquaman is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Franchise/CthulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[90sAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excell in situations the character didn't even have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Most of DC's super powered characters have been bumped up over the years to keep from being completely overshadowed by Superman, from Wonder Woman gaining unaided flight, to The Flash's Speed Force skills, to The Green Lantern Corps losing their yellow weakness to Plastic Man's various [[NoSell immunities]] but there is a particular focus on "proving" Aquaman is really awesome out of a fandom inferiority complex that came from ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperFriends'' cartoon portraying the character as nigh useless. Aquaman's been given mechanical limbs, water magic, healing magic, weather manipulation, had his telepathy extended to land and even alien life, been given command of sea monsters right out of the Literature/CtulhuMythos, even SuperEmpowering abilities all in the name of combating the negative image not from comic books but from his portrayal in a completely different medium. Aquman's original goofy origin was also changed to a grittier one lifted straight out of ''ComicBook/{{Submariner}}'', while being given an [[NintiesAntiHero even more hardcore attitude]] than his Marvel predecessor and ManlyFacialHair, to ensure everyone would know Aquaman is to be taken seriously. Ron Marz and Peter David even admitted to having Aquaman excell in situations the character didn't even have any logical business being in just because they like him.

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a HeavyWorlder, [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter in reverse]], a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the [[NeverLiveItDown much mocked]] "super ventriloquism" and "reverse the Earth's spin {{time travel}}" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands were getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman use their suggested powers either and so new abilities [[SerialEscalation just kept coming up]], [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as Comicbook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and [[ExtradimensionalPowerSource extradimensional energy absorption]]. Well into the 2020s fans showed no sign of ceasing to write DC about things Superman hasn't done yet that they want to see explored, and it has been all editorial can do to keep Superman at ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' [[PowerOfTheSun solar powered]] FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range. Fans often joke that ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was written ''solely'' to {{depower}} Superman. On the otherhand, ''The Adventures of Superman'' story ''Strange Visitor'' was written to show exactly what would happen if the SerialEscalation of new powers and ever increasing feats was allowed to run unchecked.
* Comicbook/{{Batman}} was fairly gritty and serious during his earliest years of publication, but gradually got more comedic and light hearted as the decades went on, especially after ''Seduction Of The Innocent'' lead to the establishment of the comics code and the Silver Age of Comic Books where virtually everything was sanitized. Suffice to say, there were a lot of Batman fans who didn't like this, and have been trying to move him "back" to being gritty, brooding and gothic ever since. Alan Moore has flat out admitted "The Killing Joke" was a drastic over correction and that Batman was never supposed to be ''that'' disturbing. To Moore's [[MagnumOpusDissonance disgust]] "The Killing Joke" was lauded as a landmark Batman story by fans, who proceeded to make Batman and Gotham City even heavier, drearier and more depressing as they became DC Comics writers.

** After the DarkerAndEdgier [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2011 Volume 4]]'s laser focus on Myth/ClassicalMythology, ''ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth'' and ''ComicBook/WonderWomanInfiniteFrontier'' seem intent on not just bringing back as much as they can from the Post Crisis Wonder Woman run, such as Artemis of Bana-Mighdall and Captain of Hippolyta's guard Philippus but also restoring some times that ''weren't'' in Post Crisis, such as removing Nubia from limbo while and removing her newer powers instead making her roughly equal to Diana as she had been in The Silver Age, bringing back Atalanta, who also had been absent since the Silver Age, undoing Antiope's PostHumousCharacter status and bringing back "The Amazons Of The Amazon", [[ReTool albeit no longer as a splinter lead by Atalanta.]] ''Comicbook/WonderWoman2023'' is even revisited ''Comicbook/AmazonsAttack'', of all things. There has been [[ArmedWithCanon some push back]], as not everyone in the Asylum wants to throw out New 52 entirely.
** ComicBook/DarkCrisis, which had been painting SupportingProtagonist of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'', Pariah, as such an [[GoMadFromTheIsolation insane villain]] he [[HijackingCthulhu corrupted The Great Darkness]] that [[TheWorfEffect periodically curbstomps Darkseid]] into serving him [[VillainDecay just by noticing it]], concluded in February 2023 with the ''entire'' original DC Multiverse as it was first solidified in ''The Flash Of Two Worlds'' back, [[ResetButton no questions asked]]! That infinitely expanding multiverse established in ComicBook/DCInfiniteFrontier that should have made this crisis crossover and [[CharacterDerailment character assassination]] redundant was [[ContinuitySnarl all lies]]! Thank one Joshua Williamson. The event did receive critial praise on the front of focusing primarily on lesser used DC Characters and pushing most of the more commonly used heroes and villains aside, however.

** As ''The Kingdom'' (Mike Zeck, Mark Waid), ''Convergence'' (Ethan Van Sciver, Jeff King, Dan Jurgens), ''Dark Knights: Death Metal''(Greg Capullo, Scott Synder), ''Infinite Frontier'' and ''Dark Crisis'' have made clear, there are a lot of writers at DC Comic who have been waiting to tell ''their'' story that undoes ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' basically since it happened and aren't going to let paltry facts like a previous writer or three getting the chance to undo it before they got the chance to get in their way. Infinite Frontier and Dark Crisis in particular show that Joshua Williamson had to reverse the events of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' twice before he got it out of his system.

* Throughout the Post Crisis and New 52 continuities Silver Age characters like Hal Jordan and Barry Allen tended to be pushed front and center while their golden age predecessors like Alan Scott and Jay Garrick, as well as their iron age successors like Kyle Rayner and Wally West tended to get pushed to the outskirts. This was mostly related to do
Geoff Johns being a fan of the Silver Age, Jordan and Allen being his favorites in particular, and Johns ascending to Chief Creative Officer of DC.

** As ''The Kingdom'' (Mike Zeck, Mark Waid), ''Convergence'' (Ethan Van Sciver, Jeff King, Dan Jurgens), ''Dark Knights: Death Metal''(Greg Capullo, Scott Synder), ''Infinite Frontier'' and ''Dark Crisis'' have made clear, there are a lot of writers at DC Comic who have been waiting to tell ''their'' story that undoes ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'' basically since it happened and aren't going to let paltry facts like a previous writer or three getting the chance to undo it before they got the chance to get in their way. Infinite Frontier and Dark Crisis in particular show that Joshua Williamson had to reverse the events of ''Crisis On Infinte Earths'' twice before he got it out of his system.

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a HeavyWorlder, [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter in reverse]], a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the [[NeverLiveItDown much mocked]] "super ventriloquism" and "reverse the Earth's spin {{time travel}}" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands were getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman use their suggested powers either and so new abilities [[SerialEscalation just kept coming up]], [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as Comicbook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and [[ExtradimensionalPowerSource extradimensional energy absorption]]. Well into the 2020s fans showed no sign of ceasing to write DC about things Superman hasn't done yet that they want to see explored, and it has been all editorial can do to keep Superman at ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' [[PowerOfTheSun solar powered]] FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range. Fans often joke that ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was written ''solely'' to {{depower}} Superman.

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a HeavyWorlder, [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter in reverse]], a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the [[NeverLiveItDown much mocked]] "super ventriloquism" and "reverse the Earth's spin {{time travel}}" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands were getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman use their suggested powers either and so new abilities [[SerialEscalation just kept coming up]], [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as Comicbook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and [[ExtradimensionalPowerSource extradimensional energy absorption]]. Well into the 2020s there are still fans writing DC about things Superman hasn't done yet they want to see explored, and it is all editorial can do to ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' keep Superman at [[PowerOfTheSun solar powered]] FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range. Fans often joke that ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was written ''solely'' to depower Superman.

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a HeavyWorlder, [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter in reverse]], a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the much mocked "super ventrioquism", "reverse the Earth's spin time travel" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands were getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman uses their suggested powers either and so new abilities just kept coming up, [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as Comicbook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and extradimensional energy absorption. It's all editorial can do to ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' keep Superman at solar powered FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range.
* Comicbook/{{Batman}} was fairly gritty and serious during his earliest years of publication, but gradually got more comedic and light hearted as the decades went on, especially after ''Seduction Of The Innocent'' lead to the establishment of the comics code and the Silver Age of Comic Books where virtually everything was sanitized. Suffice to say, there were a lot of Batman fans who didn't like this, and have been trying to move him "back" to being gritty, brooding and gothic ever since. Alan Moore has flat out admitted "The Killing Joke" was a drastic overcorrection and that Batman was never supposed to be ''that'' disturbing. To Moore's [[MagnumOpusDissonance disgust]] "The Killing Joke" was lauded as a landmark Batman story by fans, who proceeded to make Batman and Gotham City even heavier, drearier and more depressing as they became DC Comics writers.

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a HeavyWorlder, [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter in reverse]], a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the much mocked "super ventrioquism", "reverse the Earth's spin time travel" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands was getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman uses their suggested powers either and so new abilities just kept coming up, [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as Comicbook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and extradimensional energy absorption. It's all editorial can do to ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' keep Superman at solar powered FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range.