"Nostalgia is Masturbation"

[Beta Ray Bill Cosby]

I in no way would intentionally misquote any of you guys in your own forum and would never do it to use those words in a negative way. With the passion so many comic book fans have, being misquoted can get way out of hand. I'm sorry to all three of you guys if it was taken that way.

I don't think anyone misquotes us intentionally, I just pointed it out because it happens frequently in threads like these. No harm done.

But going back to the topic, as always I recommend that readers vote with their wallets, the clearest message you can send is to not buy the book that swapped out your Asian Atom.

[Armaan]

I am not very good at following the thread, so I hope you'll forgive me for it. Hopefully.

I like writing stories, and sometimes when I'm stuck, or when I'm not, or just when I'm feeling what I'm doing right NOW sucks, I look back at my old stuff and say, "Damn. That was GOOD STUFF" - and it's sometimes stuff that's not in my current writing anymore. So I try to recreate a sense of the old, because it was good and I see no reason why we can't have more of it. I guess when you have as wide a readership as DC does and I don't(yet) there IS kind of fear of selfishness you have to be weary of.
Is being nostalgic selfish? Possibly. But isn't ANY good writing selfish? I can't see ANY writer who turns out good stuff writing things that, while he hopes the fans like, are ultimately things HE likes. Everything a good writer writes is something that excites him, otherwise the writing kinda turns out... dead.
Being ABLE to bring his favorite character back to life must have excited him to a HUGE extent. I mean, I'm putting myself in his shoes for a second, if someone killed spiderman say, oh, in a few months in the Fear Itself crossover and then one day, when I was thirty something and Parker had been dead for AGES, replaced by, I dunno, that nerdy kid in the science class he taught(I think it was Joey) and I got to bring him back... it would seem perfect. It would seem like too much of a good idea to even think that other people would disagree with it.
Yeah. It would be masturbation level excitement to be able to do that, no matter HOW many people loved the new Joey.
And with the limitlessness of comics(seriously. With all the stuff that's possible to happen, there really is NO reason ANYbody has to stay dead), bringing back an old respected hero to life actually seems kinda inevitable.

[Fizzy]

I think its good to have nostalgia. Looking back fondly, through rose tinted glasses, on things that have given us pleasure is a positive thing in my view. As is masturbation.

I do not think either should be forced on other people. 

[Blackthunder01]

Nothing is being forced on people.  You always have the opportunity to walk away from something if you don't like the direction it's taking.  Take for example:  Grant Morrison's run on Batman.  I TOTALLY walked away from this despite my love for Batman as a character.  Many people would argue that Grant Morrison is nothing but nostalgia in many cases (with constantly referencing the past and using the past stories to tell new ones; coughBatmanRIPcough).  I had the choice to walk away.  Did it piss me off and bum me out that I couldn't read the Batman that I wanted to read?  You bet.  But life goes on and since then I've found new things to replace them with.  I can hope that one day comics will go back to what I expect, but I'm sure by that point, people will call it overly nostalgic and walk away from it like I did.

When you get to the core of it thought, I don't think society can function with a heavy nostalgic influence.  The past has often made people look to the future.  If the people at Pixar weren't nostalgic for their childhoods then Toy Story would have never revolutionized CG film.

[Fizzy]

I was not saying that it was being forced on people, just that it shouldn't be.

As for society functioning and a heavy nostalgic influence? Nostalgia and historical references are littered throughout societal evolution. Look at the White House for example. It has references to classical Greek and Roman architecture and not by any accident. It emanates a message to a fledgeling nation that it is a building of power and influence, suggesting that the young USA is going to become as great an empire/country/nation as those ancient civilisations. A reference to the past, to indicate a future destination.

Also the Washington Monument, is an obelisk (Egyptian reference) and it looks like a big weener.

Full circle here I think. 

[@lantis]

Look at the White House for example. It has references to classical Greek and Roman architecture and not by any accident. It emanates a message to a fledgeling nation that it is a building of power and influence, suggesting that the young USA is going to become as great an empire/country/nation as those ancient civilisations. A reference to the past, to indicate a future destination.

That's not really what they were evoking with the architecture.  They chose that style so that when it was seen people would think of democracy because of Greece and a republic because of Rome.  It was a testament to the style of government it housed, not a show of power or hope to become a mighty country.  I only correct you because I think that it better suits the point you were making about society relying on nostalgia.

When people see a government building with Greek columns they assume it is going to be a democratic one just because that's what Greece was known for.

[Fizzy]

I can accept that. Good point, well made.

[The Mighty King Cobra]

Specifically, I was referring to annoying things like "Barry Allen is the only true Flash" or "I won't be reading any (insert team) title that doesn't have (insert members) in it." 

Comics are relatively unique in that they never get a third act.  There's no "end" to most comics, and even when there is, it's usually temporary.  Moreover, since nearly all the creators were fans first, there are a lot of callbacks and retro touches and "back to basics" approaches in play.

Rodrigo nailed it on the head:  It's the selfish kind of nostalgia that bothers me the most, wherein creators fingerprints are clearly visible on the paper-thin plot that does nothing more than fulfill fanboy fantasies and urges.  As much as I love the Volume 4 Legion's high points, one has to admit that it's basically the Adventure Comics-era LSH with a few writer-created characters inserted, for a very fan-fiction feel overall.