I can think of at least two exceptions, Bosda.
It seems to me that Spider-Man has a pretty good record of going after muggers and other small-time crooks. Daredevil is committed to ridding Hell’s Kitchen of pushers and pimps. Both characters’ histories have large supporting casts of ordinary folks.
And then there’s the Punisher…
I’m not so sure that’s accurate Bosda. There may be a grain of truth to that, I think there is a real difference here depends on which series. The X-Men comics are more isolated, like the X-Men themsewlves, into their own little world, and they often deal with things “internally”.
Of course, Spider-Man’s villians are usually super-powered idiots, whereas he wouldn’t stand a chance if some of his baddies were reasonably intelligent (which is part of the tragedy, I suppose)
The way I see it, DC is written looking down, Marvel looking up.
In DC, the heroes are idolized, loved and generally respected and admired, although probably also feared and disliked by some for “taking the law into their own hands.” However, the effects of their efforts are so obvious that their worth can’t really be denied. The public’s reaction to them generally isn’t mentioned, and doesn’t affect them. If the average guy doesn’t like a new JLA member, for example, it doesn’t really change anything or influence them.
In Marvel. the heroes for the most part are seen as being the lowest of the low, many constantly talked against and maligned. They are dependent upon and subject to the feelings and pressures of the masses, and must react to them. The average guy’ ideas and feelings about mutants, for example, are and have been important, as opposed to their feelings about Green Lantern, say.
Whew!
Eh? Dr. Octopus, the Vulture, Mysterio, Venom, the Green Goblin are idiots?
Well, maybe Venom. And someone’s gotta call the fashion police on the whole bunch of 'em, but that’s another rant altogether.
You’re right that those guys are pretty smart. I didn’t think of them, and should have.
Let me rephrase myself: Some of his potentally most powerful villians are idiots.
I was thinking more of the Sandman, Electro, and my new favorite, for reasons I really can’t express (or understand), Hydro-Man. The guys, who, if they had half a brain, could probably be unstoppable. Instead, they knock over banks and rob armored cars. The tragedy I was thinking of is that there are guys who have all of this power, and yet are basically dumb thugs at heart, who waste their abilities on small-time crime.