Previous Post with a fellow named... well let's just call him "Steve." Steve was certainly an amicable enough sport. We talked about the upcoming holidays and our plans. Comics were a topic of coversation. He and I discussed the current state of both our pull lists, of whether or not comics will die out because of trades and digital downloads, and each one of us recommended series that have been collected to consider. It was all very amicable. Until we started to discuss the Parodyverse, and Steve made some comments that were striking in their tenor. He mused about "Hatman" being "killed off." Words like "straight man" and "no character development" were used. I was stunned. Then appalled. Then angry. My rage, if not white hot, was a definite off-white. Ecru, maybe. Or Mother of Pearl. I furiously pointed out a couple of great things about our Capped Crusader to Steve, things I'll post later in this thread. But what I want to do first is turn to you, readers and writers of the PVB, and have you share your own thoughts on what makes Hatty irreplaceable in the Parodyverse. What he does that no other hero can, and what he could do that no other hero couldn't to make him even greater. So please, take a few minutes and let Steve know why Hatman rocks. Because, you know, he'd do it for you.

I see where "Steve" is coming from, I've been there m'self. I barely ever found my own character any fun to write, and other people took him further, and in more interesting directions, than I would've if left alone.

Hatman, though, he's different. I get that this "Steve" may think Hatty's just the Riley Finn of the Parodyverse-- the rock-solid Canadian farm-boy type of superhero who will never let you down but whom others may find boring because he's so damn good and proper and upright. But that's because he's a hero's hero, and some good guys just have to be that dang good.

Hatty's a friend to many and a hero to all. He's just a stand-up guy. Maybe that makes him boring, but I think it makes him a hero in the classic vein. Also, he's got the best damn power gimmick of any superhero ever-- not just in the Parodyverse, but anywhere. It's brilliant.

Maybe Hatty just has to go evil for a bit. That always spices things up. Maybe he just needs to develop a tragic flaw, or a cause to fight for, or some sort of new twist to what makes him tick. But I've always liked Hatman, and I always thought he filled an excellent role in the 'verse: he's the guy that made it, the guy groomed into being one of the best superheroes around. Maybe he's got to fall back down and climb back up in order to realize just what that meant to him. Hmm.

I wouldn't kill him off, though. This "Steve" sounds as bloodthirsty as Dan DiDio.