I am sick to death of the continuity trap. Way too many fans are getting way too hung up on the tiny details, and the errors that creep in from time to time. The situation is worsened by sloppy writing and editing. Characters aren't the possession of one, or even a handful of writers any more. Dave Sim's Cerberus is the only semi-well known example I can think more than a few years old that's still being written by its creator. No, each writer has his or her own ideas, and sooner or later, some of those ideas may conflict with history. Given those circumstances, continuity errors are bound to creep in.

That having been said-- it amazes me how many people let themselves get hung up on the details-- big or small-- and miss some damn good stories!

It's as if continuity were the lone criteria for story worth. Any tale that violates the tiniest detail of superhero canon is judged crap.

These folks are missing the forest for the trees. They're missing the whole point of the story-- that it's just a story. Why can't THAT be the determining factor? Was it a good read? Did it hold my interest? Are the characters speaking and behaving realistically? Was it true to the myth that stands behind the best of comic writing. So what if there's an inconsistency here or there? I want a story that reaches out and grabs my imagination, forcing me to look at a character or situation in a way I never have before.

Did anyone REALLY sit up nights wondering about the inconsistencies implied in Abin Sur's crashed space ship-- when everybody KNOWS that Green Lanterns don't need space ships? I think not! That detail was unimportant compared to finding out what trouble Hal would find himself in next.

To be completely fair, though, I will admit the continuity cops have helped clear up many--NOT ALL-- cases where we'd get little or no explanation for a big change in direction-- like when a new writer would come into a book and change our hero's supporting cast-- or even their entire profession. (Barbara Gordon--librarian or Congresswoman? Hal Jordan--test pilot or toy salesman? And Ollie Queen -- journalist?)

Yes, I think writers and editors should do their homework, but let's not judge stories by how well the writer adheres to the past. It's that very mentality that has tempted writers and editors to give up, and re-write history. No more shoe-horning stories into an already crowded continuity. Why should we? Instead, let's do a little retconning, ignore the mistakes of the past and start with a clean slate!

But there's only one problem with that idea.

I don't like retcons.

In comics, we're dealing with stories-- made up stories-- of heroes and villains. That's all. At heart, we want to read about the good guys taking on the bad guys and kicking ass. It's no wonder that superheroes have dominated the market for so long. Superheroes are just like us-- with a little extra something to make them super-- but they still know good from bad. They still choose right over wrong. They're still heroes.

That they battle aliens and supervillains and would-be world conquerors instead of rescuing kittens from trees doesn't matter. At their core, superheroes are just like you and me-- if we had the power to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Put another way, they really ARE you and me-- raised to mythic proportions.

That's an important point. We really are dealing with something larger than life. Something mythic, where the details aren't as important as the underlying concepts. Good versus Evil. And on that level, every so often, the best of comics can resonate with a light that's pure and shining and undeniable. Retcons muddy all that. At worst, they can wipe out the myth that forms the cornerstone for our enjoyment. It's almost as if Evil really DID triumph when the heroes, situations and even plots of past stories are forced to change around a new retcon.

That's wrong. We're forced to give up too much; tear down some of the past that our present enjoyment is built on.

I don't care what Timothy Truman says, Katar and Shiera Hol came to earth from Thanagar to study police work, and eventually joined the JLA. Time may not pass in the DC universe, but Superman still revealed his secret identity to J.F.K. Don't tell me it didn't happen. The Truth of it, the RIGHTNESS of the story is what matters, not what some writer or editor thinks later.

Be careful what you wish for when you start complaining about the nit-picky details. Crisis On Infinite Earths was intended to clear up 50 years of continuity mistakes, and look at this short list of what it cost us:

Wonder Woman in the JLofA.
Barry Allen.
Kara Zor-El.
Police Commissioner Bruce Wayne.
Joe Kubert's Hawkman.
The Bottled City of Kandor.
A grown-up Robin in the JSA.
A Flash of Two Worlds.
Batman's Daughter.
Red, White and Blue Kryptonite.
The Annual JLA/JSA Team-up.
The Adventures of Superman When He Was a Boy!

It's enough to make you cry.

I don't understand why fans let retcons deny the classic stories that made the medium great. Sure, it's hard to defend the Batman in outer space stories from the 50's, but tell me you don't miss the thought of Krypto and Superboy, playing fetch in the asteroid belt? Some ideas, some tales, some comic books resonate with a life of their own. They reflect something greater than the four-color newsprint they're printed on.

For us, comics are markers on our road of life. The same fascination with Superman or Batman that can inspire us to be a better person, can also remind us of where we've been. Comics are part of us, and we're part of them. Don't let anyone take those pieces of our past away-- even if they tell you they're retconning your memories for your own good.

So. Thus endeth the lecture. I'll put the soapbox away.