The Event-Driven Dilemma in Modern Comics

The Event-Driven Dilemma in Modern Comics: How Marvel and DC’s Focus on Events Undermines Individual Storytelling, and the Rise of Independent Publishers

Over the past few decades, mainstream comics have increasingly focused on large, sprawling "events" that span multiple titles, often at the expense of individual storytelling. Both Marvel and DC Comics have become notorious for their frequent crossover events, where narratives are constructed to intersect across numerous titles, necessitating a reader to follow not just a single story but an entire universe of interrelated plots. While these events can attract attention, generate sales, and build hype, they have also led to a fundamental problem: a weakening of the standalone storytelling that once defined comic book excellence.

In contrast, independent comic publishers like Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics have largely avoided this event-centric model, allowing creators to focus on telling cohesive, self-contained stories without the constraints of massive crossover narratives. This essay will explore how the shift toward event-driven storytelling at Marvel and DC has impacted the quality of their work, while highlighting how independent comics are flourishing by emphasizing narrative and creative freedom.

The Evolution of Event-Driven Storytelling in Marvel and DC

In the early days of superhero comics, stories were largely episodic. Characters like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four had their adventures neatly contained within the pages of their respective titles. While there were instances of characters crossing over—Spider-Man might team up with Daredevil, or Batman with Superman—these occurrences were usually brief and didn't require knowledge of multiple titles to fully appreciate.

However, by the 1980s, Marvel and DC both began experimenting with larger, universe-spanning events. Marvel's Secret Wars (1984-1985) is often cited as one of the first major crossover events, bringing together a vast array of heroes and villains in a shared narrative. Likewise, DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985-1986) aimed to streamline their convoluted continuity by collapsing multiple universes into one cohesive whole. These events were wildly successful, both critically and commercially, leading the major publishers to adopt event-driven storytelling as a central marketing strategy.

Initially, these events felt special. They provided opportunities for characters to interact in ways that weren't normally possible within their own books, and they gave readers the sense that something monumental was happening in the larger universe. However, as these events became more frequent, their narrative importance began to erode. By the 2000s, both Marvel and DC were relying heavily on annual or even semi-annual crossover events to maintain reader interest, sometimes at the expense of the individual titles themselves.

The Modern Marvel and DC Event Problem

In today's comic landscape, the frequency of events at Marvel and DC has reached a point where the distinction between regular storytelling and event storytelling has become blurred. Major events like Marvel’s Civil War (2006), Secret Invasion (2008), and Infinity (2013), or DC’s Final Crisis (2008), Flashpoint (2011), and Dark Nights: Metal (2017), have dominated the narrative landscape for years. These events have enormous consequences for characters, frequently altering the status quo, resetting storylines, or even rebooting entire universes.

The problem, however, is that these events require massive buy-in from readers. To fully understand the consequences of an event, one often needs to read numerous tie-in issues across a wide range of titles. For example, Marvel’s Secret Wars (2015) event spanned multiple miniseries, one-shots, and core issues, making it almost impossible for a casual reader to keep up without dedicating a significant amount of time and money. Events like these force ongoing series to shift focus, often derailing individual character arcs in favor of pushing the larger narrative.

For writers and artists working on these books, the demands of a crossover event can be creatively stifling. Individual storylines are frequently put on hold or reshaped to fit into the larger event narrative. A character's development in their own title can be interrupted by an event, forcing the writer to shift gears and incorporate elements they might not have planned for. This often results in rushed storylines, character inconsistencies, and a feeling that the event is more important than the characters themselves.

For example, in Marvel’s Civil War II (2016), the conflict between Iron Man and Captain Marvel overtook much of the Marvel Universe, and numerous ongoing titles were forced to incorporate the event’s themes. As a result, individual titles felt like afterthoughts, as characters like Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, and Black Panther were swept up in a conflict that was not of their making. The consequences of the event lingered for years, reshaping character relationships and team dynamics in ways that sometimes felt artificial or rushed.

Similarly, DC’s Flashpoint (2011) event led to the reboot of their entire universe into the "New 52," fundamentally altering characters and their histories. While this reboot initially generated excitement, it also caused confusion and dissatisfaction among longtime readers who felt that their favorite characters were being rewritten for the sake of maintaining a cohesive event-driven universe. The constant focus on resetting or altering universes through events has led to what many call "event fatigue," where readers grow weary of the never-ending cycle of universe-altering narratives.

The Consequences of Event Fatigue

This constant bombardment of crossover events has led to several negative consequences for both creators and readers.

1. Diminished Character Development: Characters in event-driven stories often feel like pawns, moving in service of the larger narrative. Because these events are designed to be "game-changers" for the universe, individual character arcs are often subordinated to the needs of the overarching plot. As a result, characters may behave inconsistently, their motivations becoming muddled in the context of the larger event. For instance, the character of Captain Marvel in Civil War II was depicted as a rigid authoritarian, a sharp contrast from her more nuanced characterization in her solo series.

2. Creative Stifling: Writers and artists are frequently forced to adjust their plans to accommodate these massive events. Even if a creator has a long-term story arc planned for a character, they may be required to pause or alter it to fit the needs of the event. This can lead to rushed storytelling and a lack of cohesion across titles. For instance, Tom King's run on Batman was interrupted by the Heroes in Crisis event, forcing the writer to adjust character arcs to fit into the larger narrative, with mixed results.

3. Barriers to Entry: The complexity and interconnectedness of modern comics make it difficult for new readers to jump in. If a potential new reader picks up a random issue of X-Men during an event like Age of X-Man (2019), they might feel lost or overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters and plotlines. The necessity of reading multiple titles to understand a single event often creates a barrier for casual readers, potentially turning them away from the medium altogether.

Independent Comics: A Haven for Individual Storytelling

While Marvel and DC have increasingly focused on event-driven storytelling, independent publishers like Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics have avoided this pitfall. Independent comics are more likely to focus on self-contained, creator-driven narratives, free from the constraints of shared universes or massive crossover events.

One of the biggest advantages that independent comics have is their focus on individual storytelling. Rather than being beholden to the larger needs of a corporate-owned universe, creators at Image or Dark Horse are free to tell the stories they want to tell, often with greater narrative depth and character development.

A perfect example of this is Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, published by Image Comics. Saga tells the story of two lovers from warring races, trying to protect their family in a galaxy filled with danger. The series is entirely self-contained, allowing Vaughan and Staples to explore their characters and world without having to worry about how their story fits into a larger universe. This creative freedom has resulted in a richly textured narrative that feels fresh and innovative, something that would be difficult to achieve in the event-driven structure of Marvel or DC.

Similarly, Dark Horse Comics has produced a number of critically acclaimed, standalone titles, such as Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and its various spinoffs. While there is some crossover between the different books in the Hellboy universe, the stories remain largely self-contained, allowing creators to develop their characters and plots without the pressure of tying into a larger event. This freedom has allowed Hellboy to maintain a consistent tone and focus, even as it has expanded into other titles like B.P.R.D. and Abe Sapien.

In addition to focusing on individual storytelling, independent publishers often allow for more experimental and diverse storytelling. Books like The Wicked + The Divine (Image) or Black Hammer (Dark Horse) push the boundaries of what can be done in the medium, incorporating unique narrative structures, themes, and character dynamics that would be difficult to explore in the event-driven universes of Marvel and DC.

Conclusion

While Marvel and DC have built their brands around interconnected universes and large-scale crossover events, this focus has increasingly come at the expense of individual storytelling. Characters are often reduced to mere players in a larger narrative, with their personal arcs sidelined in favor of event-driven plots. The result has been a growing sense of fatigue among readers and creators alike, as the constant barrage of events undermines the long-term development of characters and stories.

In contrast, independent publishers like Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics have largely avoided this problem, allowing creators to focus on telling cohesive, self-contained stories without the pressure of massive crossovers. As a result, independent comics have become a haven for readers and creators seeking innovative, character-driven narratives, free from the constraints of the event-driven model.

As the comic book industry continues to evolve, the divide between event-driven storytelling and individual narratives will likely become even more pronounced. While Marvel and DC are unlikely to abandon their lucrative event-driven strategy anytime soon, the success of independent comics shows that there is a growing audience for stories that prioritize character development and creative freedom over the demands of a sprawling, interconnected universe.