I'm afraid that the 'darker, edgier Man Of Steel film will be a total flop due to that very thing. They see the Nolanverse films rake in the bucks with the darkness and conveniently forget that Superman is supposed to inspire people with light, not darkness. The majority of people you get in a movie theater probably aren't comics fans, so will they accept a dark and gritty Superman? Seems to me that would make him an object of fear if he goes around growling like Batman.

We won't even discuss Wondy's movie since, oh, SHE DOESN'T HAVE ONE AND NEVER WILL! /rant over. ;)

I get that comics can't be Silver Age goofy anymore and that's fine, since it's a far different world now, but can't we have a good balance? The Bronze Age did pretty well with adding layers of characterization and more serious themes but not going overboard with the deaths and gore. Gore that's just in there for its own sake really bothers me.

But then, I'm not the target demographic that DC or Marvel want, either. *shrugs*