I have a theory about the difference between mining ideas from "good" superhero comics (I'm thinking high-minded stuff like Daredevil: Born Again, Watchmen, Seven Soldiers) and mining ideas from trash-tier superhero comics: trash-tier comics actually make for better rpg idea-mines than the good ones.
My thought is that the intricate clockwork of a densely plotted superhero comic would likely fall apart at the table because of two factors:
A) The randomness of dice rolls in most game systems
B) Players inevitably making insane choices that throw the whole schemata out of whack because that's just what players do
Ideas gleaned from trash-tier comics, on the other hand, are already surprisingly resilient to dumb rolls and dumber decisions because they come from a place of inspired stupidity. They roll with the punches, they bob and weave like a drunkard, but ultimately they get the job done.
If anything, I think superhero rpgs are potentially the place where dumb comic ideas go to be redeemed and born anew.
