On the larger question, I think while it sounds counter-intuitive, it's true that when you have too much of something, even something you love, you don't appreciate it as much, enjoy it less, and even take it for granted. A long time ago, I termed that as when gratification ceases to be gratifying.
Since you guys made it comic-related, I enjoyed comics a lot more in the 1970's and 1980's when there was a smaller selection, but I felt the overall quality of the stories was much higher, more satisfying. I also enjoyed that there were distinct genres beyond superheroes. There were war stories, supernatural/mystery stories, funny animal stories, particularly CEREBUS, science fiction stories, western stories, sword and sorcery in the Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Fritz Lieber adaptations, the Marvel Magazines, the Warren Magazines, Pacific comics, Eclipse, First comics, Comico, Dark Horse, Fantagraphics, Renegade, Valiant, Defiant, Fantagor Press, among others.
Despite that it was a smaller field back then, there was a much wider selection of styles and genres.
Now we have a vast field of regurgitation of the same ideas within a single surviving superhero genre for the most part. The equivalent of a vast field of Britney Spearses, Lady Gagas, Justin Biebers and Vanilla Ices. And over the last 20 years, I've sampled a large swath of material I've been deeply disappointed with, to the point that, for about 10 years now, Iv'e finally stopped buying, at least the new books. There's a HELLBOY and a GROO and a BONE and a good Alan Moore book here and there, but for me, mostly 20 years of solid disappointment with the new books.
