I don't think comics have "progressed" far enough.
If you are getting your morality, ethics, or life-lessons from comics, your outlook and objectivism about life itself will be incredibly skewed. "What would Superman do?" does not, and cannot, apply to realistic parameters of conduct. Can you lift a car? Nope. Superman can, though. Thus, it's illogical to base your morality from a fictional "superhero".
Comic books are for entertainment. Period. Anything more, and it's akin to getting your sexual instincts from a women's magazine, or, your athletic purpose from Sports Illustrated.
Modern sensibilities are complex, and, certainly alot more sophisticated than they were thirty-years ago. Comics should have no problem with adapting, progressing, and evolving into a medium that can sustain the same amount of entertainment value as any other media.
There are lines of comics for kids. This should not change. No five-year-old should be reading Identity Crisis. However, no adult should have to sift through the idiotic and dumbed-down nostalgic wank that guys like Johns and Loeb push.
I think Wonder Woman should be offing bad guys twenty-four-seven. Then she would be a character relatable to modern sensibilities. Same with Batman's moronic "no killing" policy. That's neither believable, nor intelligent. Should Superman kill? When there's no other option, yes. When it comes to guys like Zod, and others of similiar-powered ilk? Definitely.
But, if that's the case, then make the killing matter. If comics kills a character, they stay dead. Period. No coming back. No flashbacks, or special minis. If they are willing to kill a character, then, that character never shows up again. This not only makes the decision to kill something to take seriously, but, actually shows the realistic ramifications of death. No parachutes for these Cobra pilots, if you know what I mean.
You want heroes and characters that are relevant to modern times? Show me heroes and characters strong enough, and dedicated enough beyond outdated, childish morality to get the job done.
Otherwise, it's just another round in the circular wheel of redundancy...
