User blog comment:DarthPlan/Our Version of The Last Great Time War?/@comment-5265497-20141204102539/@comment-5265497-20141209112521

Well, you know how the constant change of staff will inevitably revamp the general continuity and alternate universes allows for the exploration of the most revolutionary changes inside the DC and Marvel storyline without affecting the main canonicity. And any major change to the main universe is retconned because everything has a status quo.

"I'm sure Batman and cie are plenty angsty"

And I'm sure you know they undergo PLENTY of it in the comics that are actually worth mention.

"pain-dulling effect of badassery is legendary."

You can say that for almost anything in fiction hence why removing feelings of pain is never even considered in fictional continuity... by the very virtue that you have to fight physically or mentally, you pretty much accept the fact that you will feel pain. Think about the pain Batman went through when he had a rib crushed by Super-Woman, went through torture through Darkseid's Omega Beam, the crippling or the death of many people close to him that haven't been retconned, and imagine yourself as him. Imagine real hard, in every single detail. Then keep imagining just as hard, from the very beginning to the very end, not omiting anything and you still think it's not worth attention?