I'd argue that the characters aren't terrible, merely intentional archetypes and that the "ridiculous dialogue" is also somewhat intentional. It's supposed to be a comic book after all. (I know, not all comics are like that, and I'd be the first to say that and argue against that stereotype, but that's clearly what the creators are going for.) That said, I understand where you're coming from, and if you don't like it, you don't like it.

I'd argue with the notion that there's no vision. I like where the plot seems to be taking us. Yes, there have been some serious missteps, but it's not like it's Garcia Marquez.

But the part I don't get is "a complete lack of hope and joy". WTF does that have to do with relating a plot or having compelling characters or telling a story or anything else literary or cinematic? There is a long tradition in the field of literature that you might have heard of. It's called "tragedy". Look it up sometime.