Should Comic Books Incorporate Real World Economics?

We've discussed how the economic recession has been affecting characters and lifestyles in different comic book universes. Evidence of the recession's impact is prevalent both in DC and Marvel. Batman's absence since Grant Morrison's Batman RIP storyline has left Wayne Enterprises in a bit of a rough spot (though I'm not sure that Bruce really had anything to do with keeping company afloat aside from acting as a figurehead--maybe this is actually important to encourage investors in the company). Elsewhere, Tony Stark's recent "failure' during Marvel's Secret Invasion has led to the dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D, the creation of a new homeland security organization, H.A.M.M.E.R., and the government freezing all of Tony assets at Stark Industries (including the Iron Man armor).

As this NY Daily News article points out, however, there is considerable debate among comic fans, creators, and even academics as to whether such a focus on the economy is good for readers. On the one hand, here is Dan Dido, executive editor at DC Comics:

I don't see how it doesn't work into our storytelling if not only our readers are feeling it, but our creators are feeling it

True that the readers might feel more attached the story if it reflected real world circumstances that they could connect with. But consider the comments of Mark White, Professor at the College of Staten Island:

Comic books are a way for people to get away from the real world. They don't want to be reminded of wars or tragedies or economic catastrophes.

This raises an interesting point as well. Although comic books have incorporated real-world since their inception (World War II, the Cold War, nuclear waste, the Red Scare, etc.), they have always been the medium to consistently portray characters that are "larger-than-life" and are able to overcome these obstacles with minimal attrition.

I would love to get some reader opinions on this. Should the comic book medium continue to evoke these harsh realities through their stories or should their primary purpose be to help the public escape these realities?