I'm on the side that really, really hates it when people kill off comic book characters. But - I swear! - it's not just because I love the characters and get way too attached to them sometimes because I'm strange and also a total dork.
Here's why I really hate it: It's bad writing.
Especially lately.
Lately, it seems like when a character's backstory gets too complicated to explain in under two exposition bubbles, they kill them off. When they feel there's nowhere to go with a character, they simply kill them, and that's stupid. Because there's always a story to tell. ALWAYS. If you can't think of one yourself, it is a FACT that someday someone else will, and killing off a character ruins that for the people who could tell that story. It's a selfish, lazy way of sweeping something under the rug.
Yes, we can always bring characters back - but that's lame, too. Death needs to have some weight, or how are we supposed to care when a character is in mortal danger? Look at what's happened to the Hawkman series: they recently killed Carter Hall, and sales actually dropped, because everyone knew he would just be back two issues later. After a certain point, people just stop suspending their disbelief. The fact that we can say, "Oh, well, it's comics, they can always come back" is proof that this is a problem. (yes, I know you just said that. I just felt the need to reiterate it, because it's a pet peeve of mine as well.)
It just strikes me as completely unnecessary lately - especially in DC. And the aftermath of the deaths sucks too - or, it WOULD suck, but THERE IS NONE. NONE AT ALL. Since Shayera's been killed, it's been mentioned ONCE in passing in a freaking Outsiders issue (no one in Outsiders even knew Shayera, by the by). Carter and Kendra? Could not seem to care less. THAT is just bad writing, I don't care how you spin it, if she's coming back or not, whatever - if you DO kill a character off, for the love of god MILK IT. MILK IT UNTIL WE'RE SICK OF IT. IT'S DRAMA. DRAMA HOOKS PEOPLE IN TEN TIMES MORE THAN GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE AND CHARACTER DEATHS.
And that's my rant on the subject. Sorry to go on, but it just so happens that I was talking about this exact same thing with my friend Ken at work today, and we got to bitching about it so yeah. It's sort of all on my mind already. I'll stop cluttering up your journal with my random junk now.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 05:43 am (UTC)Here's why I really hate it: It's bad writing.
Especially lately.
Lately, it seems like when a character's backstory gets too complicated to explain in under two exposition bubbles, they kill them off. When they feel there's nowhere to go with a character, they simply kill them, and that's stupid. Because there's always a story to tell. ALWAYS. If you can't think of one yourself, it is a FACT that someday someone else will, and killing off a character ruins that for the people who could tell that story. It's a selfish, lazy way of sweeping something under the rug.
Yes, we can always bring characters back - but that's lame, too. Death needs to have some weight, or how are we supposed to care when a character is in mortal danger? Look at what's happened to the Hawkman series: they recently killed Carter Hall, and sales actually dropped, because everyone knew he would just be back two issues later. After a certain point, people just stop suspending their disbelief. The fact that we can say, "Oh, well, it's comics, they can always come back" is proof that this is a problem. (yes, I know you just said that. I just felt the need to reiterate it, because it's a pet peeve of mine as well.)
It just strikes me as completely unnecessary lately - especially in DC. And the aftermath of the deaths sucks too - or, it WOULD suck, but THERE IS NONE. NONE AT ALL. Since Shayera's been killed, it's been mentioned ONCE in passing in a freaking Outsiders issue (no one in Outsiders even knew Shayera, by the by). Carter and Kendra? Could not seem to care less. THAT is just bad writing, I don't care how you spin it, if she's coming back or not, whatever - if you DO kill a character off, for the love of god MILK IT. MILK IT UNTIL WE'RE SICK OF IT. IT'S DRAMA. DRAMA HOOKS PEOPLE IN TEN TIMES MORE THAN GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE AND CHARACTER DEATHS.
And that's my rant on the subject. Sorry to go on, but it just so happens that I was talking about this exact same thing with my friend Ken at work today, and we got to bitching about it so yeah. It's sort of all on my mind already. I'll stop cluttering up your journal with my random junk now.
Really, I will.