Death of a Character

[Pulp]

I think the trend to killing off characters started in the early 70s. It was somewhat original and shocking, and now even big name characters get killed like the Cap.

Then after a hiatus the character returns with the same name but a different person playing that character. Or an alt universe is created where the character survives to fight another day.

Unfortunately comics are published by companies with an eye to firstly entertain and second to make a reasonable profit. It is unlikely a bad (as in poorly thought out) character is going to make much money, or be popular and having them killed off or retire may win the company more fans.

But what if a really popular character is created, one that everyone finds popular. If the storyline calls for their demise and the company is selling comics for that character like they are going out of fashion, what then?

To kill or be killed, that is the question, whether tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous character arcs...etc etc.

I don't know, I don't think you can put it to the vote.

My idea is to start with a character's death in the origin issue and then flashback to his very beginning. That way you can take as long as you like telling the character's story.

My idea.

 

[Matt]

Umm...moving to Misc. Comics, I suppose.

 

[Master Chief]

Uh. Yes!

 

[Anubis]

I think the trend to killing off characters started in the early 70s. It was somewhat original and shocking, and now even big name characters get killed like the Cap.

Then after a hiatus the character returns with the same name but a different person playing that character. Or an alt universe is created where the character survives to fight another day.

Unfortunately comics are published by companies with an eye to firstly entertain and second to make a reasonable profit. It is unlikely a bad (as in poorly thought out) character is going to make much money, or be popular and having them killed off or retire may win the company more fans.

But what if a really popular character is created, one that everyone finds popular. If the storyline calls for their demise and the company is selling comics for that character like they are going out of fashion, what then?

To kill or be killed, that is the question, whether tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous character arcs...etc etc.

I don't know, I don't think you can put it to the vote.

My idea is to start with a character's death in the origin issue and then flashback to his very beginning. That way you can take as long as you like telling the character's story.

My idea.

That's kinda been done before. Though the book got canceled before it finished, or rather, got back to the beginning.

 

[Gilpesh]

A miniseries called Meltdown did that, Sin City kinda does that... and Rasputin in Hellboy did that or a form of it... heck Ben Daimio in B.P.R.D. is the embodiment of that.

 

[Harlekin]

Unfortunately comics are published by companies with an eye to firstly entertain and second to make a reasonable profit. It is unlikely a bad (as in poorly thought out) character is going to make much money, or be popular and having them killed off or retire may win the company more fans.

Sadly untrue. They're in it for the money.

But what if a really popular character is created, one that everyone finds popular. If the storyline calls for their demise and the company is selling comics for that character like they are going out of fashion, what then?

Situation that would never occur. If they've got a popular character, there's no chance of him dying or at least staying dead. Also, there is never a storyline that calls for a hero's demise, not as long as there is money being made.

 

[November Rain]

the origin of the character has to be pretty ****ing special to have people wading back through things all the time.

also the story has to read well in its proper order as many fans will hopefully do that.

also most characterss deaths are more interesting than their origins so unless you were doing a mini, i don't know how long you would be willing to keep their interest.

this could work with multiple minis and with a character that regenerated so each story could be about one of their lives.