Who should die in comics?

[SilentBobX]

We've seen 'em a thousand times. Characters, heroes, villains we all hate and want to take the ultimate dirt nap. Whether it be a stupid supervillain, a leftover from the 40s-60s etc. Name them! Kill them! March on a road of their bones! Ahem.....

Anyway, here's who I think should get whacked.......

The Joker.

Yes, the Joker. How many times have he and Batman gone at it? It's tiresome. Have some third party whack him, take him out. A disgruntled wannabe, a rogue cop, a fellow supervillain. Have him contract ebola or something. But kill him. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Discuss

[Adam Balm]

Wolverine. For god's sake, 12 titles a month and being on five different teams is enough. Please. Make. It. Stop.

[The Ginger Man]

Wolverine. For god's sake, 12 titles a month and being on five different teams is enough. Please. Make. It. Stop.

Ditto...kinda. Rather than kill Wolvie, just vanish him for like 3 years. I mean, hell, for all the team books Wolverine is in, he always manages to ALSO be on a lonely, soul-searching journey through Asia or some other place. Why not have him actually leave the next time he goes on a walkabout. Now's the perfect time, too! Instead of following him around the world as he discoveres his "origin," just have him quit all the teams and vanish. Don't do the origin's series. Then 2 years later, Wolvie returns with full knowledge of his past...he's a changed man. BUT, we don't know any of it! The fans salivate over him, b/c he's back AND he again has the mysterious nature to his character that made him interesting so many years ago.

Could you imagine not having Wolverine around for 2 yrs...and then having him come back as a pacifist or something?

Personally, I don't think killing off characters is the answer. Giving them time off, letting better writers handle them...that's the key. Of course, that's an editorial concern. Killing characters like Joker or Wolverine is silly, b/c they'll always come back...and that's become silly. Instead, just take them out of the limelight. The key baddies, like Joker or Doom or Magneto, should only be allowed back every 3 years or so...and ONLY if the creative team has a great story for them. Great doesn't have to be groundbreaking...it just has to be solid.

[Fried Gold]

Robin. Batman doesn't need him. I don't know of anyone who likes him (other than the TV Robin)

Even Robin himself couldn't be arsed to be Robin anymore.

[doglips]

Wolverine. For god's sake, 12 titles a month and being on five different teams is enough. Please. Make. It. Stop.

Ditto...kinda. Rather than kill Wolvie, just vanish him for like 3 years. I mean, hell, for all the team books Wolverine is in, he always manages to ALSO be on a lonely, soul-searching journey through Asia or some other place. Why not have him actually leave the next time he goes on a walkabout. Now's the perfect time, too! Instead of following him around the world as he discoveres his "origin," just have him quit all the teams and vanish. Don't do the origin's series. Then 2 years later, Wolvie returns with full knowledge of his past...he's a changed man. BUT, we don't know any of it! The fans salivate over him, b/c he's back AND he again has the mysterious nature to his character that made him interesting so many years ago.

Could you imagine not having Wolverine around for 2 yrs...and then having him come back as a pacifist or something?

Or a lady.

[buster00]

See, if they took out The Joker, then they'd have someone pop up five months later as the New Joker. It would be a lazy, overcrowded storyline with crap-ass inks, the Original Joker would show up at the end, and no one would be surprised at all except Wizard. It would blow SO badly.

Kill Alan Scott. Kill Jay Garrick. Kill Ted Grant. They are no longer of any use. Their symbolism in the Justice Society has long passed the point of sickening. Make their deaths as touching and poignant as you wish, but please rid the DC Universe of these feeble old fossils.

Especially Ted Grant. You're, like, ninety, Wildcat. And you have no powers. Nobody is buying this anymore. This way to Ye Olde Coffin Shoppe, ya Spandex-clad colostomy bag. No, I don't wanna hear about that one time down at the fishin' hole again.

[The Ginger Man]

Wolverine. For god's sake, 12 titles a month and being on five different teams is enough. Please. Make. It. Stop.

Ditto...kinda. Rather than kill Wolvie, just vanish him for like 3 years. I mean, hell, for all the team books Wolverine is in, he always manages to ALSO be on a lonely, soul-searching journey through Asia or some other place. Why not have him actually leave the next time he goes on a walkabout. Now's the perfect time, too! Instead of following him around the world as he discoveres his "origin," just have him quit all the teams and vanish. Don't do the origin's series. Then 2 years later, Wolvie returns with full knowledge of his past...he's a changed man. BUT, we don't know any of it! The fans salivate over him, b/c he's back AND he again has the mysterious nature to his character that made him interesting so many years ago.

Could you imagine not having Wolverine around for 2 yrs...and then having him come back as a pacifist or something?

Or a lady.

They did that. Her name is X-23, or some shit like that. She's a teenage, female clone of Wolverine and she SPLIT THE INTERNET IN HALF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Adam Balm]

Wolverine. For god's sake, 12 titles a month and being on five different teams is enough. Please. Make. It. Stop.

Ditto...kinda. Rather than kill Wolvie, just vanish him for like 3 years. I mean, hell, for all the team books Wolverine is in, he always manages to ALSO be on a lonely, soul-searching journey through Asia or some other place. Why not have him actually leave the next time he goes on a walkabout. Now's the perfect time, too! Instead of following him around the world as he discoveres his "origin," just have him quit all the teams and vanish. Don't do the origin's series. Then 2 years later, Wolvie returns with full knowledge of his past...he's a changed man. BUT, we don't know any of it! The fans salivate over him, b/c he's back AND he again has the mysterious nature to his character that made him interesting so many years ago.

Could you imagine not having Wolverine around for 2 yrs...and then having him come back as a pacifist or something?

Or a lady.

They did that. Her name is X-23, or some shit like that. She's a teenage, female clone of Wolverine and she SPLIT THE INTERNET IN HALF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then in retaliation, Ultimate Hulk split Wolverine in half...

[doglips]

Wolverine. For god's sake, 12 titles a month and being on five different teams is enough. Please. Make. It. Stop.

Ditto...kinda. Rather than kill Wolvie, just vanish him for like 3 years. I mean, hell, for all the team books Wolverine is in, he always manages to ALSO be on a lonely, soul-searching journey through Asia or some other place. Why not have him actually leave the next time he goes on a walkabout. Now's the perfect time, too! Instead of following him around the world as he discoveres his "origin," just have him quit all the teams and vanish. Don't do the origin's series. Then 2 years later, Wolvie returns with full knowledge of his past...he's a changed man. BUT, we don't know any of it! The fans salivate over him, b/c he's back AND he again has the mysterious nature to his character that made him interesting so many years ago.

Could you imagine not having Wolverine around for 2 yrs...and then having him come back as a pacifist or something?

Or a lady.

They did that. Her name is X-23, or some shit like that. She's a teenage, female clone of Wolverine and she SPLIT THE INTERNET IN HALF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, Bring it! X-23 vs Sex Change Logan (tm)

[Chairman Kaga]

That's easy...Rob Liefeld.

[DennisMM]

Comic-book characters, Kaga, not people they made up for Levis ads. That Liefeld guy was a composite, ya know.

[LeFlambeur]

They should really just blow up the whole DC universe. And the whole Marvel universe for that matter. Hell, isn't it time comics got past the whole superhero thing? I love them to death, but the horse died a long time ago. The shark was jumped, the boat pulled around and the shark was jumped again. Three times.
I really think its due time these companies threw out these universes and made something original for once. Jesus.

[The Ginger Man]

Yeah, Bring it! X-23 vs Sex Change Logan (tm)

YES! Bendis can write it. It will be an 8-issue miniseries where X-23 and Logan (now known as Lauren), sit around and wax witty about all the kick-ass action we missed off panel, until the last issue when the true enemy behind Wolverine's sex change is mind-boggingly revealed to be Gilgamesh, The Forgotten One (a pointless character that Bendis has maintned a hard-on for, years beyone his "prime"), who has been driven mad due to something he's forgotten (and which will be revealed in his new ongoing series, also written by Bendis) Someone will die (Wolverine), someone will live (Wolverine), and the Marvel Universe will be changed forever (or at least next Tuesday).

I love it.

[doglips]

Yeah, Bring it! X-23 vs Sex Change Logan (tm)

YES! Bendis can write it. It will be an 8-issue miniseries where X-23 and Logan (now known as Lauren), sit around and wax witty about all the kick-ass action we missed off panel, until the last issue when the true enemy behind Wolverine's sex change is mind-boggingly revealed to be Gilgamesh, The Forgotten One (a pointless character that Bendis has maintned a hard-on for, years beyone his "prime"), who has been driven mad due to something he's forgotten (and which will be revealed in his new ongoing series, also written by Bendis) Someone will die (Wolverine), someone will live (Wolverine), and the Marvel Universe will be changed forever (or at least next Tuesday).

I love it.

Brilliant.

Then he could tackle the What If? situation of one half of Wolverine being combined with one half of the Internet.

[Seppuku]

I don't know if any of you have ever read this Italian comic called Pastil, but the lead character in that has a weird shaped head. It disconcerts me muchly, so I say the only solution is to "slay that bitch like Freddy".

[Theta]

The Wasp.

Why?

Why not?

[The Ginger Man]

Then he could tackle the What If? situation of one half of Wolverine being combined with one half of the Internet.

Wolverine meets Internet?!?!?!



Brilliant!!!!

[doglips]

Then he could tackle the What If? situation of one half of Wolverine being combined with one half of the Internet.

Wolverine meets Internet?!?!?!



Brilliant!!!!

Pamp!!!
He needs some sort of google ability......

[Chairman Kaga]

They should really just blow up the whole DC universe. And the whole Marvel universe for that matter. Hell, isn't it time comics got past the whole superhero thing? I love them to death, but the horse died a long time ago. The shark was jumped, the boat pulled around and the shark was jumped again. Three times.
I really think its due time these companies threw out these universes and made something original for once. Jesus.

You do know there are more than Marvel and DC superhero comics out there right? There are even companies outside of Marvel and DC...

[DennisMM]

Other comic book companies?

Anyone else old enough to remember the original Marvel Zombies phenomenon of the early '90s? People (mostly teenagers) were actually buying every book Marvel published, because it was a Marvel comic. Street Poet Ray, even.

[Kilgore]

That's easy...Rob Liefeld.

I'll say it...that's fucking beautiful.

Throw in John Byrne while you're wacking away. And maybe just knee-cap Judd Winnick. Settle his ass down a little, you know?


As for the comic heroes themselves, here's a short list:

Hal Jordan
Jason Todd
Superman
Bucky
Hawkeye
Colossus
Jean Grey

Stay dead for God's sake! Let it mean something.

But, if we're talking current, non-reincarnated folks who gots a killin' coming, here's who I gots not much use for:

The 'New Firestorm' - never has a jumbled upbringing and confusion caused this much boredom. I'm all for some pseudo-scientific comeback of Ronnie Raymond, who's guest appearances in the current monthly have been the only exciting thing happening in there.

Azrael - BIGGEST BAT-SELLER EVER. GUARANTEED.

Ronin/Echo - much ado about someone I could care less about. I wanted Iron Fist. I think, if you look in your heart, you'll know you did too.

Jimmy Olsen - that fucker's had it coming for years, and we all know it.

[Adam Balm]

You do know there are more than Marvel and DC superhero comics out there right? There are even companies outside of Marvel and DC...

But the salient point is: how many of those indie superhero comics can you name that have outstayed their welcome? Very few independent publishers are able to even sustain sales necessary to keep a character alive, let alone coming back again and again. When people get tired of them, they go away forever.

Largely, this is a problem of the big two, because characters not only have greater shots at longevity because of sales, but can be revived again and again until someone starts buying them once again.

[Chairman Kaga]

You do know there are more than Marvel and DC superhero comics out there right? There are even companies outside of Marvel and DC...

But the salient point is: how many of those indie superhero comics can you name that have outstayed their welcome? Very few independent publishers are able to even sustain sales necessary to keep a character alive, let alone coming back again and again. When people get tired of them, they go away forever.

Largely, this is a problem of the big two, because characters not only have greater shots at longevity because of sales, but can be revived again and again until someone starts buying them once again.

My point is that there is a large marketplace of non Superhero comics as well as non DC or Marvel comics thus one can find non traditional fare without the main companies "destroying" all of their characters.

[Adam Balm]

Ohhhh. I see now. Good point, btw.

[Adam Balm]

But as long as that's on topic, I've had it up to HERE with Spawn's bullshit.

Enough.

(*finger across neck*)

I wonder who even reads Spawn these days anyway. I think it's just McFarlane, his friends, and Tony Twist's and Neil Gaiman's lawyers...

[buster00]

But as long as that's on topic, I've had it up to HERE with Spawn's bullshit.

Enough.

(*finger across neck*)

[Chairman Kaga]

But as long as that's on topic, I've had it up to HERE with Spawn's bullshit.

Enough.

(*finger across neck*)

I wonder who even reads Spawn these days anyway. I think it's just McFarlane, his friends, and Tony Twist's and Neil Gaiman's lawyers...

IPAMPILASH over TT and Gaiman's lawyers...A buddy of mine on another board still reads Spawn but most everyone else I know who did at one point or another no longer does. I mean after Spawn kills Malebolgia how much could they drag it out? apparently for another 50 issues so far.

[Adam Balm]

But then again, since Spawn is already dead, does he qualify in this thread?

I think Captain Comet should die...








...and be reborn. Only a million times more radiant, more powerful.

[Adam Balm]

Can we kill Chris Claremont? He's not a comic book character, but he has become a comic book joke. That's close enough, right?

Hmm. That gives me an idea. What creators have meta'd themselves into their own comics? Grant Morrison did in Animal Man of course. Which means that DC holds the rights to him under work for hire laws. Which means if I worked for DC, I could kill him, and they couldn't send me back to juvie right?

[The Ginger Man]

Can we kill Chris Claremont? He's not a comic book character, but he has become a comic book joke. That's close enough, right?

[The Ginger Man]

Dave Sims meta'd himself into Cerebus. Stephen King could become a character in the new Dark Tower comic book series. I think Stan Lee would also fall into this category, though I don't know if he did it himself.

Good question, Balm.

[Chairman Kaga]

Stephen King could become a character in the new Dark Tower comic book series.

I think those new Dark Tower comics only deal with stuff outside of the books rather than just being adaptations of the books.

[The Ginger Man]

Stephen King could become a character in the new Dark Tower comic book series.

I think those new Dark Tower comics only deal with stuff outside of the books rather than just being adaptations of the books.

I know, but I wouldn't be surprised if "the wordslinger" popped up somewhere in there.

[DennisMM]

They should kill the White Queen. Katherine Pryde should do it.

[Theta]

But as long as that's on topic, I've had it up to HERE with Spawn's bullshit.

Enough.

(*finger across neck*)

I wonder who even reads Spawn these days anyway. I think it's just McFarlane, his friends, and Tony Twist's and Neil Gaiman's lawyers...

"Spawn" is still in print?

I'm not joking, I'm serious, I thought it'd been cancelled a few years back. I certainly haven't seen any issues available anywhere for a very long time.

[Shane]

My vote is Punisher.

Kingpin should kill him, and burry him in an unmarked grave in upstate NY somewhere. All in one issue. We could always read ultimate punisher, or some retro story, but I think it would be great to bring his story full circle and to an end.

[Shane]

oh, and Superman.

[Shane]

Superman must die and stay dead!!!!!

[Adam Balm]

oh, and Superman.

No. I fell for that once already...

[ONeillSG1]

oh, and Superman.

No. I fell for that once already...

[LeFlambeur]

All im saying is, it's really time for comics to move beyond superheroes entirely. They can still be around, but there's no good reason why they need to remain the dominant genre. The medium of comics is capable of far more than it's achieving in this country, and I think its time for them to collectivly grow up.
Not to say there are not any other genres in publication, but it seems to me that whenever I walk into a comic book store, its at least 70% Marvel and DC heroes.

[DennisMM]

They will remain the dominant genre until they find a way to appeal to a wider readership, as comics always have in Japan and some European/South American nations. The 75-year tradition of superheroes has run itself into the ground (lots of Marvel and DC comics sell fewer than 10,000 copies per issues), but they and the smaller companies don't know how to grab the non-comics reader. Free Comic Book Day doesn't seem to be helping. I think it's going to take getting comics of other genres into all the places you currently see specialty magazines and especially paperback books. Then it will take national advertising to tell the public that these non-spandex coimcs are out there and are interesting.

Also, the media need to hit hard when an interesting project in another medium is comics-based or comics-inspired. While reviews for The Road to Perdition and sometimes A History of Violence mentioned their sources, there was little talk about that type of comic -- except in the every-few-years "comics aren't POW! BIFF! BAM! anymore" stories every paper seems obliged to run. It's a ground-up fight.

[RUMPLEDFORESKIN]

Kyle Rayner.

I like the character but he has nowhere left to go.


Blue Beetle-in all incarnations. Ted Kord should have been the last Blue Beetle. Magic blue iron man knockoff of a Spider/Batman knock off ..makes my head asplode

War Machine- Hes like Iron man only meaner.. and blacker ...ugh

In fact any hero whose african american and has "Black-" before the rest of their hero name needs to die in a fire. An outdated insulting black pride moniker is laughable, socially irrelevant and embarrasing. I get it, their Black and a hero, get over it and change their name already.

Captain Atom- theres just no point anymore. We have the Ray now, whose written better and looks better.

[Chilli]

Lex Luthor
The Joker
Mary-Jane Watson... Aunt May... anyone close to Peter Parker. Just have him fucking move the fuck on for once.
Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. X-Men doesn't need illegitimates.

[TheButcher]

The Death Of Wolverine By Charles Soule And Steve McNiven For September

Marvel is killing off a major character -- EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK!

[minstrel]

The Death Of Wolverine By Charles Soule And Steve McNiven For September

Marvel is killing off a major character -- EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK!

This will be another of those comic-book deaths, in which the character lives again about a year later. Some magical or technological or whatever bullshit explanation will be given, and Wolverine will be back. He's profitable. You don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

I'm sure even Archie will come back after they kill him off. Unless they're planning to just shut down Archie Comics forever.

[TheButcher]

The Death Of Wolverine By Charles Soule And Steve McNiven For September

Marvel is killing off a major character -- EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK!

This will be another of those comic-book deaths, in which the character lives again about a year later. Some magical or technological or whatever bullshit explanation will be given, and Wolverine will be back. He's profitable. You don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

I'm sure even Archie will come back after they kill him off. Unless they're planning to just shut down Archie Comics forever.

Bleeding Cool:
The Look Of Marvel At Licensing Expo 2014 – And What Are Their Plans For Wolverine?
And… yes, no X-Men. Or Fantastic Four.

[TheButcher]

Bleeding Cool:
The Marvel Panel At Fan Expo
Wolverine Won’t Be Back Until At Least 2016 It Seems

[SilentBobX]

Wolverine taking a dirt nap(or at least until interest resumes).


Mahalo

[TheButcher]

Wolverinez taking a dirt nap(or at least until interest resumes).


Mahalo

Why The World Doesn't Need Wolverinez
We still have Age of Apocalypse Sabertooth!