Ending Their Story.

[Dream]

In serialized fiction, we are never given a true end to our character's stories. Barney Gumble of the Simpsons once became sober ending his alcoholism and truly progressed as a character, only to have that reversed and become a drunk once more. Barry Allen made had the most heroic death in all super-hero comics, but was brought back in an unimpressive way. Peter Parker graduated high school, got a job at the Daily Bugle, dropped and then graduated college, married, and finally became a teacher only to have that slightly reversed and leave the character single while subsequently losing his teaching position. How many times has the Thing become human again? How many times can the Joker be permitted to go on killing sprees before it becomes tedious? Or is it selfish to want an end to these stories? Do you want to see Spider-man grow old and die for good, and see someone take his place? Or do you want Peter Parker to be a hero for the coming generations who might need him?

[Thequeerjock]

Especially after the success of the Dark Knight, I don't think we'll see DC killing off the Joker. If they do, I'd venture to say he'd be back soon enough.

Stories get to end for smaller characters. There are a ton of characters from the Justice League who are either dead or have fallen off the face of the earth.

[Shisho]

I would like to see an ending. It feels like a cheat any other way. I think I would like superhero comics more if characters got to grow old and die. Batman, Superman, Captain America, and the X-men included. One of the things I adored about Joss Whedon's X-Men is that he let Kitty Pryde grow up and become a funny, intelligent woman (who still kicks ass). It's nice to see that a character I worshiped when I was 14 and she was 14 got to grow up too. Honestly, I think that alone got me reading Marvel again.

[stealthwise]

I think that the best we're going to get with continuous, corporate owned characters are potential endings.

For example, three of my favourite Superman stories are Secret Identity, All-Star Superman and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? The first of those three is a "what if?" that technically doesn't involve the standard DCU Clark Kent, but I count it anyways, because it's awesome.

All three involve a very straight-forward, this is the end kind of ending (All-Star is the most open-ended for his return, although Morrison kind of indicates when Superman will come back, and it's not for a long time). The nice part is, when it's done, that's it. You can close the book and go back and re-read it, time and again, and enjoy.

No matter what anyone else says, or writes later, no matter how many disavowals of the canonicity of the comic, no matter how many retcons, etc, it's done. You have that story and it's finished.

On the other hand, if you felt that Spider-Man: Reign was a tepid pile of cat piss, then you can safely ignore it as a "What if?" or "Elseworlds" or whatever. It shouldn't affect how you read and view the character.

I'd love to see a great finale for every character, because the only "The End" for Marvel that I read and enjoyed was the Punisher's, which is how I'll always see Frank going out. That, combined with the Long Cold Dark and Valley Forge.

I'll always have Alan Moore's final Swamp Thing storyline, and no matter how many mediocre runs of the same book get published afterwards, I have his and Abby's happy ending. They had a happy ending.

What's that?

No, I said they had a happy ending dammit.

[Jason California]

These are corporate characters you are never going to get real lasting change. It is the main reason I don't care about super heroes for the most part anymore. THey give you the illusion of change before hitting the rest button and going back to default.

[Dream]

Stories get to end for smaller characters. There are a ton of characters from the Justice League who are either dead or have fallen off the face of the earth.

True... Like I'm happy with Vic Sage's end. Really well-written and emotional.

I would like to see an ending. It feels like a cheat any other way. I think I would like superhero comics more if characters got to grow old and die. Batman, Superman, Captain America, and the X-men included. One of the things I adored about Joss Whedon's X-Men is that he let Kitty Pryde grow up and become a funny, intelligent woman (who still kicks ass). It's nice to see that a character I worshiped when I was 14 and she was 14 got to grow up too. Honestly, I think that alone got me reading Marvel again.

Honestly I would have been happier if they kept Steve dead. The way he went out was like how other American icons have went out, it felt very real and human. Bucky succeeded him nicely as well.

I think that the best we're going to get with continuous, corporate owned characters are potential endings.

For example, three of my favourite Superman stories are Secret Identity, All-Star Superman and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? The first of those three is a "what if?" that technically doesn't involve the standard DCU Clark Kent, but I count it anyways, because it's awesome.

All three involve a very straight-forward, this is the end kind of ending (All-Star is the most open-ended for his return, although Morrison kind of indicates when Superman will come back, and it's not for a long time). The nice part is, when it's done, that's it. You can close the book and go back and re-read it, time and again, and enjoy.

No matter what anyone else says, or writes later, no matter how many disavowals of the canonicity of the comic, no matter how many retcons, etc, it's done. You have that story and it's finished.

On the other hand, if you felt that Spider-Man: Reign was a tepid pile of cat piss, then you can safely ignore it as a "What if?" or "Elseworlds" or whatever. It shouldn't affect how you read and view the character.

I'd love to see a great finale for every character, because the only "The End" for Marvel that I read and enjoyed was the Punisher's, which is how I'll always see Frank going out. That, combined with the Long Cold Dark and Valley Forge.

I'll always have Alan Moore's final Swamp Thing storyline, and no matter how many mediocre runs of the same book get published afterwards, I have his and Abby's happy ending. They had a happy ending.

What's that?

No, I said they had a happy ending dammit.

Great post, and I agree with it. I think most people are more or less happy with a well-written elseworld that gives their character an "end".

[Dream]

These are corporate characters you are never going to get real lasting change.

I never said otherwise. I'm asking you, the readers, what you prefer. And some characters do have ends, I don't expect to see Dan Garrett anytime soon.

[stealthwise]

True... Like I'm happy with Vic Sage's end. Really well-written and emotional.



Honestly I would have been happier if they kept Steve dead. The way he went out was like how other American icons have went out, it felt very real and human. Bucky succeeded him nicely as well.




Great post, and I agree with it. I think most people are more or less happy with a well-written elseworld that gives their character an "end".

I guess I should preface that with saying that there needs to be a good story leading up to that end.

I don't think it's enough to simply have a short two to four issue sendoff for most characters, unless you're following up on a specific run (i.e. Ennis's Punisher) or an entire way of viewing the character (i.e. WHTTMOT?). Simply doing a short mini or one-shot can feel kind of cheap or forced.

[Dream]

I guess I should preface that with saying that there needs to be a good story leading up to that end.

I don't think it's enough to simply have a short two to four issue sendoff for most characters, unless you're following up on a specific run (i.e. Ennis's Punisher) or an entire way of viewing the character (i.e. WHTTMOT?). Simply doing a short mini or one-shot can feel kind of cheap or forced.

Well yeah, for example I thought Avengers Forever was really good. Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader as well.

[AndrewG]

In serialized fiction, we are never given a true end to our character's stories. Barney Gumble of the Simpsons once became sober ending his alcoholism and truly progressed as a character, only to have that reversed and become a drunk once more. Barry Allen made had the most heroic death in all super-hero comics, but was brought back in an unimpressive way. Peter Parker graduated high school, got a job at the Daily Bugle, dropped and then graduated college, married, and finally became a teacher only to have that slightly reversed and leave the character single while subsequently losing his teaching position. How many times has the Thing become human again? How many times can the Joker be permitted to go on killing sprees before it becomes tedious? Or is it selfish to want an end to these stories? Do you want to see Spider-man grow old and die for good, and see someone take his place? Or do you want Peter Parker to be a hero for the coming generations who might need him?

I agree with the bold.

As a longtime fan I do enjoy Dick Grayson getting his chance at being Batman, I liked the idea of Peter Parker being a dad but taking a step back I know these characters are greater than any one reader or generation and they should be put back in the box relatively unchanged from writer to writer and generation to generation