R.I.P., Johnny Storm!

[yendi]

Oh, no! A big-name superhero has died.

I'm sure this is a permanent change that will show the true meaning of death in comic-book universes. I can only hope that Clint Barton delivers the eulogy at the funeral (although teammate Ben Grimm would certainly also be qualified).

(First person to yell "spoilers" about something running on news services and revealed by corporate press release can [insert sexual act of choice] Giant-Sized Man-Thing #1. Also, you're actually still reading FF? For real? You know that neither Waid nor McDuffie has written the book in ages, right?)

Comments

[murnkay.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure this is a permanent change that will show the true meaning of death in comic-book universes."

Why does it have to? I mean, couldn't it just be a good story that uses the death for some decent beats and illusion of change in the characters for a good overall story?

Isn't expecting this sort of thing to be anything other than what it has been for the last 60 or 70 years just kinda setting yourself up for disapointment? I dunno. Good stories can be done with the material regardless, and of course the PR will push it however they need to to sell stuff but... hey if it gets us good stories - why not?

[yendi]

For me, a good part of good storytelling involves the impact of the events (as well as the use of handwaving). I've already seen a great FF story dealing with how they mourn (see Waid's story in which Ben died). And even then, had they spent time on just the mourning without seeing Reed's attempt to fix things, it would have been completely undercut when he returned. That said, yes, it's entirely possible to use temporary death to tell a good story, but it's a much tougher story to pull off well, imho.

(The fact that I only just reread the entire run of Hitman, a book that killed all but three out of about eighteen characters and did some beautiful storytelling, probably colors my outlook here.)

[yendi]

Like so many Marvel characters, he's good and three dimensional when in the hands of a good writer. But yeah, I'm a little surprised FF survived the last few years, but the storytelling hellhole of the Marvel Universe in light of Civil War, WWHulk, the Initiative, and other stuff made almost any individual title unable to do solid storytelling, so I suspect there were a lot of second chances.

Also, FF is one of Marvel's flagship titles; it can get rebooted, but canceling it would be a public relations disaster, even if it is economically viable.

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

It's all a cheap ploy to make him a zombie called The Inhuman Torch.

[yendi]

But that's what the entire Marvel Zombies line is about!

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

You're right--but it's not like they're going to call it "The Mournful Three" and just have issue after issue of them sitting in small dark rooms sobbing and wanting to die. (Which is all I've ever wanted in a comic series...)

[lurkerwithout.livejournal.com]

Dude, have you read any of Van Lente's Marvel Zombies? Because really not true...

[losgunna.livejournal.com]

This is Marvel. He's not dead, he's just waiting to be brought back in a new storyline. Or his clone. Or his unknown twin brother. Or he'll now be evil. Or....

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Hickman's actually doing a pretty good job. I like his artists, too.

(Or, er, was that sarcastic?)

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

I haven't read FF since the days when Byrne wrote it... before he turned into a big, giant jerk in public (I have no idea if he was a jerk in private).

Mind you, I'll still pick up the issue. After all, it'll be a COLLECTORS ITEM! I'll be able to pay for my kid's college tuition with it! Right?

;-P

[amokk]

It'll turn out he was actually a humanoid robot. Oh wait, that was the original Torch.

[lordrexfear.livejournal.com]

I have to defend the current FF book. I know you don't care as you're not touching anything Marvel or DC these days, but Jonathan Hickman's Fantastic Four soon to be FF (which I assume stands for First Family), is one of the best books on the Marvel/DC market.

Not tied down to anything happening in current continuity (for now), he's been able to carve a true niche and become as good as Waid was during his run with Wiergno and return the book to being worthy of the moniker it once had as "The World's Greatest Comic Book" especially during John Byrne's reign (Byrne may be many things, bad comic book maker is not one of them).

Hickman has also been fortunate to have an amazing line-up staring with Eaglesham who didn't last long, but with Neil Edwards taking over it didn't matter and now with Steve Epting, it's superb.

I know you want to hate on "death" thing, as it is a grandstanding move for publicity, but much like Brubaker's death of Captain America it's going to allow for some great comic book storytelling and that's all that matters to me.

He could kill them all and have a new Fantastic Four if he wants... Hickman has proved to truly be a master architect.