Captain America Reborn?

Why must comics suck? I was hoping they'd keep Bucky around a little longer. Maybe it will turn out to be the "evil" 1950s Captain America, not the original, who is the subject of the "Reborn" series. Not likely, but one can hope.

I know that Marvel's editors need to revive the character in advance of the movie release, but they also need to occasionally tell a story with a satisfying -- and permanent -- ending.

Comic books are just a medium, comparable to film or books in story-telling potential. Sadly, it seems that the longer a given comic book character is around, the greater the chance that character will change beyond all recognition, especially when written by a variety of writers over the years.

Superhero comics are particularly problematic, because they emphasize unrealistic and even fantastic levels of violence, but can't afford to permanently lose popular characters. So guys like Cap keep dying and coming back, even after it becomes ridiculous:

filingcabinetofthedamned.blogspot.com/20...with-fisticuffs.html

Here's a choice excerpt from that link:

"Eighth D&R: In his most embarrassing death, Cap is killed by a group of very old Nazi farts in a subdivision in New Jersey who had built some missile-thingy. The story was supposed to be laden with symbolism and weight, but it felt as silly as this recap.

"When: Captain America, vol. 3 #50 (2002)

"Significance: Not much. There was a bit of “oh, no, the Symbol of America and all that is Good and Peachy is dead!” wailing, as per usual. Captain America vol. 3 was cancelled with #50 and rebooted as Captain America, vol. 4 a few months later, his “death” in New Jersey ignored."

Btw, "D&R" stands for Death and Resurrection.

Shellhead wrote:

Comic books are just a medium, comparable to film or books in story-telling potential. Sadly, it seems that the longer a given comic book character is around, the greater the chance that character will change beyond all recognition, especially when written by a variety of writers over the years.

Superhero comics are particularly problematic, because they emphasize unrealistic and even fantastic levels of violence, but can't afford to permanently lose popular characters. So guys like Cap keep dying and coming back, even after it becomes ridiculous

I'd say this is really only problematic with DC and Marvel. None of the other, small publishers do this. Then, they don't really have comic series that spawn 50 years either.

That's why I don't really like any of the mainstream comics from the Big Two. I can't deal with all the cross-comic storylines, major events, and the inability of characters to stay dead.

If the major publishers don't kill off a prominent character they pull the 'reboot' and just start over with a rehashed origin for them so that the collectors can buy yet another issue #1.

In some ways I see that they have to do this to keep interest but in other ways I'd just rather they just keep telling the story and maintain some level of consistency in storylines.

I find it hard to justify the purchase of any comic these days with their outrageous price per issue. Yes, the art is better. Yes, the paper stock is acid free and improved. But they seem to be trying to lose their younger audiences for good by pricing them out of the market.

Mr MOTO wrote:

If the major publishers don't kill off a prominent character they pull the 'reboot' and just start over with a rehashed origin for them so that the collectors can buy yet another issue #1.

In some ways I see that they have to do this to keep interest but in other ways I'd just rather they just keep telling the story and maintain some level of consistency in storylines.

Sometimes I think the storylines get so convoluted that they need a reboot. But again, that's why I steer away from them.

Man, I still have to get around to reading the omnibus of the issues leading up to his death.

Name-dropping time: Ed Brubaker's an old friend of mine and I'm going to be hanging out with him this weekend at HeroesCon in Charlotte. Apparently Marvel had always planned to bring Steve Rogers back, they just postponed his return because Bucky proved more popular than they had expected. Ed has a tough job, because he's got to write within the event framework Marvel sets up for him, while making the stories as compelling as possible. You should hear the stories about the continuity meetings they have to go through to make sure every little detail matches up with the canon across their lines -- it's nuts.

The big publishers will never have the guts to actually kill off a top-tier hero because those are their cash cows, and you don't sacrifice a cash cow.

Jason Lutes wrote:

Name-dropping time: Ed Brubaker's an old friend of mine and I'm going to be hanging out with him this weekend at HeroesCon in Charlotte. Apparently Marvel had always planned to bring Steve Rogers back, they just postponed his return because Bucky proved more popular than they had expected. Ed has a tough job, because he's got to write within the event framework Marvel sets up for him, while making the stories as compelling as possible. You should hear the stories about the continuity meetings they have to go through to make sure every little detail matches up with the canon across their lines -- it's nuts.

The big publishers will never have the guts to actually kill off a top-tier hero because those are their cash cows, and you don't sacrifice a cash cow.

Oh wow... how awesome! Say "hi" from Van - can you ask him to poke Joey da Q for me for Spiderman One More day? That would be awesome. I have already bitched to Bendis about it on Facebook. He seemed rather unconcerned with my well reasoned arguement of: "it sucks"

- Anyhoo...

re: Cap - there had been hints pretty much from the time he "died." I followed along for a few issues before and after his death.

On the one hand I understand it IS just comics. Put it would be cool to see a death mean something for once. Junes, I don't think they'll ditch Bucky. I guess we shall see what happens.

So long as Steve didn't make a deal with the devil, I'll reserve judgment...

Jason Lutes wrote:

Name-dropping time: Ed Brubaker's an old friend of mine and I'm going to be hanging out with him this weekend at HeroesCon in Charlotte. Apparently Marvel had always planned to bring Steve Rogers back, they just postponed his return because Bucky proved more popular than they had expected. Ed has a tough job, because he's got to write within the event framework Marvel sets up for him, while making the stories as compelling as possible. You should hear the stories about the continuity meetings they have to go through to make sure every little detail matches up with the canon across their lines -- it's nuts.

The big publishers will never have the guts to actually kill off a top-tier hero because those are their cash cows, and you don't sacrifice a cash cow.

Wow, that's cool Brubaker is one of my favorite comic writers, Criminal and Sleeper are both fantastic.

vandemonium wrote:

Oh wow... how awesome! Say "hi" from Van - can you ask him to poke Joey da Q for me for Spiderman One More day? That would be awesome. I have already bitched to Bendis about it on Facebook. He seemed rather unconcerned with my well reasoned arguement of: "it sucks"

It could have been worse, based on the rumors I'd heard from a very reliable source. Much, much worse. Spider-man still has some supporting characters who have stayed dead, at least. Joe Q had contemplated making some changes in Brand New Day that didn't ultimately see print.

vandemonium wrote:

Junes, I don't think they'll ditch Bucky. I guess we shall see what happens.

Steve Rogers' revival will be less of an anticlimax if Bucky dies at the same time. Especially if that was Red Skull's plan all along: to make Cap witness Bucky's death *again.*

Juniper wrote:

Steve Rogers' revival will be less of an anticlimax if Bucky dies at the same time. Especially if that was Red Skull's plan all along: to make Cap witness Bucky's death *again.*

Brubaker is a strong writer, but I think that he picked the wrong story to tell. Death is already too cheap and meaningless in the Marvel Universe, and adding another D&R to Cap's tally just underlines the problem.

If Bucky dies soon, fans will shrug and roll their eyes. Dead? You mean, dead like Cap was dead? Or is this more of a dead like Jean Grey or Wonder Man? Or perhaps dead like Norman Osborn or Aunt May or, um, Bucky?

Let him just stay dead already!!! I was against him dying to begin with, but sweet monkey jeebus on a pogo stick am I sick of the nonstop string of resurrections in comics.

Leave him dead!!

Other than Gwen Stacy, what main characters have actually stayed dead?

COMING SOON!

From comics legend, Alan Moore...

The Comedian returns!

in

iTIMES

Almalik wrote:

Other than Gwen Stacy, what main characters have actually stayed dead?

Actually, a clone of Gwen Stacy showed up less than two years (our time) after her death. Only (Uncle) Ben Parker has stayed dead, and since his death was part of Spider-man's origin, he will most likely stay dead.