Force Works had a first issue death, X-Men 2099 killed off a character quite early, complete with cover announcement, The new New Warriors just lost one of their members, etc.

Force Works was bizzarre in that he didn’t come back right away, when it felt like that’s what they were setting it up for.

However, I’ll give X-men 2099 a free pass – they were all new characters, and although it was a bit of a ‘Women In Refrigerators’ moment, it did help show that it was a dangerous world etc etc, and also, up until then, that characters only point had been to introduce the main character to different aspects of their world, so once he was on the team, there was no need for her.

Ok, ok, I was young and really enjoyed it.

Really, it’s been an industry cliché at least since Grant Morrison penned Doom Force, where the declaration of character death was written on a giant arrow pointing at the blatantly useless one.

Interesting that Power Boy’s fate involved his costume’s chest hole, though. I’m not sure if that’s irreverent or tasteless.

It’s Garth Ennis’s world. We only live in it.

think comics, in more recent years, have been trying to show that the major teams, the ones people buy every month, are really a step above your ordinary superheroes and what better way to do that then to have the “ordinary” costumed folks get maimed or killed? Sigh.

I wonder if that has anything to do with licensing – we’ll make you like the characters we want you to like by giving you no choice.
I mean no one but a comic fan has love for the JLI, so their no good for toys/bed sheets, so why keep them around?

To the best of my knowledge, it was always planned as a mini. Unlike Omega Flight, which DID get downgraded. However, even Quesada has admitted to being pleasantly surprised at how well received Loners has been. CB Cebulski has written a new Loners story for Marvel’s upcoming Holiday Special and is lobbying for a second series (mini or regular).

Which, come to think of it, I didn’t read… did they survive that one, too?”

The last issue of Loners comes out next week, but so far, yes, they have all survived and the series has become a fan favorite, thanks to well written stories fleshing out b and c-grade characters. Marvel has already said they plan on continuing their story in the future. I have to give the nod to Marvel on giving those characters a new lease on life and realizing they had potential, rather than take the current DC approach of “Oooohh, who cares about developing new/forgotten characters, what we have here is some more cannon fodder…”

Bloody Vikings.

Which, come to think of it, I didn’t read… did they survive that one, too?

Have a good day.
John Cage

In a properly written book, there should be no “redshirts” at all. The one thing that really surprises me these days is someone taking the trouble to take a minor character and building him or her up into something bigger.