Any writing class will say that killing off a character can serve many purposes. As shown in Star Wars with the death of Obi Wan Kenobi, it can force a young character to grow up. In other cases, a main character dying at the hands of the major bad guy shows how truly dangerous that foe is. In the classic case of the death of Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben, or Batman’s parents, it can motivate the hero into action (or in the case of Hamlet, into depression, indecision, and “then” action).
All those uses of a main or important side character’s death are valid and help serve the dramatic functions of a story. That’s the key word - dramatic. The deaths are often shocking and come with surprise attached. Without that element of surprise or shock, all the reader is left with is boredom, or if they liked the character, annoyance and anger.
When Dead Isn’t Dead
In comic books, there were certain things that remained true. Characters rarely ever died. They shouldn’t they’re the heroes and need to inspire. The only death’s could happen in pre-story, or if it was an irredeemable villain, as can be seen in Jeff Smith's SHAZAM! Monster Society of Evil. In the 1960’s, Marvel Comic’s Spider-Man gave the readers a shocker - they killed Spidey’s long time girlfriend, Gwen Stacey. This sent shock waves through the fan base, and it was a truly touching moment. It left a scar on the character of Spider-Man that is felt to modern day.
Fast forward to today. The X-Men heroine Jean Grey has been brought back from the dead at least three times, and her leader Charles Xavier has pulled the same stunt. Batman’s former sidekick Jason Todd has come back from the dead as well, alongside long time exploded Captain America sidekick, Bucky. Combine this with story lines - most noteably at DC Comics - which tend to kill off heroes at a massive rate. Infinate Crisis, 52, Avengers Disassembled, 52, Infinite Crisis, Civil War, Final Crisis, and in smaller doses, the cosmic Marvel crossover Annihilation all one summer after another killed off lesser known and, in some cases, popular heroes with abandon. Some might call that mature storytelling and realistic, yet others might call it lazy and old.
The reaction to these deaths, be it Steve Rogers, the first Captain America, J’onn Jones, the Martian Manhunter, and even the cult favorite Blue Beetle, isn’t one of shock, or anger. It’s annoyance and a shrug, as the thought process is that the character will be brought back in five years, so there’s no reason to get angry.
Too Much of a Good Thing
A character’s death should be a gripping moment. It should tug at the heart strings of the reader. Yet when character after character is killed off in the same “big crossover story” every year... it just doesn’t matter.
Writing needs to be creative and different to keep the attention of a long time reader. Tell major stories that don’t have to do with war like situations. The coming of a powerful entity alone, and the build up and mistrust, is all one needs. Fear that a favorite character can actually die does help with the drama. When it becomes expected, thought, it loses that drama. A line has to be carefully trodden if deadly drama is to be used. But do not abuse it. Otherwise all the “gripping story” with cause is eye rolls instead of tears.
