Should characters be killed off simply because they did something bad?

[Kage Kisaragi]

When a character, hero or villain does something heinously evil, or socially shocking, or shown to be a lot more flawed than originally presented. The first and immediate reaction is to what? for the editors at DC, it seems to be too kill them.

When the oh so perfect Powerboy was revealed to be an obsessive, controlling, abusive psychopath, Supergirl went to town on his butt and officially ended their relationship. However shortly after that he was killed off prior to the events of Final Crisis.

Hawk (Holly Granger), shared a one night stand with Powerboy where in which she dressed up as Supergirl for him, and they had if i remember correctly some pretty aggressive sex. Now prior too that I don't recall Ms Granger being anything more than just a some what loose, and drink happy kind of gal. Hardly the worst thing a woman could turn out to be, you would think. Yet, I have to wonder was it more something to do with her bedfellows than anything else that got her the axe, and thus killed in Blackest Night.

Author Light aka Dr Light, was a career criminal. Having had killed dozens of people in his time as a professional criminal, however none of that was really noteworthy in terms of gaining him the eerie of the superhero community. It wasn't until he raped a superheroes wife, that the universe literally turned on him, and the spirit of Vengeance itself came before Dr Light and killed him. WTF? Seriously? It's a shame the Spectre doesn't exist in the real world, because boy would he be busy.

The point is, however with each of these deaths and other similar deaths, does it not cheapen, the value of the character? I mean, it sensationalizes the types of crimes that they committed in the first place but it doesn't do much for for the more serious things good or bad that they did prior.

So what do you guys think?

[titanfan]

"The point is, however with each of these days and other similar deaths, does it not cheapen, the value of the character? I mean, it sensationalizes the types of crimes that they committed in the first place but it doesn't do much for for the more serious things good or bad that they did prior."

TV shows often does the same thing. (Soap Operas especially) There is a time where sometimes what characters did hit too close to home or are too vile/villainous/whatever that they actually start to chase away the viewers because they can't stand to watch X characters anymore.

Yes, every character is potentially redeemable, but as a business, if you feel ratings are suffering because of X character, or viewers are dropping because they can't stand to read X character--you need to drop the character.

It's very important to have villains that your readers LOVE TO HATE and not just hate. Once it gets to the "hate", the character is collateral damage and you need to write them out. (Since their villains, writing them out often means death--which doesn't need to be permanent anyway)

It's really just a business decision. At some point, enough readers got to the point where reading about Dr. Light made more readers horrified, than picking up the title because he was in it.

[LoneNecromancer]

When a character, hero or villain does something heinously evil, or socially shocking, or shown to be a lot more flawed than originally presented. The first and immediate reaction is to what? for the editors at DC, it seems to be too kill them.

The Joker is still alive.

[Flash Gordon]

The Joker is still alive.

Ha! So true, and pretty much ends this discussion, eh?

[Doctor Voodoo]

Killing off a character is a plot device for shock value. I say no, because character deaths should be important.

That being said, I don't mind revivals/resurrections of killed off characters (ex. Jason Todd)

[vampiric_cannibal]

No, they should be killed off because I don't like them.

Note to self: Never come into any position of responsibility at Marvel or DC.

[ArnoldoAAD]

well considering that is EXACTLY what happen to Stephanie Brown
im gonna go with No on this one

[Kage Kisaragi]

The Joker is still alive.

Actually i wanted to bring that up, because we know the Joker is indeed one of the most critically acclaimed evil people on DC Earth, why has not the likes of the Spectre come for him like Dr Light? Simple, he's joker, a very important villain these named characters have no such ties to any one hero or villain and thus their lives are used merely as shock value in terms of them being killed off, but again back to my point, does it not cheapen major crimes when people like the Joker has done much worse?

[Superdog]

They should just have a series where the Spectre flies around makes D list villains explode.

[Kyle Anderson]

Power Boy was a New God, so he needed to die because of Final Crisis as all others.

Holly Granger was obviously killed because they wanted to replace get with Hawk Hall.

Dr Light, however, was clearly killed because pretty mutch everyone hated him in the sense that no one wanted to read about him. In fact, I never see a character getting killed (even a small villain) and pretty much everyone being happy about that, except for Dr Light.

[Kage Kisaragi]

Power Boy was a New God, so he needed to die because of Final Crisis as all others.

Well true to a degree other New Gods survived that attack, Little Barda to name one.

[CagedLeo730]

Will true to a degree other New Gods survived that attack, Little Barda to name one.

Countdown was an editorial mess that should never be spoken of again. With the new52, the New Gods will be back and all is good. Let's see some Orion and Lightray.

[Kyle Anderson]

Will true to a degree other New Gods survived that attack, Little Barda to name one.

She was left in a coma and never seen again. Then in Final Crisis all New Gods were said to be dead.

[Kage Kisaragi]

Well with Darksied in JL right now, I assume that the introduction of the New Gods will indeed be inevitable. However I hope the direction for them has a greater over all purpose to the DCU as a whole. Also im looking forward to some more modern day takes on their looks and appearances, particularly Big Barda and the Furies.

[Jody Garland]

Actually i wanted to bring that up, because we know the Joker is indeed one of the most critically acclaimed evil people on DC Earth, why has not the likes of the Spectre come for him like Dr Light? Simple, he's joker, a very important villain these named characters have no such ties to any one hero or villain and thus their lives are used merely as shock value in terms of them being killed off, but again back to my point, does it not cheapen major crimes when people like the Joker has done much worse?

He actually has had the Spectre come after him before. The Spectre judged him not in control of his actions because of mental illness, so he wasn't responsible for his sins. Or something like that- it was during the Ostrander Spectre series.