Should Marvel have an event that kills off a lot of dead wood?

[Snoop Dogg]

I also believe the publishing company should stop making money.

[DrNewGod]

Killing Bucky, Gwen Stacy, Swordsman, and Phoenix all worked. It was shocking, yes, but its core purpose was not shock, but to drive a wider narrative.

I'm not sure character death has been used well since Phoenix's death.

[Snoop Dogg]

Killing Bucky, Gwen Stacy, Swordsman, and Phoenix all worked. It was shocking, yes, but its core purpose was not shock, but to drive a wider narrative.

I'm not sure character death has been used well since Phoenix's death.

Don't disrespect the Porcupine like this.

[PCN24454]

Killing Bucky, Gwen Stacy, Swordsman, and Phoenix all worked. It was shocking, yes, but its core purpose was not shock, but to drive a wider narrative.

I'm not sure character death has been used well since Phoenix's death.

But they weren’t “deadwood”. They were major characters or major supporting characters.

[K7P5V]

In fairness, it was always implied that there was more than one Scourge out there. When Cap captured the one from the 'Bar with no Name', he was killed by someone else

You're absolutely right. I even remember Scourge having a buddy/sidekick named Domino.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Don't disrespect the Porcupine like this.

Yeah, that was a good death in the tragic sense. I don't know why Marvel felt the need to basically cut and paste the old guy into the new one.

I'd put forward Johnny Guitar from Avengers Initiative as another 'good' Z list death. Though that story line itself did kill a bunch of Z listers too, so... :P

[JudicatorPrime]

You kill them, someone will bring them back. Someone always brings them back. Marvel is its own Pet Sematary.

[karatattoo]

A more interesting story would be to have several obscure or forgotten characters brought in with a top creative team and attempt to turn them into A-Listers.

I would read that!!

[TheRay]

Dare I ask, who are the “dead wood” here?

Are there any? Rarely in comics have I ever seen anyone be introduced who truly serves no purpose.

[dornwolf]

God no. Killing of characters just because is such a crap reason. If anything companies should be using those lower tier characters to break in new writers and artists.

[Zero Hunter]

Killing Bucky, Gwen Stacy, Swordsman, and Phoenix all worked. It was shocking, yes, but its core purpose was not shock, but to drive a wider narrative.

I'm not sure character death has been used well since Phoenix's death.

I think Guardians death in Alpha Flight #12 was used well and drove the narrative for the book for the next year at least.

[CrimsonEchidna]

I mean, then you run the risk of the story ending up like Ultimatum, which was gorn for the sake of gorn.

[PCN24454]

I think Guardians death in Alpha Flight #12 was used well and drove the narrative for the book for the next year at least.

Also not “deadwood”.

[Kaijudo]

Using multiple characters that have been unused as cannon fodder for some big event is really just the sign of an untalented, desperate writer who needs shock value to cover the fact that the story has little substance.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Using multiple characters that have been unused as cannon fodder for some big event is really just the sign of an untalented, desperate writer who needs shock value to cover the fact that the story has little substance.

Agreed.

When was the last time a mass death of characters was actually convincing in making the villain seem threatening?