Avengers Worst Character Assassination, The Sequel

[Nomads1]

On the old forum I had started a thread talking about the worst that writers had done to characters, such as Shooter's Hank Pym's fateful slap, Bendis making the Scarlet Witch a crazy mass murder, Shooter having Moondragon's rape Thor, Slott transforming Starfox into a rapist pervert (must be something in the air of Titan) and so on, efectively assassinating the character. There were a lot of interesting discussions over there, and I'd like to keep the floor open to continue it here.

To get the ball rolling, Steve Englehart's trashing of Quicksilver, making him a failed husband and father, and a petty, vindictive, and largely inconsequential villian. From the get-go, he seemed to have it for Pietro, showing him as a small-minded and very ineffective hero. Than, Crystal (another character that Englehart seemed to really have it for, making her into a shallow, slutty character, who not only cheated on her husband, but had to leave the FF because she couldn't resist putting the moves on the then married Human Torch) cheated on him, and he went on the deep end with rants of Crystal having curropted his purity and innocence (Yeah, you are gonna take seriously a grown man who shouts things like this...), and looking down at everybody, blamminh everyone else for his constant failures. Englehart seemed to have it so badly for Pietro and Crystal that his smear campaign went on from the Vision and Scarlet Witch 12 issue Maxi-series, to WCA, to the FF. Quicksilver's dilema was finnally resolved off panel, with the Inhumans figuring out off-panel that Pietro had always been under the influence of Maximus. It took years, and PAD finnaly landing Quicksilver in his X-Factor to finally redeem the character, however, by then, he was already tagged as a weak secrew-up, who caused M-Day and aalmost started a war with the Inhumans.
So, what others can you guys think about? Why does it irk you so much? Why do you think it's so damaging?

Peace

[PhantomReporter]

The classic example - If Hank Pym is to blame for the Jan slap thing when having a breakdown, then you also place equal blame at Reed Richards and Peter Parker's doors for doing similar stuff to their women. Or elase shut up about Hank forever.

[smoothrunes]

I'm glad my favourite characters (Dr. Strange, Namor, Thanos, Black Bolt, Black Panther) tend to get well represented across the board most of the time. If I was a Tony or Reed fan (and I guess, Hank, but wasn't he being impersonated as a Skrull at this time), I would've been seething at their showings in Civil War and how they seemed to coddle the Idiot Ball and basically end up being vilified just because they needed smart guys to oppose Cap and his everyman qualities.

[jphamlore]

Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to what Jurgens did to Balder in the alternate future The Reigning arc of Thor. Jurgens had Balder hold a sword to the throat of a baby Magni to try and force Thor to stand down. Let that sink in: Jurgens portrayed Balder as literally threatening to be a baby killer. A character whose name is "Balder the Brave" no less.

[stingnewell]

Everyone involved in the Illuminati. Its just awful from Bendis and now Hickman, the fact that a knock off Justice League is being rooted for is just sad and
makes me hope the Illuminati concept is never used again. After Hickam finally goes back to Indie comics, which is relief. I liked him so much better in Fantastic Four.

[Rochedalaix]

The Scarlet Witch I really feel sorry for her fans because there really is no way to redeem what they did with her, and it was completely unnecessary Marvel should have used Legion instead.

[Pat Thomas]

The classic example - If Hank Pym is to blame for the Jan slap thing when having a breakdown, then you also place equal blame at Reed Richards and Peter Parker's doors for doing similar stuff to their women. Or elase shut up about Hank forever.

What separates Hank's incident from the others is that the majority of "haters" haven't read the story. A split-second loss of control, which has never re-occurred, has labeled Hank
as a wife-beater. Hell, he knew he fucked up right when it happened, and was immediately remorseful. But it's just too easy to remain ignorant and judge others, even when actual
evidence shoes something different. Much better than looking at oneself.

[Pat Thomas]

Everyone involved in the Illuminati. Its just awful from Bendis and now Hickman, the fact that a knock off Justice League is being rooted for is just sad and
makes me hope the Illuminati concept is never used again. After Hickam finally goes back to Indie comics, which is relief. I liked him so much better in Fantastic Four.

Remember when picking up Avengers was fun?

[stingnewell]

Remember when picking up Avengers was fun?

I do, until Austin, Bendis, and Hickman pretty much screwed it over.
These days back issues and the current Mighty Avengers and the Avengers EMH
are the only Avengers I look into to get my Avengers fix.

[Nomads1]

The classic example - If Hank Pym is to blame for the Jan slap thing when having a breakdown, then you also place equal blame at Reed Richards and Peter Parker's doors for doing similar stuff to their women. Or elase shut up about Hank forever.

Preeching to the converted, my friend.

I'm glad my favourite characters (Dr. Strange, Namor, Thanos, Black Bolt, Black Panther) tend to get well represented across the board most of the time. If I was a Tony or Reed fan (and I guess, Hank, but wasn't he being impersonated as a Skrull at this time), I would've been seething at their showings in Civil War and how they seemed to coddle the Idiot Ball and basically end up being vilified just because they needed smart guys to oppose Cap and his everyman qualities.

There was no character assassination in Civil War, it was an all around character MASSACRE!

Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to what Jurgens did to Balder in the alternate future The Reigning arc of Thor. Jurgens had Balder hold a sword to the throat of a baby Magni to try and force Thor to stand down. Let that sink in: Jurgens portrayed Balder as literally threatening to be a baby killer. A character whose name is "Balder the Brave" no less.

I had never heard of that before, I dropped Jurgens Thor around the time Odin died again. Not because I wasn't liking it (I was), but was short of cash, and something had to go. I had mostly heard good things of the end of Jurgens Thor run. Didn't know something like this had happened.

Peace

[hawkeyefan]

What separates Hank's incident from the others is that the majority of "haters" haven't read the story. A split-second loss of control, which has never re-occurred, has labeled Hank
as a wife-beater. Hell, he knew he fucked up right when it happened, and was immediately remorseful. But it's just too easy to remain ignorant and judge others, even when actual
evidence shoes something different. Much better than looking at oneself.

I think there are a few things that make it stand out to Hank. One is that it happened in an era when the Marvel U was significantly smaller, so it was easier to keep track of everything that happened. For Peter, they happened when there was more books, more characters, and much more backstory for the character at that point. Not sure when Reed did anything like this. He's more a neglect his wife type of guy than rough her up kind of guy.

Also, both Reed and Peter are known for tons and tons of good things that distract people from any negative take on them. Hank's big claim to fame is that he created Ultron.

They really incorporated the whole mental breakdown into the character in Hank's case. And despite the controversial nature of the story, it defined the character and is widely accepted as a good story. So that's a big part of it too.

[stingnewell]

Doesn't help when The Ultimate run amped up the slap to full blown wife beater.

[pugbuddy]

Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to what Jurgens did to Balder in the alternate future The Reigning arc of Thor. Jurgens had Balder hold a sword to the throat of a baby Magni to try and force Thor to stand down. Let that sink in: Jurgens portrayed Balder as literally threatening to be a baby killer. A character whose name is "Balder the Brave" no less.

I always considered that an act of extreme desperation by Balder but he has pretty much gotten screwed ever since as well. His kingship of Asgard during JMS' run was horrible and that just flowed into the terrible characterizations of EVERY Asgardian character by Fraction. Thankfully, Gillen restored a bit of honor to the characters and Aaron is treating them with respect as well. It would be nice to see nobility back in Asgard again.

[PhantomReporter]

I do, until Austin, Bendis, and Hickman pretty much screwed it over.
These days back issues and the current Mighty Avengers and the Avengers EMH
are the only Avengers I look into to get my Avengers fix.

I agree but i'd add that i found Geoff Johns' short run to be quite bland. The last consistently fun Avengers run was Kurt Busiek's

[Stormcrow]

At this point, Civil War pales in comparison to what Hickman has done with Reed Richards and Tony Stark.

Beast has become an incredibly unlikeable character, too.