Originally Posted by
DigiCom
There are changes, and there are changes.
I should just leave it at that, but I'm on vacation, so I'll elaborate.
Some changes happen organically within the story. A character goes through an experience, and their personalty, behavior, or situation changes because of it. It's organic, part of the story, and makes sense.
Perfect example: Peter Parker getting married to his long-time girlfriend, after literally years of dancing around the question. It changed the status quo, but grew out of story.
Other changes, however, do NOT grow from story, but are clearly derived from real-world concerns & agendas.
Example: Peter Parker giving up his marriage to the literal Devil in order to reset the status quo to an earlier state, because editorial WANTED it done.
Now, you can quibble about specific changes as much as you like (I thought the BP/Storm marriage came off a bit forced. Others disagree. But their separation was DEFINITELY forced.)
Several years ago, as part of some work I did for a website called Fanzing, I wrote a bit of a thought experiment on this very topic. With your indulgence, I've pasted it below:
Imagine, if you would a large table. This is the DC Universe. Each title is a house of blocks on the table. You are a new writer.
Every issue is another few blocks…with skill, you expand on the work of the past, taking it in new directions, using your own style of construction. Occasionally, you enter the territory of another builder, but with cooperation you can build around him without destroying either's work.
There is always growth…you never destroy the foundation…or the entire structure may collapse. And in time…you finish your creation…and move on
So ask yourself this: Is a given change adding new blocks? Or simply kicking over the table?