Comic Book Immortality

Of course it's only after deciding I want my blog to be called Comics and Cartoons that I begin to wonder what exactly I'm going to talk about. There are the differences in style and content around the world, the importance of this kind of entertainment in such places, and what it might say about a time or place in which something was created. There is the relatively recent interest and publication in Graphic Novels, (arguably just bigger comic books) and the popular interest in American comics and Japanese manga.

One specific reoccurring theme in lots of American and Japanese comic books is that you can never seem to really kill the "good-guy." I know this seems random, but there's a list I've been keeping in the back of my mind of the differences and similarities between the two vastly popular styles. One of the major things that continues to endlessly, well, not end is the protagonist's ability to live on and persevere through anything. This is inspiring, really it is, but when the majority of the characters from DC comics have died at one time or another and come back again (and again, and again) it feels like there's really not much in the way of drama if as a superhero you know you get to pass "Go" every time.

In comic-book worlds that share superheroes (DC has all its characters living around the same world, or at least existence), there usually comes a time where one hero's problems begin to grow so large, it effects the entire fictional group. Recently, the rules of Green Lantern's world enveloped the superhero community. GL's entire plot revolves around his green Power Ring of Willpower that can create anything he imagines: a giant hammer, a plane...the list is almost literally endless. The thing is that, during this story arc, Black power rings are created that bring back the dead as what would almost seem like... ok, not really "seem," I guess it pretty much is just a zombie army.

This was the first series I had seen that not only acknowledged but emphasized the fact that many heroes these days technically shouldn't be around anymore. Superman, Aquaman, Green Lantern himself, and now sorta-kinda-Batman, among others, have all died at one time or another.

The same thing happens around the world: Japanese comic book and anime characters always seem to find a way back from the brink of death or beyond. If you want examples, start with Dragon Ball Z. You'll be there a while.

This might actually make a decent dissertation or some sort of academic research eventually, but for the time being I'll leave you with this question:  Is it better that heroes don't stay dead? Or should these stories become more realistic and actually allow important characters to really stay gone?