[MFD]

To continue the discussion from the "Goddamn it, Marvel!" thread:

Mirai, my "So, SO much sarcasm" post referred to my previous post, where I said that Superman, the Spoiler, and Batman stayed dead for quite some time, while Bucky came back moments later.

And yes, everyone knows that we're secretly in the middle of Countdown to the Bat Crisis, featuring the Green Lanterns!

Seriously, though. I heard that Bruce was returning as a Black Lantern. Laaame!

Anyways, my major point! The most important thing in any speculative fiction is to set mortality rules. Contractual immortality, especially by fantastic means, is poor writing and doesn't help with a suspension of disbelief.

Rowling did a good job establishing death as a final end. Lost is doing a good job so far with "Whatever happened, happened" and "dead is dead". We'll see.

I understand that you need to keep these characters living, but they also need to be living in the world. Bats should have died of old age long ago, Dick should have taken his place.

If you can't manage that, at least manage some drama out of other sources. Superman's great! He can't die, sure! But he's an immigrant! He's white morality in a gray world! He's faced with the constant desire to do good, but how can he best accomplish that? Putting away criminals is fighting the symptoms of a disease.

How does he deal with that?