So. Killing. Traditionally, in Superhero comics there's been a Code about Killing, namely, that Superheroes don't do it. Nowadays, this little Code has been a somewhat...lax. Some anti-heroes like the Punisher, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider have been killing bad guys for years, but with the advent of the Ultimate Universe and Marvel and DC cranking out movies and teevee shows set in a more realistic world, the whole "no-killing code" has pretty much gone out the window. Movie Batman kills (kinda), and apparently even movie Superman will break a neck if he's gotta. Some people have defended the old Code, saying that Superheroes are "better" than that. Superheroes are above killing. And it makes sense that some superheroes don't kill. Spiderman started out as a kid. He don't wanna kill no one. Superman shouldn't kill, cause killing would be too easy for the guy. A Superman who does kill all willy nilly is a terrifying thought. Batman doesn't kill because he doesn't want anyone to have suffer the way he suffered when his parents died. Sometimes it makes sense for Superheroes not to kill.
But seriously, Superheroes not killing is some stupid crap.
You look at it logically, from every angle, it's stupid that superheroes don't kill. Cops kill. You run from a cop, they shoot you. You assault a cop, they shoot you. You shoot at a cop, they shoot you. Soldiers kill. When you get down to brass tacks, that's the whole point of being a soldier, killing people. When you're at war, you shoot at people and try to blow them up. If you're in a life or death, do or die situation, it's kill or be killed, whether it's on the battlefield or the streets or even your own home.
Now, imagine you're a superhero, and you've got a guy riding around on a flying sled, throwing explosives and spinning blades and laser beams at you. Every time you dodge one of these deadly, deadly weapons, one of them could fly loose and hit an innocent bystander, KILLING THEM. A stray explosive could go flying inside an apartment building, killing a family, setting fire to the building, and possibly even setting off a gas line causing an explosion that could level the entire building, killing lots and lots of people. This crazy masked man on the flying sled is a sociopath who will stop at nothing to KILL YOU, and if he gets half a chance, HE WILL KILL EVERYONE YOU LOVE.
So, whadaya gonna do, hero? Are you gonna punch this guy out, hand him off to the police, and wait for the wheels of justice to lock this guy away for life? Even though this sociopath is a genius (he built a flying sled and a bunch of compact deadly weapons for crying out loud), so chances are pretty darn good that he's gonna break out of jail or, better yet, hire a really slick attorney who will somehow get him off scott free. And when he gets out, he's coming right after you, and chances are pretty good that at least a few innocent bystanders are gonna die in the crossfire.
So you let him live, and lots of people die. Or you kill that Bad Guy, and the world has one less Bad Guy. This isn't really hard math, is it?
Now, I know that I have argued on more than one occasion that Logic has no place in comics. And I stand by that. Reality has no real place in our endlessly impossible world of the imagination. If you like the idea of a world where superheroes don't kill, that's peachy keen. But at the same time, comics writers should write from the gut, write about what they feel is true. And if some psycho who has the power to level a city block is coming at me with the intention of killing me and anyone who gets in his way, and I have the power to stop him...
I'm gonna drop that scumbag and make sure he don't get back up.
(heeheeheehee... I always think it's funny when I pretend to be a tough guy... teehee)
No comments:
Post a Comment