akbogert

@Kid_Omega_Prime: Let's just say you're scratching the tip of a mighty big iceberg asking questions like this one.

He was killed instantaneously by a villain who has, up until that moment, always been a powerless joke. His completely metal body splattered blood all over the place when dispatched by said villain (despite the fact that, you know, he doesn't have blood). These are reasons why he shouldn't actually be dead. However he very well may be dead anyway, and if Marvel was willing to have him die this way, I doubt they care enough to resurrect him anytime soon.

Join the Avengers Arena hate and/or serious misgivings train, my friend. Destination: unknown.

Who are you cheering for?

Everyone but Dennis Hopeless.

Quite glad @PrimeDirective brought this up (as I'd likely never have otherwise seen it). Very keen insights on something I really wish/hope Marvel understands.

On a side note, I feel like I've seen those Squirrel Girl panels before but I don't remember where. What are they from?

@Vance Astro: I guess my subsequent question is, how long would Marvel wait for sales to pick back up before making the decision to cancel? Obviously there's no set rule, but I'd guess there are warning signs based on books that have been cancelled before.

I'd try to keep this discussion on-topic but the best answer (aside from creative choices none of us are privy to) is Arena, and that's already been said several times.

@V_Scarlotte_Rose: I'd checked there, but I'd only seen the numbers for December (obviously, since January's not over ^_^).

@Vance Astro: Ah. Thanks.

My general feeling is that any book, as it may have been preordered (especially because, I think I heard, folks who had Academy on their pull lists were automatically switched over to Arena) will only really show its true colors after three or four issues. I'm pretty new to the whole comics business but I get the sense that those numbers are from distributors, not from LCS, which means if you decided to drop the book after issue one or two you'd still have another one coming out of the distributor, just not going into a reader's hand. I have no idea whether a drop like 19th to 50th is considered a red flag though.

@HushoftheWind: You know, I'd pay actual money at this point to see the sales figures on that book, because I'm sick of speculating over whether it's as popular and/or doomed as everyone keeps claiming. Of course, I've been saying for a while now that one of the hindrances of Arena, all else being equal, is that it negates the opportunity for other writers to use these characters (heck, even Yost earlier last year -- who co-created X-23 and is currently writing Scarlet Spider -- seemed keen on the notion of her teaming up with Kaine at some point, and of all writers he's the one most likely to have actually gone and done so).

That said, this isn't X-Force, and I'm not sure whether Laura has a stun setting. I'm not sure it'd be in-character for her to join an X-Men squad, unless they've recently begun officially condoning killing and I missed it.

@VenomMelendez: As I said to another commenter:

"As I've not seen anyone really point out what's so original or fantastic about this book (except, apparently, that people die in it, seemingly for real), I'd venture to say that those who like it will suffer less of a loss in its cancellation than those who hate it will suffer in its continuation. I'm asking you to weigh the extent of pleasure you are deriving from the series against the extent of pain others are deriving from it, that's all. Sacrificing something you enjoy because it's hurting other people is the crux of what I'm asking for (as unreasonable as it may appear to some)."

You're right, of course. Saying I loathe something and asking people not to support it isn't inherently useful; but then neither is telling me I'm wasting my time.

As in life, I don't think they're mutually exclusive. I think if a couple has been in a committed relationship for years and marriage can be done in a way that's a well-done event/arc, then marrying is really the sensible route. Personally, I have pretty rigidly traditional views on relationships and intimacy, and while I don't expect comics to reflect those views it'd be nice if some characters reflected them.

@Crimsonlord53 said:

She,s also every thing wolverine was before he was made mainstream and has parts in every marvel title.

I'm not sure what you're saying; that Wolverine has changed to become less interesting, or that part of what you like about X-23 is that she isn't overused?

Which really brings me back to a point I was kind of hoping more people would address: "What sets her apart in your mind from all the other healing factor characters (with or sans blades)?" Some of your answers have already addressed that in a roundabout way, but I'd like some more discrete replies on that in particular, just because so many Laura haters tend to just say she's the same as Wolverine. Let's discount the only difference detractors mention (she's a she). How's X-23 different from X?

The character Zer0 in Borderlands 2 at some point is asked why that numeral appears above his head, to which he responds that it represented the extent of challenge the foes he has cut down have posed. An assassin by trade, Zer0 is simply in search of someone who is his equal. Any deaths he causes in that search are merely boring collateral.

I get a similar vibe from the Riddler. He's obsessed with his own ego, and will only commit lesser crimes to gain the attention of a truly worthwhile foe. I don't think killing random people particularly serves his interests; it's too easy. He'll put them in harm's way only insomuch as their peril needs to be real if, say, Batman is going to be lured in to rescue them. Death is the penalty for being outsmarted, outwitted, outdone by the Riddler. Simply killing someone proves nothing; they need to have a way out so that when they fail and die he can laugh and say he knew he was the better man.

I think to a large extent whatever sanity remains for Mr. Nigma is dependent on that illusion of superiority. When someone seems to be prevailing against his riddles/traps, cheating is necessary because winning is necessary. And to that end, he could never acknowledge that he has cheated, because that would disqualify the victory he depends on. You mentioned fairness "in his own mind" and that is precisely the point. We see how clearly he's cheating, but it's as if he had a cheating alter ego about which he's oblivious. The cheating is therefore intrinsic to the character, preserving his sense of superiority insomuch as he can never face the reality of his defeat. If he only cheats against Batman, it's merely because he really is smarter than most other people, and Batman's the only one who endangers his assured victory.