The Death of Bruce Banner

Fans are asking me about my opinion on the death of Bruce Banner as portrayed in Civil War II. What do I think of the abrupt passing of a character on whom I spent twelve years of my writing career.

I pondered a response for some time and ultimately I have come to this conclusion:

Seriously, guys? As 2016 progresses and beloved person after beloved person dies, THIS is what you ask me about? The death of a fictional character whom I could bring back to life in three panels? And would not hesitate to do so if Marvel asked me?

Sheesh.

PAD

33 comments on “The Death of Bruce Banner

  1. 2016 has been a horrible year for losing those we love and respect in real-life. On almost every level it’s the ultimate ‘can we have a do-over’ year I can remember…

    Then again, people find solace, escapism and a one-degree-removed sense of exciting armchair drama in comics when they do their job right. It’s investment in the better, non-commercial sense of the word.

    So asking you your feelings on the ‘demise’ of a character you’re so closely associated with, clearly love and for whom you’ve given us such high-points, seems entirely reasonable…. (even IF we know he’ll be back).

  2. I don’t see why it’s a bad thing, as long as the question isn’t phrased in such a way that overstates its importance or suggests you OWE an opinion.

    But if it is an inherently flawed question, then why should humans create or consume fiction in the first place? Shouldn’t we spend all our waking hours concentrating on the ‘real’ world? Why write about the Hulk when you could pen a biography instead?

  3. I am a huge fan of yours, especially your X-Factor work and we have met several times at comic-con and had some great, if brief because of the comic-con zaniness, discussions and I have to say that I am really shocked and disappointed at your response to people asking your feelings on this. Most people would not often think to go to their favorite comic writer to discuss politics or religion unless it was pertinent to a storyline that was running and they wanted a personal take on this situation and the parallels that might exist between the fiction and reality. If we were to know each other better I would likely love to sit and discuss deep topics at length. As it stand you are a well known and highly respected writer in the field of comics and what people are curious about is how you feel about how a character (who you worked on extensively) dying after existing for 50+ years so you begrudging them that curiosity is somewhat harsh and a bit callous. You are entitled to your own feelings and you are certainly entitled to your privacy, of course, but to a certain degree you owe it to the fans of your work (who have helped put you into the position you currently occupy in your life) to acknowledge their curiosity and even throw them a little insight on your feeling regarding certain developments. You’re a fantastic writer and have brought some of my favorite characters to life for years now, but I hope you rethink your view on people wanting to know your opinions on current stories. Many people look to comics to escape to tragedy going on in the world around them so do not begrudge them that.

  4. Not sure why they would be asking you about David Bowie or Prince (I kid) but I do understand the slight irritation. We all know that Banner will be back. It’s not cynical, it’s pragmatic. Why do fans still put on the pretense that they’re moved by the death’s of major characters? Are there still that many naive, overly sentimental, readers out there in this hardened internet age of ours? Death is absolutely meaningless when it comes to iconic characters like the Hulk/Bruce Banner. Then again, you wrote not only one of the best Hulk runs ever (rivaled only by Len Wein’s classic run in my book) but one of the greatest Marvel runs ever, so your word carries weight.

  5. I wish there were “Likes” on these posts, I would hit that button a thousand times…

    1. And I wish that the long, well thought out comment that I posted an hour ago hadn’t been taken down but I guess that Mr. David is into censoring his fans in addition to ignoring their questions. I’m actually very disappointed and sad at his actions on here currently. I wish I had saved it so I could post it on social media…

      1. It wasn’t taken down. It was stuck in moderation. So I approved it. Thanks for attributing the worst-case scenario to it, though. Much appreciated.

        PAD

      2. I sincerely apologize for jumping to conclusions but on my end the comment said it was up for moderation and then just disappeared entirely so it was an honest mistake i feel. And none of this negates my initial point which you failed to respond to even once you approved it. Much like other artists (be they art, music, literature, or any other form of art), your success came from the popularity and support of your fans and to look down upon their questions because you feel like they should be asking more important questions is simply egotistical. “This is what you ask me?” Yes this is what we ask the comic book writer because most people probably don’t give your opinion on more important topics any thought. Try thinking outside yourself for a moment. Thank you.

      3. You want me to address your initial point that you’re disappointed in my reaction? Okay: sorry you’re disappointed. But that’s your issue, not mine. I’m not sure why you’re upset that I felt no need to respond to your reactions. People feel how they feel. As far as I can tell, what you REALLY want me to do is apologize because you’re upset. To say, “Good heavens, I wasn’t thinking. How could I have possibly been dismissive of my fans. My ego is out of control and I beg forgiveness.” Well, no. My attitude is much simpler: Chill out. It’s a comic book character. Chances are he’ll be back. End of story.

        PAD

    1. My opinion? My opinion is that he is a comic book character. My opinion is that it is absurd to be upset because, unlike everyone else we have been losing in 2016, he can be brought back to life with little to no effort.

  6. But Peter, what did you think of the storyline, and the way in which his death occurred? Did you enjoy the story? How would you critique it? (Are you still exclusive to Marvel, and are reticent to provide a critique?)

    Asking you this and offering tributes to the deceased don’t have to occupy mutually exclusive points on an Either/Or spectrum. Fans can do both, and they do. Have you ever noticed any dearth of fan reactions when much-beloved creators die?

    Your fans just want to know what you thought about the story, that’s all.

    1. That’s the kind of thing I’d be interested in hearing. Because, while we all know he’ll be back sooner or later (cynically put, probably in time for Thor: Ragnarok), the manner in which he was ushered out was, to me, sloppy and out of character for at least one of the two characters involved (Hawkeye & Banner).

    2. My reaction when I read it was, “Really?” I thought it was unexpected. And then I thought about how I would bring him back. That was really all I thought about it.

      PAD

  7. Considering Banner’s recent status over in Totally Awesome Hulk, his death makes his life even more of a tragedy.

    Of course, it also looks as if Greg Pak has a backdoor to bringing Banner back, if desired. I mean, I can see one, so I’m sure there are a few ideas floating around.

  8. WTF???? I had a feeling that Marvel was losing their collective minds when they turned that Cho kid into a Hulk and killed off the rest of the Gamma family. This confirms it. I’m shocked that they haven’t killed off The She-Hulk yet. BOTTOM LINE: after collecting Incredible Hulk comics for 40 years, I’m done.

    1. I respect your decision and Marvel has certainly made a number of recent decisions I don’t care for (while I like Cho I read #1 of TAH and decided it wasn’t too my tastes either).

      That said, I see this as something like the Death of Superman or more recently the Death of Captain America (or more recently still Spider-Man). They’ll get a few months’, maybe a couple years’ stories out of it, and then Banner will be back once it’s played out.

  9. Or you could look at it this way: you and other writers of the Hulk’s adventures have done such a good job, that readers care for Bruce Banner as much as if he was a real person.

  10. I think one reason that Peter is seemingly a bit miffed at reactions over Banner’s death can be shown by the fact that there are nearly 30 posts in this thread, but only two (soon to be three — I’m about to go post there) on the real-world and irrevocable death of actor and talk radio host Jerry Doyle (whose “Michael Garibaldi” character Peter had also written dialog for, both in the TV series and in the “Babylon 5: Legions of Fire” novel trilogy centered on Centauri Prime).

    In our defense, we’ve been a bit distracted by other real-world events such as the RNC and DNC, and, for those of us who work in the tech industry, yesterday’s Windows 10 free upgrade deadline (which ended mere hours ago as I type this).

    On Banner: yes, he will be back, just as (as Andy E. Nystrom noted) Superman, Captain America, and Spider-Man (and don’t forget Bruce Wayne / Batman, and of course Jean Grey) have, and for the same reason: his name is a Marvel Comics trademark and he’s a copyrighted character, and he must appear in the comics or other media at least once every few years (I forget the exact rules and am too lazy to go look them up right now) or else they risk losing the trademark and/or copyright, and that they will not do. No major comics character will die and stay dead, for that very reason.

  11. Asking for a reaction to the death of a comic book character is like asking for a reaction to what a comic book character has for breakfast.

    1. Yeah, Robert. Nowadays. 50 years ago, Death in Comics had much more meaning than what a character had for breakfast. That’s what’s sad. For some the distinction it still has meaning, which is good, but there are people who value fictional death rather than real death, that’s where it goes wrong.

      Just for the record, while I only saw the second and third seasons of “Babylon 5” on DVD, Jerry Doyle’s Garibaldi was one of the reasons I watched an episode during those seasons. He was probably the most human of all the characters on there who were human. because this character had range. Characters and Actors don’t always come together as well as Doyle and Garibaldi did. And now there’s one less…no, two less of those in the world now.

      1. Charles,

        If you’ve seen seasons 2 and 3 of B5 I encourage you to see 4. The show was scheduled do be cancelled at the end of season 4 before being picked up my TNT so the 4th season finished most of the plot lines. If you enjoyed the character of Garibaldi season 4 has a great arc for the character and you can easily stop the show there. Instead of watching the last episode of season 4 jump to the last episode of season 5 that is coda to the whole series.

        Seriously, give season 4 a change.

  12. I’m glad you don’t seem bothered by this. I’m reminded of Mike Wieringo’s reaction when Bart Allen died. He made this wonderful tribute sketch that he posted to his blog. He seemed to take it very personally. It’s especially upsetting to me (even though I didn’t know him personally) that he passed away before Bart Allen returned to life. (My hope is that he knew it was in the works.)

  13. I’m sure Bruce Banner will be back. I’m sure, as well, that the disposition of fictional characters in a fictional world does not in any way compare with the deaths of actual people in the real world. But the way you’ve stated the issue is: “Fans are asking me about my opinion on the death of Bruce Banner as portrayed in Civil War II. What do I think of the abrupt passing of a character on whom I spent twelve years of my writing career.” Just the bare fact. Not that they’re doing it obsessively or inappropriately, or offensively, but simply that they’re doing it all.

    You’re a writer. What else are your fans going to ask you about? They don’t know you, but they know your work, and approaching you through your work is really the only way they have of approaching you at all. They’re asking a writer of comic books about developments with a comic book character with whom you, the writer, are identified. This isn’t unusual.

    Are people walking up to you on the street and asking you about the death of Bruce Banner, or are they doing it at a comic book convention, where talking about comic book characters might be expected? Would you rather people you don’t know ask you about who you may have lost over the course of the year? I’d think that would come off as presumptuous.

    I’m not trying to be combative or accusatory, I just don’t understand your reaction. It’s not even that your reaction is particularly excessive, it’s just an odd one to have at all to fielding the sort of question I expect writers with any kind of public presence must deal with all the time.

  14. Well, what would the point in asking you how you felt about David Bowie or Alan Rickman dying? I mean, what COULD you say other than “Man, that really sucks!” or variations thereof? Even if your honest opinion was “I hated ____ and am glad he’s dead!” it’s not like you could actually SAY that. And even if you could or would… well, it’s also not like there was anything anyone could have done about it.
    .
    So yeah, asking about a fictional character, THAT is something that can be asked about. It’s a fictional character. He didn’t have to die, it was an editorial/authorial decision. It’s not tragic, ’cause we all know he’ll be back. So really, what you’re being asked is your opinion on Marvel killing him off, rather than what you think about the death itself.

    1. “How do you feel about Alan Rickman dying?” “Well, I’m upset, of course, he was a great actor and a great man and a great friend and I wish he was still around…”
      .
      vs.
      .
      “How do you feel about Bruce Banner dying?” “Well, clearly he’s going to be back, but I thought his death was really poignant and meaningful.” or “Well, clearly he’s going to be back, so his dying is stupid and meaningless, and it was a stupid decision on Marvel’s part.” or, y’know, whatever.
      .
      There’s a substantive difference in the questions being asked, IMHO.

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