How to perfectly retire a character…

Thunderbolts #142 by Jeff Parker and Wellinton Alves (March 2010).
#USAgent #JohnWalker #Thunderbolts #JeffParker #WellintonAlves

[@darthknight1]

Congratulations on the video! And for being one of the few people who understands USAgent. His trajectory towards surpassing his brother, or dying in battle as his idea of a hero. Parker found an out for him that satisfied the character and let him retire. That's something no one else seemed willing to do and it speaks to his investment in his work as a professional and the characters under his charge. Since USAgent has routinely been misunderstood and butchered by so many writers, Parker's solution was a good ending. But characters don't just fade out gracefully in comics, they get slowly enshitified.

[@SonofCapwolf]

On the list of things that should be banned in comics - removing a character's disability. There is not a single character who has being gracefully improved by restoring them and it is insulting and offensive to the people who it was representing. Barbara Gordon, John Walker, Professor X even. I guess, maybe they should stop putting major characters through that sort of grinder without much thought (Barbara Gordon) or consider the possible thought that went into it (John Walker) or just stop pulling the same bullshit out of a hat seventeen times (Professor X). Barbara Gordon was developed enough as Oracle that it's insulting to have her get a magic spinal column fix. John gets to represent war veterans somewhat and be protected from writer's abusing him, it's a nice end for him. I guess they keep making Charles such an immoral dipshit that he's probably better off not representing the disabled.

[@kurumais]

@@SonofCapwolf nuke had a perfect ending in born again he should not have been brought back

[@SonofCapwolf]

@kurumais I wouldn't disagree with that but it was Wolverine Origins #1 that brought him back and if he's back might as well use him for something worthwhile like this Thunderbolts story.

[@kurumais]

nobody remembers he was good friends with battlestar? he may be a jerk but i dont think he was racist.

[@SonofCapwolf]

Battlestar was/is his best friend, from boot camp. John is simple in his belief but not evil. He says he's in favour of most of what the Watchdogs stand for but they are pretty much his greatest enemies - because he doesn't agree with how they go about those beliefs.

[@kurumais]

did you read christopher priest's usagent mini? it just didnt work for me and priest is one of my favorite writers.

[@SonofCapwolf]

Hated it with a passion. John being openly racist throughout the first issue and a paranoid gun owner.