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Anonymous writes...
As a writer, what, in your opinion, is the reason that every child born to a major character in DC comics is killed-off, ret-conned into having different parents or out of existance entirly, or aged?
Think about it. Aquaman's son...dead. Wonder Woman's daugher...ret-conned to not even be hers. Batman's daughter...ret-coned out (albeit braught back, but now from a different reality). Batman's son...killed by his own clone. Arsenal's daughter, who had the potential to become a great character someday...dead. Flash(Wally)'s twins...first dead, then aged. And the list goes on.
Is it supposed to be common practice among comic writers so that they can maintain a static universe where the hero doesn't age over the years & a baby would force the story into progressing?
The main reason I quit reading comics is because it seemed that as soon as any characer was even beginning to progress, a new writer would come along and revert everything back to when they were a fan, including ignoring or killing off any other character that wasnt there back then, including children.
Greg responds...
I think you've basically answered your own question.
One additional factor: I know "writing" a baby or even a toddler or young child is tough. (Teens are relatively easy by comparison.) And weighing a character down with a child who is too young to fend for his or herself is always a challenge. The alternative of giving the lead a spouse or co-parent to help out, creates an entire family unit that imposes additional challenges for the lone wolf superhero archetype to overcome - once you've gotten past the endless "My family is in danger" stuff. So it's a writerly challenge, as well.
Now, that kind of content interests me tremendously. But when faced with pressure to keep heroes static and angsty and troubled, and couple that with the inherent difficulties of writing the character with ongoing familial relationships - and as you noted, the feeling that a new writer or editor might have that they want a shot at writing the character in his or her pristine, unencumbered form, and you can see why the trend exists.
But personally, it's a trend I despair of.