Why tell great stories when you can pull stunts which get you mainstream media attention? It's fantastic that comic books are no longer a niche product for "nerds", but Marvel in particular are guilty of dumping on their most devoted readers for a juicy headline. Whether it's the death of a beloved character or a massive twist which seems to come out of nowhere (usually because it does), Marvel now seems to formulate the majority of their storytelling decisions around how controversial or shocking it will be. That's obviously not a particularly smart direction to take, especially when it comes across as so blatantly desperate and is usually not in the best interest of either the characters involved or fans. Do you know what the worst part about this is though? The fact that Marvel actually spoils these massive moments days before the comic goes on sale. Big outlets that are unfamiliar with comics and just interested in the hits these stories bring don't think twice about revealing all in a headline, making it impossible to avoid having the moment ruined.
