Rest in Geek

Maybe it's a sign of the times, but I'm unsurprised to find that even my pursuit of escapism seems to lead back to the topic of death. One death is real and the other imaginary, but both are noteworthy in their own way.

British actor Nicholas Courtney, who died February 22nd at age 81, had a long career in television, with roles in everything from All Creatures Great and Small to The Avengers. To geeks of my generation, though, Courtney will be best remembered from his work in Doctor Who as Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, a role he originated in 1968 and would continue to play in various media for over forty years. Though the character ultimately appeared opposite most of the actors to play the Doctor, the majority of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's appearances were in the 1970s during Jon Pertwee's tenure, mainly during the Doctor's exile to Earth.

As a leader of U.N.I.T., an international organization dedicated to protecting Earth from alien threats, the Brigadier was regularly thrown into situations that defied by-the-book solutions but somehow never lost his dignity. And though he sometimes made choices the Doctor found morally questionable, his good intentions were always apparent, which might be the aspect of the character that most endeared him to fans. He was one of us - or at least what we might like to be.

If past history is any guide, the other death will be as short-lived as it is fictional. The Human Torch is at least the second member of the Fantastic Four to die and almost certainly will be at least the second to be resurrected. That's how it goes in comics, where the operative question is not if a given character will come back but rather when.

Though some fans hate this practice, I'm fine with it - as long as the writers deliver a good story. When Marvel decided to kill Captain America and pass the mantle to his former sidekick (who had himself been believed dead for forty years), we knew it was just a matter of time before the inevitable resurrection. That time-frame ended up being just a couple years, which was fine because it produced an intriguing story-line, as the death of one of comics' most iconic characters produced ripples on intrigue across the Marvel universe.

The Human Torch's death, or rather its aftermath, isn't quite up to that level. Making most of the final issue of The Fantastic Four wordless provided was a good effort to avoid cliches and let the events speak for themselves, but overall it was underwhelming. While there were some truly affecting moments, too much if it felt like vamping until a final scene that sets the stage for the team's next stage.

Still, the death of the Human Torch resonates, because the Fantastic Four isn't just a superhero team but also a family, and most of us can relate to the story on that level. The family dynamics have been a key part of their appeal since they debuted nearly 50 years ago, so it seems fitting they come into play at the end of their run. Of course, I don't really think it is the end of their run, but that will be another story.