The scheduled panel of “The Punisher” at New York Comic Con was canceled on Oct. 7. Because the Las Vegas shooting was still so recent, the Marvel team felt that flashing around a vigilante like the Punisher wouldn’t be appropriate.

I understand why Netflix and Marvel came to this decision, seeing as the trailer alone can be very triggering for some people with its use of guns and ultra-violence. However, I find myself questioning whether we really should censor our entertainment media because of real-world events.

I feel we should do the opposite instead; we should embrace events that happen in the real world and use them to make our fictional stories more tangible. This can lead to truly amazing and moving stories — that is, is if it’s done right.

For instance, one of the most powerful and moving Spider-Man stories is Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2, Book 36, “Stand Tall.” The story goes into detail of what the superheroes based in New York went through during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The heroes are left in a state of helplessness. Even with amazing superpowers, they were powerless in that situation.

The comic set the bar for how media should handle real-world tragedies and showed a more vulnerable side to characters that have been in comics for decades. The story not only encapsulated how the heroes felt but how people in the real world felt during the attack, handling the event in a mature manner.

I understand the motives behind canceling this panel. I’m not saying every real-world event needs to be thrust into our entertainment media, but think of all the reasons we like our entertainment.

People loved Luke Cage because of what he stood for — a bulletproof black man trying to help his city in a time where relationships between police and African Americans are tense. Avid comic readers felt strong emotions when it was revealed that Green Arrow’s side kick Speedy was addicted to heroin. “Narcos” is not only praised for its amazing story but also its authenticity and how closely it follows source material.

We love when entertainment outlets tackle controversial topics because it makes them more real and compelling.