Speaking as someone who has written and read a lot of death fics, I'll say that in my opinion, a deathfic is when a story revolves around a main character's death (and any character's death at that, so long as they are main to the fic they are in). The death needs to be the main point of the story, and it needs to happen in the story. There is a difference to me between a WHAM and a deathfic-- even though both can contain a death.
I'm not 100% sure that Terry's latest qualifies as a deathfic simply because
I feel like it's been more about Lois' life than it was about her death. It was heartwrenching, and definitely has wham-iness to it, but it's not as angst ridden or negative as it could have been. I like it for that reason. But then again, I guess her death is largely the main part of the story, so I think it just depends on how you feel about deathfics.
Personally, I enjoy a good deathfic. It gives a sort of cathartic release at the end of it, gives you a good cry. I've always liked them, whether it comes in the form of a fic or a movie or a book, and I'll continue to enjoy writing/reading them even if nobody else does.
