I wrote a blog yesterday about 10 deaths in comicdom that made quite an impact. Today I will remain on the topic of death (don’t ask me why) but shift to strictly superheroes that died. This wasn’t easy as many have died over the years, but I think we can all agree that some just stunned us and left a hole in our hearts. I won’t repeat the Flash or Jean Grey as they are from the other list, but they do deserve to be here. So, let’s get started.
Here is The Comic Whisperer’s Top 10 Superhero Deaths:
10.) Nightcrawler: This one hits close to home because Nightcrawler was always the witty, winsome, swashbuckling hero. He wasn’t hard edged or gritty but he did get the job done. Believe it or not Nightcrawler was gone for more than 3 years before his triumphant return. The mystery of his true mother and father still remains...
9.) Captain Marvel: There may have been many Captain Marvel’s but only one died of cancer. When Jim Starling put together The Death of Captain Marvel, with it’s classic cover, he did a stellar job. The most touching part to me was all of the heroes getting together for his passing. Carol Danvers, our current Captain Marvel, has added a pleasant twist to the character.
8.) Ted Kord/Blue Beetle: I don’t mind telling you that this one came out of nowhere to me. I thought he would take a beating from Maxwell Lord then it would be done. Then, the panels I will never forget from the Countdown to Infinite Crisis, that showed him being killed. It’s interesting to note that Ted Kord was not very popular on his own as Blue Beetle, but if you paired him with Booster Gold you had a great combination. Funny, light-hearted, and neither of them being powerful in their own rights, they were heroes because of their suits. Who can forget Booster Gold wearing logos to make money? To see the Blue Beetle taken down like this was a blatant reminder that he was human underneath that mask.
7.) Hal Jordan/Green Lantern: The Parallax storyline is one of the best in the history of Green Lantern lore. It sent ripples through the DC Universe that are still seen today. The short version is that Hal Jordan went crazy before dying and became Parallax. He killed the Guardians, the Green Lantern Corps, etc. etc. He was a bad guy all around. He then goes on a quest for redemption and winds up giving his life in the process. If you haven’t read it, do so.
6.) Kara/Supergirl: As deaths go this one was not only expected, but necessary. Part of Superman’s charm and uniqueness was the fact that he was the only survivor of Krypton and that he was a “lonely alien”. Supergirl’s presence took all of that away. Not only that but DC never really capitalized on Supergirl that much. She was in and out of comics but never really caught on. Her death signaled the end of an era and the return of Superman to the status of “lonely alien”. Please understand, her death was well written and traumatic, but it was also the streamlining of the Superman Family.
5.) Jason Todd and Damian Wayne/Robin: Yep, just like the last “Death List” I am cheating by putting two in one, but they are both Robin, right? As a comic book reader I am not sure I have ever seen comic books that made me look away for just a second. Just a heartbeat. These panels were the ones responsible. What you may NOT know is why the two Robin’s died. Jason Todd’s death was a result of a DC Poll that was taken that drew gobs of attention, and criticism, from the public. Damian’s death, however, was well planned out by Grant Morrison who put together the best Batman run of all time. Feel free to look away...just for a second...during the death of Damian.
4.) Peter Parker/Amazing/Ultimate Spider-Man: Two Spider-Mans, Spider-Men, you know what I mean, in two different universes dying made huge ripples throughout comicdom. Dan Slott killed off Spider-Man at the end of 2012. Things got so bad for Dan that he started receiving death threats. It was in 2011 that Brian Michael Bendis killed off the Ultimate universe Peter Parker, apparently for good, and replaced him with Miles Morales. No matter which Peter Parker you were a fan of the ending came as a shock.
3.) Logan/Wolverine: It would be hard to argue that there has never been a character more dominating than Wolverine when it comes to popularity. He doesn’t mind killing, he heals from just about anything, he has adamantium laced bones, and he has that arrogant, cocky attitude. He’s the total package. His death in 2014, however, was no surprise. Dying was the only thing he hadn’t done yet and you could be sure that, in one way or another, he'd be back. This is a Joe Quesada variant of a Death of Wolverine cover.
2.) Steve Rogers/Captain America: There were two things that made Captain America’s death significant. First, he was Captain America. His death made headlines around the country. My death won’t make headlines around my block. The second thing is that Captain America died fighting for the rights of his fellow heroes. He died for what he thought was right. He died like we thought Captain America would die, in the name of a cause he believed in. Since then he has returned and he is an old man having had his super serum negated. I will say, on a personal note, that the new Captain America is TERRIBLE and has made the Marvel Universe tilt, just a little bit, in the wrong direction. Captain America is a character who should remain just as he is...Captain America.
1.) Clark Kent/Superman: Superman is the consummate superhero. He is the superhero who stands up for superheroes. He makes a Boy Scout look dishonest. He was the hero every hero is compared to. “Yea, he’s tough, but he’s no Superman” or as my doctor puts it, “You have a Superman Complex, you think you have to do everything for everyone”. He has a point, but I digress. This gambit by DC Comics in the 90’s was the ultimate gamble. If it didn’t pay off they had very little else that they could do to sell comics. Superman’s reincarnation was both expected and popular with the comic reading public. Besides that Doomsday was an awesome villain. In the end it wasn’t the best written comic but it may be the most collected. When I am with comic novices, or part time collectors, the question always comes up, “Do you have the one where Superman dies?” Yes...yes I do...and I’ve got the armband as well. Enjoy this pictorial tribute to my favorite, the Man of Steel.
Thanks for taking this journey with me. Heroes dying always leaves me asking two questions: What was the reason for their death and when will they be back?
Superman’s back, that means all is well.
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