Character Deaths That Made Quite An Impact

Whether a death makes an impact in the comic universe is questionable.  In this day and age you have characters that are dying and being reborn right and left.  Some have died multiple times.  Some are alive in this universe and not in another.  It gets very difficult to stay on top of it even for the most avid of fans.

All that being said, there are deaths that do make an impact.  The impact could be on one character, many characters, or on an entire universe of characters.  The deaths listed below are ones that are milestones in comic history.  They range from the bizarre to the shocking.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed researching it.

Here is The Comic Whisperer’s List of Character Deaths That Made Quite An Impact (next to each death I have a picture of the ne’er do well who did the heinous crime):

10.)  Alexandra DeWitt:  Who remembers Alexandra?  Anyone?  Anyone at all?  That’s correct!  She was Kyle Rayner’s girlfriend during the time when Hal Jordan was Parallax.  Remember, when Hal Jordan killed off the Green Lantern Corps Kyle Rayner was assigned as earth’s protector.  Despite some rocky roads it appeared that Kyle and Alexandra were finally on their way to having a good life together.  Then, one day, Major Force came looking for Kyle and found Alexandra instead.  He, very rudely, killed her and stuffed her in their refrigerator.  Unlike many of the characters who die Alexandra has not returned as of this writing.

9.)  Sue Dibney:  If you read “Identity Crisis” by Brad Meltzer you will find that Ralph and Sue are very happy and thriving on the fact that Sue if pregnant. During the story, however, she was given a fatal brain aneurism by The Atom’s ex-wife Jean Loring.  Now, as if things weren’t bad enough for poor Sue, she was eulogized by having it revealed that she was once raped by Dr. Light in the JLA satellite (I actually had to read that part twice because it just didn’t seem real).  The only other time we see Sue is with her then deceased husband Ralph as ghosts supposedly enjoying their bizarre afterlife.  Ralph never made it back into the New 52 and Sue hasn’t been resurrected as of this writing.

8.)  Lori Grimes:  Remember, we’re talking all comic books.  Lori is part of the now legendary Walking Dead comic series, or at least she was.  The reason this makes the list is that she is the wife of the main character, Rick, and her gruesome death.  I actually found her frightfully annoying in the TV show, but that’s just me.  The scene is that the Grimes are in their stronghold and the Governor, from another town, overruns their prison/home with Lori being killed in the action.  What made it so dreadful is how she died.  Rick, Lori and Carl (their son) were running for cover.  Lori had a baby in her arms (their daughter Judy) and Lori took a shotgun blast to the back killing her instantly.  Everyone else, including Judy, survived.  Her death warranted a full page to show the gory details.  The governor, eyepatch and all, is also pictured below.

7.)  Phoenix:  You knew she would be on this list didn’t you?  Yes, the infamous Phoenix from the X-Men.  Let’s set the scene, shall we?  In the final issue of “The Dark Phoenix Saga” the X-Men fought the Imperial Guard on the Blue Area of the moon (yes, our moon).  This was to prevent them from executing Phoenix who they thought was a danger to the universe.  Even though Professor X had installed some “circuit breakers” in Jean’s head to prevent her from becoming Dark Phoenix, everyone knew the writing was on the wall.  Professor X and the X-Men tried to stop Jean and Colossus had the opportunity to deliver a death blow...but couldn’t.  He did crack her in the jaw and that shook her up, but she ran and Cyclops followed.  Freezing Scott with her powers she took her own life with the help of a Kree laser cannon so she couldn’t be a danger to anyone.  This was a stunning moment for most who read this saga.  Jean did return 5 years later but the death will always be remembered.

6.)  Arthur Curry Jr.:  This one was a game changer as it was the death of a child.  Was a taboo broken here?  I don’t know, but it sure shook people up.  It wasn’t just the fact that a child died but it was also the way he died.  The short version is that Black Manta took the baby and put him in a device that eventually suffocated him.  Mera did her best to save him through extraordinary means, but she was too late.  Arthur Curry Jr’s death pointed out the fact that no one is safe, regardless of age.

 5.)  Barry Allen:  When he arrived it was the start of the Silver Age and when he died it was the start of the post-Crisis DCU.  Coming on the heels of the death of Supergirl, Barry Allen’s death was both graphic and shocking.  Barry’s death ushered in the age of Wally West as the Flash.  Until his recent return Barry Allen’s death stuck for almost 20 years.  This death of such an important character was truly a milestone in comic history.

4.)  Bucky Barnes:  Bucky is not the first sidekick to take a dirt nap, but he certainly stayed dead the longest out of almost any character.  If you remember, Bucky went down in flames during World War II.  We didn’t actually see it happen except in a flashback, but you know the story.   Captain America always made sure we didn’t forget about Bucky as he talked about him constantly.  Now, however, after many many moons Bucky is back as one of the coolest characters in the DC Universe, The Winter Soldier.  He looks cool, sounds cool, and has quite an impressive skill set.  Who else can catch Caps shield at full speed?  It’s apparent that Bucky is here to stay.  I hope so because he’s become, easily, one of my favorites.

3.)  Jor-El and Lara:  There is no mystery here as to who they were or how they died.  Nor is there a mystery as to their offspring.  The thing that gets them in this list is that they were created with the specific purpose of dying.  Where Arthur Curry Jr. lost his life, Jor-El and Lara gave their lives so their son could live.  In their all to brief existence they have made an impact that has lasted for the life of Superman comics.

2.)  Uncle Ben/Gwen Stacy:  This one is a twofer.  Let’s start with Uncle Ben.  His death wasn’t caused by an enemy,  it wasn’t self sacrifice, and it wasn’t designed to protect anyone, it was a death due to the inaction of a character.  This death also proved to be a lasting foundation of strength for this character and a reminder that with great power comes great responsibility.  Without Uncle Ben’s death the entire framework of Spider-Man’s psyche would be different.  It’s also ironic how Gwen Stacy died as a result of Spider-Man’s actions.  One death due to actions taken and another due to actions not taken and both critical in the life of Spider-Man.

1.)  Thomas and Martha Wayne:  Who else could it be?  75+ years ago the Dark Knight was born due to the death of his parents.  It touched on the fear of suddenly losing your parents, suddenly being alone, having a hatred for guns, and the overwhelming need to protect people without killing the bad guy.  This death, like Uncle Ben’s, served as an inspiration to fight crime, but in a different way.  This is what makes it such a defining moment.  A moment we are reminded of time and again throughout the Batman series.

Before we finish this up for the day let’s do a recap of the different deaths:

4 instances of bad guys killing a loved one:  Alexandra Dewitt, Sue Dibney, Arthur Curry Jr. and Lori Grimes.

4 instances of characters taking their own lives for altruistic reasons:  Jean Grey (Phoenix), Jor-El and Lara, and Barry Allen with Jean and Barry coming back to life.

1 instance of accidental death only to return as an entirely different persona:  Bucky Barnes and his return as the Winter Soldier.

2 instances of death caused by the same character, one due to action one due to inaction:  Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy who didn’t come back but served as the foundation for a belief system

2 instances of death due to a street robbery:  Thomas and Martha Wayne whose death created one of the most popular DC characters.

No matter how you look at the death of a character there is no doubt that it can be shocking.  This list represents events that defined a character, defined an era or even became a pop-culture milestone.  Death has, no doubt, become part of the comic universe the only question is will we see those people again?

The 10 Most Powerful Superheroes Of All Time And Their Weaknesses

OK, I KNOW I am going to get arguments on this list.  We all have our opinions on this topic, some very STRONG opinions (no pun intended, OK well maybe it was intended).  I welcome any arguments you may have on this list:

Without further delay, here is The Comic Whisperer’s The 10 Most Powerful Superheroes Of All Time List:

10.)  Wolverine:  I agree, the argument could be made that this position could be occupied by someone else such as Silver Surfer or Green Lantern, but I disagree.  Wolverine has a couple of things that make him a powerful character.  First, he has no moral compass.  This is the man that could put his claw through Jean Grey, a woman he loved, and a person who can do what needs to be done.  Second, his skeleton is laced with Adamantium making him extremely tough to mangle.  Third, he has a healing ability that allows him to recover from injuries gained in a fight during the fight!  Last, and perhaps most important, is Wolverine’s berserker rages.  The time when Wolverine gets lost in his own blinding anger and becomes nearly unstoppable.  All of these things make him powerful.  Not Hulk or Superman powerful, but still someone I would not save until last when picking sides against a bad guy.  His weakness?  As Magneto so readily pointed out, his bones are laced with metal.  Anyone with the power over magnetism could make short work of him.  Next, he’s human underneath it all.  Mutant, but human.  Strip away the healing power and what do you have?  The Death of Wolverine comic series.

9.)  The Incredible Hulk:  It’s a simple idea; he’s super strong already and the madder he gets the stronger he gets.  What else can be said?  The flip side of that same coin is when he reverts back to Bruce Banner you have one of the most intelligent people in the Marvel Universe.  It’s quite the combination.  There are a couple of weaknesses to be noted, though.  The first is you can just kill him when he’s Bruce Banner.  The second is that he has to breath, so just hit him with a silent gas that knocks him out then kill Banner.  The third is to freeze him.  I can only assume his skin is impervious to heat.  But nothing is impervious to cold.  You can freeze anything (well, theoretically you can  burn anything too, but let’s set that fact aside for the time being).  Once frozen smash him into tiny Hulk pieces.

8.)  Flash:  I have said this before in a previous blog and I stand by it.  I put him above the Hulk because the Hulk can’t hit what he can’t see or catch.  Flash could run superfast circles around the Hulk creating a vacuum and suffocate him (he has to breath, right?  where have I heard that before??)  So, where do we begin?  He can think and act superfast.  He can phase through walls.  He can travel through time.  He can change the time stream.  He can even gather knowledge at an increased rate.  His weakness?  Tough to say.  Professor Zoom figured it out...kill the ones he loves or change the time stream so they didn’t even exist.  The only other idea I had was to have him vibrate into wall, then have someone with super speed continue to build onto that wall until Flash tires out and can’t vibrate anymore solidifying in the wall.  It’s outlandish I know, but so is a cosmic treadmill.

7.)  Superman:  Stronger than the Hulk?  Better than the Flash?  Yep.  As a matter of fact, for those of us who’ve been around for awhile, there was a giant sized comic where Superman battled the Hulk and won.  I don’t think it’s even a contest.  Arguably, he could also keep up with Flash.  Arguably.  But add incredible strength with the ability to do things extremely quick and you have Superman.  Let’s face it, he’s a super-powered Boy Scout.  He can fly, is super strong, has x-ray vision (barring his issues with lead), heat vision, etc., etc., etc.  His weaknesses, however, are numerous.  A red sun, kryptonite, a strong moral compass, and even his genetics.  If you watch the animated film All-Star Superman, you will see how Lex Luthor dispatches the Man of Steel via genetics.  The way I would show Superman’s main weakness?  I would have him married with Lois calling him for dinner.  I can guarantee even with super speed he won’t be quick enough to keep her happy.

6.)  Jean Grey:  Known as the most powerful telepath on the planet and the host of the Phoenix Force, Jean Grey is one tough cookie.  Not only is she a telepath (able to read other people’s minds) she is also telekinetic (which means she can move things with her mind).  If she was able to fully control all of the forces at her command her power would be limitless.  That leads to her weakness, her inability to fully control all the power at her disposal.  Let’s face it we can barely control what goes on in our daily schedules let alone being able to focus power to which there is no limits.  All that being said, I’d like her on my side if we ever formed a kickball team.

5.)  Doctor Strange:  This is almost like Jean Grey but with a Black Belt.  Yes, if you look at Doctor Strange’s history he does have extensive martial arts training.  So, in review, nearly unlimited power with the ability to defend himself without the power.  He’s virtually a God.  I think it’s fair to say that we have yet to see what the former Sorcerer Supreme’s true limits are.  His weakness is simply that he is still a human with human weaknesses.  He can be assassinated, come down with a deadly illness (which has been seen already in comics past) and, even though he is a skilled martial artist, he’s no Superman or Hulk.  Worse comes to worse he could close up shop and move to Vegas and earn some easy dough.

4.)  Nova:  Simply stated he can go anywhere in the universe, has a power set that can destroy planets, he can absorb any type of energy thrown at him, and has access to the most intelligent computer ever devised.  Hmmm, could you want anything more than that?  I can’t think of anything.  His main weakness is the one suffered by most superheroes he has a moral compass.  He is restricted by laws that allow villains to continue to get second chances.  Second is his helmet.  Remove the helmet, remove the power.  All that power contained in a hat.  Wow.

3.)  Thor:  Even the Avengers agree that he is probably the most powerful of them all.  I have heard him called a God and I have heard him called a Demi-God, either way that’s power beyond mere mortal understanding.  To have all that strength and invulnerability and then have lighting bow to your command (why is he the God of Thunder anyway?  thunder never hurt anyone.  shouldn’t he be the God of Lightning?) and, on top of all that, have that huge freakin’ hammer?  Yikes.  His weakness?  It depends on the time of the writing.  At one time he reverted back to human form in the way of Donald Blake and could have been killed that way.  He does, however, seem to be sensitive to the magics of his brother Loki which may mean he has a weakness to magic.  He may also be killable by his colleagues in Asgard.  Can a God kill a God?  I dunno.  I always wondered if he was the class clown when he was a Godling.  He could say, “I am Thor!” and when everyone turns to look at him he can say, “Well, It hurth.”  Get it?  He’s ‘sore’ then says, ‘well, it hurts’...but he pretends he has a lisp?  Never mind.

2.)  Martian Manhunter:  It actually hurts to write this one.  It is always stated in stories of the Justice League that he is a long standing member and probably the strongest, even stronger than Superman.  Further, in Injustice: Gods Among Us, he seems to be on the verge of snuffing out Wonder Woman when Superman came to her rescue.  But why is he so easily defeated in all the other stories?  Surround him with fire.  Burn him with fire.  Threaten him with fire.  Show him a picture of fire.  It seems like he is the easiest to dispose of.  So then why is he the highest on the list?  Because if the writers ever let it all hang out he would be unstoppable.  His weakness?  Can you guess?  Yes, strike a match and you win.  Even though he supposedly found out that it is only a mental thing, not a physical one, fire remains his biggest foe.  He would even have an advantage in the newer cars because they don’t come with cigarette lighters anymore.

1.)  Sentry:  Touted as the strongest hero in the universe and able to go head-to-head with the Hulk, and smile about it, the Sentry is the most powerful superhero in the Universe.  Let me clarify, I am talking about the more recent, long blond flowing hair Sentry.  Not the one from yesteryear in the blue and yellow costume with his hair all tucked in.  You know, the Sentry who TORE ARES IN HALF during Siege.  THAT Sentry.  No hero is more powerful or, as Norman Osborn easily showed, more manipulatable (is that a word?  spell check didn’t correct me so I’m going to assume it is) than the Sentry.  He, undoubtedly, would be my first pick when choosing sides in a Rugby game.  His weakness?  He is, as the creators put it, is an “over the hill guy, also an addict, who has an unnatural connection to his dog”.  Further, he was most recently a resident of the “Raft” for supposedly murdering his wife Linda Lee.  There is also his questionable bouts with The Void which may, or may not, be himself.  All that being said, Sentry is, without a doubt, THE most powerful being in the universe and voted “Most likely to fight himself to the death”.

I’ve loved comics since I was a child.  I loved them for the ability to stoke the imagination and to allow me to believe in the unbelievable, even if just for a moment.  Knowing the answer to who is the most powerful in the universe would be like knowing the answer to a magic trick.  Sure, you know how it’s done, but you don’t go to a magic show to figure out how it’s done.  You go to believe in the unbelievable.  To let go of reality for just a little while.  So, tell me who is the most powerful in your reality,  I’d like to visit there for awhile.