10 Controversial Comic Book Deaths Fans Hated

10. Black Widow - Secret Empire

Secret Empire was a lot of things - most of them bad. The event, which saw Captain America turn against the world as a secret agent of HYDRA, was poorly timed, hamfisted in its approach, and faded into a miserable anticlimax. Ironically, in an attempt to do something new, the series actually perpetuated several comic book clichés, the most notable being that of the superfluous death.

In Secret Empire #7, the Champions, led by Black Widow, attempt to take down evil Steve Rogers once and for all. Romanov begins by dealing with a HYDRA-addled Frank Castle, before turning her attention to Cap, who promptly crushes her neck with a blow from his shield.

It was grim, and in the grand scheme of things did little to actually serve the comic's story. In essence, all it did was reiterate Steve's evilness, and even when it happened fans predicted that she's be back within a year or two anyway.

Low and behold, Black Widow returned in 2018's Tales of Suspense, where Hawkeye and Winter Soldier team up to track her down. That in itself was a good book, but of all Marvel's recent deaths, this one was definitely the dumbest.