5 Things We Don't Miss About '90s Comics (And 5 We Do)

10. Don't Miss - Death's Shock Value

Arguably nothing sums up the '90s better than the advent of cash-grabs. At a time when the Big Two were experiencing significant financial issues, desperate times called for desperate measures. And as the saying goes: controversy creates cash.

DC was the first to really strike with this concept with 1993's Death of Superman arc, in which the Man of Steel was brutally beaten to death by the monstrous Doomsday. The actual event was covered by news outlets for its cultural significance, and the book sold an astounding six million copies.

Naturally Superman would return, but that kind of success demanded repeat offences. Throughout the decade, characters like Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Lex Luthor (twice!), Dr. Doom, and Wonder Woman all perished in one form or another. While the death toll was catastrophic, it was the rate at which these characters were returning that was truly alarming. Only Green Arrow stayed dead for the remainder of the decade, waiting all the way until 2000 before his resurrection.

This had been a bit of an issue before with Jean Grey's frequent death and return being infamous among readers, but this was the era in which death truly lost its impact upon comics fans an effect the industry still feels to this day.