10 Best Times Superheroes Came Back From The Dead

If you can outrun Death himself, you probably earned a resurrection.

Flash Francis Manapul
DC Comics

Ever since The Joker was stabbed through the heart in Batman #1, only to be resurrected at the end of the issue, bringing back deceased characters has become an industry standard in superhero comics.

In fact it happens so often that every fan has heard the old adage "no-one stays dead in comic books", and it remains as true today as it did when Whitney Ellsworth overruled Bill Finger and forced him to tack on an extra panel explaining that Mistah J was still alive.

Now not all of these resurrections have been good, but when they're done right the sheer exhilaration and pure joy you get from seeing one of your favourites return is second to none. Sure, it's a bit of a cliché, but done right it can lead to some truly tremendous story-arcs.

A heroic sacrifice deserves a heroic return, so it's time to take a look at those times that a long gone character has cheated the Grim Reaper and returned to the land of the living. It's happened to heroes and villains alike over the years, and while there are certain characters who probably should've stayed dead, the following all owned their returns eventually.

10. The Thing

Flash Francis Manapul
Marvel Comics

Victor Von Doom is awful. If he's not busy crushing the people of Latveria under his jack boot heel or trying to destroy/take over the world, he spends his free time trying to destroy the Fantastic Four. When he gets lucky, as he did in FF #509, it leaves the remaining members to have to find a way to bring their fallen compatriot back to life.

When Reed Richards has to put The Thing down due to Doom possessing him, it sends shock waves through the group and drives them apart. Riddled with guilt, Mister Fantastic devises a plan that will see Marvel's first family embark on a trip to Heaven to bring Ben Grimm home.

Unable to enter paradise due to a door that is keeping him out, it seems that Ben has no intention of rejoining the land of the living and just wants to say goodbye to his friends, and it isn't until Reed has a massive breakdown that he changes his mind.

Granted an audience with God they come face to face with the King of Comics himself, Jack Kirby. One swift visit later and he sends them back to earth with an original drawing as a memento, which must be worth an absolute fortune.

Contributor
Contributor

Jack of all trades, Master of none. The former rocker of the big beard.