10 Comic Book Characters Who Are Better Off Dead
3. Spawn
Albert Simmons was a highly decorated Marine, Secret Service officer, and capable assassin. His commanding officer, Jason Wynn, grew tired of his growing streak of morality and arranged to have him killed. Simmons was burned to death and sent to Hell. There, he made a deal with the demon Malebogia to serve him as a Hellspawn and to return to Earth to see his wife one more time. The devil tricked Simmons and he returned a near-amnesiac five years later. Al’s wife Wanda had married his best friend Terry and they had a daughter, Cyan.
Spawn became the hero of the alleys, helping the homeless, dealing with street thugs, drug dealers, and paedophile and child killer Billy Kincaid. He began being attacked by the forces of Heaven and Hell as he learned more about his new existence and abilities. After battling the new Redeemer in Spawn #32, Simmons went through the first of several metamorphoses. Al discovered that his outfit was a sentient being named Leetha of the 7th House of K.
Spawn discovered that his former mentor Cogliostro was actually Cain, the first murderer, who stole the throne of Hell from him. Cain returned Al’s human form to his former protegee as a parting gift. Simmons returned to Earth but was too late to save Wanda, and so he battled his way through Hell to make sure that she went to Heaven and then continued his fight for all of humanity.