10 Most Tragic Deaths In The History Of Marvel Comics

4. Uncle Ben

Remember back there when we said there have been two characters that Marvel fans could always bet would never be resurrected? The company may have gone back on Bucky but, thankfully, they have never undone one of the most tragic and, arguably, one of the most important deaths in their history. Were it not for the accidental murder of Peter Parker's Uncle Ben by a mugger, then his nephew might never have learned the lesson of "with great power, there must also come, great responsibility" and taken up the mantle of your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Which would have spared us of ever having to watch Spider-Man 3, of course, but the webhead has done enough good in his career that we're willing to let that slide

Uncle Ben's death, whilst important, doesn't get away with not being totally heartbreaking, however. We only meet Ben for a handful of pages in Spidey's surprisingly short origin story in Amazing Fantasy #15, but makes enough of an impression for the panel of Peter mourning his death to really get you right here (we're slapping our chest in a manly way right now, readers). Flashbacks have since filled in some of the details of the uncle and nephew's relationship, revealing Ben as an unfailingly kind and loving man, who was adored not only by his family but by the community at large.

Ben's death is tragic not only because of who he was, but what he represented. Peter Parker was already an orphan, the death of his parents - who may or may not have been spies? We can't really remember at this point - necessitating his aunt and uncle raising him. Ben became his new father figure, and to lose him as well, and for it to be sort of Peter's fault? That's...well, that's enough to turn anyone into a snivelling mess. Which is probably why he keeps that mask on all the time. Nobody needs to see Spider-Man cry.