Death in the comic book world is as commonplace as chocolate syrup on ice cream. Its just part of it. Whether or not you want it, chocolate syrup is hitting that ice cream, and your favourite superhero is going to meet his or her end to an extent. And thats the beauty/problem with comic book story lines. Heroes fall due to terrible circumstances. Aliens invade, villains enact their master stroke, or a situation of bad luck falls upon them. They die as heroes: sacrificing themselves to save the world, better humanity and leave their legacy etched on the epitaphs of comic book history. Well, sort of. There are a few heroes or a few occasions in which the heroic death fell ill and left a bad taste in the mouths of fans all over the world. As comic book fans, we all realise that our favourite heroes will eventually return. It is a part of the comic world. It just happens. Like the chocolate syrup. Death leads to a new-found, and occasionally profound, resurrection. But, sometimes, writers make a bad call (or editors, or higher-ups) and the death turns into a laughable, or face-palming, groan. And guess what? These groan-inducing, sigh-heaving deaths are not forgotten by fans. As much as we would like to push them aside, there is always a part of the comic fan that will never forget the annoyingly distasteful deaths that have happened within cherished stories.
Ethan is a a comic book writer and a podcaster (3 Beers Deep). He loves comics, movies, and pro-wrestling. Check out his awesome articles here on What Culture!
