Some entertainment mediums can be pretty stingy when it comes to killing off important characters; fortunately the comic book isn't one of them. Whether they're setting a storyline in motion or providing an apt conclusion to one, comic book deaths--even the temporary ones--can be especially memorable. Here's 8 deaths we'll remember for the rest of our lives.
8-Robin 2, a.k.a. Jason Todd
After the first Robin blossomed into a grown man and left the ol' Batcave for bigger and better things, the empty nest syndrome hit Batman hard and eventually he recruited another Boy Wonder to fill the void.� Unfortunately, for both Batman and the new Robin, this new sidekick proved to not be so wonderful and eventually he found himself on the wrong end of a crowbar wielded by the Joker.� You'd think that after witnessing Batman's young assistant receive a severe beating from the Ace of Knaves and then get blown up, the majority of readers would feel sympathy for the tragic character; however, most people hated Jason Todd so much they were happy to see him go.� In fact, DC held a massive vote prior to the comic's publication allowing the readers to determine whether or not Robin would live or die, and ultimately the readers chose the later.� However, the exploding of Jason Todd did pave the way for Batman's third sidekick. This one he creatively titled: Robin.
7-Rorshach
Rorshach, who was one of the most memorable characters in one of the most highly-regarded comics of all time -- Watchmen -- literally went out with a bang.� It was apparently his time to go and he knew it, as he commanded an all-powerful Dr Manhattan to detonate him, which the good doc did, leaving only a few bloody odds and ends of Rorshach behind.� Prior to his explosion, Rorshach had been an anti-hero of sorts, fighting crime with various underhanded tactics that included torture and murder, which really prevented the reader from completely supporting him and his motives.� That being said it sure is tough not to empathize with someone who gets blown up--unless it's Jason Todd, a.k.a. Robin 2.� Rorshach has since made brief appearances in a number of different comics, but only as brief cameos and usually in the backgrounds of much larger scenes, but that hasn't prevented the Rorshach fanboys from claiming he still exists, just in some sort of alternate universe.�
6-Jean Grey as the Dark Phoenix
After a very brief stint as the good Phoenix, Jean Grey's mind was taken over by a villain known as the Mastermind, which ultimately led to some problems, most notably Jean's emergence as the Dark Phoenix and then the destruction of a populated galaxy in space.� The X-Men, angry over the recent galaxy destruction, did battle with Jean, eventually enabling her to briefly come to her senses and take her own life via a disintegrating ray-gun.� However, that was not the end of Jean Grey or the Dark Phoenix.� In fact, Jean Grey has come back to life in one form or another three times, though the most famous of the Jean deaths remains that original, dramatic ray-gun suicide on the moon.� As of this very moment, Jean Grey is a corpse, but Marvel does have a mini-series coming out soon entitled: Phoenix: Warsong. �And it wouldn't be a stretch to assume it will have something to do with a returning Jean Grey.
5-Captain America
During the 1940s, Captain America had a young, 16-year-old sidekick who went by the moniker Bucky.� During WWII, Bucky was shot and killed.� Sixty years later, the Captain, who had recently been arrested and was showing up to a court date, was also shot and killed.� Recognizing that an America without a Captain is no America at all, Marvel decided to replace the original and now-deceased hero with his former sidekick, Bucky, who it turns out had only been frozen in a block of ice.� And if you've seen the award-winning film Encino Man, you know that becoming entrapped in a chunk of ice is hardly a death sentence.� So, Captain America lives on, no longer as the blonde-haired, blue-eyed representation of American patriotism known as Steve Rogers, but now as the brown-haired, cybernetically�left-arm-enhanced new symbol of American patriotism known as Bucky Barnes.
4-Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy is one of the few and rare characters in comic books to have been killed off and then remained dead.� She met her untimely demise after the Green Goblin (a character who has been killed and brought back at least five times himself) captured her and then subsequently threw her off a bridge.� Spiderman, who was going steady with her at the time, attempted to save her but was unsuccessful, resulting in tears and anger for the web-slinger.� One could question how upset Spiderman truly was, however, because shortly thereafter he began dating Mary Jane, who he subsequently married.� It was later revealed that many of the writers thought Gwen Stacy to be too boring and typical a character, so her eventual demise was met with great delight at the Marvel headquarters.� However, at the time it was fairly uncommon to kill off comic book characters, especially ones that held such prominent roles in the protagonist's stories, making the death of Gwen Stacy surprising and important.
3-Thomas and Martha Wayne
What would have become of Bruce Wayne had his parents not been gunned down before him?� It's probably a safe bet to assume that there wouldn't be a vigilante dressed as a bat prowling Gotham's streets.� However, had the caped crusader's folks survived those fatal gunshots, one of the most recognized and respected comic book characters would never have been created, so most people probably don't feel much empathy for the Dark Knight's deceased elders.� It's also hard to feel sorry for those who take late-night strolls with their kids through an area known as Crime Alley, not expecting crime to take place in said alley.� So, whose hand do we shake regarding the creation of this admired superhero: �Bruce Wayne's irresponsible parents, or Joe Chill, the man responsible for gunning down those negligent guardians?� Either way, they sure messed up that little boy, for our benefit.
2-Superman
The successful marketing ploy known as The Death of Superman taught us that even the most popular of comic book characters can be killed off--as long as they make buckets of money post-mortem and can then be brought back.� While Superman's death garnered lots of ink and publicity, it proved to be nothing more than a clever scheme by DC to pry dollar bills from the hands of gullible comic readers, and boy did it pry.� Estimates tally a profit in the millions as a result of the story arc, and along with the massive influx of cash, a number of new comic readers were attracted as well.� Although Superman eventually would return, ironically causing many of the new readers to disappear, it still went to show that at least for brief periods of time, comic books could be appreciated by more than just the nerdy.
1-Uncle Ben
Much like Thomas and Martha Wayne, Uncle Ben showcased an amazing ability to create a superhero simply by standing in the path of bullets.� His nephew, who had recently been bitten by a radioactive spider, felt guilty for his death and thus took it upon himself to fight all perpetrators of various illegal activities.� And thus Spiderman was born.� Unfortunately, just prior to Ben Parker's, death he uttered a banal word of advice to Spiderman that has become far too revered and quotable and as a result everyone now knows that with great power comes great responsibility. � If only that murderous lawbreaker had found you Ben, and put that bullet in you prior to you speaking that corny line, we could have all rested easy knowing that absolutely nothing comes with great power other than the sweet and easily-abused abilities those powers granted
