The 30 Most Unexpected Deaths in Comic Book History

This article was originally published on worldtravelling.com and has been republished here with permission.

Brace yourself for a whirlwind journey through some of the most pivotal moments in comic book history as we delve into the 30 most jaw-dropping character deaths that left fans reeling. These monumental episodes seared into the annals of comic book lore, have challenged our heroes and dramatically reshaped the narratives we’ve come to love. Each loss has indelibly impacted the comic book universe and its loyal fanbase, from tragic endings to unexpected twists. Whether they served as climactic turning points, or a bitter pill signaling the end of an era, these unforgettable departures have challenged conventions, sparked fierce debates, and left us stunned. Prepare to revisit these epic narratives and experience the profound shockwaves they’ve sent through the world of comics all over again.

Loki

Loki has had a difficult life since he was a young child, in addition to having to always dwell in the shadow of Thor, the god of thunder and lightning. The fabled Asgardian Frost Giants were fought by Odin, Thor’s father. The son of the Frost Giants’ ruler Laufey was sequestered from the rest of his people. Loki was that son. The king’s guilt about his son’s size led him to conceal Loki.

Loki could never be considered a genuine Frost Giant or an Asgardian, for that matter. Odin reared Loki as his own child, but he kept the fact that he had killed Loki’s real father a secret. Loki earned the moniker “God of Mischief” because of the mischief he made when he was a youngster. After learning that you were reared by Asgardians, whose most dreaded foes were the Frost Giants, this mischief would transform into intensely cruel revenge.

Archie Andrews

This character died in a rather noble way as a result of receiving a bullet that was intended for someone else. Archie Andrews has been a well-known comic book character for many decades, mainly remembered for the Riverdale series. The fateful event occurred in 2014 when Archie intervened in the assassination attempt on Senator Kevin Keller, who was advocating for more stricter gun controls at that time. There is no denying that he died a true hero.

This awful tragedy finished the “Life of Archie” series’ chapters and stunned everyone because the death of such a charismatic character in such a horrific manner was unexpected. The final chapter of the series showed all his friends and relatives paying tribute to him a year later. The “Life of Archie” series was just one of the comics; fans can still watch the protagonist in other comics narrating new and exciting adventures.

Gwen Stacy

This comic character gained notoriety in the Amazing Spiderman comics that were published in the 70s. In them, the story is told of how Gwen, Peter Parker’s love interest, dies at the hands of his archenemy, the green goblin, when he pushes her from a bridge in order to torment Parker. The really tragic thing about this story is that, at one point, it hinted the possibility that Peter could have contributed to that outcome.

This was a pivotal moment for Peter, and fans talk about how it marked the personality of this superhero forever. Gwen died from the shock of the fall, and the web Parker tried to catch her with could not have changed the course of events.

Robin

As we all know, the Batman multiverse is huge, and for every comic or story, there are alternate realities of its characters. Depending on the comic, Robin can be depicted as male or female. The death we are referring to occurred within the narrative of the series “A Death in the Family,” which was published in the 1980s, in which it is told how Jason Todd is killed by the famous villain, The Joker.

The character dies as a result of a bomb explosion, and as the image portrays, he is discovered by Batman in a terrible scenario where he finds his partner under the rubble, unable to do much. Oddly enough, this death was directly chosen by fans who voted on the outcome through a telephone line.

Captain Marvel

Sometimes we assume that comic book characters should die as a result of a spectacular event, saving lives or preventing a catastrophe; that is precisely why the death of Captain Marvel in this story was so shocking. It turns out that the death was caused by cancer, reminding us that these characters are only humans, just like us. Captain Marvel contracted the sickness after fighting in the Dark Dimension and being exposed to Compound 13.

Due to exposure to radiation, the condition had no cure, and even characters normally associated with the dark side, such as Thanos, were there accompanying Captain Marvel until the end. It’s worth mentioning that this character has since resurfaced in various forms, for example, when the Grandmaster summoned his spirit as part of the Legion of the Unliving.

Superman

Yes, you heard it right, Superman actually dies in one of the comics that were published during the ’90s. The narration of the events is known as “The Death of Superman,” which was divided into 3 parts. They tell the story of how Superman dies trying to save Metropolis from the infamous villain Doomsday. In fact, Doomsday also dies due to the confrontation with the man of steel.

In the third part of the story called “Reign of the Supermen,” several characters appear, claiming to be Superman’s successors after his death, but it is finally revealed that Superman did not die and is ready to continue in his fight against evil, which was, of course, a relief for the fandom.

Mockingbird

Mockingbird died in Avengers West Coast #100 in 1993. She gave her life to protect her ex-husband and partner, Hawkeye, who was fighting the demonic supervillain Mephisto. Her real name is Barbara Morse, and she has been a member of the Marvel universe since 1971. Although she is not the most well-known character, she has grown incredibly vital to the MCU.

In edition #100 of Avengers West Coast, she is shown standing between an energy explosion that was aimed directly at Hawkeye. Although she was long thought to be dead in the comics, she was eventually brought back to life in the 2009 crossover Secret Invasion. We are all aware that fatalities in the world of comics are not always predictable.

Professor X

The events that narrate the death of Professor X are reported in the Avengers vs. X-Men edition of the comic; in there, it is explained Cyclops became possessed by the powers of the Phoenix, an entity with immeasurable strength that only a few can channel. After 5 years, it is revealed that Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, is actually back and that all this time, he had been taken to the astral plane for his protection.

Apparently, what happened was that after Cyclops killed him, a character known as the Shadow King managed to take the spirit of Charles into the Astral plane. This isn’t the first time Professor X has died in the X-Men comics, but it’s certainly the most shocking, as it happens at the hands of his own disciple.

Bucky Barnes

Bucky is currently known as the Winter Soldier, but this was not always the case. In the 1940s, he was just a soldier who fought in World War II alongside his friend Seteve Rogers, aka Captain America. After a huge explosion, they were both considered dead, although we all know the story where Steve is actually cryogenized and brought back to life thanks to the super soldier serum.

Although Barnes did not possess any special superpowers at the time, they managed to be brought back to life as his body was partially recovered due to the frozen waters. Bucky was captured by the HYDRA corporation, who kept him alive for experiments and special missions until he was finally able to free himself.

Captain America

Captain America’s death is one of the few in the MCU that has sparked significant controversy. Death occurs during the events told in “Civil War,” where the captain must fight against the Iron Man factions. Ironically, its death does not occur as a result of the confrontation but when it is over. As he is being handcuffed and taken into custody, a sniper comes within range of him with a pointed bullet, and the Captain collapses to the ground.

An accurate shot that reminds us that, even in a comic, deaths can be as pointless as they are in real life. Sometime later, it is discovered that he was not actually dead but trapped in a time knot.

Kraven the Hunter

Not all deaths in this ranking are related to superheroes, some, as we have already seen, are simple ordinary civilians, and others, like in this case, are villains. We are talking about Kraven, The Hunter, a supervillain from the MCU universe, more precisely within the Spider-Man chronology. The events are recounted in a 5-part series called “Kraven’s Last Hunt.” The constant struggles to destroy Spider-Man ended up severely damaging his psyche, leading him to shoot himself dead after one of his encounters with Spider-Man.

Due to the cause of death, the reaction of the public was quite controversial, which ended up prompting the publication of a new chapter called “Soul of the Hunter” in response to the interpretation of Kraven’s ending.

Jean Grey

According to the famous popular saying, the phoenix is reborn from its ashes. The MCU universe makes use of this expression frequently, as this is not the first time, we see the character of Jean Gray die and be resurrected in the comics. In any case, it is indeed one of the most shocking deaths.

Everything happens as part of the “Dark Phoenix” plot, where Jean Grey, consumed by the immeasurable power of the Phoenix Force, decides to sacrifice herself to an alien weapon, thus saving the lives of millions of people in the solar system. The final scene shows an explosion in space that takes the form of a phoenix, leaving the viewer to decide if it was some kind of hint or confirmation that Jean may still be alive.

The Flash

This is another classic heroic death, where one of our favorite superheroes dies for the greater good. The story takes place as part of the event known as Crisis on Infinite Earths, where Barry Allen, aka Flash, had to sacrifice himself in the process. The conflict was caused by the fight between the Monitor and Anti-Monitor entities, the latter of which had the goal of exploiting dark matter to destroy the Infinite Earth.

The story is extremely attractive because it is a crossover where even Batman appears; this is because, due to the massive impact, all the heroes from all corners came out to defend their worlds. Fortunately for fans, Barry Allen is seen again in the comics later on.

Batman

Not even a superhero of the stature of Batman could escape having his own deadly episode in the world of comics. The unfortunate event occurred at the hands of Darkseid, an entity that rules the Apokalipsis and is obsessed with the Anti-Life Equation, a formula that’s supposed to provide absolute power to control the universe. Obviously, Batman would not allow something like this to happen, so he decided to sacrifice himself to Darkseid’s omega rays thus preventing a greater disaster.

So far, Darkseid holds the distinction of being the only villain to have killed Batman. Sometime later, it was discovered that Batman wasn’t dead but was actually sent to the past, where he had to remember who he was in order to return to the future and resume his life gradually.

Firestorm

Firestorm is a composite and multifaceted figure born of the union of a brilliant engineer named Ronnie Raymond and a renowned physicist named Martin Stein. After a nuclear accident, they formed a unit that would become known as Firestorm. This character was killed during the event known as the Identity Crisis. During a battle with Shadow Thief, Raymond got pierced by the Shining Knight’s sword. The magic sword breached the nuclear man’s containment field, causing Firestorm’s body to explode.

The tragic event was obviously unexpected. The energy resulting from said explosion ended up being channeled into a new host, from which a new Firestorm known as Jason Rusch emerged. Thanks to the fact that Firestorm is an entity that cohabits in the bodies of several people, fans can continue to see different representations of this character.

Rorshach

The origin of events that ended up with Rorschach’s death begins when the anti-villain Ozymandias decides to create a kind of false alien threat with the aim that all citizens could fight against something in common and thus achieve world peace. Although the plan works, many people die along the way, and when Rorschach finds out about the plan, he prickles at his conscience since he is a being deeply rooted in the most absolute morality.

Here is where Dr. Manhattan appears, killing Rorschach because he himself decided so. It was a merciful killing as Rorschach otherwise saw his moral standing compromised, torn between hiding the truth from the world or revealing Ozymandias’ plan and ending the nascent world peace.

Jubilee

Jubilee, the spark-plug member of the X-Men known for her plucky attitude and pyrotechnic prowess, faced a shocking end that left fans aghast. In a devastating turn of events, a mission took a fatal twist, leading to her unexpected demise. This loss was a jolting reminder of the perils that mutants face in their fight for peace and equality.

Her vibrant energy and youthful exuberance had always lit up the pages of the X-Men series, making her death not only tragic but also a narrative that underscored the vulnerabilities of even the most jubilant of heroes. Jubilee’s death resonated deeply, highlighting the harsh realities of a superhero’s life.

The Joker

The Joker, Gotham’s prince of chaos and the arch-nemesis of Batman, has had his share of near-death experiences, but few moments have been as jarring as his actual demise. With a maniacal laugh in the face of peril, he has often danced on the edge of life and death. His unpredictability and sheer insanity make every encounter with the Dark Knight a potentially lethal one.

The Joker’s death, whenever depicted, is not just the end of a villain; it’s the climax of a legendary rivalry, leaving a void in the heart of Gotham and in the legacy of comic lore. Each portrayal of his downfall sends shockwaves through the community, illustrating that in a battle against madness, the consequences are often unpredictable and always profound.

Alfred Pennyworth

We’ve all heard the story of how Alfred, Batman’s trusty butler, helped him become the man he is today. Recent stories have focused on giving Alfred the role he deserves in Bruce’s life, making him appear as the actual guardian and guide that he was. You can imagine how the people reacted when DC chose to publish the comic featuring Alfred’s death.

The disastrous denouement occurs when Batman’s adversary known as Bane, advises Batman not to meddle in one of his attempts to take over Gotham, but Robin disobeys this threat, forcing an irate Bane to kill Alfred in front of him, a clear lesson for Robin, who at that point discovered the hard way that some foes are not to be underestimated.

Martian Manhunter

Martian Manhunter, also known as J’onn J’onzz, is a superhero from the DC universe. He is one of the original members of the Justice League. His death occurs after an episode where J’onn decides to possess Wonder Woman’s body to give Superman a clear message. J’onn’s goal was to discourage Superman in his fight against Batman, but the Man of Steel, far from being frightened, immediately decided to unleash a powerful blast of flames from his eyes, igniting Diana’s body and forcing Martian Manhunter to leave her body.

J’onn is burned in an instant, and his death is later confirmed by Batman himself. Because these events occurred during Superman’s possession in the “Evil Superman” persona, he feels no remorse for what happened.

Billy Batson

Billy Batson’s death was one of several caused by “The Evil Superman” persona while in possession of synthetic Kryptonite. Billy was a youth superhero who gained his abilities from the powerful SHAZAM ray. At the time of the incident, Superman was fully traumatized by Lois’s death and was not going to let anything get in the way he wanted things to happen; this exactly is when Billy started questioning the extremist methods with which Clark was behaving.

To this, Clark responded by seizing Billy by the neck and freezing his mouth, preventing him from saying the magic word ‘Shazam,’ which triggers his power. Clark ultimately utilized his heat vision to pierce Billy’s eyes and skull, effectively murdering the Wizard’s avatar.

Ted Kord

Theodore Stephen, mostly known as Blue Beetle, is a superhero from the DC world. The death of this character occurs because Ted was looking to disrupt the plan of the villain Maxwell Lord to manipulate the Justice League for his evil plans. The events are narrated in the “Countdown to Infinite Crisis” edition, where Lord planned to use control and surveillance techniques to make members of the JLI as ineffective as possible.

When Ted discovers this, he gives Lord an ultimatum, who, far from rethinking his actions, goes one step further by shooting Kord in the head. This incident managed to precipitate the events of Infinity Crisis that we mentioned earlier; even Lord had a special role in influencing Superman’s mind and making him go against Batman.

Kyle Rayner

Kyle Rayner was recognized by his successors and peers as one of the best Green Lanterns to ever live. Eventually, His great power and ability led him to become a White Lantern, allowing him to fight threats that even the most skilled Green Lanterns could not handle. Unfortunately, Sinestro and his Corp members had a tragic plan for this character.

After an ambush, Sinestro and his men manage to apprehend Kyle in outer space, and just before he can even react, they manage to mutilate his finger, preventing Kyle from using his ring to ask for help. Finally, before the superhero suffocated, they brutally destroyed his body, causing instant death. Sinestro then made sure to disappear the ring so it couldn’t seek a replacement.

Spider-Man

Although it may appear unusual, this character has one of the highest death tolls in Marvel comics. This is something that the story can afford due to the use of multiple universes and alternate realities. Just to mention some of his murderers, we find Venom, Doctor Octopus, Kingpin, and Thanos.

One of the saddest deaths occurred in the “Ultimate Spider-Man” comic published in 2011, where it is narrated how Spider-Man took the Punisher’s bullet that was aimed at Captain America and with the bullet inside him, weakening him, he continued fighting against Norman Osborn and the Six. While he put up a good fight, it was the extreme weakening that ultimately led to his death at the hands of Mary Jane Watson.

Ben Reilly

Ben Reilly is a genetically engineered clone of Peter Parker. He was created by Miles Warren, one of Spider-Man’s main enemies. The relationship between Parker and Reilly went through various stages, sometimes as enemies and other times collaborating together, for example, during the time Ben fought alongside Peter as the Scarlet Spider.

The resemblance was such that for a season, they even thought that the real clone was Peter Parker and that Ben was the original. Ben’s death occurred during a confrontation between the Green Goblin and the two Spider-Men, Norman impaled Ben Reilly on his glider while Peter Parker was watching the horrific scene. Including his first death and Jackal’s cloning experiments, Ben Reilly has died 27 times.

Captain America

Yes, you read that right; this character appears twice in this ranking, and for good reason. Overall, Captain America has died at least five times in the main continuity, but the number goes up to more than 10 if we count the alternate universes.

We’ve already discussed the death caused by a bullet during the events of Civil War; another death remembered by fans is that of issue # 177 of Avengers, in which the all-powerful Korvac was busy touring the galaxy, acquiring information in order to strengthen his superpowers. Korvac began a fight against the Avengers because he was afraid that they would summon all cosmic forces to stop him. Korvac then kills all of the Avengers, including of course, Captain America.

The Punisher

The Punisher is one of the most renowned antiheroes within the Marvel Comics universe. Although his methods are not ideal, since he uses extortion techniques, torture, or punishment to pursue his victims, he actually does it to fight criminals. In the primary universe, the Punisher has only died once, only to be resurrected to hunt out demons rather than gangsters; but if we count storylines from different dimensions, the Punisher has died more than ten times.

One of the most remembered deaths occurs in the MAX version of The Punisher, which ends with the character’s death. After killing the Kingpin, Castle dies from his own injuries in issue #21 of the saga. He gets buried at #22, and worthy to note that his death sparks a public uprising and the murder of the city’s criminals.

Thor

Can you imagine a god like Thor dying? It really is hard to believe, but in the Marvel Universe, not even a character like him could escape death. In fact, there is a record of at least four times Thor died during the comics narratives and many more where we had to face death but managed to defeat it. Obviously, all of these deaths ended up bringing him back to life sometime later.

One of the most significant deaths of this character happened just as Norse mythology predicted: none of the Norse gods featured in Thor: Ragnarok survive Ragnarok. Even Thor perishes while fighting Loki’s son, the World Serpent, because, while slaying the beast, he is mortally poisoned and can only take nine steps before dying.

Wolverine

True fans know that Wolverine has died way too many times throughout the comic, roughly 10 times. At this point, you’re probably thinking how it is possible to kill Wolverine so many times since, in fact, he has a practically instant regeneration capacity; the answer is that perhaps this mutation is a double-edged sword for the character himself, and it is what makes the writers feel a certain attraction to expose the superhero beyond his limits.

One of the most remembered deaths was the one that occurs in the timeline of “Days of the Future Past” where Wolverine had to sacrifice his life to help Kitty Pride achieve the time travel that would stop the apocalypse. The end was extremely brutal since a Sentinel separated the skin from Wolverine’s bones to prevent him from regenerating.

Moon Knight

Unlike other superheroes for whom death represents the end, for this character, death is actually the beginning and what made him become Moon Night. When he was still known as Marc Spector, he was a former Marine and CIA agent who worked as a mercenary. In one of the jobs in Sudan, Spector was mortally wounded, and with the last of his strength, he managed to reach the foot of a statue of Konshu dying in front of it.

The surprising thing happened when he came back to life completely healed, assuring that Konshu brought him back with the condition that he redeems all the life of violence and starts protecting innocent people. Moon Knight has only died three times despite his resurrection ability and recklessness with his own life.

Carol Danvers

This is another character that you will see appearing twice in this ranking; well, to be honest, this is actually the female version of Captain Marvel, also known as Carol Danvers. We could say that so far this character has been luckier than others since she only died once in the comics.

The events of her death are narrated in “Captain Marvel: The End” edition, where Carol had to use her powers to turn on the dying sun that ends up freezing the earth and all the beings that inhabit it. At that point, there were only a few survivors on Earth, but fortunately, she was able to reset the sun; her last words were, “It feels like coming home. It’s a good death”.

Phoenix

Another character that deserves more items of this count is Jean Grey. In total, the number of times this character was killed in the Marvel universe amounts to fifteen. We already talked about the death that occurred due to her own sacrifice to save the solar system. This time her death comes from the hand of Magneto in issue # 150 of “New X-Men”.

When Jean reactivates as the Phoenix and confronts Magneto after he has sent Wolverine and her to die in the sun, he strikes her with an electromagnetic pulse, resulting in a stroke that ultimately results in her death. Fortunately for all the fans, they know that as much as the writers love to kill off this character, just with the same fluency, they can bring her back to life later.

Magneto

Magneto is by far one of the most powerful mutants that exist in the X-Men saga. But as we all know, not even the most powerful characters escape death. The death of this character happens during the events of “Ultimatum,” an incident that occurred on Earth-1610 and that appeared in the homonymous comic of 2009.

There, Magneto, upon learning that Pietro and Wanda are dead, gets angry and decides to show the world what it is capable of. He manages to invert the magnetic poles of the earth, which causes great cataclysms and kills several of the X-Men, including himself. Fans never settled for the “Ultimatum” event as they felt the number of deaths of beloved characters was truly necessary.

Stephanie Brown

Stephanie Brown managed to find her place in the DC world by occupying very important roles, such as Robin or Batgirl, both within the Batman’s family. Stephanie is the daughter of the criminal Cluemaster, but unlike him, Stephanie’s plans are to fight crime, for which she uses the pseudonym Spoiler. In the events narrated in “War Games” of 2005, Stephanie dies due to the brutal injuries that the character of Black Mask gives her.

Years later, in 2008, she returned, arguing that she had actually faked her death. The death by torture of this character received quite a lot of criticism as well as the fact that she was not recognized on the same level as other Robins in the series.

Roy Harper

If we take a deep look into the life of this character, we will see that it was really hard. It involved a strong drug addiction and even the loss of a daughter. It’s worth mentioning that all this did not prevent him from becoming a great superhero being, for example, one of the founders and a member of Teen Titans. He later came to be known as Arsenal.

Roy’s death occurs in the event known as “Heroes in Crisis,” where his friend The Flash accidentally kills him. According to what all comic fans are used to, it was not surprising that Roy returned to the living during the Infinite Frontier event in 2021 when the multiverse was once more rebooted.

Oliver Queen

Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow, is one of the oldest heroes in the DC universe. More than 50 years after his debut in a comic published in 1995, Oliver dies saving the city of Metropolis from a group of eco-terrorists called the Eden Corps. Oliver’s plan was to strap himself to a bomb that would explode when the time came, but unfortunately, he activated the bomb too early and got fixated on it.

When Superman saw this, he tried to save Oliver, but he couldn’t help him safely detach from the bomb, and tragically he was killed in the explosion. Fortunately, Oliver returns again five years later, in 2000, after being revived by his friend Hal Jordan, dubbed the Green Lantern.

Kara Zor-El

Supergirl’s death was chronicled in “Crisis on Infinite Earths” #7. During the events depicted in this series, the most powerful heroes of the five positive matter universes and the mighty Lady Quark (the sole survivor of Earth-6) were led into the antimatter universe by Pariah to launch a direct attack against the Anti-Monitor in his fortress.

Supergirl, furious at what the Ani-monitor was doing to Superman, managed to destroy the solar collector ripping off the villain’s armor. Even though the superheroes were getting victorious against the Anti-Monitor, in the end, he figured out how to use some of the antimatter that he still had available against Supergirl, leading her to death, while he took advantage and got to escape.

Living Tribunal

The Living Tribunal is the judge in Marvel Multiverse and the arbitrator for cosmic justice. He is above the Celestials and Galactus. The Living Tribunal was briefly interested in Odin’s death on Earth-616. Giant Man temporarily took Crusher Kreel (the Absorbing Man) to the Dimension of Manifestations. They were both exposed to the amazing experience of seeing Master Chaos and Lord Order together in an unfiltered section of the Dimension of Manifestations.

Princess Diana of Themyscira

Wonder Woman, one of DC’s most recognizable characters, has been part of the DC universe for more than 80 years now. In the events of 2020 and 2021, narrated in the Dark Nights: Death Metal comic book, Diana of Themyscira meets death and ascends to another level of existence after killing the entities of Perpetua and the Darkest Knight.

In this new level of existence, she seems to understand that she must sacrifice her life on Earth to protect the multiverse as a whole, so it is not that she is indeed dead, but that she must start a new journey in the afterlife. In the latter half of 2021, she finally returned to the living, only to perish once more a few months later. When she will return again is unknown at this time.

Wildebeest

Most of the superheroes that we have mentioned so far have managed in one way or another to return to life after death, but there are others who do not have the same fate. We all know that there should always be exceptions to the rule and this one is a clear example of a character who died and remains dead to this day. We are talking about Wildebeest, an experimental creature created by the infamous Wildebeest Society.

In its natural state, Wildebeest resembles a young human, but it may, however, evolve into an adult creature of the same species. This character became part of the Teen Titans, but unfortunately, during the events of the Infinite Crisis, Superboy-Prime killed Wildebeest.

Jonah Hex

Jonah Hex is a legendary bounty hunter within the DC universe. He reached his fateful end when he successfully brought down a gang of thieves led by George Barrow. Barrow returned a few days later determined to find revenge, and he did so, shooting Hex while he was playing cards in a saloon. He eventually reappeared as a participant in the first Crisis when he and several other heroes were summoned to battle for the Monitor.

Jonah Hex fought alongside Bat Lash, Cyborg, Firebrand, Green Lantern, Johnny Thunder, Nighthawk, Psimon, and Scalphunter against the Shadow Demons. Hex was present in the audience to witness Pariah’s warnings as Alex Luthor and Harbinger assembled the heroes of other Earths to discuss strategy.

Starman

In the history of DC Comics, many heroes have worn the pseudonym “Starman” through the years, but it’s worth mentioning that Ted Knight was the first. Knight was a wealthy man who discovered and used the Cosmic Rod to become an adventurer superhero. In the comics, he became a regular member of the Justice Society.

Starman was murdered by the Mist, an old adversary of his. His son, David Knight, would try to succeed him as Starman, but he perished as well. Another of Ted’s sons, Jack Knight, eventually became a prominent heir to his father’s title getting to the Justice Society. Ted Knight has been featured in stories set in the past since then, but he’s never been truly resurrected.

Mar-Vell

When Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, passed away in 1982, it was one of the most startling deaths in the history of Marvel Comics. In The Death of Captain Marvel, the first-ever Marvel graphic novel, the Kree Warrior passed away from cancer. At this time, comic book deaths were still incredibly rare and almost always involved important superheroes.

Mar-Vell is exposed to the nerve agent Compound 13, which causes cancer. The Nega-Bands created by Mar-Vell had initially repressed the disease, but when it eventually mutated, the bands also rendered useless all known cancer treatments. If the bands were taken off, the cancer might spread considerably more quickly and kill him in a matter of hours. He is still not alive in the canonical Marvel reality, save from stories set in different realities.

Wolverine

Wolverine has passed away before, even in the most recent series. In X-Men: Days of Future Past (the series, not the recent movie), Kitty Pryde summons the X-Men to stop a moment in “past history” that destroyed government control of mutants and resulted in their internment in camps.

The Sentinels dominate the United States in this “future world,” destroying anything that stands in their way with their potent hand cannons. In the Future Past universe, Wolverine perished because neither his healing factor nor his adamantium bones could protect him from a lethal blast. Of course, Wolverine survives in the alternate reality created by the X-Men in that book, making the question of whether he actually perished a metaphysical one. Although Wolverine doesn’t die in that movie, this plot also served as the inspiration for the 2014 X-Men movie.

Dark Phoenix Mystique

When Jean Grey returns from a space mission, she is hit by a solar flare’s radiation explosion, which causes her to gain new abilities and change her personality.
She becomes an easy target for Mastermind when she reaches the peak of her telepathic and telekinetic abilities since he wants to control them in order to establish his merit for membership in the wicked Hellfire Club.

Phoenix, now known as Dark Phoenix, makes a self-sacrificing sacrifice to protect the ones she loves when her powers escape her control, and she unintentionally murders billions of people by eating a star. Since the Phoenix Force is the embodiment of one of the primal forces, if the Phoenix ceases to exist, the cosmos would be condemned to “ultimate extinction,” in which there would be zero possibility of new life.

Peter Parker II

Peter Parker eventually meets his end at the hands of the Vulture, Electro, Dr. Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, Sandman, and Norman Osborn in a comic book death fit for a classic character, but not before he saves Mary Jane, the love of his life, and Aunt May.

Peter Parker has only ever died once in the series finale, The Death of Spider-Man (though he once passed away in a ridiculous parallel plot in Dr. Octopus’ body). Otto was dying, and he decided to keep himself alive and continue his scientific work; the best way forward was to transfer his mind into the body of his most hated enemy, Spider-Man. Otto succeeded, and, for a time, the Amazing Spider-Man became the Superior Spider-Man. Even though the comic’s title hinted at the conclusion, many fans were stunned to learn that Parker truly passed away and put a stop to the series.

Lori Grimes

As a fan of The Walking Dead, you are aware that no one is safe and that characters will perish as soon as you grow connected to them. The Governor opens fire on Lori in the film’s dramatic climactic final moment as she is breaking out of jail with her infant child and Rick.

The full-panel black-and-white scene of the bullet piercing her spine and killing both her and the kid is shocking and horrifying. Given that he was powerless to help her, this is the turning point for Rick because it drastically affects the tone of the comic going forward. Despite the fact that Lori may not have been a fan favorite, the loss of Rick’s wife and child stood out in a comic book full of memorable events.

Alexandra Dewitt

Our selection for the most startling comic book demise ever goes to a character you might not be familiar with. Prior to receiving the Green Lantern Power Ring, Kyle Rayner dated Alex DeWitt. She was crucial in helping him prepare to take on the role of the new Green Lantern, to the point where Major Force—one of Kyle’s biggest foes—views her as a threat.

The shocking manner in which Major Force kills her gives this one first place. He kills her by strangling her and then dismembers her body before hiding it in the fridge for Kyle to uncover. As the darkest and most significant incident in the Green Lantern timeline, the full panel depicting Kyle finding her body is the most horrific moment in comic book history.

Ultimate Peter Parker

Marvel fans never anticipated that Peter Parker would truly pass away, outside of the rare “What If…?” book. However, the publisher examined the world’s reaction to the death of its most famous character in 2011 using its Ultimate Universe. Additionally, even though the original Peter Parker was still alive, his passing had all the expected emotional impact.

For 160 issues, Brian Michael Bendis chronicled the exploits of the Ultimate Spider-Man, a personification of heroism and selflessness. One of the most endearing superheroes in comic books, this Spidey stood for everything a contemporary hero ought to be. In order to save his Aunt May and Mary Jane Watson, Peter gave everything he had before being slain by the Green Goblin. Readers were reminded of what makes the Spider-Man character so unique as he lay in Mary Jane’s arms and muttered, “I did it Uncle Ben.”

Glenn

Glenn was a very real and relatable figure who had been through hell alongside Rick, Michonne, Carl, and, most importantly, his wife Maggie. He served as the center of the group of survivors that fans followed for a hundred issues. They experienced a rare moment of joy when Glenn learned that Maggie was expecting a child; it was a human accomplishment that brought them momentary happiness. Naturally, we should have anticipated that it wouldn’t last.

Glenn was experiencing his purest happiness when Negan appeared. Negan had already battled Glenn’s team and suffered some casualties, and he reportedly spared Glenn because he didn’t want to come off as racist when he said he would pick one of his hostages to death. He was lying; Glenn was the victim of Negan’s torturous beating death with his trademark Lucille barbed wire baseball bat, which turned Glenn’s brain into mush.

Ferro Lad

In comics like “The Legion of Super-Heroes,” heroes just didn’t die in 1967. They socialized, went on excursions, owned super-pets, and embodied the simplicity of the Silver Age. Ferro Lad was a young man in a metal mask, a deformed hero who had the power to transform into live iron.

The entire Legion was forced to work together with the evil Fatal Five to defeat the Sun-Eater when it endangered the galaxy so that Earth’s sun wouldn’t go extinct. Fans of the time probably believed that everything would be resolved within the hour, that Brainiac 5 or Element Lad would figure out a method to save the day, and that the beloved group of heroes would remain intact. But Ferro Lad accomplished the unthinkable, stealing the bomb, detonating it, and destroying the Sun-Easter while Superboy was rendered helpless. Ferro Lad had actually passed away.

Sue Dibny

Sue Dibny was a mainstay of the DC Universe for many years. Sue was the wife of Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, and assisted him in many cases. Their love for one another was a shining example in the DCU’s history. That all changed when Sue, the victim of a horrific murder, was discovered burned to death. Her passing became one of the biggest puzzles the Justice League has ever had to solve. During the “Identity Crisis,” Sue’s death set off a series of events that caused the Justice League to become shattered. It also marked the beginning of the Justice League’s spiral into betrayal and terror.

Who could ever forget the picture of Ralph Dibny, the jovial, stretchable detective with whom DC fans had participated in a number of adventures, losing control of his elastic form and nearly melting as he held his loving wife’s smoking corpse?

Jean DeWolff

Readers may not immediately think of classic noir murder mysteries when recalling Spider-Man escapades, but that is exactly what they got when the Sin Eater murdered Spidey’s friend, police Captain Jean Dewolff. DeWolff was a long-standing member of Spider-supporting Man’s cast. He was a tough-but-fair crime fighter who frequently worked with the web-slinger.

She had become Spidey’s Commissioner Gordon, so when she was mercilessly murdered, fans were in disbelief. The tonal world of Spider-Man was irrevocably altered as a result of this execution. The plot’s circumstances added a touch of harsh realism to the usually lighthearted tone of a Spider-Man adventure. Most crucially, “The Death of Jean DeWolff” exposed comic book readers to the work of Peter David, a writer who eventually rose to prominence in the industry despite ironically being most recognized for his sense of humor.

Agent 355

Agent 355 was a fixture in Yorick Brown’s life as the last man on Earth throughout Brian K. Vaughan’s epic “Y, the Last Man.” As the two of them traveled through hell and back, it became clear that her tale was just as crucial to the series as the last man’s.

She served as both his guardian and his conscience. A turning point in an emotionally charged narrative came when Yorick and 355 finally admitted they really, truly loved one another after many terrifying adventures. 355 whispered Yorick her true name during their first kiss. He chuckled and remarked that the name was quite fitting, but 355 was assassinated by a sniper’s bullet before readers could discover this for themselves. Because of Vaughn’s writing, 355, her passing was such a cruel blow.

Peter Parker III

Classic Peter Parker from the Marvel Universe’s canonical continuity appeared to pass away twice. Fans simply weren’t buying it the first time, when he was replaced by Otto Octavius. The actual Peter could not possibly have been completely dead, unlike his Ultimate counterpart, not in this time of ongoing rebirths.

By showing that Peter’s “ghost” was still present in the new Otto-powered Superior Spider-Man’s mind, writer Dan Slott masterfully played with fan expectations. When Slott revealed his final card, erasing Peter’s mental projection from Otto’s brain and out of the Marvel Universe, seemingly forever, fans thought they were in on the joke. Even many of the more cynical fans who had previously refused to accept the earlier death were soon persuaded that Peter had passed away. Slott had to kill him twice for the fans to buy into the plot, but it was effective.

Arthur Curry Jr.

Heroes have previously experienced family losses, as we observed. They’ve lost their parents, siblings, best friends, spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, brothers, and sisters. But what about their kids?

Black Manta’s efforts in 1978 resulted in the dissolution of that taboo. The adversary of Aquaman and Mera took their son and placed him in an apparatus that would eventually suffocate him. Mera attempted to find technology that could save Arthur Jr. by traveling back to her own dimension, but she arrived too late. This was difficult to accept, and it happened a year before Iris Allen’s unexpected passing in Washington, DC. If Lori’s death served as a warning that nobody is secure in Robert Kirkman’s universe, Arthur Jr.’s death served as a warning that anything may happen.

Jor-El and Lara

Some characters are made specifically with the intention of dying. Consider Superman’s parents as an example. Your protagonist’s parents don’t have a very long life expectancy if they blasted him to Earth from their dying homeworld.

Superman’s parents, though, have had a significant impact on the hero’s life in all media and have thrown a lengthy shadow over it. Nevertheless, Jor-presence El’s was thought significant enough to secure Marlon Brando for the role. We think the theme of sacrifice is what makes Jor-El and Lara significant; they are both giving up their life so that their son can live and better the lives of others elsewhere. In comic books, however, what is dead may not be forever, as Jor-El made a comeback a few years ago as the enigmatic Mister Oz, before settling into a more grandfatherly role with Kal-El and Jonathan Kent.

From Green Arrow to Sandman: All Comic Book Characters’ Sad Backstories

Spawn

No other character origin is as dark or emotionally disturbing as Frank Simmons, a highly skilled CIA agent, and a former military contract killer. He becomes the bearer of one of the saddest superhero origin stories.

Simmons’ best friend betrays and double-crosses him when they are working on a deal. He had been increasingly doubting his superiors’ morals in the brief period before this fatal setback. Yet, upon dying, his soul was still consigned to hell. Frank is granted permission to return to earth due to a deal with a demon. Still, he has been transformed into Spawn, a pretty solid but deformed demonic creature. Even worse, he has been absent for five years; his wife remarried to none other than the man who murdered him, and they had a child.

Eric Draven

It is one of the saddest character origin tales, and the author also remembers his late wife. The latter tragically died in a drunk driving accident. The protagonist of James O’Barr’s comic book series The Crow, Eric Draven, experiences a similar incident to the author. He and his girlfriend, Shelley, witness their car break down in the middle of a getaway.

A violent group appears to carry out the evil of disproportional dimensions while they wait for help. After shooting Eric in the head, the group of thugs forces him to watch as Shelley is raped and killed as Eric is dying slowly but surely a few hours later. Eric hunts the goons and executes them one at a time after being raised from the dead, given immortality among other powers, and led by a supernatural Crow.

Rocket Raccoon

Rocket Raccoon, also known as “Rocket,” is one of the coolest and furriest characters. Since the release of the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, which have risen in popularity with audiences, fans, and even critics, Rocket has gained recognition. However, his birth as a brazen space merc with remarkable powers isn’t as joyful as the movies have us believe.

Rocket was the subject that broke a hundred separate laws against the treatment of animals and the testing of living beings. Whoever abducted him from his home world is still unknown. Still, after implanting him with improved cybernetics and mental consciousness, he developed into a self-aware, ruthless space pirate known only as 89P1. It might not sound like one of the worst character origin stories. To call it inhumane is an understatement.

Rorschach

The question of which Watchmen had the saddest superhero origin story is more difficult to answer than which Watchmen was the worst. The only one with one of the most tragic superhero origin tales is Rorschach. For a man who bears (and wears) a psychiatric experiment as his calling card, you’d think everything would be all fine in the head.

Walter Kovacs was raised in a chaotic environment and was never permitted to perceive the world as anything but evil. Although Walter was a reasonably intelligent boy with high aspirations for religious instruction, his mother was a prostitute, and his father was a drinker who frequently battered Walter into giving up on his schooling. Unfortunately, Walter turned into Rorschach due to his brutal childhood.

Scarecrow

Jonathan Crane was a naturally timid and weak person who got harmed by the ignorance of his family. Crane took bullying seriously in elementary and high school and eventually planned the murders of several of his rivals.

This Professor of psychology turned to crime after losing his job; he had shot a gun into a packed classroom of pupils to make a point on the psychology of terror. The only thing known about his early years is that he enjoyed frightening birds when he was younger. Because of his appearance and reclusiveness, he got mocked by his other professors, so he turned to crime to assimilate into society. His strategy is to intimidate his victims into doing whatever he wants by posing as the Scarecrow. He only had a trench coat, a mask, a torn black hat, and a Tommy gun for a costume.

Doctor Manhattan

Jon was going to follow in his father’s watchmaking footsteps. When the United States detonates the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Jon’s father declares his father’s line of work obsolete and forces him to pursue a career in nuclear physics. The occurrence foreshadows Doctor Manhattan’s “external” perspective of time as predetermined and all things within it as thus determined, including Manhattan’s reactions and feelings. It marks the turning point in Jon’s probable future from a watchmaker to a nuclear physicist.

Being vaporized in a lab accident and scientific experiment might seem like the worst catastrophe imaginable, but what Jonathan Osterman ultimately lost wasn’t his body; it was more his humanity and hope for a typical life with the woman he loved. He was condemned to an eternity of loneliness since, despite his best efforts, he could not forget the memories of his loss or, regrettably, focus on and care for the world again.

Harley Quinn

In the example of Harley Quinn, the Joker devastated her life, but once he made her insane, she did not appear to care that much. The presence or impact of others defines some lives.

One of the most complicated and depraved romantic relationships in comic books is that between Quinn and the Joker; just like any other person, the Joker treats Harley with abuse and manipulation. At Arkham Asylum, Dr. Harleen Quinzel worked as a psychiatric intern. She was a diligent gymnast and a model student who excelled in school, earning a scholarship to Gotham City University. Quinn was tortured by him while falling in love with him, which drove her insane. She eventually replaced him in the asylum after helping him escape.

Bane

Bane spent his childhood in the hellish prison of Pena Duro on the corrupt South American island nation of Santa Prisca. He develops super strength through a forced experiment involving the drug Venom.

Prison is the first place that Bane can recall. That is where Batman’s formidable foe grew up, but it wasn’t until he became dependent on a narcotic that gave him tremendous strength. He truly began to transform into the bulky, humanoid beast. The anonymous aspiring villain killed his first person when he was eight. Only a teddy bear toy, which Bane used to conceal his dagger, was humanitarian about his origins, yet even that was violent. Although his need for Venom is a significant drawback, Bane has been among Batman’s most cunning and formidable adversaries.

Martian Manhunter

One of the lesser-known DC characters has one of the darkest superhero origin tales; Martian Manhunter has suffered more than Batman and Superman. The Martian hero, known as J’onn J’onzz and from Mars, underwent some alteration to his entire story, which only grew darker as it progressed.

His story starts with his brother being imprisoned and found guilty of the Martian crime of mental assault. In the end, J’onn’s twin brother escapes and creates a rabid epidemic as revenge, effectively destroying the whole Martian race thanks to their use of telepathy. That causes them to combust suddenly. The Manhunter discovered himself alone on a floating rock, surrounded by his twin brother’s endless victims, after witnessing the creeping extinction of his race. Although the ancient Bat had his Alfred and Superman at least had the Kents, where was the Martian Manhunter? Nobody.

Magneto

Magneto’s origin story and rise to fame were no more accessible than everyone else on this list. Still, he is perhaps one of the most intricate, fascinating, and powerful comic book characters to emerge from the Marvel Comics pantheon. Is Magneto a hero or a villain? This subject comes up frequently.

Max Eisenhardt, a Jew who was born and raised in Poland during the outbreak of World War II, and his family were ultimately taken prisoner and transferred to Auschwitz. Max encounters Magda after being forced to run the Gas Chambers. Max and Magda escape from Auschwitz after his family is put to death, and they later settle down and have a daughter named Anya there. Naturally, as soon as others learn about his mutant talents, they destroy his house by burning it down and killing Anya.

Swamp Thing

Thugs planted bombs in Alec Holland’s house after he conducted a simple test with his scientific wife, Linda. Holland was impacted by the major drug that served as the experiment’s primary component. He sprinted into the marsh. The bio-restorative compound, which had been soaked into his flesh, impacted the swamp’s plant life, giving it Alec’s consciousness and memories.

The newly awakened plant life took on the appearance of a human and emerged from the swamp as the Swamp Thing, the most recent in a long line of Earth elementals fashioned when The Green required defense. As if that were not difficult enough, the evil attackers killed his wife as soon as the action was over.

Victor Zsasz

Victor Zsasz could only survive by becoming insane as Gotham attempted to destroy him. When he was in his mid-20s, a boating accident claimed the lives of his parents. Depression caused Zsasz to turn to gamble, which ultimately destroyed him. Victor was going to commit himself when a man attacked him and, in retaliation, became Zsasz’s first victim. Every counting mark on Victor’s body after that represented a person he had slain. Because of this, Victor regularly resides in Arkham Asylum. He has been a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains.

Harleen Quinzel was his doctor, but she made no progress with him. Victor began killing anybody who came into contact with him once the Executioners forced him out of his cell, including them. He was eventually captured and returned to custody.

Doctor Octopus

Doctor Octopus is frequently regarded as Spider-Man’s greatest foe. The character’s accurate origin tale is far more depressing than the one depicted in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and immortalized by Alfred Molina in that film. Otto Octavius, a prodigal son, born to a violent father, appears in comic books. Even if he succeeds in becoming one of science’s most renowned figures, tragedy ensues when his mother, who is experiencing empty nest syndrome, requests that he break off his engagement and concentrate on his studies.

During an atomic research project, Octavius’ body was fused to four mechanical, tentacle-like arms, causing severe brain damage that turned him into a criminal. His life’s work is then destroyed by another explosion in his lab, forcing him to turn to crime. His mother passed away during a contentious argument, leaving him by himself.

Mr. Freeze

Dr. Victor Fries, a well-known expert in cryogenics, met his true love Nora Fries, who became his wife. Victor had to discover a treatment for Nora’s deadly condition to save her, so he placed her in suspended animation while searching for a way to cure her. But regrettably, a lab mishap significantly reduced his body temperature to below-freezing levels, necessitating the use of a cryogenic suit.

One of the most moving episodes of Batman: The Animated Series features Mr. Freeze and Batman, helping the audience to grasp the villain’s point of view. He uses a variety of freezing weaponry and a protective cryogenic suit to partially get revenge on Batman for his wife’s demise while also bringing his wife back to total health.

Bizarro

Bizarro was never allowed to act normally. A wounded Superman clone, Bizarro has a severely restricted mental capacity, frequently leading to actions spiraling out of his control. The clone is nothing more than an ugly body with heightened abilities. Bizarro, a creature doomed from the moment of its creation, makes the best of what he has, but it is never enough.

Bizarro, who is essentially identical to Superman in every way, has never known why he is viewed as a villain. Bizarro was produced, not born; therefore, he never had the chance to experience affection and warmth. In most forms, Bizarro is typically produced by psychopaths like the Joker or Lex Luthor. He never finds a meaningful calling in life other than to destroy Superman as a result. A lack of violence, fury, and hatred.

Two-Face

Harvey Dent had a difficult upbringing. Growing up with an abusive father, he developed repressed mental diseases, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, his dedication to his work allowed him to advance and, at the age of 26, become Gotham City’s youngest district attorney. Dent was pleasant, attractive, and appeared to be untouchable, earning him the media moniker “Apollo.”

Harvey Dent has always been a troubled person in the comics. Even though he worked hard to establish himself in Gotham, his demons eventually wholly overcame him. Dent lost his mind after a criminal used acid to disfigure his face. He developed into a serial killer who decided whether to beat his victims by tossing a coin, just like his violent father did.

Dex-Starr

What transpires when a domestic cat is abruptly thrust into a life of mistreatment? Dextor was a regular house cat that a generous woman adopted. But the lady’s death by an unidentified assailant during a robbery changed the cat’s life. Soon after being seduced by several youths, Dextor moved onto the streets.

The teenagers threw the poor cat inside a sack down the Brooklyn Bridge to test if it would survive with their sick sense of fun. Dextor was selected by the Red Lantern ring just before he was about to die because it could sense his uncontrollable wrath. Dextor transformed into Dex-Starr after he used the Red Lantern ring, brutally killing his tormentors before setting out to locate his previous owner’s killer.

The Joker

One terrible day is all it takes to send someone over the edge. A struggling comedian who is anxious to make some money to support his pregnant wife is thrown into an acid vat instead. The Joker experienced what was described. Although the Joker’s background has been subject to much debate, Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke has become the Clown Prince of Crime’s official biography.

In addition to permanently altering his appearance, the injury renders him mad and causes him to commit unpardonable crimes. In some cases, his sanity does return, but the atrocities of his history drive him to spiral into madness. The Joker, often regarded as Batman’s arch-enemy, is also accountable for many catastrophes in Batman’s life, including Barbara Gordon’s paralysis and Jason Todd, the second Robin, dying.

Doomsday

Doomsday is a hideous-looking monster made to kill; he previously killed Superman. However, his past is both terrifying and terrible. A mad scientist developed Doomsday in a hostile environment in prehistoric Krypton. When the first humanoid newborn was put on the planet, the negative climate soon killed it. Soon later, another child was created from its cloned remnants.

This technique continued until the infant could endure the difficult circumstances. But because of previous trials that were written into its genome, it despises all living things. The infant was at one point abandoned in space, where it repeatedly perished and came back to life to render it unkillable. The only character to ever kill Superman in the official comics continuity was Doomsday, and he accomplished it by simply beating the Man of Steel to death.

Doctor Doom

Doctor Doom, raised in a witches’ coven, lost his mother when he was a little child and was unfairly pursued by the monarch after his father failed to save the Baron’s terminally sick wife. Doom and his father departed the area shortly after, but Doom’s father passed away in the mountains shortly after that. Doctor Doom studied in the U.S. and became knowledgeable in magic and technology. He attempted to create a time machine there so he could see his mother.

Ben Grimm (The Thing) had secretly tampered with the device, which had terrible effects. Doom despises the Fantastic Four so immensely, it makes sense. Doom held Sue Storm hostage as a prelude to his confrontation with the Fantastic Four. Doom compelled the team’s other members to use his time platform to go back in time and retrieve the ethereal Stones of Merlin.

Galactus

Galactus was once a hero who saved the universe and his home planet by absorbing cosmic energy. However, everyone else perished save for Galactus. Galactus was left stuck in a condition of tremendous hunger that could only be satisfied by consuming worlds as if the tragedy itself wasn’t awful enough.

He was Taaia’s genetically modified offspring and the most superhuman being Taa had ever known. She was a bad mother because of her responsibilities to the world; she gave him minimal human interaction and left him in a technologically enhanced crib to grow up. When his mother brought home his time-traveling future herald, the Silver Surfer, he decided to use the opportunity to teach him compassion, hoping it would encourage him to try harder to resist his hunger.

Thanos

Sui-San, Thanos’ mother, an immortal with the Deviants gene, attempted to suffocate him as a child but was intercepted. The scene of Sui-San trying to kill him haunted the young Thanos in nightmares for years. Thanos, a pacifist in school, experienced bullying because of his disfigured appearance. He is against wars and violence and spends most of his days playing with his brother Eros of Titan and their pets.

This sent the purple-skinned man down a nihilistic path. He first fell in love with the personification of Death itself and later grew fascinated with it. Thanos killed half the universe’s species to get Death to love him because he wanted to experience true love for the first time.

Green Arrow

While Bruce Wayne’s tragic beginnings may be unfortunate, Oliver Queen, better known as the Green Arrow, has it even worse. Oliver’s wealthy business mogul father, Robert Queen, is the unavoidable reason Oliver decided to don the hood in one of the most depressing superhero origin tales.

The two embark on a lavish sailing vacation far into Oliver’s twenties, resulting in their being dumped overboard following a violent storm. Robert shoots himself in a last-ditch effort to keep his kid under the dwindling conditions of their food supply, but not before leaving a list of names for him. When Oliver returns to Star City, where everyone believes he has long since passed away, the Green Arrow is born as he starts to exact revenge on his father’s name. He learned the art of archery during his five years as a castaway on a hidden island.

Wolverine

Next to power, immortality is undoubtedly one of the most potent superpowers, but what’s left to live for when all your loved ones—and even your enemies—start passing away like flies? The Wolverine’s curse of immortality also happens to be one of the darkest superhero origin stories, as is the case for our beloved X-Men member.

Few heroes are as complex and elaborately created as Logan, which began life as a young kid in the 1880s. He was the illegitimate son of Thomas Logan, whose accidental murder at Wolverine’s hands (or, should we say, “claws”) launched the hero’s ongoing struggle with conflict. Jump forward over 150 years, and he has already witnessed many terrible things. The X-Men won’t leave him alone, and when he does join them, Jean Grey’s passing nearly throws him over the brink. It makes sense why he is so angry.

Spider-Man

One of the saddest superhero origin stories. Not only does the enthusiastic and scientifically gifted young boy Peter Parker, Spider-Man, already have to deal with being an orphan. But Uncle Ben’s untimely passing also strips him of the only father figure and extended family he truly valued.

And while Spidey was reared mainly in a working-class area, Spidey wasn’t quite as financially astute as Batman. He may have also been orphaned early (right in front of him, too). Peter Parker was tormented in high school for being a nerd. When you add that his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, died due to his own attempt to save her, well, you can understand how this Spider had it rough.

Red Skull

His father blamed Red Skull for trying to drown him because his mother died giving birth to him. He grew up in an impoverished village in WWII Germany as if having such a difficult childhood wasn’t bad enough. He then brought Johann to an orphanage, where the youngster lived alone. When he was seven years old, Johann fled the orphanage and spent the rest of his life as a thief and beggar on the streets.

As he grew older, Red Skull worked in various low-paying professions but spent most of his time in jail or prison for offenses ranging from theft to straying. In a life full of suffering and hatred, he finally discovered one person who cared about him: Adolf Hitler. What follows is history.

Apocalypse

Apocalypse, the first mutant, was left behind by his biological parents. A tribe of nomads soon adopted him. Apocalypse and his foster father were forced to seek safety in a cave after the gang was later massacred as a result. There, Apocalypse witnessed the hunger death of his foster father and learned of the prophecy that he would grow up to be a hero who would free millions from tyranny.

He further augmented himself after merging with Celestial technology, gaining a variety of superhuman abilities in the process. He is also among the rare subspecies of mutants that possess the additional gift of immortality. As fate would have it, Apocalypse was never a hero but a despot filled with resentment and wrath for the wrongs committed against him.

Morbius

The Nobel Prize-winning chemist was compelled to discover a treatment for his unusual blood ailment. The scientist’s uncommon sickness was cured due to a botched experiment, but he was transformed into a pseudo-vampire with an insatiable appetite for human blood. His disease negatively impacted his health and badly altered his appearance, leading to bullying from his friends.

He gained flight, increased strength, speed, healing, and usual vampire traits like a dislike of sunlight and a healing factor. These changes also affected his general appearance. He developed fangs, his nose flattened to resemble a bat, and his skin turned incredibly pale. In addition, any who he bit would also become living vampires.

Cheetah

Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva, a renowned archaeologist, discovered an old tribe in Africa that a female guardian guarded with cheetah-like abilities. Dr. Minerva was tricked into consuming a concoction of human blood, berries, and Urzkartaga leaves by a witch doctor to become immortal. The human blood gave her the abilities of a cheetah. However, she was unaware that the host had to be a virgin. As a result, Barbara developed a ferocious bloodlust whenever she transformed into Cheetah and experienced excruciating pain when she was in human form.

With an ulterior aim to steal the Amazon’s Lasso of Truth, Barbara befriended Wonder Woman when she made her debut as a superhero. Their once-close friendship would deteriorate into vehement hate, turning them into arch enemies.

Zeitgeist

A relatively unknown X-Men character named Zeitgeist suddenly gained notoriety in Deadpool 2. Axel Cluney discovered a girl to fall in love with during his teenage years, which was supposed to be the most fun of his life. However, his power was unleashed after a passionate kiss, leaving her face permanently scorched. Zeitgeist can spit acid out of his mouth, which is revolting.

While it seems to be the worst thing that could have occurred to a superhero, having a painful and embarrassing childhood is ultimately something you cannot change. Zeitgeist constantly donned a protective mouthpiece while dressing up. It was demonstrated that his vomit could quickly burn through steel that was 10 centimeters thick. His jaw was constructed of an unusual substance that resembled plastic but was far more durable.

Maggott

Even though Maggott’s real name, Japheth, is uncommon, it is unquestionably superior to his heroic alter ego. His superpower? A particular digestive system with two worms could swallow anything and give the body tons of energy. This system allowed Maggott to execute superhuman feats.

Japheth was a sickly youngster whose condition was so bad that he fled from home, hoping to pass away and relieve his suffering. He had a rare biological condition that caused the illness, but by the time Maggot realized this, he had already left his family. Eany and Meany, Maggott’s slugs, had to dig their way into and out of his stomach each time, which was excruciatingly painful. They also ate up to five times daily, and the physical and mental toll was too much for the young man.

Skin

You can tell a superhero had a painful past when he acquired his superpowers through stress. This is the case with Skin, a mutant with the gross capacity to use various applications to enlarge his six more feet of extra skin.

He was so terrified that night of a drive-by gunshot that he fainted. After that, Angelo Espinosa was pronounced dead, and not a single person in his inner circle was aware that he was still alive or had changed into horror. Angelo was one of the young mutants targeted by the Phalanx. He joined Generation X when it opened and soon showed himself to be fun-loving, despite his resentment toward his powers. Skin was initially somewhat reclusive and didn’t like being told what to do by adults. His attitude improved as he grew more at ease with his abilities and friends.

Daredevil

When Matt was a young boy, he saw a man about to be struck by a truck and moved him out of the way, but the truck crashed and threw its load of hazardous chemicals into his face. He discovered that his other senses were enhanced due to his loss of sight when he awakened in the hospital from the toxins, and he could see by a radar-like feeling using the sounds around him, giving him complete trust in his surroundings. He met Stick, a blind martial artist who taught him martial arts and other talents, including free running, meditation, and shooting.

Daredevil’s father is shot and killed not long after the incident. He eventually exacts revenge on his father’s killers and accepts the unfair repercussions of that one deed of kindness. Matthew then embraces a challenging life that is not without its perks.

U.S. Agent

Jonathan Walker, a wannabe Captain America, had lofty aspirations of greatness, but his path to valor swiftly turned sour. He permitted the public to learn his real name, which caused a terrorist organization to kill his parents. Walker replied by using explosives to almost murdering the individuals who had leaked his personal information, leaving them permanently scarred. When Walker received an appropriate beating from none other than Steve Rogers himself, Walker’s terrible backstory was concluded.

US Agent is a superb soldier, tactician, and fighter. Taskmaster has personally trained him in combat, gymnastics, and acrobatics. His body’s tissues are a little more challenging and injury-resistant than a regular human’s. He’s not impervious, though, and he’s susceptible to harm in many ways as an average person. He can, however, tolerate shocks and injuries that would kill or severely hurt a regular person.

Mr. Immortal

Maybe the only trait that can make anyone feel at ease, no matter his circumstances, is the ability never to die. Craig Hollis, regrettably, only realized his skills after multiple failed attempts to take his own life. He was prone to outbursts of wrath after being brought back to life, and only his teammate and occasional lover Dinah Soar could control them before his untimely demise.

Infected as a youngster, Craig’s mother passed away; as a young lad, Hollis was tricked into starting a fire that killed his father. The girlfriend of Mr. Immortal also passed away; she attempted to take her own life as well, but unlike Craig, she did not have superpowers that could have saved her.

Rachel Summers

The X-Men are one of the most powerful mutants, and the one with the most tragic backstory is Rachel Summers, the daughter of Cyclops and Phoenix. Initially recognized as an official Omega-level mutant, Rachel is the first person to have used the Phoenix Force for years without ever succumbing to darkness. Because she comes from one of the most unsettling timelines of all, she also carries a trauma burden beyond nearly anything seen in comics.

From the “Days of Future Past” timeline is Rachel Summers. After the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants murdered Senator Robert Kelly, a wave of anti-mutant panic swept the country. After witnessing the massacre of her friends and family, Rachel was seized by the US government and subjected to gruesome experiments that turned her into a mutant-hunting Hound.

The Mandarin

The Mandarin was a prodigy who came from a wealthy family and was endowed with great wealth and significant political authority. What possibly could go wrong? Well, pretty much everything after the passing of both parents. Mandarin was reared by an affluent aunt who frivolously spent his sizable inheritance, driving the two of them into homelessness and poverty.

The Mandarin was left wandering as a young beggar with nothing to his name shortly after his aunt passed away. Even though he was a wicked guy, he wanted justice, harmony, and peace for his people. Nevertheless, he was forced into a life of crime despite never having seen those things for himself. He is characterized as a megalomaniac, attempting to conquer the world on several occasions, yet also possessing a strong sense of honor.

The Governor

The characters from the Walking Dead comic book series show that the occasions building up to the new world order are equally significant. One must first comprehend Philip Blake in order to comprehend the Governor as he appears in comic books.

Together, the two brothers engaged the guardsmen in a bloody struggle and discovered that the living were much crueler than the dead. Both Brian’s niece Penny and brother Philip passed away. He was so traumatized by the event that he adopted the persona of his deceased brother because he believed that he was too weak to lead as himself. Even worse, he began referring to his zombie niece as his daughter. From that point on, he took a lot of dubious activities as a result of a dissociative disorder that he created out of necessity and fear.

Zoom

Hunter Zolomon, a serial killer’s son, decided to join the FBI in an effort to distance himself from his homicidal father. Hunter unintentionally killed the father of his fiancée after he made a poor decision while on the scene. Hunter suffered a severe knee injury in the same altercation, which would put an end to his employment in the field.

Hunter Zolomon urged Flash to travel back in time and fix his life after being rendered paraplegic by Gorilla Grodd, but the speedster refused. Hunter took matters into his own hands and stole the Cosmic Treadmill because he was furious with his status in life. Hunter gained the ability to exist between the seconds of time when the Treadmill exploded, transforming him into Zoom, the second Reverse-Flash.

The Lizard

Dr. Curt Conners, a talented surgeon who decided to use his abilities to assist soldiers in the line of duty, lost his arm in an explosion while working as an army doctor. Dr. Conners was persuaded after coming home that the DNA of reptiles held the key to limb regeneration. Dr. Conners developed a serum as a result of his research that was successful in treating animals, so he tested it on himself.

Dr. Conners was successful in growing a new limb, but there was an unintended consequence: the good doctor also transformed into a man-sized lizard. Like a werewolf, Dr. Conners loses control of his senses when he transforms into Spider-adversary Man’s The Lizard. Now, Doctor Conners works to stay in control.

Hydra Captain America

Nobody with a reasonable mind would have ever imagined that Captain America, the face of Marvel, could ever stoop to the point of evilness. With the start of the brief crossover event Secret Empire in 2017, the concept came to pass. Red Skull’s ability to change Steve Rodgers’ memory was the most heinous manner that Captain America might veer toward the bad end of the spectrum. He is the Steve Rogers from an alternate reality in which Rogers was indoctrinated by HYDRA as a child.

At that time, Captain America thought he was a Hydra sleeper agent working hand in hand with Red Skull to overthrow the American government. This fall would make Hydra the dominant superpower in the globe, forcing Captain America to forsake his once-loved namesake.

Lady Deathstrike

Lady Deathstrike, also known as Yuriki Oyama, has lived a horrifying life of vengeance. Deathstrike’s father (Lord Dark Wind) was left with a horrendously damaged visage as a result of a botched suicide bombing attempt. Dark Wind, who lived a life of shame, inflicted scars on the faces of his kids, including Deathstrike, as a dark and twisted form of retaliation.

Deathstrike had to witness her brothers die in the service of her father, as if that weren’t horrifying enough to leave scars on children’s faces. Deathstrike had to deal with her love’s ritual suicide after attempting to rescue Kiro from her father’s captivity. Deathstrike would follow her father’s principles to honor Japan, using any means necessary, in the wake of all this devastation. In the end, this results in the incorporation of cybernetics and adamantium to increase Lady Deathstrike’s lethal potential.

Catwoman

Both in comic books and movies, Catwoman has had her fair share of various origin tales. One of her earlier origins, though, is really ridiculous, so it’s fortunate that it was retconned in the 1980s. In this version, Selina Kyle was a flight attendant who, after the plane crashed, faked amnesia and made the instinctive decision to join the criminal underworld.

And why did she decide to adopt the name Catwoman? She was shocked because her father had a pet shop. The first change to Selina’s origins came just a year later when she revealed during The Brave and The Bold that she never actually had amnesia. In fact, she had faked the whole thing in order to leave her life of crime.

Rainbow Raider

It’s difficult to be taken seriously when a villain has a moniker like Rainbow Raider, and the villain’s backstory doesn’t help matters either. He wanted to be an artist since he was a young child. He was colorblind, which was unfortunate.

His father, an optometrist and genius in optical technology, swore he would find a cure for his son’s disorder. Due to failing health, he was unable to complete his product, but instead created a sophisticated pair of goggles that would allow Roy to create beams of solid rainbow-colored light. Roy, now known as the Rainbow Raider, turned to crime because he felt that no one appreciated his art. Roy said that since he was disabled, no one else could understand the amazing works of art that were shown there.

Reverse-Flash

Not only Catwoman but several well-known DC villains also have less-than-exciting origin stories. The Reverse-Flash, the Flash’s most formidable foe, likewise fits that description. The 25th century saw the life of Eobard Thawne. He was able to amp up the energy of the Flash’s suit after discovering it in a time capsule, giving him the speed of the Flash (even though the speed emanated from the Flash himself, not his suit).

The Post-Crisis extended origin storyline “The Return of Barry Allen” revealed that Thawne, prior to discovering the time capsule containing the Flash’s costume, was once a scientist obsessed with him, even undergoing cosmetic surgery to resemble his hero. After the events of Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, it is revealed that Malcolm Thawne is Eobard Thawne’s ancestor and Barry’s long-lost twin brother, meaning that Barry is Thawne’s great-uncle.

Ten-Eyed Man

After being medically dismissed from the military due to an injury, Philip Reardon worked as a security guard. Instead of just robbing the establishment in a less conspicuous manner, thieves chose to rob the warehouse where he was working and put a bomb there. Reardon became blinded when the explosion detonated.

To provide Reardon the possibility to see through his fingers, his doctor selected the uncommon course of transferring two of his optic nerves to his fingertips, giving him a complete 360 view and limited periscopic vision. His enhanced vision augments his Special Forces training, making him a superb fighter and marksman. The Ten-Eyed Man appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes. This version is drawn to have “eyes” on his fingertips.

Red Hood

In relation to the Joker… He was wearing the Red Hood mask when he slipped and fell into the vat, which irrevocably altered him. Therefore, it is only fair that Jason Todd, the youngster who was killed by the Joker when Jason was Batman’s Robin, received the mask later on. Todd’s death continued to haunt Batman afterward, as he considered it his greatest failure. He keeps the second Robin’s uniform on display in the Batcave as a reminder. The Joker, on the other hand, would occasionally remind Batman of this loss to torment him.

Later, Jason returned as the Red Hood, disillusioned, heartbroken, and prepared to exact revenge on the person who had betrayed him by not putting the Joker to death for his crime: the actual Batman.

Crazy Quilt

Rainbow Rider is not the only DC villain on our list who had ties to the realm of art, so let’s be fair to him. Paul Decker, in contrast to Rainbow Rider, was both a well-known painter and a crime boss at the same time. By leaving messages in the paintings, he was able to communicate with his minions all the time. There are certainly a million more efficient methods to communicate, but that wouldn’t be shocking enough.

One of his goons betrays him, and his criminal empire comes to an end. He consents to an experimental surgery after being shot in the eye, which restores his vision, but leaves him only able to see brilliant colors. This is supplemented with a unique helmet that generates bright, colored lights in his second published appearance, allowing him to see most of the time.

Ghost

The main enemy in Ant-Man and the Wasp is Ava Starr, sometimes known as Ghost, but not necessarily because she is a bad person. She merely has a motive that clashes squarely with that of the heroes. She continuously tries to steal Hank Pym’s lab in order to access its Quantum Tunnel since she has the capability to turn herself into intangible matter and to produce enormous amounts of electricity.

It’s not precisely evil intent, though. Ava is searching for a cure for her powers because they cause her endless suffering. And to make matters worse, she was the victim of an incident at Pym’s lab when she was a young child. She might use dishonest tactics to achieve her goals, but she has a compelling rationale because of her past.

Taskmaster

The most surprising part of Black Widow is perhaps when Taskmaster’s true identity and history are finally revealed. In addition to giving depth to an often flat villain in the comics, it further solidifies Draykov’s status as the lowest of mankind.

That’s because Taskmaster is more than just a hired killer. Instead, Draykov’s own daughter, who was severely hurt as a kid in an effort to kill her father, has assumed the position, being controlled in both body and mind by a chip. She didn’t ask to be the daughter of a murderer when she was born, and she most definitely didn’t ask to be converted into one by the person she ought to be able to trust the most.

Sandman

In No Way Home, Sandman made his MCU debut after more than ten years since his film debut. Even though he didn’t get as much screen time as some of his other nefarious co-stars, he nevertheless faces off against the three Spider-Mans in the film’s climactic showdown.

Even still, it’s difficult not to feel sorry for him. Ben Parker was killed by him, but it was an accidental death that tormented him for years. He is unable to see his daughter because of his abilities, which are more like a curse than anything else. He didn’t request them (they came as a result of him falling into a supercollider), therefore he appears to be more of a victim of circumstance than anything else.

Wenwu

It is undeniable that Wenwu does a lot of wrongdoing in Shang-Chi. He has used the Ten Rings to slaughter entire armies over the years. After meeting Jiang Li, his true love, he is content to abandon his life as a villain.

But destiny has other ideas. Wenwu resumes his nasty behavior after his wife is murdered. The fact that he is motivated by suffering, sadness, and loss, however, casts additional light on his behavior. He does not desire world dominance. Whatever it takes, he just wants to see his wife again. Actor Tony Leung who played Wenwu described Wenwu as “a sociopath, a narcissist, a bigot” but refused to call him a villain, explaining that he was “a man with a history, who craves to be loved”.

Green Goblin

The Green Goblin is by far the most hazardous of all the Spider-Man antagonists who make a comeback in No Way Home. He kills for nothing more than cruel amusement, and his only motivation is complete and utter chaos.

He still manages to remain understanding, though. In his moments of clarity, he is just Norman Osborn, the scientist who frantically used his own concoction for a performance booster to try to achieve the stringent deadlines of his failing business. Although he is as appalled as everyone by the dark side of his Dissociative Identity Disorder, he cannot avoid it. Either way, before ingesting the Goblin Formula, he was a cunning and ambitious guy who was also paranoid, troubled, and disturbed.

Helmut Zemo

Zemo’s intelligence is the biggest threat he has, not any superpowers. The criminal mastermind intends to eliminate super troops by dismantling the Avengers, which he successfully does.

This is not a random decision. Zemo, who was born and raised in Sokovia, is one of many people who suffers as a result of the Avengers’ mayhem in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Even though he had assured them that the Avengers would assist, Zemo loses his home and family in the conflict. He may have been mistaken in believing that disbanding the team was the right course of action, but he still speaks up for the countless people whose lives are heedlessly destroyed in order to advance the Avengers’ more important conflicts.

Nebula

Although Nebula has reconciled with her sister, she was formerly very much the bad guy. She either becomes the villain on her own volition or at her father, Thanos,’, command in Guardians of the Galaxy, the majority of the sequel, and Avengers: Endgame.

It’s true that she occasionally does bad things, but it’s difficult to put all the blame on Nebula. She was taken from her true family as a child and spent her youth at Thanos’ whim. She is compelled to train and compete with her adopted sister, is never her father’s favorite despite her best efforts, and is frequently torn apart and rebuilt in order to improve. She is stuck in a never-ending cycle of agony and misery and is desperately trying to break free.

Winter Soldier

When viewers first meet Bucky Barnes, he is the future Captain America’s affable, valiant, and devoted best friend. Steve is devastated when Bucky appears to be killed during World War II while on a mission.

Bucky is brainwashed and has his memories altered for decades after being kidnapped by HYDRA. He is transformed into a killing machine and dragged in and out of cryostasis to execute anyone that HYDRA perceive a threat, as if losing one’s sense of self weren’t enough. Bucky will carry this trauma, remorse, and self-hatred for the rest of his life. Recently, Bucky’s humanity and mind were both recovered. Bucky started putting his life in danger to save the weak and commanded a group known as the Thunderbolts, always using his resolve to uphold the interests of humanity. Additionally, he has a tad of comedy.

Killmonger

Killmonger is not only one of the most appealing villains in the MCU, but also one of the most likable. His intentions to overthrow T’Challa and use vibranium to establish Wakanda as the world’s dominant nation are not malevolent; rather, they are motivated by a desire to put an end to the oppression of Black people everywhere.

He swears to see his objectives through after being made to see his own father’s death and abandonment by his own people for wanting the same thing. Even T’Challa, who plays the title character in Black Panther, realizes how logical it is to want to use Wakanda’s wealth and resources to benefit others. Erik had been revived numerous times over the course of his life using a variety of magical techniques. Routes of which had distilled in him extraordinary augmentations that increased his might even further.

Elektra

Writer Frank Miller is largely responsible for making the Daredevil series what it is. During the 80’s, Miller incorporated quite dark and sinister characters and details that ended up giving the comic its unique imprint. One of the characters created by Miller was Bullseye, who ended up being responsible for Elektra’s death. In a confrontation over who would be the Kingpin’s assassin, Elektra was mortally stabbed by Bullseye with one of her own sai.

Luckily enough, she was able to make it to Daredevil’s house and died in his arms. Of course, true fans will know that sometime later, after a mystical ritual, Elektra was indeed resurrected. The person responsible for bringing Elektra back to life is martial arts, master Stick.

Moira MacTaggert

Moira MacTaggert hails from the world of the X-Men. This character has lived many lives, and this is due to the fact that her death is a plot device used to explain the talent she possesses, resurrection. As anyone can imagine, this superpower makes her an extremely important and even dangerous character in the X-Men universe. Something very particular about Moira is that each time she is resurrected, she can remember everything about her past life, which allows her to make new decisions each time.

According to the mutant Destiny, who has the ability of precognition, Moira’s cycle of reincarnations is limited, between 10 and 11 cycles; therefore, it’s worth wondering if we are close to seeing the end of this character.

Batman

Not only is Bruce Wayne a beloved DC character, but he’s also arguably the most well-known superhero of all time. Everyone is familiar with Batman’s origin story, in which his parents were brutally murdered in front of him for a pearl necklace.

Although it’s one of the saddest superhero origin stories, it’s by no means the most tragic. It’s undoubtedly an excellent place to start because it influenced many heroes and their ascent into the capes and masks of comic book mythology. It can be seen similarly in the criminally infested streets of Gotham, which are firmly rooted in corruption and a cruel hierarchy of evil. Thus, Batman, an anti-heroic figure who is sardonic and seemingly iconic in and of himself, serves as their only hope.