If you read comic books, then you'll know that death rarely matters. That was evident this year when Ms. Marvel heroically perished in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man, only to return a couple of months later with the whole thing simply an excuse to reboot her as a mutant.
While death meant something once upon a time, fans now roll their eyes at what should be a meaningful and shocking moment for any character. Everyone knows they'll eventually return, robbing stories of the dramatic stakes they might have otherwise had.
However, there have been at least a handful of occasions where deaths on the page have stuck. Comic book publishers have often failed to resist the temptation of brief resurrections or Multiversal counterparts, but the heroes and villains you'll find here are still very much deceased (and likely to stay that way)
To take a look through this feature, all you need to do is click on the "Next" button below!
7. Sarah Essen (Dead Since 2000)
Over the years, we've witnessed Gotham City's Clown Prince of Crime, The Joker, commit all manner of heinous acts. To get at Batman, the villain has frequently targeted those around him, including the Gordon family.
Years after shooting and paralysing Baraba, The Joker set his sights on Jim's new wife, Sarah Essen. When she foils his plan to kidnap several newborn babies as a means of luring Batman into a trap, Sarah is forced to drop her gun and that allows the Harlequin of Hate to pick it up.
With that, he shoots her point blank in the head, leaving the heroic cop's body surrounded by the babies she just saved. Jim takes his revenge by capturing The Joker and putting a bullet in his leg, but Sarah remains one of the villain's most shocking victims, likely explaining why she's never been resurrected.
6. Mar-Vell (Dead Since 1982)
One of The Avengers' closest allies and the superhero who inspired Carol Danvers to follow in his footsteps by becoming Ms. Marvel, this cosmic Kree adventurer was truly one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Despite taking the fight to villainous Skrulls and even Thanos, Captain Marvel, unfortunately, encountered a foe not even he could best: cancer. An explosive battle with Nitro led to him developing the deadly disease, and he turned down an offer from the Kree for a cure in return for betraying humanity.
As a result, he died, surrounded by friends and his fellow heroes. Over the years, Mar-Vell has been briefly resurrected for the odd issue here and there but his death has largely stuck and his mantle is now held by Carol as the new Captain Marvel.
5. Uncle Ben (Dead Since 1962)
Even if you're only a casual comic book fan, we're sure you'll be all too familiar with how Uncle Ben's death inspired Peter Parker to become the superhero known as Spider-Man. An absolutely crucial part of the wall-crawler's origin story, there would simply be no way to undo this.
Spidey allowing the robber who later shot his uncle to escape made him realise he needed to use his powers for good and if Ben were to return....well, it would negate a huge part of why Peter is Spider-Man.
In recent years, the hero has briefly crossed paths with the odd clone or alternate reality Ben. However, the one time he was resurrected was in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #500. That was courtesy of a spell by Doctor Strange which allowed him to see his nephew one more time, unaware of the fate which awaited him.
4. Alfred Pennyworth (Dead Since 2019)
Many fans still haven't forgiven DC Comics for killing Batman's loyal butler and confidante, Alfred Pennyworth. When the Flashpoint Batman, Thomas Wayne, found himself stranded in the DC Universe, he tasked Bane with killing Alfred to stop his son from being Gotham City's Dark Knight.
Bane obliged and brutally snapped Alfred's neck, ending his life in a manner it wasn't possible to bounce back from. Instead of breaking the Bat, this only strengthened his resolve and he eventually defeated both his "father" and Bane.
Bane was punished by Jason Todd (the former Robin threw him off a building) and while Alfred's return was later teased, it proved to be a misdirect and he's remained dead. Only another reboot of the DC Universe will likely be able to bring the butler back.
3. Karen Page (Dead Since 1999)
Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada's Daredevil run redefined the character at a time when he was in desperate need of a fresh lick of paint. Setting the stage for Brian Michael Bendis' critically acclaimed run, "Guardian Devil" saw Matt Murdock reunite with Karen Page, only to lose her all over again. Permanently.
It began when a dying Mysterio decided to enact a final master plan against a superhero who hadn't vanquished him the same way Spider-Man had so many times before. Taking aim at the Man Without Fear, he fooled Karen into thinking she had HIV and later unleashed Bullseye on 'ol Hornhead.
Just as that villain was about to deliver a fatal blow to Daredevil, Karen jumped in the way and took the billy club meant for Matt Murdock right through her chest. She died in her lover's arms and has never returned. This was no illusion, so any sort of retcon simply isn't going to fly when it comes to a possible resurrection.
2. Gwen Stacy (Dead Since 1973)
In the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #121, Marvel Comics did the unthinkable by killing Gwen Stacy. After she was thrown from the George Washington Bridge by the Green Goblin, Peter Parker shot a web line to catch his girlfriend.
However, the suddenness of being caught in that manner meant the young woman's neck was snapped. Some believe Gwen was already dead when the Goblin threw her, but it's never been confirmed either way and that's something the web-slinger has had to live with.
Marvel attempted to resurrect Gwen as a clone but it didn't stick. An alternate-reality version of the character has since become the heroic Spider-Gwen, but given the age difference between her and Earth-616's Peter, no sort of romance has ever been explored.
1. Goliath (Dead Since 2006)
Unfortunately dubbed "Black Goliath" for a time, Bill Foster was very much a superhero in his own right and was often depicted fighting alongside groups such as the Champions and Defenders. In Civil War, he was #TeamCap and didn't hesitate to square up to the demented Thor clone known as Ragnarok.
That twisted creation of Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and Hank Pym lacked a conscience and proceeded to blast a hole straight through this giant-sized hero's chest. A game-changing moment in this storyline, Bill was buried in his Goliath form as he didn't shrink back down upon death.
Initially, his nephew looked to take revenge for what happened to this superhero, but he'd eventually become a hero in his own right. In Marvel Studios' What If...?, we'll see the MCU's take on of this character, so perhaps Marvel Comics will be tempted to bring Bill back. We'll have to wait and see!