6 Superhero Deaths That Were Never Really Permanent!

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The topic of death is common in superhero comic books. What once seemed taboo and could lead to captivating narratives has now become an almost routine plot element. Fans even place wagers on how long deceased characters will remain gone, indicating a normalization of this device. Rarely do the deaths of superheroes have lasting consequences, but certain characters return faster than others, frustrating readers who anticipate a more permanent impact. From the beginning, it was clear that some characters would not stay dead for long, whether it was for years or just a matter of months.

In the wake of the widely recognized “The Death of Superman” story, numerous characters started using similar titles like “The Death of [Character Name].” This approach, be it for a new plot or increased sales, has been overused and is no longer fresh. Here are six instances where we anticipated character deaths wouldn’t be permanent.

After the famous story “Superman’s Death,” other characters also got their own “Death” titles. This trick is used too often in stories or for selling more copies, but it has become repetitive. Here are six instances where we knew the character wouldn’t really die.

1) Superman

Kicking things off with a bang, “The Death of Superman” was one of DC Comics’ most significant storylines in the ’90s, standing out as the cream of the crop. Its appeal is easy to understand. By creating an unprecedented menace for Superman to confront and ultimately sacrifice himself against, DC scored a massive success. Given the speculator market boom and the numerous polybagged cover variants, it was a blockbuster event that everyone wanted to get their hands on. However, there was one potential flaw: did fans truly believe he was dead for good? It would be preposterous to write off such an iconic character permanently.

Strange occurrences were cropping up everywhere in Metropolis and the Fortress of Solitude, hinting at something ominous. Then, four new “supermen” appeared on the scene, which suggested that the original one would make his comeback. In retrospect, it’s not surprising that they decided to replicate this success with “Knightfall” in Batman, even though he wasn’t actually killed. This plotline works for Superman, but since then, most major hero deaths have felt cheap and unfulfilling.

2) Batman

As a passionate film buff, I couldn’t help but be captivated by the dramatic turn of events in Grant Morrison’s Final Crisis series. In issue #6, it appeared as though Batman met his demise at the hands of Darkseid. For a fleeting moment, it seemed plausible that our beloved hero had truly perished, but comic book lore has taught us to always expect the unexpected. Instead of unleashing his omega beams, Darkseid employed the omega sanction, propelling Batman back through time. To add fuel to the fire, he also created a Batman clone and left behind charred remains, leading spectators to believe that our hero had indeed breathed his last. But remember, this is Batman – one of the most iconic figures in pop culture. We all knew that this wasn’t the end of the story. Indeed, it was revealed just one issue later that Batman was still alive and stranded among primitive humans in the past. As expected, he returned to his rightful place a little over a year later, proving once again why he stands as an enduring symbol of courage and resilience.

3) Wolverine

2015 marked a period in Marvel Comics without X-Men or Fantastic Four, during which Wolverine met his demise in “The Death of Wolverine”. Losing his regenerative ability and facing one of those who gave him adamantium, Logan was ultimately suffocated under molten metal. This grim and contentious ending for Logan was not widely embraced. Yet, as the events leading to “Secret Wars” unfolded, two Wolverine titles emerged: “All-New Wolverine”, featuring Laura Kinney as Wolverine, and a new “Old Man Logan”, with a variant of Logan still present. This duality hinted that Wolverine’s return was imminent – and indeed it was. In 2018, fans’ wishes were granted when Logan resurrected and has since been back to his typical self.

4) Ms. Marvel

In an effort to rescue Mary Jane Watson, Ms. Marvel sacrificed her life by transforming into Mary Jane. This emotional event left Kamala Khan’s admirers heartbroken, as the young hero had quickly become widely admired during her brief tenure. The demise of Kamala was a significant loss for those who cherished her and many considered Ms. Marvel one of the most impressive recent Marvel characters. However, only a few months later, she was revived as a mutant instead of an Inhuman – a fact revealed by her co-creator G. Willow Wilson, who had originally intended for Kamala to be a mutant but was prevented due to the mutant embargo. The death and subsequent resurrection of Kamala provided a necessary change of direction for the character. She remained deceased for approximately a month before the announcement that she had returned.

The death of Kamala in the Ms. Marvel series sparked numerous questions, with the primary one being “why did this happen?” It was hinted earlier that Wilson’s intention behind Kamala being a mutant led to her mutant status in the series, and her character death lasted about a week across the universe. Now that she’s back and part of the X-Men, things seem fine, but the way her death unfolded has left a bitter taste for many, especially because it was a death that most expected wouldn’t be permanent.

5) The Human Torch (Johnny Storm)

In 2011, Marvel made an unexpected move by killing off the Human Torch during Jonathan Hickman’s acclaimed tenure. This act served as a dramatic climax within the storyline, where Johnny Storm, the lovable joker of the team, sacrificed himself to protect his family from a swarm of creatures from the Negative Zone. Since there was no way to revive him, issue #587 marked the end of our beloved character. The subsequent issue, #588, explored the aftermath of his death and the grief experienced by those left behind, ultimately concluding the series for a time.

Initially, Spider-Man took over from the Human Torch at Johnny’s behest, yet it was highly implausible that Marvel would truly eliminate such a popular character, right? As it turns out, Johnny never really died and continued to be revived repeatedly in the Negative Zone. Although his characters thought he had perished, we as viewers were aware of this. This inconsistency diminished the emotional impact of losing a cherished member of the Fantastic Four for fans, as they found it hard to fully grieve for him.

6) Literally any member of the X-Men

In the X-Men series, it’s rare to find a character who hasn’t faced death at least once. For instance, Jean Grey has experienced this far more than usual. Throughout the X-Men’s history, there’s always someone who’s either deceased or just come back from the dead. This occurrence is so frequent that it’s become almost customary among them. When a character in the X-Men dies and then comes back, it’s a challenging situation as it is; but for the X-Men, they refer to this event as “Wednesday.” Due to their unique abilities on Krakoa, they have learned to resurrect themselves regularly. This phenomenon has become so common that the deaths of X-Men no longer carry any significant impact, which leaves fans unconvinced and rightfully so.

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2025-06-29 01:40