The easiest way to drum up publicity in superhero comics is to kill off a superhero. This is a double-pronged approach; readers will show up for the death issue, then keep buying for the inevitable resurrection. Just in 2022, Justice League #75 by Joshua Williamson and Rafa Sandoval took this up to 11 with "Death of the Justice League," killing off not one, but nine superhero icons. Over at Marvel, Jed MacKay and Lee Garbett penned The Death of Doctor Strange.

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Most of these stories follow the same pattern: the hero gets a dramatic, tragic death, a sidekick or associate steps up to fill the void, then two years later or so the hero returns and things return as usual. Some stories pull off this formula better than others.

10 The Death Of Doctor Strange Is A Fun Event

death of dr strange 1 cover

One of the most recent "Death of X" stories, Death Of Doctor Strange spins a unique yarn on the formula. Stephen Strange dies before the first issue is concluded, and the rest of the series is a murder mystery. The twist? The investigator is Strange himself, specifically, a temporal remnant of Strange from the days when Steve Ditko was still drawing his adventures. Even in the face of death, new life springs forth; the series introduces a trio of new villains, extradimensional witches called the Three Mothers.

While the book doesn't quite achieve true gravitas, it's a fun read with engaging writing and clean art; in particular, a beautiful splash page in Issue #2 of the Avengers squaring off with Three Mothers.

9 The Death Of Superman Charted A Course For Comics, For Better Or Worse

Lois Lane cries over a dead Superman

Superman was the first superhero, so it's only fitting that he was the first to kick off this trend of death and resurrection in modern comics. The Death Of Superman, published from 1992 to 1993, takes place in Superman #75, written and drawn by Dan Jurgens, where the man of steel falls battling the alien brute Doomsday. New Supermen emerge to fill the void, but a year later, the second coming of Kal-El began.

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In many ways, superhero comics are still stuck in the 1990s; The Death and Return of Superman is one of the most influential comics in that regard. The event has been adapted three times; the animated Superman: Doomsday in 2006 then The Death of Superman/Reign of the Superman over a decade later, then a pseudo-live-action rendition in Batman V Superman.

8 The Death Of Captain Marvel Is A Classic

Grim Reaper Holds Captain Marvel

Jim Starlin is the godfather of the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe and in 1982, he got to send off a very important character; Mar-Vell, aka the Kree superhero Captain Marvel. The hero is succumbing to cancer and when the story begins he has three months left to live. This slow march to a death you know is coming is much more down to earth than the usual superhero deaths of being slain in battle or sacrificing themselves. Mar-Vell spends the story narrating his memoirs, allowing readers to appreciate the scope of his life as it ends; remarkably, this death actually stuck. Starlin's classical art complements the solemn mood, resembling the illustrations from pulp magazines, the ancestors of superhero comics.

7 Jason Aaron's Punisher Max Brought Frank To A Permanent End

The gravestone of the Punisher

Punisher MAX placed Frank Castle in a world devoid of superheroes, where the Punisher was the only vigilante. While Garth Ennis was the one who began the series and wrote most of it, Jason Aaron brought it to a close. The 22-issue series, penciled by Steve Dillon, chronicled Frank's last battle against a MAX version of Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin. His funeral procession is overseen by Nick Fury; fitting for a bleak series about a protagonist who can't even really be called a "hero," the last issue strikes a dour tone. As Fury puts it, "this is the only way Frank's story was going to end."

6 The Death Of Wolverine Is Surprisingly Emotional

Wolverine Is In The Crosshairs

Charles Soule and Steve McNiven's The Death Of Wolverine follows a Logan deprived of his healing factor and dozens of old enemies who want their shot at killing a vulnerable Wolverine. It may have been obvious that Marvel wouldn't permanently kill their flagship X-Man, but Soule and McNiven didn't use that as an excuse to phone it in. Across four issues, Logan faces friends and foes from his past, from Kitty Pryde to Sabretooth.

His last battle is with Dr. Abraham Cornelius, the man who gave him an Adamantium skeleton, and Logan saves others from the same torture he endured. The story truly feels like a culmination of Wolverine's journey; if it had been the final chapter, it would've been a fitting one.

5 The Death Of Spider-Man Was The Best Handled Death Of Ultimate Marvel

Mary Jane holding Peter Parker as he dies in the Ultimate Spider-Man comics

Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley defined Spider-Man for a generation when Ultimate Spider-Man launched in 2000. Almost 10 years later, they ended their version of Peter Parker's story. Shot by the Punisher, Peter has to forgo medical care to save his family from a team-up of the Green Goblin, Electro, Sandman, and Kraven. Defeating them costs Peter his life, but in the end, he saves Aunt May, MJ, and his other friends, finally forgiving himself for not saving Uncle Ben.

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A sad ending for sure, but it doesn't end here. For one, Peter's passing coincided with the introduction of a new Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Second, Peter was finally celebrated as a hero in death. Third, he eventually returned. The merits of this storytelling decision aside, Ultimate Peter and MJ finally got their happy ending.

4 Batman R.I.P. Is The Death And Rebirth Of The Dark Knight

Batman from the cover of DC Comics' Batman R.I.P.

During Grant Morrison's Final Crisis, Batman seemingly perishes after being struck with Darkseid's Omega Beams. Morrison prepared readers for this by writing "Batman R.I.P." during their run on Batman. Bruce Wayne comes to blows with the Black Glove, an organization that aims to not just defeat him, but destroy the very heroism he's embodied. Contrary to the title, Batman doesn't physically perish during the story; one of the most striking moments of the story, perfectly drawn by Tony Daniel, features him digging himself out of the ground after being buried alive, Kill Bill style.

3 "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader" Is A Meta Conclusion For Batman

The cover of Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader

Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert's "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader" is a fantastic companion to R.I.P. and a metatextual examination of who Batman is. Batman has died, and friends and foes alike have shown up to his funeral. The story is told in the style of the Bronze Age story "Where Were You on the Night Batman Was Killed?" by David Reed, John Calnan, and Tex Blaisdell, with all the attendees offering contradictory tales of how Batman died. In the end, though, each account reveals a fundamental truth about the Dark Knight.

2 Logan Is The Perfect Conclusion For Hugh Jackman's Wolverine

Hugh Jackman looking menacing as Wolverine In Logan

Superhero finales don't have to be limited to just comics. Hugh Jackman played Wolverine for almost 20 years, creating a legacy as the character distinct from the comics' iteration. Unlike comics Wolverine, the movie Logan got a permanent send-off in the eponymous film. Modeled after westerns such as Shane and Unforgiven, James Mangold brings Logan's story to a tear-jerking close but is sure to include some sweetness to balance out the bitter. One can only hope that Marvel Studios won't sully this send-off by bringing Jackman back for a cameo.

1 The Death Of Captain America Leads To The Best Legacy Hero Story In Superhero Comics

death of captain america

Ed Brubaker excellently maneuvered the effects of Civil War on his Captain America run. In Captain America #25, drawn by Steve Epting, Steve Rogers is shot dead while awaiting trial for his actions in the aforementioned event. What more tragically fitting end for an American icon than assassination? In 2007, superhero deaths weren't quite as prevalent, so this still felt a little special. Even now, the story holds up, especially since the bulk of it focuses on Bucky Barnes assuming his fallen friend's mantle and struggling to live with the weight of such responsibility.