DC Comics were known for so long as the place where superheroes caught villains and sent them to jail. Killing them wasn't an option. As the modern era approached, more extreme heroes emerged that were much more willing to use extreme sanctions.

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There was a point where a villain dying was a surprising event. In recent years, it's become a standard element for a "shocking" story. It's also assumed these days that no one in comics ever truly dies. However, there were cases where the death of a villain was considered permanent.

10 Max Lord Had His Neck Snapped

Max Lord dies

At the climax of the Omac Project, Maxwell Lord, now a fully evil villain, has controlled Superman's mind. He set him on a rampage. Wonder Woman was desperate to stop him

Capturing Maxwell Lord in her magic lasso, Wonder Woman compels him to tell her how to stop Superman. Lord's solution is simple, "Kill me." Almost without blinking, Diana snaps the villain's neck. The brutality a respected hero casually delivers is broadcast worldwide, shocking the DC Universe as much as it did readers.

9 Deadshot Was Shot By Black Mask

Deadshot killed in Suicide Squad #9

This might be the most recent death that was unexpected. Deadshot was a regular fixture on the Suicide Squad and a path of redemption, promising his daughter he wouldn't kill anyone ever again. With the Squad searching for Ted Kord, they encountered him already stopped by Superman.

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Deadshot stayed behind to get Superman's autograph for his little girl. Suddenly he realized his mistake when the Autograph was personalized. Black Mask dropped his disguise and shot Deadshot twice at point-blank range.

8 The Golden Age Lex Luthor Was Anihilated By Brainiac

Golden Age Lex Luthor dies

During Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, and Jerry Ordway, many heroes and villains died. While everyone remembers the big deaths of Barry Allen and Supergirl, there were many other deaths, including one of Superman's oldest foes. The Earth-2 Lex Luthor, also known as Alexi Luthor rejected the leadership of his Earth-1 counterpart.

Before the assemblage of super-villains from five Earths, Brainiac agreed with Alexi that two Lex Luthors weren't needed. However, since Brainiac assembled the menagerie, the decision of who would lead them was his alone to make. With the calculating cruelty of the machine he was, Brainiac blasted Alexi Luthor, annihilating him.

7 Nemesis Kid Had His Neck Snapped By Projectra

Projectra intimidates

In Legion of Super-Heroes#4 by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, and Steve Lightle, Karate Kid sacrificed his life trying to save the planet Orando. This was after a fierce battle with Nemesis Kid who nearly beat the Legionnaire to death in front of his new bride, Projectra. The following issue saw Projectra take her justice.

Showing a ferocity never seen before in the royal Legionnaire and Queen of Orando, Projectra refused to budge as Nemesis Kid underestimated her reliance on illusions. Projectra grabbed him by the neck and pronounced a sentence on him for his crimes. She then snapped his neck, executing him.

6 Psimon Had His Brain Blown Out By Brainiac

Brainiac killed Psimon in Crisis

At the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths #9, Psimon had killed Brainiac to take over the massive army of super-villains in a ploy to rule five Earths. In the next issue, as Psimon taunted Lex Luthor, he was struck from behind by a rebuilt Brainiac, who devastatingly blew the villain's powerful brain out of the container on his head.

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Brainiac had survived the attack because his consciousness was ingrained in his ship. Psimon had only killed a shell for Brainiac and the villain had others on standby. With the cold demeanor that he had used on Alexi Luthor, Brainiac killed Psimon.

5 Black Mask Was Killed By Catwoman

Catwoman #52 cover detail

Catwoman #52, by Will Pfeifer and Pete Woods, saw the conclusion to Catwoman's long struggle with Black Mask. The crime lord started targeting those close to Selina. First Slam Bradley was carved with a message, then her friend Holly was targeted next, and Slam Bradley's son was kicked out and targeted by the Gotham Police.

Catwoman broke into Black Mask's penthouse and tried to kill him. Black Mask was a half step ahead of her and holding her off with a Tommy gun, taunted her with the promise to sadistically kill everyone close to her. He didn't think Catwoman had it in her to kill him, but Selina Kyle coldly pulled the trigger.

4 The Crime Syndicate Were The First Casualties of Crisis of Infinite Earths

Death of Earth-3

In the first issue of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the first recognizable Earth that readers saw destroyed was Earth-3, home of the Crime Syndicate, evil versions of the Justice League. As each villain fell before the anti-matter wave, they went out almost as the heroes of their world. Doing so, their deaths set the tone for the series that the DC Universe was about to irrevocably change.

Crisis on Infinite Earths shook the foundations of DC Comics. Almost everything changed by the end of the series and a lot of characters went away. The Crime Syndicate of Earth-3 was the first of them.

3 Emerald Empress Withered To Dust Without The Emerald Eye

Sensor Girl helps villain die

In Legion of Super-Heroes #58, by Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen, the Emerald Empress battled the Legion to a draw but came to a brutal realization. She never possessed the Emerald Eye that gave her so much power. She was possessed by the Eye as if it were a parasite, keeping her alive in pursuit of unattainable goals. Wounded and tired she went to Sensor Girl for help.

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Sensor Girl used her powers to shield the Emerald Empress from the Eye. It vanished to find another being to possess, and the Empress was free of its power. She then withered to dust after being kept alive by it for so long, thanking Sensor Girl for freeing her.

2 Joker Is Killed By Superman In Injustice

Superman murders Joker in front of Batman in DC Comics

In the Injustice video game, Superman's killing of the Joker is off-camera. In the comic adaptation of the game's story, it's visible gore and all. Despite being pivotal to the plot, it's still shocking to see Superman put his hand through someone's chest.

It immediately sets the stage for the cruelty Superman will exhibit later on. It also highlights Batman's reaction to such extreme tactics. Superman was the best superhero, and he's been broken.

1 Terra's Death Broke The Trope Of A Traitor Returning To The Fold

Terra dies in Judas Contract

In the Judas Contract, Marv Wolfman and George Pérez built a story of a traitor within the Teen Titans. Before this story, the delineation in stories like this was clear. A villain within a team was irredeemable.

However, many indications were given that Terra would turn on Deathstroke. Then indications were that she might be worse than he was. In the end, her death revealed a troubled girl with too many demons.

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