One of the staple storylines from the comic industry is the death of a hero. Along with their death comes their eventual return to the land of the living.
So many heroes have died and came back to life that it makes it hard for fans to actually mourn when a hero dies because they are already wondering when they will return. Whether the hero dies in order to stop the DCU from ending, or just to protect their own city, part of the hero game is sacrificing oneself for the greater good.
10 Jason Todd Was Murdered By The Joker & Returned As Red Hood
One of the most famous deaths in DC history is the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin. In the story arc Death In The Family, Todd was murdered by the Joker, only to later return as the villain Red Hood. While Jason Todd is now more of an anti-hero than a villain, his death and resurrection still deeply affect his character. Todd will be getting another solo series this year set in the world of DC's Future State.
9 Wally West Was Lost In The Speed Force For A Decade Until Finally Escaping
After the devastating events of Flashpoint, Wally West became lost inside of the speed force for a decade, only escaping during the events of DC: Rebirth #1. This was a story that was developed later as a way to reintroduce Wally after he was absent from the New 52. Wally West has been a controversial figure since his return to life, especially after he murdered other heroes during Heroes In Crisis.
8 Superman Fell In The Final Battle Against Doomsday & Returned In A New Black Suit
During the final battle with the monster Doomsday, Superman died. It was a day that was heavily felt in the superhero community as well as throughout the comic book fandom. While he was dead, multiple "supermen" rose to take his place, but none filled the shoes. Finally, the true Superman returned and he was sporting a new black suit, which will be featured in the upcoming Snyder Cut of Justice League.
7 Supergirl Died While Protecting Superman & Didn't Return Until Her Modern-Day Version Was Introduced
During the well-known event Crisis on Infinite Earths, Supergirl dies while defending an unconscious Superman from the Anti-Monitor. She fought valiantly but was overwhelmed, she was given a hero's funeral and Kara Zor-El disappeared from continuity for a very long time. The mantle was taken on by other characters, but Kara didn't make her return until her modern-day version was introduced in 2004.
6 Hawkman & Hawkgirl Were Caught In A Never-Ending Cycle Of Life & Death
Hawkman and Hawkgirl are tied into a cycle of never-ending death and resurrection. Each time they die, they are brought back in another life only to find each other and die again.
It is a cycle of love, grief, and happiness at being reunited. Recently though the two hawks were sent back in time, stripped of their curse to live forever in order to enjoy one last life together as heroes in the golden age of heroism.
5 Batman Died Multiple Times & Had To Fight His Way Back
Batman has died a few times, most notably in Final Crisis when Darkseid shot him with his omega beams. This sent Bruce on a trip through time as he fought his way back to life in the present. Most recently he was killed in Dark Nights Death Metal, where he then used the black lantern ring to keep his body alive and in the fight, therefore becoming the Lord of the Dead. He was fully resurrected when the universe was set right at the conclusion of the event.
4 Barry Allen Was Killed While Trying To Power A Weapon Intended To Foil Anti-Monitor & Came Back Over Two Decades Later
Barry Allen was yet another causality of Crisis on Infinite Earths. He was killed while powering a weapon that was meant to foil the Anti-Monitor. Barry stayed dead for over two decades and was finally brought back to life during Final Crisis. In 2009 he was put back into the spotlight by Geoff Johns in a mini-series titled Flash: Rebirth.
3 Hal Jordan Sacrificed Himself To Save The Galaxy & Returned As Spectre
After the destruction of his hometown, Hal Jordan went mad, murdering lanterns and destroying Oa. He adopted the name of Parallax and became a villain of the DCU.
In the end, he sacrificed his life to save the galaxy, only to come back as Spectre in an attempt to find redemption for his crimes. He was then restored to the rank of Green Lanterns, and his murders retconned out of continuity in Green Lantern: Rebirth in 2004.
2 Damian Wayne Was Killed By An Older Clone Of Himself & Is Resurrected With The Chaos Shard
Damian died early on in his crime-fighting career. In the pages of Batman Inc., Damian is killed by an older clone of himself. This death devastates Batman, and he devotes himself to finding a way to bring his son back. He eventually finds the chaos shard, which returns Damian to life but also grants him superpowers. The powers eventually fade away, but for a brief while, Batman's young son had more power than Batman ever had.
1 Tim Drake Was Blown Away By The Automated Drones Of The Colony & Returned After Escaping Mr. Oz
Tim Drake was another one of Batman's partners who died in the line of duty. Tim was blown away by the automated drones of a group called the Colony. He died so hundreds of people in Gotham wouldn't have to. Unknown to Batman, Tim was pulled from the time stream right before his death by the mysterious Mr. Oz. He was returned to life later that year when he escapes from Mr. Oz and exposes him as Jor-El.