Knowledge Waits is a feature where I just share some bit of comic book history that interests me. Today, we look at how many of the characters in Marvel's first Book of the Dead in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe from 1983 are still dead, forty years later.
In 1982, Marvel Comics changed the world of comic book continuity forever with the release of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, a bold attempt to come up with, well, you know, an official handbook to the entire Marvel Universe (even though, obviously, as I have explained in the past, there IS no official handbook for the Marvel Universe).
One of the almost adorable aspects of the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe was that it devoted two issues to the "Book of the Dead," a look at dead and inactive comic book characters. The almost adorable aspect is that it is based on the idea that characters were going to stay dead. In reality, they clearly should have just mixed the characters all together, as there is no difference between a "dead" character and a "living" character when it comes to detailing the characters in a handbook, ya know? In any event, I thought it would be fun to see how many of the dead characters in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #13-14 (the "Book of the Dead") are still dead in the current Marvel Universe. Today, we'll look at #13, and tomorrow, we'll look at #14 (EDITED TO ADD: Here is the link for #14).
NOTE: There are also a number of "inactive" heroes in these issues, like Banshee and Ghost Rider, who were retired and/or in character limbo at the time of these issues. I'm not counting them. Only the "dead" characters.
Air-Walker
The very first character is a tricky one. Air-Walker (Gabriel Lan) has been around more DEAD than he ever was ALIVE, as most of his appearances in comics have come as an automaton after his body died. He was a herald of Galactus that the World Devourer kept alive after he initially died by transferring his mind into an android body. The android body of Air-Walker has been destroyed numerous times over the years, but writers keep bringing him back. The ORIGINAL Air-Walker, though, is still dead. The android version of Air-Walker was seen in a relatively recent issue of Doctor Strange, but I think that might have been a continuity error. His last "definite" appearance was during Annihilation, when he was last destroyed.
Ancient One
The Sorcerer Supreme before Doctor Strange, and the guy who trained Strange in the mystic arts, is currently alive again, and teaching at the Strange Academy.
Baron Blood
The vampire who was famously killed by Captain America in an excellent story by Roger Stern, John Byrne and Joe Rubinstein (Captain America using his shield to slice a vampire's head off is the sort of thing that really sticks with you), is currently resurrected, like most vampires are wont to do.
Baron Strucker
Nick Fury's old World War II villain/Hydra foe has been killed and resurrected many times over the years, just in the time since he was "dead" back in 1983, he has been killed off and brought back a few times! He is currently alive.
Baron Zemo I
Another one of Nick Fury's old World War II foes, and also the head of the Masters of Evil, the original Baron Zemo died while fighting Captain America in Avengers #15 (it's a really classic moment, as Zemo was responsible for the death of Captain America's partner, Bucky, so Cap being able to bring him to justice was well-handled. Cap wasn't acttively looking to kill him, but he wasn't exactly sad when it happened), and has actually remained dead since then. The first one so far to still be dead!
Black Knight I
The Black Knight was one of the rare Marvel heroes who debuted between the Golden Age and the Marvel Age of Comics, and since he was from the 6th Century, obviously he is currently dead in the Marvel Universe. It's a bit of a cheat, though, but it DOES count. So this is the second one to still be dead.
Bloodstone
Ulysses Bloodstone's death is what led to his daughter, Elsa Bloodstone, taking over his legacy, and since she's such a much better character than Ulysses Bloodstone ever was, then this is a relatively safe bet for him to stay dead (and he is, in fact, still dead). #3! Honestly, I have to say that I'm a bit surprised that someone hasn't brought him back to see how his daughter would react to her father's return (sort of like the Return of Barry Allen in the Flash. How does she react when the "real" Bloodstone returns?).
Bucky
Had you told a comic book fan in 1983 that not only would Bucky NOT be dead, but that he is now much more popular now as The Winter Soldier than he ever was as Bucky, well, I guess they would believe you, as there have been weirder turns of events in comic book history, but it'd still be pretty surprising!
Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)
One of the most notable deaths in the Marvel Universe was the good Captain, and while he HAS been resurrected once or twice over the years, he is currently dead (I think it still counts if they're CURRENTLY dead, even if they have been resurrected at one point or another in the last 40 years). #4!
Changeling
Well, let's face it, if you're a mutant, you're almost certainly alive now because of the whole deal with the X-Men and "The Five" resurrecting everybody, so yes, Changeling is now alive. Changeling famously became the hero known as Morph in the X-Men: Animated Series (and then later during the Age of Apocalypse).
Count Nefaria
One of the interesting things about a guy like Count Nefaria is that once you have a notable death like his (seemingly dying when Thunderbird died on the first mission of the All-New, All-Different X-Men following their rescue of the original X-Men), it makes it easier for later writers to kill you off, as well, as, well, come on, you're best known for being dead! So Nefaria has died a couple of times since being resurrected, but he is currently alive.
Darkoth
I legit can't tell you why people keep resurrecting freaking DARKOTH, of all people, but he keeps getting resurrected, and is currently alive in the Marvel Universe (well, in the Otherverse, but same difference).
Death-Stalker
The Death-Stalker is one of those characters who is probably best known for the fact that he just so happened to die in the first issue of Frank Miller's epic run on Daredevil (well, as the artist on the book, he wouldn't take over writing duties for a year or so). Somehow, he has remained dead (although one story had the villain be plucked out of time BEFORE he died, but he went back to his time to complete the time loop at the end of that tale).
Dracula
Like Baron Blood, all vampires eventually came back in the Marvel Universe, and you know that definitely included Dracula, even if his return came with a really weird re-design that made him look sort of like Fabio.
Drax the Destroyer
Jim Starlin brought back all of his classic cosmic heroes back during Infinity Gauntlet, including Drax the Destroyer, and they've all remained around since (sure, some occasionally die again, but they always come back)
Egghead
You know how you know you've probably gone too far in bringing characters back from the dead? When you find yourself bringing freakin' EGGHEAD back to life! However, as I say that, I get it, Ant-Man doesn't have many rivals, and Egghead was one of the more notable ones by default, so I can see why Nick Spencer would want to bring him back for Scott Lang to face off against in the new millennium (well, kind of, that is, I don't REALLY get it, to be frank).
Foolkiller I
The original Foolkiller was never even given a name by Steve Gerber, and he was killed off an issue after he debuted. Honestly, I don't quite know why he is even featured here. He was essentially created with the intent of killing him off and his identity going to a new person, so he seems like kind of a pointless person to give a profile to. That said, he IS still dead (and he was later given a name by other writers, Ross G. Everbest, as an anagram homage to Steve Ross Gerber), so I guess we're up to #5! There have been a number of Foolkillers since.
Gamora
Jim Starlin brought back all of his classic cosmic heroes back during Infinity Gauntlet, including Gamora, and they've all remained around since (sure, some occasionally die again, but they always come back). Gamora famously died in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well, but is back there, as well.
Green Goblin I
Norman Osborn was one of the most notable supervillains to remain dead, and he stayed dead for over 20 years, but eventually, when the Spider-Man writers had written themselves into a bit of a corner with the Clone Saga, and needed a BIG reveal to tie it all together, they decided to have it be that Norman Obsorn was secretly behind it all. He's been a memorable character in the years since (as Green Goblin, Iron Patriot, Red Goblin and now Gold Goblin). It's interesting that they listed him here as simply "Green Goblin" and not Green Goblin I, as there had been a COUPLE of other Green Goblins after Norman Osborn by 1983.
It the Living Colossus
Okay, I didn't count The Destroyer for this (as the Destroyer is a magical suit of armor, the idea that it was ever "destroyed" is just silly), and I didn't want to count It, the Living Colossus because, again, it's a statue, of COURSE it is going to reform at some point. However, It the Living Colossus at least VAGUELY had an ability to be destroyed, since it was initially a statue animated due to animated technology, and I honestly don't know (and I doubt anyone else does, really) how the current version of It is controlled by its human owner, as it sure seems to just be a stone statue that he can control (while originally, it was alien circuitry that made it able to be controlled through mental commands).
Jackal
I mean, the Jackal is an expert in clones, so of COURSE he has come back multiple times over the years, and is currently alive in the Marvel Universe. I guess there is some debate whether you're actually alive if you clone yourself, or if it is just a separate person and you're dead, but that's too much thinking for me, so let's just say that he is still alive.
Jocasta
You could argue that Jocasta is along the lines of a Destroyer, in the sense that she could just be rebuilt whenever you wanted to bring her back and...well, that's true, but she also had a real personality, so I think that makes her distinctive enough to include here, and sure enough, she has been rebuilt and destroyed and rebuilt a few times over the years, but is currently "alive."
Korvac
Michael Korvac was resurrected a few times after the events of the Korvac Saga, but as of his most recent storyline in the pages of Iron Man's comic book (where Tony Stark briefly received the Power Cosmic), Korvac is now dead once more, as of the end of that storyline. #6!
Lilith
Just like Dracula, when all the vampires returned, so, too, did Lilith, and she's basically been a constant presence in the Marvel Universe ever since.
So, that's six still dead out of 24 characters. That's a pretty dismal percentage!
Okay, tomorrow, we'll look at the SECOND "Book of the Dead"!
If anyone has suggestions about interesting pieces of comic book history, feel free to drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com.