5 Heroes Who Remained True to the Grave (and 5 Who Resurrected Against All Odds)

For DC Comics and Marvel , death doesn’t always mean dead. Sure, at one time, death was a big deal and seeing a comic character die was a shocking, even upsetting sight. Nowadays, death is so common, fans often joke about how long it will take for a character to be resurrected once they shuffle off the mortal coil.

That being said, just because characters like Jason Todd or Ben Reilly managed to escape the reaper, that doesn’t mean everyone does. Some comic characters, once they bite the dust, never come back. Just as Don Hall of Hawk and Dove, or the original Captain Marvel , both of whom have remained dead. While some characters accept their fates, others, for better or worse, clawed their way back to the land of the living. Read on to discover five Marvel and DC Comics deaths that stuck and five that, for whatever reason, weren’t enough to keep the character down for good.

Alfred Pennyworth

Appearance of Death: Batman #77

The beloved patriarch was killed by Bane as part of a convoluted plot to force Bruce Wayne to retire from being Batman. Unfortunately, Damian’s attempts to rescue Alfred went awry, and Bane snapped the faithful butler’s neck right in front of the Boy Wonder. Though DC Comics has teased Alfred’s resurrection a few times, even briefly bringing his soul back for Batman vs. Robin , Alfred is still dead. While many hope for Alfred to return, his death forced various heroes to grow and adapt, and it’d be a shame to see the Bat-Family regress with Alfred’s resurrection .

Aunt May

Appearance of Death: The Amazing Spider-Man #400 , Came Back In: Spider-Man #97

Aunt May seemingly met her maker in one of the most poignant moments of the “Clone Saga”. May is on death’s door and has a few tender moments with her beloved nephew before she passes on peacefully. However, the touching moment that had fans everywhere was undone just three years later in Spider-Man #97 . As it turns out, Green Goblin had kidnapped Aunt May and replaced her with an actress . While some were relieved that May was alive after all, many felt tricked at this absurd retcon, with many thinking it sullied what could have been the perfect send-off.

Zatara

Appearance of Death: Swamp Thing #50

Action Comics #1 may have introduced fans everywhere to Superman, but it also introduced Zatanna’s magical father and mentor, Giovanni Zatara. Zatara was a recurring magical hero for years and he often fought alongside heroes such as the All-Star Squadron. However, the heroic magician met his end when he worked together with other heroes to battle the Great Darkness. During a séance, Zatara was violently killed in front of his daughter, a moment that haunted Zatanna for years . While his soul has occasionally been shown to exist, he's never returned to the land of the living.

Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)

Appearance of Death: Spider-Man #75 , Came Back In: Clone Conspiracy #3

For a brief period, Peter Parker’s clone Ben Reilly was the Spider-Man. Peter temporarily left the role as Marvel’s premier web-slinger and Reilly stepped up to fill his clone brother’s shoes, only to die in a battle with Green Goblin. Reilly was dead for decades, but he shocked everyone by returning in a brand-new body in the 2017 series, The Clone Conspiracy . Despite a brief resumption as Marvel’s main Spider-Man, Ben took a turn towards villainy, becoming the villainous and amnesiac Chasm, who has since sworn to eliminate Spider-Man .

White Tiger (Hector Ayala)

Appearance of Death: Daredevil #40

Fans of the recent Disney+ show Daredevil: Born Again may recall Hector Ayala, the Marvel Universe’s first White Tiger. Like the series, Hector defended the streets with nothing but his fists and a magical amulet that enhanced his natural skills. And, much like the series, White Tiger was killed shortly after being framed for murder, despite Matt Murdock’s best efforts to clear his name . The White Tiger legacy was passed on to Angela Del Toro, Hector’s niece, and later, Ava Ayala, Hector’s sister. But the original White Tiger never came back from the dead to reclaim his title.

Jason Todd

Appearance of Death: Batman #428 , Came Back In: Batman #638

Thanks to the shocking cliffhanger ending and a poll that allowed fans to determine his fate, Jason Todd has one of the most infamous deaths in comics. But while Jason perished in “Death of the Family” and remained dead for two decades, he was brought back to life thanks to the cosmic shenanigans seen in Infinite Crisis . Jason went on to become the Red Hood, and while he’s certainly come a long way, many of his stories focus on Jason's unresolved murder trauma, making fans wonder if it was worth bringing Robin back in the first place .

Dove (Don Hall)

Appearance of Death: Crisis on Infinite Earths #12

Don Hall was the original Dove who fought crime with his brother Hank, aka Hawk. Don was one of the many victims in Crisis on Infinite Earths , and while many heroes have returned to life since then, Don never did (instead he was replaced by his successor, Dawn Granger). It’s not for a lack of trying though, as the Black Lanterns did attempt to conscript Dove into service during Blackest Night . But Dove’s spirit is at peace, and he was unable to be recruited. It’s honestly refreshing to see a hero accept their fate and embrace the rest they’ve earned.

Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)

Appearance of Death: The Final Night #4 , Came Back In: Green Lantern: Rebirth #1

Many fans remember when Hal Jordan fell from grace during “Emerald Twilight” and Green Lantern became the villainous Parallax. However, he saw the light and sacrificed his life to save the DCU from the Sun-Eater during The Final Night . But Jordan’s work wasn’t done as he was able to find redemption working as Spectre before later getting a true second chance in Green Lantern: Rebirth . Admittedly, it was interesting to watch Hal pick up the pieces, but it would have been such a great ending to the Parallax era to see Hal go out with a final, noble act.

Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)

Appearance of Death: The Death of Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel is a title that’s been held by a handful of heroes, but few are more famous than the original holder, Mar-Vell. After decades of fighting spectacular cosmic battles, Mar-Vell’s time came to a close when he developed cancer, a tragic development that was fleshed out in The Death of Captain Marvel . It was a touching send-off that eschewed most superhero tropes and allows a hero a dignified end. Comic creators everywhere could really learn a thing or two from Captain Marvel’s final moments .

The Flash (Barry Allen)

Appearance of Death: Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 , Came Back In: Final Crisis #2

Fans everywhere were shocked when Barry Allen, the Silver Age Flash ran faster than he ever had during Crisis on Infinite Earths in order to stymie the Anti-Monitor’s plans. In doing so, Flash died, disappearing into the Speed Force and allowing his protégé, Wally West to take over . It was the perfect send-off for Barry. And yet, several decades later, Barry returned during Final Crisis , thrusting him into the spotlight and putting the fan-favorite Wally on the backburner. While the scales have finally tipped back towards Wally’s favor, it would have been nice had Barry’s sacrifice never been undone.