Most Times, Dead Is Better

Reviving dead characters is a trope in comic books that is either disliked or accepted by the community, some character deaths are quintessential to a character's lore. Taking that into account there is a group of characters who I think should have either been given more time to be dead and/or should have stayed dead. This is The Panel Biter's Top 5 Characters Who Should've Stayed Dead.

5. Superman

"The Death of Superman" is one of the most famous comic book stories in comic book history, pop culture history too. Superman's death was mentioned outside the comic book genre through news and media outlets and his story of death and return was almost adapted into a feature length film. It doesn't bother me, nor would I agree to it, that Superman didn't stay dead, I'm just saying he should have stayed dead longer. After he died there were four characters trying to be Superman, and something interesting could have been done to make one of those new characters the new Superman, that way the death of DC Comic's-and comics in general-most important character could still happen and effect the publication, but DC could still have "a Superman". By not giving the effects of his death more time, DC Comics spoiled what could have been a meaningful death and a monumental return.

4. Donatello

Though they have their occasional cartoons and films, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have never left their comic book roots. Various characters of the now-and-then have spawned in these comics and have even made it to other TMNT media products, but the TMNT comics never truly crossed into the typical comic book areas. Always innocent, always safe, never really on the same scale of lore and complicated events that DC and Marvel are largely responsible for. That tradition was destroyed quite recently when Donatello was alone in the turtle's lair while his brothers were on a mission and the turtle's enemies Bebop and Rocksteady ambushed Donnie and killed him. It was the first time a ninja turtle was killed in the line of combat and a turning point that got a lot of mainstream readers-myself included-to take a look at the TMNT comics. Issues later, one of the turtle's scientist buddies sent the remaining brainwaves of Donnie into a turtle android aptly named "Metalhead". Donatello was revived in the body of a robot and rejoined his brothers. More supporting characters of the turtles were able to repair Donnie's damaged body and transplant his mind back into it, essentially bringing Donatello back to life. This went from an unexpected eye-grabber, to the typical rehashing of an old comic book hat trick.

3. Steve Rogers

America died. That was the message sent to readers at the end of Marvel's "Civil War" when Iron Man's pro-registration of superheroes side defeated Captain America's anti-registration agenda. Cap was assassinated by a hypnotized ally and an old enemy, this resulted in backlash throughout the superhero community and while the mantle was passed on to Cap's best friend and former enemy Bucky Barnes, the signs were clear. The death of Steve Rogers was a sign of Marvel's world getting much darker. Events like "Secret Invasion" and "Dark Siege" kicked in after his death and even Bucky as the new Captain America struggled to find it in himself to continue the legacy. Little did the general Marvel public know that Steve Rogers survived his injuries and went undercover for SHIELD as a new director and leader of shadowy superhero groups. This revival sucked because the symbolism of America's inner turmoil being it's death was so obvious the end of "Civil War". By saying he didn't really die you not only make the readers feel cheated or stupid or lied to, you take away a significant death, rob a out-of-his-time character peace, and diminish the idea of Bucky taking his friend's mantle. Only to have Steve say "well, that secret agent thing was fun, but I'll be taking that shield back".

2. Jean Grey

Like every other iconic superhero genre, The X-Men have had their fair share of important events, The Death of Jean Grey being one of them. Given power she couldn't control, Jean Grey's role as The Phoenix corrupted her mind and forced her to kill entire planets and attack her family-The X-Men-and her husband Cyclops. In order to protect the world, Jean used alien technology to kill herself and the Phoenix Force inside of her. Out of love and protection for those she cared about, Jean Grey sacrificed herself. That moment of power being too great was dashed when it was revealed decades later that the Jean Grey the X-Men knew after she got her Phoenix powers was only a clone of the real Jean crafted by The Phoenix Force so that the cosmic power had a mortal body to interact through. The X-Men rediscovered Jean Grey years after "her death" and she was welcomed back onto the team and into her husband's arms. Sure Jean died again and for real, but it still doesn't excuse the tragedy of her first death. The purposeful retelling of her history soils the effects of her death in the X-Men community. Add to that the fact that a version of Jean Grey who is a teenager was brought to the present, most likely so characters could use this twice-killed character again.

1. Jason Todd

I am a fan of Robin. Every Robin. I am a fan of Batman. A real fan. Without sounding like a broken record I've made it clear most revivals ruin the effect of a character's death, but none are more important that the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd. Beaten with a crowbar and blown by a bomb left by The Joker, Jason Todd died a few years into his hero career. Because Jason Todd was so uncooperative and disobedient, fans dislike him and wanted a Robin more akin to the previous Robin, Dick Grayson. DC Comics held a poll to decide if Jason Todd should live or die after the bomb went off. The fans voted for him to die. As a result, Batman suffered one of the worst moments of his life, the moment when he carried his adopted son out of the wreckage only to bury him. For years the death of Jason Todd has laid on Batman's conscious. Until Tim Drake came along and earned the Robin mantle, Batman refused to wrap up anyone else in his war against crime. Jason's Robin costume hung in the cave as a constant reminder of Batman's greatest failure. Then, the story "Under The Red Hood" brought Jason Todd back with a name The Joker used before becoming an insane, The Red Hood. He sought to rid crime in Gotham by stooping to the criminals level, killing and extorting and doing whatever he could to overthrow Batman and prove he could do better. After many times crossing paths, Jason and Batman eventually got over their tragedy and were happy to be a family again, Jason Todd was welcomed back into the Batman family. Many versions of Jason Todd have been revived under different conditions, but they always come back regardless. This death spans to animated movies, video games and possibly to even feature length films. But me? I think Jason Todd should have stayed dead. The Red Hood story could have still been done, but Red Hood being Jason Todd could have been a trick or Jason Todd/Red Hood could have died again or anything other than making that Robin costume in a glass case meaningless. Jason was one of the first and most important deaths, it shaped Batman's character and was an event known throughout the DC Universe. The idea of Jason Todd/Red Hood could have been greater if the character was left alone after that, if the lesson and effects of his greatest failure coming back to ruin him and only vanishing for good after could have added a new layer of concern to Batman. Now Jason is treated as one of the family members, his death only being the beginning of the character people like. People didn't like Jason until after he died. Think about that. Jason Todd should have had a stable death and a momentary return, now all he is a reminder that if you bring something back from the dead, you shouldn't be upset when readers don't find them interesting anymore and writers can't think of any stories that can top their revival.
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