10 Comic Book DEATHS That (Mostly) Still Matter

By Troy Brownfield, Newsarama Columnist

We all know that death visits comic books on a regular basis. Characters arrive, die, and return with a chemical precision that seems like a page-and-ink version of the water cycle. Last year, the passing of Ultimate Spider-Man got national news coverage. You could tell that a lot of the commentary and hand-wringing over the incident came from non-readers. Comics fans, on the other hand, took the news with somewhat of a "seen it all before" mentality. They're used to the vagaries of death in comics, where being deceased is a temporary state and the next return, resurrection or reboot is just around the corner.

Next week, Marvel launches a new Winter Soldier series starring the sidekick formerly known as Bucky -- who appeared to pass on to the great four-color beyond in Fear Itself #3, but was revealed to have survived a few months later.

However, every once in a while, whether you perceive a return is in the offing or not, a death sticks with you. These are instances that can define a character, a particular approach, or a cultural moment. Here are Ten Comics Deaths That Actually Mattered.

Click "Start here" to see our picks, then tell us yours!

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