Never say die

Gavin Ford of the Elmira, N.Y. Star Gazette talks comic deaths:

Death sells. But it somehow loses its impact when so many characters are killed off and then revived. Did any comics reader actually believe that DC Comics would kill off Superman for any length of time back in the early '90s? Jean Grey has been killed so many times in Marvel's "X-Men" that readers no longer believe (or even care) that she's gone. Spider-Man's Aunt May took her last breath in the 400th issue of his comic, only to have it negated years later with the revelation that the corpse in question was an impostor.

There are certain comic book deaths, however, that until recently have remained sacred and unalterable. Marvel and DC have stirred up controversy in recent months with the revival of two characters long thought dead. And both have reappeared as villains.

The article goes on to talk about Bucky and Jason Todd. Read more