While there’s not really such a thing as a ‘good’ death, there are certainly plenty of bad deaths in theDC Universe. Over the years, the DCU has lost dozens of good heroes. But for every couple of decent send-offs, there are some deaths that are so controversial they still drive fans wild.
This isn’t about a hero sacrificing themselves like Flash inCrisis on Infinite Earthsor evenan incredibly violent ending like Jason Todd’sin “Death of the Family”. These are the deaths that were so wild, so controversial that fans practically revolted. Just look athowHeroes in Crisiskicked off with a massacre of fan-favorite heroes or howCry for Justicekilled a child just to make a hero suffer. Even though most of these were undone, that doesn’t stop them from being incredibly controversialDC deaths that arestill hard to move past years after they were originally seen.
10Alfred Pennyworth’s Murder at Bane’s Hands
Died In:Batman #77
Absolutely everyone loved the Bat-Family’s faithful butler, both in-universe and in real life. And that fondness made it all the more painful when he was killed as part of the controversial “City of Bane” storyline. As part of a plot to break Batman once more, Bane held Alfred hostage, vowing to kill him if anyone in the Bat-Family interfered with his plans. Unfortunately, Damian’s attempt to free Alfred only resultedin Bane snapping Alfred’s neckin front of the Boy Wonder. It’sbeen close to a decade since Alfred’s demise and fans are still feel his absence from the Bat-Family.
9Steve Trevor Being Killed by Wonder Woman’s New Enemy
Died In:Wonder Woman #14
Wonder Woman loves everyone, but if there’s someone she loves most, it’s undoubtedly Steve Trevor. Sadly, the military man got caught up in an escalating war between Diana and America’s secret king, the Sovereign. To hit Wonder Woman where it hurt, Sovereign shot Steve point blank then had his body dumped in Washington. Indeed,this death hurt Wonder Woman deeply and fans of the series felt her pain as Diana grieved for the man she loved. If nothing else, Wonder Woman kept Steve’s spirit alive, using a piece of his soul to bring their daughter, Trinity, to life.
8Reverse-Flash’s Death Kicked Off an Annoying Trend
Died In:The Flash #324
The Flash’s greatest arch-nemesis is one of the few people in the DC Universe to have more than a handful of deaths, and not because of any retcons or reboots. The Reverse-Flash was originally killed all the way back in the ‘80s when Barry accidentally snapped Thawne’s neck. But because he’s a time-traveler, the Reverse-Flash continued to plague the Scarlet Speedster.Reverse-Flash dying has practically become a running joke as he’s died at least three times in the last decade and a half, each one more eye-rolling than the death that preceded it.
7Damian’s Deadly Battle with the Heretic
Died In:Batman Incorporated #8
Damian Wayne was infamous for talking a big game when he took over as Robin. But despite all the bluster, he was still just a kid and his death made for one of the most painful moments in Batman’s life. While fighting his twisted clone, the Heretic,Damian was stabbed in the gut, dead by his father got to him. Granted, this death was undone just a few short years later. But even with the magic touch of resurrection, no one likes seeing a parent lose a child, especially Batman, who’s already lost so much in his life.
6The ‘Death’ of the Justice League
Died In:Justice League #75
To really sellDark Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC hyped up the big event with a special issue of Justice League that would feature the death of the team. And yes, whenJustice League #75was published, it did have Pariah bringing the team to an unexpected end. But even though the teamdidtechnically die, they still played a major part in the story, with each hero sent to a ‘paradise planet’ to fulfill their greatest wish. Everyone agrees nowadays that superhero deaths are played out,and this event did nothing to give the League’s death any real meaning.
5Nightwing’s Bizarre Alternate Universe End
Died In:Injustice: Gods Among Us #16
To be fair, this is from an alternate universe, but that doesn’t make this death any less controversial, or anger-inducing. The prequel comicInjustice: Gods Among Usgave fans a better look at how this nightmare world developed and while it’s full of plot twists and turns that got fans’ blood boiling, nothing’s more frustrating than the death of Nightwing. Instead of going out aving the day, Nightwing is accidentally struck in the head, causing him to fall backwards and break his neck on a rock.Being an Elseworlds story couldn’t shield it from the anger Nightwing’s death caused.
4Blue Beetle Being Shot by Maxwell Lord
Died In:Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1
Blue Beetle is admittedly not a A-Lister hero, but he has his fans, and those fans were extremely pissed at how Ted was treated in the prequel toInfinite Crisis. Blue Beetle was on the case of something big, yet he couldn’t get anyone to follow him or support him, causing him to venture into the spy organization Checkmate alone. There, he finds out Maxwell Lord is working to eliminate metahumans, andLord shoots Blue Beetle in the head to prevent word from getting out. It was an upsetting death that, thankfully, was eventually undone.
3The Untimely Murder of Lian Harper
Died In:Justice League: Cry for Justice #7
As mentioned earlier, no one likes to see dead children. But that didn’t stop Cry For Justice from having one of the edgiest endings in DC history. Prometheus spends several issues coordinating a major attack on the home cities of superheroes, but only manages to damage Star City,which ends up claiming the life of Lian Harper, Arsenal’s daughter. Her death sent Roy spiraling in “Rise of Arsenal”, an incredibly depressing and messed-up story arc. Thankfully, Lian’s alive again and with her father, but it’s shocking that this ending ever got past editorial.
2The Victims of the Sanctuary Massacre
Died In:Heroes in Crisis #1
At its core,Heroes in Crisisis a book about mental health and the weight of heroism. Unfortunately, what readers got was a murder mystery that begins with an absolute massacre. Sanctuary, a mental health facility for superheroes, is attacked and numerous heroes such as Lagoon Boy, Hot Spot and Arsenal are killed. Wally West is also among the deceased, and that would have been enough to have fans seeing red, but it’s revealed he’s alive and was actually the perpetrator behind the massacre. This book had a lot of big swings and, unfortunately, whiffed on all of them.
1Sue Dibny’s Awful End
Died In:Identity Crisis #1
There is no worse or more controversial death in DC history than Sue Dibny’s. Sue’s death kicked off the mystery behindIdentity Crisis,and sadly, that was just half of the poor treatment of Sue.Not only did the story have Sue killed by the Atom’s ex, Jean Loring, in a misguided attempt to win Atom’s heart back, but it also revealed that years prior to the story, Sue was raped by the villainous Doctor Light. Sue is alive thanks to a couple of reboots, and few people, if any, have brought upIdentity Crisissince.
