By Ben Morse
Every week, a secret cabal of Marvel staffers gathers to discuss the best of the best when it comes to the House of Ideas.
At the end of the day, you've only got two certainties in life: death and taxes. Since our income filings don't make for particularly compelling reading, for this go-around the Secret Cabal chose to get a bit morbid and focus on the 10 most monumental deaths in the history of Marvel.
One can judge a "good" death many ways, but for their purposes, the Cabal chose to go with a combination of impact and—no pun intended—execution, singling out the demises that made for good stories as well as held important and compelling consequences for the survivors.
For each death, you also get a special spotlight comic courtesy of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
As always, these picks reflect the personal choices of the Secret Cabal, not the official opinion of Marvel or Marvel.com, and can be considered subjective at best. Enjoy!
10. ELEKTRA
When It Happened: DAREDEVIL v1 #181 (1982)
The Details: In a duel to determine who will be the
Kingpin's No. 1 assassin,
Elektra falls before the lethal assault of
Bullseye, barely managing to crawl to the doorstep of her lover-turned-foe Matt Murdock, aka
Daredevil, before dying of a wound inflicted by her own trademark sai.
Why It Makes The List: "Elektra's demise showcases Frank Miller's unparalleled storytelling abilities. Miller recognizes that this is a villain's story, and tells it from Bullseye's perspective. This is not about Daredevil's greatest heroics, but rather, one of his lowest points. After Elektra dies in his arms, Matt is wrecked by his grief. Daredevil loses his perspective, and goes from being attorney to executioner. Acting out of his pain and anger and craving revenge, he decides to drop Bullseye from several stories up—a fall likely to kill." –Secret Cabal member MightyMsM
Spotlight Comic: DAREDEVIL v1 #181—Elektra faces off with Bullseye—and only one will survive!
9. THE PUNISHER'S FAMILY
When It Happened: MARVEL PREVIEW #2 (1975)
The Details: On a peaceful spring afternoon in Central Park, Frank Castle's life changes forever when he and his family witness a Mafia execution and mobsters subsequently gun down his wife and two children. When the law can't punish the guilty parties, Castle becomes the
Punisher to dispense his own brand of justice.
Why It Makes The List: "Even
Spider-Man had one carefree night of wrestling before his uncle's iconic murder. But for the Punisher it's been a bloodbath since the very beginning. The brutal assassination of his family at the hands of the mob served as both the death of Frank Castle and the birth of the Punisher, and set the tone for what would become one of the most violent and controversial takes on super 'heroism.'" –Secret Cabal member Mercury552
Spotlight Comic: THE PUNISHER: WAR ZONE #1—Frank Castle's war on crime takes a violent new turn!
8. COLOSSUS
When It Happened: UNCANNY X-MEN #390 (2001)
The Details: Learning that for the cure to the Legacy Virus that
Beast has discovered to take effect, a mutant must sacrifice their own life,
Colossus selflessly pays the price against the wishes of his teammates, ending the disease that claimed the lives of so many, including his sister, Illyana.
Why It Makes The List: "For my money, few sacrifices in Marvel history can give Colossus' a run for their money in terms of the ol' tearjerker factor. The guy had been through hell in the years previous, having lost every member of his family and even joining
Magneto's Acolytes for awhile, but nothing stung him like the death of his little sister. When presented with an opportunity to see that no brother should ever have to suffer like he has, over the protests of everybody around him who vow they can find a better way, Peter Rasputin doesn't hesitate. If you can read his solemn, 'I'm coming, Snowflake,' and not get a little choked up, you have no soul." –Secret Cabal member Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: ASTONISHING X-MEN #5—As the
X-Men face the possibility of extinction, Colossus rises from the grave to offer new hope!
7. KRAVEN
When It Happened: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #294 (1987)
The Details: Having defeated Spider-Man, buried him alive and taken his place temporarily, Kraven engages in one final hunt, pursuing the animalistic Vermin, and then commits ritualistic suicide after his foe emerges from his shallow grave rather than face "the Spider" again.
Why It Makes The List: "Few villains achieve the goal of utterly defeating their heroic counterparts, but Kraven did, burying Spider-Man alive and proving he could fill his costume—however, what happened next was a haunting twist. Kraven died smiling, ending his own life not out of pain, but out of a sense of a accomplishment, feeling with his greatest goal in the book he had nothing left to look forward to. 'Kraven's Last Hunt' is a darkly disturbing and powerful tale that really has no peers." –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN v1 #15—Kraven hunts Spider-Man for the very first time!
6. GERT
When It Happened: RUNAWAYS v2 #18 (2006)
The Details: When the
Runaways clash with a new
Pride led by a young, time-displaced Geoff Wilder,
Gertrude Yorkes makes the ultimate sacrifice, taking a dagger to the gut to save her boyfriend,
Chase Stein, and telling him she loves him before bleeding out.
Why It Makes The List: "Proving that the good
can die young, Brian K. Vaughan shocked readers everywhere by following through on the notion that a writer must sometimes 'kill their babies.' Gert's death signified a time of change for the Runaways, closing a chapter in their lives and giving them a more grown-up view of the world. Sure, Alex had died, but he was evil. This was Gert, the mind of the team, an innocent and it was totally unfair. Just like real life." –Secret Cabal member RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic: RUNAWAYS v2 #19—The Runaways must cope with the loss of one of their own.
5. PHOENIX
When It Happened: UNCANNY X-MEN #137 (1980)
The Details: With the X-Men and
Shi'ar Imperial Guard battling to decide her fate,
Phoenix takes matters into her own hands. Before she loses control and annihilates the galaxy, the entity wearing the form of Jean Grey bids
Cyclops goodbye and commits cosmic suicide.
Why It Makes The List: "'The mortal Jean Grey is no more. I am fire made flesh, power incarnate, I am the Dark Phoenix!' She was a sharp departure from the Jean who was part of the X-Men's first class, and rightfully so. This nearly-omnipotent being tore through the cosmos with a hunger unrivaled—except by
Galactus…and possibly OneManDynasty—leaving death and destruction in its wake. But when faced with the enormity of what its actions had caused, the spark that was Jean Grey emerged and the Phoenix offered itself up in a sacrifice unmatched in the X-Men mythos since." –RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic: UNCANNY X-MEN #137—To save the X-Men and the universe, Phoenix makes the ultimate sacrifice!
4. CAPTAIN AMERICA
When It Happened: CAPTAIN AMERICA v5 #25 (2007)
The Details: Surrendering following his side's defeat in the
Civil War, during transport to prison, Captain America found himself the victim of an assassination plot by archenemy the
Red Skull. While hired thug
Crossbones took the heat for the kill, Cap's brainwashed lover, Sharon Carter, fired the killing blow in secret.
Why It Makes The List: "It was the assassin's bullet heard round the world. Captivating national media attention, it signified the biggest moment in comics history in over a decade. But more than that, the death of
Steve Rogers provided a huge turning point that the Marvel U. has yet to recover from. Just think, where would we be if Steve were still here? It proves that sometimes you just don't know what you've got until it's gone—although the CAPTAIN AMERICA book continues to be at the top of its game, even with the title character dead." –RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic: CAPTAIN AMERICA v5 #26—In the wake of Captain America's assassination, his friends and allies are left to pick up the pieces.
3. CAPTAIN MARVEL
When It Happened: THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1982)
The Details: Contracting a form of cancer while battling the radioactive villain
Nitro, Mar-Vell of the
Kree sought a cure with the help of the finest minds in the universe, but to no avail. He died in bed on the moon Titan, surrounded by his lover, Elysius, and Earth's greatest heroes.
Why It Makes The List: "While I don't have inscrutable evidence to prove it, I believe Captain Marvel was the first true legitimate Marvel 'headliner' to ever go out in a blaze, glorious or otherwise, so that alone merits his passing high placement on this list. Besides its trendsetting nature, however, the death of Captain Marvel was unique in that Mar-Vell, a life-long soldier and warrior, ended up dying not in battle, but in bed, surrounded by loved ones and admirers—and it drove him nuts. His struggle to come to terms with his mortality in the DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL graphic novel provided a powerful and poignant tale of how even powerful men must become humble in the face of death." –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: CIVIL WAR: THE RETURN #1—While Civil War rages on, a miraculous rebirth takes place in the Negative Zone as Captain Marvel returns!
2. UNCLE BEN
When It Happened: AMAZING FANTASY v1 #15 (1962)
The Details: Shortly after gaining his powers, young Peter Parker failed to prevent a burglar from robbing the wrestling promoter who had employed him. The same criminal would make his way to the Parker home and kill Peter's kindly Uncle Ben, teaching the future Spider-Man the timeless lesson that, "With great power comes great responsibility."
Why It Makes The List: "Many heroes have a tragic event that motivates them. That one incident, always in the front of their mind, constantly reminding them why they do what they do. That is exactly what
Ben Parker's death is to his nephew, Peter Parker—the Amazing Spider-Man. Without Uncle Ben's death to drive him, where would Peter be? Not swinging by and saving the day, that's for sure. Spider-Man would be all power and no responsibility. Uncle Ben's death shapes and defines Spider-Man into the spectacular super hero we all know and cherish today." –Secret Cabal member HeartOfOak
Spotlight Comic: AMAZING FANTASY #15—Peter Parker learns the lesson of "Great Responsibility" and the legend of Spider-Man is born!
1. GWEN STACY
When It Happened: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #121 (1973)
The Details: Striking at Spider-Man via his civilian identity of Peter Parker, the Green Goblin kidnapped the Wall Crawler's girlfriend,
Gwen Stacy, and hurled her from atop the George Washington Bridge. Spidey managed to snag his love's leg with a web line, but inadvertently broke her neck in breaking her fall.
Why It Makes The List: "The death of his Uncle Ben provided the impetus for Peter Parker to become Spider-Man, but the death of Gwen Stacy let the Web Slinger know that just being a hero wasn't enough to keep tragedy out of his life. What happened to his uncle was a horrible coincidence fueled by a terrible oversight on Peter's part, but Gwen's demise made clear the horrific price that being Spider-Man brought with it, particularly when a monster like the Green Goblin discovered the man behind the mask. To really pile on the pain, Spidey thought he had saved Gwen from her fatal fall only to later find his own hasty actions possibly killed his lover. Peter Parker has moved on in the years since the death of Gwen Stacy, but he has never fully recovered. And it was not only Spider-Man's world that was impacted—the idea that a hero's love interest could be at risk from villains willing to cross the line changed the importance of the secret identity forever and provides fuel for stories still running strong today." –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #122—In the fresh aftermath of Gwen Stacy's death, a revenge-fueled Spider-Man goes after the Green Goblin!
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