Rest In Peace: These Are The Final Resting Places Of Fallen Superheroes
If there's one thing superheroes don't do well, it's stay dead. When a superhero does bite the bullet in the pages of a comic, it's little more than an inconvenience, and few fans believe their favorite characters won't eventually resurface. Superman died in the 1990s, and the world watched as the inevitable played out — he wasn't technically dead, there were several imposters, and he finally came back with a killer mullet.
That's just how comic books work, and it's a practice that's been working well for nearly a century. You don't take a great character and kill them for good when you can update them and continue producing stories for decades to come. Frankly, it's a good business decision to keep everyone alive and well. That said, there are several superheroes who have died and not returned, or they died and came back as completely new people.
On several occasions as well, a hero has died for decades only to be brought back temporarily for some huge crossover event. Whenever this happens, most fans believe they probably should have remained dead. The list of superheroes who have a proper final resting place isn't long, but everyone mentioned here died and stayed dead for long enough to let a few flowers grow over their grave.
Atom (Albert Pratt) -- Valhalla Cemetery, Metropolis
Albert Pratt is a diminutive fellow who has to deal with the constant harassment of bullies. One day, he offers a meal to a drifter who turns out to be Joe Morgan, a professional boxer down on his luck. Morgan trains Pratt so he can stand up for himself, and he becomes a skilled fighter who takes his talents to the streets as a superhero named the Atom. Years later, he's bathed in energy during a fight with the villainous Ian Karkull.
This gives Atom immunity to radiation and inhuman longevity, making him even more powerful. A dose of radiation in a fight against Cyclotron endows him with more superpowers, granting Atom numerous superhuman skills and abilities. Atom fights alongside the Justice Society of America for many years, including a battle against Extant during the "Zero Hour" event.
In that fight, Atom throws himself at the enemy, who blasts him with energy and kills him instantly. Atom's body is interred at Valhalla Cemetery in Metropolis. During DC's "Blackest Night" event, Pratt's body is reanimated, and he becomes a Black Lantern. When the crisis ends, he's returned to the cemetery and later moved to the Hall of Justice to prevent further ... manipulation.
V -- London
Nothing is known about the true identity of V from "V for Vendetta," but what is known revolves around his actions over the last four years of his life. He begins what some would call a terrorist campaign, while others label him a freedom fighter. V launches an onslaught against the far-right Norsefire party, which had subjected him to torturous internment at the Larkhill resettlement camp.
V's goal is to take down the government, but he can't do it alone. V brings Evey Hammond into his campaign, and over time, she comes to see his fight as her own (although not without manipulation). At the height of his campaign, V takes Evey on a tour of his Shadow Gallery, which ends with a train busting at the seams with explosives.
When Eric Finch arrives, V allows himself to be shot multiple times and stumbles into Evey's arms. With his final breath, V asks Evey to finish his work by sending the train to blow up 10 Downing Street. She takes his mask to become the new V and loads him into the train. She grants him a true Viking funeral, blasting his body to atoms as she destroys the landmark, ensuring London is V's final resting place.
Doctor Mid-Nite (Charles M. McNider) -- Valhalla Cemetery, Metropolis
Dr. Charles M. McNider loses his sight when he's attacked while performing surgery. He undergoes intensive therapy, where he finds his energy increases when the sun goes down. He later develops the ability to see in the dark while still completely blinded by the light. After developing special glasses that make it possible for him to see in daylight, Dr. McNider becomes Doctor Mid-Nite — a founding member of the Justice Society of America.
Doctor Mid-Nite spends the next two decades doing two things: exposing criminals through his writing and fighting the bad guys in the streets whenever necessary. As a member of the JSA, Doctor Mid-Nite battles many foes, including the Anti-Monitor, during the "Crisis on Infinite Earths." He and the rest of the JSA leave reality after that fight, but they eventually return.
During "Zero Hour," Doctor Mid-Nite is killed in a fight against Extant. When the dust settles, his body is laid to rest at Valhalla Cemetery among other honored dead. Like many DC Golden Age heroes, Doctor Mid-Nite is reanimated during "Blackest Night" but is eventually returned to the grave and later sent to the Hall of Justice.
Sandman (Morpheus) -- The Cosmos
Dream of the Endless is the personification of the concept of dreaming, and in that capacity, he rules the Dreaming. Dream existed since the beginning, having come into being after his older sister Death and brother Destiny. Dream often interacts with the people of the waking world and is responsible for inspiring William Shakespeare and others to create dreamlike realities in their world.
Morpheus, as he is called by many, fathers a son named Orpheus with the Greek muse Calliope, but Orpheus is torn limb from limb and continues existing as only a head. He remains in this state for thousands of years, estranged from his father. Eventually, Morpheus meets with his son and agrees to end his existence. In doing so, Morpheus spills Endless blood, violating one of the universe's principal laws.
This puts him on The Kindly Ones' naughty list, and they attack the Dreaming, killing many of Morpheus' most faithful dreams. To end their onslaught, Morpheus agrees to accept his fate, allowing his sister, Death, to come and take his life. Dream's remains are placed on a barge within the Dreaming, which sails into the cosmos, where his body becomes a star.
Red Bee (Richard Raleigh) -- Valhalla Cemetery, Metropolis
Richard Raleigh works as an assistant district attorney but grows uneasy after seeing criminals constantly set free. He chooses to take matters into his own hands by donning a costume equipped with specially trained bees in the belt buckle. Rick's bees sting on command, and unlike other bees, they don't die after using their stinger. With his bees in hand and a powerful right hook, the Red Bee is born.
Red Bee pursues corruption in Superior City, making a name for himself. Eventually, he's welcomed into the All-Star Squadron, joining other superheroes intent on fighting for the U.S. during WWII. This eventually leads to a confrontation with Baron Blitzkrieg, and after following the villain to his hideout, they engage in a battle that sadly results in Red Bee's death.
Red Bee manages to save his allies, the Freedom Fighters, in the altercation, so his sacrifice is not in vain. While his body is buried among his fellow superheroes at Valhalla cemetery, Rick doesn't entirely cease existing. He continues on as a ghost, which sometimes happens in the DC Universe, and makes occasional appearances over the years following his untimely death.
Batman (Bruce Wayne) -- Valhalla Cemetery, Earth-Two
When DC Comics introduced the parallel universe of Earth-Two, the publisher retroactively established a new reality for heroes of the Golden Age. This put Batman, who had been published since 1939, squarely on Earth-Two. DC's issues with continuity and reboots aside, the Batman of Earth-Two has a long and storied crimefighting career. After his parents are gunned down, Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to fighting crime in Gotham City.
Batman expands his operation by joining the Justice Society of America and fights villains wherever he is needed. He trains Dick Grayson as his partner, Robin, and the so-called Bat-Family expands from there. But unlike the current version of Batman, the Golden Age hero meets an untimely end. In "Adventure Comics" #462, long after retiring, Bruce dons the costume again to fight inexplicably superpowered criminal Bill Jensen.
Their fight rages on until Jensen opts to take himself out along with his nemesis, triggering a huge blast. Batman is killed and laid to rest in Gotham City. The secret of Batman's true identity is revealed to the world, but Doctor Fate intervenes and erases that knowledge from all the people of Earth-Two. Batman's daughter, Helena, otherwise known as Huntress, joins Robin and continues Batman's crimefighting legacy.
Sandman (Wesley Dodds) -- Valhalla Cemetery, Metropolis
While Morpheus is typically associated with the name "Sandman" in DC Comics, he's not the first DC character to bear the name. The first Sandman is Wesley Dodds, a wealthy investor plagued by dreams of criminal activity in and around his city. His dreams are prescient, and Dodds uses his sizeable resources to create hypnotic gasses and sedatives. He dons a gas mask and becomes the Sandman — a superhero who uses his prophetic dreams to fight crime!
Sandman carries a specially designed gun that fires sleeping gas at his enemies. Using his dreams as a guide in finding and fighting crime, Sandman takes the fight to the bad guys and goes up against several enemies, including a serial killer named Tarantula. Eventually, Sandman retires for several years but ultimately comes out of retirement, working sporadically.
Dodds retires again and only dons the mask once more — when his wife is kidnapped. Later, in a face-off with Mordru, Dodds opts to die by suicide rather than give up the information his enemy seeks. He is buried at Valhalla Cemetery and is reanimated during "Blackest Night." When that horrific event concludes, his body is reinterred at the cemetery and later moved to the Hall of Justice.
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Giant-Man (Hank Pym) -- Pym Falls, Earth-807128
Hank Pym is one of those characters who's been around for so long that he's adopted a plethora of identities. Over the years, he's been Ant-Man, Goliath, Giant-Man, Yellowjacket, Wasp, and Ultron. Pym exists in numerous alternate Earths, including Earth-807128 — the so-called "Old Man Logan" universe. In this reality, supervillains band together, putting aside their differences, and launch a coordinated attack against every superhero at once.
The villains win, and many heroes die, while others, like the Incredible Hulk, become villains in their own right. Pym is involved in the initial attack, where he puts up a defense as Giant-Man. While the details of his involvement aren't known, what's clear is his failure. Pym dies while in his Giant-Man form, and his body slams into the countryside, where it remains.
Pym Falls is the name given to the location where Pym ultimately falls. His body decomposes, leaving his gigantic skeleton covered in the tattered remains of his costume. A small town called Pym Falls builds up around the corpse, making Pym's body a landmark of sorts. During the events of "Old Man Logan," Wolverine and Hawkeye travel through Pym Falls, which is due east of Washington, D.C.
Captain Mar-Vell -- Titan
Marvel Comics characters rarely die (for long), but there is one who passed and stayed dead in a meaningful way. The original Captain Marvel is a Kree named Mar-Vell, who rebels against the Kree Empire to become a superhero. Mar-Vell often butts heads with the likes of Thanos, but it isn't the Mad Titan who ultimately brings Captain Marvel down: it's cancer. Marvel released its first "Marvel Graphic Novel" containing Mar-Vell's final story, detailing his last days.
"The Death of Captain Marvel" stands out as a rare example of a publisher killing off a superhero with something we mere mortals often deal with. The comic is renowned for its impact on the industry, and Mar-Vell's story would go on to inspire a new generation of superheroes. The story follows Mar-Vell's degeneration as the cancer progresses, first becoming bedridden and ultimately succumbing to the disease.
Mar-Vell's body is buried on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Fans begged the publisher to revive the character for years, but Marvel Comics never fully acquiesced. Eventually, Mar-Vell is resurrected by the Phoenix Force. Following this, his (again) lifeless body is left adrift in space, but this event is a mere blip in the character's incredible history.
The Comedian (Edward Blake) -- New York City
Alan Moore's "Watchmen" is widely considered to be one of the most influential and greatest graphic novels of all time. Edward Blake is a retired superhero-turned-government assassin who goes by the name "Comedian." The 12-issue miniseries opens with Blake fighting off an intruder, only to be thrown from his apartment window to his death on the sidewalk below. His death sets off the events that play out over the next 11 issues.
Much of Blake's story is told via flashbacks as the issues progress, and it's clear that the Comedian is an amoral man few people would, or even should, mourn. Despite this, fellow vigilante Rorschach investigates his murder, which ultimately unfolds as part of a plan by Ozymandias to unite the world through a tremendous act of faux extra-terrestrial violence. Ultimately, Ozymandias' plan works, and Rorschach forces Doctor Manhattan to destroy him to keep the truth hidden.
When he's killed, the Comedian's body is laid to rest in an unnamed cemetery in New York City with some former teammates in attendance. The Comedian is later shown to survive his fall via Doctor Manhattan's interference in the "Doomsday Clock" storyline, but that series was done without regard to Alan Moore's original narrative intent.
Goliath (Bill Foster) -- New Jersey
Marvel Comics' "Civil War" crossover event pits superheroes against superheroes as some oppose the government's Superhuman Registration Act. On one side, Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, leads many powerful players against Captain America's band of ragtag renegades. Numerous fights play out throughout the story, but only one leaves every participant shocked at how things unfold.
Iron Man's side is joined by Ragnarok, a cyborg clone of Thor created by Stark, Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards, and Hank Pym. Ragnarok looks just like Thor, and he has all his powers but none of his morality, which proves problematic. In the opening salvo, Bill Foster, otherwise known as Goliath, launches himself into battle only to be blasted through the chest by Ragnarok, killing him instantly.
Goliath was an Avenger, and a superhero to his core, so his death shocks both sides of the conflict. Because he dies at maximum size and can't be shrunken back down, Goliath has to be buried in nearly 40 graves. Stark opts to pay for the burial plots, as he feels responsible (he is). Bill Foster's final resting place is a cemetery in New Jersey, though it's unclear precisely where in the state he's buried.
Thunderbird (John Proudstar) -- Camp Verde, Arizona
"Giant-Size X-Men" #1 introduces John Proudstar, aka Thunderbird, as a new member of the team. He's since been overshadowed because his introduction came alongside Colossus and Nightcrawler, but he plays an important role early on. After his initial appearance, he participates in "The Doomsmith Scenario!", the first story to feature the new team roster, in "X-Men" #94-95.
The X-Men travel to Cheyenne Mountain after Count Luchino Nefaria takes over NORAD. The team manages to stop him, but Nefaria escapes in a small aircraft. Thunderbird climbs on board despite Professor X's warning to keep away from the plane. Thunderbird rips the plane apart, pummeling it until it explodes with him and Nefaria onboard, killing himself while Nefaria escapes via a teleportation device.
Thunderbird's brother James gives him a traditional Apache funeral, likely at Camp Verde, Arizona. His grave is disturbed several times following his death. He is resurrected for multiple events but never remains alive for long. Thunderbird returns to the grave each time he's resurrected, including after the Chaos War. In that event, Thunderbird fights against the Carrion Crow, and when the battle ends, he once again climbs into his grave — but this time, he feels like his life finally has meaning.
Ferro Lad (Andrew Nolan) -- Shanghalla
Ferro Lad is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st century who has the ability to transform his body into iron. Of course, it wasn't just any type of iron — Ferro Lad could become a special isotope of iron that is nigh invulnerable. Ferro Lad meets his untimely end while fighting a Sun-Eater, ultimately sacrificing his life to save the galaxy. In honor of his sacrifice, he is the first of the Legionnaires laid to rest in Shanghalla.
Shanghalla is a planetoid set aside for the honored dead of the 30th and 31st centuries. Sadly, Ferro Lad isn't the only hero buried there, as many from across the cosmos are buried at Shanghalla. In addition to the young hero, Shanghalla is the final resting place of Triplicate Girl, Invisible Kid, Chemical King, Karate Kid, Blok, Laurel Gand, Magnetic Kid, Colossal Noy, Kid Quantum, Beast Boy, Braino of Myrnah, and Leeta-87.
Guardians of the Globe -- Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
The "Invincible" series begins with Omni-Man working as a Superman-type hero alongside the Guardians of the Globe. The latter is an homage to the Justice League, and it's filled with some heavy firepower. In addition to Omni-Man, the Guardians roster includes Darkwing, War Woman, Red Rush, Aquarus, Martian Man, the Immortal, and Green Ghost, all of whom are A-list superheroes.
Then, in the series' seventh issue, Omni-Man flips the script and assaults the entire team. He quickly and easily kills every single one of them, including the Immortal, who literally loses his head. It turns out that Omni-Man is actually from the planet Viltrum and has been sent to conquer Earth, but his involvement isn't known immediately after everyone dies because Omni-Man is also injured.
It isn't until later that the truth is revealed, and that doesn't happen until after the funerals for the fallen. Befitting their place in society, the deceased Guardians of the Globe are laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Every member except for the Immortal remains dead, as he lives up to his name once his head is reattached to his body.