What's the best death issue?

[fantastic_four]

Over in the Bronze Age comics forum we were discussing which was better, Spidey 121 (death of Gwen Stacy) or Spidey 122 (death of Green Goblin). I was thinking about it a bit, and Spidey 121 is definitely the best death issue I've personally ever read. Here are the reasons why:

 

• The way in which Gwen dies is really tender and tugs at the heartstrings; it isn't one of those big "she went out in a blaze of glory" deaths. Green Goblin tosses her off of a bridge, Spidey jumps, shoots the web, catches her with it just before she hits, and gently lowers her to the ground. He thinks he has saved her, and comes down to check on her, talks to her a bit, but the momentum of her fall was too great to do any good. She dies at the end of his web line. That's quite an emotional roller coaster for Spidey--he thought he had saved her, but he really hadn't.
• This is really important--she didn't come back. That's enough to fend off almost every other major comics death issue! They shoulda left Phoenix dead; it was much more dramatic that way.
• It was trend-setting. Was Gwen Stacey's death the first one of a major, long-running character or supporting character in a superhero comic? As far as I know, it was, and it definitely inspired a dozen other death issues during the Bronze and Modern ages

Can anyone think of a better death issue than Spidey 121?

[supapimp]

she may have not came back, but her clone did! the best death issues IMHO is a tie between X-Men 137 and DD 181, but i think overall the story was better in DD 181.

[CosmicBob]

Supergirl (the real one) didn't come back after Wolfman and Perez killed her off in Crisis #7. No more Supergirl. Until Byrne redid Supes.

 

Ma and Pa Kent died in one of the Superboy Giant Issues ("Superboy's Red Letter Days") and they didn't come back. Until Byrne redid Supes.

 

Thomas and Martha Wayne died, influencing one of the most important characters in comic books.

 

For my, the Ma and Pa Kent one was the most heartbreaking.

[PovertyRow]

Can anyone think of a better death issue than Spidey 121?

 

OK - this IS "Comics General" so anything goes..and here it goes:

 

HAUNT OF FEAR #19. Last story. Two panels from the last panel...and I quote...

 

To setup the story: a baseball player (one Herbie Satten) coats his spikes with poison and intentionally spikes the opposing team's star player - killing him as he comes to bat. Their revenge? Luring him to the field at night on the premise of being honoured...

 

And what do we see?

 

I quote directly from those panels - and accompanying graphics:

 

So NOW you know, Fiends. Now you know WHY there is a ball game being played in the moonlight at midnight in the deserted Central City Ball Park. Look CLOSELY. SEE this strange baseball game. See the long strings of pulply intestines that mark the base lines. See the two lungs and the liver that indicate the bases...the heart that is home plate. See Doc White bend and whisk the heart with the mangy scalp yelling "Play BALL...Batter up!

 

SEE the batter come to the plate swinging the legs, the arms, then throwing all but one away and standing in the box waiting for the pitcher to hurl the head in to him. See the catcher with the torso strapped on as a chest protector, the infielders with their hand-mitts, the stomach rosin bag, and all the other pieces of equipment that was once Central City's star pitcher Herbie Satten.

 

I have to say - that is a death issue!

 

Ps - just got the book from ebay a couple or so weeks ago.

[fantastic_four]

Heh, WHOA...that one doesn't bring a tear to my eye quite like Gwen's death did, but it does sound insanely extreme!!!

 

Thanks Mr. Jeffy Dahmer.

[PovertyRow]

Heh, WHOA...that one doesn't bring a tear to my eye quite like Gwen's death did, but it does sound insanely extreme!!!

 

Got to agree with ya! Gwen's death - gawd - as I said in the other thread - it keeps coming back to me. Really good storytelling.

 

But this is not the "Saddest..Most Poignant" death scene but the Best. And that HOF 19 is just one cut above, in my horridly emaciated brain, another one where the Chef Pierre tormented his wife to the point that she ultimately killed hubby Chef and served HIS parts up on a special menu!

 

BUT - this Baseball Tale was probbaly the Straw That Broke The Camel's Back as far as pre-code horror goes! And you know what? If that 1955 Sentae Subcommittee hearing had NOT taken place, and had NOT forced a self-governing comics code on the publishers, the Silver Age may well not have been! Think about it.

 

PS - if any of you pre-code horror fans remember this issue please let me know. I used to own it. Want it back! My thanks.

[COI]

DD #181 was a good issue, but Elektra is more alive now than ever, so to speak. The Miller run is classic, but reading the issue dosen't have much of an effect anymore, especially with Jennifer Garner running around as her. It turns #181 into a gimmick, which is sad.

 

I can't comment on X Men #137, because believe it or not, even though I've owned a couple of copies I've never read it. X men has never interested me much, as I prefer solo character books over teams.

 

So in my mind, #121 is a reigning champ, especially cause I've always liked Gwen more than MJ. Take her instead!!!

[BronzeBruce13]

It's hard to vote against ASM 121, DD 181 or X-men 137. I remember reading ASM 121 and not being affected as much as I should have been... maybe I didn't believe/accept death in comics at that point.

 

However... not terribly long after (year and half or so) I read Hulk 182 and remember being drawn into the story more than any others preceding it... even more than Hulk 181. Hulk and Crackajack Jackson... eating beans together next to a fire and having good conversation. CJ grew on me as I read the issue and I was happy that he was treating Hulk like a regular joe and sharing his meager meal. At last, a "puny human" that would let Hulk relax. By the end of the story after he died as a result of his son's actions (Anvil?)... Hulk buried him and etched his name in a makeshift headstone (because CJ taught him how to write his name)... I was genuinely stunned and very sad afterwards.

 

That comic death that had the most "impact" on me because of my age although not as dramatic as the 3 issues above.

[comicartfan]

I think the Spidey 121 was extremely important because of the facts that she was one of the first "major" characters to die and stay dead. - This is off the subject , but the cover to DD 187 (?) or is it DD 186, that DD is hugging the headstone of Elecktra with the snow, no mask on , you can just feel his pain in that cover....one of the best all time !!

 

As far as the WORST death issue, that's Batman's Death in the Family issue with Jason Kidd biting the bulllet.

[murph0]

Jason Todd? Or did they decide to put the basketball player in comics?

 

Brian

[blowout]

ASM #121 wins hands down.

You pretty much covered all the reasons why James.

And, Yes, it was the first MAJOR death in comics.

[MikeS]

I always liked the Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel from awhile back.... Haven't read it in awhile so not sure how it's held up over time, but that one definitely sticks in my mind as one of my favorites.

[PovertyRow]

Since we have already discussed ASM 121 in the proper Bronze thread, I really think it would be interesting to discuss a favorite or most significant Death Issue without consideration to what Age it is.

 

I already offered mine (and beyond the extremity of it, it really WAS one of the books that caused the Silver Age to exist.)

 

But I would love to hear of GA death issues (series or anthology).

 

I thank you.

[COI]

That was DD #182.

[Zonker]

Can't argue with any of the above regarding the "best" death!

 

But how about the earliest death of a recurring character in a super-hero comic? Not including a "red-shirt" (Star Trek reference) character introduced to die in the same issue?

 

Can anyone find one that pre-dates the death of Ferro Lad from Legion of Super Heroes? One of Jim Shooter's many contributions to comics. (Oh, and the earlier death of Triplicate Girl does not count; 1 of her 3 selves dies, so she just becomes Duo Damsel! -- hey give me a break; like the man said, I don't write em I just read em )

 

Death of Ferro Lad was Adventure 353 in 1967.

 

Cheers,

Z.

[Ariamus]

As AK already pointed out, that was DD 182. I love Miller's work on that first Daredevil run but the thing that gets me the most is his covers. He was very hit/miss with his covers on that run. 182 was a BIG HIT!!! It is my favorite Miller DD cover.

 

As for best death issues, I would have to make it a tie between ASM 121 and X-men 137. The death of Gwen Stacy was a heart-rending story; the peaks and valleys of Spidey's emotions make for a very emotional read. X-men 137 was such a grand story, with larger than life characters, battles, and ultimately, a larger than life sacrifice.

[seank]

But how about the earliest death of a recurring character in a super-hero comic? Not including a "red-shirt" (Star Trek reference) character introduced to die in the same issue?

 

Death of Bucky in Captain America. 194? 195? Someone more knowledgable jump right in with a date please.

[comicwiz]

I thought Bucky's death preceded Gwen's? If I can remember correctly, I do believe WWII Bucky was killed off during the same explosion that sent Cap into a deep frozen sleep until he would be awaken for his Avengers appearance. The second Bucky (Fred Davis) was killed by Adam II while preventing an assassination attempt on John Kennedy. I believe that the story is also retold in issue 107 of Captain America -- but it wasn't until that issue that the story began to treat the death of a "sidekick" with the sensitivity it deserved. Although not on the same level of issue 121, I've always thought the death of a sidekick has probably one of the greatest potentials for a dramatic storyline. We later saw some of this potential for drama with the Death of Robin storyline.

[ArAich]

The following pic is of the death issue that stands out as the most memorable and has been indelibly etched in my mind for oh so many years. It may not be a superhero or supporting character death but it was pretty powerful none the less.

 

Green Lantern #89

[COI]

Yeah, that issue definetly has an impact, with the whole Christ innuendo.