Comic books have provided readers with a wealth of wondrous and sometimes heartbreaking moments. Here's a few of my favorites. This list will contain spoilers, but seriously people most of these moments are years old. Time to catch up.
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1
Dex-Starr Avenges His Owner
Could it be considered cheesy and overwrought to have a rage filled cat avenge the death of its owner? Sure. But, this one time I'll let it fly. Dex-Starr's drive for revenge is gut-wrenchingly humanizing, as his only desire is to prove his worth to the one person who took care of him. He is, after all, a good kitty.
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2
Iron Man's Regrets
Tony Stark's confession over Steve Roger's corpse is simultaneously heartbreaking and infuriating. Yet, ultimately finding a limit to his convictions makes Tony a much stronger character.
3
Sara Tan Dies in an Alternate Reality
If you haven't read much of Barry Ween (what's wrong with you?) go do so... NOW. Judd Winick deftly handles the intense emotional break down of Barry, who is the sole witness of a terrifying reality. And, though he rectifies his error by putting an end to that particular reality, the mark it leaves upon him is something he will never out grow.
4
Peter Parker Saves Aunt May
The death of Peter Parker was, for many, horrifying. For me his end was incredibly moving, and (in a strange way) comforting. This is what actual closure feels like.
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5
The Goon Survives the Wicker Man
He's big, he's mean, he can take one hell of a beating, but a couple of dames nearly killed him. "Chinatown and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker" is, at its heart, a tale of man who wants to be loved. And, thankfully for the Goon, he'll always have a friend in Franky. Still, every time I read Bella saying "I don't want you, Goon," it eats away at my soul for weeks.
6
355 Dies in Y the Last Man
At first you're suspicious of her, eventually you grow to trust and love her and just when it all comes together it ends. The death of 355 may seem a little cliche when out of context, but Brian Vaughan keeps it fresh with incredible pacing and an emotional build up.
7
Pog & and the Loss of Humanity's Innocence
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing is incredible, that is all you really need to know. But, using Swamp Thing as an allegory to talk about the death of innocence in both comic books and humanity is pure and horrifying genius. Plain and simple.
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8
Bunny Dies in We3
I don't even want to write this one; It still hurts. Grant Morrison writes one of the most memorable and upsetting death scenes I can think of and does it with the rudimentary language of a mildly sentient dog. A dog who feels the weight of the world upon his shoulders, and all that is needed to sum it up is, "Bad dog."
9
Elijah Snow Saves Ambrose Chase
We'll end on an uplifting moment. See, I'm not entirely a downer. Throughout "The Planetary" we follow Elijah Snow and his compatriots through a myriad of adventures and alternate realities. Once he finds his purpose (to save Ambrose Chase) Snow sets a plan in motion that ties The Planetary Organization from across the multi-verse together. The saving of Ambrose becomes more than just rescuing a friend, it becomes a moment of saving hope; and in its own way keeps the world a strange and fantastic place. I wouldn't have it any other way.