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We read superhero comics to escape our own boring lives.  Superheroes have amazing abilities that allow them to save the world, crush villians ...all while managing to look cool.  But when writers decide to kill off one of their super characters, it feels weird and wrong.  Many comic book readers feel betrayed when a character they love dies, but let's face it, how "permanent" are these deaths anyway?  With the exception of a few, they haven't seemed to "stay dead" for too long.  But hey, it mixes up the story lines and gives rise to new ones, and makes you realize that no one is perfect.  Here are 6 superheros that died in comics.

Explosion/freezing/drowning

Bucky was Captain America's sidekick, until a massive explosion on a drone airplane kills him and sends Captain America into the North Atlantic, which, by the way, is freezing cold.  Bucky had been dead from that time onwards.  Upon the death of Captain America, we learn that Bucky was discovered floating in the ocean, clinging to life, when the Soviets discovered him and turned him into the Winter Soldier.  He had amnesia until Captain America returned him his memory using the Cosmic Cube.  Upon Steve Rogers death, Bucky becomes the new Captain America.  Before this, the "Bucky clause" in comics was constant:  No one stays dead except Bucky.

Self sacrifice in an anti-matter cannon explosion

Barry Allen is the identity of the second flash created during the Silver Age.  When Barry realizes he can time travel thanks to his amazing speed, he heads to the 30th century where his dead wife's soul was sent after her murder.  He stays with her for a time before the Anti-Monitor  discovers his actions and sends him back to 1985.  Allen learns that the Anti-Monitor plans to destroy the Earth using an antimatter cannon.  Before he can use it, the Flash begins to run in the opposite direction of the rotating core where the machine creates its energy.  He sacrifices himself when he drains it of its power, which causes it to self destruct.  The cannon's destruction turns Allen into pure energy and sends him back in time, where he becomes the very lightning bolt that turned him into The Flash in the first place.  Barry Allen would return in May 2008 after 23 years of being absent from comics.

Explosion, also, angry Batman fans who wanted him dead

Although Jason Todd was unpopular with readers, DC made a controversial move when they killed the character off in 1988. Instead of creating their own story-line for him, the writers decided to give the decision to the readers.  At the end of Batman #427, Todd is left bloodied, and badly injured in a warehouse which the Joker has rigged with explosives.  On the back of the comic, DC had the number to a 900 line.  Readers could call a line to cast their vote: "Kill Todd" or "Let him live."  In the next comic, he regains consciousness and attempts to defuse the bomb, but it's too late: it goes off, killing him.  Readers had voted to kill Todd by a narrow margin of less than one hundred votes.  Until 2005, Todd had stayed dead. 

Sniper fire

After Steve Rogers (Captain America) opposes forced registration of all people with super powers, he becomes a wanted man.  He leads an anti-registration movement against the pro-registration faction.  Choosing anonymity over capture, Rogers takes on the identity of a mall security guard.  In a climactic battle with Iron Man, Captain America finds himself endangering the lives of civilians, and decides to disband the anti-registration movement and turn himself in.  As he walks up the steps of the courthouse, a sniper shoots him in the back. 

Suicide in order to save everyone

This may get confusing.  Jean Grey is a psychic mutant with a whole lot of power.  One day, as her vessel is traveling through space, a powerful entity called the Phoenix force makes contact with her, allowing her to become the Phoenix, a powerful form capable of things beyond Jean's regular power.  After becoming the Dark Phoenix, Grey is enters a star to feed on its power, which destroys it, and kills countless alien life forms.  Wanting retribution, the alien leader wants her executed.  Long story short, Jean manages to control her power long enough to activate a weapon that disintigrates her body, this preventing the Dark Phoenix from endangering innocent lives ever again.  Her death is regarded as one of the most famous in comics history.

Climactic battle with Doomsday

The villain Doomsday is threatening Metropolis, requiring Superman to focus all of his attention on the destruction being caused.  After destroying much of Metroplis in the epic battle, Superman and Doomsday strike one another with intense blows, sending each backwards.  Superman falls to the ground where Lois Lane hugs him close, and he dies.  It's sad and beautiful.  And Doomsday dies too, although no hot chicks were that upset about it.  Don't worry, Superman was resurrected.