Top 10 Comic Book Characters Who Can’t Die

Comic book character deaths happen all the time. Sometimes they happen because the publisher needs to sell some books. Sometimes they happen because their death is necessary to move the plot along. And sometimes, they happen for no reason at all. No matter the reason or lack thereof, death is an important part of comics. But what happens when the character who’s trying to be killed can’t be? What happens when the notion of their being resides around the fact they can’t die? Then what? 

Yeah, you’re right. I suppose we can’t even answer that question until we talk about who those characters are. So let’s talk about them. Below is a list of 10 characters who fit this very description and can’t die. Some were born with power, and some had it given to them. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter how they got their power. They all can’t be killed. 

10. Vandal Savage

Vandal Savage has been around since practically the dawn of time. His history dates back to the days of the caveman. As a caveman, Vandal Savage was exposed to radiation from a meteorite. After exposure, the meteorite granted him a superior intellect, strength, immortality, and healing.

Vandal Savage has roamed the Earth for thousands of years, ruling hundreds of civilizations. While this in itself is impressive, what’s really impressive is that he’s worked alongside Erik the Red and William the Conqueror. And if that still doesn’t impress you, know that a rumor floats around DC claiming that he was Jack the Ripper.

9. Death

Both Marvel and DC have their own versions of Death, but it’s Marvel’s that interests me the most. Whereas Eternity is the embodiment of the Universe, Death is the embodiment of the end of life. She was introduced by Jim Starlin and Mike Friedrich and can be found in one of two ways. 

First and most common, Death appears as an ominous figure dressed in a purple robe with a skull for a head. Second and less common, she can be found in the same robe but with a female Caucasian head instead of the skull. Death is both nigh-omniscience and nigh-omnipotence. As such, she’s an extremely powerful Marvel character who is not to be trifled with.

8. Deathstroke

As the product of military experimentation, Deathstroke is extremely tough to kill. Aside from giving him the traditional powers (super strength, speed, and intelligence), the program also imbued him with the ability to heal. This means that Deathstroke can heal from practically anything he’s hit with. Bullets, swords, knives, clubs, it really doesn’t matter.

There is a side-effect, however. If his ability to heal is called upon, Deathstroke is occasionally driven temporarily mad. I suppose that’s the price of being one of a few comic book characters who can’t die.

7. Painkiller Jane

Painkiller Jane is the creation of Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, and she is as tough to kill as any on this list. She’s so tough that she can heal from the most severe of injuries in a matter of minutes. There is, however, a downside to her ability to heal. 

No matter what type of healing is required, Painkiller Jane still feels pain. From paper cuts to bomb explosions, Jane feels every intense moment of the injury happening and the healing afterward. But don’t worry. Jane takes painkiller medication to handle the pain, which is why she’s called Painkiller Jane.

6. Lobo

Lobo is the last of his kind…and his kind are bloodthirsty killers who would stop at nothing to get what they desire. Due to his heritage, Lobo is unique in that he can resurrect and rebuild himself from something as simple as a pool of blood. 

If you don’t know anything about the character, you need to know that he, more than many other characters, needs to have this ability. And here’s the reason. Lobo travels the galaxy picking and winning fights with the biggest and baddest beings around. 

5. Ra’s al Ghul

Ra’s is over 700 years old and, by all accounts, should’ve died multiple times…but he hasn’t. And why? When Ra’s has aged, feels old, or simply wants to bathe, he jumps into the waters of the Lazarus Pit. Once in the Lazarus Pit, he’s restored to a vibrant youthfulness that would make babies jealous. But that isn’t all.

The Pit also grants him incredible strength and endurance. This, while seeming trivial against the prospect of living forever, allows him to stand up to some of the greatest heroes in DC Comics.

4. Deadpool

Of course, Deadpool is here. Whether you’ve watched Ryan Reynolds play him in the movies or have been a fan of his comic for 20 years, you know that Deadpool is one of a few comic book characters who can’t die.

Like Wolverine, Deadpool can heal from practically anything. He can grow back limbs, reassemble himself should he be cut up, exploded, or torn apart, and heal from any other “minor” injury that he may sustain. Deadpool has quickly become one of the most popular comic characters because he always lives to tell the tale no matter what happens to him. 

3. Spectre

As the manifestation of God’s power, Spectre is DC’s second most powerful character. Due to this, he can control reality and travel inter-dimensionally; he is omnipotent and immortal. If Spectre had a downside, which he really doesn’t, it’s that he is bound to the soul of a dead human. This means that if the bond between the two is broken, Spectre must leave the soul and find a new one to link to.

I guess this means that Spectre can actually be killed. However, because all he has to do is find another soul, his death, and I use that term loosely, is temporary. You know what? In thinking about it more, it’s impossible to kill something that isn’t alive in the first place, is it?

2. Wolverine

If you thought for a second that Wolverine wouldn’t be here, you thought wrong. Not only is he the world’s favorite mutant, but he is also nearly impossible to kill. 

He has survived nuclear blasts, bullets, fire, hardening adamantium, numerous binges of beer, and multiple centuries. What’s most remarkable is that no matter how he has “died,” the writers who write his stories always create another method to try. In fact, if you look up the words comic book characters who can’t die in the dictionary, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find Wolverine as its definition. 

1. Franklin Richards

As an Omega Mutant, Franklin Richards is arguably the most powerful being in all of Marvel. His power, if you’re wondering, allows him to completely alter reality’s very fabric. And that’s only the beginning. His power also allows him to see into the future and control many of the Universe’s Forces. 

You may be asking yourself how any of this makes him one of the comic book characters who can’t die? And that’s a good question. As a being who can both change reality and see it before it happens, it’s nearly impossible to do anything to him that he won’t see coming or can’t immediately undo.