Over the next couple of days I will be posting 2 character deaths and resurrections, (one better, one worse) leading up to the two most influential and interesting comebacks. Part 2 coming soon!!!
Both of today's characters have 2 things in common:
1) It was a bad idea to kill them off
and
2) I am glad they were brought back
Alfred Pennyworth (dead 2 years, 4 months)
Died in Detective Comics #328 (June 1964) while saving Batman and Robin and was subsequently crushed by a boulder.
Resurrected as villainous Outsider in Detective Comics #356 (October 1966):
and later returned to normal by Batman in the same issue.
Ruling: Better
While I think that killing him in the first place was idiotic and the way of bringing him back to life was a over the top, I have to say that, over all, it was an interesting twist. I am glad Pennyworth is with us again today. Without Alfred Pennyworth Batman would have crossed the line long ago and fallen into the dark abyss never to return. Alfred is Bruce Wayne's moral compass, father-like figure and friend. He is his closest confidant. Without Alfred, who knows what Bruce would have become?
Sabretooth aka Victor Creed (dead 4 years, 5 months)
Beheaded by Wolverine with the Muramasa Blade, a sword that blocks the healing factor, in Wolverine vol. 3, #55 (July 2007).
Later in Wolverine vol. 4, #20 (December 2011) Creed is somehow alive again. It has still not been explained (as far as I know) as to how he survived his supposed unrecoverable and grisly death.
Ruling: Worse
I love Sabretooth. He is the Wolverine Logan could be if he was pushed and fully embraced the animal. The dynamic between Creed and Logan is legendary and mysterious. To kill him off was a bad move on Marvel's part. But to leave him dead just have him come back to life after such a cataclysmic and emotional story arc with little to no explanation as to how he survived is, in my opinion, cheap. I am glad he is alive again though and will continue to be the bane in Wolverine's side that he was created to be.