History CListFodder / TheDCU

** ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'': Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} and [[Franchise/TheFlash Barry Allen]] were the main A-Lister deaths, as well as B-Listers Clayface, Mirror Master and Dove. However, C-List casualties included Angle Man, Psimon, Nighthawk, Sunburst, The Ten-Eyed Man, Prince Ra-Man, Kole, The Bug-Eyed Bandit, Icicle, and, most ironically, Immortal Man. Kole probably deserves a special mention: she was introduced in ''New Teen Titans'' while the Crisis was already ongoing, with very strong implications that she was created ''just so the event would have more no-names to kill''.
** ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'': The whole thing was kicked off by the deaths of certified B-Listers Maxwell Lord and Comicbook/BlueBeetle. C-List casualties included Rocket Red, Monocle, Black Condor, Baron Blitzkrieg, Star Sapphire (Debbie Darnell), Wildebeest, Pantha, Air-Wave, Bushido, Ratcatcher, Geist, Doctor Polaris, Human Bomb, Chemo, Peacemaker, Breach, ComicBook/{{Judomaster}}, Technocrat, Psycho-Pirate and Comicbook/PhantomLady. And those are only a ''few'' in comparison. This was supposed to be averted by offing Comicbook/{{Nightwing}}, a certified A-lister (especially for a former sidekick), but instead Comicbook/{{Superboy}} was killed, and he can be considered low A-list or high B-list.

* When James Robinson wanted to kill off an ex-[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League Europe]] member in ''Comicbook/{{Starman}}'' #38, his editor suggested he kill off ''more'', since they weren't using them at the time. Robinson did so, taking a whole issue to depict The Mist's slaughter, eventually having a part of Jack Knight's ShutUpHannibal being mocking her for taking on innocent, easy targets. The Justice League also has a pretty storied history of C-listers who ended up being brutally killed off, ranging from ComicBook/{{Vibe}} and Agent Liberty to Triumph and Black Condor. Robinson had already ''kicked off'' the series by killing off the single-appearance son of the original Starman, in favor of the previously unmentioned ''other'' son of the original Starman (which [[DeadPersonConversation didn't stop David being a significant presence in the book]]).
* [[Franchise/TheDCU DC's]] MiniSeries "Death of the Comicbook/NewGods" did exactly what it said on the label, killing off the entire suite of these well-known-yet-rarely-high-selling characters. While their original creator had EverybodyDiesEnding as part of their original planned arc, it was wildly different than the story we got here.
* DC's ''Comicbook/FiftyTwo'' event killed off the cult-favorite, yet clearly C-list, Comicbook/TheQuestion. He didn't return until the [[ComicBook/New52 New 52 reboot]]. His mantle was taken by yet another fan favorite, CanonImmigrant Renee Montoya.
* Preparatory to kicking off the dramatic Mordru arc, DC's post-''Comicbook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime'' ''Comicbook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' comic introduced a set of minor characters -- specifically new Legionnaire Magno, Workforce recruits Radion and Blast-Off, and Uncanny Amazers member Atom'x -- in order to brutalize them to lend impact to the climactic battle at the end of the arc, which saw Blast-Off and Atom'x killed, Radion disfigured, and Magno permanently depowered.

* The ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}'' event also indulged in a little house cleaning of minor baddies: Film Freak was killed by Comicbook/{{Bane}}, Abattoir was killed by [[Comicbook/{{Azrael}} Jean-Paul Valley]], and the two puppets of The Ventriloquist shot each other in what ended up being a form of suicide.

** Seemingly averted at the start: the first victims of the Black Lanterns were relatively well-known heroes Tempest, Hawkgirl and ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, with the latter two resurrected by the end of the event. However, C-list former Teen Titans Damage and Comicbook/{{Hawk|AndDove}} (not that one, but his partner's sister, which is the point) are killed, as is Gehenna (ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}}'s girlfriend and partner) and Doctor Polaris (who is killed offscreen).

* Most of the heroes created during the 90's ''Bloodlines'' event ended up quickly falling into obscurity, only to be brought out of limbo in order to be used as cannon fodder in events such as ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' and ''Faces of Evil''. The high mortality rate of the Bloodlines heroes was referenced in-universe several times, with the Flash chalking this up to a general lack of competence on their part. In addition, certain writers (Jamal Igle being most vocal) have gone on record stating that these characters' deaths were due to the fact that they (the writers) personally didn't like them and found them to be one of the worst parts of '90s DC canon.

* The Ur example of this one for comic books has to be ''Comicbook/DoomPatrol''. At least two ''entire'' incarnations of the team were destroyed. The only survivor of any of these teams has been Cliff "Robotman" Steele, and he often wonders if it wouldn't have been better to join them. Proving that even a trope like this one [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools has its merits]], said wipe-outs are arguably what made the team as famous as it became, and the team's [[FaceDeathWithDignity dignified response in the face of certain death]] has become a core part of more recent incarnations of the team. Although admittedly, said versions of the team have consisted mostly of [[ComicBookDeath resurrected versions of the old characters]].

** The event that formed the revived Teen Titans was the 2003 BatFamilyCrossover ''ComicBook/{{Titans}}[=/=]ComicBook/YoungJustice: Graduation Day''. There were two deaths that dissolved the teams and brought back the Teen Titans: Lilith Clay/Omen and [[ComicBook/WonderGirl Donna Troy]]. The former, being the lesser-known of the two, had her death treated as a way to show off how dangerous their opponent was, and it was heavily downplayed by both the characters and narration compared to the latter, who's death was played up for as much impact as it was worth. Furthermore, Donna got to come back to life just a few years later, but Omen wasn't so lucky as she had to remain dead for the rest of the continuity until the ComicBook/New52. Even then, she had to wait until 2016's ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' to truly come back, as when she ''did'' return the first time, she was made into an InNameOnly [[AdaptationalVillainy villain]] who's since been {{Retcon}}ned as a separate character. To say the least, the way this was treated was a very sore point for the fanbase.

* Happens twice in DC's ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', wherein Sue Dibny (the ComicBook/ElongatedMan's wife) is killed ''and'' raped (in a flashback) and ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}} explodes after being stabbed through the chest with another C-Lister hero's (Shining Knight) sword by a C-Lister villain (Shadow Thief). The whole series was a C-List-fest! Elongated Man even lampshades it in his narration. Saying that since he and Firehawk are relatively minor characters, the reader cannot be assured they won't be killed.

* SpiritualSuccessor ''ComicBook/HeroesInCrisis'' largely follows on from that example. The biggest casualty of the massacre to kick the story off that isn't reversed by the end is Green Arrow's former sidekick Roy Harper/Arsenal, who is at best a very low B-lister. After that, you have a lot of also-ran ComicBook/TeenTitans (Hot Spot, Lagoon Boy, Solstice, Red Devil, Protector, Gnaark) and some long-OutOfFocus characters (Nemesis, Tattooed Man, Gunfire, Blue Jay). About half these characters [[BackForTheDead hadn't appeared since the New 52.]]

* Interestingly handled in ''ComicBook/TheSandman'': Forgotten minor character Element Girl gets a story about being minor and forgotten, with powers that make it impossible to have a normal life or death.

** Seemingly averted at the start: the first victims of the Black Lanterns were relatively well-known heroes Tempest, Hawkgirl and ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, with the latter two resurrected by the end of the event. However, C-list former Teen Titans Damage and Hawk are killed, as is Gehenna (ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}}'s girlfriend and partner) and Doctor Polaris (who is killed offscreen).

* When James Robinson wanted to kill off an ex-[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League Europe]] member in ''Comicbook/{{Starman}}'' #38, his editor suggested he kill off ''more'', since they weren't using them at the time. Robinson did so, taking a whole issue to depict The Mist's slaughter, eventually having a part of Jack Knight's ShutUpHannibal being mocking her for taking on innocent, easy targets. The Justice League also has a pretty storied history of C-listers who ended up being brutally killed off, ranging from ComicBook/{{Vibe}} and Agent Liberty to Triumph and Black Condor.

* DC's ''Comicbook/FiftyTwo'' event killed off the cult-favorite, yet clearly C-list, Comicbook/TheQuestion. He was resurrected briefly during the Comicbook/BlackestNight event, but didn't permanently return until the [[ComicBook/New52 New 52 reboot]]. His mantle was taken by yet another fan favorite, CanonImmigrant Renee Montoya.

* [[Franchise/TheDCU DC's]] MiniSeries "Death of the Comicbook/NewGods" did exactly what it said on the label, killing off the entire suite of these well-known-yet-rarely-high-selling characters. While their original creator had KillEmAll as part of their original planned arc, it was wildly different than the story we got here.

* ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': In this case, the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sheer number of characters]] attached to the team may help to explain the higher body count. (Because of the Legion's frequent reboots, though, dead characters frequently turn up alive in the team's next incarnation. To date, the only Legionnaire who was killed off and ''stayed'' dead is Monstress.)

** This trope and its connection to the Teen Titans was pretty much lampshaded during ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' when [[ComicBook/RedHood Jason Todd]] drops in at Titans Tower and confronts [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]]. As the two Comicbook/{{Robin}}s fight, Jason blows up when he realizes that there were statues of Titans who have died and people probably never knew existed, yet ''he'' never got a statue of his own, though he was a member for about one mission and, being a Robin, was probably more well known than they ever were.
* Followed closely by ''[[Comicbook/LegionOfSuperHeroes The Legion of Super-Heroes]]'', ''another'' group of teenagers. In this case, the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sheer number of characters]] attached to the team may help to explain the higher body count. (Because of the Legion's frequent reboots, though, dead characters frequently turn up alive in the team's next incarnation. To date, the only Legionnaire who was killed off and ''stayed'' dead is Monstress.)
* Sometimes, it seems like the bulk of the [[Franchise/GreenLantern Green Lantern Corps]] exists to provide this for the latest CrisisCrossover. ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' (vol. 4) #27 revealed that the average life expectancy for a member is "four years, three months, one day, thirteen hours and seven minutes".

* In ''Batman'', following the year of ''52'' where [[Comicbook/TwoFace Harvey Dent]] protected the city, to have a FaceHeelTurn again, they had the Great White Shark frame Harvey for the murders of C-Listers Magpie, the [=KGBeast=], and Orca (to add insult to injury, her corpse was later found partially eaten by Killer Croc). He also took out certified B-Lister (or should it be [[VerbalTic certiglied g-Lister]]?) The Ventriloquist, so that has to give them some solace. Also, a new version of C-Lister Tally Man appears during the story, and lasts for all of three pages.

** ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'': Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} and [[Franchise/TheFlash Barry Allen]] were the main A-Lister deaths, as well as B-Listers Clayface, Mirror Master and Dove. However, C-List casualties included Angle Man, Psimon, Nighthawk, Sunburst, The Ten-Eyed Man, Prince Ra-Man, Kole, The Bug-Eyed Bandit, Icicle, and, most ironically, Immortal Man.

** Seemingly averted at the start: the first victims of the Black Lanterns were relatively well-known heroes Tempest, Hawkgirl and ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, with the latter two resurrected by the end of the event. However, C-list former Teen Titans Damage and Hawk are killed, as is Gehenna (ComicBook/{{Firestorm}}'s girlfriend and partner) and Doctor Polaris (who is killed offscreen).

* Happens twice in DC's ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', wherein Sue Dibny (the ComicBook/ElongatedMan's wife) is killed ''and'' raped (in a flashback) and ComicBook/{{Firestorm}} explodes after being stabbed through the chest with another C-Lister hero's (Shining Knight) sword by a C-Lister villain (Shadow Thief). The whole series was a C-List-fest! Elongated Man even lampshades it in his narration. Saying that since he and Firehawk are relatively minor characters, the reader cannot be assured they won't be killed.

* The ''Legion of Three Worlds'' limited series quickly killed off several lesser-known Legionnaires--the Threeboot Sun Boy and Element Lad, Kinetix, and the second Karate Kid--and a large handful of minor villains. Minor character Rond "Green Lantern" Vidar, on the other hand, was given an extended send-off and proved instrumental in moving the plot along.

* Preparatory to kicking off the dramatic Mordru arc, DC's post-''Comicbook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime'' ''Comicbook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'' comic introduced a set of minor characters -- specifically new Legionnaire Magno, Workforce recruits Radion and Blast-Off, and Uncanny Amazers member Atom'x -- in order to brutalize them to lend impact to the climactic battle at the end of the arc, which saw Blast-Off and Atom'x killed, Radion disfigured, and Magno permanently depowered.

* Followed closely by ''[[Comicbook/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}} The Legion of Super-Heroes]]'', ''another'' group of teenagers. In this case, the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sheer number of characters]] attached to the team may help to explain the higher body count. (Because of the Legion's frequent reboots, though, dead characters frequently turn up alive in the team's next incarnation. To date, the only Legionnaire who was killed off and ''stayed'' dead is Monstress.)

* Preparatory to kicking off the dramatic Mordru arc, DC's post-''Comicbook/ZeroHour'' ''Comicbook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'' comic introduced a set of minor characters -- specifically new Legionnaire Magno, Workforce recruits Radion and Blast-Off, and Uncanny Amazers member Atom'x -- in order to brutalize them to lend impact to the climactic battle at the end of the arc, which saw Blast-Off and Atom'x killed, Radion disfigured, and Magno permanently depowered.