Which characters had a satisfying ending?

[Jim Kelly]

The frustration for me with DC is that the characters don't get anywhere, they don't arrive at the end of their story and they usually get rebooted or retconned before that, so it's like the myth of Sisyphus. It's very frustrating for a long time reader.

Sure some characters marry, have kids and even die, but their story is really about fighting for big moral imperatives and they never arrive at a point where the job is done and there's a sense of accomplishment. Batman doesn't leave Gotham better off for all his efforts, Superman doesn't cure the world's ills, Wonder Woman doesn't achieve peace and understanding. Maybe the big goals can never be accomplished, but it would be nice to see these hard working heroes get a little ahead on what they started.

The characters I always think of that got to the end of their story are: James Robinson's Starman; Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson's Manhunter; and Neil Gaiman's Sandman. Who else?

I suppose in what-if Elseworlds imaginary stories there might be a few others like All-Star Superman. But which other characters arrived at a satisfying conclusion to their story, from any of the DC books and imprints?

[j9ac9k]

Wesley Dodds Sandman? It seemed he and Dian lived a long, adventure-filled life together and birthed a great heroic legacy.

While they've each been rebooted since, I think Supergirl and Flash would have had a great heroic send-off in the original Crisis. That was a definite endpoint and saving the universe seems a satisfying way to go.

The Goodwin/Simonson Manhunter I would put in a different category since his story was always meant to end. He's like Ferro Lad in that way.

[Frontier]

I think the end of Johns' Green Lantern run was probably as good and conclusive of an end for the GL franchise as we may ever get.

[Jekyll]

Waids run for Wally would’ve been a great ending to the character. He was happily married with kids, his uncle that he admired returned. DC could have retired him and given him a happy ending if they didn’t care to use him, but instead we have this garbage they’ve given us throughout Rebirth and HIC.

[CaptCleghorn]

I'm mentioning Jim Corrigan in John Ostander's Spectre series. That was planned to be a finish when written and published and I'm sticking with that interpretation.

[Lee Stone]

While I disliked the actual journey of Breakdowns for various reasons, the end of JLI was pretty satisfying and I'm glad Giffen & DeMatteis were given the opportunity to give it a good conclusion.

[Mataza]

The madness of batman is that his task is sisyphean in nature. Bruce shouldnt get away with an ending of any kind, it would go against the character.

[Ra-El]

Tommy from Hitman got a good ending, if not a happy one, it was true to the story.

[Timothy Hunter]

The original Morpheus from Sandman is the obvious answer.

[Elmo]

I really like Mike Grell's Green Arrow run; one of the most notable things is that his Oliver is aging and not as adept but the stories are really compelling and the entire run feels like it comes full circle. There are frequent callbacks to quotes and events from other issues, even just stuff Oliver says to himself in his head in one issue is a repeated mantra 30 issues later. It also focuses a lot on archery and the mechanics of archery and Oliver's passion for it; in many other runs it comes off as a gimmick and everything but the archery is what makes GA cool. They should have ended Oliver Queen's story with this run and told the rest of the Green Arrow stories with Connor.

There are many many many GA stories after this that I love but you can't tell me something like Jeff Lemire's GA run wouldn't have been better with Connor in the lead. Maybe that's because I grew up reading an older more seasoned Oliver, him being a young billionaire never felt right to me outside of Smallville

[Hilden B. Lade]

If you pretend that the original run of Hellblazer ended with #215 (Carey's run) then it's a very fitting/satisfying though far from happy ending for John Constantine.

[Ishmael]

I'm mentioning Jim Corrigan in John Ostander's Spectre series. That was planned to be a finish when written and published and I'm sticking with that interpretation.

This. Ostrander's ending for the Spectre was perfect.

And I'll also add Jack Knight's ending in Starman. Glad we've never seen him again, because his story ended perfectly.

[Jim Kelly]

I never read HITMAN, 100 BULLETS or PREACHER--as yet, I'll probably get around to them one day--I would imagine that they all came to a definitive conclusion. Is that right?

Within the Astro City world of Kurt Busiek, I would say there are many stories that have clear and satisfying endings.

[tako]

Barry Allen in Crisis.

[Soubhagya]

Satisfying endings can be very subjective.

For Batman i would say Dark Knight Returns. That's the best ending for Batman. Bruce's career as Batman ends, but there is more. Its like that never ending battle which actually has an ending which is quite satisfying.

One can make a case for the recent Annual by Tom King. That sort of ending where Bruce and Selina age together and finally die is among the cheeriest ending for Batman. That was an excellent issue.

I have read somewhere that Batman is a sort of character who can't ever succeed in his mission. Only a child can imagine something like this. To end crime. Bruce was at just the age when he can make a lifelong vow and yet be so naive. The most sensible ending appears to be that he dies during his career as Batman. 'Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?' could have been satisfying. But the meta route while making some sense does not work for me. Its exactly sisyphean. He keeps taking birth with each retelling(read reboots/reimaginings etc) and his actual life begins after the murder of his parents. And it ends with his death somewhere during his career as Batman and the cycle repeats.

That's why Dark Knight Returns is triumphant. He has outlived almost all of his villains. And he has even outlived Batman. Its a very satisfying ending imo.


Superman has a number of satisfying endings imo. Milleage may vary for each of my instances.

I see almost no love for 'The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman-Blue' from Superman #162. Its an excellent issue. Superman retires. But not because he has been forced to. But because his mission is complete. I have never seen such a comprehensive victory for any hero. My only nitpick is that the resolution of the love triangle was a bit too convenient. But otherwise i love it.

Right at the other side of this is the original 'Death of Superman' from Superman #149. Hero dying while fighting for his mission is not a lesser ending. They could die anyday. Its shocking. But it leads to Luthor being put away for good and Superman's backup, Supergirl takes the place of the fallen hero.

'Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow?' will get a mention. Just because its a brilliant story. In some ways i prefer this over All Star or DC One Million. Frankly speaking i find the long alive almost immortal Superman boring. Like Dark Knight Returns he outlives his villains. Hangs up the Superman mantle and settles down with his love. Instead of taking the grand route Moore settles for a more humanistic ending. And it works.

Only Morrison got the grand ending right imo. All Star Superman and its spiritual sequel DC One Million are fantastic. In my head canon that's how the story ends. Tom King's short in Action Comics #1000 can be taken as a companion piece.

Secret Identity has an immensely satisfying ending. Its nothing grand. Simply a quiet ending. Beautiful like the sunsets he enjoys.