History FaceDeathWithDignity / ComicBooks

** As ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} is dying in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', she asks her cousin to not cry, and she tries smile despite the bleeding hole in her belly. Later it would be revealed she knew she would die if she fought the Anti-Monitor, but she went and battled anyway.

%%* In ''ComicBook/AllFallDown'', Siphon manages to achieve this.

** The {{Elseworld}} ''ComicBook/SupermanAndBatmanGenerations'' manages to put an even more tragic spin on the deaths of Bruce Wayne's parents in ''Generations II'' by establishing that Superman's adoptive father Jonathan Kent saw their murders happen on the Chronoscope and attempted to warn them, only for Thomas and Martha Wayne to do nothing and willingly let their deaths happen because of the knowledge that their demises would result in their son growing up to become Batman and feeling [[HeroicSacrifice their lives were a necessary price to pay for Gotham City to receive its most celebrated crime-fighter]].
* In ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', an antimatter wave destroyes [[MirrorUniverse Earth-Three]]. Realising that his universe is doomed and nothing can stop it, [[EvilTwin Ultraman]] calmly declares "I fight to the very ''end''!" and flies directly into the wave, instantly ceasing to exist.
* The ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'' story "Truce Or Consequences" (Hanna-Barbera Fun-In #10, January 1972), had Yankee Doodle Pigeon being lured to the enemy's side during a 24-hour truce, where he's hypnotized and cajoled into posing for photos depicting him as a traitor. With thirty seconds left in the truce and finding himself AWOL, Yankee Doodle consigns himself to the ultimate journey. Suddenly subverted when his last words -- "ABOUT FACE!" -- cause Muttley to [[RuleOfFunny turn the cannon aimed at him towards Dastardly]].
* In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', Tawky Tawny is completely exhausted after [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome kicking Kalibak's ass]]. When Tawny sees Kalibak's tiger warriors surrounding him, he calmly states that he wishes he could have met them under better circumstances, straightens his bowtie, and shuts his eyes telling them to do their worst. Seconds later, when he realizes he isn't dead yet, he opens his eyes and sees the tiger warriors ''bowing down to him'' since they now consider him to be their leader.
* In the ''[[Franchise/GreenLantern Green Lantern: Lights Out]]'' series, [[BigBad Relic]] drains and destroys the Blue Centeral Power Battery. Brother Warth and the other Blue Lanterns use what's left of their rings' energy to help save Saint Walker and several other heroes. After this they sit down to meditate, with Warth stating their {{Catchphrase}}, "All will be well."
* In ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'' saga, Thanos has slaughtered countless beings -- including many Marvel heroes. ComicBook/CaptainAmerica has just seen a number die with his own eyes and all were more powerful than he is. Cap knows he can't win, but rather than run, he walks right up to Thanos' face and looks him in the eye.

* ''ComicBook/IronMan'': In issue #250, due to time travel, Doctor Doom comes face to face with his future self, and he's not remotely impressed. Future Doom tries killing his past self with tech meant to dispose of his treacherous underling, and it fails, giving Doom even ''more'' reason to hate his future self (not just the disappointment, but the sheer failure). Knowing this was going to happen, [[StableTimeLoop because he did it himself]], Future Doom calmly accepts his disintegration.
* In ''ComicBook/JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac'', probably the only non-AssholeVictim of Johnny (Edgar Vargas) dies like this, which confuses Johnny. When asked, Edgar explains that, despite the fact that he has nothing left, he will always have faith, saying that he will go to heaven and Johnny will go to hell, so he has nothing to fear.

* ''ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader'' provides a master-class example in the form of the death scene of Inspector Thanoth, who goes to ''[[TheDreaded Darth Vader]]'' personally to tell him information Vader needs to know and would immediately kill him after due to HeKnowsTooMuch, rather than waste his time and resources with a manhunt that could be better served "rescuing the Empire from itself". Right before telling him said information, he graciously states ItHasBeenAnHonor, and braces himself for the end. This man knows how to face death with ''class''. Vader, for his part, ends his life quickly with his lightsaber rather than [[PsychicStrangle his usual execution method.]]

* In ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}'', Doll-Master is calm and accepting of his impending death when Mr. Rictus and his men come for him during their elimination of the American Fraternity chapter. All he asks of them is that they [[NotInTheFace leave his face intact]] for when his wife and children find him. When they reveal that they already killed his family beforehand, Doll-Master unleashes his dolls in retaliation.

** The {{Elseworld}} ''ComicBook/SupermanAndBatmanGenerations'' manages to put an even more tragic spin on the deaths of Bruce Wayne's parents in ''Generations II'' by establishing that Superman's adoptive father Jonathan Kent saw their murders happen on the Chronoscope and attempted to warn them, only for Thomas and Martha Wayne to do nothing and willingly let their deaths happen because of the knowledge that their demises would result in their son growing up to become Batman and feeling [[HeroicSacrific their lives were a necessary price to pay for Gotham City to receive its most celebrated crime-fighter]].

* In [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Gotham Underground]], the Penguin finds himself on the losing side of a war against Intergang, with his government contact dead, his [[TheDragon dragon]] having deserted him, and all his {{Mooks}} scared off. He's got the chance to flee the city, but instead becomes a BadassInANiceSuit, readies his best [[ParasolOfPain umbrella]], [[BenevolentBoss dismisses his employees with generous severance packages,]] and wills the Iceberg Lounge to the Riddler before settling down with a bottle of wine and the ol' tommygun umbrella to await his killers. [[BigDamnHeroes The Bat crew]] [[JokerImmunity save him]], but it's still classy.
** Also, in ''Detective Comics'' Issue #64 ("ComicBook/TheJoker Walks the Last Mile"), after turning himself in, confessing to a long list of crimes and getting the death sentence, the Joker walks to his execution, confident that he will make a fresh start once he pays the ultimate penalty with his life, and once his {{mooks}} follow through on his plan and bring him BackFromTheDead.

---

-->'''Edgar Vargas:''' I would rather '''not''' die, but I don't seem to have much say in the matter. '''But''', I'm also not like you; I'm not clouded. I have '''no''' family, '''no''' friends, really; '''nothing.''' But I '''DO''' have faith; you know, God and all that. A Heaven for me and a Hell for you. So '''[[PrecisionFStrike fuck]]''' fear. I '''have nothing''' to fear.
-->*beat*
-->'''Johnny:''' [[PreMortemOneLiner I envy your conviction]].

* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel

-->'''Captain America:''' As long as one man stands against you, you'll never claim victory.\\

* In ''ComicBook/JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac'', probably the only non-AssholeVictim of Johnny (Edgar) dies like this, which confuses Johnny. When asked, Edgar explains that, despite his hardships, he will always have faith, saying that he will go to heaven and Johnny will go to hell, so he has nothing to fear.
-->'''Johnny:''' [[PreMortemOneLiner I envy you your conviction]]. *Turns on brutal killing machine*

* In ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'' saga, Thanos has slaughtered countless beings - including many Marvel heroes. ComicBook/CaptainAmerica has just seen a number die with his own eyes and all were more powerful than he is. Cap knows he can't win, but rather than run, he walks right up to Thanos' face and looks him in the eye.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}'', Doll-Master is calm and accepting of his impending death when Mr. Rictus and his men come for him during their elimination of the American Fraternity chapter. All he asks of them is that they [[NotInTheFace leave his face intact]] for when his wife and children find him. When they reveal that they already killed his family beforehand, Doll-Master unleashes his dolls in retaliation.
* ''ComicBook/{{Shakara}}'': Dr. Procopio calmly accepts her execution at the hands of Shakara for her complicity in their genocide by engineering the virus that destroyed them.

* The ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'' story "Truce Or Consequences" (Hanna-Barbera Fun-In #10, January 1972), had Yankee Doodle Pigeon being lured to the enemy's side during a 24-hour truce, where he's hypnotized and cajoled into posing for photos depicting him as a traitor. With thirty seconds left in the truce and finding himself AWOL, Yankee Doodle consigns himself to the ultimate journey. Suddenly subverted when his last words--"ABOUT FACE!"--cause Muttley to [[RuleOfFunny turn the cannon aimed at him towards Dastardly]].
* ''ComicBook/{{Raptors}}'': The old man who becomes Drago's first victim is very cordial towards his executioner, and they have a pleasant conversation beforehand. He even gives Drago his only picture of Drago's late mother, who he used to be in love with before she chose Drago's father.

** ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': When Nick Fury thought that Wolverine was about to kill him, during the Gulf War, he accepted his fate. He only requested him not to disfigure his face, so identifying the corpse was a bit less traumatic for his old mom.

* ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader provides a master-class example in the form of the death scene of Inspector Thanoth, who goes to ''Darth Vader'' personally to tell him information Vader needs to know and would immediately kill him after due to HeKnowsTooMuch, rather than waste his time and resources with a manhunt that could be better served "rescuing the Empire from itself". Right before telling him said information, he graciously states ItHasBeenAnHonor, and braces himself for the end. This man knows how to face death with ''class''. Vader, for his part, ends his life quickly with his lightsaber rather than [[PsychicStrangle his usual execution method.]]

* ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'': Mostly averted. They generally react with panic and bargaining when their life is on the line. The sole exception is the Colonel who only pleads for Steve to at least understand why they did it and not make a joke out of his defeat.

* Parodied in ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}} and Cleopatra''; when Cleopatra thinks that the Gauls are trying to kill her, she launches into a grand speech on how a queen faces death with dignity, and Asterix has to interrupt her to explain himself.

* In ''ComicBook/AllFallDown'', Siphon manages to achieve this.

* ''ComicBook/{{Raptors}}'': The old man who becomes Drago's first victim is very cordial towards his executioner, and they have a pleasant conversation beforehand. He even gives Drago his only picture of Drago's late mother, who he used to be in love with before she chose Drago's father.