I am currently reading TPBs "Death of Captain Stacy" "Death of Gwen Stacy" and "Death of Jean Dewolf". Death in comics are common place as well as resurrection of dead characters. Question to everyone: Are there any characters that died that you feel should never be brought back or should have stayed dead? Also asking the question in reverse: Are there any characters that you felt should have never been killed off?

For me:

Question 1: Jean Grey, Stay Gwen, Bucky, and Norman Osborn.

Question 2: Captain America

1. I'm a pretty strong proponent of "dead means dead."  Don't (truly) kill off a character if you're not going to leave them dead.  And if you come on to a book where a particular character is dead, deal with it and move on.  But here are the ones that would/have bother(ed) me the most:

Should have stayed dead:  Guardian, Hal Jordan, Jean Grey (i.e., no Phoenix was someone else retcon - sorry), Bucky, and the Osborns (and I hope Mar-Vell return is a fake-out; even with the loophole they used I'm not happy he's back)

Hope they stay dead:  Barry Allen, Kraven the Hunter and the Stacys 

2. I'm also not a big fan of "death as a checklist item or needless twist."  So I'd go with Darkstar, Alpha Flight (or at least they should have done a better job of it), Hawkeye (at least they brought him back), Nomad, and, assuming it comes to pass, the rumored upcoming Astonishing X-Men casualty.

(For what it's worth, I get the impression that Captain America is a "Death of Superman" kind of thing.  If he's not back by #42 I'll be surprised, and if he's not back by #50 I'll be REALLY shocked.)

Jean Gray has been killed off so many times that when I hear she's dead I assume that she is alive and kicking and just shopping at Wal-Mart.

Should have stayed dead: Norman Osborn, Hal Jordan, and Bucky. Although, I actually like the way they brought Bucky back; could have been MUCH worse.

Should never have been killed off in the first place: Steve Rogers, Hawkeye, Jean's death(s) since being brought back the first time.

Should stay dead: Kraven, Barry Allen, the Stacys, Harry Osborn if\when OMD is ever undone.

Mar-Vell is actually still dead, and unless they do a big cop-out, I have no problem with the way they brought him back since the way they did it points to it only being temporary. I just hope they don't pull a swerve and have him die during Secret Invasion.....

If someone is truly talented enough, I am not going to second guess them. I think Bucky being back is great.  I wouldn't have guessed it before, but I think it has made for an outstanding story. As far as Barry Allen goes, I don't know if he is needed any more in the DC universe, but I am sure someone could bring him back under the right circumstances and make it work.  I just hope he isn't brought back to appease fan boys.

Should have stayed dead:

- Norman Osborn. Bringing him back cheapened arguably the greatest Spider-Man story ever.

- Bucky. Don't get me started....

- Jean Grey. Again, X-Men #137 was so good that I hated to see her brought back.

Should never have been killed:

- Barry Allen. (Although I actually like Wally West better.)

- Captain America. But I agree with Dave -- I expect him to return before long.

- Blue Beetle

- Harry Osborn

- Capt. Jean DeWolff. Sure, she was a relatively minor character in the Spider-Man mythology, but she was a good one. She was one of the few supporting characters who was Spider-Man's friend, not Peter Parker's. Plus, she wasn't afraid to put Spider-Man in his place if that's what needing to be done, while still remaining his strongest supporter in the N.Y. Police Department. I hated to see her go.

"Presumably you are referring to a recent death of Jean? "

No, her 1st death, the one you worked on, I felt it would have made the story that much more impacting in the long run if they had left her dead.