Warning: contains spoilers for DC vs. Vampires #7!
DC Comics' critically acclaimed (and truly horrifying) DC vs. Vampires series is giving Marvel a run for its money, with Shazam and Wonder Woman committing a murder that is somehow even more horrifying than Sentry ripping Ares in two. While Sentry's terrifying murder of Ares may be gorier than Shazam and Wonder Woman's kill, it is their personal connection to their victim - combined with their glee and excitement - that makes it far more disturbing.
The infamous murder of Ares by Sentry happened during Marvel's Siege event, when Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers laid siege to the Earthbound Asgard, leading to Sentry graphically ripping Ares in half in a shocking show of power. Sentry is often considered to be the most powerful Avenger of all time, with "the power of a billion exploding suns," and yet he remains vulnerable to the influence of the evil Void, which is dedicated to undoing all his good works as a hero.
DC vs. Vampires #7 - from James Tynion IV, Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt - sees a glimpse into the "all-out war" between the vampire-turned heroes of Earth and those who are still human. The vampire army has already slaughtered tons of heroes including Batman, while turning major players like Superman and Green Lantern, yet the remaining heroes of Earth refuse to accept defeat or hide. In a horrifying panel, Shazam and Wonder Woman are seen literally ripping Superboy in half in a less graphic mirror of Sentry's Ares kill. However, what the moment lacks in guts it increases in terms of horror, as Superman's allies tear his son to pieces while crowing over their superiority.
Ares was a violent antihero and an ancient warrior, while Superboy is a hero who has only ever tried to help others, so seeing him torn apart by two of the heroes who acted as his mentors is especially dark. It's also horrifying that Superman would allow this, showing how warped the heroes have become due to the vampire virus. While Green Lantern earlier expressed his desire to keep the Flash alive due to their former friendship, he instead chose to kill him as he'd be too dangerous as an opponent, showing that while the undead have some access to their former personalities, they're more concerned with success and survival than old bonds. Sadly, their victims can't say the same as they're murdered by the people they used to trust.
Superboy's death is also terrible news for the remaining heroes of Earth, since this proves that Shazam and Wonder Woman are now as powerful as Superman, meaning they could easily take down the heroes' secret weapon, a depowered Supergirl.
Marvel Comics made huge waves when they published the gruesome murder of Ares by Sentry, and yet DC has somehow one-upped that death by showing Shazam and Wonder Woman's gleeful slaughter of the heroic Superboy, one of the most disturbing comics kills in years.
DC vs. Vampires #7 is available in stores now from DC Comics.