I love superheroes. I've watched probably sixty superhero movies, played tons of video games, watched shows, read comics, and more. The MCU is my favorite movie franchise of all time, and superheroes were a key player in starting up this blog. So here are my twenty favorite superheroes of all time, based purely off of comic book origins. Nothing from movies or TV shows counts on this list.
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20. The Hulk/Bruce Banner
I've never personally been a huge fan of the Hulk, but I respect the character and see why tons of people love him. I think his character has an interesting concept tied to him. It's fascinating to see a nerdy scientist literally become a rage monster. I've never really read any Hulk comics and I don't find his rogues gallery particularly intriguing. Even though, for some reason, I'm seeming negative on this character, I still do like him. He's just not my favorite...obviously.
19. Human Torch/Johnny Storm
Human Torch has always been my favorite of the Fantastic Four. He kind of shares those teenage personality traits that both Flash and Spider-Man have, two of my favorite superheroes, so it makes me like him. I think his powers and stuff are cool. People seem to love The Thing, but I have always liked Human Torch much more than the other three Fantastic Four members.
18. Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff
I know I said that the movies don't play into this ranking, and I stand by that, but I do give the movies credit for making me like Black Widow. As a spy-assassin character, I think she's really cool. She's almost like the darker, more violent James Bond of Marvel comics. And I dig that. The only reason she isn't really higher is because I think her film version is better than her version in the comics, which knocks her back a bit.
17. Ant-Man/Hank Pym
For those of you that don't know, Scott Lang is not the most popular Ant-Man. For almost all of Marvel's history, the astonishing shrinking man was Hank Pym. He is a charming genius that, in the comics, is responsible for the creation of Ultron. I've always thought Ant-Man's powers were of the cooler type, and I think he's got to receive credit for creating a megalomaniacal sociopathic robot. That was a lot of big words for such a small character.
16. Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff
Through the experience of WandaVision, I learned a lot more about Scarlet Witch in theory videos and articles. I never knew the true extent of her power, and when I learned about it, oh boy, did she quickly become one of my favorites. Her romance with Vision is strange, to say the least, but it creates some interesting scenarios. The House of M storyline that WandaVision is inspired by is a very cool run that ends with a shocking twist from Scarlet Witch. She is super cool and imposing, which I love.
15. Professor X/Charles Xavier
I think Professor X is criminally underrated. How can you not think that the leader and founder of the X-Men is great? He is also the most powerful being in the world that needs a wheelchair. I love mentor characters, and I think that Professor X is one of the best mentor characters, behind Yoda and Mr. Miyagi. I haven't read a ton of X-Men comics, so I don't know a lot about his comic book history, but he's a mentor with telepathic abilities that founded the X-Men. That's enough to make me like ihm.
14. Green Arrow/Oliver Queen
Take Batman. Make him less cool. Give him a bow and arrow to make him a bit cooler. And slather him in green. Then you have Green Arrow. I like the billionaire playboy archetype for superheroes. While I think that Green Arrow is the worst of that type, I still like him a lot. I haven't really read his comics, but I like his anti-heroic ways of cleaning up the city. And I think Oliver Queen is one of the most charming alter egos in superhero history.
13. Thor Odinson
Like Black Widow, Thor is much better on screen than on the page. But he's still sick. The God of Thunder is one of the original Avengers, and he is the most powerful of the group. I love Mjolnir. It's one of the coolest fictional weapons, along with lightsabers and Captain America's shield. I think his god-like power and elevation above the rest of the Avengers makes him great. But since I like him better in the movies, he gets held back.
12. Deadpool/Wade Wilson
The Merc with a Mouth is easily the funniest of Marvel's superheroes as well as this list. I've always really liked Deadpool even before I saw the film. I think he has one of the coolest costumes as well as a simple but great skill set. The dirty wisecracks also make him very memorable and unique. Comics-wise, I don't think he has anything special. I don't know any of his villains. But as a character, very good.
11. Supergirl/Kara Zor-El
I feel like Supergirl has gained the recognition she deserves in the past few years since the show aired. She's always been a somewhat underrated hero. I like her origin story a lot and I think she works as a foil to act alongside Superman. She's one of the best supporting heroes in superhero history...but that's exactly what keeps her from the top ten. She doesn't really stand on her own very well because of Superman's icon status and popularity. But as a spice, she works perfectly.
10. Doctor Stephen Strange
I've always thought that Doctor Strange has one of the coolest skill sets of any superhero. And I think his origin story is underrated. I love his weird, out-of-the-box nature. The Wizarding World of Marvel has always been an under explored realm inside of the Marvel universe. The only thing I don't love about the Sorcerer Supreme are his villains. Dormammu is really his only good one, and you need to have more than that to go farther down the list.
9. Wolverine/James "Logan" Howlett
Wolverine is another really popular character. His claws are one of the coolest powers on this list. I love his maze and blue costume (Go blue!). He is a grizzled hero that legitimately cannot die, which I think is super cool. But I've always thought Wolverine worked better as an X-Man or an Avenger than he did by himself. Even though Logan is a great movie, I'm not sure there's enough there to have enough good Wolverine storylines in the comics. So another one of the best supporting characters in superhero history.
8. Black Panther/T'Challa
Just measured on pure coolness, Black Panther is number two (we'll get to number one). His badass all-black vibranium panther suit is one of a kind. I feel like he's also a superhero that doesn't exactly choose to be a superhero. He is king of Wakanda and becomes Black Panther for that very reason. I love this character. The villains aren't quite there, but that's the only thing that I am not crazy about.
7. Wonder Woman/Diana Prince
The third of DC's "Big Three", Wonder Woman is simply the best and most powerful female superhero of all time. She's strong, independent, and stronger than most of the men in the DC universe. While she has dipped into cheesiness at points in time, I think she is one of the coolest and most memorable heroes ever. Whether it's her goddess-like status, the Lasso of Truth, the invisible jet, or her bracelets, everything about this character is exciting and engraved in your memory forever.
6. Iron Man/Tony Stark
Iron Man got his big break after 2008 when people began to realize that he was actually an insanely good character that would be able to hold the world's biggest movie franchise on his back. I find his origin story compelling, his suits and powers are some of my favorites, and his personality is great. Out of all the billionaire playboys, he is the most self-centered and eccentric. Which makes his character arcs throughout these stories so rewarding. However, the Iron Man in the MCU is one of my favorite movie characters of all time, and his comic version doesn't measure up to that. I can't put him any higher simply for that reason.
5. Captain America/Steve Rogers
Marvel's first true superhero, Captain America is one of two pure-hearted good guys on this list. This man was forged from courage, self-righteousness, and kindness. His shield is one of the best weapons in superhero history. Both Zemo and Red Skull are fabulous villains. His origin story fits his character perfectly. Captain America is the launching point for Marvel Comics, and I have to give him props for that.
4. The Flash/Barry Allen
While super-speed has been overused throughout the years, the Flash was the original speedster. And he still is the best. Flashpoint is one of the most interesting and best superhero storylines of all time. His rogues gallery is pretty good. I've always thought of Flash as the balance in the DC universe. He isn't extreme darkness like Batman, but he also doesn't have faith in everyone and everything like Superman. I also think his origin story is one of the darkest and most compelling. He just barely misses the top three.
3. Superman/Clark Kent
The template for everything to come after him, Superman really did change everything. Not only did he launch DC comics as well as superheroes into pop culture, he also providing a blueprint for tons of great heroes. Without Superman, there's no MCU. The Dark Knight doesn't exist. When it comes to icon status and history, Superman comes on top without a doubt. Him being super overpowered is the only thing that the next two heroes have against him. This is how to make a character perfect and introduce people to a fantastical world where heroes have extraordinary abilities.
2. Spider-Man/Peter Parker
While Spider-Man is number two, it could really change at any moment. If this was the day after Far From Home had come out, he'd probably be number one. Either way, he is basically perfect. All of his powers are memorable: the webs, the wall-crawling, the Spidey-sense, etc.. His costume and logo are two of the most recognizable symbols in the world. His rogues gallery is the second best of any superhero. I've grown up living and breathing Spider-Man. He is one of two characters whose comics I've avidly read. He is beaten out by that other hero...
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1. Booster Gold
Who else did you expect? Booster Gold is the quintessential superhero. Nobody else could match up with him.
I'm kidding. Here's the real numero uno.
1. Batman/Bruce Wayne
Now the question: Who else did you expect? Batman has become one of the most popular fictional characters. Everything about him is the best. Origin? Best. Skill set? Coolest. Logo? Best. Villains? Best by far. Comics? Best. I love everything about this character. He's dark and brooding but has a reason. Even though he's such a dark character, he provides hope in a cruel Gotham City that is terrorized by Joker and Riddler and Penguin and more. There's nothing that I can say about Batman that hasn't already been said. It's the frickin' Dark Knight. He's the best.