Vance's Lists: Top 40 Comic Book Heroes
Everybody loves a good superhero. In a world which so often seems unfair, its nice to know that there's an escape where, in the end, good always wins. For approximately 22 pages at a time, it's easy to get lost in the world where you can depend on someone to stand up for truth and justice.
The best superheroes are ones who not only defend what's right (well, mostly anyway), but also bring with them great stories, abilities, and moments. The heroes on this list are all awesome in their own way. Their position is based on ability to beat the bad guys, cool factor, and more than either of those, how much I like them.
40. Rorschach: "Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"...and I'll look down and whisper, "no"." And with that awesome opening, Watchmen begins. He's not a traditional hero, but he's pretty damn cool.
39. Green Arrow: His most mainstream popularity comes from TV, and not from the comics, but he's had his moments on paper too. While many of the other heroes have gone from defending their city to defending the galaxy, and Arrow has helped when needed, Oliver Queen has remained dedicated to defending Star City and its people, and that has a special charm all it's own. The former Batman copy has developed into an interesting character in his own right.
38. Blue Devil: A lot of people probably won't know who I'm talking about here, but I've always had a soft spot for the magical hero. His lack of mainstream attention in no way diminishes his power, which he has plenty of. He's a classic example of making a deal with the devil, literally, which has resulted in some pretty interesting storylines. Though he's not as well-known as many heroes, he continues to stick around, so he must be doing something right.
37. Emma Frost: If you like your heroes to straddle the line between good and evil, Frost my be for you. From villain to superhero, and everything in between, she's done it all. There's no shortage of power, with her telepathic abilities registering off the charts. She's more than earned a position of leadership with the X-Men and as a teacher of future X-Men.
36. Ragman: Gotham City's less famous protector, Ragman is another character who I've always been fascinated by, regardless of his lack of popularity. His suit, which absorbs the souls of those that the hero punishes, is a unique idea that combines a definite cool factor with a religious connotation. You have to work to find comics that focus solely on Ragman. Here's hoping DC finds a way to get him into more issues in the future.
35. Storm: If badass powers are what you like, then look no further than this mutant's power over the weather. She can, and has, gone against the most powerful foes the Marvel Universe has to offer, and more than holds her own. "You spoke once of power. Little man, you do not know the meaning of the word!" Now that's badass.
34. Iron Fist: The long-time partner of a hero to be named later in this list, Iron Fist is pretty cool all on his own. A master fighter, with a little extra help from the special ability that shares his name, he can hang in with the most villainous bad guys Marvel has to offer. His time with Heroes for Hire is worth checking out for any comics fan.
33. John Henry Irons: This character originated during the "Death of Superman" storyline, and became one of four replacements who took the Superman mantle. Eventually, under the Steel monicker, he became a hero in his own right. His purely noble intentions, and ability to thrive as a hero without any superpowers of his own, make his character even cooler.
32. Constantine: Some superheroes are noble and fight for what's right. Some heroes are, well, not quite so noble, but fight for what's right, in a general sense. John Constantine is a magician, though his true powers might be ultra-bad attitude, and super-chain smoking. He falls on the side of good, but he's not a team player. In spite of this, or maybe because of it, he makes a likable character.
31. Gambit: While he hasn't been around as long as many of the popular X-Men, Gambit has established himself as a fan favorite, and one of its more fun members. He oozes cool thanks to his Cajun accent, supernatural charm, and unique powers, and he continues to be one of my favorite X-Men, and Marvel character, of all time.
30. Power Girl: This powerhouse from another Earth can bring it. She's Superman's cousin, and has the same array of awesome powers, though those powers have evolved and changed depending on who's writing. No matter what, though, she's a formidable opponent. It should be noted, that current day Vance put her on this list. Fifteen-year-old me got her moved up into the top 30.
29. Moon Knight: I had no idea who Moon Knight was until I bought my son some HeroClix pieces and he was one of the ones that came. Some research and some old comics revealed a cool backstory and a guy who becomes a fun anti-hero who has no qualms about using violence as a means to an end, and who is pretty close to being insane.
28. Black Widow: She's just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill superspy who has helped save the world once or twice. She can fight, she can shoot, and she looks good doing it. As a part of several teams, she has shown she works well, mostly, with others, and be a valuable team member, even without the powers of her more well-known teammates.
27. Nightwing: Dick Grayson began as the original Robin and evolved into his own man, Nightwing. His origin is almost as well known as Batman's, and he's beloved by many. He is a skilled fighter and acrobat who can go toe-to-toe with even Batman himself. As Robins go, he's my third favorite, but he's terrific in his Nightwing persona.
26. Thing: Ben Grimm is a lovable goliath, professional wrestler, and original member of the Fantastic Four. "It's clobbering time!" is one of the great battle cries ever, on par with "Avengers Assemble" in my humble opinion. He's gruff and moody, but also funny and caring, and the kind of hero anybody would love to have on their side. The fact that he can benchpress a tank helps.
25. Starfire: If you look past the cleavage and sexual overtones (or not, for some), this alien being is pretty awesome. She's superstrong and can fly at supersonic speeds. She has fought Wonder Woman to a standstill, and is generally, especially when angry, one of the most powerful beings on Earth, even if she just wants to live a life of love, peace, and harmony.
24. Hawkeye: A long-time Avenger, Clint Barton has fought against the best villains the Marvel Universe has to offer. I'm a huge fan of the villain Bullseye, and Hawkeye is a sort of heroic version of him, super-accurate with pretty much any item. Non-powered humans make for some very cool superheroes. Hawkeye is one of them.
23. Black Panther: Ruler of Wakanda by day, and costumed superhero at night, Black Panther has never been as popular as other characters, but he's long been one of my favorites. He's a fierce fighter with supernatural abilities. His run filling in for Daredevil was fun. He's also married to Storm, which adds to his cool factor.
22. Cassandra Cain: Forget Barbara Gordon, the most badass Batgirl of alltime is Cassandra Cain, a League of Assassins trained ninja with near superhuman reflexes and intuition. Her ability to predict an opponent's next move means she isn't losing many fights. I guess having the deadly Lady Shiva as a mother has its advantages. Her current absence from DC will hopefully be remedied soon.
21. Superboy: Though he has returned in DC's "The New 52", his most beloved incarnation was as Connor Kent (Kon-El) in Young Justice. In possession of a powerful telekinetic field and many of the familiar powers members of the Superman family tend to have, he's a force to be reckoned with. If you've never read "Infinite Crisis", where he dies saving the world, I urge you to do so. It's as sad a hero death as any has ever been.
20. Red Hood: Robin number two wasn't all that popular, and fans actually voted to have him die at the hands of the Joker. His resurrection year's later, and his subsequent morphing into anti-hero Red Hood have made him much more popular than he was as Robin. He fears nobody and will be as violent as he needs to be. He definitely does not avoid guns like Batman does.
19. Nightcrawler: As X-Men go, Nightcrawler was always easy to like. Who wouldn't like to be able to teleport quickly from one place to another? His look is also different, and definitely cool. Having a demon for a father can have that effect. He's another Marvel character with a fully fleshed, and very interesting back-story, which always adds to the enjoyment.
18. Iron Man: It could be argued that the Iron Man movies jumpstarted the current superhero movie boon, but his place in the Marvel comics Universe is pretty important as well. From "Civil War" to "World War Hulk" to many others, he's one of the leaders of the Avengers and the superhero world in general. Tony Stark's rich playboy persona has been done, but his Iron Man suits are sweet.
17. Wonder Woman: Along with Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman is considered part of the Trinity of DC heroes. Her beauty is surpassed only by her power and sense of what's right. She comes with a tremendous desire to save the world, and the strength to fight gods, and though her stories are hit and miss, her place in comics history can't be disputed.
16. Tim Drake: My favorite Robin, he combined tremendous fighting ability with an extraordinary intelligence to be a fantastic partner to Batman. Even after he moved on to become Red Robin, leader of the Teen Titans, he remained a very cool character. If you need further evidence, he used his detective skills to figure out Batman's secret identity all on his own.
15. Punisher: His name is apt, as this anti-hero has made it his life's mission to utterly wipeout criminals by any means necessary, and if you've read many Punisher stories, you know what I mean. From the trademark skull costume to the ever-present violence surrounding him, Frank Castle is compelling. The Punisher Max series is a must-read.
14. Green Lantern: The idea of an intergalactic peacekeeping force is a terrific one, and the characters that have been written for have been fantastic. Hal Jordan is the most famous, but several others who have served as Earth's Green Lantern have been great as well. The power ring is a fun, awesome weapon as well, making Green Lantern a great series, no matter who is at the helm.
13. Luke Cage: The other member of Heroes for Hire is badass in every sense of the word. "Power Man" has superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, which makes him a handy guy to have around in battle. From his look, to his powers, to his demeanor, Luke Cage is the very definition of cool, and even when he's not in an active series, he remains a favorite.
12. Spiderman: Few superheroes are more recognizable than Spiderman. His creation by Stan Lee is a watershed moment in comics history, and his popularity isn't matched by many. He's lower down on my list simply for the number of terrible storylines he's been saddled with over the years, the Clone Saga being the most prominent of these.
11. Martian Manhunter: This Justice League regular isn't recognized like the Big Three, but his sheer volume of power puts him right alongside of them. Super strength, flight, shape-shifting, telekinesis, healing factor, invisibility, and many more powers make him as formidable as any hero. A weakness to fire is the one strike against him.
10. Thor: There is so many cool moments in Thor's history, describing them would take forever, so I'll leave this: "Indeed..but let them tremble when the clarion call sounds! The revelation of our very existence will strike like the mightiest thunderclap! Our victories shall be the stuff of legend! Our triumphs shall echo throughout the nine worlds -- 'tis endeavors such as these where the warrior ideals of god and man intersect to produce something greater than the sum of its parts. On this day, we have declared war..and we shall avenge the evils perpetrated by those who would oppose us. We shall....avenge them all!" Indeed.
9. Wolverine: The greatest (for most) X-Man is perhaps the ultimate anti-hero. Possessing perhaps the coolest weaponry in all of comics, and the attitude to match it, Wolverine is pure badass. He has no fear, and will do whatever it takes, especially when those he cares about are at stake. "Go ahead. Pull the trigger. But after you do, bub...then you're mine." That pretty much sums up Wolverine.
8. The Hulk: With unmatched strength, an angry Hulk is the scariest thing in all of Marvel comics. If you doubt that, check out "World War Hulk", wherein he returns to Earth, mega-pissed off, to exact vengeance on the heroes who he holds responsible for the death of his wife on the planet they exiled him to. He systematically demolishes every hero thrown at him, including some true heavyweights, in spectacular fashion. When he says "I didn't come here for a whisper. I wanna hear you scream.", he means business.
7. Batman: There's not a lot that needs to be said about Batman. Without the benefit of any powers, he has become, as Superman puts it, the most dangerous human on the planet. Whether it's against his vast array of Gotham city enemies, or as a member of the Justice League against potential world destroying foes, he always comes out on top. He even has plans in place to take down other heroes in case the need ever arises. His coolness factor has no bounds. My son has a shirt that says "Be yourself, unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman". Seems about right.
6. Daredevil: In many ways, Daredevil is the Batman of the Marvel Universe. He's blind, with his other senses heightened to supernatural levels, but he's just a man otherwise. He also favors mystery, shadows, and little in the way of talk while in costume. He even comes and goes from rooftops like the Dark Knight. I've always favored Daredevil a little, though. The Man Without Fear has had the benefit of some excellent stories, and "Shadowland" is one of my favorite crossovers ever.
5. Captain America: One of the original superheroes, Captain America has been around for a long time, and with good reason. His signature costume and shield are instantly recognizable, and his drive for justice is unstoppable. "Civil War" showed that he will always stand up for what he believes in, despite being against some of his best friends in the process. His death during that event was one of the most heartbreaking moments ever.
4. Captain Marvel: I religiously watched the Shazam cartoon when I was a kid, and my love for Billy Batson and his alter ego had carried on since. Horribly under-utilized overall, he doesn't get recognition for what he really is, which is one of the most powerful heroes in the universe. He's super-strong, flies, and his magical origins mean he is one of the few guys capable of taking out Superman one-on-one. In "Kingdom Come", he knocks Supes out of the sky in order to make the ultimate sacrifice. He hasn't always made regular appearances, but when he has shown up, something awesome tends to happen.
3. The Flash: The first comic I ever bought regularly was The Flash. The fastest man on Earth was funny, heroic, and had one of the coolest costumes in comics. As I got older, and read more, it didn't matter whether it was Wally West or Barry Allen, my love of all things Speed Force just grew. The most important moment in Flash history might have been in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" when Barry Allen sacrificed his life to save the world, though he did finally come back.
2. Deadpool: The Merc With a Mouth hasn't been around for as long as most major heroes, isn't necessarily even a hero in the strictest sense of the word, and spends a lot of time doing nothing, but I've been eating it up since the first issue I ever read. He's probably insane, he's self-centered, and he's freaking hilarious, however, when motivated, he's a deadly fighter with a healing factor that means he's nearly impossible to kill, current Marvel storyline aside. If you like your heroes humorous, crude, violent, but with a (somewhat misguided) sense of what's right, Deadpool is your man.
1. Superman: Many claim he's boring. Some say he's outdated. I say there is no truer hero in comics. You want strength? Find someone stronger (Hulk aside). Do you like speed? He rivals the Flash. Like a hero with an array of abilities? He has strength, speed, invulnerability, flight, x-ray vision, heat vision, super breath, super hearing, and super humor if Seinfeld is to be believed. He also has what every hero should have in spades, and that's a strong sense of justice. Maybe he is the ultimate boy scout, but what's wrong with that. There's no better hero, role model, and example of what every person should strive to be than Superman. He's the best ever, and I even named my son Kal-El in honor of his awesomeness. I'll take Superman over any hero you have.
The best superheroes are ones who not only defend what's right (well, mostly anyway), but also bring with them great stories, abilities, and moments. The heroes on this list are all awesome in their own way. Their position is based on ability to beat the bad guys, cool factor, and more than either of those, how much I like them.
40. Rorschach: "Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"...and I'll look down and whisper, "no"." And with that awesome opening, Watchmen begins. He's not a traditional hero, but he's pretty damn cool.
39. Green Arrow: His most mainstream popularity comes from TV, and not from the comics, but he's had his moments on paper too. While many of the other heroes have gone from defending their city to defending the galaxy, and Arrow has helped when needed, Oliver Queen has remained dedicated to defending Star City and its people, and that has a special charm all it's own. The former Batman copy has developed into an interesting character in his own right.
38. Blue Devil: A lot of people probably won't know who I'm talking about here, but I've always had a soft spot for the magical hero. His lack of mainstream attention in no way diminishes his power, which he has plenty of. He's a classic example of making a deal with the devil, literally, which has resulted in some pretty interesting storylines. Though he's not as well-known as many heroes, he continues to stick around, so he must be doing something right.
37. Emma Frost: If you like your heroes to straddle the line between good and evil, Frost my be for you. From villain to superhero, and everything in between, she's done it all. There's no shortage of power, with her telepathic abilities registering off the charts. She's more than earned a position of leadership with the X-Men and as a teacher of future X-Men.
36. Ragman: Gotham City's less famous protector, Ragman is another character who I've always been fascinated by, regardless of his lack of popularity. His suit, which absorbs the souls of those that the hero punishes, is a unique idea that combines a definite cool factor with a religious connotation. You have to work to find comics that focus solely on Ragman. Here's hoping DC finds a way to get him into more issues in the future.
35. Storm: If badass powers are what you like, then look no further than this mutant's power over the weather. She can, and has, gone against the most powerful foes the Marvel Universe has to offer, and more than holds her own. "You spoke once of power. Little man, you do not know the meaning of the word!" Now that's badass.
34. Iron Fist: The long-time partner of a hero to be named later in this list, Iron Fist is pretty cool all on his own. A master fighter, with a little extra help from the special ability that shares his name, he can hang in with the most villainous bad guys Marvel has to offer. His time with Heroes for Hire is worth checking out for any comics fan.
33. John Henry Irons: This character originated during the "Death of Superman" storyline, and became one of four replacements who took the Superman mantle. Eventually, under the Steel monicker, he became a hero in his own right. His purely noble intentions, and ability to thrive as a hero without any superpowers of his own, make his character even cooler.
32. Constantine: Some superheroes are noble and fight for what's right. Some heroes are, well, not quite so noble, but fight for what's right, in a general sense. John Constantine is a magician, though his true powers might be ultra-bad attitude, and super-chain smoking. He falls on the side of good, but he's not a team player. In spite of this, or maybe because of it, he makes a likable character.
31. Gambit: While he hasn't been around as long as many of the popular X-Men, Gambit has established himself as a fan favorite, and one of its more fun members. He oozes cool thanks to his Cajun accent, supernatural charm, and unique powers, and he continues to be one of my favorite X-Men, and Marvel character, of all time.
30. Power Girl: This powerhouse from another Earth can bring it. She's Superman's cousin, and has the same array of awesome powers, though those powers have evolved and changed depending on who's writing. No matter what, though, she's a formidable opponent. It should be noted, that current day Vance put her on this list. Fifteen-year-old me got her moved up into the top 30.
29. Moon Knight: I had no idea who Moon Knight was until I bought my son some HeroClix pieces and he was one of the ones that came. Some research and some old comics revealed a cool backstory and a guy who becomes a fun anti-hero who has no qualms about using violence as a means to an end, and who is pretty close to being insane.
28. Black Widow: She's just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill superspy who has helped save the world once or twice. She can fight, she can shoot, and she looks good doing it. As a part of several teams, she has shown she works well, mostly, with others, and be a valuable team member, even without the powers of her more well-known teammates.
27. Nightwing: Dick Grayson began as the original Robin and evolved into his own man, Nightwing. His origin is almost as well known as Batman's, and he's beloved by many. He is a skilled fighter and acrobat who can go toe-to-toe with even Batman himself. As Robins go, he's my third favorite, but he's terrific in his Nightwing persona.
26. Thing: Ben Grimm is a lovable goliath, professional wrestler, and original member of the Fantastic Four. "It's clobbering time!" is one of the great battle cries ever, on par with "Avengers Assemble" in my humble opinion. He's gruff and moody, but also funny and caring, and the kind of hero anybody would love to have on their side. The fact that he can benchpress a tank helps.
25. Starfire: If you look past the cleavage and sexual overtones (or not, for some), this alien being is pretty awesome. She's superstrong and can fly at supersonic speeds. She has fought Wonder Woman to a standstill, and is generally, especially when angry, one of the most powerful beings on Earth, even if she just wants to live a life of love, peace, and harmony.
24. Hawkeye: A long-time Avenger, Clint Barton has fought against the best villains the Marvel Universe has to offer. I'm a huge fan of the villain Bullseye, and Hawkeye is a sort of heroic version of him, super-accurate with pretty much any item. Non-powered humans make for some very cool superheroes. Hawkeye is one of them.
23. Black Panther: Ruler of Wakanda by day, and costumed superhero at night, Black Panther has never been as popular as other characters, but he's long been one of my favorites. He's a fierce fighter with supernatural abilities. His run filling in for Daredevil was fun. He's also married to Storm, which adds to his cool factor.
22. Cassandra Cain: Forget Barbara Gordon, the most badass Batgirl of alltime is Cassandra Cain, a League of Assassins trained ninja with near superhuman reflexes and intuition. Her ability to predict an opponent's next move means she isn't losing many fights. I guess having the deadly Lady Shiva as a mother has its advantages. Her current absence from DC will hopefully be remedied soon.
21. Superboy: Though he has returned in DC's "The New 52", his most beloved incarnation was as Connor Kent (Kon-El) in Young Justice. In possession of a powerful telekinetic field and many of the familiar powers members of the Superman family tend to have, he's a force to be reckoned with. If you've never read "Infinite Crisis", where he dies saving the world, I urge you to do so. It's as sad a hero death as any has ever been.
20. Red Hood: Robin number two wasn't all that popular, and fans actually voted to have him die at the hands of the Joker. His resurrection year's later, and his subsequent morphing into anti-hero Red Hood have made him much more popular than he was as Robin. He fears nobody and will be as violent as he needs to be. He definitely does not avoid guns like Batman does.
19. Nightcrawler: As X-Men go, Nightcrawler was always easy to like. Who wouldn't like to be able to teleport quickly from one place to another? His look is also different, and definitely cool. Having a demon for a father can have that effect. He's another Marvel character with a fully fleshed, and very interesting back-story, which always adds to the enjoyment.
18. Iron Man: It could be argued that the Iron Man movies jumpstarted the current superhero movie boon, but his place in the Marvel comics Universe is pretty important as well. From "Civil War" to "World War Hulk" to many others, he's one of the leaders of the Avengers and the superhero world in general. Tony Stark's rich playboy persona has been done, but his Iron Man suits are sweet.
17. Wonder Woman: Along with Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman is considered part of the Trinity of DC heroes. Her beauty is surpassed only by her power and sense of what's right. She comes with a tremendous desire to save the world, and the strength to fight gods, and though her stories are hit and miss, her place in comics history can't be disputed.
16. Tim Drake: My favorite Robin, he combined tremendous fighting ability with an extraordinary intelligence to be a fantastic partner to Batman. Even after he moved on to become Red Robin, leader of the Teen Titans, he remained a very cool character. If you need further evidence, he used his detective skills to figure out Batman's secret identity all on his own.
15. Punisher: His name is apt, as this anti-hero has made it his life's mission to utterly wipeout criminals by any means necessary, and if you've read many Punisher stories, you know what I mean. From the trademark skull costume to the ever-present violence surrounding him, Frank Castle is compelling. The Punisher Max series is a must-read.
14. Green Lantern: The idea of an intergalactic peacekeeping force is a terrific one, and the characters that have been written for have been fantastic. Hal Jordan is the most famous, but several others who have served as Earth's Green Lantern have been great as well. The power ring is a fun, awesome weapon as well, making Green Lantern a great series, no matter who is at the helm.
13. Luke Cage: The other member of Heroes for Hire is badass in every sense of the word. "Power Man" has superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, which makes him a handy guy to have around in battle. From his look, to his powers, to his demeanor, Luke Cage is the very definition of cool, and even when he's not in an active series, he remains a favorite.
12. Spiderman: Few superheroes are more recognizable than Spiderman. His creation by Stan Lee is a watershed moment in comics history, and his popularity isn't matched by many. He's lower down on my list simply for the number of terrible storylines he's been saddled with over the years, the Clone Saga being the most prominent of these.
11. Martian Manhunter: This Justice League regular isn't recognized like the Big Three, but his sheer volume of power puts him right alongside of them. Super strength, flight, shape-shifting, telekinesis, healing factor, invisibility, and many more powers make him as formidable as any hero. A weakness to fire is the one strike against him.
10. Thor: There is so many cool moments in Thor's history, describing them would take forever, so I'll leave this: "Indeed..but let them tremble when the clarion call sounds! The revelation of our very existence will strike like the mightiest thunderclap! Our victories shall be the stuff of legend! Our triumphs shall echo throughout the nine worlds -- 'tis endeavors such as these where the warrior ideals of god and man intersect to produce something greater than the sum of its parts. On this day, we have declared war..and we shall avenge the evils perpetrated by those who would oppose us. We shall....avenge them all!" Indeed.
9. Wolverine: The greatest (for most) X-Man is perhaps the ultimate anti-hero. Possessing perhaps the coolest weaponry in all of comics, and the attitude to match it, Wolverine is pure badass. He has no fear, and will do whatever it takes, especially when those he cares about are at stake. "Go ahead. Pull the trigger. But after you do, bub...then you're mine." That pretty much sums up Wolverine.
8. The Hulk: With unmatched strength, an angry Hulk is the scariest thing in all of Marvel comics. If you doubt that, check out "World War Hulk", wherein he returns to Earth, mega-pissed off, to exact vengeance on the heroes who he holds responsible for the death of his wife on the planet they exiled him to. He systematically demolishes every hero thrown at him, including some true heavyweights, in spectacular fashion. When he says "I didn't come here for a whisper. I wanna hear you scream.", he means business.
7. Batman: There's not a lot that needs to be said about Batman. Without the benefit of any powers, he has become, as Superman puts it, the most dangerous human on the planet. Whether it's against his vast array of Gotham city enemies, or as a member of the Justice League against potential world destroying foes, he always comes out on top. He even has plans in place to take down other heroes in case the need ever arises. His coolness factor has no bounds. My son has a shirt that says "Be yourself, unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman". Seems about right.
6. Daredevil: In many ways, Daredevil is the Batman of the Marvel Universe. He's blind, with his other senses heightened to supernatural levels, but he's just a man otherwise. He also favors mystery, shadows, and little in the way of talk while in costume. He even comes and goes from rooftops like the Dark Knight. I've always favored Daredevil a little, though. The Man Without Fear has had the benefit of some excellent stories, and "Shadowland" is one of my favorite crossovers ever.
5. Captain America: One of the original superheroes, Captain America has been around for a long time, and with good reason. His signature costume and shield are instantly recognizable, and his drive for justice is unstoppable. "Civil War" showed that he will always stand up for what he believes in, despite being against some of his best friends in the process. His death during that event was one of the most heartbreaking moments ever.
4. Captain Marvel: I religiously watched the Shazam cartoon when I was a kid, and my love for Billy Batson and his alter ego had carried on since. Horribly under-utilized overall, he doesn't get recognition for what he really is, which is one of the most powerful heroes in the universe. He's super-strong, flies, and his magical origins mean he is one of the few guys capable of taking out Superman one-on-one. In "Kingdom Come", he knocks Supes out of the sky in order to make the ultimate sacrifice. He hasn't always made regular appearances, but when he has shown up, something awesome tends to happen.
3. The Flash: The first comic I ever bought regularly was The Flash. The fastest man on Earth was funny, heroic, and had one of the coolest costumes in comics. As I got older, and read more, it didn't matter whether it was Wally West or Barry Allen, my love of all things Speed Force just grew. The most important moment in Flash history might have been in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" when Barry Allen sacrificed his life to save the world, though he did finally come back.
2. Deadpool: The Merc With a Mouth hasn't been around for as long as most major heroes, isn't necessarily even a hero in the strictest sense of the word, and spends a lot of time doing nothing, but I've been eating it up since the first issue I ever read. He's probably insane, he's self-centered, and he's freaking hilarious, however, when motivated, he's a deadly fighter with a healing factor that means he's nearly impossible to kill, current Marvel storyline aside. If you like your heroes humorous, crude, violent, but with a (somewhat misguided) sense of what's right, Deadpool is your man.
1. Superman: Many claim he's boring. Some say he's outdated. I say there is no truer hero in comics. You want strength? Find someone stronger (Hulk aside). Do you like speed? He rivals the Flash. Like a hero with an array of abilities? He has strength, speed, invulnerability, flight, x-ray vision, heat vision, super breath, super hearing, and super humor if Seinfeld is to be believed. He also has what every hero should have in spades, and that's a strong sense of justice. Maybe he is the ultimate boy scout, but what's wrong with that. There's no better hero, role model, and example of what every person should strive to be than Superman. He's the best ever, and I even named my son Kal-El in honor of his awesomeness. I'll take Superman over any hero you have.
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