Marvel heroes seem to have taken over pop culture. It seems like everywhere I look I see Baby Yoda merchandise, the Office memes, and references to Marvel characters (sorry DCU, step up your game). Aside from all of the Baby Yoda stuff, the superheroes at Marvel are incredibly popular. This can be largely credited to the huge success of the MCU, starting with Iron Man and continuing on with the new shows being released on Disney+, but that success has also lead to multiple video games, both for console and mobile gamers.
I've always been interested in superheroes. I prefer Marvel over DC and I've only read a few of the comics but I've done a lot of independent reading about the comics and each hero online. Marvel.com and Wikipedia have been the main sources of my research, but I've learned a lot about the heroes, villains, and other superpowered beings that make up the Marvel Universe. With the release of Marvel's Avengers game, I've logged a number of hours playing as my favorite Avengers characters. I've also been playing and collecting characters in the mobile game, Marvel's Strike Force. It's because of these two games that I came up with the idea for this list. Both games show my "favorite" characters based on how often I use them and this sparked my curiosity. Knowing what I know about many of the Marvel characters, I thought it might be interesting to make a list of my top ten favorite characters. This list is completely subjective and in no particular order. Originally, I was going to place each character in order of favorite to least favorite (top ten obviously) but I found that this was more difficult than I had originally anticipated.
Below is my list of the Top Ten Marvel Heroes. To make this list each character has to have: cool powers, a good story, and look good (you know, some heroes just look sort of lame sometimes). There were tons of other characters that I would have added to the list based on their powers alone but as I was creating my rough draft, I realized that that's all I liked about the character, so I needed to add more criteria. The following characters have cool superpowers, a good story or character personality, and sweet costumes.
1. Known to just about everyone, the Hulk is a truly fearsome warrior. Originally a puny scientist, Bruce Banner was transformed into the Incredible Hulk by gamma radiation. No matter which comic you're reading, the Hulk is an unbeatable rage monster. Capable of pummeling Marvel's strongest superhumans and even strong enough to destroy planets, the Hulk is a brutal beast. Every incarnation of the Hulk strikes fear into the hearts of villains and his power level is so high that even Earth's Mightiest Heroes need a contingency plan to subdue him should his rage completely take over. The Hulk's strength is immeasurable. All we know is that the madder he gets, the stronger he gets. He's sent enemies into orbit with a single punch, lifted up entire islands to keep them from sinking into the ocean, and has punched through a comet hurtling towards Earth. The Gamma Radiation also granted Hulk superhuman stamina, a regenerative healing factor, super speed, the ability to breath underwater, telepathic resistance, mystical powers, and immortality. With a great story and interactions with other characters in the Marvel Universe, it's a no-brainer that he's on this list. HULK IS STRONGEST THERE IS! Ha, take that Thor!
2. Thor's not taking anything, except a spot on this list. Without question, the Prince of Asgard is one of the most powerful heroes in Marvel Comics. The Hulk may not like to hear it, but there's a real reason why people debate who the strongest one is. Hulk has incredible strength that comes from pure rage, but Thor has almost equal strength and tons of magical powers at his disposal. Aside from superhuman strength, Thor has super speed (he's capable of reaching Mach 32), super stamina (able to fight continuously for hours), super durability, superhuman reflexes/agility, energy manipulation, weather control, invulnerability, a rapid healing factor, and some unknown cosmic/mystical abilities. Compared to most heroes in the Marvel Universe, his powers are unmatched by all except the most ancient of beings. He's capable of destroying planets, traveling all over the universe through the use of the Bifrost, and can tap into ancient Asgardian forces with unknown potential. One thing I love about Thor, aside from his weapons Mjolnir and Stormbreaker, is the fact that he can be found throughout history not just in comics. Thor is a Marvel superhero based on a god from Norse mythology. His constant battle with his brother Loki makes for incredibly interesting tales and his power and personality have been relevant since ancient times and he still continues to inspire.
3. Cain Marko, better known as Juggernaut, is the step-brother to the X-Men founder Charles Xavier. At a height of 9 feet tall and weighing in at almost 2,000 pounds the Juggernaut literally towers above his allies and enemies. Originally a bully turned soldier, Cain Marko found a glowing ruby and was given the power of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. Throughout his time as a human juggernaut, Marko has been a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants and X-Men, along with many other groups. He has been both a hero and villain and is always a one-man wrecking crew. Juggernaut's mystic powers grant him super strength, super speed, superhuman stamina, and irresistible force embodiment (nothing can stop him when he is moving forward). His helmet and bulging muscles exude power and his constant battle with his own morality makes him a highly interesting character. Combine that with his many adventures with and against the X-Men, gaining and losing powers, and you've got a subtly unique character.
4. Gifted with the power of cosmic in return for his services to Galactus, Norrin Radd was transformed into the Silver Surfer. A being with incredible cosmic power, the Silver Surfer travels throughout the galaxy finding planets for Galactus to devour. Considered one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, the Silver Surfer has been both friend and foe to the superhumans on Earth. With speed, strength, and energy projection levels at the top of the scale, the Silver Surfer wields almost immeasurable power. The power cosmic allows the Silver Surfer to absorb and emit energy. At one point in time, the Silver Surfer absorbed all the power of the Nova Corps. His energy beams are capable of destroying planets with ease, hurting Thor while he's wearing Asgardian armor, and even damaging Thanos. The Silver Surfer is also capable of emitting force fields, phasing through solid matter, increasing his physical strength (by storing energy), creating black holes, creating solid energy, creating and recharging stars, accelerating the evolution of lifeforms, matter manipulation (down to the molecules), super strength, invulnerability, incalculable stamina, super speed (flight), superhuman agility, cosmic awareness, regenerating healing factor, the ability to heal self and others, size manipulation, telekinesis, element manipulation, and astral projection. As far as powers go, the Silver Surfer is almost literally a god. His strength level is on par with Thor, he posses the power of cosmic, and he travels through space on a silver surfboard. What more could you want?
5. Easily one of the most iconic supervillains in the Marvel comics, Magneto, is in a constant battle to fight the segregation and mistreatment of mutants. While this may seem like a noble cause, the Master of Magnetism often attempts to solve his problems through world domination. His original goal of saving mutants has evolved over the years and turned into a mission to subdue and enslave humans. Originally a close friend to the X-Men founder Charles Xavier, Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants are now at odds with the heroic X-Men. Known as the Master of Magnetism, Magneto is an omega-level mutant able to control all forms of magnetism. He's able to easily manipulate metals, create magnetic forcefields, shoot powerful magnetic rays, fly, and is so sensitive to particles in the atmosphere that he can reconstruct metal objects, see patterns in the electric field around him, shut off gravity, and create wormholes. With a genius-level intelligence, Magento is able to mastermind plans for his team and execute them to perfection, no matter the costs. Magneto is an incredible character because of how complex he is. While he does seek to control the world and enslave homosapiens, he's constantly in a moral battle with himself. Having survived the Holocaust, Magneto connects the comics to real-world issues. We see firsthand how he and other Jewish people were treated during the Holocaust and we continue to see the mistreatment of Magneto and his fellow mutants many years later. I think that Magneto is a great villain, has some amazing powers, and the deeper message of the mutant storyline can teach us a lot.
6. The third mutant to make this list, and one of the long-term X-Men, is none other than the sweet-talking Gambit. A mutant with the power to tap into the kinetic energy of any object, Gambit is a Southern mutant criminal turned hero. As a fan of magic tricks and card flourishes, Gambit has always intrigued me. Combine his explosive card throwing with his cool outfit and skills with the bo staff and you've got a great character. Although Gambit's power level and abilities are far less than many of the other characters on this list, he has a great story and was given a power boost when he was selected to be one of the Horsemen of Apocolypse. As Death, Gambit was far more terrifying and well, deadly. He possesses normal human strength but keeps himself well conditioned and trained in many forms of combat to put himself on par with his superpowered peers. Despite not always being level-headed, Gambit has proven himself to be a valuable member of the X-Men team and a character that many people can relate to.
7. The third "villain" on this list, Venom is by far one of the coolest characters in the Marvel Universe. He's the first, and best, version of all the symbiote. Venom's history is dark and dangerous. Originally created by a dark god, the symbiote that would later become Venom was used to protect a group of babies by bonding with them and turning them into apex predators. When the symbiotes were eventually freed, they formed their own beings known as the Klyntar. At some point, the symbiotes joined with various alien species, most of whom were vicious warriors, and they absorbed the violent personalities of their hosts. The symbiote known as Venom eventually made its way to Earth where it bonded with Spider-Man. With Spider-Man as its host, Venom learned a ton of new moves and abilities. After breaking away from Spider-Man, Venom took Eddie Brock as its new host. Eddie has been noted as being the most ideal host for Venom. The connection the two made allowed for Eddie to gain control of the symbiote when he wanted and this eventually lead to him becoming a hero of sorts. Because the symbiote can choose to change hosts, Venom has "bonded" with many heroes and villains. While bonded with Eddie Brock, Venom was capable of going head-to-head with not only Spider-Man but other incredibly powerful heroes. Venom's super strength allows him to deal punches equal to those of the Juggernaut. He has superhuman stamina, a regenerative healing factor, extreme durability, telepathy with other Klyntar symbiotes, stretching and deforming abilities, poisonous fangs, energy absorption, and matter manipulation. Along with a few more special powers that only symbiotes have, Venom has become an extremely diverse character. One of Spider-Man's greatest foes and allies, Venom is an alien parasite with unknown potential.
8. The second X-Man to make this list is none other than the indigo deviled Nightcrawler. While other superhumans and mutants are able to disguise their unique abilities and blend in with society, Kurt Vagner was rejected and ridiculed because of his differences. A mutant with a very troubled past, Nightcrawler was given away as a baby and was considered to be a demon by the community who rejected him. Growing up, Kurt had to get used to the stares and screams from passersby as they saw his indigo skin and tail. It was eventually discovered that Kurt was the child of the ancient and immortal mutant Azazel and none other than the mutant chameleon Mystique. Despite his difficult upbringing and biological parents, Kurt grew to be a kind-hearted man and eventually was recruited to join Professor Charles Xavier's X-Men. His great personality helped him fit right in on the team and he was quickly respected by his teammates for his bravery and abilities, eventually becoming a best friend to the grumpiest mutant, Wolverine. Nightcrawler is a selfless hero who is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his team and friends. As a teleporter, Kurt has time and again saved his fellow X-Men from all types of dangers. Along with his teleportation, Kurt is an expert gymnast, able to stick to most surfaces, has night vision, can camouflage himself, has superhuman agility and reflexes, a skilled medic, expert swordsman, and master combatant. While he might not be as strong as many of his mutant allies and foes, Kurt has cemented himself a spot as one of the greatest mutants and X-Men of all time and has also earned himself a spot on my list of top ten Marvel characters.
9. The origin story of the hero known as Sentry is very similar to many other heroes in the Marvel Universe. After the success of the super-soldier serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America, scientists all over the world attempted to recreate it. It was because of Captain America's success, that Robert Reynolds discovered the Golden Sentry Serum. Upon taking the serum, Reynolds was given the powers of "a million exploding suns." While that description may sound like an exaggerated sales pitch, Roberts, as Sentry, has shown it to be true. Sentry's "exploding suns" powers put his strength and speed levels to incalculable levels. Many of Sentry's powers are fueled by the sun and puts him in the category of "omega-level threat." His powers have been described as "godlike" by the most powerful mutants and some of the most brilliant men in the Marvel Universe, Mr. Fantastic and Charles Xavier, have described Sentry as being nigh-omnipotent with powers that "have no limit." Sentry is capable of molecular manipulation, meaning that he can rearrange molecules at will to warp reality and create things. Sentry also possesses immortality, superhuman strength (levels high enough to rival those of the Hulk), superhuman speed, near invulnerability (Sentry has been injured only a few times), self-sustenance (he doesn't need food or water), superhuman stamina, agility, and reflexes, superhuman senses (he can hear almost any sound - even the sound of a butterfly's heartbeat... awww), flight, teleportation, photokinesis resulting in light manipulation (such as invisibility, light projection, and energy blasts), darkness manipulation, psionic abilities (believed to be on par with Professor X), biokinesis (heal others and self), power-sharing, and energy absorption. Along with gaining these fantastic powers, Sentry was also gifted with a genius-level intellect. Despite being an "omega-level threat," Sentry has proven to be a man of good and has many friends. He has close relationships with Professor X, Mr. Fantastic, the Hulk, Iron Man, and Spider-Man. Fans of DC superheroes believe that Sentry is a knock-off of Superman. If that's true, it doesn't take away anything from Sentry. He's one of the, if not the, most powerful humans on Earth and has proven to be a true hero.
10. Black Bolt is the leader of the Attilan Inhuman society. A virtually silent ruler, Black Bolt leads his people with a kind heart and their safety in mind. Often very stubborn because of his bias towards his people over other lifeforms, Black Bolt will admit when he is wrong and accept the help from outsiders only when absolutely necessary. When other heroes meet Black Bolt, they often have no idea of how powerful he truly is. His Inhuman physiology grants him, and the rest of the Inhumans, super strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, reflexes, and longevity. What sets him apart from the other Inhumans is his ability to harness and control electrons. Black Bolts suit may seem strange, or maybe it doesn't because all superheroes wear interestingly designed spandex, but it was created to help him control and channel his powers. By absorbing electrons and other particles through his suit, Black Bolt is capable of manipulating matter and energy allowing him to create physical constructs such as walls and bridges or enhance his already superhuman abilities. He's also immune to telepathy and is capable of flight. While many rulers know that words are power, Black Bolt leads by using as few words as possible. Not because he's shy but because he doesn't want to destroy everything his people have built. Black Bolt's most devastating power is his hypersonic voice. Black Bolt is constantly absorbing electrons, and since energy can neither be created nor destroyed, he stores it within himself and his suit. When he speaks the energy is released, to the point where even the slightest whisper is capable of leveling cities. Should Black Bolt be forced to raise his voice, the amount of damage would be virtually irreparable. Black Bolt is the second character on this list to come from royalty, the other being Thor, as such he automatically earns respect from other heroes.
As I mentioned in the introduction, it was a lot more difficult to determine the finalists for this top ten list than I had originally expected. There are so many Marvel characters and almost all of them have powers that I'd like to have. The Avengers and X-Men have had tons of different heroes join the teams and it was difficult sorting through to figure out who deserved a spot on my list. Below are a few honorable mentions who were the last ones to be crossed out on my rough draft. Whether you are a die-hard comic book fan or a casual MCU movie watcher, it's difficult to deny the coolness that these superheroes have. They're fictional characters that inspire us to be good, kind, and strong. They make us want to be stronger than we are and help people push themselves physically and mentally. They serve as literal heroes for many people and the comics and movies transport people to a different world where they are able to take a break from the real world and just enjoy using their imaginations.
Honorable Mentions: Iceman, Colossus, Luke Cage, Adam Warlock, and Deadpool.
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