Number 10) The Thing
It’s clobbering time! That catchphrase never gets old, does it? Under that hard-orange rock exterior lies one of the nicest and most amiable character to hit the Marvel comic books.
With his superhuman strength, unmatched sense of humour and good nature, he brings full balance to the sometime too-intellectual Fantastic Four.
Ben Grimm would love nothing more than to go back to a normal human life but being self-centered pigs, we would like for him to remain in this not-so-enjoyable condition and keep up the beatings!
Number 9) Deadpool
Deadpool is not really a superhero, more like a super-zero. The guy has no moral values whatsoever and will kill anyone for the right amount of money.
He manages to pull a good action here and there and he makes us laugh, so we think of him as a good guy… more or less.
The merc with a mouth is definitely the funniest Marvel character ever created. Spider-Man has a big mouth no doubt about it, but Deadpool as elevated trash-talking to unprecedented levels and because of that we LOVE him.
His multiple personality disorder makes Deadpool a blast to read as he will even fight himself. We never understood is obsession for the Olson twins though?!?
Number 8) Daredevil
Daredevil is blind (sorry… we mean visually impaired) but that never stopped him from being a superhero. His acute sense of smell, super hearing and super agility makes him the perfect masked vigilante.
Devoting his entire life and career to defending the poor of Hell’s Kitchen makes him the only respectable lawyer in the world and that, just by itself, is worth the 8th position. The presence of Elektra in the storyline is a big plus… hmmmm Elektra…. drool…
Number 7) The Punisher
The Punisher probably has the highest body count in the Marvel Universe. He lives and breathes to kill criminals. He’s given up on everything but guns.
Even if he’s a borderline psychopath, we can’t help but approve (and enjoy) of what he does. I mean, beating and killing criminals is not a bad thing is it?
You would think that the good guys would wise up and finish the job when the opportunity arises. With so many jail escapes and paroled criminals, it might be that a bullet is just the required solution. Go Punisher Go!
Number 6) Wolverine
Wolverine has gain unprecedented popularity in the last 10 years, thanks in vast majority to four very cool X-Men movies featuring the good looking Hugh Jackman.
What fans love about Wolverine are his bad attitude and his simple nature of “let’s kick some butt and (maybe) ask questions later”. Every time Wolverine is involved in a storyline, you can be sure that there will be violence, blood and broken bones. The fact that he’s Canadian makes him even more likable eh.
Number 5) The Hulk
The Incredible Hulk stands out of the crowd, no doubt about it. This green beast is so powerful that he can go head to head against Thor and withstand direct missile hits! Although The Hulk lacks complexity in terms of powers (because seriously folks, all he does is smash things up and jump around), the recent movies and plethora of animated series have brought a new deeper psychological dimension to this big monster.
The Hulk is way high amongst everyone’s favorite superheroes and it’s easy to understand why: he represents raw power and destroys everything in his path, something we would sometime enjoy doing.
Number 4) Thor
He’s a god; need we debate on why he’s in this top 10 list? Thor is the son of Odin and Gaea and takes his origin in Norse mythology. As god of thunder, he is granted immense powers. He’s immortal, can fly, is the strongest being alive (prove us wrong), can summon lightning, and wields the legendary warhammer Mjolnir.
Although we venerate Thor for his strength and combat valor, we are often disappointed by the ‘cheesiness’ of his dialogs and we never understood why he lets his brother Loki, the god of mischief, play so many bad tricks on him. Worst case of sibling rivalry ever!
Number 3) Iron-Man
The Iron Man suit has resisted decades of technological advancements. The exoskeleton armor as underwent more upgrades than your copy of Microsoft Windows. The beauty behind this franchise is that it just gets better and cooler with time. Tony Stark keeps creating new toys that are even more powerful than the previous ones.
Iron Man is probably second to Captain America in terms of influence in the Marvel Universe. Tony Stark is the living proof that all humans are imperfect and that even with billions of dollars, there’s bound to be some bad decisions made here and there. Remember when Stark was a profound alcoholic and was flying the metal suit while under the influence?
Number 2) Captain America
When you think of superheroes, Captain America is a pretty normal guy and his shield is just about the most boring weapon out there, but that’s exactly what makes Captain America so great!
He’s only human but goes head to head against the biggest meanies in the universe, while acting as leader to the Avengers. Let’s not forget that Captain America is almost 80 years old and fought Hitler in the Second World War before being frozen in ice, and thawed several years later.
His loyalty towards the nation and his sense of morality are a source of inspiration to everyone. Steve Rogers is perfect at everything… which is kind of annoying sometimes. 2011 will be the year where the first real Captain America movie will come out. Featuring Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, we sincerely hope that the stud won’t turn into a dud!
Number 1) Spider-Man
The success story behind Spider-Man was to target a teen audience when the demand was high. Transforming a goofy and nerdy boy, obsessed with science and chemistry, into a web-spinning superhero was sheer genius.
The legendary Stan Lee and Steve Ditko delivered a very complex teenage drama were the main character would struggle between school, jobs, personal finances, and many would be girlfriends. This made the ‘Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ a hero kids and teens could somewhat relate to cough cough.
Although his powers pale in comparison to some more eccentric superheroes, the gazillion toys and spidey-clothes are constant reminders of his ever growing popularity amongst kids and parents.