Choosing the right super-hero is no easy deed. There are literally thousands of super-heroes in comic books, in order to help you start your quest for your favorite character, here’s a list of the most popular heroes out there.
Jump to: DC Comics | Image comics | IDW Comics
Character bio: Regular human, Scott Lang stole a suit that, used with Pym particles, allow him to drastically shrink or enlarge himself or surrounding objects.
Real name: Scott Edward Harris Lang
Super abilities: Can make himself extremely small or extremely big.
Teams and affiliations: Guardians of the Galaxy (formerly Nova Corps), Fantastic Four, Avengers
First appearance: Avengers #181 (March, 1979)(As Scott Lang) & Marvel Premiere #47 (April, 1979) (As Ant-Man)
Character bio: Born a human with no special abilities, Steve Rogers was enhanced to the pinnacle of human perfection by an experimental Super-Soldier Serum to help the USA win World War II.
Real name: Steven Rogers
Super abilities: close to super-human strength, speed. highly trained in combat. Has a shield made of Vibranium, the strongest metal in the Marvel Universe.
Teams and affiliations: Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., US Army
First appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (March, 1941)
Character bio: When he was a kid, Matt Murdock was ran over by a truck when trying to save a blind man. In the accident, Matt got a radioactive isotope in his eyes that made him blind but enhanced his other senses at the same time. Thanks to these super-developed senses, Matt can visualize his surrounding. He was trained by a blind warrior (Stick) and Matt, now a lawyer, decided to become a vigilante at night known as the Daredevil.
Real name: Matthew “Matt” Murdock
Super abilities: Radar sight that allows him to “see” his surroundings, Super-enhanced senses (except of course the sight)
Teams and affiliations: The defenders, S.H.I.E.L.D.
First appearance: Daredevil #1 (April, 1964)
Character bio: The real origins of Deadpool are fuzzy, mostly because he is a complete nut-case. What we know is that Wade Wilson was a mercenary and a gun-for-hire until he was diagnosed cancer. In order to treat the disease, he was injected Wolverine’s healing factor which bonded to his cancer but disfigured him.
Real name: Wade Winston Wilson
Super abilities: His healing factor makes him almost invincible. His military training makes him incredibly good with all sorts of weapons.
Teams and affiliations: Mercs for Money, Deadpool Inc., Avengers Unity Division, Magneto’s super-villain group, Deadpool Corps, S.H.I.E.L.D.
First appearance: New Mutants #98 (February, 1991)
Character bio: Domino’s power was the result of a top-secret breeding program from the Government aiming to develop the perfect weapon (Project Armageddon). The result of this program was a super-natural luck that will not let her be lethally wounded and that will also help her achieve almost impossible actions.
Real name: Neena Thurman
Super abilities: Super-natural luck
Teams and affiliations: Diamondback, Mercs for Money, Weapon X, X-Men
First appearance: X-Force #8 (March, 1992)
Character bio: Exposed to the explosion of a Gamma Bomb, Bruce Banner was irradiated with highly charged radioactive particles. Banner was not killed by the radiation, however, as a result, whenever he looses his temper he transforms into a green, powerful giant called the Hulk.
Real name: Bruce Banner
Super abilities: As The Hulk, super strength and super resistance.
Teams and affiliations: The Hand, Illuminati, Axis, Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D.
First appearance: Incredible Hulk #1 (May, 1962)
Character bio:Iron Man (Tony Stark) is a regular human being with no supernatural powers. However, being a great scientist, he developed an armor that enhances his abilities, granting him powers such as flight or super-strenght along with an impressive range of weaponry.
Real name: Anthony “Tony” Stark
Super abilities: Flight, Super-strength, Resistance to damage, Built-in weapons.
Teams and affiliations: Avengers, Stark Unlimited (formerly Stark Industries), Illuminati, Axis, S.H.I.E.L.D., Guardians of the Galaxy
First appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963)
Character bio: After being bitten by a Radioactive spider, Peter Parker, a high school students discovers that he has now super-powers. He then decides to become a super-hero in disguise and to protect the city of New-York where he lives.
Real name: Peter Parker
Super abilities: Super Strength, Super agility, Ability to cling on walls.
Teams and affiliations: Avengers, Secret defenders.
First appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August, 1962)
Character bio: Thor is the son of Odin All-Father of the Asgardians, and Jord, who was also known as Gaea, the goddess who was one of the Elder Gods. He is the god of Thunder and the only “person” worthy to lift the hammer Mjolnir.
Real name: Thor Odinson
Super abilities: God of thunder, wielder of Mjolnir (Name of Thor’s hammer)
Teams and affiliations:
First appearance: Venus #11 (November, 1950)
Character bio: Logan is born with a super-natural healing ability making him almost immortal and 3 retractable claws on the back of each hand. The US military, in an attempt to create the ultimate weapon injected Adamantium around his bones to make him invulnerable.
Real name: James “Logan” Howlett
Super abilities: Super natural healing, Adamantium skeleton, Adamantium claws.
Teams and affiliations: X-Men, Avengers, X.S.E., Flight/Alpha Flight, S.H.I.E.L.D.
First appearance: Incredible Hulk #180 (Cameo) (October, 1974), Incredible Hulk #181 (Real story presence) (October, 1974)
Jump to: Marvel | Image comics | IDW Comics
Character bio: Aquaman (real name Arthur Curry) is a half-human and half-Atlantean adventurer. He has several powers including superhuman strength, telepathic control over sea life, and the ability to “breath” both under water and on land. He belongs to the royal family of Atlantis.
Real name: Arthur Curry (Formerly Orin)
Super abilities: Super strength, Telepathic control of sea animals, Underwater breathing.
Teams and affiliations: Justice League
First appearance: Adventure Comics #229 (as Orin) (October, 1956)
Character bio: Batman is the vigilante in charge of protecting Gotham City, when he is not wearing is bat costume to pacify the streets of Ghotam City he is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire industrialist and notorious playboy. Even though he has no superhuman powers, he is one of the world’s smartest men and greatest fighters and thanks to his wealth he has designed and developed a complete range of gadgets and weapons to help him in his defense of the city.
Real name: Bruce Wayne
Super abilities: Incredible fighting skills and stealth, Weapons and gadgets.
Teams and affiliations: Justice League
First appearance: Detective Comics #567 (October, 1986)
Character bio: Catwoman began her Comic book career as a thief and an enemy of Batman, she later turned to crime-fighting and became part of the Batman team of super-heroes (Bat-Family). She is now in charge of protecting the East End of Gotham City.
Real name: Selina Kyle
Super abilities: No super-powers but has an incredible agility and fighting skills.
Teams and affiliations: Bat-Family
First appearance: Detective Comics #569 (December, 1986)
Character bio: The Flash is the fastest man alive on earth. He is the vigilante protector of Central City and Keystone City, fighting against evil using his super-speed.
Real name: Bartholomew Henry “Barry” Allen (Previously Jason Peter “Jay” Garrick)
Super abilities: Super-human speed
Teams and affiliations: Justice Society of America, Justice league
First appearance: Flashpoint Vol 2 #5 (October, 2011) (Previously Flash Comics #1 (January, 1940))
Character bio: Green lantern uses a magic power ring charged using his mystic green lantern to create energy constructs and use them as defense or weapons.
Real name: Hal Jordan (Previously Alan Ladd Wellington Scott)
Super abilities: Uses a magic ring to create energy constructs.
Teams and affiliations: Justice league
First appearance: Flashpoint Vol 2 #5 (October, 2011) (Previously All-American Comics #16 (July, 1940))
Character bio: Supergirl is the cousin of Superman. even though she looks younger than Superman, she is actually slightly older. She has very similar powers to Superman.
Real name: Kara Zor-El
Super abilities: Flight, Super-human strength, Can see through objects, Can fire lasers with her eyes.
Teams and affiliations: Justice League of America
First appearance: Superman/Batman #8 (May, 2004)
Character bio: Superman is probably one of the most famous superheroes, Born on the planet Krypton, his parents sent him to earth in a capsule just before the planet was destroyed. Raised in Kansas by the humans who found him, he grew up to become the hero that protects Metropolis (and the earth in general).
Real name: Clark Joseph Kent (legal earth name) / Kal-El (Alien birth name)
Super abilities: Flight, Super-human strength, Can see through objects, Can fire lasers with his eyes.
Teams and affiliations: Justice league
First appearance: Action Comics #1 (June, 1938)
Character bio: Wonder Woman is an amazon princess that was raised to be a fearless warrior. She was unaware of the outside world until a World War II pilot crash landed on their island. She falls in love with the pilot and when she learns from him that the world is at war, she decides to leave the island and fight against the Axis.
Real name: Diana
Super abilities: Super-human strength, speed and agility. Combat trained.
Teams and affiliations: Amazons, Justice league
First appearance: All-Star Comics #8 (December, 1941)
Jump to: Marvel | DC Comics | IDW Comics
Character bio: Jackie Estacado is the current day wielder of The Darkness, a power inherited from father to son that allows to create items and creatures from the darkness. This power is, however, impossible to use in the light. Jackie is also a don of the Franchetti Family mob. Though Jackie is a violent mobster who can kill without remorse, he has a high set of morals that he follows and always he always tries to protect those he cares about.
Real name: Jackie Estacado
Super abilities: Wielder of the darkness, can create objects and creatures.
Teams and affiliations: Franchetti Family
First appearance: Darkness #1 (December, 1996)
Character bio: Lt. Colonel Albert “Al” Simmons was a highly trained CIA assassin until he was murdered by his employer and his former friend Chapel. In the afterworld, Simmons sells his soul to Malebolgia in order to return to earth to see his wife again. Malebolgia sends him back to earth as Spawn, a creature bound to do his bidding. However, Spawn becomes the protector of New York City, fighting against Heaven and Hell alike (with extreme prejudice)
Real name: Albert “Al” Simmons
Super abilities: Summon and control creatures of darkness, Invulnerability, Flight and many other demonic powers.
Teams and affiliations: Eighth Circle of Hell
First appearance: Spawn #1 (May, 1992)
Character bio: The G.I. Joe team is a team of American G.I. who fight to protect the USA against the attacks of COBRA. The character is licensed by Hasbro.
Super abilities: No super ability but the team is highly trained at commando operations and equipped with high end equipment.
Teams and affiliations: G.I. Joe Team
First appearance: GI Joe #1 (June, 1982)
Character bio: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) are four half-human, half-turtle heroes named after Italian artists of the Renaissance (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael). They were trained in the art of ninjutsu (the Ninjas, martial art) half-human, half-rat sensei (master). They protect the city of New-York from their home in the sewers.
Super abilities: Highly trained ninjas
Teams and affiliations: TMNT
First appearance: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (May 1984)
Jump to: Marvel | DC Comics | Image comics
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