Top 25 All Time Favourite Superheroes

So anyone who has been reading this blog since it began may know that I love superheroes. While they are everywhere nowadays thanks to the popularity of superhero films as well as comics, TV shows and video games, they are still great. So with Marvel having reached the culmination of the MCU thanks to Infinity War and DC being in a better state of mind with their films, I give you my top 25 all time favourite superheroes. Rules for this list are that they must be heroes I know a great deal about whether it be through films, video games, TV shows or comic books. And that as long as I have done many of those things, then the entry will count. It won't just be restricted to DC and Marvel as I do have other heroes traditionally not associated with them in mind as well (but it will likely be most of them anyway). So let's get to it:



25 - Kick-Ass

So we begin the list with a hero that is pretty much cosplay if Mark Millar made a comic out of it. So we have this guy called Dave Lizewski who is a nerd and loves reading comic books about heroes. Inspired to be a superhero himself, Dave goes about buying a suit and mask and goes about training to fight crime. After his first attempt nearly gets him killed but hospitalized nonetheless, his second attempt proves to be more successful and because a nearby bypasser posts a video of him on YouTube, he becomes somewhat of a viral sensation. But of course, this gets him dragged into a series of events that not only change him, but define him and give him meaning. I like him because he is as real of a hero as any of the others on this list will get, but is a nerd at heart with an interest in making a difference through violence. Two films have been made as well as a pretty successful series of comic books as part of the Millarverse so he's a good one to start with.

24 - Superman

The thing about Superman is that he is to a lot of people, very overrated. Overrated because he is the quintessential superhero that anybody would want to be like. Being strong, able to fly, breath in space and read minds as well as heat vision are more or less what anybody being a hero would want to have as their ideal powers. But despite taking that one name that makes him a hero from the get go, he does have some flaws and weaknesses. While in the fictional universe his disguise of Clark Kent seems to allow him to blend in without being questioned, its not fooling anyone in the real world and some villains he's taken on have taken note of that. Most stories I've come across of his are a retelling of his origins as if we didn't need enough of that already, but some of them stand out such as For the Man Who Has Everything where Superman is put in a scenario where Krypton never blew up and discovers how it would've been if he was never sent to Earth. Then there's The Death of Superman which pits him against a foe that pushes him to the ultimate limit where the title could be what happens to him. The most popular ones though are where he's teaming up with other heroes whether it be to deal with his and their respective villains or stop a Earth or universe threat such as the Crisis events or the many wars that have happened. To put it bluntly, Superman is a hero that can come across as the perfect or essential superhero. But what makes me like him is that despite his greatness, even he knows that he isn't perfect as many fans claim he would be.

23 - Martian Manhunter

Our first and possibly only alien hero on this list comes in the form of Martian Manhunter. A member of the Justice League and one of the most powerful beings of the DC universe, he has a lot to offer. He can move through inanimate objects, he can shapeshift to turn into almost any living being and he largely resembles the powers of Superman along with those additional powers of his. He is a mysterious being who upon arriving on Earth, begins to question a lot of things. But would ultimately be won over by the inhabitants of Earth for being the hero that he is, even if he is the last of his kind. I personally like him because he's just one of those heroes that you just want to give a big old hug to for all that has happened to him and just because he can shapeshift into any being and does it for the good of the heroism that he does unlike his Marvel equivalent. But I am interested in knowing what would happen if he ever went rogue. Guess I need to read more comics of his.

22 - Aquaman

Now to a lot of people, having the ability to talk to sea creatures sounds a bit silly and just not that great of a power to have. But for Aquaman, this power actually does a lot more than that. It can help people in need when in the waters, its helpful in any battle or war that takes place in the ocean and it gives him an advantage over many other heroes who would otherwise not do well in the water. And after a long period of time, DC wanted people to take him more seriously and to do this, they went about making a series of stories where we see the weight he takes in his role as the king of Atlantis. Sure he may be like other heroes who distant themselves from the rest of the world by hiding in isolation, but in a way that can be seen as a good thing. Despite being a good king in many versions of his character, if Aquaman goes bad, Earth pays the price as he controls the oceans and thus putting everyone at risk. Which is why I like him because he is a hero that is often underestimated because all it takes a bit of power to make the world your playground.

21 - Star-Lord

So we now come to the first official Marvel hero on this list (official because Kick-Ass was published by Marvel's Icon imprint) which is also the only human character in the Guardians of the Galaxy (although he is known to have some powers of his own that say otherwise). Although I haven't read many comics of Star-Lord, he seems to be like the sort of hero that you can have a beer with and just have a good time with because of his keen interest in 80s pop culture. And he is also one that despite his flaws, can lead a team into battle often with his walkman playing music in the background. Although depicted as an outlaw much like the rest of his team, Star-Lord generally likes his heroism and wants to protect the galaxy at all costs. But he can often be seen as a bit arrogant and a bit reluctant to do things that go against what he sees as his values and principles such as initially refusing to kill one of his fellow Guardians to stop Thanos from wiping out half the universe in Infinity War. A likeable hero who admits that he isn't all perfect, but has a great taste in music and 80s pop culture and can kick some butt when he needs to.

20 - Cyborg

Some heroes are born to be heroes whereas others become heroes due to a freak accident of sorts. Cyborg is one of those heroes who was once a man but due to a freak accident, he became part man and part machine. With a high IQ and an almost robotic body, Cyborg is a formidable foe that works well as part of a team and just as well on his own. He has served as a member of the Teen Titans but more recently has been seen as a member of the Justice League (most likely down to popularity if anything) and has taken on a number of opponents. He can Boom Tube his way to things, has a gun that kind of works similar to the gun that Samus from Metroid has and much like with Superman and Martain Manhunter, he also has a form of heat vision. And yet despite having all these things, he still isn't satisfied in life, but finds his purpose when he joins the previously mentioned superhero teams and that's why I like him.

19 - Supergirl

While I do like the man of steel, I like the girl of steel more because despite having an almost similar origin story, Supergirl I find is more likeable and less overrated. To begin with, her secret identity isn't as bad as Superman's Clark Kent, she is more likely to give people hope better than he can (and least from what I saw in Injustice 2) and while the grown ups decide the decisions for her, she is ultimately a rebel in that she knows what she wants and doesn't want anyone to say otherwise. Plus much like her older cousin, she can pack a punch or two when necessary and while sometimes arrogant, she likes working as part of a team more so than Superman in a way. She is in every way the better Super character than Superman could ever be, but that's just my opinion. I like them both, but Supergirl I like just that little bit more and it's not just because of her looks and personality.

18 - Wonder Woman

You know I often think that films, TV shows and video games that have some kind of empowerment to them is great which is one of the reasons why I liked the Wonder Woman film so much. So like Aquaman, Wonder Woman comes from a land that is hidden from the rest of the world where only females reside due to their hate for men. But when one Steve Trevor arrives on their homeland of Themyscira, of course they start out as being hostile, but after hearing what he says, Wonder Woman takes that mantle and journeys with him to the rest of Earth to take on a brave new threat. Wonder Woman despite looking young in some versions, can be considered the oldest member of the Justice League due to having fought many battles over the years and gaining powers from gods of greek mythology such as flight and being able to fight like a warrior and lead armies into battle. Of course she does have some flaws such as her iconic costume which could be seen as too revealing and makes some people wonder if she ever gets cold (though other versions aren't as bad). And she can also misunderstand things which is natural for someone like her having been separated from the rest of the world. But I still like her.

17 - Captain America

Although how he becomes a superhero can be questionable as he gets his powers from a drug known as super serum, Captain America is nonetheless an Avenger of sorts. He is the oldest of the team and is very patriotic in both his costume and in his name. He is a soldier who has fought in a number of battles (more frequently against Hitler than anyone else), but would eventually get frozen and be brought to the present day where he would become the first and oldest of the Avengers. He fights for everything that makes America what it is and generally works well as a leader as well as a soldier making him an adequate fighter. I do however often think that he's maybe too patriotic in some way, but he nevertheless is one of the best Avengers out there and we love him for it.

16 - Hellboy

So before any of you jump to conclusions, Hellboy did indeed come from Hell itself, but he is not a devil in any way. In fact he is a half demon and a pretty badass one too. He's one of those heroes who is widely considered an anti-hero and lives in a world where his kind isn't welcome or rather the general public are too scared of him and his kind. Nevertheless, he is a well meaning demon with a sense of humor mainly in part to his upbringing by his adoptive father. He has superhuman strength, resistance to injury with some regeneration capabilities and is pretty indestructible to the point where he can survive almost anything that a human cannot survive in. However despite being as indestructible as he is, some weapons (mainly those of Ancient times) are known to mortally wound him. Despite this, he is a capable fighter that won't be easy to beat so other heroes better look out.

15 - Thor

You've heard about the first and oldest Avenger. Now let's look at what is arguably the mightiest Avenger. Mighty because he is a Norse god of thunder and the rightful heir to being the king of his kingdom known as Asgard. Thor is a god in many ways. He wields a powerful hammer that can be summoned at will. He has the power of lightning and can electrify his opponents or just punch them silly as he is very strong too. He joins the Avengers when his brother Loki comes into conflict with them on Earth and Thor then proves himself to be a capable but sometimes too powerful of a fighter in the team. And because he is a god, you don't want to p*** him off. Of course he can be defeated. It just takes a lot to take him down. But he's still one not to be messed with.

14 - Doctor Strange

When Marvel wanted to bring magic into their universe, they created a hero known as the Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange. A man who was once a neurosurgeon but broke his hands in a car accident and thus went on a journey to become the hero you know him as today. He can manipulate dimensions such as the Mirror dimension as well as use magic to uncover hidden passages and to make portals and shields and all sorts of other things. In other words, he is basically the Harry Potter of Marvel just without the whole chosen one thing going on. A powerful wizard in his own right and one not to be messed with. Even Thanos made that mistake in Infinity War.

13 - Ant-Man

Now I know that DC have their own version of a hero that can grow or shrink, but there is seemingly something about Ant-Man that just makes him better. To begin with, while he does grow and shrink, he still retains his human strength which makes him a worthy opponent in any situation. He can outsmart even the smartest of heroes and villains and is a capable fighter even managing to lead an army of ants when he needs too. This is one fighter where size doesn't matter to him and that's why I like him.

12 - Firestorm

So compared to Marvel's fire wielding hero, Firestorm has the advantage of having two or more minds in one being. This guy can fly, use fire and in some versions can even manipulate the Firestorm matrix that one of his minds contains which can allow him to become a living bomb or be able to wield Kryptonite among many other skills and abilities. But does two minds put other heroes and villains at a disadvantage? Well yes and no. Yes because two minds can make him more smarter than any other hero. And no because sometimes, the minds aren't quite set out to harness the Firestorm matrix. But in the end, he or rather they are a worthy opponent in any battle.

11 - Black Panther

DC have Wonder Woman so what about Marvel. Well there is a hero that is a king of a hidden land, but his costume has some resemblance to another DC hero which we will get to later on this list. For now, we have Black Panther. The rightful ruler of Wakanda who has a vibranium suit which is mostly just a technological necklace that can give its wearer the suit to help protect his land while also serving as an Avenger when needed. The majority of his fighting skills resemble that of a real black panther, but he otherwise can lead armies into battle and can always be seen as intimidating against his foes. This is one king that is not to be messed with, especially as he comes from a land that is more technologically advanced than the rest of the world. Wakanda forever!

10 - Green Lantern

Sure there are a number of people that take the mantle of Green Lantern. It is essentially one of the many hero names that is taken up by a lot of people hence why in the DC universe you see so many of them and their respective rival corps. Of course the ones that most people will know are Hal Jordan, John Stewart and Guy Gardner who all reside on Earth and in almost all versions of the team, they are either all or some of them are members of the Justice League. All Green Lanterns use willpower as their power and allow the rings to create what the imagination let's them create in the hopes to be successful in any fight they take on. Willpower can be stronger than most other things like rage and fear, but maybe not as strong when it comes to hope or love. Still though, they are the space police after all and ready to take on whatever the universe throws at them.

9 - Groot

Now I have often seen Groot as the heart and soul of the Guardians of the Galaxy and (spoiler alert) I was devastated when he got wiped out of existence in Infinity War. Groot in many ways is a living tree who at one point was a very hostile creature but would eventually turn into a old but wise being that would bring some kind of life into almost any are he is in. Though his one and only flaw is what he says. You hope for him to speak normally, but just like with Hodor of Game of Thrones and Chewbacca of Star Wars, he is ultimately restricted to only saying "I am Groot" with one of the other guardians being able to understand him clearly (or so we are to believe). Despite that, he can grow to incredible sizes and can fight the good fight, even going as far as to sacrifice himself for the sake of protecting his friends which in such a rare instance, he would say "We are Groot" implying that they are all family. In the end though, he is one of the best Guardians out there and one of the funniest to watch too.

8 - Wolverine

Wolverine is quite possibly the most overrated X-Men that you can get. He is seen in almost every story to do with mutants and/or the X-Men and up until Logan, he was in every film as well whether it be a main or major role, or just a cameo. But in some versions, he isn't just an X-Men but also an Avenger. He wields claws, he can regenerate himself and he's pretty dang angry going as far as to almost kill the living daylights out of his foes. But despite his mean spirited personality, there is also a softer side to him that makes him remember that he is only human and not an animal like his heroic persona makes him out to be. He can also be misunderstood and can easily be manipulated. But ultimately, he is a mutant one way or another and will go for the kill if he has to. This is one hero that you do not want to p*** off.

7 - Iron Man

We've had the mightest and the oldest Avenger. So where does Iron Man fit in? I would say he is the wealthiest Avenger in that he has a lot of money and a lot of suits he can use for almost any occasion. He may just be a man in a suit, but he is an Avenger that can outsmart anyone and has even managed to battle and survive the most deadliest of threats like Loki and Thanos even when he was at a disadvantage in those fights. He has a lot of weapons at his disposal as well as a lot of places he can call home. He also has an arc reactor which was once his heart and soul before getting surgery to make him more human once again. He's even survived terrorists, the wrath of Ultron as well as the Civil War which makes him quite the opponent as well as one of the smartest beings in the Marvel universe despite some arrogance in some versions of him.

6 - Spider-Man

The most well known and popular of all superheroes, Spider-Man is one that people just love too much. He often comes across as being the most friendly of any hero even when he's pitted against his enemies and lives up to his name of being Spider-Man as all his abilities are to do with being a spider. Bitten by a spider one day made Peter Parker as well as his successor Miles Morales gain the ability to shoot webs, climb across walls and have great gymnastic ability to fly and be flexible whenever the need calls for it. Regardless of which person it is, they are the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Men and they protect New York when other heroes cannot and they are just lovable.

5 - Flash

So we have another hero that many have taken the mantle of and rightly so. The Flash is the fastest thing alive. Faster than Quicksilver, faster than Sonic the Hedgehog and even faster than that one Incredible. Why? Because unlike those speedsters, he can enter what's known as the speed force which can let the Flash travel between dimensions as well as through time and reality itself. They can also use the speed force to give other heroes their speed when the need arises. But sometimes they can do something so bad that it affects everything and everyone around them which comes at a great cost to them. Despite this, they are still very capable fighters and fast ones too. All villains out there better be ready for one or many fast punches heading their way.

4 - Hulk

Last of the Avengers now and here we have the obviously strongest of the Avengers, the incredible Hulk. You all know the story of how Bruce Banner got into a radiation shinanigan that caused him to turn into a big green monster whenever he gets angry or excited. So basically, this hero was once misunderstood for being an angry blood thirsty monster until things happened and he quickly became loved by many and was welcomed as a member of the Avengers. But despite being a member of the team, his team mates were prepared in case Hulk ever went overboard hence why you see them give Hulk a lullaby whenever he's not needed and when they bring out the Hulkbuster to sort of try and stop him from going overboard, though with a lot of damage caused in the process. But in the end, Hulk is a hero who knows what is a friend over what is a foe and would always get his friends out of a pickle every time. But it still doesn't excuse the Illminati from sending him into space.

3 - Green Arrow

Marvel have their own archer and so do DC. Out of the two, I prefer DC's Green Arrow. Mainly because he actually looks like a mordern day Robin Hood. He shares similarites to other DC heroes like him and is a very capable archer who just wants to rid the world of evil or as the show Arrow makes out, get rid of people who have failed his city. He has a lot of arrows suited for any occasion and even without the bow, he can still fight hand to hand pretty well too. He protects the weak and while not a founding member traditionally, he does serve as a member of the Justice League and would always do what's right even if his arrogance gets in the way of things.

2 - Deadpool

So here's my all time favourite Marvel hero who isn't even a hero anyway, but is an anti-hero. Deadpool is one of the funniest heroes that you can come across. He is a deadly mercenary that not only can put up a good fight, but he can also break the fourth wall repeatedly, has voices in his head that make him do things (some being more unspeakable than others) and he's just a laugh all around. In fact he is so funny and deadly that the writers at Marvel decided to one day have him kill almost the entire Marvel universe just to see how far one deadly merc with a mouth can go and boy its not just funny, but its pretty badass and also quite terrifying too. Though of course we later find out that it wasn't our Deadpool that did all that but rather someone known as Dreadpool. Still though, its pretty terrifying how much one merc with a mouth can go to be the universe's deadliest weapon but also the universe's only hope too and all that is why I love him.

Now onto my honorable mentions before we go to what I think is the most obvious number one choice for me if any of you have been following my blog so far.

Honorable Mentions:
Rocket Racoon
Hawkeye
Black Widow
Gamora
Drax
Falcon
War Machine
Hawkgirl
Hit-Girl
Daredevil
Jessica Jones
Luke Cage
Catwoman
Robin
Nightwing
Iron Fist
She-Hulk
Mantis
Magneto - Some versions see him as a hero or anti-hero
Prof. X
Elastigirl
Mr. Incredible
Dash
Violet
Jack Jack
Mr. Fantastic
Thing
Swamp Thing
Starfire
Raven
Beast Boy
Scarlet Witch
Vision
The Wasp

So many heroes, but only 25 slots. Now for my number one choice.

1 - Batman

Yep. You all saw this coming. So what makes Batman the best hero there is? Well he is relatable as he is just a human being who relies on weapons, skills and his brain to get out of any situation. He unlike many other heroes, knows that killing is wrong and does everything in his power to make it so that no one gets killed, although will still beat the living daylights out of criminals when the need calls for it. And even when he does kill, he shows some remorse for it and will always find a way to gain the advantage when all odds are against him. He is one smart being which makes him quite the tactition in any Justice League and Bat family operation going on. Loads of people love him more than any other hero and I do too. Plus like Iron Man, he to has gone against heroes and villains more powerful than him and despite the disadvantages thrown at him, he always seems to get out unharmed or very beaten up but not killed. So all that is why Batman is number one for me.

Agree or disagree? Then comment below to tell me what your favourite heroes are and why. And hopefully the next top 25 won't be too far away from now.