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  • Top Ten Greatest Superheroes of All Time

    Top Ten Greatest Superheroes of All Time

    At their very best, superheroes are inspiring emblems of all that it means to be heroic. They should make us wonder at how we can be better in our own lives. Superhero comics fill us with a type of awe and feelings of surety that are unmatched in other mediums. It’s no surprise that superheroes are a big deal in the modern era, with surety and stability the furthest thing from our real world. Today, we’re undertaking the Herculean effort of rounding up the ten greatest superheroes of all time. Up, up and away!

    Ten Greatest Superheroes of All Time

    10. Daredevil

    Photo Credit: Comic Book

    The first hero on our list is the Man Without Fear, Daredevil. While his adventures have hardly been large-scale, cosmic affairs, Matt Murdock remains as inspiring as the best of them. A blind lawyer by day and a street-ninja by night, Daredevil has an intangible cool factor that is unmatched. His ideals of justice and equality are refreshing, and his dedication to his cause makes him awesome. As street-level superheroes go, Daredevil is the very best.

    9. The Hulk

    Photo Credit: Bounding Into Comics
    Big, green and mean, the Incredible Hulk is an unstoppable berserker. He lands a spot on our list for how tenacious and unstoppable he is. While he’s hardly heroic, his alter-ego Bruce Banner is the very definition of a hero. Always looking for ways to protect the world from the monster he becomes, Bruce is a tragic hero. When things hit the fan, though, Bruce is always ready to save his friends by becoming the big monster.

    8. Green Lantern

    Photo Credit: DC

    While many have worn the title “Green Lantern,” we’re talking about the Hal Jordan version of the character here. Hal was originally a fighter pilot before he discovered a powerful green ring. The Green Lantern ring, it turned out, allowed him to create energy projections based on his willpower. What makes Hal so inspiring is his optimism, strength and dedication to defend humanity. His adventures are always exciting and uplifting!

    7. Iron Man

    Photo Credit: IndieWire

    Tony Stark may be a billionaire playboy philanthropist, but he’s also one of the best superheroes ever. While he has no superpowers of his own, he’s a genius with a powered suit and he knows how to use it. If anything, Tony’s lack of “real” superpowers only makes him cooler! Who else can go hand-to-hand against Thanos without superpowers and come out without being pulped? Tony’s freewheeling, fun-loving attitude and genuine determination make him a fan-favorite for good reason.

    6. Batman

    Photo Credit: YouTube

    Batman may be a bit overplayed, but he gets all that attention for a good reason. He’s a very dark, complex superhero with many layers. He’s been reinvented and rebooted countless times, but through it all there are some common themes. First, he’s dedicated to protecting the common people of Gotham. Second, he’ll never kill, no matter what. And third, he believes that everyone can be redeemed. If those aren’t the tenets of a true hero, I don’t know what are!

    5. Thor

    Photo Credit: Amazon
    The literal god of thunder, Thor is hard to top when it comes to superheroes. Drawing on the depth and richness of Norse mythology, Thor is always a fascinating character. His complex relationship with his brother Loki makes him that much more engrossing. Further, the weight of the kingdom of Asgard and the responsibility of defending Earth always weigh heavily on the Thunder-Bringer. Watching the Asgardian Prince go toe-to-toe with demons and monsters on our behalf is always a sight to behold.

    4. The Flash

    Photo Credit: The CW

    The fastest man alive, the Flash is one of DC’s perennial titles, passed from one superhero to another. Most noteworthy of their number is Barry Allen, the Silver Age speedster. Allen, a forensic scientist, believes in the merits of lawfulness and goodness, and always strives to make the world a better place. Free from much of the moral quandary that comes with superheroes like Batman and Daredevil, the Flash is always sure of himself. In many ways, the Flash is sort of an echo of DC’s other superstar, Superman, but we’ll get to him!

    3. Captain America

    Photo Credit: Encyclopedia Britannica
    Truth, justice and the American Way: these are the values Captain America stands for, and we love him for it. Steve Rogers is the very model of the all-American superhero, and he reminds us what the best parts of our nation are. Kindness, responsibility, strength and honesty are Steve Rogers’ cornerstones, and he always strives to live up to the high bar his title requires. It’s hard to not feel at least a little patriotic when you see Cap in front of an American flag, punching a Nazi or saving someone from a burning building.

    2. Superman

    Photo Credit: Sideshow Collectibles
    The Big Blue Boy Scout is beyond iconic, he is the emblem of the genre. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t recognize his trademark red S emblem immediately. The alien savior from another world, Kal-El always puts others first. His bulletproof smile and Mach 5 punch keep the people of Earth safe, no matter the odds. If you’re even a passing fan of comics you’ve heard of Superman, and there’s a good reason for that. I can think of worse characters to base a genre on!

    1. Spider-Man

    Photo Credit: Digital Spy

    He can do anything a spider can and he’s the best superhero in the world. Peter Parker is a believable character due to his flaws and foibles. He deals with the pressure of high school while also risking his life to save the world. His principal conceit is that those with the greatest power have the greatest responsibility to help people. That’s an inspiring message, and it reminds us that we can all help our world more.

    Swinging from a web, beating up bad guys and saving lives are Spidey’s hobbies, and he’s the best at them. While other superheroes may be stronger or more epic, none match just how likable and relatable Spidey is. After all, the entire purpose of a superhero is to remind you of the greatness within yourself.

  • 10 Marvel Stories that Need to Be Brought to the MCU

    10 Marvel Stories that Need to Be Brought to the MCU

    As the MCU captures the hearts and minds of movie fans all over the world, fans of Marvel comics couldn’t be happier. What’s even better than reading your favorite character’s comic book? Why, watching them kick butt on the big screen! Now that Marvel has even gotten the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four, we’re more excited than ever to see what kinds of stories they’re looking to bring to the big screen. With that in mind, we’re looking at the ten Marvel stories that need to be brought to the MCU!

    10 Marvel Stories that Need to Be Brought to the MCU

    World War Hulk

    Photo Credit: Comic Vine

    Thor: Ragnarok gave us a great glimpse into the cosmic potential of the Incredible Hulk. Banner’s green alter ego is a huge force in the Marvel Universe, and it shows in the World War Hulk arc. The arc’s name is pretty self-explanatory: Hulk leads a force of aliens to Earth. A huge war erupts, involving all the superheroes on Earth. It’s downright awesome, and we’d love to see the Hulk smashing through all of his Avenger pals. Korg and Meek even appeared in Ragnarok, and they both act as supporting characters in the comic arc of World War Hulk.

    Secret Invasion

    Photo Credit: Comic Book

    As it turns out, the villainous Skrull race is really good at shape-shifting and masquerading as your friends. The Secret Invasion arc told of an invasion of Earth by the Skrull that no one even noticed. How could they? Anyone could be a Skrull! 2019’s Captain Marvel film is set to feature the Skrull as antagonists, which may set up for a future Avengers film to adapt the story to the big screen. What better way to follow up the bombastic Thanos than a subtle, intrigue-filled conflict with the Skrull?

    Sinister Six

    Photo Credit: Spider-Bob’s

    No one in the Marvel Universe has a rogues’ gallery as deep and interesting as Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio and Sandman formed the original Sinister Six to try to kill Spidey. In the MCU, we’d love to see a variation on this story after Spidey hurts some more feelings among his existing enemies. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is a delight, and we’re honestly just excited to see him on the big screen some more. Seeing him pushed to his limits as he overcomes villain after villain would be an awesome way to grow his character.

    House of M

    Photo Credit: CBR

    Scarlett Witch is very, very powerful. It’s a little absurd just how strong she gets as the comics go along. Look no further than the tale House of M to see just how deep her well of powers runs. Wanda decides through a complex series of scenarios that there aren’t enough mutants in the world, and they’re all treated too poorly. She rewrites reality with mutants on the top of the food chain, resulting in a society that is racist to non-mutant individuals. Wolverine, however, has some memory of the world as it was, and helps lead a group of heroes to set things right.

    This would be an excellent tale to explore the nature of mutant-kind. It might even be a good way to introduce them to the universe, having Wanda create them as part of an alternate reality. The events of the film could merge the “real” world with the House of M world, thus explaining why there haven’t been any mutants in the MCU yet.

    Original Sin

    Photo Credit: Hollywood Reporter

    Something of a noir-style gumshoe tale, Original Sin is a “whodunnit” story with a cosmic setting. The tale follows several superheroes who are seeking to solve the murder of Uatu the Watcher. The tale is intriguing, engrossing and entertaining, showing off the best parts of Marvel’s cosmic storytelling. In the MCU, this story would likely work best as a standalone film crossover, likely leaning heavily on the Guardians of the Galaxy to lend it levity. It would also be a great send-off for Nick Fury, but we don’t want to spoil too much about this excellent tale.

    Secret Wars

    Photo Credit: Nerdist

    Secret Wars is another tale that would be an excellent way to introduce the Fantastic Four and X-Men to the MCU. The more recent Secret Wars, the 2015 event, would be a particularly excellent bridge for the new heroes to appear in the universe. The event has a collision of multiple universes result in the creation of a patchwork world called “Battleworld.” Battleworld is home to every hero from across the Marvel multiverse, all of whom fight and struggle against one another for supremacy. A story in this vein would be delightful to see on the big screen. It could even allow for a reset of the status quo some time down the road, in case the MCU gets too convoluted.

    Born Again

    Photo Credit: ThoughtCo
    While Frank Miller’s politics are repulsive, and his sexism is overt and problematic, he did write a pretty solid Daredevil tale called Born Again. The bones of a really good story are here, hinting that at one point in time Miller may have been a competent storyteller. The arc has Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, systematically tear down Matt Murdock after discovering the lawyer is Daredevil. Once the Man without Fear has nothing left, he gets back up and proves himself as the Defender of Hell’s Kitchen. The comic’s tone influenced the Netflix series, so a season based on it is quite likely. As the show has been stellar so far, we’re excited to see what they could do with this classic story.

    Galactus

    Photo Credit: Marvel Database

    Fox didn’t do Galactus right, so we’re very hyped that Marvel has the rights to the Fantastic Four back. The Silver Surfer and Galactus are a fascinating, excellent part of the Marvel mythos. After the Fantastic Four are introduced into the MCU, they could face Galactus. Having them tested by fighting the Eater of Worlds would be an excellent chance to show off just how awesome they are. Marvel’s First Family deserves a decent movie, and this is one way to do it!

    Annihilation

    Photo Credit: Marvel Database

    The epic cosmic crossover event Annihilation would make an incredible follow-up for the Infinity War story. This event tells the story of Annihilus, a dangerous alien hellbent on the destruction of the Galaxy. He arrives with the Annihilation Wave, a legion of soldiers loyal to him. This story is unique in that all the action takes place far from Earth, and it relaunching Marvel’s cosmic heroes. As the Guardians of the Galaxy have proven, cosmic Marvel translates very well to film. We’d love to see the introduction of heroes like Nova and Adam Warlock through an Annihilation film.

    Avengers vs X-Men

    Photo Credit: Marvel

    An immutable law of comic books holds that any two sufficiently awesome groups of superheroes have to fight when they first meet. This extends to the MCU. When the X-Men get their proper introduction in the MCU, they need to follow that with a brawl. A knock-down, drag-out brawl with the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Because that’s the rule. The X-Men are awesome, the Avengers are awesome, and they need to battle to show off just how cool they both are. The comic event was huge, exciting and adrenaline-pumping, and it would translate beautifully to the silver screen.

  • Ten Superheroes Who Need Their Own Movies

    Ten Superheroes Who Need Their Own Movies

    Superhero films are red-hot at the moment. You can’t turn around without bumping into a superhero movie. If you feel as though there still aren’t enough big names out there in the superhero cinematic sphere, however, you’ll love this list. Today, we’re taking a look at the ten superheroes who need their own movies.

    These are some lesser-known heroes from both DC and Marvel, characters we might not be likely to see. That said, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor and Iron Man were hardly A-listers before their films came out. Which is to say: there’s always a chance!

    Superheroes Who Need Their Own Movies

    Blue Beetle

    Photo Credit: Amino Apps

    DC’s technologically-outfitted hero Blue Beetle is a fan favorite. Three different heroes have carried the name throughout the character’s history, but the one we’re most likely to see on-screen is Ted Kord. Kord is a student of the original Blue Beetle, Dan Garret. He has no superpowers but uses technology to augment himself to fight crime. Ted would be an excellent protagonist in an Indiana Jones-style swashbuckling adventure.

    Moon Knight

    Photo Credit: Bleeding Cool

    The dangerous, multiple personalities of Marc Spector allow him to blend into normal society before striking out as Moon Knight. Moon Knight, his night-time, crime-fighting identity is outfitted with all manner of gadgets and technology. Marc’s fascinating backstory and multiple personalities would lend him perfectly to a noir-style superhero crime film.

    Booster Gold

    Photo Credit: DC

    Beginning his run in comics as a bit of an anti-hero, Booster Gold would be an ideal protagonist in a deconstruction-style movie. Born Michael Jon Carter in Gotham in the 25th century, Booster Gold grew up in poverty. Upon stealing Rip Hunter’s Time Sphere, however, he traveled back in time and now uses his advanced technology and knowledge of future events to perform superheroics. However, Booster Gold is originally motivated only by a desire to become wealthy and famous, and cares little about actually helping people. While he eventually came around and became a true hero, his origins as a wealth-seeking glory hog would make for a fantastic change of pace in superhero movies.

    Nova

    Photo Credit: Freehdw.com

    Richard Rider’s best shot at entering the MCU would have been through the Nova Corps on Xandar in the Guardians franchise. Given that Xandar has been destroyed, it seems more likely that the current Nova, Sam Alexander, is the more likely Nova to appear in the MCU. Sam’s place as a young hero trying to figure out what happened to the Nova Corps would play quite well with the current state of the MCU. It would also set Rider up to make a return from deep space, perhaps with Captain Marvel, thus explaining how he avoided death at Thanos’ hand.

    Static Shock

    Photo Credit: Comic Vine

    A fan favorite, Static Shock had a very popular Saturday morning cartoon in the early 2000’s. He would be a great, lighthearted hero to get his own film to bring some levity to the DCEU. His expansive rogue’s gallery and charming personality would make him ideal for a standalone movie. It seems DC is more focused on films of this vein after the critically panned Justice League, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see Static in his own movie in the next few years.

    Cable

    Photo Credit: Marvel Database

    He may have had a major role in Deadpool 2, but we still want Cable to get his own movie. The ultra-dark, scowling portrayal by Josh Brolin is absolutely excellent, and we’d just love to see more of him. Also, now that Fox and Disney are merging, Cable would be an excellent candidate to introduce the MCU to the X-Men. Perhaps some kind of temporal cascade or colliding reality brings the two universes together. It would also be delightfully hilarious to see Josh Brolin as Cable fighting Josh Brolin as Thanos.

    Hercules

    Photo Credit: Pinterest
    Marvel’s take on Herc is often sarcastic and parodies his earliest appearances. In the modern comics, he’s a drunk, washed-up has-been of a superhero. A version of him in the MCU who comes out of his drunken retirement to fight ancient Grecian supervillains that threaten the modern world would be a cool use of the character. In many ways, the personality displayed by Thor onscreen is a bit more akin to the Hercules of the 80’s and 90’s and could be why we haven’t seen him yet. Thor’s presence in the MCU may have been too much ancient mythology for the series early on.

    X-23

    Photo Credit: Marvel

    While she technically had a starring role as a little girl in Logan, we’d love to see the adult X-23 take to the screen. Now that Fox and Disney have merged, the odds of seeing a grown-up X-23 have gotten much better. Wolverine’s cloned daughter, Laura is a savage force to be reckoned with and an excellent candidate to star in an action movie.

    Batman Beyond

    Photo Credit: DC
    Terry McGinnis takes up the mantle of Batman in a futuristic Gotham City after Bruce Wayne becomes too old to carry on the name. Another DC character with a strong cult following due to his early 2000’s cartoon, Terry would be a great star for a cyberpunk Batman film. Given the relative age of the Batman seen in the DCEU, this could be a route DC goes in a few years. We’d love to see Terry’s iconic black suit on the big screen.

    Master of Kung Fu

    Photo Credit: writeups.org

    Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu, would be a perfect fit in the MCU. For one thing, the character would be a perfect opportunity for the MCU to have a leading male Asian character. Shang-Chi’s unique backstory and powers would make him an ideal fit following the mysticism of Doctor Strange and Iron Fist. It would also be a unique opportunity in the MCU for a straight-up Kung Fu movie within the superhero setting.

  • Ten Coolest Iron Man Suits

    Ten Coolest Iron Man Suits

    Tony Stark has been making his Iron Man suits for decades in the comics, since his debut in 1963. In the time following his introduction, he’s been depicted in dozens of armor suits, each one more awesome than the last. After the release of his first solo movie in 2008, Tony Stark has become a household name. The excellent on-screen portrayal by Robert Downey Jr. has revitalized interest in the once-underappreciated character. Today, we’re looking at the absolute coolest armor suits Tony has ever made. Some of them he wore himself, others he made for his friends. They have one thing in common though: they’re the coolest Iron Man suits out there.

    Mark 1 Armor

    Photo Credit: CBR

    The armor that started it all! When Tony is kidnapped by extremists in a warzone, they force him to make them powerful weapons. Tony acquiesces, but only long enough to distract them from what he’s really making: a suit of badass mechanical armor! The Mk. 1 suit is hardly the coolest looking armor Tony’s made, but that’s not why it makes the list. It makes the list because Tony made it in a cave with very limited resources and under a ton of pressure. This was also before he had built any other Iron Man suits, so he was just assuming the suit would work! Tony would go on to greatly iterate on the armor, of course, but the bones of the design are all present in this prototype.

    Hulkbuster Armor

    Photo Credit: MCU Wiki

    Filmgoers were first introduced to this awesome suit of armor in Age of Ultron, but it’s been around in the comics since 1994. As the name implies, Tony made this armor to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk when he gets out of control. As such, the armor is notorious for being unbelievably strong and tough. It uses rocket-powered boosters to back up its thunderous punches. What’s even cooler, the armor goes over Tony’s other suit, making it a suit for a suit. Who doesn’t love giant robots fighting giant green monsters?

    Iron Spider Armor

    Photo Credit: MCU Wiki

    While movie fans first encountered the Iron Spider armor in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the suit debuted in the Civil War event in 2006 in the comics. While Tony himself doesn’t wear the suit, it’s still made from the same tech as his other armors. In both the films and comics, Tony gives the armor to his friend Peter Parker. Peter’s normal suit is mostly just to conceal his identity and doesn’t generally house much technology. The Iron Spider, however, brings Peter up to Tony’s level, tech-wise. An onboard AI, thermal imaging and more give Peter a ton of flexibility in the field. Not to mention, it’s just plain awesome.

    Deep-Space Armor

    Photo Credit: Marvel Database

    In 2013, Iron Man joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. In order to operate in deep space with the team, he created this suit of armor. The Deep-Space armor, which is the Mark 45 suit, is incredibly advanced. It uses repulsor technology to power it in the vacuum of space. It also houses an AI called PEPPER and can communicate with Tony’s suits back on earth. That allows Iron Man to be in many places at once, even when he’s light years from Earth. That’s pretty high-tech!

    Phoenix Buster Armor

    Photo Credit: Iron Man Wiki

    If you thought the Hulk Buster armor was huge and crazy, wait until you see Model 39. Dubbed the Phoenix Buster, Iron Man deployed this suit when the dangerous mutant Phoenix threatened to destroy Earth. In order to stop the Phoenix from wiping out humanity, Tony used this suit to split the flaming bird into five distinct mutants that could be contained more easily. Model 39 is a huge robot, on the scale of something like a Gundam or some other anime mecha. Tony tends to keep his suits to personal-size, so this one is a really interesting outlier.

    War Machine Armor

    Photo Credit: MCU Wiki

    The second armor on this list that Tony doesn’t pilot, the War Machine armor has a deep history. Piloted by Tony’s best friend James “Rhodey” Rhodes, he acts as a superhero in his own right with the War Machine suit. This armor shares many design and tech similarities with Tony’s own. The biggest difference between War Machine and Iron Man armors is guns: Rhodey’s suit is lousy with guns. As a military man, it makes sense that Rhodey’s suit would have enough guns to make a tank jealous. It’s also downright awesome, and easily one of our favorite suits.

    Extremis Armor

    Photo Credit: Marvel Database

    In order to combat extreme wounds suffered while serving as Iron Man, Tony injected himself with the Extremis virus. This allowed him to connect to wireless technology and satellites with his very mind. What’s more, the Extremis armor was stored partly in the hollows of Tony’s bones, and he controlled it with his thoughts. Where previous suits had complex interfaces under the armor, the Extremis suit was modified for Tony’s now-unique biology. This made the armor more of a superpower than a gadget and allowed Tony to push the limits of what his Iron Man tech could do.

    Bleeding Edge Armor

    Photo Credit: Iron Man Wiki

    The Bleeding Edge suit, officially designated as Model 37, was seen as a natural extension of Tony’s Extremis armor. While Extremis still had to be stored like a normal armor suit, Bleeding Edge was literally stored within Tony’s body. At his mental command, the armor would manifest through his pores and solidify, thanks to nanotech. That same nanotech makes the armor nearly invincible and its shape can be changed at will. It can appear like normal clothes, other creatures or armors, or anything, really. This suit incorporated every upgrade from Extremis and then some, making it nearly unbeatable.

    Endo-Sym Armor

    Photo Credit: Marvel Database

    If you thought it couldn’t get much more high-tech than the Bleeding Edge armor, well, you’re right. It couldn’t. That’s why the Endo-Sym armor is literally alive. It’s a biological suit made from the same symbiote as Venom and Carnage. The suit, as such, is a blend of technology and living matter that goes above and beyond what the Bleeding Edge armor is capable of. The suit has a psionic link to Tony, and as such he can summon it without any need for technology. The liquid-metal construction of this armor can bind to Tony at will and hardens when it touches skin. It’s fantastically cool, and Tony was pretty much evil while he was using it.

    The Coolest of All Iron Man Suits: Model-Prime Armor

    Photo Credit: Marvel Database

    No suit quite matches up to the style and feel of the Model-Prime armor. While Extremis, Bleeding Edge and Endo-Sym all pushed the boundaries of what Iron Man’s armor could be, Model 51 brought things back to basics. Using the nano-tech from Bleeding Edge but scrapping the somewhat gross internal housing, the Model-Prime is a synthesis of all that came before. The suit has a hexagonal, interlocking look that is unique. It has a look reminiscent of modern cars and fighter jets. Some have even described the suit as “anime-esque,” citing the eyes and sleek look.

    The strongest aspects of the Model-Prime are its flexibility and power. While previous suits were singular in purpose, the Model-Prime is a Swiss Army Knife. If Tony needs a Hulk Buster, the Model-Prime can shift into that. Stealth mode is no longer a separate suit, but a dedicated function of this model. In all, this is the most complete and useful suit Tony has ever made.