Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #1: Captain America

1. Captain America
“The Sentinel of Liberty”

Its been a lot of fun counting down my favorite Marvel characters to get to #1 and I hope all of you tuning in have enjoyed it - I know many have been reading so I’m certainly grateful for that. Well, here we are, and without further ado the #1 spot on my top-ten list is none other than Steve Rogers a.ka. Captain America!

Anyone that knows me from the blog here, or from a couple of the other comic sites I frequent elsewhere, likely saw it coming a mile away but Captain America captured my imagination, struck a chord, and proved to be a more meaningful character for me than any other in comics and has been my favorite character since I began seriously collecting comics as a young teenager in the 80’s. Up until that point I had only had sparse contact with the character on shows like Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, and a reprint volume in my local public library, but when I began picking up his comic in the bookstores it took all of one story, two at most, to rocket Cap right to the top. What immediately impressed me about the character was the rock solid integrity that he possessed in the face of conflict, both moral and physical. He didn’t so much as flinch when he encountered a challenge and he took it one step further by literally awing his friends and opponents with his determination, and skill, in the face of seemingly impossible odds. His never-say-die attitude didn’t feel fake, rather, he literally believed he was going to come out on top.

It is man that faces impossible risks, and wins! - Captain America

Whether I knew it at the time, or not, that was just the kind of thing I needed to read about as a teenager and Cap really did play a huge role in helping to reinforce my ideal of what being a good, decent, human being was all about, things that my parents and grand-parents were striving to teach this young buck in real life. Funny enough, one of the criticisms Cap has received over the years was that some fans found it hard to relate to him, but for me it was never about relating with Cap, it was about striving to reach a loftier standard. And Cap is a lofty standard to reach because he’s a symbol of principles greater than any one man. Rooted very much in reality, Captain America was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as their response to the ever-growing threat of Nazi fascism, created to give a voice to their opposition to Hitler and the destruction he left in his wake. Boldly appearing prior to our official entry into the war (December, 1940) he was brought to life with a bang, literally “smashing thru” and socking Hitler right in the jaw on the cover of Captain America Comics #1. Cap was their pro-active protector of freedom and the sense of devotion he had for his country through thought and action have made him something more than a four-color comic character. He’s not real, but his ideals are, and that’s the real power of the character. Of course, I mentioned in Spidey’s entry that only a handful of characters have a uniform as cool as his, and Captain America’s is one of them. While he wasn’t the first patriotic hero, and certainly didn’t have the first American flag inspired uniform, his was inspired in a way that none of the others could quite match, from the prominent stars and stripes, to the wings on the cowl, all illustrated with Simon and Kirby’s distinct and powerful style. Additionally, his unique shield became the perfect weapon to symbolize the strength - in both offense and defense - that he and his country undertook in in the good fight. Well, that, and it’s just plain awesome!

But who is the man behind the mask? It was a young, struggling, Steve Rogers who wanted nothing more than to do his part to serve his country in defeating the Nazi’s, but who was too frail to enlist in the U.S. Army. Dejected, he was approached by Dr. Erskine (a.k.a. Reinstein) to participate in a secret government sanctioned project designed to create an army of “Super-Soldiers.” These soldiers were to be “unlike anything the world had ever seen” with enhanced, preternatural, abilities that would place them leagues above the normal human and make them critical weapons against the enemies of the country. Long story short, Steve’s transformation was a success, but just as he was re-born, a Nazi spy shot and killed Dr. Erskine who had not fully committed his successful formula to record. Cap was the first, and last, of his kind and after bringing Erskin’s murder to justice he dedicated his life to becoming everything the good doctor had hoped for him, and more. Simply put, Cap’s accomplishments became the stuff of legend within the four-color page and he’s become something of a father-figure, and mentor, for the Marvel Universe in the decades since. Characters the likes of Spider-Man look up to him, he’s become the figure-head of the Mighty Avengers, and is synonymous with the heroic ideal in a way that few other characters, if any, have.

It’s been a heck of a lot of fun reading and collecting his adventures over the years and while Steve Rogers is currently ‘at rest’ in the Marvel Universe, to me, he’ll always be Captain America and while I am really enjoying having Bucky back, and am proud of the fact that he’s worthy of the role, and up to the challenge of striving to be Captain America, I hope that Rogers will will be back and once again take up his mantle. He is the original, he is the success story, and he’s the man that has forged the legend. For this, and numerous other reasons, Captain America is my favorite Marvel hero, and my favorite comic character at that.

“Go get ‘em Cap!”

________________________________

When Captain America throws his mighty shield,
All those who chose to oppose his shield must yield.
If he’s led to a fight and a duel is due,
Then the red and white and the blue’ll come through
When Captain America throws his mighty shield.

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #2: Spider-Man

2. Spider-Man
“Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man!”

Kids love Spider-Man, and I was no different. As far as I know the web-head has always been there, simply present in my life as far back as I can remember. At an early age I had a Spider-Man blanket (prominently featuring John Romita’s Spider-Man that I still have and treasure), wore the PJ’s, plopped myself in front of the television to watch Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends at ever opportunity, and fashioned home-made wrist-shooters to imagine myself swinging around the house and sticking to walls fighting crime. Even had the Spider-mobile! It makes me crazy to think that some 25+ years later they’d have full-out Spidey costumes for kids to wear, web-shooters to bug their parents to buy, and masks that would bring them one step closer to becoming one of their heroes. Not cool for me, but how great for kids and their imaginations today! My oldest niece, for example, has been a big Spider-Man fan ever since she learned that her cousin was a huge fan (he literally worn his Spidey PJ’s to their final threads before getting a new set) and she was awed to find out that her 30-something year old uncle not only knew all about Spider-Man himself, but that he had a pretty decent collection to boot! I can’t wait until she, and the other girls, learn to read so that I can share these stories with them. But back to my own childhood for a minute.

How grateful I am for the visual that Steve Ditko came up with, because that’s what first catches the attention of young folks like myself! There are only a small handful of costumes (less than you could count on one hand) that rival the blue and red color scheme, with the full - large eyed - mask, webs and spiders to round out the effect. It’s a perfect costume to reflect the utterly unique character and if ever Ditko was inspired, it was here.

I’ll need a name — well, guess Spiderman is as good as any! Looks pretty good if I do say so myself! - Peter Parker

But even more than Steve Ditko, it was John Romita that brought the character to life for me, though I wouldn’t learn that until years later. His clean, crisp, style influenced everything about the character in the late 70’s and early 80’s and to this day it’s the “definitive” version of the wall-crawler to me. All of those iconic poses that graced products everywhere seared themselves into my mind, and there I happily carried them until a fateful day (going for some drama here) when I noticed a hardcover collection of Spider-Man comics in my elementary school library! Up to that point I knew comics existed, but I didn’t own any, and certainly didn’t know there were Spider-Man comics!? I checked the book out with fervor, and literally marveled at its contents. Inside was a reprint of Spider-man’s origin and several pages devoted to Ditko’s illustrations on how Spidey’s powers, gadgets and equipment worked. There were also character bios (that I now recognize from the first dozen issues of the title) that detailed the people in Peter Parker’s life, as well as those villains he fought against. They were awesome as well: Electro, Doc Ock, The Chameleon, Kraven the Hunter, The Shocker, etc. All so cool, and I’m surprised I didn’t completely wear the book out reading it as often. This one book opened my eyes to all that was out there in the world of comics and I owe Spider-Man, and the experiences some very creative people brought me, for sparking my interest in comics - period.

As for the character himself, we’re often told that what’s so effective about Spider-Man is that he’s simply a character that we can identify with, and in many ways that’s definitely true. He had girl problems, financial problems, and struggled to balance his normal life with the fantastic powers he inherited after being bitten by the radioactive arachnid. If we couldn’t identify with the proportionate strength of a spider, at least we could see that he had challenges not unlike the ones teens and young adults faced. But more lasting than that, for me, was the drive that Uncle Ben instilled in him, that “with great power must also come great responsibility.” Spider-Man’s heroism came as result of a learning that lesson the hard way, the hardest way, and his becoming a force for good as a result is one of the most touching stories of triumph in fictional literature as far as I’m concerned. I love it when we can take a lesson and directly apply it to ourselves and this one’s a biggie! Likewise, I identified with and appreciated Spidey’s sense of humor. With all the complexities of his life as Peter Parker and Spider-Man, he’d laugh and make jokes when he donned the mask in order to cope with the real danger that he faced. But the quips were classic and watching him frustrate his foes with his unique powers, and quick wit, was always a treat. There’s so much about the character and his supporting cast to write about but I reckon that if you’re a fan - you already know. The climate and goings on in Spidey’s corner of the Marvel Universe following “Brand New Day” is such that I probably won’t be around for awhile, but I’m hoping for a better day down the road and reading Spider-Man’s adventures regularly again. Until then, so many stories and memories…

Our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man comes in at #2 on my Top-Ten Marvel Heroes list…stay tuned for #1!

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #3: The Silver Surfer

10. Silver Surfer

I vividly remember a hot summer here in North Texas where I took swimming lessons at one of the local parks. Every day I’d go was full of nervous energy - which usually faded when I was in the pool - and afterwards, I’d go play on the jungle jim equipment for half an hour or so. It was on the jungle jim, one day, where I caught my first glimpse of the Silver Surfer. One of the other kids was wearing a shirt sporting a silver figure on a surf board (likely a reproduction of The Silver Surfer #1) and while I wasn’t collecting comics at this point in my youth, that he was a super-hero was instantly recognizable to me and I remember being awed at the concept (well, as awed at a concept that a 8-9 year old can be) of a shiny silver super-hero atop a flying surfboard. But without the internet around to learn more, and few other resources at my disposal in those days, I simply filed the character away in my mind until I’d encounter him again.

Fast forward several years later, where a bunch of my friends, classmates, and I were all collecting comics (with disposable allowance now in hand). As comics were being passed around left and right, I caught glimpse of Tales to Astonish #93, entitled “He Who Strikes the Silver Surfer” and there again was that surfer I had seen those many years ago. The cover was striking, it had a vintage silver-age look to it that drew into it, and it was also a Hulk-related book, so I quickly traded off some issues of my own to be the proud owner. The book surpassed my lofty expectations, and the story made me an instant fan of the Silver Surfer. To this day the book holds a distinguished place in my collection and I highly recommend it to anyone that hasn’t read it. To quickly recap the story by Stan Lee, Marie Severin, and Frank Giacoia:

The Hulk is tired of being hunted and misunderstood, and seeks a way off the planet to be alone unto himself. And when the Hulk encounters the Silver Surfer he figures that the ‘flying man’ can help him in the endeavor. But a tragic misunderstanding ensues and the two find themselves instead locked in combat. Perhaps even worse, at one point after the Surfer has temporarily knocked the Hulk out, he detects the man inside the monster and even seeks to free him from his burden using the power cosmic, but startled, the Hulk awakes and again attacks - squandering the opportunity to be free from his torment.

This is how I obtained comics, more or less, for the next year or so, basically a handful at a time through trades with friends. That is, until I found out that Waldenbooks and Dalton’s book stores carried them weekly on spinners racks and with the mall only a block away there I started collecting new titles. Lo and behold, they carried the ‘87 Silver Surfer series and his was one of the books I began collecting. I want to say I started with issue #24 and, safe to say, when Jim Starlin and Ron Lim teamed together to bring us multiple chapters in the epic “Infinity Gauntlet” saga…well, comics just didn’t get much better than that and the Silver Surfer was a staple of my reading for years to come.

In the 10+ years since then, I’ve taken and prized the opportunity to read the Surfer’s original tales by creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in “The Galactus Saga,” and many by Lee & Buscema that followed.  In doing so it has only made the character that much greater in my eyes. Norrin Radd’s sacrifice to save his planet, Zenn-La, from Galactus’ insatiable hunger was merely the first noble act in a leagues worth of stories featuring the mysterious Surfer and his fight to uphold justice on a universal scale. It was such with his sacrifice on Earth’s behalf.  His power is such that relatively few beings can claim an even playing field, with too many abilities to try and list here, but it is his utter humanity that makes him great, standing out in the crowd as he strives to live up to the responsibility such power must bring. Seeing what he’s seen, doing what he’s done, and witnessing cosmic forces from Galactus to the Living Tribunal and in-between, It’s no wonder he spends so much time in space contemplating himself and his role in the cosmos. It has been a dream come true to see him play such a prominent role in the recent “Annihilation” events and I hope that there’s a lot more to come from the hands of talented writers like Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning where good ‘ol chrome dome is concerned. For this, and many other reasons, the Silver Surfer comes in at #3 on my list of favorite Marvel characters.

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #4: Daredevil

4. Daredevil

We’re over half-way there at this point and I hope those of you reading have enjoyed going through the list and that there has been at least a character or two that you don’t often see as much in other top-tens; or perhaps that a favorite character of your own was represented. But in getting back to the list, coming in at #4 is Matt Murdock a.k.a. Daredevil.

I reckon that I don’t need to recap Daredevil’s origin in detail, other than to say he came from very humble beginnings, and like so many other great characters, dealt with serious adversity all his life, culminating in the death of his father at the hands of the Fixer’s men, and his own tragic accident with radioactive chemicals while attempting to save a pedestrian that left him blind. Fortunately, as is often the case with adversity, it proved to be a refiners fire for Matt, and after gaining enhanced senses following his exposure to the radioactivity he began training his body, as well as his mind, to make a difference in the world. Hell’s Kitchen, in particular. And while Matt was indeed struck blind, the accident unlocked a gift as well - enhanced senses that amplified his sense of sight, hearing, touch and taste to a superhuman degree. Additionally, he developed a “radar sense” that allows him to “see” the impressions of solid objects, and people, around him. With these unique abilities Daredevil had the tools, and together with the tutelage of Stick, he would hone the skills necessary to become one of the most adept defenders of human liberties around.

Daredevil was one of those characters that I first gravitated towards when I began collecting. In fact, his was one of the first books I bought off the stands with my allowance money as a kid. There was just something fascinating about a character that donned a red suit with horns and a billy club, who was blind but took the name “Daredevil.” The visual, not unlike Nightcrawler, is an ironic one and it goes miles in depicting the genius that has gone into his creation and refinement over the years. And, interestingly, unlike some other characters, the life of Matt Murdock was nearly as captivating as it was when he donned the mask. A lawyer by profession, Matt’s enhanced abilities make the courtroom a very compelling place for readers to watch him enact justice as well and given my interest in such things that goes a long way. Plus, a with a rogues gallery that includes: Bullseye, The Kingpin, Typhoid Mary and so many other great villains (with their many nuances) reading the book has always been a heck of a lot of fun.

In recent years I haven’t been able to follow the character as much as I’d like (no thanks to a tightening wallet) and the last run I was able to put together was Brubaker’s debut storyline “The Devil, Inside and Out,” which I enjoyed a great deal. However, I am hoping to spend some time and money in the months to come tracking down the rest of Brubaker’s run as I’m sure he’s doing great things. He’s one of the best writiers in the business and I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read of his over the years. It’d be criminal of me not to read his work on good ‘ol hornhead!

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #5: Hawkeye

5. Hawkeye

By anyone’s reckoning, Hawkeye might have easily found himself on the wrong side of the law, indulging in all the riches that his skill could have brought him. After all, young Clint Barton had been orphaned at an early age with only his brother at his side, he grew up in the shadow of criminals to whom he owed much of his skill, and to make matters worse, he had a hot-headed temper conducive to getting him in trouble. But Barton didn’t allow his circumstances to define him, and becoming a shining example of human initiative and responsibility he chose a better path for himself (much to the chagrin of his mentors, and brother) and that’s one of the reasons Hawkeye comes in at #5 on my Top-Ten Marvel Heroes list.

It’s likely that I first encountered Hawkeye as a member of the West Coast Avengers, specifically during John Byrne’s run on the book (which, despite a few hiccups, I hold in very high regard). In fact, I remember the exact point where, as a teenager, I decided that Hawkeye was really cool — and that was the opening pages of West Coast Avengers #42, where Hawkeye is going through the paces of an extremely difficult outdoor archery workout on the grounds of their headquarters, and passing with flying colors thanks to some serious skill honed through years of dedication. I always appreciated it when normal humans were able to go that extra mile to balance out the scales between them and the super-powered mutants and meta-humans they worked with and as I read more about the character through the years, his skill and dedication would continually remind me of Captain America, with a sense of humor and approach to crime-fighting all his own.

And certainly his connection to Cap was one of the things that I enjoyed the most about the character as well. As anyone who has read the adventures of Cap’s “Kooky Quartet” knows, these two have a long history together and it didn’t start off on the right foot. Captain America was experienced, disciplined, and expected to be obeyed on the battle-field, whereas Hawkeye was an adventurer, quick to anger, and thought he knew best how to contribute to the Avengers. This, of course, led to a lot of blow outs between the two and they were constantly at each other’s throats in the early days. But, in time, Clint came to really respect Cap, probably holding him in deeper regard than anyone else, and the Star-Spangled Avenger came to value Hawkeye’s skill and contribution to the team. In fact, they developed a brother-like bond very similar to the one that Cap and Bucky share and I was glad to see Hawkeye and Bucky reconcile things recently in the pages of Captain America. Great job by Brubaker in going that extra mile.

Additionally, I thought Hawkeye’s uniform was one of the coolest around, and that his adept marksmanship with the bow was one of the funnest aspects of the character. He was able to do things with the bow and arrow that would put Green Arrow to shame and I always liked the fact that he could throw down the fisticuffs whenever necessary to amazing effect. It got him in trouble on occasion, certainly, but the never-say-die attitude was great! I think of Hawkeye as one of the greatest, most loyal Avengers, and will always associate him with the team when they were at their best. Likewise, having led the Avengers, and the Thunderbolts into victory after victory he’s become one of the most dynamic leaders in the Marvel Universe. I’m afraid I don’t know all the goings on in today’s M.U. (no thinks to the gut pounding Disassembled, Civil War, etc.) and I regret that he’s no longer running around as “Hawkeye” (despite my appreciation for Kate Bishop’s character) but I’m glad that he’s back and hope that one day he’ll resume the mantle and re-string his bow again after a period of rest.

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #6: Nightcrawler

6. Nightcrawler

Created by the legendary Dave Cockrum, Kurt Wagner a.k.a. Nightcrawler comes in at #6 on my Top-Ten Marvel Heroes…though he almost found himself on the Top-Ten DC Heroes list! One of his many inspired creations, Dave initially tried to pitch Nightcrawler to DC Comics as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, but the character was deemed too strange for the group and Cockrum held onto him for another day. And good thing, because when he returned to Marvel and was chosen to help re-tool the X-Men, Dave took the opportunity to introduce Nightcrawler as a member of the team alongside: Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Banshee and Thunderbird.

Resisting the suggestion to make the character as devilish in nature as he looks in appearance, Dave took another approach all-together, which was to make him a lighthearted character, more in the mold of an Errol Flynn, than a brooding and mysterious demon — which is one of the things that made Nightcrawler stick out to me. He was a jovial swashbuckler of a character, just at home with a sword in his hand (and tail) and a damsel on his arm as he was on the battlefield when lives were on the line. The irony was perfect, and I’m grateful that Dave took this route. Also worth mentioning in light of his appearance is another great irony - that despite having the outer appearance of a demon, Nightcrawler maintains a strong, inner, faith in God - which resonated a lot with me.

And then there were his powers. By virtue of his mutant nature, Nightcrawler enjoyed enhanced strength, speed, and agility which allowed him to flip, jump, and parry with the best that Marvel could offer. Likewise, his tail was essentially a third appendage, and together with his acrobatic training in the circus he is capable of things that few others, if any, can accomplish. Additionally, he can stick to walls and thanks to his dark features - and the additional ability to seemingly melt into shadows - allowing Nightcrawler to become virtually invisible in the dark. Last, and certainly not least, he has one of the coolest signature powers around — the ability to teleport! Ah, if only I had this power! With his signature BAMF! Kurt can disappear in one place, to nearly instantaneously appear in another of his choosing. Which, obviously, comes in awful handy as a fighting tactic which has aided him and his teammates countless times.

Nightcrawler has been one of my favorites for almost 20-years now and some of my greatest comic-related memories come from stories that centered around the fuzzy blue elf, particularly his adventures as a member of Chris Claremont and Alan Davis’ Excalibur. Very, very, few comic runs are able to compete with the sheer joy I had reading and collecting this title and Nightcrawler was a major reason for that. Both Claremont and Davis had a masterful handle on the character and in the course of that book, Nightcrawler was able to grow leaps and bounds beyond the heights that he had already attained in the pages of the X-Men. There he matured to a an even greater degree, and so much so that not only did he became a mentor to characters like Kitty and Rachel, but he developed the qualities of a leader that helped him lead the team for a season. We were also treated to excellent artwork by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer throughout, and as a result, despite my appreciation for Cockrum’s own stylized version, Davis’ Nightcrawler remains the “definitive” version for me.

So, with one of the coolest demeanors around, extremely fun powers, and fantastic stories behind him Nightcrawler has cemented his place in my Top-Ten (and may go even higher) and has become something of an old friend over the years.

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #7: Nova

7. Nova, the Human Rocket

If Bendis didn’t deserve my ire for “Avengers: Disassembled,” the first 2-dozen issues of the “New Avengers,” or “House of M” then he certainly earned it for ripping on Nova’s “bucket” helmet! There are things that people will tolerate, and there are things that they will not — and that sir — crossed the line! Seems there’s no accounting for taste these days (notice my tongue is firmly planted in cheek) and I’ll go on record now as saying that Nova is one of the coolest heroes around, bucket and all, and he comes in at #7 on my “Top-Ten” list.

Nova was created by Marv Wolfman and Len Wein during Marvel’s Bronze-Age, but it wasn’t until much later that I had to the chance to read Richard Rider’s earliest stories, instead, I was introduced to the character in the pages of The New Warriors and Amazing Spider-Man, where he was brought dramatically to life by the likes of Fabian Nicieza, David Michelinie, and Mark Bagely. Initially, I enjoyed the camaraderie and adventures that he, Spider-Man, and the rest of the New Warriors had together, as well as the simple “Human Rocket” aspect of his powers! As you may recall from previous posts here, I’m a sucker for aviation and if a character can fly, and manage to make the theme interesting, then I’m there! And Nova managed to make a flying hero fun. He was skilled, a little cocky, and the visual of the comet tail as he flew was very cool (I would love to see that brought to life on the big screen, or animation, with this character). Additionally, Nova was super-strong (around Spider-man class), agile, bullet-proof and had the ability to project energy blasts. All of those powers had been seen before, but combined with the cool Nova uniform, his membership in the corp/New Warriors, the brash - struggling - teenage personality (without going too over the top), and Rich’s drive to be a force for good, everything just fell into place and a great character was born.

I enjoyed his adventures for years, and then things just seemed to dry up. The New Warriors walked into the sunset, there wasn’t as much room at Marvel for “secondary characters” that there once was and as I took a break from comics for a number of years, apparently Nova just never could quite get the foot-hold that he had during his original series, and with his revival in the early 90’s. That is, until a few guys by the name of Giffen, Abnett and Lanning came along and with the 2006 Annihilation event blew the doors off the dusty cosmic universe at Marvel and put Nova right in the center of the action. Deep in the heart of the conflict, and as the last of the Nova Corp (see Annihilation Prologue) Richard Rider had to take another leap forward as a character, with legions depending on him, in the face of massive destruction. Nova gets the spotlight in this event as he never had before and did so without writers having to change what was already there. Since Annihilation, Rich has accepted his expanded role and nearly worn himself out in the service of helping others following the event and with his book being critically acclaimed, and at the height of popularity the sky is nowhere near the limit for Nova.

My sincere thanks to Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and everyone involved in demonstrating how much potential Rich, and so many other characters, have under the guidance of talented individuals that have a story to tell and want to do good by interesting characters and their readers. As a result, the last couple of years have been a joy to read, at least as far as this corner of the Marvel Universe.

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #8: The Invisible Woman

8. The Invisible Woman

Just edging out the Thing as my favorite member of the Fantastic Four, and coming in at #8 in my “Top-Ten,” is Susan Richards, a.k.a. The Invisible Woman. Sue likely won my heart as a young teen-aged boy many years ago, though probably not for the reasons that first come to mind. Yes, she’s drop-dead gorgeous and don’t think I didn’t notice, but more than that she was also intelligent, responsible, vulnerable, slow to anger, and perhaps most of all a woman fiercely loyal to her family.

As I mentioned in a recent post on “Strong Women” here not too long ago, Sue represents what I feel are some of the strongest qualities a woman can possess. Namely, intelligence, wisdom, a kind heart, an adventurous spirit (recall that she was on an unauthorized space expedition once upon a time), courteousness, and among other things, a matriarchal nature that cares deeply about her family. In Sue’s case, she does all of this without sacrificing an ounce of her own character. She retains a healthy sense of humor, can put the fear of a woman into all three of the prominent men in her life, and has the kind of mettle necessary to stare down Doctor Doom and live to tell about it. She even had Namor the Submariner, with all his early disdain for the surface world, beside himself at the possibility of winning her heart. But more than anything, scenes such as this are what endear the character to me most.

What a gal!

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #9: The Thing

9. The Ever Blue Eyed Lovin’ Thing
“Idol ‘o millions, thousands even!”

The Thing has been a comic staple for me since I was a wee little tyke watching the Fantastic Four cartoon on television, and coloring the coloring books. He’s almost always been there in one form or another and, in fact, that’s one of the most honorable traits of the character — when you need him, good ‘ol Ben Grimm is always there to clobber the bad guy, or lend a helping hand. Behavior that obviously belies his monstrous appearance, betraying the human inside.

It’s difficult to imagine just how hard it must be for Ben Grimm to bear his appearance, particularly so being that he’s the only one of the Four that doesn’t appear normal, but his “never say die” perspective can be seen in full force in the way he now handles it. Not that it was always easy as pie, his anger at “Stretcho” for being unable (and at times unwilling) to help has led to several problems in the past, but deep down I think Grimm likes being the Thing to one degree or another, which we get a hints of when he enthusiastically proclaims: “It’s Clobberin’ Time!” And given that he’s in a strength class that few can surpass, it’s never been good to be at the receiving end of those determined fists.

Additionally, following what will be a theme in my “Top-Ten,” the Thing was created by Jack “The King” Kirby, and is probably the character closest to him by my reckoning. From all accounts I’ve read, Jack put more of himself into this character than any other and in enjoying the adventures of Ben Grimm, I like to think that we get a little insight into the man that created him. As close friend Mark Evanier once wrote:

The Thing is how Jack thought people saw him. Jack was short but physically very strong and powerful. His incredible energy and output had a lot to do with his physical strength as a human being.

As long as his friends are in need, and there’s a bad guy to stop dead in his tracks, the Thing will likely forever remain standing by his family in defending the defenseless, and exploring the reaches of the universe in search of new discovery, and new frontiers. It’s that drive that got him where he is in the first place, and no doubt it’s only gotten stronger since his fateful transformation. For this, and for the fact that I just plain like the big guy, the Thing makes my “Marvel Top-Ten” list.

Aunt Petunia would be proud!

Top-Ten Marvel Heroes #10: Black Bolt (& Medussa)

10. Black Bolt (& Medussa)

Pardon my attempt to get away with [two] characters in this entry but Black Bolt and Medussa go so hand-in-hand one with the other that it would be very difficult for me not to include them as one. Because there stands Black Bolt, powerful monarch of the Inhumans, and a being so powerful that with the utterance of a single syllable he can unleash untold destruction upon friend and foe alike — upon entire cities. This is his gift, and this is his curse, so he must reign in silence with his beloved wife near him to relay his wishes. Fortunately, the two are so in  tune with one another that the simplest of glances between them speak volumes, and together they rule the kingdom benevolently as one.

Black Bolt was simply one of those characters that I stumbled upon in my youth who personified true nobility (possessing qualities of excellence) which was evident immediately in his self-discipline, self-control, and heroism — and as a yung-un that was the kind of character that really stuck out to me. Still is. Of course, the cool Kirby uniform and ninja-like silence and skill didn’t hurt either!  With the unique ability to manipulate electrons, that greatly enhance his already superhuman abilities, Black Bolt is undoubtedly one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, yet he keeps it in check as often as possible through deep thought, meditation techniques, and special equipment designed to keep himself, and those around him, safe. But still, how “cool” is it when he unleashes that power!?

I can’t recall exactly where I stumbled upon Black Bolt first, but I reckon it was during one of his council-sessions with Crystal, during her relationship with Johnny Storm, and probably during John Byrne’s run on the Fantastic Four where he and the Inhumans became real favorites of mine — likely around the “Exodus” storyline. And, of course, not long after reading these I’d learn that these were Jack Kirby creations and if Black Bolt & the Inhumans aren’t a personification of just how fantastic an imagination that Jack had, then I don’t know who, or what, is! Fantastic Four #44-47 featuring the debut of the Inhumans is “must read” material for anyone that hasn’t had the good fortune yet.  So, in the years since I’ve been tracking down the better Inhumans-related stories wherever I can find them and while I’m a little behind these days (Marvel having lost me in large part after “Avengers Disassembled”, “HoM”, & “Civil War”) I am really looking forward to the upcoming Secret Invasion Inhumans mini-series, and seeing if Black Bolt makes it out of things alright and with respect fully intact after recent events. He’d better, if Marvel still has a lick of sense.

And I’m still holding out hope that one day Black Bolt, Medussa, and the rest of the Inhumans will receive an ongoing title again, and maybe just maybe, Alan Davis and Mark Farmer will be on board as creators. That’d be a dream come true to be honest. Such great characters, and these are just some of the reasons that Black Bolt (& Medussa) make my “Top-Ten Marvel Heroes” list.

Behold! Black Bolt is King once again! King by right of eminent domain! By right of royal challenge! By right of fait accompli! Maximus is dethroned! Long live the King!