Title explains it all really. It's mostly DC and Marvel characters by the way with some TMNT and other characters thrown in as well. And two more things. Firstly, all my picks in this list were comic book characters first. Secondly I don't have that many anti heroes on here. I prefer more clear cut heroes who try and do as much good as possible, striving by a moral code to live by. Though there are a few on here.
My all time favourite superhero, comic book and fictional character. He became my favourite through a mixture of the Disney Hercules film, the Superman cartoons and the Black Lace song Superman. Being British, Superman isn't an American icon to me. Instead he represents the best attributes of humanity and the ultimate force for good imaginable. Superman represents us at our absolute best. He's an ideal of humanity's values and morals but he is relatable enough to still be considered a meaningful character, not a distant icon. The irony behind Superman for me is that despite being an alien with godlike powers, he acts as human as the rest of us due to his upbringing from The Kents. His selflessness, compassion and the desire to always do the right thing are traits we could learn from and aspire to. Superman's been used in my upbringing as a moral authority and remains to me the superhero archetype by which all other heroes are measured. I'm almost certain there'll never be a comic book or fictional character I'll love more than Superman. He is simply the greatest fictional character to me.
Currently the coolest superhero around, I did watch the immensely successful 1990s Batman cartoon but the Batman Beyond cartoon is what got me interested in Batman. Obviously, Bruce Wayne is my favourite now. His obsessive crusade against the endless wave of crime in Gotham City has made him an endearing character and Batman's gritted determination to carry on his war on crime against all the odds make him an utterly awesome character which makes his stories all the more legendary. Batman is an example that if we set our minds to something, we can do or be anything we choose to be. Not to mention his inherent contradictions deepen the character even more. His logical demeanour is countered by his flair for the theatrical, his vigilante status contrasted by his presence as the protector of Gotham and his ultimate loner figure alongside a family of fellow heroes. And despite Batman waging a ruthless war against criminals, he holds himself in check with a strong moral code. These dichotomies are what make Batman a complex and deep character for me.
Watching the 1996 Spider-Man cartoon and finding Spidey's wisecracks very amusing plus owning several classic Spider-Man comics, this guy is my 3rd favourite superhero. After all, Peter Parker is the most relatable superhero around. Throughout his 50 year tenure, Peter has faced at least one problem which most readers can relate to in some degree. Throughout his history, there's probably been at least one problem readers and fans can relate with. And despite all the tragedy in his life, Spider-Man picks himself up and carries on fighting thanks to those immortal wise words: "With Great Power comes Great Responsibility." Even though he may make mistakes and screw up, Spider-Man continues to do good in spite of the adversity he has suffered from. And that's what makes him the iconic everyman superhero we can all relate to in some way. Although Spider-Man is my third favourite superhero, his post One More Day status quo has been generally awful for the character's progression and growth. So I should clarify that Pre 2006/OMD Spider-Man is my third favourite superhero.
Originally my favourite Green Lantern was John Stewart and I knew more about Kyle Rayner than Hal Jordan but since hearing the hype about the Sinestro Corps War, I read Blackest Night and started collecting the Geoff Johns Green Lantern series. This showed me what a brilliant character Hal is. His determination, cockiness and ability to continue moving forward in spite of his past made for a compelling character arc in my eyes. As such, Hal is now my favourite Green Lantern of them all.
His place here is down to JMS' run on the Thor series. JMS gave me a new look at Thor's character, namely giving him epic fantasy, engrossing adventures whilst also humanising the God of Thunder. This lead me to read more into the world of Thor. His place in mythology interested me further as I have always had a soft spot for ancient myths and legends. Thor's nobility, honour and humility make for excellent characteristics for the stoic hero he is. Thor serves as the link between the ancient mythologies throughout human history that created supernatural beings to worship and current comic book superheroes that have become the new modern day myths. This is what makes Thor an engrossing character in a literal god serving as a hero and protector of mankind.
The ever lovin' blue eyed Benjamin Grimm has a rough but undeniable charm to him. His rocky exterior hides a heart of gold and his struggles between thinking himself a monster and his actions making him more of a man than many of the foes he fights embodies Marvel's approach to heroics. Ben's powers may be a curse to him and his appearance but he's turned his unfortunate situation into a positive desire to help others which is a truly admirable trait.
OK I'm British so the whole American patriot thing isn't why Cap is here. He is an astonishing individual. His leadership, charisma and dedication to doing the right thing has made Steve Rogers an impressive hero in my book
Dick is the perfect example of a character's development and progress over the years. He's gone from being the original Boy Wonder to crafting his own unique identity and status amongst the superhero community and even replaced Batman himself. Dick's growth over the years has made him a truly endearing character.
I struggled between Wally and Barry for some time but eventually due to Michael Rosenbaum's comedic performence on the character in the Justice League cartoon and the fact I knew him as the Flash before Barry makes Wally my favourite of the Flashes. He is the best example of a legacy character done right where his time as the Flash progresses from lapsing in the shadow of Barry Allen's greatness to stepping out of it and surpassing his mentor in understanding the Speed Force and learning how to better control it to increases his speed and powers. Plus Wally's romance with Iris West rivals that of Barry and Iris as well written and appealing romances go. Wally's progression from sidekick to a hero worthy of his mentor's name makes him an excellent legacy character who has successfully filled the shoes left to him by his mentor.
I was familiar with Kyle before I knew about Hal. Kyle's role on the JLA along with his significance in resurrecting the Green Lantern Corps interested me a great deal.
J'onn J'onzz is a character who has often acted as the soul of the Justice League, if not arguably the DC Universe itself. He's distant and mysterious but possesses an enormous amount of compassion and empathy to his character. J'onn plays up the alien visitor aspect to his character much better than Superman and it's this contrast that makes his desire to protect his second home all the more appealing to me.
His new film spiked my interest for the character as the Tony Stark presented there was intelligent, cocky and extremely funny. And then Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes cemented my interest in Iron Man.
Pre Flashpoint version.
Tim is my favourite Robin by far. His intelligence at such a young age makes for an excellent counterpart for Batman. What's more, Tim wasn't given the role of Robin like Dick and Jason were. He actively sought to find out who Batman was and become the next Robin. That is why Tim is my 3rd favourite member of the Batman family.
Pre New 52 Roy Harper, before Cry for Justice. And current Rebirth version.
The Justice League cartoon was where I first saw Diana and further reading the JLA comics gave me more reason to become interested in the character. Wonder Woman’s backstory is in my favourite type of mythology, Greek mythology which I’m a sucker for. But more importantly, Diana has been a uniquely portrayed character. She is an ambassador for peace and diplomacy from the Amazons of Themyscira to Man’s World, yet she is a trained and fearsome warrior. She will offer her enemies mercy and love but that doesn’t mean she isn’t prepared to draw blood if necessary. She is a symbol of beauty and grace whilst also being tough and stoic. This duelling portrayal can be hard for writers to balance correctly but when done right, Wonder Woman stories can be very interesting. Her values, motives and message continue to make her relevant to this day.
