Pick Or Pass On These Marvel Characters To Discover Your Superpower
- by Ariel_S
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Thanks to some semi-successful X-Men films (except for Logan, that was a full-fledged achievement in cinematic storytelling) and the recent decade of absolute box-office excellence, Marvel and all of its properties are a hot topic these days. What began in the late 1930’s as Timely Comics became Magazine Management in ‘47, before eventually landing on the name Marvel Comics in 1961. Alongside their pals at DC Comics, Marvel creators cemented the comic book medium as a true place to tell astounding stories surrounding intriguing and exclusive characters just left of a reality we know.
Luckily for Marvel Comics, it hung on by the skin of its mutant teeth through the downslide of the comics industry, and squeaked out on beans and curds long enough to revolutionize the live-action superhero film world. In 2008, when Kevin Feige and his crew of finely tuned storytellers committed to the capes, that was the kick-start for the new age of Marvel.
Since then, Marvel has produced box-office record breakers, one after the other, with their intensely intertwined narrative spun over the 20 films thus far. Culminating in 2018 with the gathering of all the Avengers over time to fight the dreaded galactic force known as Thanos, it’s hard to not envision ourselves fighting alongside them. But which superpower would we have? There’s only one way to find out...
Storm
Ororo Munroe (aka Storm) is one of the most unique Marvel characters ever developed. Not only does she have one of the coolest backstories of all the X-Men, uncanny or otherwise, but she can also completely control the actual environment around her. Her name comes from her ability to cause a storm. Her abilities are that which allow her to influence the atmosphere bringing rain, lightning, clouds, tornadoes, and all sorts of weather hazards or clarity to the situation.
Iron-man
We all feel like we know the man that is Tony Stark -- son of an amazing inventor and war profiteer -- but out of every Marvel superhero, Stark probably has the largest arch in the entire studio history. His abilities are all in his head, and that’s not to imply that they are imaginary, rather, they are his brilliant ability to design technology. Hense, his Iron-Man suit. Sure, he created a powerful A.I. that evolved and nearly wiped out the entire planet. But can we blame him?
Wolverine
The gruff and nearly-invincible Logan (aka Wolverine) is the absolute definition of a loose canon. He’s extremely hot-headed, and temperamental, which probably isn’t slowed down at all by his born mutation that allows him to heal in mere seconds (we’re talking almost any ailment or injury). Wolverine’s path made its inevitable arrival into a dark place, but this fan favorite has a real soft spot.
Black Panther
It’s an extremely relatable story: he’s the child of someone that has done something great, and now, having grown up, he must live up to everyone’s expectations of him. Sure, it helps that T’Challa is the richest superhero in all of comics history, but that doesn’t mean that the king of Wakanda has it easy.
Nightcrawler
His name is (or was) Kurt Wagner -- which is a great piece of Marvel trivia if one might be looking to test their friends -- but becoming Nightcrawler was his destiny. Thanks to the guidance of Professor Charles Xavier, Wagner became a vital member and infiltration specialist for the X-Men. Also, Nightcrawler only has three fingers on each hand. Weird power, right?
Cable
Sure, Nathan Summers didn’t leave the best first impression, what with absolute desire to travel through time and shift the weights of fate to save his daughter from her demise in the future, screwing a whole lot up along the way. Somewhere in his rampage of history, he turned good guy, and became a lethal part of the X-Men squad.
Spider-Man
Peter Benjamin Parker is the closest thing that young folks have to an actual entity in the Marvel Cinematic or Comic Universes. He’s brash, awkward, and attempting (extremely hard) to find where he belongs -- not only in the world of super heroes, but also in the normal world as he attempts to balance defending New York, and the nightmare of high school.
Luke Cage
A brief stint with the Avengers, the NYC Defenders mainstay is one of the least flushed out Marvel leads (until Netflix fixed that a bit…RIP that awesome show), but is one of the coolest. He’s kind, and that’s rare for someone who can barely ever be hurt. Luke Cage (while he has little as far as “cool superhero name”) is nearly invincible.
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel is a bit of a hard pin to push down. The name, more of a sign of hope, has been portrayed in the comic books by many different people (over half-a-dozen to be more specific). The first of which was Mar-Vel, an alien officer of a far away military. The MCU is about to debut their Captain Marvel in the upcoming Avengers 4.
Deadpool
The Merc with the Mouth is one of today’s most celebrated Marvel superheros (or anti-heroes) all thanks to a whole lot of fan outrage about a cancelled movie, the perfect team of creatives driving it, and of course, flawless casting. It will be hard, nah, impossible for anyone to be considered as Wade Wilson now that Ryan Reynolds has perfected live-action hero films.
Jessica Jones
The private eye with a private stash of drinks, and an abnormally inhuman strength came to the small screen in a big bad way thanks to Marvel’s partnership with Netflix. But it is really the sass and take-no-bull attitude that comes with Jones that made a huge mark on the modern market.
Quasar
One of the more off-the-beaten-path of the Marvel superheroes, Quasar is more of an idea than a singular being. They have all been of a race of ancient aliens, and most of them wear a piece of armor called a “Quantum Band” that grants the wearer extremely bold and beyond-human abilities. Neutron, the first Quasar, made his first appearance in the fall of 1977 during a small X-Men run.
Drax
If one were to ask another who Drax was prior to the 2014 Marvel film by James Gunn, many would be drought of thought or idea. To say that the Guardians of the Galaxy was an underappreciated comic book would be an understatement. Which is exactly why the character of Drax made so many new fans when he stole the show from a relatively unknown group of misfits.
Gambit
The wicked, gamblin’ card thrower has a unique personality, a southern charm, and a very special ability. See, Gambit can infuse any item that he can touch with an explosive and corrosive power. Being a rough and tumbling cards man, he normally wields a deck of cards as his weapon of choice, paired with a staff.
Mystique
Her real name is Raven Darkholme, but many know her as simply Mystique, though most won’t know her by her face, given that her mutant powers given to her at birth is the ability to shapeshift into any person. She’s the most mysterious of all the X-Men characters, which is probably why they gave her that name.
Ghost Rider
Stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze made a deal with the demon king in order to save a loved one (a nearly cliched tale at this point) and became the Ghost Rider. Set to serve as legend, to fight the crux of demons roaming the earth, this biker is engulfed in flames when near beasts from hades.
Black Widow
Also known as Natash Romanov, the Black Widow is a fiercely underappreciated Marvel hero, and an eventual mainstay in the Avengers group. Trained by a secretive underground group that snatches up young and pliable women from the streets, the Black Widow was formed more than she was born that way. She has a complex backstory.
Rocket Raccoon
Another of the plucky group known to fans as the Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket Raccoon is just that, a raccoon. But don’t let the fur spoil the idea of how ferocious and volatile this little anthropomorphic creature is. One can thank his “rebirth” after years of bad experiences and genetic manipulation for his overall cynical outlook on life.
X-23
Much like Wolverine (Logan) before her, X-23 was the second standard character to take up the mantle of Wolverine thanks to being a genetic attempt at cloning the invulnerable beast that was, and Weapon-X is to blame (as always). She would eventually become the adopted daughter of Logan, making for an interesting thanksgiving dinner, no doubt.
Human Torch
Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch) was the first of the Fantastic Four to really fall into their role after the freak accident during their trip to space. Paired together, Johnny Storm became able to fly, as well as engulf himself in flames. Later, he would learn better to control fire, but took far longer to control his youthful exuberance.
Mary Jane
Some might argue that Mary Jane isn’t a superhero per say, and to those folks we would suggest looking up the definition of hero. There would be no Spider-Man without Mary Jane. There would be no Peter Parker. Because that whip-sharp wit has only helped to save and inspire Spider-Man; to send the young spider-bitten-boy into the throngs of terror and danger.
Iron Fist
The one tasked with protecting the portal to another dimension, armed only with intensely torturous martial arts training, and the legendary Iron Fist, Danny Rand has the ability to focus his chi into a powerful force capable of destruction, and defeat. Though the recent Marvel Netflix show has been cancelled, Iron Fist is an intriguing and under-utilized Marvel hero.
Wasp
One of the original Avengers (yes, we’re serious), Janet van Dyne became the Wasp at the behest of her father, but to the delight of her husband Ant-Man. She even came up with the name of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, laying claim to coining the term “The Avengers”. In what was a cruel twist of fate, the original Avengers script that included the Wasp as one of the main characters was scrapped.
Beast
One of the smartest super mutants in the world of Marvel, Beast was a normal scientist before a freak accident turned him into a giant, strong, fast, and furry blue creature. Luckily, he got to keeps his smarts, and became the chief engineer for all of the amazing tech that helps and supports the X-Men’s mission to maintain peace, and heal mutant-to-human relations.
Star-Lord
The witty and kind of dumb leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy has an epic long-story but can be boiled down to: he was taken by a band of space pirates after his mother’s passing, his father is a god, and he bands together with Drax, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot to save the universe from utter destruction. Simple, right?
Professor X
The aforementioned leader of the X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier opened the School for Gifted Children to protect young mutants from the betrayal coming down on them from a state of the world looking to hunt them down. Professor X is also known for having amazing telepathic capabilities.
Silver Surfer
An alien from the planet Zenn-La, the Silver Surfer is a humanoid that is made entirely of the metal silver, and uses a surfboard-like vehicle to travel through gaps of space in an instant. Originally, he came to earth and fought for what was needed to save another planet, becoming a terrible enemy of the Fantastic Four before turning ally.
Hulk
The Incredible Hulk, also known as Bruce Banner is a scientist that was exposed to far too much gamma radiation that caused his furious emotions to boil up into a physical form of a giant green monster. The Hulk is a troubled soul that is in constant battle with his internal emotions, enforcing an oddly introspective thought from Marvel readers.
Rogue
One of the younger X-Men, Rogue found comfort and companionship within the X-Mansion after running wild for the better part of her youth. She has the unfortunate ability to absorb another person's strength, memories, and even super-powers just by touch, inflicting a terrible fate when approaching anyone in her vicinity. One would hope that she gets a grand re-treatment in the modern age soon.
Gamora
Gamora Zen is the adopted daughter of Thanos, the ruler of worlds, but left the pressure of her father’s hand for search of better purpose and to help those in need. Which is exactly where she found Peter Quill and his merry band of misfits, and joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. She’s deadly with a sword, and is great with language.
Daredevil
The blind lawyer that became the Daredevil grew into a protector of the little man and the folks of the Manhattan community after intense training. Using extremely intuitive hearing, Matthew Murdock is an anti-hero to rule all anti-heroes. Sort of like Marvel’s Batman, Murdock dons the Devil’s cap and keeps his area safe through fear and violence.
Captain America
The great Steve Rogers, or at least, he would eventually become great. A puny man who volunteered for a secret government altering program that gave him super strength, speed, and physique, Captain America was born when Rogers knew someone had to stand up for those that remained defenceless in an age of alien invasions, mutants, and super beings.
Scarlet Witch
One of the most undervalued, and underdeveloped cool characters in Marvel’s entire repertoire, the Scarlet Witch has the born ability to alter reality, and manipulate physical objects. She began as a threat to the X-Men but quickly became an ally which helped her develop into one of the strongest mutants on earth.
Ant-Man
Ant-Man is a wisecracking thief that was given the ability to shrink or grow at queue thanks to Hank Pym, and his particularly sound scientific mind and creations. Scott Lang (aka Ant-Man) would later become of one the first member of the Avengers alongside his wife The Wasp. Portrayed by the witty Paul Rudd in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jean Gray
Jean Grey was one of the strongest and able minded telekinetic members of the X-Men, and was a stuard and mentee to the great and powerful Professor Charles Xavier. Unfortunately for the X-Men, and the entire world, Jean Grey eventually gane into her form as the Phoenix or Dark Phoenix, and destroyed many things living.
