Marvel Comics has published the adventures of various teams and heroes for decades, with many of these characters also known in other media. From Spider-Man and the Avengers to the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, these heroes have fought countless villains in just as many comics. Of course, given the longevity of this publication, it makes sense that some characters have been more successful than others.
Year after year, a select few Marvel Comics heroes publish comics that seem to be consistently great. This has been the case for some of them since their inception, while others didn't find their stride until years later. Regardless of when this series began, comics featuring these heroes are almost always good reads.
10 The Fantastic Four have had several major series
Touted as the “World's Greatest Comic Book Magazine,” the Fantastic Four's printed adventures proved that moniker to some extent accurate. The team first came to prominence with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's series, which featured several classic concepts and stories. Marvel's idea of a “flawed” modern superhero made its debut in this series about the First Family.
Since then, many other writers have told their definitive stories about the team, including Jonathan Hickman, Mark Waid, Mark Millar, John Byrne, and more. While the family has remained largely the same, the Fantastic Four stories continue to amaze fans and reach new heights. Ryan North's current series might even be F4's best comic series in years.
9 X-Factor almost always hits the mark
When it started, Factor X was one of a growing line of The X-Men spin-offs that capitalized on the popularity of the main book. Aside from the monetary value and having the founding X-Men back on the team, the book initially had little reason to exist and even less quality. Fortunately, it quickly became a full-fledged comic, especially under the pens of writers like Peter David.
While not all races since have been a success,
Factor X
the title is usually one of the best and most creative
The X-Men
side books.
Since Peter David Factor X run, the team had some very nice comics. Most of these focus on the group as a mutant detective agency, setting them apart from all the other X-teams. The series also helped shine a light on more overlooked characters, such as Multiple Man, aka Jaime Madrox.
8 Moon Knight is almost always in full phase
Moon Knight was a lesser-known but popular Marvel hero in the Bronze Age and Dark Age of Comic Books. His stories dabbled in both the street level and the macabre, with the latter emphasized more than ever in modern comics. Charlie Huston Knight of the Moon The run kicked off his current success, with subsequent runs by Warren Ellis and Jeff Lemire being praised by many. Likewise, Jed Mackay Knight of the Moon It was one of the best modern Marvel titles, building on the success of previous creators and really developing Marc Spector as a character.
There are some less successful series in the history of the hero, with Max Bemis and Brian Michael Bendis Knight of the Moon comics have not been well received. Beyond that, however, the character has had a very consistent publishing career. This likely stems from the fact that he has gone somewhat unnoticed, keeping him safe from some of the dramatic changes that have happened to other heroes.
7 Ghost Rider's successes are among Marvel's most underrated
Introduced in the Bronze Age, as Marvel pursued a renewed interest in horror films, Ghost Rider's nature and appearance might make some consider him a mediocre character. However, his classic appearances were decent for the time. Likewise, Danny Ketch's Ghost Rider has the best run in the franchise, with his comics putting the character on the map.
The success of the 90s Ghost Knight The book inspired the launch of the larger Midnight Sons series, featuring other characters such as Blade the vampire hunter. New versions of Ghost Rider have received their own good comic book series, with Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider being seen as one of the few successes of the “All-New, All-Different” era. So while the flaming skull and his pact with the devil make him seem downright satanic, the Ghost Rider comics are a godsend as far as supernatural and horror books go.
6 Hulk isn't mad about the quality of his comics
Initially, the adventures of the Incredible Hulk were just another Marvel title on the shelf, with the green behemoth more appreciated than his actual stories. Bronze Age began to add depth to his story through a somewhat controversial book called Hulk UnleashedPeter David then evolved the Hulk like never before, giving him new personalities and making the series one of Marvel's best.
Creators like Bruce Jones and Greg Pak later churned out their own Hulk-esque hits, but the real gem came years later. Immortal Hulk It's probably the best never performed because it takes the character back to his roots as a horror monster. The current Carcass The series was highly praised and shows that, despite not having had as much success in the films, the Hulk is one of Marvel's best (and strongest) solo heroes in the comics.
5 Venom has become better than ever in the last few decades
When Venom initially transformed from a Spider-Man villain to the Lethal Protector, he did so more for profit than nature. While entertaining in their own right, these '90s comics are widely considered a bit silly and emblematic of the over-the-top era. However, Venom has since recovered, with several of his other series becoming fan favorites.
The Donny Cates
Poison
The book greatly expanded the mythos, making the alien symbiotes much more than just an object
Spiderman
comic book.
The series starring Flash Thompson as Agent Venom was a huge success, demonstrating how the concept of the symbiote could evolve. He has one of the highest quality glow-ups among the mainstream Marvel characters, and Venom has largely earned his popularity thanks to the recent symbiote comics.
4 Iron Fist Has Some of the Most Underrated Marvel Books
Largely forgotten in the grand scheme, Iron Fist is highly underrated among Marvel heroes. His classic Bronze Age comics were absolute gems, more in line with Sax Rohmer It was Manchu novels than typical superhero food. Likewise, the Mighty Man/Iron Fist The book brought him together with Luke Cage, creating one of Marvel's best friendships.
In the modern day, Iron Fist has had many classic runs. Among them are books by Matt Fraction, Kaare Andrews, and other creators, who emphasize the Iron Fist story as a supernatural martial arts narrative. Danny Rand is sadly out of the picture, but whenever he gets a solo comic, it’s almost always good.
3 Lightning almost always strikes Thor
Thor's early adventures in the Silver Age were among the most underrated Marvel comics of that era, with writer Stan Lee more than succeeding in his self-imposed challenge of “writing a powerful DC character.” Afterwards, there was a vast gap of less than noteworthy Bull comics, but Walt Simonson Bull the run was truly divine. Afterwards, another apparent collapse ended with the underrated run of Dan Jurgens. Since then, J. Michael Straczynski, Jason Aaron and Donny Cates have all written Bull runs worthy of Mjolnir.
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The 10 Most Underrated Thor Villains
Marvel's Thor has faced many powerful foes, and some of his more overlooked adversaries present unique challenges for the God of Thunder.
While he isn't always given this status, Thor is perhaps the “major” Avenger with the most successful comics. The number of must-see titles of the god of thunder surpasses those of Captain America and Iron Man. This has only continued with the current Thor Immortal series, which does for Thor Odinson what Immortal Hulk made for Dr. Banner's alter ego. So, readers can't go wrong when they read a new Bull comic or a collection.
2 The Punisher's release history is pretty damn good.
Considered one of Marvel's most controversial characters due to real-world politics, The Punisher is a violent vigilante who seeks justice on the streets. Taking on the mafia, terrorism, and other forms of crime, Frank Castle is a one-man killing machine who will stop at nothing to complete his mission. That mission has largely focused on creating great comics, as evidenced by the vigilante's publication history.
The classic Punisher The 80s books were great in their own right, as they were in line with the Don Pendleton and Warren Murphy books that had inspired the creation of the character. Garth Ennis has given Frank Castle his best moments in both the mainstream and Marvel MAX comics, the latter of which showcases the brutal realities of being a vigilante. Jason Aaron's MAX series and Ed Brubaker's mainstream comics were also good, highlighting further connections to the character and more concrete Marvel villains.
1 Daredevil usually has the best Marvel comics
As originally imagined, Daredevil was a low-level Spider-Man from the same publisher that already had a web-slinger. Luckily, Frank Miller came along and sharpened Daredevil's horns, making the Man Without Fear the star of an acclaimed dark comic. The tone Miller cemented with the old Hornhead has remained mostly consistent with him, as the fantastic runs of Ed Brubaker, Brian Michael Bendis, Ann Nocenti, and Chip Zdarsky are cast in the same mold. Mark Waid's run is one of the few exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, Miller's run reigns supreme.
The secret to Daredevil's continued success seems to be that it's a series popular enough to always have a column, but sober enough to avoid constant crossovers and editorial interference. Thus, the writers were able to realize their vision as intended, which is not always possible with more well-known titles. This has certainly worked over the years, and it seems that Daredevil is the Man Without Fear because he is no longer afraid of a bad comic book series.