Top Ten Characters (minor spoilers)

[big-doze]

I know, I know, what a cliched topic, right? But this weekend, as I hung out with my fellow comic nerds the question was raised, leading to an in-depth discussion on the merits of everyone from Superman to Blue Devil (seriously, man?). And so, I present the challenge to you, oh fanboys: The best characters in comics! (in no particular order)

Not cool costumes or even the subjects of the best story you've ever read, but well crafted, relatable, interesting people to read about. Trust me, it's harder than it looks.

1. Superman - More faith in humanity than any character in comics.

2. Spider-Man - More human than any character in comics.

3. Captain America - What American actually should stand for: a dedication to every person's right to choose their own path.

4. Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) - A dumb kid given more power than god, who we watched grow into a real hero.

5. Impulse - Back when he was the most unapologetically fun character in comics.

6. The Silver Surfer - Noble, introspective alien trying desperatly to understand humanity.

7. The Runaways (couldn't narrow it down): The best group dynamic the genre has ever seen.

8. Robin (Tim Drake) - Motivated not by loss, but by a genuine desire to do what is right. Rare, in comics.

9. Stargirl - The next leader of the DCU. You watch.

10. Yorick Brown - The only character who could make genocide funny.

Honorable Mentions include Deadpool, Ricochet (from Slingers... anybody?), Luke Cage, Beta Ray Bill, Batman II (Terry McGuiness), Wiccan, Hulkling, Dr. Doom, Helmut Zemo and Jay Garrick.

The challenge is issued. Go forth!

[fred]

In no particular order:

Captain America, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Batman, Green Arrow, Frank Castle, Jesse Custer

[JAFlanagan]

Clearly Fred is a big fan of the New Avengers lineup.

[will_lund]

This is really hard. Just to let you know, this will all change tomorrow:

1- Bishop. (Before he signed with the registration. One of Marvel's most underused characters)
2- Morpheus
3- Spider-Man
4- Batman (Frank Miller's)
5- Jessica Jones
6- Rorschach
7- Mimic (from the Exiles)
8- Wolverine
9- Detective Christian Walker
10- #1 (from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's 'WE3'. It's hard to pick which character in this was the best, but the emotion on the dog was so well drawn that it has to go this way.)

[chrisuk]

I'm assuming from your choices that this is just 'your favouite characters' rather than the 'most iconic' or 'greatest'. herre's my top 3, simply becuse i have to go to work soon:

1. Mark Grayson - Invincible - for the same reason that everyone loves Hiro in Heroes, Mark Grayson is relateable, fun, and growing into his powers.

2. Bruce Wayne - Batman - regardless of how much i am enjoying his appearances in comics at the moment, Batman is one of those comic characters that transends comics and even film - he has existed in such a wierd and varied range of incarnations, from dark to slapstick, yet somehow maintains a strong identity. Plus, he kicks ass.

3. Jessica Jones (Alias only) - Foul-mouthed, insecure and damaged, yet somehow Alias had me empathising with this flawed individual. I have no idea how Bendis has managed to make her so dull post-alias, he seems to have stripped away any interesting side to her personality.

[fred]

Clearly Fred is a big fan of the New Avengers lineup.

Some things are so accurate that they can't be denied

[fred]

I really hope that Cap is Ronin

[iSteve]

I really hope that Cap is Ronin

I have a feeling that Cap is going to do a Nick Fury - go underground and wage a strategic insurgency.

[jurassicalien]

I tend to enjoy when the inner workings of the characters are explored. I believe it was Frank Miller who said he enjoys "Taking the character apart, seeing how it works and putting it back together." I love these type of stories around character. So with that in mind.

1. Batman - It always bothers me when a writer comes onto Batman and says "He's over his parents now, that's not why he doesn it anymore." It sends shivers up my spine. Batman is my favorite character because what drives him is something that could drive all of us to an extent.

2. Daredevil - A character who has probably had the most shit kicked out of him, but still gets up to fight.

3. Captain America - Though the fish out of water story might not hold as true anymore, if anything Civil War (even with the delays) and Brubaker, gave us that feeling of Patriotic (yet not sappy) Cap.

4. Superman - The first, and in the hands of the right writers, the best.

5. Wolverine (80's era) - This is Wolverine before the mystery was drug into the mud, before HoM, before Orgins, and before over exposure. I've been re-reading the Essential line, and the first Wolverine books, and (esspecially the early Wolverine solo books) you get a feeling that this character has honor like Cap, but diffrent.

6. Cyclops - Many people see him as boring or whiney, and that's understandable. But if you look at the character. He's someone who became a leader, reluctantly. He never asked for the job, but he's taken in and come back again and again.

7. Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead): What would anyone one of us do in a situation this extreame? Possibly the same as Rick, and that's what make this character work (On top of many other things)

8. Proinsias Cassidy (Preacher): You gotta just love an Irish-Vampire, and when you learn his backstory, you love him more.

9. Bone - I just read the ONe Volume edition of Bone, and GOD is it great, and the entire Bone crew is just fun to read and leaves you wanting more.

10. Spider-Man- A man who has seemingly gone through everything (Clones, Venom, JMS) and still puts on the costume for great responsibility....gotta love that.

[fred]

I have a feeling that Cap is going to do a Nick Fury - go underground and wage a strategic insurgency.

he could do that as Ronin. Ronin is a member of the 'outlaw' Avengers after all

[fred]

8. Proinsias Cassidy (Preacher): You gotta just love an Irish-Vampire, and when you learn his backstory, you love him more.

I don't want to say too much about this because of the spoiler issue. The reason that I could never read Preacher again, and I love it, is because I could never feel for Cassidy again after what Ennis turns him into towards the end. You really still love him after all that?

[jurassicalien]

Yeah, only because I feel like he does redeam himself in the end. I really do, and for the majority of the book (8 trades I think) he was a very likeable guy, not to excuse what he later did though, just saying.

[fred]

Yeah, only because I feel like he does redeam himself in the end. I really do, and for the majority of the book (8 trades I think) he was a very likeable guy, not to excuse what he later did though, just saying.

I wish that I could put it all aside. I'd love to read it again. I felt so close to it initially and I almost felt betrayed by the things he'd done. Granted, with the type of person or whatever he was it was in his nature, but Ennis delayed it and hid it so well initially that it felt like a slap in the face and I don't think I could ever go back and actually root for the guy.

I think that this says a lot though about how good the book is; that I had such a personal, visceral reaction to Cassidy's behavior.

[JAFlanagan]

I entirely lack the time at the moment to do a list like this, but I'm sure Cassidy would be on it.

[kwok_talk]

Ok. Not in any order and pretty indicative of my Marvel heavy upbringing.

Black Panther
Nightcrawler (still mortified at what they did to him in the Ultimate series)
Gambit (Jim Lee era)
Kitty Pryde (Astonishing era)
Nico (Runaways)
Spiderman
Deadpool (New Mutants / Xforce era)
Fone Bone
Daredevil
Calvin (from Calvin & Hobbes, can that count?)

[darron]

Hmmmm........

Kyle Rayner (I'm gonna keep bringing up his name until Conor admits he at very least exists)
Multiple Man
Daredevil
Deadpool
Iceman
Snoopy (Seriously, I love Snoopy)
Rorschach
Nightwing (Dick Grayson) [Just read Nightwing: year One...and it rocked my effing socks off]
Lex Luthor


I can honestly only come up with nine. That's gonna bug 'til I figure another one out.

[ekval]

Hmmm...see if it means characters we are drawn to for some obscure reason, that might be a different list. But then again, this is a forum thread, why split hairs eh?

Batman
Robin (Tim Drake)
Nightwing (Chuck Dixon era)
Spider-man
Havok
Gambit
Green Lantern (Kyle or Guy)


and to me the most interesting and well drawn character, Starman (Jack Knight)

To round out my ten, I'd say that I really like to put down Superman, but I've rarely seen him be interesting to me really, as well as Wolverine, whose mystery and drama has just been so run roughshod over as to be incomprehensible and pretty much uninteresting as well.

[darron]

People people people.......Gambit is, arguably, the LAMEST CHARACTER IN THE MARVEL U.

Why do so many fans have such a hard-on towards Gambit? I hated him in the comics, cartoon...every figgin' incarnation of him just blows.

[ekval]

I can't help it, have always liked him. Not sure he could possibly be the lamest in the Marvel U though, there are some seriously lame characters out there. I'll grant you he is an odd ripoff of Wolverine and all...

I have a soft spot for Moon Knight too...maybe the soft spot is in my brain...

[ekval]

I like Kyle Rayner though Darron, does that help? Or at least mitigate my offense?

[darron]

I can't help it, have always liked him. Not sure he could possibly be the lamest in the Marvel U though

I know, lamest in the Marvel U is a bit much, but I just do not at all understand the fanboy crush so many people have with Gambit.

I like Kyle Rayner though Darron, does that help? Or at least mitigate my offense?

Absolutely.

[fred]

I've never been a big Gambit fan either
just don't get it

[pv_2]

Captain America
Batman
Spider-man
Daredevil
Madrox
Bigby Wolf
Renee Montoya
Swamp Thing
Kingpin
Scooby-Doo

[ekval]

Hmm...not sure if I can fully explain it, but I can give some context. I came into comics about the time of Uncanny 274-275, and within a couple of months went back to get Gambit's first appearance in 266. It might be that since he was one of the first big characters that was new to my specific generation of collecting, he has always been near and dear to me.

He's been handled pretty badly though, and like Wolvie and the Punisher were for a long time, way overused, but I still have that soft spot though.

For the record, that is part of the reason I like Kyle so much as well I think. Hal was someone else's Lantern, he didn't interest me all that much. When Kyle came around, I felt like I knew the story and the character in whole.

[jgg0610]

In no particular order:

Daredevil
Batman
Mitchell Hundred
Spider-Man
Wolverine
Gambit
Rogue
Goon
Power Girl
Green Goblin

[JAFlanagan]

OK, I'm bored,and should be working. I'll take a stab. I'm SURE I'll leave something out from 5 years ago, but there you go.

1. Sherman - Box Office Poison - this is the character who talks about doing something all the time, but never has the balls to get over his excuses and do it. I know a lot of this guy, and am far too much like him to feel comfortable about it.

2. Cassidy - caught in his own circumstances. He's self-destructive, but can't get out of the world he's in.

3. Tim Drake - This is a more recent addition, but he's the guy who always has to do the right thing, no matter what the cost to himself. It's something to admire.

4. Steve Rogers - He's somewhat an older version of Tim Drake, except that he's accepted who he is, because he's old enough to know, and he's got the confidence to go along with that. Plus, his actions hold more weight, and have more consequences.

5. Rorschach - Take a guy who had a shit life, but give him incredible talent, and deep resentment. And it would be so easy to brick that, and make it dumb, but at the end when he's begging to be killed, that was powerful, and I understood him.

6. Hawkeye - He's like the antidote to Captain America. One is stronger with the other. I love the levity plus competence he's brought to comic teams as long as I've been reading them.

Oooh, now it's getting hard....

7. Spider Jerusalem - He's a perfect rendition of optimism and hope soiled by the realities of the world. He knows things suck, and he's willing to do whatever to either make them right, or make people responsible. He acts completely confident in himself and self-righteous, but also knows that he's vulnerable, and hides that from everyone. There were some fantastic stories in the Transmet run.

8. Jim Gordan - using Year One as a template, and considering the great stories that have been told with Gordon over the years, in the right hand, I find him incredibly compelling when used well.

9. Matthew the Raven - He's the everyman in the world of Sandman, and I loved that over and over he was the one who would just say what he thought to Morpheus. "Why are you doing that, that's crazy!" I wish there were more people like this in the world. Not ravens, but people without pretense. He was loyal, but not unthinking.

10. Black Bolt, King of the Inhumans - Perhaps this is just me being wistful for a leader who wields incredible power, but is also wise.

Now, I'm SURE I've missed something from my years of comics, but this is a good overview I guess.

[acomicbookgirl]

Wonder Woman
Emma Frost
Donna Troy
Wolverine
Jean Grey
Green Arrow
Green Lantern
V(does he count)
Batman
Tie between Ms. Marvel and Spider Woman

[jurassicalien]

8. Jim Gordan - using Year One as a template, and considering the great stories that have been told with Gordon over the years, in the right hand, I find him incredibly compelling when used well..

DAMN IT! I Forgot Gordon...ugh, he's such a great character, if only this list went to 11!

[JAFlanagan]

DAMN IT! I Forgot Gordon...ugh, he's such a great character, if only this list went to 11!


http://www.samizdata.net/blog/nigelgui.jpg

But why can't it. I think that my 11th would probably be Kyle Rayner, if it did. At least before all that cosmic shit.

[conorkilpatrick]

Josh just basically ordered me to post something to this discussion.

Now I have to think about my list.

This is like picking my favorite ten children.

If I had children. A lot of them.

[jurassicalien]

If i had children. A lot of them.

I have this overwhelming image of Conor being the neighbor hood "scary" dad. What with the baldness and drinking.

[ekval]

I had this vision of Conor's kids with names Bruce, Tim, Dick, Renee, Jim, Alfred, Barbara, etc...

[JAFlanagan]

I had this vision of Conor's kids with names Bruce, Tim, Dick, Renee, Jim, Alfred, Barbara, etc...

And every one of the little bastards with a different mother.

[darron]

Josh, I'm surprised you didn't put Multiple Man on your list.

[conorkilpatrick]

Here we go. I probably forgot a ton. I wish I was home in front of my shelves of trades for inspiration.

1. Batman - The personification of the tortured loner. He sacrifices all semblences of a normal life, all chances for personal gratification and happiness, in order to save the world (or Gotham). Self-sacrifice exhibit A.

2. Dick Grayson - Wish fullfillment at its finest. I love Batman but there is no one I want to be more than Dick Grayson.

3. Steve Rogers - He is America. The America I love, at least. He stands up for what he believes in, no matter what the consequences. You have to be a truly great man to garner so much respect in such a patently ridiculous outfit.

4. Snake-Eyes - Growing up, no one captured the imagination like this guy did. The ninja badass-ness, the sad family backstory, the mysterious identity and appearance, the hot Irish girlfriend.

5. Clark Kent - The most recognizable superhero is perhaps the most misunderstood. There is an inherent sadness in him. He can never truly be one of us, yet he'll never stop trying (until he actually does stop, which will be profoundly sad - like the day Calvin finally stops seeing Hobbes). And he'll never stop helping.

6. Jessica Jones - It has been said that comic book fans cannot accept new superhero characters and that alll of the most popular and best characters are decades old. Nope. Jessica Jones is a huge breath of fresh air.

7. Tara Chace - Think being a superspy is all martinis and snappy quips? Nope. It's actually pretty terrible. Rucka has a gift for crafting realistic female characters who are at once tough as nails and vulnerable.

8. James Gordon - The heart of Gotham. He's the quintessential cop. I think, deep down, he knows Bruce is Batman.

9. Rorschach - What Batman would probably really be like. Terrifying and sad.

10. Renee Montoya - Perhaps the most realistic cop in comics and the most complex.

Looking over this list I am clearly drawn to the troubled loners. Not sure what that means...

[JAFlanagan]

If we get Ron to do this (and I doubt we will), I think you'll find that the 3 of us cling very heavily to the most basic descriptions by which we are known on the web. The Batman guy, the X-Men guy, and the other guy.

Conor, excellent call on Rorschach.

As far as Madrox goes, other than this most recent X-Factor series, I don't have a lot of experience with him, so he doesn't make my all time list.

Oh yeah, I'm thinking of subbing Hob Gadling with Matthew from Sandman. But it's hard to say.

[ekval]

like the day Calvin finally stops seeing Hobbes

Wow, does that actually happen in the strips...that would indeed be profoundly sad.

Conor, no Tim Drake?

[conorkilpatrick]

Wow, does that actually happen in the strips...that would indeed be profoundly sad.

No, it doesn't but you know that eventually Calvin will grow up.

Conor, no Tim Drake?

I didn't want to put two Robins on the list.

[big-doze]

1. Mark Grayson - Invincible - for the same reason that everyone loves Hiro in Heroes, Mark Grayson is relateable, fun, and growing into his powers.


Damn, how could I forget Invincible?! Well now, who's leaving the top ten...

Back to the drawing board...

[luthor]

Hulk, Nightwing, Savage Dragon, Walker and Pilgrim from Powers, Hawk & Dove(Hank and Dawn versions), Lex Luthor, Rick Jones and Grimlock.

PS: I just got viagra spam with the title The Chronicles of The Rogue Pirate Ninjas: Revised, Act One. I've never been more tempted to follow a spam link in my life...

[conorkilpatrick]

Let's get some reasons here, people, not just lists! I'm really curious as to why these characters are on your lists.

:)

[darron]

Let's get some reasons here, people, not just lists! I'm really curious as to why these characters are on your lists.


I didn't know we were gonna have homework, too! I'm not a very descriptive person, so it'll be short and boring.


Kyle Rayner - A freelance artist given the power to create anything he can think of, the last of the Green Lanterns....so much responisbility thrust onto a guy at a bar. Character I relate to probably more than any other. I have a massive man-crush for Rayner. There, I said it.

Multiple Man - If ever a writer knew the ins-and-outs his main character, Peter David does with Maddrox. I could read Maddrox taking a shit and be completely engrossed.

Daredevil - The energizer bunny on crack. He just keeps going and going and going no matter what get's thrown in his way. Hell, now, life is actually going OK for him, no matter how short-lived it'll be.

Deadpool - Personality wise, DP may be number one. The whole breaking of the fourth wall shtique in Cable & Deadpool is funnier than just about anything I've read.

Iceman -Could possibly be one of the strongst mutants on the planet, but isn't, because he's so self-concious. C'mon....that's good.

Snoopy - This dog helped me get through hell when I was a kid. I owe this damn dog so much. I love Snoopy.

Rorschach - I honestly couldn't tell you a real reason. But when I think of comics, I think of Rorschach. That's gotta count for something, right?

Nightwing (Dick Grayson) - I've heard him described as the "glue of the DC universe" and that makes more sense than anything I can write, so I'll leave it at that.

Lex Luthor - The best supervillain on the planet because you can completely relate (usually) as to why he wants Superman gone. Such a great foil for Superman.

[kwok_talk]

Ok. Not in any order and pretty indicative of my Marvel heavy upbringing.

Black Panther
Nightcrawler (still mortified at what they did to him in the Ultimate series)
Gambit (Jim Lee era)
Kitty Pryde (Astonishing era)
Nico (Runaways)
Spiderman
Deadpool (New Mutants / Xforce era)
Fone Bone
Daredevil
Calvin (from Calvin & Hobbes, can that count?)

Black Panther - When I first started reading comics on a regular basis, I read some BP miniseries in Marvel Adventures (?). At the time he just seemed cool and menacing. No real superpowers, just making the most of what he had.

Nightcrawler - I fell in love with him through Excalibur and really loved how they integrated his faith into his character since there weren't really a lot of characters who had really specific religious beliefs.

Gambit - Yes, I'm one of those who thought he was cool.

Kitty Pryde - Kind of liked her from Excalibur, but under Whedon, she's really become a strong female lead.

Nico - I've really gotten into Runaways this past year and she's the one that sticks out the most to me. I get a kick about how romantically confused she is during the first few arcs. (I loved how Chase asked if there was anyone on the team she wasn't hooking up with)

Spiderman - Classic. I really enjoy how Bendis writes his sardonic humor.

Deadpool - Not necessarily a huge fan now, but I loved his character when he first came out. Nothing super orignal, but could still wipe the floor with the good guys and still walk away cracking jokes.

Fone Bone - Simple and altruistic.

Daredevil - I think this is more of a result of Bendis' great work with him.

Calvin - Innocent, whimsical, profound and many other great things rolled up into an awesome comic.

[big-doze]

People people people.......Gambit is, arguably, the LAMEST CHARACTER IN THE MARVEL U.

Why do so many fans have such a hard-on towards Gambit? I hated him in the comics, cartoon...every figgin' incarnation of him just blows.

Check out issue 10 of the most recent run of his book. Gambit as mentor to a buncha kids caught cheating on a test. So what does he do to get them on the straight and narrow? Teaches them how to steal properly.

The best version of the character I've ever seen or read.

[big-doze]

Fone Bone - Simple and altruistic.

Calvin - Innocent, whimsical, profound and many other great things rolled up into an awesome comic.

Two excellent choices, sir. Calvin was, and is, my idol in life, and Fone Bone brought back memories of that yellow haired scamp.

Le tear.

[jimski]

Yeah... I am having a hell of a time coming up with my characters, but the list of characters I can't stand could be ready in about fifteen seconds.

That's how you know I'm a comics fan.

The first time I quit comics was the day I got Gambit's first appearance in Uncanny X-Men. The nineties seemed rife with those guys, guys whose names meant nothing and whose powers were... energy. "What do you do?" "I... energy! It's pink!" "And what are you the Bishop of, exactly? Is that some kind of religious...?" "ENERGY! SHWABAM!"

Cable? Does he shoot cables? Does he get cable? Does he install cable? Made of cables?....

[fred]

Let's get some reasons here, people, not just lists! I'm really curious as to why these characters are on your lists.

:)

the gauntlet has been thrown

to quote myself

In no particular order:

Captain America, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Batman, Green Arrow, Frank Castle, Jesse Custer

to explain myself

Captain America - the absolute ideal of what a human being or an American can be. Stands up for what he believes in and follows it with action

Spider-Man - every man. Witty. Self-deprecating. Stupid villians that make for interesting plot solutions and lines. Also, cool ass costume

Daredevil - seriously? This needs to be said? Baddest man in the whole damn town. He can't even see and he kicks the shit out of people. But really though it's for Matt. He's a fighter, a survivor, and a guy that does what he thinks is right. And he has major daddy issues that make his character wicked interesting to me.

Wolverine - I like Wolverine because he has his own code and if you actually look at things from that perspective they make sense. Also the constant search for truth whether it's about his life or whether it's the constant man vs animal internal struggle

Luke Cage - strong street level good guy, comparatively believable powers.

Iron Fist - always been drawn to him. Love the whole martial arts street thing also the newly featured legacy aspect

Batman - love how driven he is to end crime because of the death of his parents so many years ago. love his sense of justice. love his flaws

Frank Castle - most of the same reasons as Wolverine but add in the fact that he gets the guys the police don't. I'm looking at you OJ

Green Arrow - I've only recently come into this character but he's fascinating. He's also driven, heroic, and flawed. There are moments where it's hard to root for him and that makes me want to more.

Jesse Custer - I don't know I just like him OK


That was hard

[jgg0610]

In no particular order:

Daredevil
Batman
Mitchell Hundred
Spider-Man
Wolverine
Gambit
Rogue
Goon
Power Girl
Green Goblin

Daredevil: very much a street level character that has a really cool origin
Batman: a man willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for justice
Mitchell Hundred: One of the most relatable characters in comics
Spider-Man: Marvel U's everyman
Wolverine: All attitude, all the time
Gambit: always liked him as an outsider
Rogue: the ultimate isolated character due to her mutation
Goon: always up for a fright or a drink
Power Girl: feminine but can hold her own with the boys
Green Goblin: one of the best psychological villans

[will_lund]

You want reasons? I'll give you reasons...

1- Bishop - I'm a sucker for this character. His story in X-Men was one of the first comics I ever read.
2- Morpheus - He's the king of dreams. And his dark, moody word balloons had a way of making his every sentence seem beautiful and important.
3- Spider-Man - He's everything I want to be and don't want to be wrapped up in one.
4- Batman (Frank Miller's) - Nothing made me relate to Bruce more than when his moral code crumbled completely in Dark Knight.
5- Jessica Jones - It's hard to believe this character hasn't been around since the silver age. In the few years she's been around, she's aquired more depth than 99.5% of the characters out there.
6- Rorschach - The drive of Batman and the ruthlessness of the Punisher. Moore had a fantastic way of making us see things through his eyes.
7- Mimic (from the Exiles)- It was great to see what this character could do with complete control of his powers. He came from an ideal world, which made it interesting to see him adapt to the horrible places he was sent to.
8- Wolverine - Others have given better reasons than I ever could.
9- Detective Christian Walker - When you learn his entire backstory...
10- #1 - The Dog from 'WE3'. It's hard not to get emotional when you read the character's simple dialogue. All he wanted to be was loyal, but that conflicted with his instinct of self-preservation.

[luthor]

Let's get some reasons here, people, not just lists! I'm really curious as to why these characters are on your lists.

:)

*sigh* but that requires effort...

Hulk, Nightwing, Savage Dragon, Walker and Pilgrim from Powers, Hawk & Dove(Hank and Dawn versions), Lex Luthor, Rick Jones and Grimlock.

Hulk - My first love. He does what he wants when he wants and no one stands in his way...and if they do they get smashed. As a young man who felt helpless in a lot of situations, it was something I both admired and longed for. If there's such a thing, I'm definitely a Hulk guy.

Nightwing - The coolest ****ing guy in the DC universe. He's Batman's son, Superman's nephew and the older brother/cousin/best friend to everyone else. I think Connor put it best, "I love Batman but there is no one I want to be more than Dick Grayson."

Savage Dragon - Dragon is the realest unreal character in comics. He drinks, he screws up, he ****s, he kills, he's funny, and he does what he feels is right even when he's wrong.

Walker and Pilgrim - There aren't two characters I can identify with more in any comic I read. If I lived in a world where people with extraordinary powers existed I think my reaction would be a lot like theirs.

Hawk & Dove - This one is hard to explain. There's just something about the characters I absolutely love but I can't put my finger on it.

Lex Luthor - The baddest bad guy there is who absolutely believes his way is right. There's something intriguing about someone so evil believing he is so good.

Rick Jones - The real center of the Marvel U. Rick was responsible for the Hulk, a side kick to Captain America, part of the Captain Marvel equation and a charter member of the Avengers. He's the true every man in a world of insanity that has made a difference.

Grimlock - As a guy that feels big and dumb 90% of the time, it's nice seeing someone who is bigger and dumber..and still being a hero none the less.

This was WAY harder then it should have been...

[pv_2]

Captain America
Batman
Spider-man
Daredevil
Madrox
Bigby Wolf
Renee Montoya
Swamp Thing
Kingpin
Scooby-Doo

After the challenge to give this some thought, I realize that for several of these characters it's the genre(s) and stories they personify that defines them for me, as much as their character:

1. Captain America - Born of jingoistic propaganda, always fighting WWII/Cold War in some ways it seems. Uncompromising, idealistic.

2. Batman - Noir detective that becomes immersed in horror and insanity of his foes. Calculating and principled.

3. Spider-man - Conflicted, flippant, capable of moments of great success and utter stupidity - in other words, the quintessential and perpetual Coming of Age character.

4. Daredevil - Challenging the line between Law and Crime, a classically tragic figure, born of the street.

5. Madrox - A writer's dream, able to inhabit any facet of human experience at a bump of a shoulder - now wrapped in a noir detective outside (there is a theme to many of my choices).

6. Bigby Wolf- My favorite character in one of my favorite books, another gruff guy with a noir edge, the best example of Willingham's knack for building on the core of the fables persona and making them multi-dimensional.

7. Renee Montoya - Like the best cop characters: complicated, self-destructive, passionate. Realistic.

8. Swamp Thing - Embodies all the potential of the horror genre: elemental, doomed, scary. Walks amongst all worlds.

9. Kingpin - The ultimate crime boss, without which, we wouldn't have our street-level crimefighters. Motives always in flux.

10. Scooby-Doo - Scoff if you must, but Scooby instilled in me at an early age a love of mystery, suspense and horror that informs my love for comics even today. Plus he talks funny.

[darron]

**OFF-TOPiC**

Fred, you now have my un-dying allegiance, sire, for you now sport one of the best avatars/signatures on the web.

[fred]

**OFF-TOPiC**

Fred, you now have my un-dying allegiance, sire, for you now sport one of the best avatars/signatures on the web.

Thank you sir. I aim to please