The Mt. Rushmore of Superheroes Has an Answer, But Marvel Fans Won’t Like It

It’s a debate that’s raged between Marvel and DC Comics fans for quite some time now, and one worth giving a definitive answer to. If you’re a hardcore superhero stan and you spent enough time online, you’ve almost certainly seen the thought experiment about the ‘Mt. Rushmore of superheroes’. It’s pretty simple: If there were a monument to the four most influential superheroes of all time, who would be on it? The answers I’ve seen have ranged from the obvious to fan-favorites and even some surprising, outlandish picks.

One thing I’ve picked up on is how fans online have approached this experiment. Instead of influence, many use the idea to create a ‘top 4’ list of their favorite heroes, which tends to skew more balanced for Marvel and DC representation. But when people make their list based on the pop culture weight of their heroes, it skews more towards DC, which has been sticking in the craw for many Marvel fans. And I’m sorry to say, but if we are hypothesizing the Mt. Rushmore of superheroes, DC Comics’s biggest icons are always going to carry more weight.

Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Spider-Man are The Mt. Rushmore of Superheroes

Now, I’ll freely admit to my bias as a DC Comics stan. But I’m not just picking Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman because they’re the three biggest heroes in DC Comics’ stable. Each of these heroes has something to them that more than earns them a spot on this proposed monument. It was Superman’s debut that revolutionized the idea of the comic book superhero. Once he burst onto the scene, everyone wanted their own Superman, ushering in a new age of storytelling that’s still informing comic books to this day. If that’s not influential, I don’t know what is.

And no, Wonder Woman and Batman don’t get places just because they’re Superman’s closest allies. While both of them appeared in Superman’s wake, they were forces unto themselves. Batman’s popularity surged, and in the decades after his first appearance, he left an indelible mark on pop culture with his incredibly popular movies, shows, games, and cartoons. And Wonder Woman? She shattered the glass ceiling of comic books and definitively proved that superhero stories weren’t a boys’ club. It’s because of Wonder Woman’s immense popularity that other publishers diversified their lines and took chances on other non-male superheroes.

But I’m not such a big DC Comics fan that I also can’t appreciate non-DC heroes. With only one spot left on the proverbial Mt. Rushmore, I can’t see anyone else other than Spider-Man claiming it. I mean, who doesn’t love him? He’s essentially been Marvel Comics’ mascot for the last several decades, and Spider-Man is arguably the most profitable superhero, with his standalone films raking in literal billions of dollars. I’m not saying Marvel Comics doesn’t have other worthy heroes, but really, few of them, if any, come close to the say that Marvel Comics’ wall-crawler has.

The Mt. Rushmore Experiment All Comes Down to Impact, Not Quality

These kinds of debates can get fans heated, largely because people approach them with different ways of determining the outcome. As mentioned earlier, for some, their personal Mr. Rushmore is based more on the impact on them or even just characters they feel strongly for (which is absolutely valid). But for me, this meme essentially boils down to ‘which heroes have had the greatest impact on our world?’. And if I’m being honest, I don’t see Hulk or Wolverine taking up as much space in the cultural bubble as Spider-Man, let alone Superman or Batman.

I know that Marvel has a great roster of heroes. In the heyday of the MCU, Iron Man was practically king of the world, and everyone couldn’t get enough of Captain America. And yes, these heroes are still around and featured in comics and animated projects. But DC Comics’ Trinity and Spider-Man have acted as throughlines for generations. Most of our parents and even our parents’ parents all know Batman and Wonder Woman. But how many of them know Cyclops or even a DC hero like Cyborg?

When it comes down to it, only a small handful of heroes have broken out of the comic book sphere and become easily recognizable symbols for people all over the world. It’s not that Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman have been around long enough; it’s that they all had energy that couldn’t be matched, except, of course, by another titan like Spider-Man. I know everyone’s got their opinion on who really belongs on a Mt. Rushmore of superheroes, but for my money, I can’t imagine anyone else other than these four.

Who do you think belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of superheroes? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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