Superheroes may tend to look like beautiful paragons of virtue, but Marvel Comics pioneered the concept of freaks, outcasts, and monsters being heroes as well. Marvel has a long history of horror and monster comics, so it was only a matter of time until some of these creatures and aesthetics would be incorporated into their expansive superhero universe. Indeed, many characters in Marvel look and act like terrifying monsters. However, they are in reality some of their world’s greatest defenders. With their potent abilities and sometimes outright feral fighting styles, these supernatural creatures protect the world from even worse monsters.
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The exact definition of a monster can be difficult to pin down, especially given the wide range of mutants, aliens, and radioactive creatures that populate the Marvel Universe. Having an inhuman appearance like Nightcrawler, Beast, and the Thing isn’t enough. Instead, to be truly classified as a “monster” requires having both the look and at their core the inhuman and savage nature of a supernatural creature. Such heroes are often based on pre-existing and iconic monsters from mythology, literature, and film.
7) Living Mummy
Mummies are a classic horror movie monster with long-lasting appeal thanks to their association with Ancient Egypt. Marvel created its own version of the bandaged undead creatures in the form of N’Kantu, the Living Mummy. He lived 3,000 years ago as a Swarili chieftain who led a rebellion against the cruel Egyptian empire that tortured and subjugated his people. For his defiance, N’Kantu was mummified alive, sealed into a sarcophagus, and cursed to live forever. When N’Kantu was freed from his imprisonment in the 20th century, he initially went on a rampage before eventually regaining his senses and becoming an anti-hero. Now, the Living Mummy acts as an agent for the God of Death, Anubis, and fights the forces of evil as a member of the Howling Commandoes, Legion of Monsters, and Secret Avengers. The Living Mummy possesses immense strength, durability, prehensile wrappings, immortality, and the power to absorb people’s souls.
6) Morbius
Starting as an enemy of Spider-Man before becoming an anti-hero, Michael Morbius got his powers the same way many of the Wall-Crawler’s foes did: by an experiment that went horribly wrong. To cure himself of a blood disease, Morbius infused himself with vampire bat DNA. As one can probably guess, although Morbius apparently didn’t, this did not go well and turned Morbius into the Living Vampire. Although Morbius isn’t a traditional undead vampire, he has many of their powers, including super strength, super speed, flight, regeneration, hypnotism, and the ability to turn other people into pseudo-vampires. Morbius also doesn’t possess any of a vampire’s natural weaknesses, like sunlight or holy objects, but he does have the overwhelming instinct to feed on blood. Over time and with the help of standby blood supplies, Morbius can better manage his hunger and tries only to kill bad guys. Still, the threat of losing control is an eternal threat for Morbius as he desperately attempts to use his vampiric powers for good.
5) Werewolf by Night
By day, Jack Russel is a human adventurer, but by night, he transforms into a terrifying werewolf. During the 1790s, a man named Grigory Russoff was bitten by a werewolf. He passed the lycanthropy curse onto his descendants, including Jack. Whenever there’s a full moon, Jack will involuntarily transform and become the Werewolf by Night. In this form, Werewolf by Night possesses immense strength, agility, and razor-sharp teeth and claws. Although Jack becomes a feral and bloodthirsty werewolf, he still manages to retain enough of his humanity to use his powers to help others. Werewolf by Night employs his savage powers and instincts to tear his enemies apart. In the battle against other, more nefarious monsters and supervillains, Werewolf by Night has teamed up with many other nocturnal heroes like Moon Knight and Blade. He was also the star of his very own MCU Disney+ special that paid homage to Marvel’s history with monsters and horror.
4) Man-Thing
Deep within a dark swamp in Florida lies the monstrous Man-Thing. Theodore “Ted” Sallis was a brilliant scientist who was trying to recreate Captain America’s Super Soldier Serum. When A.I.M. tried to steal the serum, Ted destroyed his notes and injected himself with the only vial to keep it out of the wrong hands. As he fled, Ted accidentally crashed his car into a mystical swamp, merging the serum with the wetlands’ magic. The result was that Ted mutated into the hulking plant-based creature called the Man-Thing. Now, Man-Thing acts as the reclusive guardian to the Nexus of All Realities, which is a gateway to the multiverse. Man-Thing protects the Nexus with his vast array of powers, including super strength, plant manipulation, teleportation, inter-dimensional travel, and size alteration. Man-Thing’s most iconic ability is his power to sense a person’s violent emotions and respond by melting them with his acidic touch. With Man-Thing guarding the gate, no one is getting close to the Nexus.
3) Blade
No being in the Marvel Universe strikes more terror into the hearts of vampires than Blade, the Day-Walker. When Eric Brook’s mother was pregnant with him, she was bitten by a vampire and ultimately died giving birth to her son. This event caused Eric to be born a Dhampir, a creature half-human, half-vampire. As a Dhampir, Blade has all the powers of a vampire, including super strength, speed, slowed aging, and fangs, but is immune to a vampire’s weaknesses to sunlight, silver, and holy objects. Although Blade does need to drink human blood to survive and to retain his sanity, he’s much better at controlling it than pure-blooded vampires. With these powers, a vast arsenal of vampire-killing weapons, and an unwavering determination to kill the vampire that murdered his mother, Blade became the greatest monster hunter in the Marvel Universe. Blade’s MCU movie may have been canceled, but he’s easily among Marvel’s best horror characters.
2) Ghost Rider
Even across numerous human hosts, the one thing that remains consistent is that the Ghost Rider is a creature from Hell. Zarathos is the Spirit of Vengeance and one of the most powerful demons in the multiverse. However, Zarathos was ultimately defeated by Mephisto and bound to mortal hosts as punishment. For thousands of years, Zarathos has transformed mortals into all-powerful Ghost Riders, who exist to hunt down and punish the wicked for their sins. Some of the best mortals who became Ghost Riders attached to Zarathos include Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch, and Alejandra Jones. Ghost Rider can infuse vehicles with Hellfire, can fight on par with the Hulk, manifest an endless supply of weapons and chains, and even can regenerate just from a flicker of fire. And of course, Ghost Rider’s trademark and most terrifying ability, the Penance Stare, makes those affected feel the accumulated weight and pain of all their sins. While he looks utterly horrifying, Ghost Rider is one of Marvel’s strongest magical heroes.
1) Hulk
Is he a man, monster, or both? That is the driving question that has fueled six decades of stories centered on Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk. Originally a mild-mannered scientist, Bruce’s repressed anger manifested as the Jolly Green Giant when he was exposed to the radiation of a gamma bomb. Where Bruce is quiet and intelligent, the Hulk is rage personified and will constantly flip-flop between acting as one of Marvel’s greatest heroes and its most dangerous threat. One day, he’ll be saving the world from an alien invasion. The next day, he’ll be going on a blind rampage in the middle of a city. The dynamic between Bruce and the Hulk is heavily inspired by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as they are similarly opposite personalities inhabiting a single body who constantly fight for control. The Hulk possesses immense strength that continuously increases the angrier he gets. Everything about the Hulk, from his appearance, infinite power, and deep-seated psychological issues, makes him one of the most beloved heroes and monsters in comic book history.
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