Marvel Comics has defined what the superhero is in the modern day. This started in the 1960s, when Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, John Romita Sr., Roy Thomas, and John and Sal Buscema birthed the modern superhero universe. Since then, the House of Ideas has been on the cutting edge of the hero, growing and growing until the Marvel Cinematic Universe brought it to the largest audience ever. Their heroes were always popular, but now they are the most popular fictional characters in the world. The comics have brought them to this level, giving their heroes the kinds of victories that have made them the most beloved superheroes of the last 60 years.
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Readers have witnessed some of the greatest conflicts ever in Marvel’s stories. Their most popular heroes have rose a wave of triumph to the top, but some of them stand out more than others. Marvel’s seven most popular heroes are defined by these victories, wins that changed their lives forever.
7) Thor
Thor is Marvel’s most storied god and has faced some of the greatest challenges imaginable. However, one has always hung above his, and the rest of Asgard’s, head – Ragnarok. The God of Thunder has stopped the end of his people before, but that was as a soldier, never a king. “Thor Disassembled: Ragnarok”, Michael Avon Oeming, Daniel Berman, and Andrea Di Vito, would change that. This story saw the Odinson, now ruler of the Golden Realm after one of Odin’s many deaths, have to deal with the end of his world, facing off against the army of evil in a battle that he can’t win. While he wasn’t able to beat the challenge with strength, he was able to think his way around it, using his power to make sure that he and his people could return to fight another day. This was the god growing as a person, becoming more than a simple warrior.
6) Daredevil
Daredevil has starred in fantastic stories and most fans agree that Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s “Born Again” is his best. Kingpin is sold ol’Hornhead’s identity by his ex-girlfriend, current junkie Karen Page (Miller has… problems with women). The crime boss takes apart Matt Murdock’s life, eventually leading to a climactic battle between the two of them. Wilson Fisk has every advantage, but losing everything has made Murdock into someone with nothing to lose, allowing him to truly become a man without fear. This battle was amazing; Matt had beaten New York’s greatest criminal before, but this was a fight that allowed the hero to reach a new level. It’s amazing and it’s more than earned its place in the annals of Marvel history.
5) Iron Man
The Marvel Cinematic Universe made Iron Man a superstar, but the comics gave him the stories that made him a man. “Demon in the Bottle”, by David Michielenie, Bob Layton, John Romita Jr., and Carmine Infantino, was a nine-issue story that saw Tony Stark face his greatest challenge. Years of stress, trauma, and his jet set lifestyle had left him an alcoholic and he had to face off against the greatest enemy that anyone can face – their own demons. Tony was able to slay the beast inside of him and keep his control even without alcohol; he was able to prove the kind of man he truly was, saving his own life in the process.
4) Hulk
The Immortal Hulk is the monster’s finest hour. The series, from Al Ewing, Joe Bennet, and numerous fill-in artists, changed everything that readers thought they knew about gamma radiation, the Hulk, Bruce Banner, and the people in his life. The book ended with Hulk having to deal with the machination of the One Below All, the dark mirror of the One Above All. The Jade Giant is able to realize the truth of the entities, winning the battle by showing them that darkness and light are integral parts of each other, discovering the true nature of the universe’s most powerful beings. Not a single punch is thrown, just a man and the monster inside of him letting go of their hatred and embracing their differences, and God and the Devil basically following his example.
3) Captain America
Captain America has had many victories over the years, both on his own and with his friends in the superhero community. However, the greatest saw him save the life of one of the people he loved the most. “The Winter Soldier”, by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting, and Mike Perkins, saw Russian general Aleksander Lukin kill Red Skull and unleash the Soviet Union’s greatest weapon on the world in a bid for power: the Winter Soldier, who was once Cap’s sidekick Bucky. This story saw Steve Rogers tested in ways he never had been before. He had to figure out a way to save the life of a person he thought he lost, all while dealing with a dangerous, intelligent enemy’s plans. This was more than a battle against the forces of evil; it was a war for the soul of a friend and Cap’s victory proved how far he would go to save lives.
2) Wolverine
Wolverine has survived some brutal battles, but there was one that showed who he could truly be, not just who he was. In Wolverine (Vol. 1) #1-4, Logan finds himself in Japan up against the father of his fiancee Mariko, Yakuza boss lord Shingen Yashida. The criminal noble is able to beat the wild hero, almost killing him, forcing the ol’Canucklehead to re-evaluate who he is and how he fights enemies without and within. Their second battle sees him never give into his rage, out-thinking his crafty foe and ending his life. Wolverine had to beat himself in order to defeat his foe, setting him on the road to becoming one of the greatest heroes on the planet.
1) Spider-Man
Spider-Man has long been one of Marvel’s most popular heroes. While he’s the ultimate hard luck hero, he’s had some amazing wins over the years that defined the kind of person he’s made himself into. There are numerous great victories in his history, but the one that stands out the most and shows how much he’s grown is from “Spider-Verse”. This story saw him team up with Spider-Men and Women from across the multiverse against Morlun and the Inheritors. Peter Parker of Earth-616 stepped up and become a leader, using skills that he had picked up over the years fighting alongside the greatest heroes of them all. It’s where he truly reached the level he deserves to be at, proving all the praise wasn’t just hyperbole – he really is spectacular AND amazing.
What’s your favorite Marvel victory? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
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