Top 20 Superheroes Outside Marvel and DC
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Superheroes Outside Marvel and DC. For this list, we’ll be looking at the best comic book heroes that don’t come from one of the big two. Heroes that originated with other companies but whose rights currently belong to DC or Marvel, as well as ones belonging to offshoots like Vertigo won’t appear here. Since this list is focusing on western comic books, superheroes originating in other mediums such as; manga, film, or TV won’t be on this list either. Let us know in the comments below which superheroes not owned by Marvel or DC are your favorites!
#20: Starlight
Despite being set in a world full of superheroes, the setting of “The Boys” couldn’t be more different than DC or Marvel. Superheroes there are largely self-obsessed influencers that are more concerned with their own brand than any given individual’s life. While Homelander may be the obvious choice here, we think he’s much more of a villain than a hero. Despite all of this, there is still one altruistic costumed superhero, Annie January, better known as Starlight. When she joins the super team the Seven, Starlight is horrified by their despicable acts, and she does her best not to be lowered to their level. Annie struggles both with dark realizations about her fellow “heroes” as well as coming to terms with her fundamentalist childhood.
#19: Vampirella
Coming out of the ‘60s, this sexy vampire alien perfectly encapsulates the campy vibe of many of the comics that existed outside of the mainstream at the time. Originally drawn in black and white, “Vampirella” told the story of the alluring seductress from the dying planet of Drakulon, after it lost its natural supply of blood and compelled her to travel to Earth to find a new source. Over the years, she would receive a number of varying origin stories and incorporate numerous figures from vampire lore like; Dracula, Van Helsing, and Lilith into a modern context. In the ‘90s, she received another surge in popularity as she became one of the decade’s so called “bad girls” of comics, helping cement the comic’s cult status.
#18: X-O Manowar
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This one’s equal parts Conan the Barbarian and Mega Man. Before he had the suit that transformed him into X-O Manowar, Aric of Dacia was a warlike prince in 5th century Europe. Knowing nothing but war his entire life, he defended his Visigoth people against the oppressive Roman Empire – that is, until a much larger threat arrived. Seven years after he was taken as a slave by the invading aliens known as the Vine, Aric led a revolt and became the first person to successfully survive bonding with the suit. By the time he returned to Earth, Aric discovered that over a thousand years had passed, so he decided to use his suit to fight the Vine and other super-powered threats in his new present.
#17: Kick-Ass
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Kick-Ass exists in a world much closer to our own than most of the other entries on our list, an ordinary place where no one has powers. In fact, Dave Lizewski is what many would consider an average high schooler and comic book fan. That is, until one day he decides to become a real-life superhero, which goes disastrously at first, landing him in the hospital for an extended stay. Despite these initial setbacks Dave isn’t discouraged and redoubles his efforts to be a hero upon release. What really endears Kick-Ass to comic readers is that he’s one of them, and it doesn’t take a bite from a radioactive spider or an alien lineage for him to decide to become a hero.
#16: Savage Dragon
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Comic creator Erik Larsen had been drawing Savage Dragon comic books in some form or another going all the way back to his days in elementary school. Over the years, Larsen retooled the character a number of times until he left Marvel to co-found Image Comics. The Dragon was now a musclebound, green man with a fin on his head who had lost his memory. By Larsen’s admission, Savage Dragon was meant to serve as a bridge to comic readers that had grown out of more kiddish fare but were still too young to read graphic and mature comics. Over the years, Savage Dragon’s murky backstory has slowly been revealed, and he’s crossed over with countless other third party superheroes.
#15: Bloodshot
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There have been a number of different characters to take on the mantle of Bloodshot in Valiant Comics, including an amnesiatic covert operative and a mafia hitman. Whichever Bloodshot you’re discussing, however, he’s a living weapon, given strength and regenerative abilities from nanites in his bloodstream. These nanites also give Bloodshot his signature look: pale-white skin; his namesake crimson circle on his chest; and blood-red eyes. The shadowy Project Rising Spirit manipulated Bloodshot’s memories to make him into their perfect hitman, designed to take down the Valiant universe’s superheroes.
#14: The Hargreeves
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The Umbrella Academy’s characters are just as weird as one could hope for from the emo rock frontman, Gerard Way. The Hargreeves family consists of seven variously super-powered individuals, all mysteriously born on the same day from women that weren’t pregnant that morning. Adopted and raised by the wealthy entrepreneur/mad scientist Reginald Hargreeves, the children are raised to be superheroes. As one might expect, this isn’t great for their mental health, and the kids grow up into damaged yet powerful individuals and eventually grow apart. However, the death of Reginald brings the family back together, and the group of weirdos becomes a very messed up family once more, saving the world, or at least doing their best not to screw it up too badly.
#13: The Spirit
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Here’s a classic superhero that originated in Sunday Newspaper Comics. Created by Will Eisner, the Spirit first appeared back in 1940 when the comic book industry was in its infancy. The masked hero, whose costume is simply a hat, nice suit, and domino mask, would be imitated for decades. The stories of this good-natured crime fighter featured mystery, crime, suspense, and noir tropes, along with a multitude of other genres. Many of his tales don’t actually focus on his alter ego, detective Danny Colt, and instead make the comics simply about the superhero himself. Still in print today, the Spirit has a history as rich and long as nearly every character in DC and Marvel.
#12: The Crow
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This dark and brooding character has become an icon for the comics counterculture, as the comic deals with a number of serious and complex issues. The Crow’s tragic backstory resonates with readers dealing with anguish in their own lives while tragedy in the real world both inspired and followed the character. James O’Barr was initially inspired by the death of his fiancée, but tragedy struck again when Brandon Lee died during the filming of the adaptation. Invulnerable to the attacks of others, the Crow’s murderous vengeful rampage nevertheless brought him no peace. Ultimately, the comic shows the unhealthy coping mechanisms that many face when attempting to overcome tremendous grief.
#11: The Mask
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Super? Definitely. Hero? That’s debatable. The Mask refers to both the physical object itself, as well as the character who puts it on. A wearer of the Mask receives near limitless power and a total loss of all inhibitions, in addition to a green skin tone. While the film adaptation starring Jim Carrey (as well as its less-than-amazing sequel) had a somewhat lighthearted tone, the original comic was decidedly darker. Regardless of the original intent; while transformed into the Mask, characters became incredibly chaotic and violent, and act either as antiheroes or, in some cases, just plain villains. The comic played on the dual nature of humanity and the darker side within all of us, and drew inspiration from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
#10: The Darkness
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A primordial essence that existed in the void of chaos that existed before Light came into the universe, the Darkness chooses specific human lineages to be its vessels on Earth. The curse of wielding the Darkness is passed from father to son, with the father dying upon conception and the son inheriting it on his twenty-first birthday. The current wielder of the Darkness, Jackie Estacado, is an antihero taken to the extreme, and is said to be the most powerful host in the malevolent entity’s long history. With dark and demonic powers that utilize control over otherworldly entities known as Darklings, the Darkness’s power is limited only by its user’s imagination, and Jackie has one hell of an imagination.
#9: The Tick
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An affectionate parody of superheroes, the Tick is a good-natured crime fighter with a mysterious past. Of course, “mysterious” here simply means he can’t remember his past. Playing on the many tropes of the genre, Tick protects his hometown, simply called the City, works for a newspaper, and has a trusty sidekick. Many of the supporting characters, both heroic and villainous, are direct parodies of DC and Marvel properties, and are just as ludicrous as the Tick. The surreal character has proven so popular and hilarious that he’s been adapted to television a number of times, including a Saturday morning cartoon in 1994 and a couple of live-action adaptations.
#8: The Rocketeer
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Donning a jetpack and a brilliant, golden helmet, this superhero is a throwback to the serials and comic strips of the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. The Rocketeer emulates the adventures from that bygone era as barnstorming pilot Cliff Secord faced off against mobsters and Nazis. The comic became just as well known for it’s thrilling adventures as it’s immaculate art style of creator Dave Stevens. In fact, it was infrequently released because of the extreme attention to detail in Stevens depicting the hero soaring through the immaculate streets of old Hollywood. Even the Rocketeer’s girlfriend Betty was drawn as an homage to the pinup drawings of Bettie Page. Despite Stevens’s death in 2008, his character will live on and has stood the test of time.
#7: The Phantom
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While his enemies believe him to be immortal, the Phantom is actually a title passed from father to son. The twenty-first Phantom, Kit Walker, dons a disguise and spends his evening fighting crime. One of the most important early characters that tied costumed crime fighters to the medium of comics, the Phantom predates Superman by two years. Historians have described the character as an important transition from the earlier heroes in pulp comics into our modern superheroes. In fact, the Phantom established a number of the genre’s tropes, including masked characters with no pupils and skin-tight suits. Incredibly, the Phantom’s creator, Lee Falk, wrote from the character’s debut in early 1936 until his death in 1999.
#6: Witchblade
Like the “Mask,” “Witchblade” refers both to the magical item and the one who wears it. For millennia, the mystical gauntlet known as Witchblade had bonded with female hosts to fight supernatural evil. While there have been a number of Witchblades, the most famous was the New York homicide detective Sara Pezzini. Imbued with fantastic abilities and supernatural powers, Sara fights against the dark forces of the world, most of the time with their strings being pulled by the nefarious Kenneth Irons. While some fanboys may like Witchblade for her… outfit, the series is also beloved for its strong female protagonists.
#5: Spawn
After becoming a well-known writer and artist on Spider-Man, Todd McFarlane was among a group of comic book artists that shocked the industry in 1992 when they created Image Comics to compete with Marvel and DC. McFarlane’s Spawn was easily the new publisher’s most popular hero, as well as one of the most popular superheroes introduced in the ‘90s in general. By decade’s end, Spawn ended up getting a pretty bad film and a really awesome TV adaptation. Both reveal the character’s dark and twisted backstory, where a CIA agent is killed and sent to Hell before coming back with terrible powers. That, paired with his brutal methods, war on gangs and quest for vengeance, makes him a perfect antihero.
#4: Judge Dredd
The breakout character of the post-apocalyptic science fiction comic series “2000 AD,” Dredd acts as judge, jury, and executioner in the crime-ridden Mega-City One. Seen as both a symbol of justice and of authoritarianism due to his uncompromising and strict adherence to the law, Judge Dredd can be seen as heroic, badass, and horrifying all at once. Much of his allure has to do with the character’s stoicism and the simple fact that he never removes his helmet, giving him a detached personality. He’s even been adapted to film twice, and while 1995’s Judge Dredd was a major disappointment, the 2012 reboot - simply called “Dredd” - proved to be the film fans had been waiting for.
#3: Invincible
Mark Grayson, aka Invincible, has powers reminiscent of golden age superheroes, but the issues Mark deals with are complex and perfect for the modern day. A half-alien and son of the Superman-like Omni Man, Mark is forced to deal with being a child of two worlds while developing powers like super strength, super speed, and flight – all by the time he turns seventeen. What’s more, he also must become a protector of Earth. Despite his abilities and the fact that Mark normally battles aliens, he somehow remains a relatable character who must deal with college, dating and family drama.
#2: Hellboy
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After spending years as one of the best inkers in the business, Mike Mignola created his own superhero: the unconventional Hellboy. As Hellboy was a creator-owned character, Mignola had creative control over the hero, allowing him to fully realize his vision of a literal demon struggling to be a force for good in the world. First appearing in the ‘90s, Hellboy’s quick and sarcastic wit, unique plots and villains, and brilliant art style made the superhero stand out in a time when the “Big Two” were struggling to put out compelling stories.
#1: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
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These sewer-dwelling, pizza-loving amphibians that protect New York City using ninjutsu became a humongous phenomenon in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and their popularity continues to this day. And let us tell you: the Turtles have been adapted to film and TV more times than you can shake a bo staff at. While many adaptations keep the turtles’ personalities, the dark tone, which both parodies and pays homage to Daredevil and comics at the time, has been toned down for a mainstream audience. With the series’ four distinct characters, everyone has a favorite turtle, whether it’s the noble Leonardo, the brave Raphael, the introspective Donatello, or the fun-loving Michelangelo.
