The “Avengers: Doomsday” marketing campaign continued with a Thor-centric teaser that delighted many Marvel fans by standing in stark contrast to the divisively silly “Thor: Love and Thunder,” the 2022 tentpole that marked Chris Hemsworth‘s last outing as the God of Thunder. The teary-eyed Thor who appears in the “Doomsday” teaser praying before battle is miles away from the wise-cracking goofball Thor became in the MCU.
“Father, all my life I’ve answered every call, to honor, duty, to war. Now fate has given me something I never sought. A child, a life untouched by the storm,” Thor says in the “Doomsday” theater in an ultra-serious tone. “Grant me the strength of the old fathers, so that I may fight once more, defeat one more enemy, and return home to her. Not as a warrior, but as warmth, to teach her not battle, but stillness, the kind I never knew. Please father heed my word.”
Giving Thor his own brooding “Doomsday” teaser sends a clear message to Marvel fans that the superhero is changing tone for his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While “Love and Thunder” earned a robust $760 million worldwide in summer 2022, it polarized fans by pushing Thor to the limit of silliness. Even Hemsworth criticized the movie, admitting in a 2023 GQ magazine profile that “Love and Thunder” was “too silly” for its own good.
“I think we just had too much fun. It just became too silly,” Hemsworth said about the movie. “It’s always hard being in the center of it and having any real perspective…I love the process, it’s always a ride. But you just don’t know how people are going to respond.”
Hemsworth said his biggest critics were his son’s friends. “It’s a bunch of eight-year-olds critiquing my film. ‘We thought this one had too much humor, the action was cool but the VFX weren’t as good,’” he said. “I cringe and laugh equally at it.”
The actor doubled down a year later in Vanity Fair’s May 2024 issue, saying: “I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself. I didn’t stick the landing.”
Hemsworth added he grew frustrated with the character while playing him in four standalone Marvel films and additional “Avengers” movies, explaining: “Sometimes I felt like a security guard for the team. I would read everyone else’s lines, and go, ‘Oh, they got way cooler stuff. They’re having more fun. What’s my character doing?’ It was always about, ‘You’ve got the wig on. You’ve got the muscles. You’ve got the costume. Where’s the lighting?’ Yeah, I’m part of this big thing, but I’m probably pretty replaceable.”
Despite the self-criticism, Hemsworth was always clear that he wanted to give Thor another shot and gives fans the God of Thunder they deserve after the misstep of “Love and Thunder.” He also told Entertainment Weekly in 2023 that his next Thor movie would need to be “unpredictable.”
“I don’t want to continue to do it until people are so exhausted that they roll their eyes when they see me come on the screen as that character,” Hemsworth said “If an audience wants to see it, and if there’s something that we believe is exciting and fun, then great. I’ve loved being able to reinvent that character a few times. I don’t have the answer yet, but I would love to try and [figure out] how we can do that again and keep it a little unpredictable.”
“Avengers: Doomsday” opens in theaters Dec. 18, 2026. Watch the Thor teaser in the video below.
>> NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES. SOME HAVE A PENCIL, TALENT AND A CREATIVE APPROACH TO GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT MATH. GULF COAST NEWS BRIT SHOWS US HOW IT ALL ADDS UP IN TONIGHT’S STORY TO SHARE. >> AND THEY KNOW WHO THIS GUY IS GOING TO >> INSIDE THE DIMENSIONS OF A HERO IN THE MAKING JERRY TO CARE LIGHTS THE PAGE WITH PASSION. YOU PUT SO MUCH WORK INTO IT. YOU’RE SO GOOD AT IT. NOW THAT IT’S IN ITS COMES TO. SO NATURALLY, IT IS JUST FUND. THAT’S THE POINT YOU WANT TO GET PUT THROUGH MARVEL’S UNIVERSE AND CHANCES ARE YOU’LL MARVEL AT HIS WORK. EXCELLENT FOR WOLVERINE PUNISHER CONE IN NICK FURY, AGENT SHIELD HAWKEYE DEAD POOL. >> EVEN TIME, CAMEOS OF DR. STRANGE IRONMAN. >> WHO ELSE? >> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HIS DRAWINGS WEREN’T ALWAYS COVER WORD THE THIS BUT BUT I DON’T MEAN TO BUT THIS IS GARBAGE. BUT AFTER 4 YEARS OF STUBBORN, PERSISTENCE AND SKETCHES, HE WAS OFFERED TO DRAW ON X MEN ANNUAL SERIES. AND I SAID THE >> SHE COULD YOU GIVE ME A FANTASTIC 4 INSTEAD AND I’M THE GUY GOES, LISTEN, I’LL GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE. YOU KNOW, AND I SAID TAKE IT. YOU WITH MORE THAN 10 SUCCESSFUL MARVEL COMICS UNDER HIS BELT, HIS FAVORITE AUDIENCE ISN’T AT COMICON ANYMORE. YOU CAN DROP YOU IN THE CYLINDER FROM PRETTY MUCH YOU KNOW, BELIEVE THAT A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE, YOU CAN IMAGINE YOU CAN DRAW ANYTHING. HIS WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES ACROSS AMERICAN MIX. MARVEL WITH MATT. THEY THINK SUPERHEROES A COOL LITTLE THING. MATHIS TO COOL. SO WHEN YOU COMBINE THOSE 2 THAT KIND OF ALL OF A SUDDEN MATHIS KIND OF COOL, WHICH IS WHAT THE MATH TEACHER WANTS FOR THEM. >> WHILE JERRY LOVES DRAWING MUSCLES LIKE THE NEXT COMIC. HIS WORK IS ABOUT STRENGTHENING CONFIDENCE. YOU KNOW SOMETHING TO BE AWARE TO JUST SET YOURSELF APART RIGHT FROM SUPERHEROES TO STUDENTS. HE’S TEACHING NEXT GENERATION THEIR OWN KIND OF SUPERPOWER THAT CAN DO. YOU CAN LOOK REALLY GOOD. AND SO I KN
Sketching the outlines of a hero in the making, Jerry DeCaire lights the page with passion.”You put so much work into it that you’re so good at it now,” said DeCaire. “And it comes so naturally that it’s just fun, that’s the point you want to get to.”Flip through Marvel’s comics universe, and chances are, you’ll marvel at his work.X-Men, Thor, Wolverine, Dr. Strange, Iron Man — these are just a few comics he’s worked on.Believe it or not, his drawings weren’t always cover-worthy.”He says, ‘Hey buddy, I don’t mean to break your heart, but this is garbage,’” said DeCaire, describing what his mentor, comics legend John Buscema, told him when he was starting out.But four years of stubborn persistence and sketches later, he got an offer to draw an X-Men annual series.Now, with more than 10 successful Marvel comics under his belt, his favorite audience isn’t at Comic-Con anymore.”If you can draw a cube and a cylinder from pretty much any angle you can imagine or perspective you can imagine, you can draw anything,” said DeCaire.His workshops in schools and public libraries across America mix Marvel with math.”They think superheroes are cool. They don’t think math is too cool. So, all of a sudden, math is cool — which is what the teacher wants,” said Jerry.While DeCaire loves drawing muscles like the next comics artist, his work is about strengthening confidence.”Sometimes just being weird and setting yourself apart, right?” said DeCaire.
Sketching the outlines of a hero in the making, Jerry DeCaire lights the page with passion.
“You put so much work into it that you’re so good at it now,” said DeCaire. “And it comes so naturally that it’s just fun, that’s the point you want to get to.”
Flip through Marvel’s comics universe, and chances are, you’ll marvelat his work.
X-Men, Thor, Wolverine, Dr. Strange, Iron Man — these are just a few comics he’s worked on.
Believe it or not, his drawings weren’t always cover-worthy.
“He says, ‘Hey buddy, I don’t mean to break your heart, but this is garbage,’” said DeCaire, describing what his mentor, comics legend John Buscema, told him when he was starting out.
But four years of stubborn persistence and sketches later, he got an offer to draw an X-Men annual series.
Now, with more than 10 successful Marvel comics under his belt, his favorite audience isn’t at Comic-Con anymore.
“If you can draw a cube and a cylinder from pretty much any angle you can imagine or perspective you can imagine, you can draw anything,” said DeCaire.
His workshops in schools and public libraries across America mix Marvel with math.
“They think superheroes are cool. They don’t think math is too cool. So, all of a sudden, math is cool — which is what the teacher wants,” said Jerry.
While DeCaire loves drawing muscles like the next comics artist, his work is about strengthening confidence.
“Sometimes just being weird and setting yourself apart, right?” said DeCaire.
HOUSTON, TX — The rumble is back. Monster Jam is returning to Houston’s NRG Stadium! Don’t miss the U.S. debut of the Marvel Monster Trucks, Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther and the Amazing Spiderman.
“I grew up as a little kid watching Monster Jam and I dressed up as Spiderman, so having the two come together is absolutely wild. I’m just a big kid driving a 12,000 pound Monster Truck flying high through the sky,” Monster Truck driver Camden Murphy says with a smile.
Monster Jam is an edge-of-your-seat experience for both the drivers and the fans. Add in the Marvel Superheroes and it takes the ride to a whole new level!
“We all grew up watching superheroes, to be behind the wheel of Iron Man is a dream come true,” said Iron Man Monster Truck driver Brandon Arthur. “We are doing stuff in the trucks we shouldn’t be doing. You pay for the whole seat, but you’ll only be using the edge.”
It’s fun for the entire family, so buckle up for a Monster Jam Marvel weekend spin!
“If you’ve never been to Monster Jam, you have to come,” said Murphy. “I guarantee you, I promise you, if it’s your first time, it will never be your last.”
HOUSTON, TX — The rumble is back. Monster Jam is returning to Houston’s NRG Stadium. Don’t miss the U.S. debut of the Marvel Monster Trucks, Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther and the Amazing Spiderman.
“I grew up as a little kid watching Monster Jam and I dressed up as Spiderman so having the two come together is absolutely wild. I’m just a big kid driving a 12,000 pound Monster Truck flying high through the sky,” Monster Truck driver Camden Murphy says with a smile.
Monster Jam is an edge-of-your-seat experience for the drivers and the fans. Add in the Marvel Superheroes and it takes the ride to a whole new level!
“We all grew up watching superheroes, to be behind the wheel of Iron Man is a dream come true,” said Iron Man Monster Truck driver Brandon Arthur, “We are doing stuff in the trucks we shouldn’t be doing. You pay for the whole seat, but you’ll only be using the edge.”
It’s fun for the entire family, so buckle up for a Monster Jam Marvel weekend spin!
“If you’ve never been to Monster Jam, you have to come,” said Murphy. “I guarantee you, I promise you, if it’s your first time, it will never be your last.”
Thor is associated with Offbrand Games, publisher of Rivals 2. As Thor confirmed on stream Rivals 2 will be an always-online live-service game. Stop Killing Games is a conflict of interest for him. That’s it. That is the real reason he is so against it. And sure, he will try to act all high and mighty, but still it’s just ******** he made up, while the true reason is this: he left Blizzard, but Blizzard didn’t leave him. He is a corporate shill and the mask is off.
Since 2014, Russell Dauterman has been an artist mainstay of Marvel comics, and one of the best working at the publisher today. From working with Jason Aaron to tell the story of Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor to giving stylish looks to the X-Men for their annual Hellfire Galas (RIP), his work has consistently been pretty damn good, and it’s now being collected into a whole book you can have on your shelf.
The Secret to Taika Waititi’s Success
Earlier in the week, BacketKit announced an upcoming Kickstarter campaign for The Marvel Art of Russell Dauterman. The 216-page hardcover will collect the past decade of his work, including covers (regular and variant), interiors and design work—from X-Men to Scarlet Witch and Thor, he says the book will include “as much as I can.” For those who are fans of his costume variant covers, he confirmed all of those would be featured, including one for Thor that hasn’t been seen before now. The book will also include commentary from Dauterman himself and other extras he says will feature “some things a few of you have asked for! I’ve been working on this for awhile,” he added, “[and I] eally hope you enjoy it!”
Dauterman first came into comics in 2011 with The Mis-Adventures of Adam West (written by Darren G. Davis, Reed Lackey, and West himself) and Annie Automatic (Sam Scott). After a brief stint with Boom! and DC Comics, he started at Marvel with Greg Rucka’s short Cyclops run before going to Aaron’s Thor book, and the rest is history. Since going to Marvel, his art has always been eyecatching, and the publisher knows it; his contributions have consistently been featured on outlets like The View and Entertainment Weekly.
The Marvel Art of Russell Dauterman Kickstarteer will begin soon—April 23 or 24, if the countdown math is right—and more details about what’s included in it and when it’s arriving—will be revealed in the coming weeks.
With his muscular physique and square jaw, Alan Ritchson looks like he stepped out of the pages of a comic book. And while theReacher star got his break playing Aquaman in Smallville, he was almost cast in many of our favorite superhero projects.
In an interview with Men’s Health, Ritchson describes his experience auditioning in the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ritchson auditioned for the title role in Thor (2011), a role that ultimately went to Chris Hemsworth.
“I didn’t take it seriously,” he said. “I was like, ‘They’ll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting.’ ” After the audition, the casting cabal told his team the role had been his to lose but he hadn’t shown that he had “the craft.” Chris Hemsworth would be Thor, and Ritchson would simmer for another decade.”
Men’s Health
The rejection inspired Ritchson to take some acting classes and hone his craft. Years later, he would come close to starring in HBO Max’s Titans as Nightwing. “I was so confident. I was like, ‘This is the best damn audition I’ve ever had in my life. There’s no way they can do this show without me,’ ” he said. Ritchson was so confident in his audition that he pre-emptively bought a Tesla, only to discover he was passed over for Brenton Thwaites.
Ritchson later joined the series as Hank Hall/Hawk, a role he would reprise in Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. Now that Ritchson has broken through with the success of Reacher, he’s likely fielding offers from DC and Marvel. Or at the very least, getting another audition. I think Ritchson would make a fantastic Booster Gold. Just putting that out there, DC!
Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’ is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.
At the end of Thor: Love and Thunder, we got confirmation that Valhalla is real, and Asgardians go there when they die in battle. Now, a reported leak suggests that we might see more of the Asgardian afterlife in Thor 5.
The Cosmic Circus reports that, according to their sources, some early ideas for Thor 5 include exploring more of Valhalla. It’s not clear whether these ideas are still being considered, or whether they’ve been scrapped. It’s also not clear what form an exploration of Valhalla would take. I should also stress that this leak is unconfirmed, so you should take it with a Mjolnir-sized grain of salt.
The Cosmic Circus points out another interesting detail in Thor: Love and Thunder. In the movie’s post-credits scene, Jane (Natalie Portman) finds herself in Valhalla after she dies fighting Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). Once there, Jane is greeted by Heimdall (Idris Elba). If you look closely at the sky above Jane, you can see the Sacred Timeline from Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. That means that Valhalla could potentially shed some light on the structure of Marvel’s multiverse. Does each universe have its own afterlife? Does Valhalla exist outside of space and time? People have been debating these questions!
So what part could Valhalla play in Thor 5?
We know that Hercules (Brett Goldstein) is hunting Thor to get revenge on him for wounding and humiliating Zeus (Russell Crowe) in Love and Thunder. Is Thor going to die in Thor 5? Or might he seek help from old friends who have passed on?
One thing I definitely don’t want is a cynical cameo-fest of dead characters. But, interestingly, the last shot of Love and Thunder is Jane taking in her new life as one of Asgard’s heroic dead. Is it possible that Jane’s story isn’t over yet? Could Jane perhaps become a valkyrie?
In the comics, Jane’s time as Mighty Thor has a similar ending to the movie: thanks to her frequent transformations, her cancer kills her. However, in the comics, Jane is brought back to life and becomes a valkyrie. If Thor 5 explores the afterlife more, then it could serve as a way to make Jane a valkyrie in the MCU, too.
That’d be pretty neat! Plus, Thor and Loki’s storylines have drifted so far from Norse mythology that they’re almost unrecognizable. It’d be nice to bring at least one of those storylines back to the characters’ roots.
Again, this is all pretty hefty speculation. It’s fun to dream, though!
(via The Cosmic Circus, featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Immortal Thor #4, written by Al Ewing and drawn by Martín Cóccolo, is out in comic book stores, and it continues the audacious story of Thor’s battle against gods even more ancient and powerful than he is. But Thor’s got allies, and he’s not afraid to recruit them!
Spoilers for Immortal Thor #4 ahead!
In Immortal Thor, Thor faces an uber-god named Toranos. Toranos is from Utgard, “the shadow-lands, home to those who sit above even the Gods,” and he immediately proves to be far too powerful for Thor to face alone. After Loki preps Thor on a far-off planet through a series of labyrinthine tests, Thor decides to form a team. His first pick? Ororo Munroe, a.k.a. Storm of the X-Men.
Storm is, of course, a natural pairing for Thor, since they’re both storm gods. Immortal Thor isn’t their first team-up, but it’s still fun to watch them banter, especially since Ororo isn’t too pleased at being abruptly summoned to help fight Thor’s battle. (She softens up when she sees what they’re actually up against.)
But Storm is only part of Thor’s—and Loki’s—plan. While Thor is talking to Ororo, Loki recruits Beta Ray Bill, the alien hero capable of wielding Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. Once the four of them are together, Jane Foster shows up in her guise as Valkyrie—and is transformed back into the iconic Mighty Thor. At the end of the issue, we finally see what Thor is up to: he gives each of his allies the power of Thor, turning them into temporary thunder gods. He’s created the Thor Corps!
Myths are the best when they feel mythical
What’s great about Immortal Thor—and Marvel’s Asgardian storylines in general—is that it has the feel of a modern myth. The stakes are colossal without feeling artificial. The story has an elevated, timeless quality to it, even as the characters trade modern-sounding quips. Plus, thanks to issue 1, we know that Toranos isn’t Thor’s final challenge. Back in Utgard, Utgard-Loki is waiting to strike.
It’s interesting that Immortal Thor is running as Loki season 2 wraps up, since the Loki finale also had a weighty, mythological feel to it. (Spoilers ahead!) Why does Loki turn the Sacred Timeline into Yggdrasil? How is he able to revive the timelines with only his magic and his bare hands? Why does he have to lock himself away in order to save the multiverse? Because he’s a god, and that’s how myths work. Even (or especially!) when they seem to operate according to dream logic, myths and legends are a pleasure to experience again and again.
Immortal Thor #5 comes out on December 13th, so we’ll get to see the Thor Corps in action.
Thor: Love and Thunder ended on a hopeful note, with Thor starting a new chapter of his life with his adopted daughter, Love. But when will Thor come back? Will we see more of the God of Thunder in a possible Thor 5? Here’s what we know.
In Thor: Love and Thunder, Thor goes on a quest with the Guardians of the Galaxy to find out who he is without Mjolnir or the throne of Asgard. However, when Gorr the God Butcher, who wants to wipe out every god in the universe, kidnaps the children of New Asgard, Thor has to rally his friends and fight to save godkind. Korg, King Valkyrie, Jane as the Mjolnir-wielding Mighty Thor all join Thor in the fight.
Thor is the first MCU hero to get a fourth solo film, and it’s a good thing, too, since we only recently witnessed the full potential of the character. After the middling success and the dour tone of the first two Thor films, Chris Hemsworth considered moving on from the character. However, Taika Waititi revitalized the franchise when he came on to direct Thor: Ragnarok. Suddenly, Thor’s comedic potential came to the forefront of the series, and what might have been another stuffy fantasy turned into a rollicking sword and planet adventure.
Taika Waititi on the future of Thor
Before Thor: Love and Thunder came out, Waititi sat down for an interview with TotalFilm Magazine, where he shared his thoughts on where the franchise might go next.
“It’s really fun, the idea that Thor [has] got Stormbreaker, that big axe, and now his hammer’s back and it’s in the hands of someone else. It’s no longer his hammer. It’s the idea that someone’s taking his place. I think a lot of fans are gonna potentially assume, ‘Oh, OK, this is the passing on of the torch’… I’m not privy to any plans Marvel has for the future, but I don’t think that’s the case.”
A lot of Marvel Phase 4 projects involved passing the torch, with Kate Bishop becoming the new Hawkeye and Jennifer Walters potentially taking Bruce Banner’s place as the Hulk. However, Chris Hemsworth said in a 2022 Wired interview that he would “keep playing the character forever” if fans wanted him to.
In another interview with Fandango, Waititi said that although he (supposedly) doesn’t have any plans to direct another Thor movie, he wouldn’t necessarily say no to the opportunity.
I haven’t thought about [Thor 4] as part of a new trilogy, because every time I make a film, I think, “I’m never doing that again,” because they’re just too hard. There’s any film and I’ve done it eight times now. Eight times I’ve said, “I think I’m just going to pack it in. I had a good run.” And then sure enough I get lured back in with a Yankee dollar.
Will Thor return? Rumors are flying
Many fans feared that Thor would die at the end of Love and Thunder, especially since Korg’s voiceover in the trailer kept referring to Thor in the past tense. As it turns out, Thor survives, with a title card saying “Thor will return” appearing on the screen. But what will that return look like? Is Thor going to get a fifth solo outing, will he be appearing in the next Avengers film, or both? After all, he and his brother Loki still need the reunion fans are clamoring for, and there’s the pesky matter of the multiverse collapsing.
Recently, Marvel leaker DanielRPK reported that Thor 5 is in the works, with Waititi stepping back and Marvel hunting for a new director. However, although the rumors are flying, they remain just that: rumors. Despite what you might see on social media, there has been no official announcement from Marvel about Thor 5. That doesn’t mean the rumors aren’t true; it just means we don’t know for sure yet.
So, will there be a Thor 5? We don’t know yet, but we do know that more Thor is on the way. What exactly he’ll get up to remains to be seen.
This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the work being covered here wouldn’t exist.
In a controversial opinion piece penned for TheNew York Times, acclaimed film director Martin Scorcese argued that Marvel movies cannot be classified as cinema. The Onion asked fans of the action movie franchise what they thought of Scorcese’s latest film, Killers Of The Flower Moon, and this is what they said.
Being an actor in a Marvel movie seems like a pretty sweet gig. You get to bring an iconic comic book character to life for millions of fans. And while the costume may not always be comfy — in fact, quite a few actors openly hated their ensembles — you sometimes get to take home a cool souvenir. Yes, that’s right. Some Marvel actors have been lucky enough to walk away from set with a piece of movie magic, whether it’s a prop, a wardrobe piece, or even a part of the set.
In some cases, these tokens are given to the actors as presents to thank them for a job well done. But Marvel isn’t always so keen on handing props over to actors to keep for good. For example, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu asked the producers if he could take home a pair of his character’s shoes, but his request was denied. That’s why some actors simply steal their desired prop and hope nobody notices. Many of them have even gotten away with it, too — until they confess to their stolen treasures in interviews. Of course, no Marvel actor has gotten in serious trouble from taking home a prop. After all, it’s quite hard to imagine an A-list actor such as Tom Holland or Ryan Reynolds getting in trouble for simply bringing home a bit of their character with them.
Listen, I get that you’re new here. From what I understand, you transferred out of Anime High because you couldn’t sit with the most popular anime boys and girls of all time. But why did you think Superhero High would be any different? You’re NOT one of the popular superheroes. I don’t even think you’re super at all! HOW DID YOU EVEN GET IN HERE? DID YOU BREAK INTO SCHOOL GROUNDS? HOW DID NO ONE NOTICE?
Okay, maybe your superpower is that you’re so unpopular you’re basically invisible. Cool. Whatever. Why don’t you go and sit with the other invisible kids. They’re around here somewhere—I think? That could be them over there. Or maybe that table is just empty? Idk. Go sit down. If you sit in Captain Invisible’s, it’ll probably be the most action he’s had all year.
You’re still HERE? Okay, listen. If I introduce to the popular heroes you will you PROMISE to leave?
*sigh*
Okay fine. Let’s go.
10. Iron Man
(Marvel Entertainment)
Okay, see the guy whose lunch box is feeding him with mechanical arms? That’s Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. He’s what we call “new popular”. He wasn’t really all that cool when he first hit the scene. I mean, don’t get me wrong. He was still pretty popular. There was like… a Black Sabbath song about him I think? Idk some Dad music. But he got SUPER popular when he was played by Robert Downey Jr. in 2008. And it’s all been uphill from there.
9. Thor
(Marvel Entertainment)
Thor is also what we call “new popular”. He wasn’t really all that back when his first comics started. Tbh I thought he looked like kind of a dork with the winged helmet. He debuted in Journey Into Mystery #83 all the way back in the 1960s. But it wasn’t till the Avengers movies took off that he saw his popularity soar. The first Thor movie was okay, but he didn’t hit home with fans. But then the people at Marvel had the bright idea to make him comic relief in movies like Thor: Ragnorok and the fans went wild. And who wouldn’t go wild over Chris Hemsworth, am I right?
8. The Incredible Hulk
(Marvel Entertainment)
Okay so the Incredible Hulk was always cool, but a lot of people didn’t give him the time of day because his mild-mannered Bruce Banner persona wasn’t as cool as, say Bruce Wayne. I mean Bruce Banner is kind of a nerd, and nerds weren’t really in for a while. Now nerds are so in; basically everyone on Earth is a nerd in some fandom right now. Just wasn’t the case back then. But what’s not to love about a guy who turns huge and green and smashes things when he gets mad? I wish I could do that.
7. Wolverine
(20th Century Fox)
Wolverine was also always cool, but again, he didn’t get MEGA cool until he a Hollywood makeover. The original Wolverine is kinda ugly. He’s short, stocky, hairy, and looks like he got punched in the face one too many times. He’s not exactly movie-star quality. Then some genius of a casting director decided that Hugh Jackman would be a perfect fit and the rest was history. Besides, he’s got KNIVES IN HIS HANDS. So cool. Yeah he’s cutting up his sandwich with them. Wouldn’t you?
5. Wonder Woman
(Warner Bros.)
You see that woman with the rippling biceps? That’s Wonder Woman. She’s in the big leagues. She’s been popular forever, and is arguably the most popular female superhero of all time. She’s got it all: brains, beauty, and a hero’s heart. Ugh. I just wanna be her. She grew up in a community of Amazonian warrior women, and is the strongest of them all. She was always a heavy hitter on the popularity front, but her popularity shot up even further now that she’s played by the incredible Gal Godot in the movies.
6. Captain America
(Marvel Entertainment)
To be honest, America is kind of a scary place to be right now, but Captain America makes it just a little bit brighter. He was a symbol of American strength and resilience since the 1940s. He has his roots in antifascism, and he was pictured punching Hitler in his debut comic in 1941. He represents all of the best parts of American ideals: courage, optimism, and tolerance of all cultures and beliefs (except for fascism). It also helps that he was played by that hottie Chris Evans and now second hottie Anthony Mackie. Definitely a popularity booster.
4. Black Panther
(Matt Kennedy / Marvel Studios)
WAKANADA FOREVER! Omg sorry I just get really excited whenever I talk about Black Panther. I’m a big fan. His popularity EXPLODED back in 2018 with the release of the first Black Panther film. It was the first Marvel film with a Black director and a predominately Black cast, and was also the first superhero film nominated for Best Picture. Needless to say, it’s a serious touchstone in pop culture. T’Challa was played by the late, great actor Chadwick Boseman. A modern cinema legend.
3. Superman
(Warner Bros.)
You see those three dudes in the middle of the table? Those are the Big Three. The most popular superheroes of all time. And you see that guy in the red cape who also looks suspiciously similar to a certain mild-mannered journalist at the Daily Planet? Yeah, that’s Superman. He was one of the first superheroes ever conceived. He also has antifascist roots. He was created by two Jewish illustrators named Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 to beat the shit out of Nazis, and his name, Kal-El, is a Hebrew phrase meaning “God is in everything”. This guy didn’t need Hollywood to make him popular, he had been a legend for DECADES.
2. Batman
(Warner Bros)
See that guy in the dark cape next to Superman? He’s vengeance. He’s the night. He’s totally NOT a billionaire playboy named Bruce Wayne. What gave you that idea? Batman was created by Bob Kane in 1939, and since then he’s aged like the fine wine in Bruce Wayne’s mansion. But again, he’s totally not Bruce Wayne. Batman has it all. He’s got the dark past, the utility belt full of gizmos, and the mind of a master detective, and the body of a black-belt martial artist. He also didn’t need help from Hollywood, but one could argue that The Dark Knight is the greatest superhero movie of all time. Bruce Wayne is even in it! And yes, it is totally a coincidence that he and Batman are never in a scene together.
1. Spiderman
(Marvel Entertainment)
Okay, see the cute kid sitting in between Batman and Superman? The kid who caught that redhead and her lunch tray when she tripped earlier? That’s the most popular superhero of all time: Spiderman. There have been a few Spidermans (a whole Spiderverse of them, actually) but the first and most famous is Peter Parker. He was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962, and has gone on to sell BILLIONS of dollars worth of comics and movies. Peter Parker is unstoppable, probably because he’s so charming! What’s not to love about a loud-mouthed kid from Queens? I know I love him. I pass notes to him in class all the time. He stopped opening them, but I know if I keep trying he’ll dump that ginger and take me to prom.
