Snake Ranks 50 Marvel/DC Characters

50. Bunker (Miguel Barragan)Nominated by: Eddvhttp://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_small/10/100647/3966249-bunker.jpg Bunker is not so much a character as he is a shoehorned attempt at variety in comics. Mexican AND gay. Woah there. What an automatically great character. Except, no, it doesn't work like that. Bunker is a very shoddy attempt by modern DC to have role-models for kids to look up to. Except, Apollo and Midnighter have been around for almost two decades now. Why don't you bring back Acrata? Bunker isn't even original power wise. I mean his power is to be Green Lantern. Great stuff. Really. Bunker wasn't a character created for the right reasons. As a result, he's not a character I particularly want to associate myself with. 49. Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce)Nominated By: WickIebeehttp://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/4/46385/2764868-blacklightningnew52.jpg Black Lightning is a pretty damn boring character. Similar to Bunker's situation, Black Lighting was originally DC's effort to get a black superhero into their ranks. Black Lightning does have a bit more to him than Bunker, but the way he started out was not dissimilar to the way Luke Cage had started out. And Luke Cage was slumming it up in a bad neighborhood in a low-cut shirt a good 6 years before Black Lightning. But, that's not even the issue here. Black Lightning is just plain uninteresting. I cannot think of one memorable Black Lightning moment in his extremely long history. He's been around just about everywhere in the DC Universe too. This write-up is putting me to sleep now just like this character, next! 48. Static (Virgil Hawkins)Nominated by: KingKrackohttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/Static_%28superhero%29.jpg Black Lightn... I mean Static has always just been kinda there for me. He sits in his own, very weird corner of DC, one that I rarely ever even read. And I mean, is it worth it just for Static? I don't think so. He joined the Teen Titans way too late to really matter, and his early solo stories are boring as hell. Static is a character that just does nothing for me. And he's really only semi-popular at all because of his animated series. 47. Norman OsbornNominated by: The Utility Manhttp://d2vo5twcnd9mdi.cloudfront.net/uploads_ac2b194b-729c-4144-9c76-0cc15916a9f4-Norman_Osborn_Green_Goblin_.jpg Norman Osborn is a classic example of overusing a villain to the point of him just not mattering anymore. As originally introduced, Osborn was the classic Spider-Man villain Green Goblin. These original stories are great, and culminating with the death of Gwen Stacy, it seems his role and influence would be spread for years to come. And it did, but not really in the right way. Ever since then, Norman has constantly been resurrected and resurrected to the point where it's not even shocking anymore. It's just something to be expected with all Osborn stories henceforth. And that can really diminish a majorly psychological player like Osborn. Of course, Green Goblin is a classic villain. Yet, his legacy has undeniably been hurt. 46. Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)Marvel Ranking: 24 (Should've been putting this)Nominated by: Raka_Putrahttp://i.annihil.us/u/prod/marvel//universe3zx/images/thumb/3/38/ScarletWitch442.jpg/406px-ScarletWitch442.jpg Only one thing pops into my mind when I think of Scarlet Witch: M-Day. Scarlet Witch is single-handedly responsible for creating one of the most confusing continuity snags in comic history. And this was supposed to make things simpler. This all pretty terrible, but Scarlet Witch has never been a character I was ever particularly into. She's quite the annoying b****, and main characters like her should never ever have access to reality changing powers. And story wise, very repetitive as well. Let's possess the Scarlet Witch again! That's always fun! Someone needs to wipe her from existence. 45. Spider-Gwen (Gwen Stacy)Marvel Ranking: 23Nominated by: Eddvhttp://media.comicbook.com/uploads1/2014/06/edge-of-spider-verse-1--100339.jpg A new character just introduced into the Marvel Universe, Spider-Gwen is a character I'm very into but at the same time, it's just the old twist of bringing Gwen Stacy back yet again. Let her rest in peace damn it! But still, I can't say I'm not enjoying the Spider-Gwen comic, and this is a bit different after all. She's fun, the comic's fun, but I got to give it a few more months before she creeps up against established characters. With a cool design and a cool personality, Spider-Gwen MAY be the first Gwen to actually stick around forever. Ah, who am I kidding, her whole schtick is dying! But I'll enjoy it while it lasts. 44. Raven (Rachel Roth)DC Ranking: 22Nominated by: NBIcemanhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f5/Ravenacolor.jpg Raven is an occasionally alright character hampered by some extremely bad writing decisions by Geoff Johns in 2004. Semi-interesting with inner conflicts, Raven never really was one of my favorite Titans anyway. But her "rebirth" as a teenage girl was weird and directionless, and also a bad attempt to cash-in on cartoon popularity. Raven's moody personality also never really stood out much compared to the other more vivid Titans. Raven is a character that definitely needs extra strong writing to really stand out from the crowd for me. Until then, blah. 43. Cable (Nathan Summers)Marvel Ranking: 22Nominated by: Quick-Manhttp://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101118072816/marveldatabase/images/1/12/Cable_1992.jpg (Good God Man) The poster boy for pouches and shoulder pads, Cable isn't quite as bad as his 90s origins would suggest. Still, Liefeld sure does try his hardest to make you hate him. As a time traveler with a long, long history, Cable is often times a confusing and mishandled character. Yet, pair him up with someone like Deadpool, and suddenly he becomes someone that's actually fun to read. And that's really the thing. Cable, like Raven, just needs the right writer to bring out his good side. It just... doesn't happen very often. Cable is just too often "blast blam XTREME!". Still, he'll always be a character I think has a lot of potential and it just needs to come out more. 42. Magneto (Max Eisenhardt)Marvel Ranking: 21Nominated by: StifledSilencehttp://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/x-men/images/f/ff/Magneto_by_JPRcolor.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090313011156 I always feel like I'm missing something with Magneto. People say he's deep and complicated, I honestly don't see it, aside from a few glimpses of greatness here and there. And even if he was good at one point, Magneto certainly hasn't been good for years since he became something of an anti-hero. Part of the problem is that Magneto has way too much going on. He's a holocaust survivor, a mutant activist, a mutant terrorist, he's a team-player, oh, now he's not. Magneto's actions and motivations rarely feel consistent between writers. I just don't know if there's any salvaging of Magneto's character at this point. 41. Brainiac (Vril Dox I)DC Ranking: 21Nominated by: Lich_Sandrohttp://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140118204454/marvel_dc/images/0/05/Brainiac_New_Earth_001.jpg I'd hardly call Brainiac one of my favorite villains, but he is a decent enough antagonist for Superman. I do like his "gimmick" of capturing aliens and shrinking cities, especially the latter. However, the one big problem with Brainiac is that he's not really an interesting personality or someone that's really all that interesting to see in action. For someone called Brainiac, he always seems to get defeated sort of easily. He's alright once in a while, and I don't hate him, but there are million better villains out there. 40. Squirrel Girl (Doreen Green)Marvel Ranking: 20Nominated by: PrinceKarohttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/SquirrelGirl.jpg Squirrel Girl has become one of the most surprisingly infamous Marvel characters. Famous for taking down some of Marvel's most dangerous titans, including most famously Doctor Doom, Squirrel Girl is a pretty funny and amusing character... in small doses. Squirrel Girl is a very easy character to over-do, and it's a schtick that can become quite old, quite fast. This is why I think her current solo series is a bad idea. I say, keep it to trivial, almost-never mentioned in-universe incidents, and bring it out only occasionally, and I'll be happy to see it. Also, Squirrel Girl is hardly an interesting character on her own, so she needs to hang on to something to thrive. 39. Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva)DC Ranking: 20Nominated by: Invisohttps://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a6/dd/61/a6dd6117a385c2b4530190a776850935.jpg Cheetah is a serviceable villain that I really don't have much to say about. Cheetah is the closet thing Wonder Woman has to a main antagonist, and I always thought a friggin' Cheetah-woman was a bit left field for that. But her backstory meshes with the WW mythos just fine surprisingly. There have been other Cheetahs, like Priscilla Rich, who in particular played an almost Catwoman-like role with Wonder Woman, toying with her like prey. I don't really get that too much with Minerva's Cheetah, so there is something lacking here. But nevertheless, Cheetah is fine really, she's pretty dangerous with her fast speed, just won't be topping any list of mine. 38. Mr. Freeze (Victor Fries)DC Ranking: 19Nominated by: StifledSilencehttp://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/3/35867/709051-b_cards_pic09.jpg Mr. Freeze is one of the most overrated Batman villains of all time. His great other media appearances aside (which generally wrote the Mr. Freeze we see today), Mr. Freeze is actually generally unoriginal and boring to watch. His backstory isn't bad and he does have good motivations, but I just don't think Mr. Freeze carries out that revenge in quite the right fashion. I prefer my ice-themed DC villains to come in the "Cold" variety. That is all. 37. Tigra (Greer Grant)Marvel Ranking: 19Nominated by: Invisohttp://cartoon.mthai.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/086.jpg Tigra is a lot like Cheetah... except good, slightly more interesting, and Marvel. But otherwise, she's a flirty cat-girl who can be tons of fun at times. Early stories as "The Cat" were often times goofy (who can forget the story with Thanos and his Thanos-branded helicopter), but she really came into her own once she became the character we know today. Tigra mostly fills in a nice supporting role, and I really liked her in Avengers Academy, she was a great teacher. 36. DarkseidDC Ranking: 18Nominated by: ZeroSignal620http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6c/Fc-04_darkseid.jpg Darkseid, while occasionally a villain with great flashes of brilliance in his writing, usually ends up either being jobbed or overused to make him entirely effective. Morrison did a great Darkseid in particular in Final Crisis, but generally, I'm not all that big on the character. I always think dialing back a powerful villain like Darkseid is always for the best, because at the end of the day they should always be someone to fear. Not someone that any old joe-schmoe can beat. 35. Jason ToddDC Ranking: 17Nominated by: vcharonhttp://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/batman/images/f/f1/199633-jason-todd_400.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20080527194201 With a pretty horrid career as Robin and a completely mishandled return, Jason Todd is a character who's greatest enemy is writing. Yet... I don't quite him hate as much as one of Batman's other protégés *coughdamiancough*. Despite being a character that fans so adamantly wanted dead, he has this weird, charming personality that I'm really drawn to. After an angst-filled resurrection, Jason lived on in the DCU as a dark anti-hero, and what can I say, I'm a sucker for this character type! Still, there's no avoiding the tons of bad writing Todd has had over the years, and it greatly diminishes what I think could be much a better character than what he is now. Todd will remain a sort of guilty pleasure character for me, but until he gets his act together, won't be much more than that. 34. Artemis CrockDC Ranking: 16Nominated by: crazyisgoodhttp://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130504223712/marvel_dc/images/2/22/Artemis_Crock_001.jpg Artemis Crock has been a great supporting villain for a long while now. Artemis is a character that really has a lot going for her. I love the fact that Artemis comes from a family of villains; her father was Sportsmaster and her mother went by Huntress. She's even married to another supervillain, Icicle. With a family as storied as that, Artemis had a lot to live up to. And she does for the most part. Artemis can mostly be seen as a villain that's very team-oriented, a member of two Injustice Societies, and Artemis adds a great personality to the team. She's all-around very brash and always eager for a fight, and has a bit of honor to herself that I always like to see in villains. Artemis is certainly a character that's the perfect the way she is. 33. Guy GardnerDC Ranking: 15Nominated by: SgtSphynxhttp://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130511011521/marvel_dc/images/5/5a/Guy_Gardner_Prime_Earth_001.jpg Guy Gardner might be my favorite Green Lantern. Sure, there's Kyle who's very great as well, but Guy has a very brash personality that I really like. And despite all his jerkitude, he actually manages to be a deep, heroic figure. I like how this extends to his GL powers, where he can create extra-strong constructs. Guy is a very well constructed character in all aspects and though the GL franchise isn't entirely one of my favorites, Guy is one of the reasons I always give it a chance. 32. Rogue (Anna Marie)Marvel Ranking: 18Nominated by: graemefinleyhttp://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20071122053534/marveldatabase/images/3/30/Rogue_Vol_3_1.jpg I view Rogue as a very Gambit-esque character, who surprisingly still has a lot of untapped potential waiting to be unleashed (coincidentally, they were in a relationship!). Still, Rogue has had some good stories over the years. Now, I'm no Claremont fan, but I think his Rogue stories are very definitive of the character. And her aforementioned relationship with Gambit was great stuff. But Rogue hasn't really had anything really that memorable in years now, in my eyes anyway. It's due time I say! 31. Baron Heinrich ZemoMarvel Rank: 17Nominated by: Lich_Sandrohttp://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060603054257/marveldatabase/images/1/1e/Heinrich_Zemo_%28Earth-616%29_0002.jpg While clearly not as good as his son, Heinrich Zemo still manages to be yet another very entertaining villain in the Captain America rogues gallery. Heinrich is basically your typical Saturday morning cartoon villain, with his death rays, disintegration pistols, and my favorite: Adhesive X. Heinrich Zemo's mask becoming glued to his face is seriously one of my favorite villain origins. It's so ridiculous yet terrifying at the same time. Beyond his goofy origins however, Heinrich is seriously one sadistic dude; he mass-murdered a town, making even his fellow Germans hate his guts. Heinrich's capacity for evil really has to be one of the most Marvel has to offer. And I always say the eviler the better, so no matter how despicable Heinrich may be, he's still an undeniably fun villain. 30. Firefly (Garfield Lynns)DC Ranking: 14Nominated by: BetrayedTangyhttp://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130623015048/marvel_dc/images/d/d5/Firefly_04.jpg Not quite as silly as Killer Moth, but not as big a threat as any of the big boys of the Batman rogues, Firefly exists in a weird middle-ground, much like my opinion of him. I used to not care for Firefly at all really, but I've warmed up (no pun intended) to him quite a bit since then. I give credit to Firefly for having very clear motivations; he's a pyromaniac, and that's all. He can prove to be quite dangerous at times, and I like that he doesn't just console himself to fighting Batman, he finds challenge from Wonder Woman to Catwoman to the Justice League. Firefly won't really be one of my favorite villains all the time, but at least I don't outright hate him anymore. 29. Captain America (Steve Rogers)Marvel Ranking: 16Nominated by: NBIcemanhttp://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140114223221/marveldatabase/images/b/b9/Captain_America_Vol_7_16.NOW_Bermejo_Variant_Textless.jpg Captain America, while a great hero in his own right, has a big problem of getting overshadowed by his villains, who are vastly more interesting. Captain America mostly stands in the Marvel Universe as a symbol, much like DC's Superman, standing for the American Way, quite literally. Still, a lot of Marvel stories use Cap as a political figure even standing AGAINST America which is quite cool. Cap also has the type of personality that clashes interestingly with other heroes of the Marvel Universe. Sure, maybe the corner he occupies is more interesting than him, but Cap still makes for a good central figure. 28. Mary Jane WatsonMarvel Ranking: 15Nominated by: SgtSphynxhttp://iv1.lisimg.com/image/2949169/600full-mary-jane-watson.jpg I used to like MJ a bit more than I do now, but don't get me wrong, I still think she's a great love interest. When she's not being a whiny thorn in Peter's side, MJ shows great resilience and strength of character usually atypical of love interests. I like that she can handle villains like Chameleon without relying on her boyfriend for help. It's good stuff. Post-OMD however, MJ can get pretty grating with the constantly pining for Peter. Shouldn't have made that deal then huh? When MJ can stand on her own based on her character strengths, that's when I like her the most. 27. The RussianMarvel Ranking: 14Nominated by: ahirsch101http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/9/98479/2046880-the_punisher_v3_9_p02.jpg Punisher is usually not a character to have memorable villains, as you know, they usually die. But The Russian is one of the few exceptions. The Russian, while not a particularly deep character, fits right into the madcap Ennis and Dillon Punisher world. He's goofy yet has the capability for some really engaging violent fight scenes with the Punisher. I particularly like the Russian's obsession with superheroes, even wishing for autographs from a few of them! After his first death, the Russian comes back wearing a dress and I thought was hilarious as well. The Russian is a pretty fun rival for the Punisher, and every "hero" needs that villain who always keeps coming back. Which the Russian definitely should pretty soon. 26. Black Panther (T'Challa)Marvel Ranking: 13Nominated by: Wicklebeehttp://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/66993/marvel_66993.jpg Black Panther is a very cool character who I feel is often mishandled unfortunately. Leading the way as the first black superhero, Black Panther is in a very cool and unique position within the Marvel Universe as the leader of his own nation. I think Christopher Priest did the best job with Black Panther out of any of the BP runs, a particular favorite of mine being Enemy of the State, pitting Black Panther against Tony Stark in an amazingly even-leveled battle of wits. A lot of the Priest run was quite enjoyable in this way. He was also used early on to shocking results as he battled the Ku Klux Klan, which I can only imagine being very controversial back then. Stuff like his marriage to Storm really unfortunately cheapened the character. Still, something about Black Panther and his role in the MU makes me really love coming back to him. 25. Wonder Woman (Diana Prince)DC Ranking: 13Nominated by: Raka_Putrahttp://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--rYayw6Na--/19gt98fq91sexjpg.jpg I don't claim to have the most experience with Wonder Woman, but there's one fantastic Wonder Woman story that does stick out in my mind: The Hiketeia. Written by my very favorite writer Greg Rucka, The Hiketeia turned a character I was never really big on into a character that felt more real and alive than any WW story I had read before. The Rucka run that followed continued this trend to great effect. Neither before or after I read this run had I ever been so enamored with the character, except maybe Gail Simone's The Circle, which still never reached the heights of Rucka I think. It is amazing to think of the potential that WW has but all anyone wants to do with her is make her the typical female superhero. 24. Psylocke (Betsy Braddock)Marvel Ranking: 12Nominated by: crazyisgoodhttp://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11112/111125770/3262242-5881465482-Psylo.png I don't usually like to rank characters based on their sexiness, but holy damn is Psylocke one SEXY vixen. Just had to get that out of the way. So anyway, Psylocke is a character I really like a lot and is probably one of my top ten X-Men. I think she has been one of the most to benefit from the modern day X-Men mythos, with great roles in Uncanny X-Force and Cable's X-Force. Yeah, X-Force is where it's at. Uncanny X-Force filled out Psylocke's character quite well, giving her some weakness that I always like to see different from the "tough female character" archetype. Psylocke is also in two of my favorite comic relationships, with Archangel and Fantomex. Both relationships are very deep and develop both characters nicely. The one thing that doesn't sit right with me with Psylocke though is all the body switching. But that's X-Men for you. 23. Nova (Richard Rider)Marvel Ranking: 11Nominated by: BetrayedTangyhttp://fightersgeneration.com/np8/mvc3u/new/3/nova-thanos-imperative-cover.jpg Nova is one of my favorite Cosmic Marvel characters. Don't write him off as a rip-off of Green Lantern; Richard Rider has the cockiness of Hal Jordan without the annoyingness of his character. Rider also has a good normalness to his character that I like a lot. Gives a human edge to all the sci-fi craziness of the Nova series. Nova is hilariously a "PG" rated hero, he doesn't curse, he's violent and boastful but uncompromisingly heroic. Nova is very underrated, and a hero we definitely need in Marvel. 22. Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley)DC Ranking: 12Nominated by: PrinceKarohttp://geek-news.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/a6fd900c-24bf-4408-9aca-4883b384a9f0_batman_villain-poison-ivy.jpg This Eco-terrorist is one of the most intriguing Batman villains thanks to an air of greyness that separates her from most of the rogues gallery. Ivy's mission to take back the world from humanity's destruction is a goal that has a lot more complicated implications than can be originally assumed at first glance. Is she really causing more harm than good contrary to her very goal? Or maybe she's in the right? Questions like these always make Ivy a compelling read. Beyond her goals as a villain, Ivy also happens to have quiet a fun personality that works well when paired up with other villains. Gotham City Sirens was one of the most fun series I've read because of this very reason. Ivy is like the best sultry, sexy actresses that command your attention to the screen (or the page for the case of comics). With her complicated goals and well-written character, Ivy is easily one of the top Batman villains. 21. Blink (Clarice Ferguson)Marvel Ranking: 10Nominated by: ahirsch101http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/1/14360/288409-145029-blink.jpg Blink is a rare example of a character who made a bigger splash in an alternate universe scenario than in the mainstream universe they first appeared in. Blink made a big impression after appearing in Age of Apocalypse, with a cool, elegantly simple design and an equally cool, original power. Blink really shined as a member of the Exiles, proving herself a very capable and most importantly a compelling leader. Blink developed nicely, including a very enjoyable relationship with fellow Exile Mimic, which lead to one of the most sad and tragic moments of the series. Blink's storyline seems to have unfortunately been cut short, and I think one of the most compelling X-characters definitely needs to make a comeback soon. 20. Lady Shiva (Sandra Wu-San)DC Ranking: 11Nominated by: ahirsch101http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130131190021/marvel_dc/images/2/28/Lady_Shiva_0006.jpg Her hobby is hunting down the best fighters in the world and beating them to death with her bare hands. I'm not sure there's a more accurate quote to describe any other character out there. As the world's premier martial artist, Lady Shiva is one of the most entertaining characters in DC. There's a lot to love about Shiva. There's her fantastic combat prowess which has lead to some of the best fights in all of comics, her unique code of honor that allows herself to be both ally and enemy, and lastly, Shiva just has a plain fun mission. The one thing I don't like however is how easily Shiva gets defeated sometimes. But I guess that's just the nature of stories. Shiva is one of the most unique characters in the DC Universe and one I never get tired of. 19. Pete WisdomMarvel Ranking: 9Nominated by: profDEADPOOLhttp://www.cosdigital.com/gr/reviews/wis_top.gif Pete Wisdom started out as a few things. As Marvel's John Constantine and an avatar for writer Warren Ellis, Wisdom may just have been seen as a poor cash-in to be forgotten in a few years. Not so! Wisdom is a character who runs far deeper than that, nicely developing over the years from his Constantine-like origins into a more professional and serious character while still retaining a few traits of the former. This is character development I always like to see. Wisdom has worked best paired up with Kitty, with which a really nice relationship was had, and Captain Britain in the somewhat recent series Captain Britain and MI-13. Everyone should definitely read it. All in all, a very cool, well-written character that's persisted over the years. 18. The JokerDC Ranking: 10Nominated by: The Utility Manhttp://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11122/111220684/4429230-6483580664-dc_co.png Call him overused if you want, but the fact of the matter is that The Joker is a DAMN great villain. Compared to someone like Norman Osborn, who's use is often meaningless and directionless, used only for the sake of being used, The Joker is almost always used with purpose, conviction, and ingenuity that it's hard to not be entertained by the guy. To this very day, in the current Batman run, Joker IS still being used with such freshness and downright horror that is really something that should be applauded. The Joker may just be the objective perfect villain, so to speak. He has no solid backstory, no solid group of personality traits; there is literally no limit to how the Joker can be used. He can be used in any way by any writer and it will all be as valid as the last appearance. The Joker is one villain that I don't mind be overdone, as he's a blank canvas just waiting for the next great writer to come along and give us something new. 17. Animal Man (Buddy Baker)DC Ranking: 9Nominated by: profDEADPOOLhttp://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091104135807/marvel_dc/images/f/f5/Animal_Man_0002.jpg Grant Morrison's Animal Man is unlike anything else I have ever read. Animal Man meeting his creator is easily one of the best comic moments ever. Morrison also characterized Animal Man really well as a family man, something sorely lacking in almost any other comic. His family is directly tied to Buddy in a way unlike any other comic family. The extension of the series after Morrison's departure got even weirder as if that was even possible. His New 52 series was also quite amazing. Simply put, Animal Man is a character truly unlike any other and I'll always associate him with weird, but most importantly great comics. 16. Multiple Man (Jamie Madrox)Marvel Ranking: 8Nominated by: Murphirothhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/70/MultipleMan01.jpg/250px-MultipleMan01.jpg Multiple Man is one of the best reasons to read the excellent 90s X-Factor and modern X-Factor Investigations series. Serving no purpose as a villain, Multiple Man definitely flourished on the side of good. He was more fun, his power was being used in very interesting ways, and he was sort of a dork without being overtly noticeable, as he was completely obsessed with noir detective stories. Simply put, Peter David's signature character is Madrox; he completely gets Madrox's wit, gives even his clones unique personalities, and makes Madrox a character you want to read more of. Multiple Man is truly underrated, and with a match made in heaven, truly deserves your attention. 15. Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)Marvel Ranking: 7Nominated by: Johnbobbhttp://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_super/3/33913/1343141-91_shadowland_5.jpg It's no secret I love skulls, but when skull characters are also great characters, I love 'em even more. Ghost Rider is a truly underrated character who also has one of the most underrated series of Marvel's history. Not only did Mr. Blaze battle the demonic forces of hell, but the appearance of rival bikers throughout the series played a huge part of the charm of the series, like a comic Sons of Anarchy. It's one cool series, trust me on that! Blaze also has to be one of the unluckiest characters in comic history too; his entire family basically bites the dust. Nowadays, Ghost Rider is pretty directionless, but Blaze's dark design and personality fit in almost anywhere in the dark corners of the MU.

Note: Write-ups 14-11 lost
14. The Question (Vic Sage)

13. Larfleeze

12. Victor Zsasz

11. Baron Helmut Zemo

10. Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane) DC Ranking: 5 Nominated by: Johnbobb http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080729232952/marvel_dc/images/archive/f/f8/20150322063447!Scarecrow_0016.jpg

In the same vein as Zsasz, Scarecrow is one of the most fearsome Batman villains. Scarecrow's special fear toxin is still one of the most ingenious villain gimmicks ever. The possibilities are endless and has been used very effectively over the years without getting stale at all. Batman preys on cowardly criminals, striking fear into them. Scarecrow fights fire with fire and becomes one of the toughest foes for the Dark Knight for this very reason. Scarecrow himself is a complete psycho and completely unhinged; you never know what he's going to do next. Scarecrow has the right mix of stuff that makes him both a scary villain and one of the most undeniable entertaining as well. Oh, and I do like to keep other media stuff out of this, but as a side note anyway, Scarecrow's sequences in Arkham Asylum are still some of the best in video gaming history.

9. Death DC Ranking: 4 Nominated by: scarletspeed7 http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/120/0/a/death_of_the_endless_by_13wishes-d7gl3dr.jpg

Neil Gaiman's Death is truly something special. Probably the most original personification of Death, Death jumped into mine and many reader's hearts with a cute and almost naive personality that made Death a caring and loving figure rather than one to be fearful of. It's very interesting to see Death get angry for this particular reason. Death is also very mindful of her fellow Endless siblings, her relationship with Dream is particularly great. It's one of the greatest brother-sister relationships ever. Death is endlessly (oh god the puns) endearing and a character that's very easy to love for being a personification of the ends of our lives. And she doesn't even need to carry a scythe.

8. Deadpool (Wade Wilson) Marvel Ranking: 5 Nominated by: ZeroSignal620 http://www.fightersgeneration.com/nx5/char/deadpool-blindbandit.jpg

Deadpool is such a funny character who's use has been surprisingly consistent over the years. Deadpool has had, in my opinion, three very successful ongoing series that have had a wonderful crop of hilarious set-piece moments that bring Deadpool and his magnificent brain to life. Deadpool's three ongoings each use a different form of comedy: Kelly's was a straight parody of comics, Way's was very sitcom in its structure, and the current run uses lots of slapstick for its comedy. This shows just how much variety Deadpool can bring to a comic series. He's a very flexible character with an extremely dynamic personality. What's always surprised me about Deadpool though is how serious he can get. For someone constantly making jokes no matter the time or place, even some of the comedic Deadpool comics often like to psychoanalyze Wade, showing a dark and depressing side to the clowny mercenary. Deadpool is a truly messed up guy after all. Deadpool can make you laugh or cry at any time, and not many characters out there are capable of that kind of emotional whiplash. Deadpool is a formula that works, and one of the best characters in comics for this reason.

7. Proinsias Cassidy DC Ranking: 3 Nominated by: Great_Paul http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_small/0/9116/1519137-preacher03.jpg

The best friend of Jesse Custer, Cassidy nearly outshines Preacher's titular character. An Irish hard-drinking vampire, Cassidy is a very complex character with a lot of skeletons in his closet. A lot of Preacher deals with these skeletons, putting a lot of strife between Jesse and Cassidy's friendship. Arguably, Cassidy develops the most out of all the Preacher characters, changing from a self-centered jackass to a man who truly wants to change and do the right thing, protecting his best friend at any cost. It's one of the greatest character arcs in comic history and makes Preacher an even more interesting and fantastic read. With fun and great moments throughout the series for Cassidy, he almost makes the read-through single-handedly worth it just for his own character.

6. Fantomex (Charlie Cluster-7) Marvel Ranking: 4 Nominated by: profDEADPOOL http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121221063926/marveldatabase/images/3/33/Charlie_Cluster-7_%28Earth-616%29_from_Uncanny_X-Force_Vol_1_35.png

Fantomex is an amazingly fun, quirky character who's just plain damn fun to read. One of the best characters introduced in the 2000s, Fantomex comes from the mind of Grant Morrison, and Morrison's influences definitely show with Fantomex. Fantomex very clearly satirizes anti-heroes initially, but grows into a comedic-relief like character with a complex personality, serving as a foil for almost everyone on the Uncanny X-Force team. Fantomex nearly out comedic reliefs Deadpool! That's no easy feat. Fantomex has a great relationship with Psylocke as well, their banter is very enjoyable. Fantomex easily serves to remind us that X-Men CAN still be fresh after several stagnant years, and he does it with multiple brains and a fake french accent.

5. Hitman (Tommy Monaghan) DC Ranking: 2 Nominated by: ahirsch101 http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/7/79018/2104137-hitman.jpg

Tommy Monaghan is one of the most special characters in all of comics. Introduced in DC's Bloodlines crossover in the pages of The Demon, who would've guessed that Tommy would go on to have one of the best ongoing series of all time. Violent, uproariously hilarious, and surprisingly poignant, Hitman was a true Vertigo title without ever having to put on the branding. This had the benefit of including amazing heroes from the DC Universe for Tommy's enigmatic personality to clash with. Despite technically being a superhero himself, Tommy was still very much a human outcast of the superhero community. The series often showed Tommy awestruck by things that would be normal in a typical Justice League book. This made Tommy a very relatable character to the reader, increasing his likability factor tenfold. He's almost an everyman character: he goes to work (except his work is killing people), then heads to the bar to get drunk with his friends. He's a womanizer who never gives up to despite his black eyes that made friggin' Batman stop in his tracks. He's a familiar character in world that has heroes like Superman, which was shown so wonderfully in Hitman #34; Tommy's reacts just like anybody else in the real world would. And all this comes from Garth Ennis, a man who so seethingly hates superheroes, a man who's created works like The Pro, which is one of the raunchiest superhero parodies of all time. Ennis has turned Tommy into an unforgettable character, and I believe there is nothing else quite like his Hitman series. For all its violence and humor, what Hitman had above all was a sense of innocence, and this sense of innocence has more or less been lost in modern day comics. Some days you just have to take a trip to Noonan's Bar to remember that.

4. John Constantine DC Ranking: 1 Nominated by: profDEADPOOL http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120228054318/marvel_dc/images/archive/d/d8/20130730163040!John_Constantine_0022.jpg

John Constantine's biting wit and unfaltering braveness in the face of even the most dire situations has made him a character for the ages. Though Constantine can certainly be an asshole of the grandest kind, the English bastard is still so damn lovable. Constantine is similar to Tommy in a few ways. Yeah, he has magic, but Constantine is a working-class man through and through and is tripping his way through the dangers of a hellish realm just in the same way readers are. I've always loved this sort of character connection, it makes the characters that much more believable. Constantine isn't invincible, and the times he gets truly self-critical makes the Hellblazer experience that much more scarier. If the wise-cracking Constantine can get shaken to the core, the reader feels the weight of it that much more. This is shown best in Dangerous Habits no doubt, easily the best Constantine arc. Constantine is a character who's endured much hardship over a long publishing history, and though he may get knocked down time and time again, he'll get back up again with even more of a chip on his shoulder. Someone's gotta stand up to the devil after all.

3. Carnage (Cletus Kasady) Marvel Ranking: 3 Nominated by: vcharon http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/14600000/Carnage-marvel-comics-14652127-571-605.jpg

It was no secret how much I love Carnage. He's such an A+ villain in every way. Great design, great wise-cracking psycho, and great stories. Carnage gets a lot of fair hate for being one of the "x-treme" characters born out of the 90s, and while yes, this is true, I always implore people to look towards the modern day stories of Carnage and see that Carnage is being used in more fresh and interesting ways than he had ever been used in the 90s. Carnage: Axis, a hilarious romp with Carnage where he tries to be a hero despite everyone protesting otherwise. Carnage USA, a comic book horror story with Carnage taking over a small midwestern town, turning the population into his symbiote minions. Carnage's amazing potential is that he can both a vector for comedy and a vector for absolute terror. Often times, villains can only be one or the other. But Carnage takes both and runs with it. As shown in Warren Ellis' Mind Bomb, Carnage's mind runs deep, dark and twisted, and his stories bring out this madness in the best and most enjoyable way possible. So, give Carnage a 2nd chance, because he's not as shallow as he may appear.

2. Punisher (Frank Castle) Marvel Ranking: 2 Nominated by: Great_Paul http://www.assembleafterdark.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/PUNISHER-GREG-RUCKA.jpg

I said in my top ten Punisher stories project that Punisher is a very misunderstood character and of course I still hold true to that. Writers have consistently poured so much heart and soul into Frank, and their stories greatly outshine the horrid brain-dead drivel of stuff like Punisher: Purgatory or Franken-Castle. Punisher is so much more than the shallow killing machine the latter stories make him out to be. He's a man deeply scarred and deeply entrenched in the darkness of his vigilante nature that it's almost impossible to drag him out of that rut. With wife and children dead, why should Frank even care about anything? Born showed that it may have been a supernatural occurrence. And there may be some truth to that. But deep down past even the wounds and emotional damage is a conscience that deeply cares for the people of this world. Ennis showed this with the neighbors of Frank; the old stoic warhorse himself is slowly but surely swayed to care about these people, showing that there isn't just pure hatred left inside his body. Nevertheless, Ennis' Punisher Max series shows that Frank's hatred still runs extremely deep and strong. The Cell for example; pure and brutal revenge planned to the millimeter by Frank for the people who killed his family. This hate that Frank has is terrifying and gripping, one of the most terrifying things put to print if I'm being honest. Frank could be a villain in almost any other story, but he's the hero here and even in the most scary of times there's a deep seated interest in us to root for him, to dish out those just desserts that are so greatly deserved. You could say there's a part of Frank in each one of us if we were to get twisted enough as him. But the excellent thing about Frank is that he wouldn't want anyone to feel the pain that he does, as shown in Greg Rucka's excellent run. Ennis' Punisher is great and violent, fulfilling that side of us, but Rucka's Punisher is one you could almost look up to. A real mythological figure who comes when he's needed, then disappears into legend with hardly a word. He acts like a teacher figure to Rachel, yet has really no interest in letting her follow his same path. For those who haven't read it, I don't want to spoil the fantastic ending, but Frank shows just how good of a heart he has. The people of the Marvel Universe may paint him in a negative light, and the readers may as well, but in my eyes, Punisher is a fantastically well-written character who fulfills many qualities that any good character should.

1. Crossbones (Brock Rumlow) Marvel Ranking: 1 Nominated by: scarletspeed7 http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/Crossbones-Art-by-Declan-Shalvey.jpg

Well, no shocker here I assume! Crossbones is not just my favorite comic book character, he's my favorite character of all time. Crossbones is a fantastic villain who's just so fun and varied in each and every one of his appearances. He's unfalteringly evil and cocky even in the face of powered foes like Wolverine. Crossbones has never been bit by the "hero bug" that Marvel villains often find themselves trapped into, even during his stint on the Thunderbolts. The great one-shot Captain America and Crossbones shows that even when assigned a heroic task, Crossbones will still villain it up to the best of his ability. Crossbones' combat ability makes him ripe for great comic action scenes; he gets a few in Thunderbolts, including an excellent one where he receives powers from the Terrigen Mists and dukes it out with Cap. But my favorite action scene comes from the recent Deadpool series; it's slapsticky as hell, but hilarious all the same, and even though Crossbones gets his butt kicked, it's still an awesome sequence. Overall, I think it was Ed Brubaker who used Crossbones the best. Brubaker's Crossbones was very threatening and showed a level of cunning that I don't think any writer since has quite managed. Plus, Sin and Crossbones is one of the best comic relationships in my opinion. Crossbones has a very weird devoted love since she is the daughter of Red Skull, and it becomes even more twisted once she actually becomes the new Red Skull. I don't claim to say Crossbones is the deepest or most complex character around, but he's a character I love dearly for being fun and unique in his own way.