Number of superheroes&villains in a comicbook universe

What is the best number for superheroes and super-villains in a comic book universe? How many superheroes and super-villains do DC and Marvel have in their books at any given time? How many should they have?

Dude, you're asking the impossible. Consider Marvel having 1 million+ mutants.

I meant the characters that are featuring in the stories currently, not every character that was designed to be killed in a few issues.

Not that many characters are designed to be killed in a few issues....

Too many.

@yudencow:

42.

Kidding, I have no idea.

There's just too many to count...

Let me see one, two..... GAGAGAGAHGDHJAGSHJAGVDHJVCYHJVFHJSVADHJAVDHJVADHJ VJWSNIOCQDSIOCNFSKJCBFJKADBQKDBHKJSBDKJSBDJKABDKJABDKJABDKJABDM!!!!!!!

Theres 4

What did you expect OP?

It would probably take centuries to count