Below is the list of various comic characters I believe are cool, powerful or otherwise interesting. IMO, these are the people that you say 'OH SH*T!' when they show up. This will mainly be Marvel because I'm more familiar with it. Here is my top 30. NOTE: This is in no particular order.
Coming from the hidden African nation of Wakanda is King T'challa a.k.a. the Black Panther. This guy's got it all; a genius mind, peak human attributes, superhuman senses, martial arts mastery and a collection of gadgets that even Batman would drool at.
Tony Stark is a true prodigy in terms of technology. He's made some of the most sophisticated tech in Marvel Comics. He's charming, adaptive, innovative, cocky and overall very fun to read about. He's another guy that has made things Batman would call impressive.
Victor van Doom...that name should say it all. Lesser men tremble at the mere mention of his name. He's one of the smartest men on the planet, having built the first working time machine in Marvel Comics. He's also a master of magic as well as science. Stay on his good side, hard as that is, 'cause he's an enemy that you don't want.
New York's iconic superhero. Peter Parker is one of the greatest heroes and one of the easiest to relate to. He's practically an honorary member of every famous superhero team, from the X-men to the Avengers. Despite his success, Spiderman is almost always dealing with personal sacrifices that would tear lesser men apart.
Steven Rogers is in many ways, the embodiment of the American Dream and best of that humankind has to offer. Strong, kind and loyal, he inspires millions across the world. When in doubt, turn to Captain America.
Johann Schmidt, a.k.a. the Red Skull. This man is so evil that even Adolf Hitler, the same genocidal maniac that help create him, was afraid him. The Red Skull will stop at nothing to create the Fourth Reich and utterly destroy freedom, liberty and most of all, Captain America.
Helmut Zemo is easily one of the most dangerous villains one can come across. It's not because he's especially powerful, but because he can manipulate, control and command virtually anyone with lies, deception and charisma. Even a simple conversion is all it takes to become wrapped up in one his schemes. He's also responsible for forming the Thunderbolts.
Bruce Banner is the Hulk and quite one of the most tormented superheroes ever created. Seen as a monster and possessing almost unlimited strength and rage, the story of the Hulk is one of greatest to ever be created.
Cletus Kassidy is Carnage. A gleeful murderer bonded with an alien symbiote, he is not a person that one would want to meet. There is no plan. No strategy. No reason. There is only suffering, blood, killing, anarchy and most of all...CARNAGE!
A Russian spy, Natasha Romanoff is a femme fatale if there ever was one. Beautiful, seductive, cunning and dangerous, she is not easy to predict. Her every move seems to have some other motive. She should be treated with extreme caution, for it is easy to become trapped in her every deadly web.
Laura Kinney is a female clone of Wolverine. Raised as a weapon almost all her life, she finds it hard to understand the simple concepts of being a person. Despite her struggles, she is one of the most dangerous people on the planet. Her teenage facade hides a conditioned and seasoned killer.
Wade Wilson, mercenary. With a super-advanced healing factor, skills that few can dream of and mouth that just never shuts up, Deadpool is bring a unique perspective to anything he's involved in. Did we mention, he's completely out of his mind. Anytime this guy shows up explosions, gunfire and hilarity ensue.
Warren Worthington III has a complicated story. Born a mutant with beautiful white wings capable of flight, he truly looks like an angel. Due to a past conflict with the mutant Apocalypse, Angel has been transformed into Archangel, a more powerful and savage version of himself, that threatens to consume his mind, body and soul.
A clone of Cable and raised by Apocalypse, Stryfe is powerful and ruthless. He seeks to overthrow Apocalypse and rule the world in his stead. His strength is such that Apocalypse wanted him as a vessel for his soul. Nothing will stop him except death.
En Sabah Nur. This immortal mutant has be enhanced by Celestial Technology. He fully believes in the 'Survival of the Fittest' and 'Rule of the Strong'. He seeks to enforce his will upon the entire Earth, even if it means exterminating all of mainstream humanity.
Galan of Taa is the world eater. A being of immense power, he must feed of the energy of planets that can support life. This hunger as wiped out untold millions of civilizations. Despite this threat, Galactus is essential to universal balance.
Norrin Radd is the herald of Galactus. After years of dealing with the guilt of leading Galactus to countless worlds and thus ending them, the Silver Surfer has finally realized that Galactus is needed and must survive. To this end, he will devout all his power to ensuring his master's survival.
Thanos of Titan is a universal threat and thrall of Lady Death. Under his hulking appearance is a superhuman intellect that few can even hope to match. He seeks to show his love for death by sacrificing the universe. He has come uncomfortable close to that goal more times than one would think.
Kallark was the leader of the Imperial Guard of the Sh'iar Empire and now its ruler. Possessing utmost loyalty of the empire, he as committed both acts of good and evil in it's name. He is one of the most powerful being in the universe and should not be trifled with.
Gabriel Summers, the younger brother of Cyclops and Havoc, is an Omega-Level mutant with energy absorption and manipulation abilities. Enslaved by the Sh'iar and betrayed by Charles Xavier, Vulcan is a being anger. His level of power makes him an unstable and dangerous threat.
Adam Warlock comes from an experiment to make the perfect type of being. Adam has saved to universe more than a few times but has also fallen to the forces of evil as well, sometimes becoming the Magus.
Anna Marie was born a mutant with the ability to absorb the life-force, memories, powers and skills of anyone she touched. This ability was uncontrollable for most of her life and left her distanced from everyone, even the man she loved. Only recently has she gained control.
Elizabeth Braddock is the sister of Captain Britain. She has been through much, having switched bodies with an assassin and faced of with the fearsome Shadowking. She is telepathic and telekinetic. She is in a relationship with Archangel and does what she can to help control his darker side.
Ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu is a fearsome being of great magical power. He wishes to conqueror earth for his own. Only the perseverance of people such as Doctor Strange and Dormammu's own hubris has stopped this being from succeeding in his goal.
A man with the ability to copy any movement after only seeing once, Taskmaster is a master martial artist, who continues to grow in skill with every new opponent he meets. The only problem: every time he memorizes a new move he loses a little bit of his personal memories.
The son of Wolverine. Daken was taken by Romulus and raised by Cyber. He is everything his father isn't: patient, scheming, and completely sadistic.
Amtasu-Mikaboshi is the embodiment of the void before creation. This abstract entity wishes to reduce all of creation back to the empty void. He nearly succeeded and only the combined efforts of numerous gods and heroes stopped him.
The god of Thunder and son of Odin. Thor Odinson is among the greatest of heroes. Originally, banished to learn humility, Thor has become one of Earth's protector's. Completely willing to die for the greater good and kill in its name, Thor can combat just about any evil.
Loki Lauyferson is the god of mischief. He is the adopted son of Odin and thus brother to Thor. His ambition to rule Asgard has led him to be at odds with his brother and the mortal world Midgard. For what he lacks in physical prowess, Loki makes up for with plans, cunning and magic.
Ororo Munore is one of the X-men. Her power to control the weather has led some to see her as a goddess of sorts. She is wise, powerful and kind. She is the wife to T'challa, the Black Panther, and queen of Wakanda.
