This list is comprised of my personal 100 favorite characters from pop culture. The first 10 are my top favorites and are of particular order but 11-100 are not in any particular order. This includes characters from comic books, movies, manga, video games, novels, cartoons, TV shows, etc. Please feel free to express your honest opinion of this list and tell me your favorite characters on it. Thank you!
The World's Greatest Detective, Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman, is in my opinion the greatest hero of all time. Batman is a physical representation of law, order, and fear. But he's also a representation of perseverance, never quitting his war against crime even though he's faced hardships such as getting his back broken. Although he has no powers, Batman uses his money, intelligence, and fierce skill to defeat the villains and crime lords of Gotham City. He's been trained by the greatest assassins, martial artists, and escape artists in world. The Caped Crusader is even said have mastered a total of 127 martial arts. And even though villains such as the Joker and Bane constantly look for ways to torture and humiliate him, Batman has vowed to never kill (although he has in some iterations) and only defeat then imprison his enemies. This is all what makes him my favorite character of all time. He shows that a normal man can become a hero even if he has no powers. As a young child, I enjoyed watching the old Batman movies and the 90s cartoon. As I grew older, continued to watch modern Batman cartoons, animated movies, and I collected Batman action figures. The most recent Batman movies of the Dark Knight Trilogy are now my top 3 favorite movies of all time and I continue to watch or collect anything Batman related. Batman, forever.
Kal-El, the Man of Steel and Earth's Greatest Hero, is most definitely my second favorite favorite pop culture character. While most people would have my #1 and #2 switched, Superman comes in at a close second to Batman because I have always preferred Batman since I was little. As opposed to Batman's representations, Superman is a representation of hope and justice for America. After all, the Kryptonian "S" on his chest means hope. The Last Son of Krypton is with out a doubt DC's most powerful superhero. According to the All Star Superman animated film, Superman can lift more than 200 quintillion tons. And that's only one of the amazing feats Superman has made. There was even a comic where Superman destroyed an entire solar system by sneezing! While most people would say a being like Superman is highly unlikely to ever exist, I object. If an extraterrestrial being were to come to Earth, we don't know what kind of effect the Sun would have on it, let alone our air or even our water. As a kid, I also enjoyed watching Superman's cartoons alongside Batman and Justice League cartoons. As an alien believer and die hard comic book fan, I think that Superman rightfully deserves to be called Earth's Greatest Hero, and #2 on my list of my favorite pop culture characters.
Created by Todd McFarlane to be a character "more powerful than Superman," Spawn (Al Simmons), places #3 on this list. For those who have read Image Comics's Spawn stories and watched the 90s animated series, you know that Spawn would be quite the match for Superman, even if the Man of Steel's morals were off. With a long list of dark and hellish powers and a big arsenal of guns, Spawn is considered an anti-hero, fighting against the forces of both Heaven and Hell. Some of his feats include defeating other Hellspawns, angels, destroying and remaking Earth, closing the gates to Heaven, closing the gates to Hell, and even closing the gates to Earth. He has even teamed up with Batman in a crossover. While Spawn may seem like a villain, he is a force of balance to many. Spawn's biblical power and jaw-dropping feats place him at #3 on my list of my favorite pop culture characters.
Placing #4 on this list is Alucard, the most powerful vampire in the Hellsing series. After his defeat by Abraham Van Helsing, Alucard, then known as Dracula, pledged his allegiance to the Hellsing bloodline and became their loyal servant. His current master, Integra Hellsing, reemployed him as part of the Hellsing Organization. The Hellsing Organization is organization started by Abraham Van Hesling that is tasked with defending Great Britain from anti-Christian powers and creatures, including vampires. Alucard is the organization's ultimate weapon. He's got a long list of vampire powers, including immortality and omnipresence. He uses his beloved pistols Joshua and Jackal with blessed silver bullets to take down his own kind, whom he is disgusted with. But before he shoots, Alucard often violently humiliates his opponent before killing him. I enjoy watching the Hellsing Ultimate anime series and I would largely reccomend it to those who have not seen it. Along with his fledgling Seras, Alucard's violent fighting nature and total badassery makes him one of my favorite characters in the pop culture world.
He might just be the most annoying assassin in the Marvel Universe, but he's definitely one of the funniest, yet badass characters in pop culture. This immortal mercenary's comics often feature him breaking the fourth wall, asking the writers things like "Why are you making me do this?" while the other characters have no idea who he's talking to. This and other things have led most characters to think that Deadpool is insane because of the experiments preformed on him in the Weapon X Project. From these experiments, Wade Wilson (Deadpool), was granted regenerative healing and peak physical abilities. Although it is widely believed that Deadpool is crazy, most readers believe it is because he cannot join his love, Death, because he is immortal. And even though he is crazy, Wade often hides his insanity behind corny jokes and long conversations that could make people kill themselves. Seeing Deadpool in an episode of a Spider-man episode is what ultimately drew me into him. And let's all forget the horrible Deadpool from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This talkative anti-hero's large arsenal and wacky remarks have earned him the #5 spot on my list.
Without any doubt in my mind, Billy Batson is the mightiest mortal in the DCU. He's a teenage boy who can wield the power of gods by saying one word. Shazam! Added onto the power of gods, Billy also becomes an adult when he says the word and calls himself Captain Marvel. The first time I saw Captain marvel was in an episode of an animated Justice League show. I liked him right off the bat (see what I did there) and began to research him more and read his comic books. The concept of a teenage boy who could wield god-like powers just amazed me. His greatest feats, such as stalemating with Superman in an arm wrestle and lifting South America drew me even more into him. Captain Marvel's adult form yet teenage personality make him a funny and awesome character. If this list were to only be comprised of my favorite DC heroes, Billy Batson would without a doubt place as #3. SHAZAM!
If someone said that Luther strode is the definition of badass, I couldn't agree anymore. Like Peter Parker, Luther Strode was nerd turned superhero. Due to studying the ways of the "Hercules Method", Luther was able to gain superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, endurance, and senses. He also gained a regenerative healing factor and a precognitive sense. But all goes wrong when villains with powers like his suddenly pop up in his life and start to ruin it. The truth is, they just want to turn him to a killer, which they have already successfully done. I was only recently drawn into Luther Strode, and after reading the first comic book I knew I would love this character. The dude broke a man's neck with his intestines and ripped another guy's spinal cord out. That is why he places #7 on this list.
Like Luther Strode, Rorschach is the definition of a word. Insanity. Walter Kovacs a.k.a. Rorschach considers the Rorschach mask to be his true face. On top of that, whenever he's not investigating crimes, Walter carries around a sign that says "THE END IS NIGH". Walter's insanity is actually what drew me into liking this character. Rorschach is one of the few comic book characters that are actual representations of what costumed vigilantes would be like. He has no powers but uses his intellect and peak physical condition to fight organized crime and beat the living crap out of street thugs and policemen (when they try to arrest him). Although most insane people in the comic book world are villains, Rorschach's insanity has aided him in becoming a "hero" and that is what makes him one of my favorite characters.
Despite his seemingly violent name, Martian Manhunter just might be the most peaceful out of all the Justice League members. J'onn always looks to find non-violent ways to solve problems, and often keeps the Justice League members from feuding with each other. Martain Manhunter has a large variety of Martian powers, even more than his Kryptonian friend Superman. And while I mention Superman, I must note that Superman once called Martian Manhunter the "most powerful being on Earth". Although he is powerful, Martian Manhunter's peacefulness is something that has helped him earn a high place on my list.
Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can. Spins a web, any size, catches thieves just like flies. Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man! Spider-Man has always been a childhood favorite superhero for me. But as I grew older, I started to sympathize with Peter Parker's life problem. Unlike most superheroes, Spider-Man is usually portrayed as a teenager or young man with real world problems. As a teenager myself, I like Spider-Man because I am able to connect with him, but he also has awesome powers! This wise-cracking web-slinger often toys around with his opponents before taking them down. He has super strength, speed, stamina, agility, endurance, durability, senses, and a pre-cognitive sense. He also has artificial webs that he swings on from his web-shooters. All that from a radioactive spider bite! As a little boy I wanted to get bit by a spider! Without a doubt, Spider-Man will always remain one of my favorite superheroes of all time.
