History Main / TheAdjectivalSuperhero

[[AC:Marvel]]

* The ''Amazing''/''Spectacular''/''Sensational'' ComicBook/SpiderMan, although Spidey himself prefers to use "Your ''Friendly Neighborhood'' Spider-Man" (which was eventually used as a book title itself). He may well have been the TropeCodifier for this, as his first appearance was in ''Amazing Fantasy'', which was soon after [[SpotlightStealingSquad canceled, and replaced]] on the newsstands with ''Amazing Spider-Man''.
** When improvising a costume out of a borrowed Fantastic Four costume and [[BrownBagMask a mask out of a paper bag]], he became the ''Amazing'' or the ''Bombastic'' Bag-Man.
** He is also the ''Avenging'' Spider-Man while a member of the Avengers, and the ''Fantastic'' Spider-Man while a member of the Fantastic Four.
** When ComicBook/{{Venom}} acted as him during Dark Reign as a member of the ''Dark Avengers'', he was called the ''Sinister'' Spider-Man. ''Sinister'' has also been applied to ComicBook/{{Silk}} as she drifts towards a FaceHeelTurn.
** The ''Superior'' Spider-Man is ComicBook/DoctorOctopus having hijacked Peter's body.
** When [[spoiler:ComicBook/{{Blade}}]] [[ComicBook/MightyAvengers needed to hide his identity]], with the help of a BlandNameProduct Spider-Man outfit from a costume shop, he became the ''Splendiferous'' Spider Hero. [[BroughtToYouByTheLetterS With "Spider Hero" written across his chest.]] The Superior Spider-Man [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments was not amused]].
** ComicBook/SpiderGirl also eventually inherited ''Amazing'' and later ''Spectacular'' from her dad.
** The ''Radioactive'' ComicBook/SpiderGwen ([[ComicBook/{{Doom}} That can't]] [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall be good!]]).
** [[Characters/MarvelComicsMilesMorales Miles Morales]] is often referred to as the ''Ultimate'' Spider-Man, referring to [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan his original book]], to distinguish him from Parker.
* The ''Uncanny'', ''Astonishing'', ''[[XtremeKoolLetterz X-Treme]]'', and ''Extraordinary'' ComicBook/XMen.
** Special notice goes to the ''[[ComicBook/AllNewXMen All]]-[[ComicBook/AllNewXMen2016 New]]'' X-Men, who are actually the team's founding members in their teenage years, flung forward in time into the present. It's an ironic thing, obviously.
** The ''ComicBook/{{Immortal|XMen}}'' X-Men came during ''[[ComicBook/XMenTheKrakoanAge The Krakoan Age]]'' when the X-Men had unlocked the secret to ResurrectiveImmortality -- and the book features that political time bomb starting to explode in their faces.
** Cain Marko is often proclaimed to be the ''Unstoppable'' ComicBook/{{Juggernaut|MarvelComics}}.
* The ''Invincible'' ComicBook/IronMan. It briefly ran alongside an ''International'' Iron Man book in 2015.
** He briefly became the ''Superior'' Iron Man shortly after ''Spider-Man'' ended its own ''Superior'' run. There was no direct connection between the two, but both books involved their protagonists dropping their usual principles - Spidey due to a body-swap, Tony due to having his morals magically inverted.
** The ''Infamous'' Iron Man is ComicBook/DoctorDoom trying to lay claim to the name while Tony Stark is taking a break from heroics. (Lucky for everyone, ComicBook/{{Ironheart}} picked up the slack and acted as an actual heroic Iron (Wo)Man in the ''Invincible'' book.)
* The ''Incredible'' [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]]. This one has been used as the title of [[Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977 three]] [[WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleHulk1982 television]] [[WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleHulk1996 shows]] and [[Film/TheIncredibleHulk2008 a movie]].
** Lampshaded by Creator/PeterDavid (who else?) in a story where the Hulk meets [[{{Sidekick}} Rick Jones]]' mother-in-law. When she exclaims "Green skin! Amazing!" he replies "No, ''Spider-Man'' is amazing. ''I'm'' [[InsistentTerminology incredible]]!"
** The most well-known incarnation of the Hulk, the green, childlike one who (typically) speaks HulkSpeak, is known as the ''Savage'' Hulk, which has been used as a title for a series at least once.
** The Hulk has flirted with a few other descriptors, ''Rampaging'' and ''Indestructible'', but neither lasted very long.
** There's also the ''ComicBook/{{Totally Awesome|Hulk}}'' Hulk, who is Amadeus Cho, not Bruce Banner; and the descriptor reflects how Amadeus is an immature teenager who enjoys his powers rather than angsting about them as Bruce does.
** The ''ComicBook/{{Immortal|Hulk}}'' Hulk, referring to a tweak to Banner's powerset and a genre shift towards horror.
* The ''[[ComicBook/TheSavageSheHulk Savage]]''/''[[ComicBook/TheSensationalSheHulk Sensational]]'' ComicBook/SheHulk
** At one point, at least, the titles were used to differentiate between multiple She-Hulks: The "Sensational" She-Hulk is Banner's cousin Jennifer Walters; while the "Savage" She-Hulk is Lyra, the Hulk's daughter from an alternate future.
* The ''Mighty'' [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]]
** During TheNewTens, ComicBook/Jane Foster took over as [[ComicBook/Thor2014 the new Thor]], along with the "Mighty" title, after the original lost his faith in the gods and could no longer lift his hammer. When the original Thor got a series of his own again to complement Jane's, it was titled The ''Unworthy'' Thor.
** In TheNewTwenties, ''ComicBook/TheImmortalThor'' was published by the same team behind ''Immortal Hulk''.
* The ''ComicBook/{{Immortal|IronFist}}'' ComicBook/IronFist. (Ironically, unlike ''Immortal Hulk'', ''Immortal X-Men'', and ''Immortal Thor'' that came later, ''Iron Fist'' does ''not'' involve literal immortality.)
* The ''Astonishing'' ComicBook/AntMan. This adjective serves as a reference to the fact the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, made his first appearance in the anthology comic ''Tales To Astonish''.

* There's a D- or E-list joke hero called the ''Fabulous'' Frog-Man.
** Who eventually gained a sidekick in the ''Tenacious'' Tadpole.
* The ''Craptacular'' B-Sides, a lesser-known Marvel team.
* The ComicBook/FantasticFour (itself a [[TheNotableNumeral Notable Numeral]]) has the ''Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed'' Thing.

* The ''Mighty'' [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]. (There have been other "_____ Avengers" teams, but all their titles ([[TheNewAdventures "New"]], "Secret", [[SpinoffBabies "Young"]], [[PsychoRangers "Dark"]], [[AnimalSuperhero "Pet"]]) are pretty matter-of-fact and don't quite fit the trope.)
** The ''All-New, All-Different'' Avengers. Running at the same time as ''New Avengers'', no less. And when that ''New Avengers'' [[AHouseDivided got split]] from A.I.M. (long story) they named themself the ''[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment All-New New]] Avengers'' for some issues.
* ''ComicBook/OmegaTheUnknown'' is an {{Inver|tedTrope}}sion, having the name first followed by the adjective, as opposed to being called "The Unknowable Omega" or something.
* ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' villain the Orb insists on being known as the ''All-New'' Orb.
* Averted with ComicBook/DoctorStrange, who uses SuperheroSobriquets instead, but his enemies often fit this trope (the ''Dread'' Dormammu, the ''Unrelenting'' Umar).
* Marvel even [[SelfDeprecation made fun of themselves]] for this trope back in the '60s with ''Not Brand Echh''. For example, their [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk muscular green guy in ripped pants]] was the ''Inedible'' Bulk. You [[BrattyHalfPint whippersnappers]] might have seen him in ''ComicBook/{{Nextwave}}''.
* The ''Awesome'' [[ComicBook/TheAwesomeSlapstick Slapstick]].
* Any character's counterpart from the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe is invariably referred to as "the ''Ultimate'' [X]" when put beside their normal-universe counterparts; though the books themselves have technically dropped this kind of title system for a while in favor of ''Ultimate Comics: [X]''.
* Marvel's also been known to play with the system, giving one hero another's descriptor for crossover projects:
** Spider-Man has been the ''Fantastic'' Spider-Man when working with the ComicBook/FantasticFour, and a book called the ''Avenging'' Spider-Man features him teaming up with various Avengers.
** When Hercules took over Hulk's book, it was retitled from ''The Incredible Hulk'' to ''ComicBook/{{The Incredible Herc|ules}}''.
** For a team made up of both Avengers and X-Men members, they titled it ''ComicBook/{{Uncanny|Avengers}}'' Avengers ("Uncanny" being associated with the X-Men).

* The ''Savage'' ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} (a reference to the story's setting, [[LostWorld the Savage Land]]).
* The ''[[ComicBook/FearlessDefenders Fearless]]'' Defenders, a short-lived AmazonBrigade team. The name comes from a ''ComicBook/FearItself'' spinoff, ''The Fearless''; and is likely doomed to be shorthand for "not ''that'' [[ComicBook/TheDefenders Defenders]] team, the all-girl one".
* This was spoofed in the humorous ''Marvel Now What?!'' one-shot, where a supercomputer powered by nuclear fission created adjectives for team names. How's "Avenging Avengers" sound?
* During her time on ComicBook/TheAvengers, Monica Rambeau was referred to as the ''Astounding'' ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}}.
* The ''Legendary'' ComicBook/StarLord
* The ''Savage'' ComicBook/SubMariner, though this name didn't really stick.
* The ''Unbeatable'' [[ComicBook/TheUnbeatableSquirrelGirl Squirrel Girl]]
* The ''Unbelievable'' [[ComicBook/TheUnbelievableGwenpool Gwenpool]]
* The ''Mighty'' ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}}
* The ''Happy-Go-Lucky'' [[ComicBook/PatsyWalker Hellcat]].
* The ''Despicable'' ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}, christened as such when he decides to [[FaceHeelTurn give up on trying to be a hero]].
* The ''Magnificent'' ComicBook/MsMarvel.
* Of course, Marvel is also responsible for the ultimate defied version of this trope. After Creator/StanLee made a bet with his publisher that he could get a book with the absolute worst title to sell well because of the "Marvel style", ComicBook/SgtFuryAndHisHowlingCommandos was born!

* Thanks to ''ComicBook/AllStarBatmanAndRobinTheBoyWonder'' and MemeticMutation, DC finally has one: "the ''Goddamn'' Batman". And Barbara Gordon is "the ''Fucking'' Batgirl".

** And fellow Image character ''ComicBook/TheAstoundingWolfMan''.
* ''ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesAdventures'' spinoff The ''Mighty'' Mutanimals.
* As a superhero parody, ''ComicBook/{{Normalman}}'' has been called the ''Unconvinceable'' normalman and the ''Excruciatingly Average'' normalman.
* Back in 2006, DC busted out The ''All-New'' Atom! Sadly, they brought back the original [[ComicBook/TheAtom Atom]] not long after, and the all-new one got left by the roadside.
* ''ComicBook/{{Robin|1993}}'': Tim introduced himself as ''"The Spectacular Sunbird"'' when he needed to distance himself from Robin for secret identity purposes and was dressed in most but not all of the Robin costume. He evidently came up with it on the spot, or had been reading ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' where the local Robin expy is called Sunbird.
* The original, pre-Crisis ''ComicBook/{{Huntress}}'' (Helena Wayne) was often billed as "The Hard-Hitting Huntress".
* The ''Incredible'' Popeman. Not as serious as the other examples, obviously.
* The ''Terrific'' Whatzit, DC's first FunnyAnimal superhero (named "Whatzit" since he was a turtle who [[RemovableShell didn't wear his shell]] in his superhero identity, making it harder to tell what species he was), a turtle with the powers/costume of the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] Flash (and Johnny Quick's flying abilities).
* DC's ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot includes The ''Savage'' ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}.
* Parodied in ''ComicBook/{{Skullkickers}}'', which had "Uncanny Skullkickers #1", "Savage Skullkickers #1", and "Mighty Skullkickers #1", and so forth, as individual entries in an ongoing story. Yes, instead of one title and sequential numbers.
* ''ComicBook/ProjectSuperpowers''' version of the Golden Age, public domain Daredevil had a comic called "The Death-Defying 'Devil".
* Parodied in ''ComicBook/{{Static}}'', where the local GirlPosse all had MyNaymeIs names (Bryttyni, Tyffyni, and Krystyn) and were therefore dubbed "The ''Insufferable'' Y-Wymyn" (with "Y-Women" additionally being a play on "X-Men").
* ''ComicBook/TheAtomicThunderbolt''
* Golden Age hero ''ComicBook/HyperThePhenomenal'' plays with the format, being "Name the Adjective" instead of "The Adjective Name."
* ''ComicBook/TheMaskedMarvel''
* A one-shot comic parodied the ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' as the ''Mightily Murdered Power Ringers'' ("Teenagers with ineptitude!"). When the entire team dies, the Zordon CaptainErsatz keeps sending in replacement groups. First comes the "Mighty Methane Power Ranges" ("Giving the villains a ''raw deal!'' Heroes that really cook!"), then the "Mighty Morphine-Powered Addicts" ("Taking a shot at evil! They aren't just hyped, they're hypo!"), then the "Naughty Nighty Powder Puffers" ("In the ready and in their teddies! It's ''Victoria's Secret Squadron!''"), and finally, the non-specific "Something Something Something Somethings" ("The greatest whatevers there ever was! There's ''nothing like them!''").
* In ''ComicBook/TheMultiversity'', Earth-8's Spider-Man expy is the Battlin' Bug.
* ''ComicBook/ThePitifulHumanLizard''

* ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan''. Named after the original comic, and probably to differentiate it from the [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy previous films]], which were just called ''Spider-Man [[NumberedSequels <insert number here>]]''.

** Though not as prevalent as most examples, the team itself has occasionally been called "the ''Fabled'' Fantastic Four".

** [[Characters/MarvelComicsMilesMorales Miles Morales]] is often referred to as the ''Ultimate'' Spider-Man, referring to his original book, to distinguish him from Parker.

* The ''ComicBook/{{Immortal|IronFist}}'' ComicBook/IronFist. (Ironically, unlike ''Immortal Hulk'' and ''Immortal X-Men'' that came later, ''Iron Fist'' does ''not'' involve literal immortality.)

** The ''All-New, All-Different'' Avengers. Running at the same time as ''New Avengers'', no less. And when that ''New Avengers'' [[AHouseDivided got split]] from A.I.M. (long story) they named themself the ''[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment All-New New Avengers]]'' for some issues.

* ''Spider-Man'' games
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Amiga, MS-DOS, C-64, Atari ST)
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Game Boy game)
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Movie tie-in game)
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom's Revenge!''
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes''
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire''
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man: Countdown to Doom!''
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man 2'' (Game Boy Game)
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man 2'' (movie tie-in game)
** ''The Amazing Spider-Man 3: Invasion of the Spider-Slayers''

** ComicBook/MilesMorales is often referred to as the ''Ultimate'' Spider-Man, referring to his original book, to distinguish him from Parker.

** In TheNewTwentys, ''ComicBook/TheImmortalThor'' was published by the same team behind ''Immortal Hulk''.

** In TheNewTwentys, ComicBook/TheImmortalThor'' was published by the same team behind ''Immortal Hulk''.

* The ''Amazing''/''Spectacular''/''Sensational'' ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', although Spidey himself prefers to use "Your ''Friendly Neighborhood'' Spider-Man" (which was eventually used as a book title itself). He may well have been the TropeCodifier for this, as his first appearance was in ''Amazing Fantasy'', which was soon after [[SpotlightStealingSquad canceled, and replaced]] on the newsstands with ''Amazing Spider-Man''.

* The ''Uncanny'', ''Astonishing'', ''[[XtremeKoolLetterz X-Treme]]'', and ''Extraordinary'' ''ComicBook/XMen''.

* In general, when a franchise has multiple books, some of them will have adjectives in their titles and one won't. This was mostly seen in the 90s, with the ''Spider-Man'' series joining ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'', and ''Web of Spider-Man'', and ''X-Men'' Vol. 2 joining ''The Uncanny X-Men'' (originally ''X-Men'' Vol. 1).

* The ''Amazing''/''Spectacular''/''Sensational'' ComicBook/SpiderMan, although Spidey himself prefers to use "Your ''Friendly Neighborhood'' Spider-Man" (which was eventually used as a book title itself). He may well have been the TropeCodifier for this, as his first appearance was in ''Amazing Fantasy'', which was soon after [[SpotlightStealingSquad canceled, and replaced]] on the newsstands with ''Amazing Spider-Man''.

** Also seen: the ComicBook/DarkAvengers' CostumeCopycat is the ''Sinister'' Spider-Man. "Sinister" has also been applied to ComicBook/{{Silk}} as she drifts towards a FaceHeelTurn.
*** Similarly, the ''[[ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan Superior]]'' Spider-Man is ComicBook/DoctorOctopus having hijacked Peter's body.
** When [[BrownBagMask improvising a mask out of a paper bag]], he became the ''Amazing'' or the ''Bombastic'' Bag-Man.
** When [[spoiler: ComicBook/{{Blade}}]] [[ComicBook/MightyAvengers needed to hide his identity]], with the help of a BlandNameProduct Spider-Man outfit from a costume shop, he became the ''Splendiferous'' Spider Hero. [[BroughtToYouByTheLetterS With "Spider Hero" written across his chest.]] The Superior Spider-Man [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments was not amused]].

** ComicBook/MilesMorales is often referred to as the ''[[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Ultimate]]'' [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Spider-Man]], referring to his original book, to distinguish him from Parker.
* The ComicBook/XMen have ''Uncanny'', ''Astonishing'', ''[[XtremeKoolLetterz X-Treme]]'', and ''Extraordinary''.

** Though a villain, and he hasn't carried a solo book, Cain Marko is often proclaimed to be the UNSTOPPABLE [[TheJuggernaut Juggernaut]].

** The most well known incarnation of the Hulk, the green, childlike one who (typically) speaks HulkSpeak, is known as the ''Savage'' Hulk, which has been used as a title for a series at least once.

** One Ant-Man, Eric O'Grady, was a complete JerkAss, so his series was titled The ''Irredeemable'' Ant-Man. "Irredeemable" is still used to differentiate him from both other Ant-Men, Pym and Scott Lang.

* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries'': Tim introduced himself as ''"The Spectacular Sunbird"'' when he needed to distance himself from Robin for secret identity purposes and was dressed in most but not all of the Robin costume. He evidently came up with it on the spot, or had been reading ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' where the local Robin expy is called Sunbird.

* The ''Fabulous'' Hudson Hornet, from UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} in the '50s but more would probably know it from being referenced in ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}''.

In ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'' a few of the heroes or their variants have epithats, such as the Indestructible Bunker, the Savage Haka, and the Super-Scientific Tachyon.