History CharacterGush / ComicBooks

*** 5. His [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age]] comic book series (Guy Gardner: Warrior) was actually important to his character development.

* Mr. Freeze is the best villain ever! Tragic backstory, Awesome design, literal CoolGun and that's the tip of the iceberg!

* [[Comicbook/{{Exiles}} Sabertooth]], how on earth did they manage to make him so darn cool? Oh that's right, Age of Apocalypse.

* [[Comicbook/TheFlash Impulse]], ''so very much''. He was so [[CheerfulChild adorable]] and [[TheWoobie woobie]] and [[FunPersonified crazy]] and... (we all miss you Bart ;_;)

* No love for Franchise/{{Superman}}? He practically ''is'' comic books!

* ComicBook/LexLuthor. Greatest Criminal Mind of Our Time. Superman's arch-nemesis, bar none (sorry Zod). IGN's 4th-greatest supervillain of all time (outranked only by Magneto, Dr Doom and Comicbook/TheJoker). The perfect foil to Superman. [[ComicBook/SupermanRedSon A human being who dares fight a god, surely the greatest of his kind.]] The epitome of the GreenEyedMonster. Second only to Dr Doom in the Never Gives Up Awards. I digress.
* Franchise/WonderWoman. The original AmazonianBeauty and mother of all [[ActionGirl action girls.]]

* ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'':

* Comicbook/{{Empowered}}. Going from an [[TheWoobie adorably insecure mess]] to somewhat less of a mess through the course of the series,with the support of her best friend and her man,you can ''see'' the CharacterDevelopment at work. She never ever stops trying to do what's right,despite being a laughing-stock to nearly the entire superhero community and a mere fanservice character to the internet at large. As her entry under {{Determinator}} says,"What keeps her going (day after day, as opposed to during any one outing) is anyone's guess, but it CANNOT BE STOPPED.".

* Atom Eve...oh, wait...ok, then...Kitty Pry(damn)...Boom Boom(muther#!@%er)...why do I read these things, again? Ok, well...Comicbook/{{X 23}} rocks, so she'll probably get killed by (sucka ass) Daken and his fancy murasma claw...ugh...

* Have to give a shout out to my boy ComicBook/{{Static}}. He was created by Creator/DwayneMcDuffie to be a contemporary version of Franchise/SpiderMan. In fact a lot of his series, and the rest of the Milestone titles, read like the marvel's own Ultimate Line. Static is funny, smart, and is a hero because he ''wanted'' to be one, not because he's trying to live out a legacy or has a DarkAndTroubledPast that pushed him into heroics. He's living the dream and is enjoying every second of it.
* Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Superman's cousin and one of the more powerful female heroes in the planet. Unlike cousin Kal, she spent most of her formative years among Kryptonians and was a teenager when she arrived on Earth after seeing her world and family dying. So, although she is as nice and well-meaning as her cousin, she is a different character with a different outlook. She is more temperamental and more impatient but also more compassionate than Superman. She struggles to understand and fit in with a completely different culture and society, and develop into a mature, self-reliant woman. She is powerful, awesome, kind, hopeful, endearing and in a certain fashion more human than her cousin.

* Comicbook/DoctorStrange, Master of the Mystic Arts, the once-and-future Sorcerer Supreme. He's kind, wise, and noble, immensely powerful, and just as immensely burdened. He is sworn to the defense of the Earth and all innocent life -- including you -- and believe me, there is no one you would rather have on your side.

* The Goddamn Franchise/{{Batman}}. No explanations necessary.

* ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' has numerous great characters (arguably nothing ''but'' great characters). [[SamaritanSyndrome Samaritan]] and [[MysteriousPast The Confessor]] are the most obvious choices, but there's also [[ReformedButRejected Steeljack]], [[ReluctantRetiree The Junkman]] and [[BadassNormal Crackerjack]].

* Nite Owl II from ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' is this troper's favorite character. He's so sweet and lovably dorky. Not to mention the fact that he built a crapload of awesome high-tech gear and his own ship and [[spoiler:gets the girl in the end]].

* [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]] changed the superhero genre for the better by making civilian responsibilities just as important as Spider-man. He can be used in any story no matter how lighthearted or rough the mood is supposed to be. His powers make him superior to the average human being, but its still just as interesting to see him track down a burglar as it is to see him go head to head with a super powered lunatic. He makes mistakes, but is smart enough to fix most of them. Peter's bones break, his costume shreds, he occasionally gets the common cold but he doesn't let that slow him as he balances work, family, friends and being Spider-man. Not to mention he has some pretty cool friends and supporting cast members. Few of Peter's girlfriend's have tragic endings and they usually part on good terms with him.
* Say what you want, but this troper always had a soft spot for the much-maligned Sentry character from Marvel. Sure he's batshit insane (schizophrenia's the tip of the iceberg here) and he was ill-used for most of his existence. But he's got a great Woobie factor, and in the hands of Paul Jenkins, a subtle maturity.
* Steve Rogers, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica. He really is just the best.

** I would say that [[CharacterDerailment pre-One Year Later]] Batgirl is even better, although marginally.

* ComicBook/{{Cyclops}} is the man. With the death of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, he became the best damn leader in the MarvelUniverse. People complain about him being TheStoic, but that just makes him more badass. Beating up his whole team to teach them a lesson is no problem for him. He needs at least one broken rib to make it challenging. And female telepaths just can't keep their hands off him.

** ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}! Don't forget Nightwing! Not only was he the first Robin, he managed to ''survive'' all those years as Robin and then branched out to become epic himself. [[PerverseSexualLust And dang me, but he's pretty]]...

* [[ComicBook/TheSandman Death]]. There was a scene in one of the first Sandman comics where... oh, just ''thinking'' about it makes me [[TearJerker tear up]]. So many emotions, so many interpretations of the afterlife... Creator/NeilGaiman, when will your characters ''not'' be awesome?

*** This Troper has a similar reaction to Commissioner Gordon, especially in Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy, for many of the same reasons.

** And Wonder Woman's daughters-by-inspiration, the [[Creator/ChrisClaremont Claremazons]]. You know who I mean, ''ComicBook/XMen'' fans. Storm, Psylocke, Rogue, Phoenix, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg even Kitty Pryde]]...The X-Women rock. 'Nuff said.
*** ''Even'' Kitty Pryde? The girl [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome killed a demon singlehandedly]]!

* [[Comicbook/{{Fables}} Bigby Wolf]]. He'll huff, and he'll puff, and he'll...do something really ''really'' bad to you.
** Most Fables characters are awesome, for that matter. Snow White as an [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking asskicking authority]], for example.

* ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}, The Merc with a Mouth who's [[CloudCuckoolander not exactly the saniest guy in the asylum]] but is hilarious for [[NoFourthWall constantly smashing the fourth wall]].
** Who ''doesn't'' love Deadpool? He ''is'' the meaning of CrazyIsCool. He's absolutely insane, very violent, and yet strangely loveable. They better get him right in his solo movie, or there will be hell to pay.
* [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Abigail Mathilda "Ma" Hunkel.]] One of the first female super heroes. She is made of Golden Age win.

* Molly Hayes from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' is the unconcentrated definition of BadassAdorable. She's [[{{Moe}} sweet, kind, cute as a button]], [[NiceHat has too many adorable hats to count,]] and her list of accomplishments includes tossing Wolverine like a baseball, flipping a Godzilla sized Kaiju on its back (granted, she was suped up on magic at the time) and punching the fricken punisher in the gut! Add to the calculation that she is actually WiseBeyondTheirYears and you have the girl I would have had a crush on when I was 11.

** Scrooge McDuck anyone? He's the best JerkWithAHeartOfGold and SelfMadeMan in comicbook.

** I'd like to chime in with the love for [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin III]], Tim Drake.

* Molly Hayes from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' is the unconcentrated definition of BadassAdorable. She's [[TastesLikeDiabetes sweet, kind, cute as a button]], [[NiceHat has too many adorable hats to count,]] and her list of accomplishments includes tossing Wolverine like a baseball, flipping a Godzilla sized Kaiju on its back (granted, she was suped up on magic at the time) and punching the fricken punisher in the gut! Add to the calculation that she is actually WiseBeyondTheirYears and you have the girl I would have had a crush on when I was 11.

* [[ComicBook/NewGods Mister Miracle]], creation of [[Creator/JackKirby Jack Freaking Kirby]], master escape artist, and lucky, lucky husband of Big Barda.Oh, and did I mention his name? [[MeaningfulName Scott]] [[AwesomeMccoolname Free.]] Hell Yeah.

** Scrooge Mcduck anyone? He's the best JerkWithAHeartOfGold and SelfMadeMan in comicbook.

%% See thread to discuss a replacement.

[[quoteright:310:[[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/constantine_john.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:310:[--[[WebVideo/BumReviews "Oh, my god! John Constantine is the greatest character I've ever seen in my life!]] He's all about manipulating the forces of evil, because these demons and devils are stupid around him. And he likes to sell his soul multiple times, like overspending on a credit card, but he has just one thing to spend, and now all the demons are fighting over who gets to collect it, and how much interest he owes for..."--] ]]

* ComicBook/BlackCanary. She kicks ass! She knows all kinds of martial arts! She rides a motorcycle! She has a sonic scream! She wears fishnets and leather! Did I mention she kicks ass? Love. Her. (Just keep her away from Green Arrow and in Birds of Prey, please!)

* [[ComicBook/TheFlash The Pied Piper.]] He [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome blew up a planet.]] With [[ThePowerOfRock Queen.]]
** Hell yes. Out-and-proud music geek, social activist, and reformed villain who helps the homeless.

* Even though the storyline was controversial as all get-out, there's a reason that [[ComicBook/DoctorOctopus Otto Octavius]] as the ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan has his fans. An AntiHeroSubstitute Spider-Man is one thing, but Otto was so [[NotSoDifferent uncannily similar to Peter Parker]] that it was genuinely ''chilling'' to see him take up the mantle of Spider-Man. Throughout the 33 issues that he donned the webs, you really got a feel for how disastrous it might be if the radioactive spider had bitten someone with all of Peter's fortitude and intelligence, but none of his humility, idealism or sense of responsibility--and it really made you appreciate Peter all the more when he returned to web-slinging. And aside all that...Otto had his own private army of Spider-{{mooks}}, Spider-bots and Spider-{{mecha}} in the classic red-and-blue Spiderman colors, and we got to watch him personally demolish Wilson Fisk's stronghold with them. The guy might have been a dick, but...if that's not EvilIsCool, I don't know what is.

*** 2. To defeat the [[BigBad Anti-Monitor]], he [[ColonyDrop dropped a planet-sized bomb]] on him. If that's not CrazyAwesome, I don't know what is.

* Is it just me or does Batman have the most awesome Rogue's Gallery ever? They are everywhere on the spectrum from {{Anti Villain}}s to utterly evil, many of them are foils to the Dark Knight in some way, and they are all varying degrees of awesome, ranging from mostly harmless but incredibly fun to scary love-to-hate-'em CrazyAwesome nightmarish terrors.

** Who ''doesn't'' love Deadpool? He ''is'' the meaning of CrazyAwesome. He's absolutely insane, very violent, and yet strangely loveable. They better get him right in his solo movie, or there will be hell to pay.

* [[ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}} Spider fucking Jerusalem]]. What a perfectly written character. He's a mean, spastic, violent, crude drug abuser, and you can't help but like him. Why? Because he's also noble, articulate, brilliantly clever, surprisingly kind, and absolutely dedicated to the truth. He's surrounded by a decaying, corrupt, materialistic and brutal society and yet remains consistently optimistic because he knows he can change things. What makes him so awesome is that he goes ahead and does all the insane things we wish we could do to go about fixing the world. [[CrazyAwesome The religion convention]]...[[LargeHam The Chair Leg of]] [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Truth]]... He's one of the most brilliantly unique protagonists in comics.