Batman

Dark Knight. Caped Crusader. World’s Greatest Detective. Whatever you know him as, wherever you know him from—the blockbuster movies, TV shows, video games, cartoons, or millions of comics—Batman is proof you don’t need superpowers to be a superhero… and the poster boy for what a bad childhood can do to you. Millionaire Bruce Wayne was just a kid when he watched his parents get gunned down during a mugging in Gotham City. The crime would define his life, as he dedicated himself to becoming the world’s greatest weapon against crime—the Batman. Forget his Batarangs, Batmobile, or Utility Belt filled with high-tech weapons. Batman is the most feared superhero of all, because he’s pushed himself to the absolute pinnacle of human achievement. He’s a brilliant detective who’s mastered fighting techniques the world’s barely heard of. An Olympic-caliber athlete with a plan for every occasion, Batman’s seemingly always five steps ahead of his foes. But in his crusade against injustice, two questions always loom: How far will he go to protect the innocent, and will he sacrifice his humanity along the way?

Superman

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…Well, you know how it ends, don’t you? It’s a sentence so iconic, there are probably kids shouting it in Swahili as you read this. The most recognized superhero in pop culture, Superman has been elevated to mythic folkhero status. Rocketed to Earth from the dying planet Krypton, baby Kal-El was found by a farming couple who named the boy Clark Kent and raised him as their own. Discovering his enormous powers, they instilled in him strong moral values—and inspired him to become a hero. Superman has super-everything—strength, speed, flight, invulnerability as well as his renowned X-ray and heat vision. The most powerful being on the planet, his amazing abilities are also a melancholy reminder of how different he is from the people he’s dedicated to protect.  A universal icon, Superman means different things to the many diverse people he inspires: He’s an alien; an immigrant from a faraway land just looking to help; a country boy fighting the never-ending battle for truth and justice. And recent comics have truly spotlighted his role as the people’s hero: Following a neophyte Man of Steel still learning his powers’ limits, Superman fights the evil corporate tycoons and corrupt one-percenters that have overwhelmed the establishment.

Spider-Man

Bitten by a radioactive spider, high school student Peter Parker gained the speed, strength and powers of a spider. Adopting the name Spider-Man, Peter hoped to start a career using his new abilities. Taught that with great power comes great responsibility, Spidey has vowed to use his powers to help people.

Captain America

Vowing to serve his country any way he could, young Steve Rogers took the super soldier serum to become America's one-man army. Fighting for the red, white and blue for over 60 years, Captain America is the living, breathing symbol of freedom and liberty.

Wolverine

Born with super-human senses and the power to heal from almost any wound, Wolverine was captured by a secret Canadian organization and given an unbreakable skeleton and claws. Treated like an animal, it took years for him to control himself. Now, he's a premiere member of both the X-Men and the Avengers.

Iron Man

Wounded, captured and forced to build a weapon by his enemies, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark instead created an advanced suit of armor to save his life and escape captivity. Now with a new outlook on life, Tony uses his money and intelligence to make the world a safer, better place as Iron Man.

Wonder Woman

OK, let’s just come out and say it: Wonder Woman is the most famous heroine of all time. No offense to the Lara Crofts, Buffys, or Disney princesses of the world, but none of them have been plastered on as many magazine covers, adorned as many T-shirts, or sold the countless comics, dolls, and action figures that Wonder Woman has. The full package of beauty, brains, and brawn, she’s been a feminist icon since her star-spangled intro in 1941. Wonder Woman is Princess Diana of the immortal Amazons from Greek mythology.  When army pilot Steve Trevor crashes on the warriors’ secluded island paradise, Diana wins the right to escort him home and make her people known to the world. Entering our cynical world for the first time, there’s a lot she must wrap her head around, especially our ways of war, hate, and, well… dating. Helping her are her superhuman strength and speed, as well as the trademark bulletproof bracelets, but it’s probably her Golden Lasso of Truth most people really wish they had. Torn between a mission to promote peace and her own warrior upbringing, Wonder Woman fights evil while hoping to unlock the potential of a humanity she doesn’t always understand.

Lois Lane

She’s perhaps the greatest reporter on the planet. And not just the Daily Planet! Since her first appearance in Action Comics #1, Lois Lane has found herself at the center of one earth-shattering event after another. From her early days reporting on the plights of the common man and taking on the mob to her later adventures uncovering mole-men or covering Doomsday’s rampage through her beloved Metropolis, she’s done whatever it takes to get the story. Even when it puts her in danger.Of course, whenever she does find herself in harm’s way with no way out, Superman is there to save her. Because while she may have spent years trying to beat her colleague Clark Kent to get the byline, she’s also spent those same years in one of the great love stories for the ages. The tale of the god who loved a mortal is as timeless as mythology itself, but Superman and Lois gave it a 20th Century spin that still resonates into the 21st. A role model, an icon and a hero without a cape, Lois Lane has been an eyewitness to history, and through her perseverance and reporting, has opened hearts and minds—not the least of which belongs to the Man of Steel. Love may sometimes have blinded her to the obvious, that Clark and Superman are one and the same. But it’s that same love that has continued to be one of the greatest sources of strength for Kal-El, by helping him to become the most human alien.

Thor

As the Norse God of thunder and lightning, Thor wields one of the greatest weapons ever made, the enchanted hammer Mjolnir. While others have described Thor as an over-muscled, oafish imbecile, he's quite smart and compassionate.  He's self-assured, and he would never, ever stop fighting for a worthwhile cause.

Nightwing

If it’s hard being a super hero, what is it like as a sidekick? The heroes get the glory, while you clean up the mess. You don’t make the decisions and you don’t give orders. So, what do you do if you’re the Boy Wonder to one of the most recognizable super heroes in the universe and you’re looking to break out on your own?Simple. You become Nightwing.When his circus acrobat family was brutally murdered, Dick Grayson was taken in by billionaire and bat-friendly super hero Bruce Wayne. Bruce shared his secret life as Batman with the young boy and eventually molded him into Robin—the Dark Knight’s partner in Gotham. But as Dick grew older, playing second fiddle to the sternest hero in the Justice League began to wear on him, and eventually he struck out on his own, staying true to what he learned as Robin while coming into his own as a respected member of the super hero pantheon. His code, like his mentor’s, is simple—if you’re breaking the law on his turf, watch out. Anyone who doesn’t can expect a short and most assuredly painful trip to Arkham.Yet, while he may share methods and motivation with Batman, Dick knows what being Batman can do. He doesn’t want to become as dark, controlling and lonely as Bruce. But for all the good he’s accomplished while avoiding it, one question is unavoidable—without going as far as Batman, can Nightwing be as effective as he ultimately wants to be?

Thing

The radiation that mutated Reed Richards, Sue Storm and Johnny Storm into superhuman beings had also mutated Ben Grimm, transforming him into a grotesque, rock-hided strongman dubbed the Thing.

Mr. Fantastic

Cyclops

Hulk

Caught in a gamma bomb explosion while trying to save the life of a teenager, Dr. Bruce Banner was transformed into the incredibly powerful creature called the Hulk. An all too often misunderstood hero, the angrier the Hulk gets, the stronger the Hulk gets.

Commissioner Gordon

When it comes to Batman's greatest allies, Commissioner James Gordon easily ranks as one of the Dark Knight's oldest, most important, and most well known—sharing the Caped Crusader's commitment to ridding Gotham City of corruption and crime.   Debuting alongside Batman in the pages of DETECTIVE COMICS #27, Commissioner Gordon has appeared in virtually every incarnation of the franchise and in every single form of media. An expert detective as well as a highly trained and decorated officer, as Commissioner of the GCPD, Gordon brought a dose of integrity and honesty to a previously fully corrupt police force. Under his leadership, the GCPD has improved both in the public eye and in their record of successful arrests and incarcerations. However, Gotham is no ordinary city, and where others may have locked up an unsanctioned super hero like Batman for taking the law into his own hands, Gordon has chosen to support the Dark Knight, acknowledging the difference he makes. Gordon's cooperation with Batman has made a difference in a city once seen as being well past the point of saving, and it’s sent a message to criminals throughout Gotham—whether it’s at the hands of a badge or a Bat, you will see justice.   Gordon is aware of the legal issues associated with his partnership with the Dark Knight. As such, he adopts a "look the other way" philosophy for most of Batman's activities. Whereas Batman works in darkness as Gotham's Dark Knight, Commissioner James Gordon is its knight in the spotlight—ever vigilant and open about his commitment and desire to do what is right to protect and serve the people of his city.

Human Torch

Beast

Storm

Ororo Monroe is the descendant of an ancient line of African priestesses, all of whom have white hair, blue eyes, and the potential to wield magic.

Green Lantern

Imagine if the ring on your finger was more than a piece of gaudy jewelry. Instead, it’s the universe’s most powerful weapon. It can create whatever you wish out of pure energy, its might limited only by your imagination and will. And with it comes exclusive membership to an exclusive intergalactic police force with alien officers spanning the cosmos.The only catch? Mastering that power and being a Green Lantern means facing your fears, and for headstrong Hal Jordan, that’s something he’s been avoiding his whole life. When just a boy, Hal witnessed his greatest nightmare—his pilot father dying in a tragic plane crash. Nevertheless determined to follow in his footsteps, Hal repressed his fears, becoming a reckless, defiant test pilot. But when a dying alien crashes on Earth, the irresponsible Hal is chosen to be that alien’s successor in the Green Lantern Corps, a universe-wide peacekeeping force over 3,600 members strong. And his life only gets wilder from there. Alien romances. Intergalactic wars. Power-hungry super-villains. Wielding a Green Lantern power ring—a weapon fueled by willpower—he can fly and create constructs made of pure energy, generating anything from massive green fists to emerald rifles that can snipe from a planet away. But while Hal tends to ignore his fears, he’ll learn the only way to truly master his ring’s power is by confronting and overcoming them.

Invisible Woman

Green Arrow

What was the last thing you took home from an island getaway? A tacky souvenir? A great tan? More boring slideshows than you have friends to show?Spoiled billionaire Oliver Queen came home with an entirely different personality—and a newfound purpose in life. Completely self-absorbed and never caring about anything but himself, Queen was on a leisurely sailing trip when his assistant betrayed him, leaving him for dead on a desolate remote island. Stranded, he survived by, amongst other things, mastering a bow and arrow. When he eventually discovered the primitive locals that shared the island with him, he uncovered a large conglomerate sadistically exploiting and enslaving them. Ollie used his new skills of survival and archery to lead a rebellion— only to realize how similar his opponents were to the man he used to be.Returning to civilization only meant more opportunities to watch greed and corruption strangle Joe and Jane Average. Outfitting himself with arrows that shoot tear gas, smoke, nets, and more, Green Arrow has a trick shot for every obstacle. A modern-day Robin Hood, he constantly fights for the little guy as a crusading symbol for revolution. And his days on that island, filled with sweat, blood, and desperation, are a testament to what it takes for someone to answer that wake-up call, change their ways, and fly straight.As straight as an arrow.

Aquaman

Make all the sushi jokes, YouTube spoofs, and SNL sketches you want, Aquaman’s been an icon for over seventy years. The King of the Seven Seas. Reluctant ruler of Atlantis. A man who holds his own against heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman. He’s so recognizable that when officials speak about the perils of sea pollution, they’ll whip out Aquaman references to sound hip. Cast out from Atlantis as a baby, Arthur Curry grew up on land, thinking himself a normal human. But when he matured, Atlantis returned, claiming him as their rightful king. Caught between a surface world constantly ravaging the sea and Atlanteans looking to lash out in revolt, he’s committed to protecting the entire globe. Aquaman is the king of all things aqua. He can breathe underwater, swim at tremendous speeds, and telepathically communicate with sea life. Being able to withstand ocean depths, he gets bonus points on land with his superhuman strength, enhanced senses, and nearly impenetrable skin. And although his courage and decisive nature have proven him a true heir to Atlantis’s throne, the continual conflict between land and sea makes him a citizen of both—and at home in neither.

Hawkeye

Barbara Gordon

A prodigy ahead of her time? Check. Fought toe-to-toe with Gotham’s most unsavory? Double-check. Bailed out the Dark Knight on countless occasions? Capital C check. Batgirl is Barbara Gordon, a confident young woman as committed to justice as her father, Gotham City’s top cop Commissioner Gordon. But when her overprotective Dad forbids her from joining the force, her admiration of Batman leads her to rebel the way crime-fighting rebels do in Gotham City: by picking up the mantle of the Bat. An exceptional fighter and detective, Batgirl is also unparalleled in her computer skills. With a Utility Belt filled with Batarangs and her own Batcycle to speed her across the city, she pursues justice regardless of whether others—including Batman—wish her to. But Gotham’s criminals are a ruthless and maniacal lot, and every moment she risks her neck means dancing closer to death.

Characters Ranked by Appearances