Superman is a superhero that appears in DC Comics' American comic books. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster invented the character, which appeared in the comic book Action Comics #1. Superman, one of the best comic book characters of all time, has appeared in a variety of various media, including radio serials, novels, films, television episodes, and plays.

Kal-El, the fictitious planet Krypton, gave birth to Superman. His parents sent him to Earth as a baby in a small spaceship just before Krypton was destroyed in a natural disaster. His ship landed near the fictional town of Smallville in the American countryside. Farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent found him and adopted him, naming him Clark Kent. Clark developed superhuman characteristics such as great strength and impenetrable skin. His adoptive parents persuaded him to use his gifts for the greater good, thus he chose to fight crime. To protect his personal life, he dons a bright costume and fights crime under the moniker "Superman." Clark lives in Metropolis, a fictitious American city, and works as a journalist for the Daily Planet. Superman's sidekick and fellow journalist Lois Lane, Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen, and editor-in-chief Perry White are among his friends, while his foes include General Zod, Brainiac, and his archenemy Lex Luthor.

Superman is the superhero archetype: he wears an outrageous outfit, has a codename, and fights evil with incredible abilities. Although there are previous characters who may match this definition, it was Superman who popularized and cemented the superhero genre's traditions. Until the 1980s, he was the best-selling superhero in American comic books.

Publisher: DC Comics
First appearance: Action Comics #1
Created by: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster

Batman is a superhero that appears in DC Comics' American comic books. On March 30, 1939, the character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book Detective Comics. In the DC Universe, Batman is the alter ego of Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, and industrialist based in Gotham City.

After witnessing the murder of his parents, Thomas and Martha, Batman swears vengeance on criminals in his origin narrative, a vendetta tempered by the ideal of justice. He works out physically and mentally, creates a bat-inspired identity, and patrols the Gotham streets at night. Kane, Finger, and other creators accompanied Batman with sidekicks Robin and Batgirl; allies Alfred Pennyworth, James Gordon, and Catwoman; and enemies such as the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, and his archenemy the Joker.

Unlike most superheroes, Batman lacks superpowers and must rely on his wits, combat skills, and riches. The 1960s Batman television series employed a camp aesthetic that was linked with the character for many years after the show ended. Various creators tried in the 1970s and 1980s to return the character to his darker beginnings, culminating in Frank Miller's 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns.

Batman, one of the most recognizable characters in popular culture, has been named one of the greatest comic book superheroes and fictional characters ever created. He is one of the most commercially successful superheroes, and his image has been licensed and used in a variety of media and items sold all over the world, including toy lines like Lego Batman and computer games like the Batman: Arkham series. Batman has been adapted in both live-action and animation forms.

Publisher: DC Comics
First appearance: Detective Comics #27
Created by: Bob Kane and Bill Finger

John Constantine is an antihero who appears in DC Comics' American comic books. Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben developed Constantine, who originally appeared in The Saga of Swamp Thing #37 (June 1985). Hellblazer (1988–2013), Constantine (2013–2015), Constantine: The Hellblazer (2015–2016), The Hellblazer (2016–2018), and John Constantine: Hellblazer (2020–2021) are the titles of his comic books.

John Constantine is a Liverpool-born working-class warlock, occult detective, and con artist stationed in London. He is noted for his unending cynicism, deadpan snarking, ruthless cunning, and chain-smoking, yet he is also a passionate humanitarian driven by a deep desire to do good in his life. Constantine, who was originally a supporting character who played a vital role in the "American Gothic" Swamp Thing narrative, gained his own comic in 1988. Sting, the musician, was a visual inspiration for the character.

The Hellblazer series was DC's Vertigo imprint's longest-running and most successful publication. John Constantine was placed third in Empire's 50 Greatest Comic Characters of All Time, number 29 in IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes, and number 10 in Wizard's Top 200 Comic Book Characters of All Time. Keanu Reeves' character, John Constantine, made his first live appearance in the 2005 film Constantine. Matt Ryan portrayed the character in the short-lived television series Constantine. Ryan later played the character in the Arrowverse shows Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, where he was a main cast member until the sixth season, as well as in various animation creations.

Publisher: DC Comics
First appearance: The Saga of Swamp Thing #37 (June 1985)
Created by: Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette, Rick Veitch, John Totleben

Wolverine is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics' American comic books, mostly in association with the X-Men. He is an animal-like mutant with heightened physical powers, a tremendous regenerative ability known as a healing factor, and three retractable claws in each hand. Wolverine has been portrayed as a member of the X-Men, X-Force, Alpha Flight, the Fantastic Four, and The Avengers, among others.

Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas, writer Len Wein, and Marvel art director John Romita Sr. created the character. Romita designed the character's attire, but Herb Trimpe created the character for publishing. Wolverine then joined a redesigned version of the X-Men, where writers Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, and artist-writer John Byrne would later play key roles in the character's growth. From September to December 1982, artist Frank Miller teamed with Claremont and helped redesign the character in a four-part eponymous limited series.

Wolverine is representative of the many fierce antiheroes who arose in American popular culture; his readiness to employ lethal force and his brooding loner attitude became standard qualities for comic book antiheroes by the end of the 1980s. As a result, the character became a fan favorite of the growing X-Men franchise, and he has appeared in his own solo Wolverine comic book series since 1988.

Wolverine, one of the best comic book characters of all time, has appeared in most X-Men adaptations, including animated television programs, video games, and Hugh Jackman's live-action 20th Century Fox X-Men film series. In the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Troye Sivan played a younger version of Wolverine. The character is placed first in Wizard magazine's 2008 Top 200 Comic Book Characters, fourth in Empire's 2008 Greatest Comic Characters, and fourth in IGN's 2011 Top 100 Comic Book Heroes.

Publisher: Marvel Comics
First appearance: The Incredible Hulk #181
Created by: Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.

Spider-Man is a superhero that appears in Marvel Comics' American comic books. He debuted in the Silver Age of Comic Books in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), created by writer-editor Stan Lee and illustrator Steve Ditko. Since then, he has appeared in films, television series, video games, and plays.

Spider-Man is the alias of Peter Parker, an orphan raised in New York City by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben after his parents, Richard and Mary Parker, died in a plane crash. In his origin narrative, a radioactive spider bite grants him spider-related powers such as clinging to surfaces, superhuman strength, and agility, and detecting danger with his "spider-sense." He also creates wrist-mounted "web-shooter" gadgets that shoot his own designed artificial spider webs.

Spider-Man is a well-known and financially successful superhero. He has appeared in a variety of mediums, including several animated television programs, live-action television series, syndicated newspaper comic strips, and various film series. Danny Seagren initially played the character in live-action in Spidey Super Stories, a The Electric Company skit that aired from 1974 to 1977. Spider-Man has been played in films by actors Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), he was voiced by Chris Pine and Jake Johnson, with Johnson returning the part in the sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023). Reeve Carney first appeared as Spider-Man in the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark in 2010.

As a superhero and comic book character, Spider-Man has been warmly welcomed, and he is frequently listed as one of the best comic book characters of all time, as well as one of the most popular characters in all fiction.

Publisher: Marvel Comics
First appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15
Created by: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko

Dream is a fictional superhero who originally debuted in the first issue of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, published by DC Comics. Dream is both king and embodiment of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality, as one of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods (which, in turn, Dream may define by his existence). He has numerous names, including Morpheus and Oneiros, and his appearance changes depending on who sees him. Empire Magazine rated Dream the sixth-greatest comic book character. He was also ranked fifteenth on IGN's list of the 100 Best Comic Book Heroes.

Dream is the main character in the comic novel The Sandman. Neil Gaiman proposed resurrecting DC's 1974–1976 series The Sandman, written by Joe Simon and Michael Fleisher and drawn by Jack Kirby and Ernie Chua. Gaiman quickly began working on a new series concept. Gaiman addressed his treatment to DC editor Karen Berger in passing. When Berger gave Gaiman a comic series to write months later, he was skeptical that his Sandman concept would be accepted.

Gaiman based the new character on an image of "a man, young, pallid, and naked, imprisoned in a tiny cell, waiting till his captors died... deathly thin, with long dark hair, and odd eyes." Gaiman based the character's black outfit on a kimono print as well as his own clothes.

Publisher: DC Comics
First appearance: The Sandman vol. 2, #1
Created by: Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg

Judge Dredd is a character created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra. He debuted in the second issue of 2000 AD (1977), a British weekly anthology comic. He is the longest-running character in the magazine. He has also appeared in several film and video game adaptations.

Judge Dredd is a law enforcement and judicial official in Mega-City One, a dystopian future city that spans most of North America's east coast. He is a "street judge," with the authority to arrest, convict, sentence, and execute criminals on the spot.

In the United Kingdom, the character of Dredd and his name are occasionally brought up in debates about police states, authoritarianism, and the rule of law. Judge Dredd has been praised as one of the best satires of American and British culture over the years, with an amazing ability to forecast forthcoming events such as uncontrolled mass surveillance, the rise of populist leaders, and the COVID-19 epidemic. Judge Dredd was ranked 35th among the top 100 comic book heroes of all time by IGN in 2011.

Judge Dredd made his live-action debut in Sylvester Stallone's 1995 film Judge Dredd. Later, in the 2012 adaption of Dredd, he was played by Karl Urban. Toby Longworth voices Dredd in Big Finish Productions audio dramas.

Publisher: IPC Media
First appearance: 2000 AD no. 2
Created by: John Wagner, Carlos Ezquerra, Pat Mills

The Joker is a supervillain that appears in DC Comics' American comic novels. The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson and originally appeared in the April 25, 1940 edition of the comic book Batman. The genesis of the Joker is contested; Kane and Robinson claimed ownership of the design while acknowledging Finger's writing contribution. Although the Joker was supposed to be killed off after his first appearance, he was saved by editorial intervention, allowing the character to go on as Batman's archenemy.

The Joker is presented as a criminal mastermind in his comic book appearances. Initially introduced as a psychopath with a perverted, sadistic sense of humor, the character evolved into a humorous prankster in the late 1950s in response to Comics Code Authority regulation, before returning to his darker roots in the early 1970s. The Joker, as Batman's archenemy, has had a role in some of the superhero's most iconic stories. Throughout his decades of appearances, the Joker has had several probable origin stories. The most typical myth has him slipping into a tank of chemical waste, which bleaches his skin white and paints his hair green and lips bright red, driving him insane.

The Joker, one of the popular culture's most recognizable figures, has been named one of the best comic book villains and fictional characters ever created. Because of the character's popularity, he has appeared on a range of things, including clothes and collectibles, inspired real-world constructions (such as theme park attractions), and been mentioned in a variety of media. The Joker has appeared in live-action, animated, and video game incarnations, including Cesar Romero's portrayal of the character in the 1960s Batman television series and films.

Publisher: DC Comics
First appearance: Batman #1
Created by: Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson

Magneto is a fictional character who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most often in conjunction with the X-Men. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby and originally appeared as an antagonist of the X-Men in The X-Men #1 (cover-dated September 1963).

The protagonist is a powerful mutant, one of a hypothetical subspecies of mankind born with extraordinary talents, who can generate and control magnetic fields. Magneto considers mutants to be evolutionarily superior to humans and denies the notion of peaceful human-mutant coexistence; initially, he planned to conquer the world so that mutants, whom he refers to as homo superior, could supplant humans as the dominant species. Magneto's role in comics has evolved from supervillain to antihero to superhero, including stints as an ally and even a member of the X-Men.

His character has been compared to Malcolm X and Meir Kahane, the founder of the Jewish Defense League. Magneto opposes Professor X's peaceful stance and advocates for a more militant approach to gaining mutant civil rights. Magneto was named the Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time by IGN.

Magneto was portrayed by Ian McKellen throughout the majority of the X-Men film series, while Michael Fassbender played a younger version of the character.

Publisher: Marvel Comics
First appearance: The X-Men #1
Created by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Benjamin Jacob Grimm, also known as the Thing, is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics' American comic novels. He is one of the Fantastic Four's original members. The Fantastic Four #1 featured the debut appearance of Thing, who was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and illustrator Jack Kirby.

The figure is well-known for his rocky appearance. He can do superhuman feats of strength and has a sense of humor, as well as a famous war cry, "It's clobberin' time!" Thing's speech patterns are inspired by Jimmy Durante's. Michael Bailey Smith played Ben Grimm in his human form, while Carl Ciarfalio played the Thing in the 1994 film The Fantastic Four, Michael Chiklis portrayed the Thing in the 2005 film Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and Jamie Bell portrayed the Thing in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2015).

IGN placed the Thing 18th in their list of the "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes" in 2011 and 23rd in their list of "The Top 50 Avengers" in 2012. In 2008, Empire magazine placed The Thing seventh among "The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters."

Publisher: Marvel Comics
First appearance: The Fantastic Four #1
Created by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby