This week we will take a look at my top five Marvel superheroes. I did DC a few weeks ago, so now Marvel gets their due. I have to say the same thing as in that post. I have not read comics since the 2010s, and I have no idea what is happening in the Marvel Universe. I think I stopped reading after Secret Invasion and Dark Reign. But there was a period of time, From House of M through Secret Invasion, that I bought as many Marvel books as I could. So here are my favorites…

FIVE 

Alias was such a fantastic comic back during the early 2000s. It was easy to forget the background of Jessica Jones was completely made up by Brian Michael Bendis. He inserts Jones into so many random events and it feels so seamless. But honestly, I loved her relationship with Luke Cage. I looked forward to the drama in that book each month.

FOUR

I am trying to separate the comic version of Captain America with the MCU, but it is difficult. Captain America was one of the first comics I ever purchased. But if I am being honest, I kind of thought he was lame during the 80s (I bought any comics I could find at the grocery store during those days). The first time I ever really thought of him as cool was during the DC/Marvel Crossover where he fights Batman. Granted, Steve loses the battle, but Batman respects him. That earned him some cool points. But during the first Civil War, Steve truly shined for me. I loved his leadership in Secret Avengers.

THREE

The Hulk is just a fantastic character. The struggle of the monster within Bruce Banner. I know some people did not care for Bruce Jones run, but I thought it was excellent. I loved putting the Hulk back on the run, and Banner working with a mysterious group. Then came one of the coolest moments: the Illuminati sends Hulk away, but instead of a paradise, he goes to Sakaar, where he grows more powerful, and then we get World War Hulk. I think one of my favorite moments is when Silver Surfer and Hulk battle. I also love when writers use the Hulk for comedy (such as Keith Giffen & J.M. Dematteis in The Defenders).

TWO

I mean, come on folks. Spider-Man has to be in the top five. There are so many great Spidey stories. There were tons of great books. But you know what story was fantastic that people probably never really read? It the first arc of Spectacular Spider-Man by Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos. It was a great look at the relationship between Spidey and Venom, but there was so much other interesting stuff happening in the background. Peter being a high school teacher, lamenting about Flash being in a coma because of his connection to Spider-Man. Side note, another fun Spidey moment is when he plays poker against other heroes/villains (obviously this story happened in the 2000s when Texas Hold ‘Em was huge). 

ONE

Daredevil has been my favorite Marvel hero for a very long time. I loved Daredevil stories when I was a kid. But when I got back into comics during the 2000s, it was a free comic that the Comic Swap tossed into my bag (I do not remember the number, but it was one of the first issues of the Bendis run and Marvel was offering it for a quarter….so the Comic Swap just handed them out to people they thought might like it–they were right, they were always right about suggestions). I mean, Smith, Bendis, Brubaker put Matt Murdock through hell. He loses Karen Page, has his identity revealed, goes to jail, beats up the Kingpin (declares himself the Kingpin of Hell’s Kitchen), ends up taking over The Hand. He got married. He battled the Owl who ends up being a major drug dealer (I think the drug was Kick? the drug that gives people Mutant powers?). But through it all, we always saw Matt as this hero who struggles with his violent nature and his religion. He believes in the law, and legal system, but then administers his own brand of justice.