list of 50 greatest comic characters --

[He11blazer]

Halo Jones at 18, several places ahead of Wonder Woman.

 

And Spider Jerusalem at 12, ahead of 99% of the DC and Marvel heavy-hitters. This is like comedy at its worst.

 

The choice of Halo Jones anywhere in the top 50 is beyond lazy journalism and Britcentricity - the character may have been an atypical female creation, but that's about it.

 

But then never expect much from film mags when it comes to judging comic characters.

 

I suspect the list was assembled by one or two 2000AD and Vertigo readers one afternoon.

[joe_collector]

Seriously, in terms of the British market, who cares about Wonder Woman?

 

So this is a British-only list? Where is that noted?

[cd4ever]

But still......Halo Jones was a crazy good read.

[goldust40]

Halo Jones at 18, several places ahead of Wonder Woman.

 

And Spider Jerusalem at 12, ahead of 99% of the DC and Marvel heavy-hitters. This is like comedy at its worst.

 

The choice of Halo Jones anywhere in the top 50 is beyond lazy journalism and Britcentricity - the character may have been an atypical female creation, but that's about it.

 

But then never expect much from film mags when it comes to judging comic characters.

 

I suspect the list was assembled by one or two 2000AD and Vertigo readers one afternoon.

 

We're a parochial bunch in thrall to nostalgia.

 

The mag's remit was to keep things more Brit - oriented or relevant to Brits for reasons you mentioned...although Constantine is hardly known outside the direct market in the U.K., and the film never gained much of a foothold here (and wasn't exactly redolent with Britishness either).

 

It's an arbitrary list that regular Empire readers probably won't read anyway. Well, maybe the first ten.

 

 

[Scheradon]

I won't spoil it but seriously....#3 is ??

 

They are whacked.

 

 

Constatine , Dream , and Judge Dread , .....in the top 10 ?? I don't even know who they are !! ...The Thing doesn't even belong in the top 10 !

....I don't want to even look further ......maybe tonight w/ a cocktail ......

Seriously whacked !!

 

, exactly what I was thinking. I saw those three in the top 7 and felt no need to give this list anymore attention. i had to check the calender...and nope, it's not April 1st, but maybe they should have saved this list for then, cause it's a joke..

[comicparadox]

Did the Yellow Kid make the list?

[thedude]

well at least they got the first two right

 

I didn't read past the top 10, is Archie anywhere on there ?

[chromium]

Where the hell are Tintin and the Smurfs ??

[synch]

the fantastic four ( counting as one)

ironman

cap A

spiderman

cyclops

jean

galactus

dr strange

wolverine

ironfist

beast

prof x

green lantern

superman

batman

archie & co

Charlie brown & co

calvin &hobs

vision

nova

rogue

hawkeye

Invincible

hulk

MJ ( spiderman )

gwen (spiderman)

greengoblin

venom

& then take you're pick of remaining marvel characters

 

 

[cd4ever]

So this list has no credibility and is a joke because......all the American comic characters we know aren't here? You all understand it originated from a foreign country, correct?

[rjpb]

Where the hell are Tintin and the Smurfs ??

 

 

 

At least Captain Haddock made the list - even as a kid he was my favorite Tintin character.

 

As for the Smurfs - they are better off forgotten - even by Belgians.

 

I appreciated the non-mainstream choices on the list - even if they weren't my favorites.

 

A random listing of characters I would like to have seen included ( not including characters who originated in comic strips - which would take up a good chunk of the list.)

 

Peter Bagge's Buddy

The Freak Brothers

Mr. Natural

Enid (from Ghost World)

Kim Deitch's Waldo

Wonder Warthog

Powerhouse Pepper

Shade the Changing Man (Milligan)

Cat-woman

Johnny Dynamite

Madman

Alfred E. Neuman

Uncle Scrooge

Jonah Hex

Red Skull

Zippy the Pinhead

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lantern]

I think it is a pretty good list, especially when considering the quality of stories some of these characters have been in.

 

It was nice to see Cerebus, Harvey Pekar, Usagi Yojimbo, the Tick, Hunter Rose, Halo Jones, and Judge Dredd make the list.

 

I wonder if those bemoaning the list have actually ever read anything other than a Marvel comic.

[chromium]

As for the Smurfs - they are better off forgotten - even by Belgians.

 

 

Actually the smurf comics from the 50's and early 60's were quite good, especially compared to the cartoons and 80/90's drek...

 

But you get points for mentioning Buddy Bradley

[VintageComics]

I think it is a pretty good list, especially when considering the quality of stories some of these characters have been in.

 

It was nice to see Cerebus, Harvey Pekar, Usagi Yojimbo, the Tick, Hunter Rose, Halo Jones, and Judge Dredd make the list.

 

I wonder if those bemoaning the list have actually ever read anything other than a Marvel comic.

 

YUP. Playboy.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Spider-Juresalem, Judge Dred and Dream in the top 12, WTF??? What a useless poll.

[bhhooks22]

Halo Jones at 18, several places ahead of Wonder Woman.

 

And Spider Jerusalem at 12, ahead of 99% of the DC and Marvel heavy-hitters. This is like comedy at its worst.

 

Halo Jones! Now there's a great blast from the past. I think this is a superior list (thumbs u

 

 

Seriously, in terms of the British market, who cares about Wonder Woman? Apart from a vague memory of the TV show, she might as well not exist. Something most Americans may not realise is that outside of comic collecting circles, the average Brit knows of Superman, Batman and Spiderman and that's IT. Old TV shows (WW, Hulk) and recent movies (X-Men, FF) increased awareness of some more US comic characters, but not to actually read.

 

When I was a teen, I was the only kid I knew who'd even heard of the X-Men. Judge Dredd on the other hand was an icon to all.

 

 

Interesting ! .....

[joe_collector]

You all understand it originated from a foreign country, correct?

 

In print I'd understand, but the Internet is countryless, especially since there was no "British Only" notation.

[He11blazer]

Spider-Juresalem, Judge Dred and Dream in the top 12, WTF??? What a useless poll.

 

I've never even heard of Spider Jerusalem until now!

 

Judge Dredd on the other hand... In terms of the British market, he's unquestionably top ten material. In international terms... I guess not. His influence on the American market would mainly be secondary, in the sense that some Dredd writers and artists went on to do important work on US comic characters (Brian Bolland certainly springs to mind!)

 

Dream, or the Sandman, is extremely important to modern comics. The Sandman received more 'respectable' cross-media critical praise and awards than any other comic of it's time, and is the very foundation of the Vertigo imprint. After mid-80s graphic novels made the idea of comics-for-grownups popular, Sandman ran with it and cemented the notion. To me, Sandman looks like the most important comic since the 80s.

 

I suppose if you were making a top 50 of ALL comics for ALL time, the list would be full of GA and platinum age firsts, a few SA redefiners, and nothing at all since then except an honorable mention for Watchmen. Such a list wouldn't say much about today's market though.

 

Just some of my thoughts by the way. I don't know a fraction of what the gurus round here know!

[marvelcollector]

That's one of the worst lists I've ever seen.....

 

X 10

[marvelcollector]

Halo Jones at 18, several places ahead of Wonder Woman.

 

And Spider Jerusalem at 12, ahead of 99% of the DC and Marvel heavy-hitters. This is like comedy at its worst.

 

Seriously, in terms of the British market, who cares about Wonder Woman? Apart from a vague memory of the TV show, she might as well not exist. Something most Americans may not realise is that outside of comic collecting circles, the average Brit knows of Superman, Batman and Spiderman and that's IT. Old TV shows (WW, Hulk) and recent movies (X-Men, FF) increased awareness of some more US comic characters, but not to actually read.

 

 

But...who cares about the British market?