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The 5 most recognizable Super Heroes?

Started by Guardian Comics,

92 posts in this topic

mar-vell

mar-vell

Posted
Posted

the hulk was huge in the 70's and 80's but i thought he was on the decline! If not he must just appeal to people that don't really care for superheroes because his popularity has never really been reflected in sales of his comics. Does seem to be a lot of hulk merchandise though! As far as wonder woman goes she is definitely in the top 5- i think every little girl knowswho she is!

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JayT

JayT

Posted
Posted
the hulk was huge in the 70's and 80's but i thought he was on the decline! If not he must just appeal to people that don't really care for superheroes because his popularity has never really been reflected in sales of his comics. Does seem to be a lot of hulk merchandise though! As far as wonder woman goes she is definitely in the top 5- i think every little girl knowswho she is!

 

I think Hulk is pretty much a permanent fixture in a list like this simply because his name has become synonymous with strength or getting pissed off - the same with flash and speed (although both terms were probably aided by earlier associations).

 

 

A lot of people have no clue who Barry Allen or Wally West are, but they know what you mean when you say "kid, runs like the Flash"

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brasseye

brasseye

Posted
Posted
the hulk was huge in the 70's and 80's but i thought he was on the decline! If not he must just appeal to people that don't really care for superheroes because his popularity has never really been reflected in sales of his comics. Does seem to be a lot of hulk merchandise though! As far as wonder woman goes she is definitely in the top 5- i think every little girl knowswho she is!

 

It would be fair to say that the word 'Hulk' will fall out of general parlance, and be specifically applied purely to the naming of the comic book character. As the word 'jumbo' came into parlance from a name, the 'hulk' will go the other way.

But in fairness when does one get use the word in an every day sentence?

 

'I was hulking out at the gym this week' ?? nah.

 

'I was down at Denny's last night, and I left with my gut hulking over my belt'... maybe? But not in polite company. You'd wait till you got back to your trailer before sharing that little gem with the family.

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1koko

1koko

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I think the Hulk is definetly still in the picture.

 

Kids throughout the world are fascinated with the combination of power, rage and his green skin.

 

My daughter has only seen him briefly in a cartoon on TV but will instantly recall his name.

 

Wonder Woman on the other hand doesn't have the same exposure in the lower age groups currently.

 

I would expect this to change however on the release of the film.

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jokersrevenge

jokersrevenge

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I asked my wife this question, and she said batman superman, wonderwoman, spider-man, and suprise, Captain America.....which I've never collected and don't know how she even knows about Cap..I asked her why not wolverine and she said "he's kinda villainish"....

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Guardian Comics

Guardian Comics

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Wow what a debate !!! As the person who started this topic I have to agree that Supes, Bats, Robin and Spidey all top the list and arguements can be made for Cap, Wonder Woman, Hulk and Wolverine to garner the last spot.

 

FWIW here was my familys answers that sparked the debate in the first place. I took them all in a separate room and asked them individually to name the first 5 super heroes off the top of their heads.

 

My 4 year old daughter replied, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Superman and Batman in that order.

 

My 6 year old daughter answered Black Panther, Galactus, Mr. Fantastic, Spiderman and Invisible Woman

 

My 10 year old son stated Spidey, Superman, Batman, Robin and Angel

 

And lastly my 33 year old wife responded with Spider-Man, Mr. Fantastic, Black Cat, Wonder Woman and after thinking really hard (about 45 seconds) finally came up with the Thing

 

It goes to show that even though the children are surround by Marvel (DVD's, comics, original art, and television) for them to factor DC characters in this conversation shows how engrained Super-Man and Bat-Man in pop culture.

 

The only one that didn't name a D.C. character was my 6 year old but that shouldn't come as a surprise. This is the same girl that during a comic book/characters seminar at the local library last summer won a Super Heroes Bingo contest. She was prompted to come up to the front and pick out some stickers for her winning. After looking at all of them, she reluctanlty chose a set of Batman stickers and told the Librarian "even though he is from D.C." Nobody else in the room got it, but my wife and I were in stitches.

 

As an aside I would venture a guess that Robin would figure highly on our list, being the lead character on the Teen Titans cartoon series currently running on television.

 

Jim

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Dick Pontoon

Dick Pontoon

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I just asked the missus for her opinion. (A rare thing in my house - haw, haw, haw!)

 

She named in this order:

 

Superman

Batman

Spiderman

Captain America

The Hulk

 

I don't collect Superman or Batman, and the only Caps I've picked up since I've been with her were Kirby's 70s run.

 

My list would be the same. Wonder Woman is certainly an iconic figure, but I think Cap has permeated the collective subconscious more than she.

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trevorlsmith

trevorlsmith

Posted
Posted
I just asked the missus for her opinion. (A rare thing in my house - haw, haw, haw!)

 

She named in this order:

 

Superman

Batman

Spiderman

Captain America

The Hulk

 

I don't collect Superman or Batman, and the only Caps I've picked up since I've been with her were Kirby's 70s run.

 

My list would be the same. Wonder Woman is certainly an iconic figure, but I think Cap has permeated the collective subconscious more than she.

 

 

I really think that this is THE list!!!

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14 of spades

14 of spades

Posted
Posted

i'm in taiwan. i asked my gf here (she's as typical taiwanese as u'll find).

 

it was hard to define "superhero" without giving an example. i said something like a cartoon, but unusual abilities. so her first reply was

 

Winnie the Pooh.

 

uhh... no. think about strong, powerful, not just ANY cartoon.

 

Superman?

 

yup. any others?

 

007?

 

no. not, i'm not talking about a "real" human being.

 

Batman.

 

Spider-Man

 

Popeye.

 

anyone else?

 

nothing.

 

so top 3:

 

(Winnie the Pooh)

Superman

(007)

Batman

Spider-Man

(Popeye - does this count??)

 

i asked if she knew of the Hulk? Yes.

Wonder Woman? Yes.

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Calamerica

Calamerica

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Posted

If I may take a chance here to help answer this fun Q:

 

1) Spider-Man. No-brainer.

 

2) Superman

 

3) Batman

 

4) Wonder Woman

 

5) Sub-Mariner( Golden Age influence and argued in many venues that he was the FIRST Super-Hero).

 

CAL 893crossfingers-thumb.gif

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