BSP Round Table: Breaking Down The 50 Greatest Super Heroes

Q: What hero was ranked too high, and why?

Adam: Robin/Nightwing. It was a complete Dick Grayson lovefest. He’s Gotham’s Flava Flav minus the clock — a hyperactive hype man. Batman’s campy little sidekick. Never been a huge fan, but perhaps Chris O’Donnell is behind that. I do, however, enjoy the spandex-clad Dick Ward in the 60s TV show.

The group also obviously thinks the Fantastic Four is really fantastic. Only Mr. Fantastic and the Thing made my top 30, and the former just barely did. If you ask me, Dr. Doom is what makes that storyline great.

Steve: I think the Thing was much too high. If you showed his image to the average person on the street, I would highly doubt he or she would know who the Thing was. Historically, he hasn’t made that much of an impact on storylines dealing with the overall Marvel universe, and his fictional biography isn’t as compelling as other heroes.

Daniel: This may end up costing me my job as I know he’s a favourite of our CEO, but honestly I don’t feel like the Hulk should have been in the top 10. He’s probably the single character in the Avengers films and in the comics whose lack of presence probably wouldn’t be noticed. That’s right, I’m suggesting I wouldn’t miss the Hulk at all. It may sound harsh but it’s true!

Roger: I don’t think any of the Fantastic Four members (as individuals) should have been in the top 30. As a team, they are famous. As individuals, not so much.

Matt: The Atom. Fun, yes, but “Greatest Hero?” Not so much.

Q: What hero was ranked too low, and why?

Roger: I already mentioned that Captain America was too low, but besides him, I would say Black Panther should have been higher, for several reasons: One, he is cool. Two, he was the first black super hero. Three, he married Storm. I mean, come on …

Matt: Captain Marvel. But wait until her movie comes out.

Steve: I think Aquaman was much too low on the list. Yes, I know that historically he’s been the butt of jokes, but if you were to ask anyone who he was or even showed his picture, most people would know. The Justice League, the grandest of all super hero teams, would be incomplete without the King of the Seven Seas.  And for that, he should definitely be in the top 10.

Daniel: Honestly, Deadpool. Yes, he’s a hugely popular character, but he’s also pretty groundbreaking. He can allow writers (and filmmakers) to knowingly and willingly break the fourth wall, to poke fun at their own medium, and that allows for all sorts of other fun narrative tools,all whilst chopping someone’s head off. For that reason this fourth-wall breaking badass should’ve been higher!

Adam: The Hulk. It’s Jekyll and Hyde for a modern-day audience. Every moment the Hulk is on your screen or page, you hold your breath. He’s the comic book version of Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs. We get so little of the man, and even less of the monster, but the anticipation of the inevitable is what really gets us going. Plus, he’s just so iconic. Walk around any street in America and ask folks the first five super heroes who come to mind. More often than not, the mean green giant makes the list.

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