Bam Smack Pow comic book fighting tournament: Superhero tier 1

The conversation of who the best fighters in all of comic books truly is will always be a topic of discussion. Is Thor strong enough to beat Superman? Can Batman beat Wolverine? Does the Spider-Sense beat Daredevil’s radar? These are only three of the matchups that people question. Instead of answering the questions ourselves, I put a comic book tournament together.

If you follow the Bam Smack Pow Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) pages, you’ve seen the weekly battles. Those fights will continue, but they’ll contribute to the winners of these tournaments. This is only the first of the tiers being used.

This is the superhero bracket. If you’re wondering why you’re not seeing Batman, Wolverine, Spider-Man, or others, it could be because they’re in a different tier. This is for the most powerful superhero beings in comics. Their powers are so vast that it doesn’t make sense that they should ever lose.

How were the brackets created?

Think of this like sports tournaments. The hero at the No. 1 spot fights the person in the last, No. 2 fights second to last, etc. Just because you’re in last place doesn’t mean you’re the worst. Things like major victories, power sets, and popularity are considered.

If you're wondering why popularity is a reason for the ranking, it’s simple. A less-than-popular character doesn’t get the same exposure as others. That’s why Wonder Woman is always involved in a major storyline. Not only is she one of the strongest and best fighters in comics, she’s beloved. Now, take someone like Invincible. He grows into a great hero and one of the strongest in comics. But he hasn’t been around as long as most people on this list. That matters.

Then, and this could be the most important, there’s personality to consider. A character is more than their powerset. Victor von Doom is a genius who should’ve been the Sorcerer Supreme years ago. The problem is his arrogance. That personality trait is why he continues to lose to Reed Richards. There are also heroes and anti-heroes like John Constantine. Is he a better magician than Dr. Strange? Probably not, but he’s willing to fight dirty and use other people to win. That has to be considered.

Enough talking. Let's get into the fights.

1. Superman vs 16. Doctor Strange

This will be the best 1 vs 16 fight in this tournament. Superman is regarded as the best superhero ever. However, his vulnerability is magic, and Stephen Strange is the greatest at using magic to his advantage.

3. Wonder Woman vs 14. Zatanna

Wonder Woman could be the best fighter ever, but Zatanna can stop Diana with a word said backward. But can Zatanna get the word out before Wonder Woman covers Zatanna’s mouth? It should be interesting to see how people vote.

5. Thor vs 12. Invincible

Wonder Woman could be the best fighter ever, but Zatanna can beat her with a sentence. But can Zatanna get the words out before Wonder Woman covers Zatanna’s mouth? It should be interesting to see how people vote.

7. Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) vs 10. John Stewart (Green Lantern)

Captain Marvel and John Stewart have beaten people across the galaxy. They’ve saved the universe and are part of the greatest teams in their realities. This comes down to John Stewart’s willpower and whether it’s strong enough to handle Carol’s powers. Although, the Green Lantern’s rings are vulnerable to yellow and Carol’s blasts are that color.

8. Scarlet Witch vs 9. Silver Surfer

As much as I detest the phrase “plot armor” this is the greatest contest of plot armor. Chaos Magic and the Power Cosmic are whatever the writer wants them to be. No matter the winner, this would be the hardest-fought battle in the tournament.

6. Magneto vs 11. Hulk

Depending on where your favoritism is, this may seem one-sided. Magneto can pierce the Hulk’s skin with metals, but the Hulk is, well, the Hulk. We’ve seen both of them win in creative ways and this would be no different.

4. Storm vs 13. Wally West (Flash)

The fastest man in comics vs the omega mutant. Before you think it, no. Neither of these fighters “solos” the other. This comes down to something they’re both known for; their creativity. Storm and Wally West have done amazing things with their powers to win fights that seemed unwinnable.

2. Jean Grey vs 15. Hal Jordan (Green Lantern)

Jean Grey vs Hal Jordan is closer than you think. Jean’s telepathic ability will be tested against Hal’s willpower. Hal will have to fight Jean’s telepathic ability while protecting his ring from Jean’s telekinesis.

Who do you think will win these fights? Do who you’re voting and rooting for and contradict? Let us know on the Bam Smack Pow Instagram and Twitter.