There are worlds outside of Marvel and DC! For this list, we’ll be looking at the best comic book heroes that don’t come from one of the big two.
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00:00 Who are you?
00:01 I'm Kick-Ass."
00:04 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 20 Superheroes
00:09 Outside Marvel and DC.
00:14 For this list, we're looking at the best comic book heroes that don't come from one
00:18 of the big two.
00:19 Heroes that originated with other companies but whose rights currently belong to DC or
00:23 Marvel as well as ones belonging to offshoots like Vertigo won't appear here.
00:28 Since this list is focusing on Western comic books, superheroes originating in other mediums
00:33 such as manga, film, or TV won't be on this list either.
00:37 Let us know in the comments below which superheroes not owned by Marvel or DC are your favorites.
00:42 Number 20.
00:43 Starlight
00:44 Despite being set in a world full of superheroes, the setting of the boys could not be more
00:48 different than DC or Marvel.
00:50 Superheroes there are largely self-obsessed influencers that are more concerned with their
00:54 own brand than any given individual's life.
00:58 While Homelander may be the obvious choice here, we think he's much more of a villain
01:01 than a hero.
01:03 Despite all of this, there is still one altruistic costumed superhero, Annie January, better
01:08 known as Starlight.
01:25 When she joins the super team the seven, Starlight is horrified by their despicable acts, and
01:29 she does her best not to be lowered to their level.
01:32 Annie struggles both with dark realizations about her fellow "heroes" as well as coming
01:37 to terms with her fundamentalist childhood.
01:44 Number 19.
01:45 Vampirella
01:46 This sexy vampire alien perfectly encapsulates the campy vibe of many of the comics that
01:51 existed outside of the mainstream at the time.
01:54 Originally drawn in black and white, Vampirella told the story of the alluring seductress
01:58 from the dying planet of Draculon after it lost its natural supply of blood and compelled
02:03 her to travel to Earth to find a new source.
02:05 Over the years, she would receive a number of varying origin stories and incorporate
02:10 numerous figures from vampire lore, like Dracula, Van Helsing, and Lilith into a modern context.
02:16 In the 90s, she received another surge in popularity as she became one of the decade's
02:20 so-called "bad girls" of comics, helping cement the comic's cult status.
02:25 Number 18.
02:26 Exo-Manowar
02:27 This one's equal parts Conan the Barbarian and Mega Man.
02:43 Before he had the suit that transformed him into Exo-Manowar, Arak of Dosia was a warlike
02:48 prince in 5th century Europe.
02:50 Knowing nothing but war his entire life, he defended his Visigoth people against the oppressive
02:55 Roman Empire.
02:57 That is, until a much larger threat arrived.
03:00 Seven years after he was taken as a slave by the invading aliens known as the Vine,
03:05 Arak led a revolt and became the first person to successfully survive bonding with the suit.
03:10 By the time he returned to Earth, Arak discovered that over a thousand years had passed, so
03:14 he decided to use his suit to fight the Vine and other super-powered threats in his new
03:19 present.
03:20 Number 17.
03:22 Kick-Ass
03:23 Kick-Ass exists in a world much closer to our own than most of the other entries on
03:27 our list, an ordinary place where no one has powers.
03:30 In fact, Dave Laszewski is what many would consider an average high schooler and comic
03:35 book fan.
03:36 That is, until one day when he decides to become a real-life superhero, which goes disastrously
03:41 at first, landing him in the hospital for an extended stay.
03:45 Despite these initial setbacks, Dave isn't discouraged and redoubles his efforts to be
03:49 a hero upon release.
03:51 What really endears Kick-Ass to comic readers is that he's one of them, and it doesn't take
03:55 a bite from a radioactive spider or an alien lineage for him to decide to become a hero.
04:00 "Three assholes laying into one guy while everybody else watches.
04:03 And you want it all strong with me?
04:07 Yeah, I'd rather die.
04:11 So bring it on!"
04:14 Number 16.
04:15 Savage Dragon
04:16 "Guess what, boys?
04:17 You're under arrest."
04:22 Comic creator Eric Larson had been drawing Savage Dragon comic books in some form or
04:26 another going all the way back to his days in elementary school.
04:29 Over the years, Larson retold the character a number of times until he left Marvel to
04:34 co-found Image Comics.
04:36 The dragon was now a muscle-bound green man with a fin on his head who had lost his memory.
04:41 By Larson's admission, Savage Dragon was meant to serve as a bridge to comic readers that
04:45 had grown out of the more kiddish fare, but were still too young to read graphic and mature
04:50 comics.
04:51 Throughout the decades, Savage Dragon's murky backstory has slowly been revealed, and he's
04:55 crossed over with countless other third-party superheroes.
04:59 Number 15.
05:00 Bloodshot
05:01 There have been a number of different characters to take on the mantle of Bloodshot in Valiant
05:05 6, including a covert operative with amnesia and a mafia hitman.
05:09 Whichever Bloodshot you're discussing, however, he is a living weapon, given strength and
05:14 regenerative abilities from nanites in his bloodstream.
05:17 These nanites also give Bloodshot his signature look - pale white skin, his namesake crimson
05:23 circle on his chest, and blood-red eyes.
05:26 The shadowy Project Rising Spirit manipulated Bloodshot's memories to make him into the
05:30 perfect hitman, designed to take down the Valiant Universe's superheroes.
05:41 Number 14.
05:42 The Hargreeves
05:44 The Umbrella Academy's characters are just as weird as one could hope for from the emo
05:48 rock frontman Gerard Way.
05:50 The Hargreeves family consists of seven variously super-powered individuals, all mysteriously
05:55 born on the same day from women that weren't pregnant that morning.
05:59 Adopted and raised by the wealthy entrepreneur/mad scientist Reginald Hargreeves, the children
06:04 are raised to be superheroes.
06:07 As one might expect, this isn't great for their mental health, and the kids grow up
06:11 into damaged yet powerful individuals and eventually grow apart.
06:17 However, the death of Reginald brings the family back together, and the group of weirdos
06:25 becomes a very messed up family once more.
06:28 Leaving the world, or at least doing their best not to screw it up too badly.
06:33 Number 13.
06:34 The Spirit
06:35 Here's a classic superhero that originated in Sunday newspaper comics.
06:39 Created by Will Eisner, the Spirit first appeared back in 1940 when the comic book industry
06:44 was in its infancy.
06:46 The masked hero, whose costume is simply a hat, a nice suit and domino mask, would be
06:51 imitated for decades.
06:53 The stories of this good-natured crime fighter featured mystery, crime, suspense and noir
06:58 tropes, along with a multitude of other genres.
07:01 Many of his tales don't actually focus on his alter ego, Detective Danny Colt, and instead
07:06 make the comics simply about the superhero himself.
07:10 Still in print today, the Spirit has a history as rich and long as nearly every character
07:15 in DC and Marvel.
07:17 Number 12.
07:18 The Crow
07:34 This dark and brooding character has become an icon for the comics counterculture, as
07:38 the comic deals with a number of serious and complex issues.
07:42 The Crow's tragic backstory resonates with readers dealing with anguish in their own
07:45 lives, while tragedy in the real world both inspired and followed the character.
07:50 James O'Barr was initially inspired by the death of his fiancée, but tragedy struck
07:54 again when Brandon Lee died during the filming of the adaptation.
08:02 Invulnerable to the attacks of others, the Crow's murderous, vengeful rampage nevertheless
08:07 brought him no peace.
08:09 Ultimately, the comic shows the unhealthy coping mechanisms that many face when attempting
08:13 to overcome tremendous grief.
08:16 Number 11.
08:17 The Mask
08:18 Super?
08:19 Definitely.
08:20 Hero?
08:21 That's debatable.
08:22 The Mask refers to both the physical object itself as well as the character who puts it
08:27 on.
08:28 A wearer of the mask receives near limitless power and a total loss of all inhibitions,
08:33 in addition to a green skin tone.
08:35 While the film adaptation starring Jim Carrey, as well as its less than amazing sequel, had
08:39 a somewhat light-hearted tone, the original comic was decidedly darker.
08:47 Regardless of the original intent, while transformed into the Mask, characters become incredibly
08:52 chaotic and violent, and act either as anti-heroes or in some cases, just plain villains.
08:59 The comic played on the dual nature of humanity and the darker side within all of us, drawing
09:03 inspiration from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
09:07 Number 10.
09:08 The Darkness
09:09 A primordial essence that existed in the void of chaos that existed before light came into
09:13 the universe, The Darkness chooses specific human lineages to be its vessels on Earth.
09:18 The curse of wielding the Darkness is passed from father to son, with the father dying
09:23 upon conception and the son inheriting it on his 21st birthday.
09:26 The current wielder of the Darkness, Jackie Estacado, is an anti-hero taken to the extreme,
09:32 and is said to be the most powerful host in the malevolent entity's long history.
09:36 With dark and demonic powers that utilize control over otherworldly entities known as
09:41 Darklings, The Darkness's power is limited only by its user's imagination, and Jackie
09:46 has one hell of an imagination.
09:49 Number 9.
09:50 The Tick
09:51 An affectionate parody of superheroes, The Tick is a good-natured crime fighter with
10:01 a mysterious past.
10:02 Of course, mystery here simply means he can't remember his past.
10:06 Taking on the many tropes of the genre, Tick protects his hometown, simply called the city,
10:11 works for a newspaper, and has a trusty sidekick.
10:14 Many of the supporting characters, both heroic and villainous, are direct parodies of DC
10:19 and Marvel properties, and are just as ludicrous as The Tick.
10:23 The surreal character has proven so popular and hilarious that he's been adapted to
10:28 television a number of times, including a Saturday morning cartoon in 1994 and a couple
10:34 of live-action adaptations.
10:40 Number 8.
10:41 The Rocketeer
10:49 Donning a jetpack and a brilliant golden helmet, this superhero is a throwback to the serials
10:54 and comic strips of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s.
10:57 The Rocketeer emulates the adventures from that bygone era as barnstorming pilot Cliff
11:02 Secord faced off against mobsters and Nazis.
11:05 The comic became just as well-known for its thrilling adventures as its immaculate art
11:09 style of creator Dave Stevens.
11:11 In fact, it was infrequently released because of the extreme attention to detail in Stevens
11:15 depicting the hero soaring through the immaculate streets of Old Hollywood.
11:19 Even the Rocketeer's girlfriend Betty was drawn as an homage to the pinup drawings of
11:23 Betty Page.
11:24 Despite Stevens' death in 2008, his character will live on and has stood the test of time.
11:30 Number 7.
11:31 The Phantom
11:37 While his enemies believe him to be immortal, The Phantom is actually a title passed from
11:41 father to son.
11:43 The 21st Phantom, Kit Walker, dons a disguise and spends his evenings fighting crime.
11:47 One of the most important early characters that tied costumed crime fighters to the medium
11:52 of comics, The Phantom predates Superman by two years.
11:56 Historians have described the character as an important transition from the earlier heroes
12:00 in pulp comics into our modern superheroes.
12:03 In fact, The Phantom established a number of the genre's tropes, including masked characters
12:08 with no pupils and skin-tight suits.
12:11 Incredibly, The Phantom's creator Lee Falk wrote from the character's debut in early
12:16 1936 until his death in 1999.
12:21 Number 6.
12:22 Witchblade
12:23 Like the mask, Witchblade refers to both the magical item and the one who wears it.
12:28 For millennia, the mystical gauntlet known as Witchblade had bonded with female hosts
12:32 to fight supernatural evil.
12:35 While there have been a number of Witchblades, the most famous was the New York homicide
12:39 detective Sarah Pizzini.
12:41 Imbued with fantastic abilities and supernatural powers, Sarah fights against the dark forces
12:46 of the world, most of the time with their strings being pulled by the nefarious Kenneth
12:50 Irons.
12:51 While some fanboys may like Witchblade for her… outfit, the series is also beloved
12:55 for its strong female protagonists.
12:58 Number 5.
12:59 Spawn
13:00 After becoming a well-known writer and artist on Spider-Man, Todd McFarlane was among a
13:04 group of comic book artists that shocked the industry in 1992 when they created image comics
13:10 to compete with Marvel and DC.
13:12 McFarlane Spawn was easily the new publisher's most popular hero, as well as one of the most
13:17 popular superheroes introduced in the 90s in general.
13:21 By decades end, Spawn ended up getting a pretty bad film and a really awesome TV adaptation.
13:31 Both reveal the character's dark and twisted backstory, where a CIA agent is killed and
13:35 sent to hell before coming back with terrible powers.
13:40 That paired with his brutal methods, war on gangs and quest for vengeance, makes him a
13:44 perfect anti-hero.
13:47 Number 4.
13:48 Judge Dredd
13:49 The breakout character of the post-apocalyptic science fiction comic series 2000 AD, Dredd
13:54 acts as judge, jury and executioner in the crime-ridden Mega City One.
14:00 Seen as both a symbol of justice and of authoritarianism due to his uncompromising and strict adherence
14:04 to the law, Judge Dredd can be seen as heroic, badass and horrifying all at once.
14:10 Much of his allure has to do with the character's stoicism and the simple fact that he never
14:15 removes his helmet, giving him a detached personality.
14:19 He's even been adapted to film twice, and while 1995's Judge Dredd was a major disappointment,
14:25 the 2012 reboot, simply called Dredd, proved to be the film fans had been waiting for.
14:41 Number 3.
14:42 Invincible
14:43 Mark Grayson, also known as Invincible, has powers reminiscent of golden age superheroes.
14:50 But the issues Mark deals with are complex and perfect for the modern day.
14:54 A half-alien and son of the Superman-like Omni-Man, Mark is forced to deal with being
14:59 a child of two worlds while developing powers like super strength, super speed and flight,
15:05 all by the time he turns 17.
15:08 What's more, he also must become a protector of Earth.
15:11 Despite his abilities and the fact that Mark normally battles aliens, he somehow remains
15:16 a relatable character, who must deal with college, dating and family drama.
15:21 Number 2.
15:22 Hellboy
15:29 After spending years as one of the best anchors in the business, Mike Mignola created his
15:33 own superhero, the unconventional Hellboy.
15:37 Since Hellboy was a creator-owned character, Mignola had creative control over the hero,
15:43 allowing him to fully realize his vision of a literal demon struggling to be a force for
15:47 good in the world.
15:49 First appearing in the 90s, Hellboy's quick and sarcastic wit, unique plots and villains,
15:54 and brilliant art style made the superhero stand out in a time when the big two were
15:58 struggling to put out compelling stories.
16:18 Number 1.
16:19 The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
16:21 These sewer-dwelling, pizza-loving amphibians that protect New York City using ninjutsu
16:26 became a humongous phenomenon in the 80s and 90s, and their popularity continues to this
16:32 day.
16:33 And let us tell you, the turtles have been adapted to film and TV more times than you
16:37 can shake a bo staff at.
16:39 While many adaptations keep the turtles' personalities, the dark tone, which both parodies
16:44 and pays homage to Daredevil and comics at the time, has been toned down for a mainstream
16:49 audience.
16:54 With the series' four distinct characters, everyone has a favorite turtle, whether it's
16:59 the noble Leonardo, the brave Raphael, the introspective Donatello, or the fun-loving
17:04 Michelangelo.
17:13 5
17:23 (upbeat music)