This is the beginning of a list of my 50 favorite comic book superheroes. This list is autobiographical. I am not arguing that these are the greatest superheroes, or the most significant (though some are). My list of the 50 greatest superheroes can be found elsewhere. These are the characters that interest me the most, and that I spend the most time collecting and focusing on.
#50- Captain Britain- While I don't have a lot of Captain Britain comics, those I do have are quite good. Captain Britain's powers aren't particularly interesting, though their origins are (he gets his powers from the magical power of Merlin, as that power is centered in various places throughout the British Isles). He's basically a British version of the original Superman from the 40s. What I like about Captain Britain is his complexity... he's heroic and brave but arrogant and this causes him endless relationship trouble, including his relationships with other superheroes. What I really like is his cross-dimensional adventures and the various connections he's made throughout the Marvel universe. He was Spider-Man's roommate for a time, and that's just fun.
#49- Hannibal King- Hannibal King was a vampire who found a cure for his vampirism, only to have the life he received transmuted again into something less. Eventually, he found himself in a state between the living and the undead. He has many of the powers and weaknesses of a vampire, but not all of them. He's been a teammate of Blade on the Nightstalkers, and their powers are similar. King's plight is interesting, and the back and forth between him and Blade makes for some some great dialogue.
#48- Shadow Kat (And Lockheed)- Shadowcat, also known as Kitty Pride, has an awesome power: she can walk through walls like a ghost. She is a very malleable and gregarious character, finding an important spot on any number of mutant teams, from X-Men to Excaliber. I particularly enjoy her relationship with her pet dragon Lockheed, and that is the reason for the parenthetical. They are like one being when they fight together, and it is hart warming and makes for some interesting storylines. She's a favorite among many comic book fans for a reason.
#47- Multiple Man- I only have a few comics with this guy, but they are great ones. Some characters have powers that are so interesting that alone is enough to make you want to read more. Multiple Man's ability to create perfect duplicates, all with minds of their own, is an example of just such a character. The scenes where he is arguing with himself, or playing cards against other duplicates, are just classic. Funny, useful in many situations, Multiple Man is a good and under-used character.
#46- John Stewart The Green Lantern- I love the first issue John Stewart showed up in. He was the first replacement Hal Jordan trained, and it was a great example of DC struggling with race issues in a way that actually worked (they had a great many tries that didn't work well at all). He's one of the most successful black superheroes thanks to the JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED animated series. And like some people on this list, it is his action in that extra-comic media that really makes him one of my favorites. So powerfully was he portrayed on that show that there are a great many people who just think of him as Green Lantern.
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