#35- The Flash (Jay Garrick)- While Jay is not traditionally one of the more popular Flashes, he is my favorite, especially the older version as found in the pages of the Justice Society of America. There is something very 'blue collar' about this hero and that always appeals to me. He seems very much like a regular Joe, and there is nothing forced or cartoonish about him. While he has to be careful as his age makes his power dangerous for him, he still has a mastery over his skill that rivals Wally West or Barry Allen. In Earth 2, he has lost some of these qualities, but Earth 2 in the overall is one of the best things in DC's New 52 Universe and his place in that drama elevates the character. I have a lot more Jay Garrick comics than any other Flash and that alone says a lot.
#34- Doctor Fate- The Lord of Order, Nabu, is immensely powerful and even more mysterious. There have been several people who have incarnated the power of Doctor Fate but it is the spirit within the mask, the power itself, that really makes up the character. I became more interested in Doctor Fate fairly recently, as the magical characters in DC's universe have come to the forefront of my comic collecting career. Fate's stock has benefited from that overall interest. If there is anything not to like about this character it is that he is sometimes too powerful. But from the aesthetic of the costume to his interaction with other characters, Doctor Fate is fast becoming one of my favorite characters in all of comic books. His recent stint in Earth 2 has only increased my interest.
#33- Gamora- A green alien from a world destroyed by various evils, Gamora is reputed to be 'The Most Dangerous Woman in the Galaxy'. She is one of the best tacticians and martial artists in the Marvel canon, and that alone makes her a character worth watching. She works best in team books, like INFINITY WATCH or GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Beautiful, powerful, and with a very interesting back story as Thanos' adopted daughter, Gamora is a character I keep coming back to. From her banter with her estranged adoptive parent to her complicated relationships with Star Lord and Adam Warlock, the character's personal life is what really makes her interesting, rather than her powers or career as a superhero.
#32- The Phoenix (Jean Grey)- When Jean Grey had so summon great power to save her team, it seemingly cost her some of her humanity. She became a vessel for the entity known as the Phoenix, a force that sometimes saves and sometimes destroys. Eventually the vast power she commanded seemed to destroy her, though it was later revealed that the Phoenix did not so much take over Jean as clone her and take over the clone. The Dark Phoenix Saga, which recounts her descent into madness, is one of the most interesting tales in comic book history. Like Blade, she is partly on this list because of her time as a villain. But the idea of someone as pure as Jean being possessed of such power was in and of itself enticing, and her time as the heroic Phoenix is something that captivates me.
#31- Longshot- Some characters are on this list because of their personality, and others because of the stories that have grown up around them. Others are on here because their powers fascinate me to no end. Longshot is an example of one of the latter group. Incredible Luck, probability manipulation, is my favorite super power. It leads to all kinds of cool adventures and it has all kinds of practical uses. Combine this power with Longshot's ability to literally get almost any girl he wants, and quickly you can see why a young man would kind of stand in awe of the character. When I first heard of Longshot I was enthralled by the idea behind him, and that awe sticks with me to this day. I don't have a lot of of Longshot comics, but the ones I do have I highly value. He's simply damned interesting.
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