Okay, Who's yer favorite Icon?

[Enforcer84]

For my 7000th post, I decided to post in the Champions Forum. This is where I got my start after all.

So my question is this. There are Iconic characters in the genre, comics, movies, etc. Who is your favorite and why. What makes them an Icon? I throw the name around pretty freely, Superman, Spiderman, sure, but I feel Antman (original), The Atom, Hawkman, She Hulk, these characters are icons in their own right.

My favorite is probably: Captain Marvel (Shazam). He isnt the first, but he has had a huge impact, provided Supes a suitable foil in Kingdom Come, and has always been more than a Superman Also Ran in my eyes

For Marvel: Hercules. I love this guy, he's more fun than Thor, and they've managed to do some really good storylines with him in the Avengers, his two limited series were hoots and the 12 Labors of Hercules were one of the first books I read by myself as a kid so he's always been one of my favorite characters no matter where he appears.



7000. What a life I don't have. :D

[OddHat]

Happy 7000th. ;)

Green Lantern is the Icon I think of most often when designing high-power four-color characters. That mix of magic (OK, science as magic), science fiction and superheroics really appealed.

Flash Gordon, the original, will always be the Science Fantasy hero of choice for me. Doc Savage as well.

The Spider is my top ranked pulp hero, even though Doc was the more imitated icon and the Shadow was cooler.

Superman is THE Superhero. Captain Marvel was more fun, but Superman shaped what I thought heroes should be.

Doctor Strange was my favorite iconic Supermage. Doctor Fate was first, but less interesting. The others all came later for me.

John Constantine, latecomer though he is, is my Icon for Iron Age magic. Some of the writers were terrible, some were fantastic, but the idea of the film-noir detective in the world of magic has great potential. Later I found The Phantom Stranger, Mister E and Doctor Occult, but Constantine was my introduction to that image.

[JeffreyWKramer]

My personal favorite iconic characters are Captain Marvel, Batman, Spider-Man, the Thing and Dr. Strange.

Captain Marvel - A boy who grows up and gains great powers just by saying a magic word - what could be more cool than that?

Batman - A human who drives himself to be the very best he can be so he can hopefully prevent others from experiencing the sort of tragedy that shattered his own life.

Spider-Man - The everyman hero, with everyday concerns and insecurities... and the wonderful credo "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility."

The Thing - Ben Grimm, who personifies the idea that who you are on the inside is more important than what you look like.

Dr. Strange - Personification of the ideas that knowledge brings one power, and that ultimate power = ultimate responsibility.

[Metaphysician]

Of the icons, my favorite is probably Batman. I'm a sucker for the non-powered ubermensch. Another favorite is the Silver Surfer, though I'm unsure whether he really counts as an icon.

[JeffreyWKramer]

Another favorite is the Silver Surfer, though I'm unsure whether he really counts as an icon.

The Surfer is definitely an icon. He's really the first "cosmic" superhero. Beyond that, one can argue for Norrin Radd initiating the "superhero as religious metaphor" concept, though that was taken much, much farther in Starlin's WARLOCK.

[Metaphysician]

What little of Adam Warlock I've seen, I've liked.

Someone who definitely isn't an icon, even though he damn well ought to be, is the Martian Manhunter.

[JeffreyWKramer]

Someone who definitely isn't an icon, even though he damn well ought to be, is the Martian Manhunter.

He is an icon, particularly in Champions. He epitomizes the concept "pile on every power you can think of and justify it as 'alien powers'". ;)

[WhammeWhamme]

He is an icon, particularly in Champions. He epitomizes the concept "pile on every power you can think of and justify it as 'alien powers'". ;)

Hey! The Martian Manhunter is the _greatest_ superhero ever.

And you're thinking of _Superman_ there, boyo.

:)

Seriously, MM is at least an honourary icon. :)

[Metaphysician]

:p to you both.

[Madstone]

The Thing (favorite overall) and
The Flash (favorite DC)



That would be a kick-ass crossover story! :rockon:

[Chimpira]

I am going to have to say that my favorite Iconic figure is Doc Savage. For comics I am going to go with Green Lantern (Alan Scott)

[Tamashii2000]

For Icon's... I would have to go with (as a group) The Fantasic Four, one of the original 'superhero groups' from marvel. (as far as i know only the WWII defenders predate them in marvels offical timeline)

[Kara Zor-El]

What little of Adam Warlock I've seen, I've liked.

Someone who definitely isn't an icon, even though he damn well ought to be, is the Martian Manhunter.

Sure he is. He's the first DC Silver Age hero, even though the Flash, in Showcase, is credited with ushering in the Silver Age.

[Kara Zor-El]

Have to list the Justice Society as THE iconic supergroup. They were the very first. :)

[Kara Zor-El]

Some that come to mind:

Conan: Iconic Sword & Sorcery character, particularly barbarian.

The Spirit: Iconic Every Man kind of hero/Independent (Non-Marvel or DC character).

Spider-Man: For reasons mentioned previously.

Thing: Same as Spider-Man.

Hulk: Superstrong bundle of rage. I know most people wanted to be the Hulk at least once, just to "teach them/him/her a lesson". :)

JSA: See my post above. :D

Galactus: 'Nuff said. :eek: The ultimate natural disaster. He's not evil. And isn't written as if he is.

Doc Savage: Pulp Icon, definitely.

Captain Kirk: Definite Sci-Fi/Hero Icon. C'mon, what's not to love about Kirk? :D

I consider the Shadow a radio icon more than anything else. :) That chilling voice! :eek:

Lone Ranger: Western Icon. I'm thinkin' I don't really need to be explainin' this one. Most people know I'm a goody two shoes. lol

Ironically, Howard the Duck is an icon for me. Steve Gerber's soapbox about what was wrong with the world in the '70's, then the '03's. :D The character just doesn't work when Gerber's not writing him, though.

I'm sure I'll think of more, later.

[Kara Zor-El]

And congrats on 7,000, Chadderly!! :D :celebrate

[Argus]

Overall
The Thing because he fights to the end and never gives up. He has real limitations and has been written well over the years.

Marvel.
Cyclops – He’s a leader.

DC Comics
Nightwing – He’s Robin all grown up and better adjusted then Batman.

[Enforcer84]

And congrats on 7,000, Chadderly!! :D :celebrate
Tanks Supergirl! :D

[Enforcer84]

Speaking of which, I am surprised that Kara didn't make Kara's list...:)

[Metaphysician]

Sure he is. He's the first DC Silver Age hero, even though the Flash, in Showcase, is credited with ushering in the Silver Age.

Yes, but how many people *know* this, even among comic readers??

[Metaphysician]

As for pulp characters, Doc Savage is pretty much *the* icon, seeing as he's probably had the most influence.

[TheImperialKhan]

Speaking of which, I am surprised that Kara didn't make Kara's list...:)

You ain't the only one, Charlie Brown. ;)

Iconic characters, eh.

Hmmmm.

Well to start with Superman as the first superhero really has to head the list.

Closely followed by Batman and Captain America running neck-and-neck for second as Obsessive Crime Fighter and Never say Die Patriot respectively.

Then Spidey as the superheroic Mr. Everyman.

Wonder Woman since you just can't leave out the first superbabe. :D

and rounding out the supers Doctor Doom The one villian that will always be part hero at heart, at least to the people of Latveria. ;)

In the non-super area:

James Bond, the ultimate super-spy.

The Phantom, a hero whose heroic ancestry stretches back 20 generations.

James T. Kirk, the Starship Captain, accept no imitations.

and last (and I admit I'm tooting my own horn here) John Sinclair, Captain of HMS Sapphire, 36. The finest Naval Officer ever to sail the seas. Never heard of him? Keep your eyes peeled in 2005 for the Uncommon Valour double novel The Frigate Captain and Broad Pendant.

[Rachel]

Speaking of which, I am surprised that Kara didn't make Kara's list...:)

I'm pretty sure she assumed it was a given and didn't need to be said. :)

[proditor]

Hurm...iconics to me...

Big Blue. Superman to me is still just about the first thing that pops into my head when someone says "Superhero".

Captain America. He's the other guy that pops into my head when someone says "Superhero".

Batman: He was/is the epitome of what one man can do to change things for the better. Some of this is actually based on the cartoons BTW. One of the best lines ever. "Why did you turn your world into a police state?" "So that no 8 year old would ever have to lose his parents again."

Thor: I say thee NAY! Awwwww yeah. He may dress like an S&M Barbie with a wing fetish, but goldilocks defines nobility and character to me.

Rorschach: Yes, he's a lot more modern, but I defy most of you to find someone so intensely driven by the need for justice that he would rather die (And begs Manhattan to kill him) than let the world live under a lasting peace formed by a lie.

Wolverine (During his Samurai days): Long before he was an uber healing crack machine, he was the best there is at what he did, and an awesomely deep character. Shame that changed, but I still like older Wolverine.

Alan Scott (Green Lantern): The guy who to this day shows everyone else what it means to be a hero.

Wonder Woman: The modern prototype for the strong, just, warrior woman. Intelligent, compassionate and vital.

Nightcrawler: One of the best conflicted characters ever. Balancing an intense private faith with the joy of being a swashbuckling hero. I still love his conversation with Wolverine on the moon right before the X-Men squared off against the Imperial Guard.

[Metaphysician]

And an OT note: almost none of these characters could be written up on 350 points, quite a few, on nothing even close.

[proditor]

And an OT note: almost none of these characters could be written up on 350 points, quite a few, on nothing even close.
But you could make Rorschach. You'd probably even have points left over. ;)

[Enforcer84]

And an OT note: almost none of these characters could be written up on 350 points, quite a few, on nothing even close.
So? That's the whole Iconic thing.
If you want a Spiderman year one 350 isn't out of the question, but even with time compression he's been at it for over a decade.

[Metaphysician]

Proditor: Heh, point taken. Then again, Rorschach is hardly the typical comic book character.

( actually, I doubt anybody aside from Ozymandias, Doc Manhattan, and Nite Owl II in Watchmen would break 350. . . )

Enforcer84: Not much. OTOH, when Spider-man first appeared, he wasn't really an icon yet.

[freakboy6117]

I’m a sucker for gadget eers brains over brawn types or brains plus brawn types
So
Beast (defiantly a huge favorite he’s everything I'd want to be in a super hero ok I'd want to be able to teleport as well)

Q (a bond movie without Desmond Lewellyn is just not a bond movie and John Cleese hasn't convinced me yet)
Macgyver

Batman but I do prefer the current Robin and Nightwing for there lack of overwelming fervour

Oracle, (Barbara Gordon is probably the most interesting hero concept in DC at the moment when she’s not getting stuck doing an Uhuru for bats).

[Jeff T.]

All of these are good, but my favorite is:


Cable

Iconic representation: The constant reminder to me of what (and who) is wrong with the comics industry, when it started to go downhill, and that we should always keep the faith and do our best not to go down the road he represents. All the bad writing, bad retcons, bad continuity, and artists thinking they're writers.

[zornwil]

Wow, congrats on 7K Enforcer84!

As to favorite "iconic" character, pretty much Batman. I have other characters I like as much, a small number more, but none so much in the iconic range. Batman embodies pure justice administered by someone in many ways like us regular humans.

[Madstone]

Cable

Iconic representation: The constant reminder to me of what (and who) is wrong with the comics industry, when it started to go downhill, and that we should always keep the faith and do our best not to go down the road he represents. All the bad writing, bad retcons, bad continuity, and artists thinking they're writers.

Amen, brother! Sing it! Can I get a witness?? :rockon:

[Hermit]

Most I like have been mentioned, but what the heck, I'll say em anyways. One thing to note is not all my favorite heroes are icons, or at least not THE Icons IMO.

Superman- Like it or not, this guy is usually what we first think of when we think of Super Hero. He has epic elements in him, I've seen other posters compare him to Moses, Jesus, Hercules and Horus etc.

Batman- The Ulyssess of the Superhero world. If Superman is something divine come to dwell among men, Batman is something human rising up to face the monsters.

Captain America- Has become THE Patriot super hero for many. Yes, the Shield was first, but Captain America has triumphed by changing with the times, and trying to recouncile the quandries of the American Reality and the American Dream while holding fast to his honor.

Spider-Man- Like others say, the "Everyman".

The Thing- Among super heroes, this guy has become the Monster with the heart of gold and the soul of a hero.

Wonder Woman- First Lady of Super Heroes.

[Lord Mhoram]

For the definition of "Superhero" - Superman and Cap.

I liked Hermit's Superman as divine, Bats as Ulyssess - Great image there.

For the the iconic comic book martial artist is Karate Kid.
Most comic book martial arists are sneaky types, ninjas what-have-you. I've taken martial arts for more than a decade and I can't do any of that. KK was the classic in your face fighting martial artists. I love that.

Doc Savage. Team leader, hypercompetant.

James Bond. The ultimate "cool"

[Spectrum]

My favorite iconic charavter is without question, Spider-Man. For the his everyman quality and that despite all the tragedies, the hard times and all the crap he's been through, he manages to stick to his guns (pun not intended) and keeps on going. On a personal note, Spider-Man is also the character that introduced me to the world of superheros when I was a kid and he's just been my favorite overall superhero since.

But just to mention a couple of others...

Batman-A normal man who can hold his own with the heavy hitters.

Nightwing-The original Robin who's made an identity apart from The Bat and just 'cause I think he's cool.

[casualplayer]

Tough to chase what Hermit said; he pretty much hit all targets. I would say though that Superman-Batman have more of a Heracles-Theseus relationship, if you are familiar with the myths.

Captain America represented correctly is everything good about America. Superman done well is everything good about humanity. Wonder Woman is the Sacred Feminine, Eve made from clay.

The icon that I miss is the swashbuckling, whimsical Robin. He wore pixie boots and hot pants but he was fun to watch and kept Batman from surrendering to the dark. Where have all the sidekicks gone?

My current icon of choice is Invincible. I laughed out loud when he was trying on prospective costumes and asked for something more "iconic." Now he wears Image's logo emblazoned on himself, a lucky break that their names both start with I. He has vanilla powers but a hugely refreshing attitude. He has Superman's powers and high school Spider-Man's outlook. Loving this book.