Top Five Comic Book Heroes of All Time

Number Five: The Amazing Spider-Man

From his conception in 1962 in Issue 15 of “Amazing Fantasy” Peter Parker (aka The Amazing Spider-Man) was an instant hit. Created by scriptor/editor Stan Lee, helped along by Steve Ditko (who has also worked with Alan Moore) Spider-Man presented us with a likeable, enthusiastic young man with a passion for knowledge. The problem was, nobody else saw him that way, and this enthusiastic young book-worm became a real hard-done by nerd that we can all relate to. Having no parents, living with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, Peter Parker represented the struggles of normal youth, characterized by brilliant plot and script writing. 
If you don’t know who Spider-Man is, you’ve been living under a rock, basically. Full of hilarious one-liners, witty come-backs and breathtaking acrobatics, The Amazing Spider-Man was and still is a creation to behold. Along with Super-Man and Batman, Spider-Man is one of the most commercially successful super-heroes of all time. 
Spanning almost every form of media, Spider-Man has made appearances right across the board in commerical newspaper comics, graphic novels, a live-action series and a string of highly successful films starring Tobey Macguire as the friendly neighbour-hood web-slinger. 
Stan Lee states he was inspired by watching a simple fly crawl up his board-room wall, and from that simple natural act, a highly successful super-hero has been created, captivating audiences the globe over and with his super-strength, his spider sense and his fantastic knack for spectacular acrobatics, The Amazing Spider-Man has it all under control by dinner time. A truly fantastic comic creation, we look forward to another timeless era of the web head, because he can most certainly do whatever a spider can.

Number Four: Rorschach

He’s a sharp dresser, he’s philosophical, and he deals out his own brand of justice with a horrifying level of effeciency. Oh, and did I mention he’s absolutely insane?

Walter Kovacs (aks Rorschach) is the main character and protagonist (or maybe antagonist) of Alan Moore’s “The Watchmen” and is also the tales narrator. Being one of Time Magazine’s 100 Greatest Novels of All Time, this crazy, cold, whacked out mystery man had to make it into the world’s greatest heroes. Sporting a fashionable knee length trench coat, a press hat and that famous constantly shifting mask for which he is partly named, Rorschach represents the cold unjustice of life, a product of humanity’s failure to care. Rorschach believes in nothing and challenges everything. There is no God to Rorschach, no fate, no destiny. Only man and their uncontrollable desire to kill and grow. Rorschach interpets the world as he sees fit, and someone help the man who gets in his way. Recently popularized by Zack Snyder’s film adaptation, Rorschach has reached a new generation of people who weren’t fortunate enough to read the fantastic novel. I had doubts at first whether or not to include Rorschach in the greatest heroes of all time, but I had to give in. 

You ask me “Is there anyone more awesome as a hero?”

And I’ll look down, and whisper….”no”

Number Three: Batman

Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Batman (aka Bruce Wayne) first made his appearance Detective Comics Issue 27 in 1939, and became instantly intriguing as a billionaire playboy by the name of Bruce Wayne, a now rich business man who had the bad luck to witness the horrific murder of his parents as a child. Training himself both physically and mentally, Bruce Wayne decides to assault crime before it can have a chance to blossom, and dons the famous lack suit and cape to stop evil in the city of Gotham. Batman is the only DC hero who does not posess superpowers, and is therefore more believable than any others, if not more popular. Becoming a cultural icon, Batman has also spanned numerous forms of media, including film, graphic novels, television series’, merchandise, name-sake based amusement rides, amongst many others. Recently portrayed by Christian Bale in the smash hit “The Dark Knight”, the Caped Crusader looks to be around for many years to come. 

Number Two: Superman

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Superman!!
An instant cultural icon, Superman exploded onto the comic-book scene in 1932, making his debut in “Action Comics Issue 1″. Created by Jerry Siegel, Superman has been hailed as “The Man of Steel”, “The Man of Tomorrow”, and “The Last Son of Krypton” and was originally created to represent the enormous superpower that was and still is the United States (hence the famous colours of red, white and blue) The stylized “S” on Superman’s chest has become the most iconic and instantly recognizable insignia in cultural and comic history. 

Capturing the hearts of millions, mild mannered reporter Clark Kent hides a secret; he is the amazing, fantasic Superman, an invulnerable and genuinely fantastic comic creation. 
We salute Jerry Siegel for his spectacular creation, and hope to see more of the Last Son of Krypton in years to come.

Number One: Dr Manhattan

The second entry from Alan Moore’s “Watchmen”, Dr Manhattan (aka Jon Osterman) becomes a genuine superhero through a horrific accident that should have left him dead. Not just dead, but completely obliterated, gone without a trace. Somehow, Osterman managed to hold on to his consciousness, and a literal superhero was born. Gifted with foresight, telekenisis, super strength, super speed, teleportation amongst others, Dr Manhattan has only one purpose: to protect the United States from devastation by nuclear war. A walking nuclear deterrent, if you will. His immensley increased physical ability and intelligence has made him fall out of touch with humanity, because “they world’s smartest man poses no greater threat than the world’s smartest cricket”. He is fantastic….and completely alone. He is the one being able to understand man….and he doesn’t care. And, he’s the only man capable of defeating Superman.