Last updated on September 13th, 2021 at 12:02 pm
The Most Popular Marvel Characters have a lot of the same characters from our list of The Most Popular Superheroes of All Time, but with a few new characters added in!
We’ve already done Fastest Marvel Characters of All Time and The Most Powerful Marvel Characters of All Time list, so the logical step was to continue in that trajectory and do a Most Popular list.
Marvel, like DC (I never thought those two would be in the same sentence) has an amazing roster of characters and I’m sure many of us have had at least a few favorite ones growing up. I know I must’ve had several Halloweens where I dressed up as Spider-Man. The nice thing about Marvel is that it has all sorts of heroes – from aliens, gods, Greek heroes, mutants, magicians – you name it, Marvel has got it.
So, yeah – we have the pick of the litter.
The Marvel Universe has a lot of heroes that could claim to be the most powerful among them. I searched across several websites and there was very little consensus as to who the most powerful characters were except for a few famous characters who many of us are familiar with, especially in the last decade with the MCU, like Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Falcon, Winter Soldier, Hulk, etc. What is common among the websites though is the fact that many of the Avengers are listed, though not all of them make it to the Top 10.
If you want to delve even deeper into more superhero workouts available in SHJ, I highly recommend checking out Jump Rope Workouts Inspired by Superheroes. You can also check out our Marvel Character Quiz to find out which character you should train as.
If you like listicles like this one, here are a few more I think you might like:
- The Marvel Infinity War Workout Routine Compilation
- The Richest Comic Book Superheroes of All Time
- Top 5 Physically Strongest Superheroes of All Time
Of course we’ve also done a handful of “Most Powerful” and “Most Popular” for other anime and comics so if you’d like to check those out you can visit our other listicles here.
For this one, I scoured the internet for help and almost every single listicle has a different take on who The Most Popular Marvel Characters are so what I decided to do was compile ALL of them together and place each character in the slot they averaged most.
As always, leave your comments below if you were expecting other characters!
THE MOST POPULAR MARVEL CHARACTERS OF ALL TIME
Number Twenty: Professor X (Charles Xavier)
Hero or Villain: Hero
Starting off our list of the most popular Marvel characters of all time is the leader of the X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier, or Professor X. Charles Xavier was born with the ability of telepathy. He could read the minds of any person when he focused his attention on them. He founded the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters in Rochester, New York to provide a safe space for young mutants to learn to harness their abilities for the good of humankind.
This put him at odds with his oldest friend, Eric aka Magneto who believed that mutants shouldn’t try to coexist with humans, whom he believed inferior to them. On numerous occasions, Charles and Eric’s teams, the X-Men and The Brotherhood of Mutants have clashed, but in the Days of Future Past arc, they banded together against the Sentinels.
Professor X at SHJ:
James McAvoy Workout Routine and Diet Plan
Number Nineteen: Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner)
Hero or Villain: Hero
Coming in at number nineteen on our list of the most popular Marvel characters of all time is the mutant Nightcrawler! While certainly not the most powerful hero, Nightcrawler has the amazing ability to teleport to and from places. This comes in handy when the X-Men need to get inside buildings or hard-to-reach places.
In the movie X-2, Col. William Striker uses a drug to induce a trance-like state in Nightcrawler, making him susceptible to suggestion – and commands him to attack the President, in order to convince the President to speed up approval of the Striker’s mutant vaccine.
Nightcrawler at SHJ:
NO WORKOUT AVAILABLE…YET
Number Eighteen: Star-Lord (Peter Quill)
Hero or Villain: Hero
At number eighteen in our list of the most popular Marvel characters is Star-Lord.
Star-Lord is a human who was abducted by the ravager Yondu Udanta. He becomes a ravager, an outlaw in the galaxy, and later on a Guardian of the Galaxy after defeating Ronan the Accuser, a Kree warlord, and gaining the power of the Power Stone. I think Star-Lord became popular, or infamous, in Avengers: Infinity War, when he disrupted the efforts of Iron Man and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy to remove the infinity gauntlet from Thanos’ hand.
Star-Lord at SHJ:
Christ Pratt’s Guardians of the Galaxy Workout Routine – Train Like Star-Lord
Number Seventeen: The Punisher (Frank Castle)
Hero or Villain: Hero
At number seventeen in our list of most popular Marvel characters is Frank Castle aka The Punisher. The Punisher is a former Special Operations operative and a Marine. He is fluent in several languages and is well-versed in multiple weapons and martial arts.
What makes him popular is that his crusade against crime stems from the murder of his entire family. You don’t want to mess around with The Punisher. He can snipe any target from yards away and he is a master of infiltration and covert ops. While his methods are sometimes extreme, he gets justice for the victims who seek his aid.
Punisher at SHJ:
Jon Bernthal Workout and Diet Plan
Number Sixteen: Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Hero or Villain: Hero
Number sixteen of our most popular Marvel characters is the Spirit of Vengeance, Ghost Rider! There have been many iterations of Ghost Rider, but I’m talking about the original wielder of the power – Johnny Blaze. Johnny Blaze was the son of a famous stunt man in a circus but later saw his father die after a failed stunt. Seeing his father near death, Johnny offered anyone for his soul if they could provide a cure and help his father get better.
Years later, Johnny is called to take on the power of the Ghost Rider and rid the devil of his enemies on earth. He does so, but decides to own the power and become a force for good in the world. Despite having the power of a devil’s wrath, Johnny decides to use his powers for the good of humanity.
Ghost Rider at SHJ:
NO WORKOUT AVAILABLE…YET
Number Fifteen: Vision
Hero or Villain: Hero
Coming in at number fifteen of our most popular Marvel characters is Iron Man’s suit A.I. and personal butler given form, Vision!
Vision is an android. His body was built with vibranium and melded together with advanced tech. He was meant to be the new body of Ultron, but thankfully Thor and Iron Man were able to stop that from happening. He later joined the Avengers in their fight against Ultron.
What makes him popular is that although he’s an android, he seems to have developed human emotions and is shown to have fallen in love with the Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff. In the series WandaVision, we see that he and Wanda seemingly get to live their fantasy suburban life and have a family.
Vision at SHJ:
Number Fourteen: Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd)
Hero or Villain: Hero
At number fourteen among the most popular Marvel characters is the former Herald of Galactus – Silver Surfer!
Silver Surfer is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe (ranked #2 in Most Powerful Marvel characters) and is also one of the most popular characters because of the fact that he came from a humanoid race similar to Earth. Norrin Radd was a Herald of Galactus, but when he came to Earth to prepare the way for his master, he realized that the planet’s inhabitants were very similar to his homeworld. Because of this, he allied himself with the Fantastic Four to defeat Galactus when he arrived on Earth. He has since fought alongside other heroes like the Avengers, Defenders, and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Silver Surfer at SHJ:
NO WORKOUT AVAILABLE…YET
Number Thirteen: Ant-Man
Hero or Villain: Hero
In the top thirteen slot of the most popular Marvel characters of all time is Ant-Man aka Scott Lang. Although Scott is the second Ant-Man, he has taken on the role and made it his own. He has gone from a reformed criminal to a bona fide superhero. Thanks to his training with the original Ant-Man, Scott has learned to master his ability to control ants and has learned to also increase his size and become Giant-Man.
What makes Scott popular is the fact that he’s so relatable, much like Peter Parker. He’s a regular guy who has no powers except for the gear that he has and the helmet that allows him to control ants to do his bidding. He’s a family man, and he would do anything to make his daughter Cassie happy.
Ant-Man at SHJ:
Paul Rudd Workout and Diet Plan
Number Twelve: Groot
Hero or Villain: Hero
In our number twelve slot of the most popular Marvel characters is the Guardian of the Galaxy that has only three words in its vocabulary – I am Groot. Groot comes from a race of trees that became sentient (kind of like the Ents in Lord of the Rings) He was alone before he met Rocket Raccoon, a genetically altered raccoon with a genius intellect and a penchant for blowing things up. Everyone fell in love with Groot in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie when he sacrificed himself to protect his new family exclaiming…
We are Groot!
Groot at SHJ:
Vin Diesel Workout and Diet Plan
Number Eleven: Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)
Hero or Villain: Hero
Coming in at number eleven in our list of the most popular Marvel characters is Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. By far the deadliest assassin that SHIELD has, Natasha is a product of the Red Room, an international school for assassins that trains girls to become covert operatives and the perfect spies. Natasha however, escapes the Red Room with the help of Clint Barton aka Hawkeye.
What makes Black Widow so popular is that like many of our heroes, she has faced tragedy after tragedy and instead of breaking down, she gets stronger and is motivated to do better than before. Even when she fails her sister in the recent Black Widow solo film, she finds a way to make amends by bringing their family back together and destroying the Red Room permanently.
Black Widow at SHJ:
Black Widow Inspired Workout Routine
Black Widow Inspired Calisthenics Workout
Scarlett Johansson Workout and Diet Plan
Number Ten: Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
Hero or Villain: Hero
In our Top 10 slot is the Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff. Wanda Maximoff in the comics was the daughter of Magneto and a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants before she and her brother turned against Magneto. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Wanda and her brother Pietro were volunteers in HYDRA’s experiments to develop their own super soldiers.
She is popular because of her portrayal by actress Elizabeth Olsen, and her character evolution from a weapon of destruction and chaos to being an Avenger. In the show WandaVision, we get a glimpse of the power that Wanda is truly capable of, as well as her name drop by Kathryn Hahn, who called her the Scarlet Witch, the most powerful and most dangerous witch because she channels chaos magic.
Scarlet Witch at SHJ:
Scarlet Witch Inspired Workout
Elizabeth Olsen Workout and Diet Plan
Number Nine: Black Panther (T’Challa)
Hero or Villain: Hero
Coming in at number nine on the list of the most popular Marvel characters of all time is the King of Wakanda, T’Challa, The Black Panther!
Black Panther is one of the richest characters in the Marvel universe, having access to stores of vibranium, the rarest metal on earth. Because of the vibranium stores, the Wakandans have developed technology far beyond what the world currently has and live in a technological utopia, far apart from the rest of the world – whom they believe to be savages beyond help.
T’Challa however thinks that the world has changed and wants to bring Wakandan technology to the world to help it along. Aside from being the protector of his nation, T’Challe is a champion of the people and is always willing to lay his life to protect the innocent – whether they be Wakandan or other global citizens.
Black Panther at SHJ:
Black Panther Inspired Workout
Chadwick Boseman Workout and Diet Plan
Number Eight: Captain America
Hero or Villain: Hero
At number eight among the most popular Marvel characters of all time is Captain America.
Of course, we had to include Captain America in this list. He’s a super-soldier and the heart of the Avengers. As Erskein once said, Steve Rogers was “not a perfect soldier, but a good man”. What resonates with a lot of people is that despite having super strength and stamina, Steve Rogers still considers himself “just a guy from Brooklyn”.
He’s humble and he always stands up for the little guy. That’s probably why he was the one to help Peter Parker decide to side with him in the comic version of the Civil War. That earns him a slot in our Top 10 Most Popular Marvel characters.
Captain America Inspired Workout
Captain America Inspired Jump Rope Workout
Chris Evans Workout Routine and Diet Plan
Number Seven: Doctor Strange
Hero or Villain: Hero
Next up in our list of the most popular Marvel characters is Doctor Stephen Strange. A gifted neurosurgeon, Strange had his life turned upside down when he lost the ability to use his hands after a car accident. This led him to spend every penny he had to regain his hands and eventually turned to the mystic arts when conventional means failed him. Learning how to harness the mystical energies in the world, he has replaced The Ancient One, and has become the Sorceror Supreme and a Master of the Mystic Arts.
Doctor Strange at SHJ:
Benedict Cumberbatch Workout and Diet
Number Six: Wolverine
Hero or Villain: Hero
Just missing the top five and coming in at number six among the most popular Marvel characters is the character that defined Hugh Jackman’s career – Wolverine! Wolverine is a member of the X-Men. He has a mutant healing ability much like Deadpool and has adamantium claws that he uses to cut through anything.
Wolverine is popular because he gives zero efs about anything. However, as the movies and the comics continue, we see the personality of Logan change and he becomes more caring (at least in his own way) towards his team members and the students in the school.
Wolverine at SHJ:
Hugh Jackman Workout and Diet Plan
Number Five: The Hulk
Hero or Villain: Hero
Making it to the top five among the most popular Marvel characters of all time is the Green Giant himself, The Hulk!
Bruce Banner was a mild-mannered scientist brought in by the military to develop a serum similar to the Super Soldier serum that gave Captain America his abilities. However, there was a mistake in the lab, and Bruce accidentally got exposed to a harmful level of gamma radiation, which turned him into the Hulk.
When Bruce transforms into the Hulk, he has the strength to level several city blocks and a serious anger management problem. His strength is so great that he was able to beat Loki to a pulp in the first Avengers movie. It seems that the only way to calm the brute down is with the touch of a pretty lady, as shown in the comics (Betty Ross) and on the silver screen (Natasha Romanoff).
The Hulk at SHJ:
Hulk Jump Rope Inspired Workout Routine
Number Four: Deadpool
Hero or Villain: Anti-Hero
At number four among the most popular Marvel characters of all time is the merc with a mouth, Deadpool!
Wade Wilson was a regular hitman – until he got cancer. Then he signed himself up to undergo treatment to unlock his underlying x-gene and the result was him becoming Deadpool. This resulted in him developing an accelerated healing ability and seemingly being able to regenerate any part of his body. To quote Ryan Reynolds in the Deadpool movie, he “got the cure for everything.”
I feel what makes Deadpool popular is the fact that he has the habit of breaking the fourth wall. He knows he’s a fictional character and his dialogue almost seems to confirm that he’s trying to take the include the audience in his adventures.
Deadpool at SHJ:
Deadpool Inspired Calisthenics Workout
Ryan Reynolds Workout and Diet
Number Three: Iron Man
Hero or Villain: Hero
Coming in and making the top three among the most popular Marvel characters of all time is one of the richest Marvel characters as well – Tony Stark aka Iron Man. What is Tony Stark without the suit? A billionaire, a playboy, a genius, and a philanthropist. Not only is he one of the richest, but he’s also one of the smartest characters in the Marvel universe.
Tony Stark is the inventor of the Iron Man suit, but before that, he was the inventor of many of the US military’s weaponry – and got rich from it. This never really bothered him, until he was captured in a warzone after a terrorist group armed with his weapons and tech ambushed the convoy he was in. After escaping, he vowed that his weapons wouldn’t ever be used by the wrong people. So, he created a suit that would help him rectify his mistakes and protect the innocent. For me, what makes Tony so popular is that he seems to have a quip for every situation and at his heart, he cares for the well-being of others.
Iron Man at SHJ:
Iron Man Inspired Calisthenics Workout
Robert Downey Jr. Workout Routine and Diet Plan
Number Two: Thor
Hero or Villain: Hero
Coming in at number two among the most popular Marvel characters is the God of Thunder, Thor Odison! Thor is the son of Odin Allfather (who ranks as #13 in our list of Most Powerful Marvel Characters) and is a Prince of Asgard. Like his moniker, he has the ability to summon thunder and lightning and bring them down on his foes. His magical hammer Mjolnir (pronounced Myol-nir) grants him the ability to fly. As an Asgardian, Thor is strong and is more durable than regular humans. Thor is most popular for his misunderstanding of human culture, often taking jokes literally and making statements that others find uncomfortable but funny.
Thor at SHJ:
Chris Hemsworth Workout and Diet Plan
Number One: Spider-Man
Hero or Villain: Hero
Coming in at number one among the most popular Marvel characters is everyone’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!
“With great power, comes great responsibility.” We’ve all heard the famous line in comics and on the silver screen. Spider-Man is the creation of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and his creation came at a time when most teenage superheroes were designated as sidekicks.
What makes Spider-Man so popular is the fact that he’s not a mutant or a god or an extremely rich inventor or a super soldier. He’s, by his own definition, “just a kid from Queens”. He’s had to deal with regular high school drama. And in a time when superheroes were gods and aliens with superpowers, being a hero who had so many similarities to “regular mortals” made him the most popular hero to the comic book masses.
Would you place Spider-Man at number one or does Thor give him a run for his money?
Who else would you pull from the honorable mentions to bring up to this list?
Spider-Man at SHJ:
Spider-Man Inspired Calisthenics Workout
Tom Holland Workout and Diet Plan
Tobey Maguire Workout and Diet Plan
Andrew Garfield Workout and Diet Plan
But I’d also love to hear who YOU think should be on this list!
The Most Popular Marvel Characters of All Time (Runner Ups):
- Hawkeye
- Thing
- Colossus
- Phoenix
- Miles Morales
As always, remember that all these routines should be paired with our Nutrition Pillars; and you can even check out our article on The Top Diets Used Among Celebrities as well.
If you want to step it up a notch on top of these workouts then you can also check out our Superhero Academy and Superhuman System as well.
Now get out there and begin unleashing your inner superhuman!
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Until next time,
Timmy
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