MERGE: Marvel's Big Three

[surt_son]

Mammomax, Gilgamesh & Foolkiller. :D

Actually, I think I'd also have to go with Captain America, Spider-Man & Wolverine.

Gilgamesh? Who is that? I can't remember!

~t

[kelvingreen]

Gilgamesh? Who is that? I can't remember!

~t

Well, you know how Hercules is a sub-par replacement Thor? Well, Gilgamesh was a sub-par replacement Hercules...

Try here and here.

[Evil-Spidey]

Um, except for all the Infinity crossovers, Galactic Storm, Avengers Forever, Disassembled, etc, etc.

you know what i mean.i talk about the big marvel events which are about the whole mu, not about the ones which were only important for a single series.

[tricksterpup]

Gilgamesh? Who is that? I can't remember!

~t

Here is some historical info on Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh was an historical king of Uruk in Babylonia, on the River Euphrates in modern Iraq; he lived about 2700 B.C. Although historians (and your textbook) tend to emphasize Hammurabi and his code of law, the civilizations of the Tigris-Euphrates area, among the first civilizations, focus rather on Gilgamesh and the legends accruing around him to explain, as it were, themselves. Many stories and myths were written about Gilgamesh, some of which were written down about 2000 B.C. in the Sumerian language on clay tablets which still survive; the Sumerian language, as far as we know, bears no relation to any other human language we know about. These Sumerian Gilgamesh stories were integrated into a longer poem, versions of which survive not only in Akkadian (the Semitic language, related to Hebrew, spoken by the Babylonians) but also on tablets written in Hurrian and Hittite (an Indo-European language, a family of languages which includes Greek and English, spoken in Asia Minor). All the above languages were written in the script known as cuneiform, which means "wedge-shaped." The fullest surviving version, from which the summary here is taken, is derived from twelve stone tablets, in the Akkadian language, found in the ruins of the library of Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria 669-633 B.C., at Nineveh. The library was destroyed by the Persians in 612 B.C., and all the tablets are damaged. The tablets actually name an author, which is extremely rare in the ancient world, for this particular version of the story: Shin-eqi-unninni. You are being introduced here to the oldest known human author we can name by name!

Image of Gilgamesh

(Thor Annual#17) - Gilgamesh was seen in Uruk by Thor (Eric Masterson) as he traveled through Kang's Chronopolis.

(Captain America Annual#11 (fb) - BTS) - At some point in his life, Gilgamesh came to realize that he was an Eternal, and thus, would not die. He continued to seek adventure, and performed many deeds.

(Thor I#287 (fb) - BTS) - The Forgotten One once claimed to have held the entire planet Earth aloft, and was thought to be the Titan Atlas by humans.

(Avengers I#300 (fb) - BTS) - At some point in his adventures, the Forgotten One flew the legendary winged horse Pegasus. He later recalled the steed to be difficult to fly.

Avengers I#301) - Gilgamesh assisted the Avengers in the relocation of Avengers Island by pounding an Adamantium mooring post into the island. After an emergency call from Starfox, alerting the team that Firelord had been captured by Super-Nova, a powerful Xandarian warrior. The five Avengers journeyed to Super-Nova's ship, and fought the Brain Leeches which guarded his vessel. Gilgamesh lost his helmet to one of the Brain Leeches. Further investigating aboard the ship, they found and freed Firelord, but were confronted by Super-Nova. Super-Nova accused them of being allies of Nebula, the woman who had destroyed Xandar, and set off to find her on Earth, destroying his ship as he departed.

(Avengers I#302) - Gilgamesh and the other Avengers were saved by the Invisible Woman, who transported them all back to Earth within one of her invisible force fields.

(Avengers I#303) - Gilgamesh joined the Avengers, Firelord, Fantastic Four and west Coast Avengers against Super-Nova, who was ultimately sent away by Mr. Fantastic, convincing him to use the Fantastic Four's time machine to search for Nebula.

(Avengers Annual#18/2) - Gilgamesh assisted the Avengers and Fantastic Four in clean-up operations following the battle.

[tricksterpup]

Continued....

(Avengers I#304) - Gilgamesh donned civilian clothes to join Captain America and Thor (as Steve Rogers and Sigurd Jarleson) at Ellis Island, where they reflected upon immigration, as Gilgamesh and Thor were both natives of other lands. When the Puma appeared pursuing the young mutant Charles Little Sky, the Avengers tried to help Charles, but Charles opened a portal which brought the U-Foes there. Gilgamesh joined his teammates in battling the U-Foes, and defeated Ironclad.

(Marvel Comics Presents#21/3 - BTS) - Gilgamesh was possibly among the Avengers summoned to the Antarctic by Paladin to help drive off a band of extraterrestrial invaders.

(Avengers I#305) - Gilgamesh attended a meeting of nearly all the Avengers in which Captain America formally removed the boundaries between east and west coast, declaring that they would be a single team from then on. After most of the Avengers had left, Gilgamesh joined Captain America, She-Hulk, Quasar, Black Panther and Thor in a training exercise. When Thor hurled his hammer at Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh attempted to lift it, but was not found worthy. Just then, Avengers Island was attacked by the Lava Men, and Gilgamesh joined his fellow Avengers in battling them, only to be overcome by sheer numbers. The Lava Men surrounded the Avengers, and encased them within a sphere fashioned from their own bodies, then rolled into the ocean.

(Avengers I#306) - The Avengers were joined by the Sub-Mariner, and carried into the presence of Jinku, the Lava Men's high priest. He revealed that during the assault of the demons on New York, the Avengers had slain Cha'Sa'Dra, the god of the Lava Men, and Jinku's people had been frozen into stone. He then unleashed a lava creature fashioned to serve as the avatar of Cha'Sa'Dra, and sent it to destroy them.

(Avengers I#307) - The Avengers engaged in battle with the creature, but could not withstand its power, until only Thor and Gilgamesh remained. Gilgamesh succumbed to warrior's madness and flung himself against the creature, determined to destroy it, only to be struck down by the creature, and rendered comatose. The Lava Men ultimately called off their attack when Jinku realized that his people still existed, and had mutated into a golden form.

(Avengers I#308) - The Lava Men returned the Avengers to Avengers Island, and they set to work to try and save Gilgamesh's life. Unable to treat him using any of their instruments, the Avengers brought him to Sersi, who was shocked to see a fellow Eternal brought so low. She determined that he would have to be brought to Olympia to be cured, but upon their arrival at Olympia, they found only a smoldering crater.

(Avengers I#309) - Sersi determined that Olympia had been transported somewhere else, and Thor learned it was located in the Negative Zone. The Avengers brought Gilgamesh there, only to find the city deserted, the entire population seemingly slain by Blastaar.

(Avengers I#310) - The Eternals proved to have survived Blastaar's attempt at destroying them, and aided the Avengers in defeating Blastaar. Thena then treated Gilgamesh's injuries and revived him, revealing that his long exile within Olympia had resulted in him being bound to the city, making him weaker when he departed. Because of this, Gilgamesh was forced to leave the Avengers.

(Avengers Spotlight#35) - Tired of performing feats of manual labor in Olympia, Gilgamesh was convinced by Sprite to journey into Paris with him in search of adventure. When Gilgamesh was attacked by the sorcerer B'Gon and his dragons, he managed to defeat him, and B'Gon fled. However, Gilgamesh received no credit for his actions because Sprite, disguised as Captain America, captured all of the headlines.

(Quasar#29) - Gilgamesh was one of several superhumans who had a cocoon placed on them by Her as she searched for a suitable mate. Gilgamesh journeyed to Avengers Headquarters with Ikaris to meet with other such afflicted heroes, and found that Hercules was also affected. Gilgamesh and Hercules decided to prove they were unfit for "motherhood," and engaged in combat, battling until they had destroyed the cocoons.

(Avengers Forever#12) - Gilgamesh (or possibly an alternate reality counterpart) was among the Avengers of the past, present and future summoned by Rick Jones to help oppose the forces of the Time-Keepers in the climax of the "Destiny War."

(Avengers I#345) - As Earth became involved in the Kree-Shi'ar war, Gilgamesh rejoined the Avengers to serve on their Earthbound force at Project: Pegasus, guarding the Kree and Shi'ar agents who had been captured by the Avengers.

(Avengers West Coast#81) - When Nightside and Scintilla of the Imperial Guard set their ally Warstar free, Gilgamesh engaged them in combat, and aided She-Hulk in defeating Warstar. However, Captain Atlas escaped.

(Captain America I#400/2) - Gilgamesh was present with the other reserve Avengers as they received a communication from Peggy Carter, informing them of demands made by Captain America's enemy Flag-Smasher. The U.S. Agent and Falcon set off to deal with Flag-Smasher.

(Captain America I#401) - With the mission against the Kree and Shi'ar over, Gilgamesh attended a debriefing during which Captain America offered his resignation, only to be refused. Hercules and the Black Knight flew Gilgamesh back to Olympia.

(Fantastic Four Unlimited#10) - When Maelstrom's Minions invaded Olympia to capture Karkas and Ransak, Gilgamesh joined the Eternals present in attacking them. When the minions escaped with their friends, Gilgamesh remained behind to guard Olympia while the others set after the minions.

(Avengers I#391 (fb) - BTS) - Gilgamesh was transported away by Immortus, who had assumed the form of Kang and conscripted Gilgamesh to train the Anachronauts. Gilgamesh eventually escaped Immortus and fled to Earth to warn the Avengers. He began to age rapidly, despite his powers.

(Avengers: The Crossing) - Gilgamesh shambled towards Avengers Mansion, only to be assaulted by an army of Anachronauts. He was saved by the Avengers, who were startled by his appearance.

(Avengers I#391) - Giant-Man did his best to treat Gilgamesh, but could not comprehend what had afflicted him. Later that night, Neut, the weapons-master of the Anachronauts, was sent to hasten Gilgamesh's demise. He channeled unknown energies from his spear at Gilgamesh as he plunged it into his chest, killing him. He tried to warn the Avengers of who their enemies were, but died before he could finish his words.

[Jessica Drew]

That would be most interesting to see.

Can't wait to see the results.

I asked approximately 115 ninth-grade students to name all the superheroes they could--without talking to one another about it--in ten minutes. So far, I've tallied just about half of these. I won't release all the results as of yet, but it seems pretty clear so far who the big three superheroes (regardless of company OR type of media) are to these kids: about dead-even (so far) are Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man.

I won't tell you who's next. I'll wait until I've tallied all the lists. I should have the complete results by tomorrow.

[Taltos]

Spiderman, Wolverine and the Hulk.

anyone who says otherwise is delusional.

[Adem]

Spider-Man,Wolverine, and The Hulk are the most well known Marvel characters. They also seem to whore them more than others.

[DennyK]

Spider-Man, Wolverine and either Doctor Doom or Captain America

[Sir_Hawkeye]

Popularity Wise I would say: Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America.

Power Wise I Would Say: Hulk, Sentry and Thor if you don't count him cause he is "currently" dead I would say Iron Man.

[DennyK]

anyone who says otherwise is delusional.

Sorry, Hulk doesn't qualify anymore

[The Adventurer]

I still think Ben 'The Thing' Grimm should have a higher profile within the Marvel Universe. He has just as much character potencial as Wolverine, Spider-Man, or The Hulk. He's the only one of the FF that really stands on his own as a character, working outside the team dynamic.

[Faded]

Spiderman, Wolverine, and Captain America.

[Dr. Banner]

Sorry, Hulk doesn't qualify anymore

Ask any babyboomer to name the most popular heroes out there. Take out the DC characters, and Hulk is going to be in the top 3. He most certainly qualifies.

Just look at pop culture still, from "Family Guy" to "The Simpsons"... EVERYONE knows the Hulk. Heck, watch "King of Queens". There's a Hulk reference every 3rd episode. :p

[ChildOfTheDarkholde]

Spider-man, Wolverine and Hulk