MERGE: Marvel's Big Three

**Jessica Drew** · 08-31-2005, 08:57 PM

A couple of weeks ago, I polled approximately eighty ninth-grade students, asking each to write down as many superheroes as they could in five minutes. I neither added nor detracted to what my students wrote, nor did I tell them "yes" or "no" about what they had written; so, some of the "superheroes" they listed aren't, necessarily, what many of us would consider "superheroes." These were my results:

152 different "superheroes" were mentioned. All of the following were mentioned once:

Donkey
Puss In Boots
Mini Me
Sporticus
Tony Hawks
G.I. Joe
Nightwing
Jukebox Hero
Dukes of Hazzard
XXX
Aquaman
Hawkman
Hulk Hogan
Striperella
Saddam Hussein
Osama Bin laden
Soldiers
Pocahontas
God
Jesus
John Smith
Adolph Hitler
Xena
Boyam Winkle
Gatman
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Teachers
Monk
Yoicky
Snoop Dogg
Bewitched
Luke Skywalker
Jet Li
Honk Kong Phooey
Mighty Mouse
Atom Ant
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
The Chin
El Cabong
Monkey Man
Mystery Man
Catman
Futurama
Patrick
Sandy
Squidward
Goku
The Mask
The Iron Giant
Kids Next Door
Free Willy
Godzilla
King Kong
Digemon
Bruce Almighty
Mulan
The Dead Zone
Sky High
Inspector Gadget
Hellboy
Elektra
Towlee
Blake
Steel
Scuba Steve
Angel
Phoebe
Piper
Page
Lara Croft
Iceman
Rogue

**MrPalen** · 09-01-2005, 04:46 AM

I find the notion of a "big-three" to be entirely contrived and somehow insulting.

**Jessica Drew** · 09-01-2005, 05:57 AM

The rest of the list:

The following were each listed twice:
Princess Fiona
Shrek
Supergirl
Dragon Ball Z
Yu-Gi-Oh
Spy Kids
Starfire
Danny Phantom
Mr. Freeze
Peter Pan
Aladdin’s Genie
Austin Powers
Two-Face
The Joker
The Punisher
Dexter
Black Panther
Sponge Bob
Justice
Buffy

The following were mentioned, uh, thrice:
Storm
Dash
Hercules
Aviator
Teen Titans
James Bond
Batgirl
Hawkgirl
Cleft the Boy Chin Wonder
Popeye
Crimson Chin
Kim Possible
Human Torch
Space Ghost
Professor X

The following, four times:
Blade
Buzz Lightyear
Meteor Man
Cyborg
Robocop

Five times:
Elasti-Girl
Blankman
Cyclops
Jimmy Neutron
Green Lantern
Raven
Robin Hood
Star Wars

Six times: Mr. Fantastic, the Invisble Woman, and Pokemon

Seven times: Birdman

Eight times: Wolverine, the Thing, and Mr. Incredible

Nine times: Shark Boy, Lava Girl, Captain America, and Daredevil

Eleven times: Krypto

Twelve times: Underdog

Thirteen times: The Flash

Sixteen times: Scooby-Doo

Seventeen times: Mermaid Man

Eighteen times: Barnacle Boy

Nineteen times: The Incredibles

Twenty times: The Fantastic Four and the X-Men

Twenty-seven times: The Powerpuff Girls

Twenty-eight times: Power Rangers

Twenty-nine times: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Thirty-one times: Robin and Catwoman

Thirty-five times: Wonder Woman

Thirty-eight times: Hulk

Sixty-five times: Superman

Sixty-seven times: Spider-Man

Sixty-nine times: Batman

**Neolucifer** · 09-02-2005, 08:50 AM

I'd remplace Cap with someone else , he isnt that known outside of comicdom .
So Spidey , Wolverine and Hulk (or Even Magneto)

**tricksterpup** · 09-02-2005, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Jessica Drew

The rest of the list:

Seventeen times: Mermaid Man

Eighteen times: Barnacle Boy

Yes!!! Barnacle Boy out does Wolverine..

**Mark Spiridakis** · 09-03-2005, 07:07 AM

I would have to agree that Marvel's big three are Captain America, Hulk, and Spider-Man. But if had to pick just three characters in the Marvel Universe it would be Sub-Mariner, Hulk, and Dr. Strange, the original Defenders.

**Nick Kal** · 09-03-2005, 10:16 AM

Very interesting Jessica Drew. I don't know what kind of idiot would throw Hitler & Bin Laden in there.. maybe it was a joke.. but not funny.

Anyways, Captain America is more popular than some thought.

**Chaos_Sentry** · 09-03-2005, 10:23 AM

Hulk, Spidey, Wolvie.

**Neolucifer** · 09-03-2005, 06:11 PM

Anyways, Captain America is more popular than some thought.

Sure , but imo not as much as the likes of Spidey , wolvie and Hulk , and well the thread asked the three more popular :D .

There is no way anyone who knows the X men , in comics , cartoon , video games or movies , wouldnt know about Wolverine.

Spidey=Marvel pure and simple

And the Hulk had his imo completely crappy Tv series , yet still object of a cult following , the movie , a few games ... and in comicdom , asides from his own comics , was and still is , the perfect test of power , for every others super heroes and villains , and perfect guest star , before wolverine .

**Nick Kal** · 09-03-2005, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by Neolucifer

Sure , but imo not as much as the likes of Spidey , wolvie and Hulk , and well the thread asked the three more popular :D .

There is no way anyone who knows the X men , in comics , cartoon , video games or movies , wouldnt know about Wolverine.

Spidey=Marvel pure and simple

And the Hulk had his imo completely crappy Tv series , yet still object of a cult following , the movie , a few games ... and in comicdom , asides from his own comics , was and still is , the perfect test of power , for every others super heroes and villains , and perfect guest star , before wolverine .

He came in more popular in that particular poll than Wolverine.

**Neolucifer** · 09-03-2005, 11:10 PM

and another could say the exact opposite as well ... or maybe confirm it ..
However i've yet to see why he'd touch non comics fans minds , as much or even more than the other mentioned ...

Yes he do have an iconic status , moreso when representing the american ideals at their best however ... with no current huge event around him (except in comics) , no movies , no tv series or cartoon , not even a video game currently... and with comics nowadays averaging 200k sold copies with their best sellers ... can we really say he'll be as known or at least as popular than the constantly advertised other 3 ?

Of course as comics fans , when you ask the 3 more important characters , we'll mention Cap , but i'm not so sure the same could be said in terms of sheer popularity ..

But oh well that just my opinion :D

**pureclint** · 09-03-2005, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by Nick Kal

He came in more popular in that particular poll than Wolverine.

Not if you add in the X-Men votes as some people knowing Wolverine. Some of them could have put X-men on their personal list considering it was a all encompasing vote. Jessica did not specify how they should list Heroes.

**AllisterH** · 09-03-2005, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by pureclint

Not if you add in the X-Men votes as some people knowing Wolverine. Some of them could have put X-men on their personal list considering it was a all encompasing vote. Jessica did not specify how they should list Heroes.

Exactly. It is safe to assume that any vote for the X-men is a vote for Wolverine as since his creation in Giant Sized X-men, there hasn't been a media tie-in with the mutants that does not prominently feature Wolverine.

The only other X-men that have been in practically all media tie-ins (cartoons, games, movies) would be Storm, Cyke and Prof. X.

**AllisterH** · 09-04-2005, 12:12 AM

Thanks again for this informal poll Jessica.

What I find distressing is how comic-illiterate jessica's sample audience is. When Barnacle boy rates higher than Captain America by a 2 to 1 margin, this shows how few comics are being read.

As well, this list also shows how important media tie-ins, especially movies and cartoons, are to the general populace knowing the property. When a B-grade movie like Shark boy and lava girl is as easily as well known as Captain America you know comics aren't being read. Personally, I think the only reason the FF are listed that high is because of their recent movie. Its still fresh in their minds.

**Sarcasticool** · 09-06-2005, 04:10 PM

Without a doubt Marvel's big 3 have to be:

1. CAPTAIN AMERICA
2. SPIDER MAN
3. HULK

Sarcasticool

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