BLOOD WORK: TOP TEN MARVEL HEROES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF

TOP TEN MARVEL HEROES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF

The Dark Guard are awesome! Have you heard of them? Thought not.

When Guardians of the Galaxy came out in theaters in 2014 no one outside of the comic book community knew who the characters were. And even then they were only known to a handful. Now nearly everybody knows who they are and can see how great the characters are. Soon Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be hitting theaters, introducing more characters that most people, even the majority of comic book fans, don't know. Characters like Mantis, Ego, Taserface, and Ayesha whom only a handful of readers know of.

Sometimes the novelty of a character is in the obscurity. Sometimes characters belong to a particular niche like horror or science fiction. Sometimes certain characters only fit in particular scenarios. And sometimes a character just isn't for everybody. Does this mean they're bad characters?

Absolutely not.

Sometimes characters fall into more specific storytelling whereas others like Spider-Man or Batman have broader reaching stories. Just because you haven't heard of a character or that character hasn't been featured in a billion comic books doesn't mean they're bad characters. Sometimes all that's needed is the right timing or the right approach. Example: Rocket Raccoon and Groot.

So here's a list of my favorite unsung heroes in Marvel's library.

Some of these characters you may have heard of. If you have, that's awesome! If you've heard of these characters and actually are fans of these characters, well you just earned a whole lot of "cool points" in my book! Respect.

As usual I've added a few bonuses to the list.

#13

THE LEGION OF NIGHT

First Appearance: Legion of Night #1 (October 1991)

Who they are: The Legion of Night are a team of individuals with mystical connections. They are led by the mysterious Omen, an occult being of vast supernatural powers. They oppose an arch-demon named Aan Taanu, a malevolent entity destined to destroy humanity and cover all existence with demons. The Legion of Night battle Aan Taanu in the Shadow Realm, a parallel dimension in the shadow of our own, a dimension not unlike Hell where the shades of human beings suffer unending torment. Among the Legion's ranks is the witch Jennifer Kale, Dr. Katherine Reynolds (former friend of Daimon Hellstrom), Chan Liuchow (the man who discovered Fin Fang Foom), Martin Gold (ex-boyfriend of Lilith, daughter of Dracula), and more.

Why I like them: Created by Steve Gerber and Whilce Portacio, this group of heroes has only been in two stories. Two premiere format graphic novels and a backup story in Midnight Sons Unlimited #9. The Shadow-verse concept could be viewed as a similar idea to what the Persona video game series explores. When I read The Legion of Night I see so much untapped potential just waiting to be revived. By having all the action take place in the Shadow Realm their work can go unnoticed by virtually every other hero in the Marvel universe allowing for endless possibilities for story.

#12

KILLRAVEN

First Appearance: Amazing Adventures #18 (May 1973)

Who he is: In the future invaders from Mars have devastated the planet. Earth's mightiest heroes were felled or fled in the face of defeat. Human beings only exist to satisfy the martians' perverse entertainment. In the gladiatorial arena one particular human captures their interest, Jonathan Raven, rechristened Killraven for his warrior skills. Killraven leads a revolt against the martians along with a band of warriors called the Freemen.

Why I like him: Killraven is one of those offbeat sci fi Marvel stories in the vein of John Carter mixed with Spartacus and a touch of Planet of the Apes. Classic dystopian science fiction fun, you know, that stuff that's recently been all the rage with young adult novels like the Hunger Games. Killraven's story takes place in an alternate timeline, the same timeline as the Guardians of the Galaxy. Being outside of the regular Marvel universe gives the writers freedom to do more creative storylines. There's a lot of potential here for awesome stories.

#11

MONARK STARSTALKER

First Appearance: Marvel Premiere #32 (October 1976)

Who he is: Monark Starstalker is an ace space pilot who has been partially augmented with cybernetics. These augmentations grant him additional strength, light refraction (stealth camouflage), mental control and synchronization with his mechanized familiar (that gold bird named Ulysses), and more. He's one part space pirate, one part bounty hunter, and one part adventurer. A quick-draw crack-shot with a gun and dirty fighter.

Why I like him: The Han Solo Theory: Everyone loves a good scoundrel. Monark Starstalker started as an alternate timeline hero. He only appeared in one comic back in 1976 and was revived in 2010 in the pages of Nova. He has since appeared alongside Wolverine, Iron Man, the X-Men, and even had a brief run in with the original Death's Head. All Monark needs is a fitting book and an epic story arc to make him shine and he'll take hold. He has all the elements of a good character and with today's science fiction being as wild and crazy as it is, there's no better time than the present. He'd be a great guest star alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy, don't you think?

#10
DEVIL-SLAYER

First Appearance: Marvel Spotlight #33 (April 1977)

Who he is: Eric was born with a gift. His entire life he could sense the evil in others. Eric's other talent was a natural proficiency with weapons. These talents came in handy when he was a soldier, those deserving death finding it at his hands. Destiny called upon him when he came into possession of a mysterious hooded cloak. The cloak was alive and possessed of the power to open dimensions to dark realms where demons dwell. Eric had always sought evil and vanquished it. Now he had the power to face real evil and destroy it for all time.

Bearer of the Shadow Cloak, Eric Simon Payne is the Devil-Slayer.

Why I like him: Seriously, how cool is that? He's like the Punisher of the supernatural. Often he wields a wicked broadsword too, his weapon of choice. This guy has the potential to be Marvel's Dante (from Devil May Cry), without the cocky platinum-haired swagger of course. He was a member of the Defenders for a while and helped them defeat a great arch demon, Satannish. Just imagine a story straight out of a DMC game and insert Devil-Slayer instead. That's awesomeness just waiting to happen.

TERROR INC.

First Appearance: St. George #2 (August 1988)

Who he is: Long ago a warrior faced a horrific demon in mortal combat. The warrior slew the demon but in doing so was inflicted with the demon's curse: immortality and rotting flesh. The warrior's body began to decay. Disgusted by the sight of him, his family fled in terror. The warrior began an eternity of wandering the earth. As his flesh rotted away he discovered he could replace his limbs with those of others. Evil doers and enemies became replacement body parts for him.

Fast forward to the present. After centuries of life the warrior had acquired vast knowledge and skills. He began offering his services as a detective, helping those in need and killing those who deserve it. Going by the name of Terror, the warrior continues to mete out justice and rid the world of monsters.

Why I like him: First off, what an origin! Second, what a disgusting idea for a character. It's totally and completely awesome! He's a one of kind horror hero from Marvel. He began as a character in a separate Marvel universe, the Shadowline, and was later folded into the Marvel universe. He's actually spent more time with Street Level heroes like Punisher, Luke Cage, and Silver Sable than his fellow horror heroes. As such he occupies a unique place in the Marvel universe. He's also gone up against Wolverine and Ghost Rider and recently he's teamed up with Deadpool.

#8
ELSA BLOODSTONE

First Appearance: Bloodstone #1 (December 2001)

Who she is: Ten thousand years ago a tribe of people where slaughtered by a demon. The lone survivor of the tribe vowed vengeance and hunted the demon to the ends of the Earth. A piece of the demon, a crimson ruby-like object, attached itself to the hunter granting him some of the demon's powers including immortality. During the ensuing ten millennia the hunter stalked and killed any monster or demon to cross his path. The hunter eventually took the name Ulysses Bloodstone. Twenty-some years ago Ulysses finally caught up with the demon and the two killed each other.

Flash forward to the present, Ulysses' daughter Elsa, has inherited her father's legacy and the mystic gem known as the Bloodstone. This gem grants her all the powers of her father including immortal life and strength enough to go toe to toe with the monsters she hunts. A weapons expert, tracker, and the personality of a foul-mouthed English girl, Elsa loves her job and takes great pride in putting down a monster.

Why I like her: Elsa Bloodstone started off more or less as Marvel's own Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She even started off as a blonde too in the original BLOODSTONE mini series by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. Then comic book superstar Warren Ellis provided his own take on her in the book NEXTWAVE. The book was out of continuity and its own separate entity, but it was so well received that Marvel brought it into continuity and kept the changes made to the character. In short, she is a totally awesome gun-toting monster hunter!

#7
DOCTOR DRUID

First Appearance: Amazing Adventures #1 (June 1961)

Who he is: Dr. Anthony Ludgate was summoned to a temple high in the mountains of Tibet. There he met the ancient temple priest he was to treat. Only there was nothing wrong with the priest and Ludgate wasn't there to heal, but to learn. Anthony had found the temple of the Ancient One, this dimension's sorcerer supreme. There he learned that he was the last surviving Druid. The Ancient One taught him how to unlock the power in his blood, to harness and wield magic. Harnessing powerful earthen magics, Ludgate returned to the world now calling himself Dr. Druid.

Why I like him: Dr. Druid is technically Marvel's first silver age hero, predating the Fantastic Four. He also served as a pseudo prototype for Dr. Strange, basically containing the same origin. He ran with the Avengers for a brief time and even led the Defenders for a while. But what really put him on my radar was Warren Ellis' four issue mini series DRUID. With gorgeous and disturbing artwork from Leonardo Manco, the story brought Dr. Druid the closest he's ever been to dark druidic magic, fighting off meat monsters and evil cultists. Just reading those four issues made me want to read countless more. Bloody, dark, and twisted, Warren Ellis and Leonardo Manco transformed the character from mildly interesting to disturbing and shocking. You could say those four issues were the last part of Ellis and Manco's HELLSTORM book. A hidden gem of the 90's.

#6
DEATHLOK

First Appearance: Astonishing Tales #25 (August 1974)

Who he is: In the not so distant future the world is once again at war. Colonel Luther Manning, one of the U.S. forces' best soldiers was blown to pieces. Seeking a new kind of soldier in order to win the war, Luther's remains were integrated with advanced cybernetics to create Deathlok. A cyborg super soldier with an electronic cerebral computer interface coupled with a human's ingenuity and instincts: the ultimate soldier. Only a small portion of Luther's organic tissue remained including a piece of his brain. When Luther's personality begins reasserting itself Deathlok goes rogue. Now enforcing his own brand of justice, Deathlok seeks vengeance against the men who made him this cyborg monster.

Why I like him: Deathlok was the first cyborg character in comic books. Appearing only six months after the Punisher, the two characters share the same sense of justice with extreme prejudice. He's not a hero but he's not a villain either. Deathlok predates (and probably inspired) such characters as the Terminator and RoboCop. He is the Terminator or RoboCop of Marvel. Since his initial creation there have been multiple characters to have donned the name Deathlok. In the 1990's it was Michael Collins (perhaps the second most prolific Deathlok behind Luther Manning). Recently on the television show Agents of SHIELD a new Deathlok appeared (this one named Mike Peterson).

I personally prefer Luther Manning and Michael Collins over the others, but no matter which Deathlok it is, they all carry the same attributes that make the character unique and great.

RED WOLF

First Appearance: Avengers #80 (September 1970)

Who he is: Full blooded Cheyenne, William Talltrees, lost his family and everything he ever loved. Finding the wolf's garb and weapons of the legendary Cheyenne warrior Red Wolf, the great spirit Owayodata grants William supernatural powers and the mantle of Red Wolf. Enhanced strength, super senses, and unparalleled hand to hand combat abilities, Red Wolf is one of Marvel's fiercest fighters. William Talltrees became the latest in a long history of Cheyenne men to have been granted the power of Red Wolf. Typically a lone hero, Red Wolf is almost always accompanied by a wolf named Lobo.

Why I like him: One of Marvel's great unsung heroes, Red Wolf brings the appeal of the old west heroes to the modern day. He's got the fighting prowess of Daredevil and Captain America along with a cool and enigmatic personality. On top of it all is a simplistic yet awesome character design. The legacy aspect of Red Wolf lends itself to stories set across time too, either today or in the old west or wherever you'd like. Red Wolf is an under-utilized, wonderful, and versatile character. The world needs more of this character.

DARKHAWK

First Appearance: Darkhawk #1 (March 1991)

Who he is: When Chris Powell discovered the Raptor Amulet he was transformed into the living armor known as Darkhawk. After saving the world and fighting alongside such heroes as the Avengers and New Warriors, Darkhawk encountered another bearer of a Raptor Amulet named Talon. Talon took Darkhawk into outer space and revealed the true origins of the amulet. Long ago Darkhawk (whose real name was Razor) was a part of the Fraternity of Raptors, extremely powerful beings guiding civilizations towards greatness. Chris learned to tap into even greater armor variations within the amulet, discovering more power than he ever knew the amulet possessed.

Why I like him: First off, the character design is wicked awesome. His original series ran for 50 issues before the comic market crash of 1990's. In that series he was primarily a terrestrial hero. The story was further expanded when the character went into outer space and his power level really increased. And they added the internal struggle between Chris and the amulet itself. During the War of Kings event the amulet took complete control for a period and assassinated a good guy! Then Chris finally wrested control back and found himself wanted for murder. What I mean to say is, he was cool when he was on Earth but he became all the more intriguing and complex when he went into space.

SHANG-CHI

First Appearance: Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973)

Who he is: Son to one of the greatest evils the world has ever known. Trained since the day he could walk in the martial arts. By the time Shang Chi was a man he was the deadliest person on Earth. The Master of Kung Fu. He was raised with the intent to be his father's greatest weapon. Instead of going along with his father's dark designs, Shang Chi rebelled. He left his father's criminal organization and dedicated his life to bringing his father and those like his father down. What was intended to be the greatest weapon of evil became one of the strongest forces for good.

Why I like him: Shang Chi is the Bruce Lee of the Marvel universe. His original series ran for over 100 issues, crossing over with other heroes like Iron Fist, White Tiger, Colleen Wing, Misty Knight, Black Widow, Nick Fury, and more. Super spy espionage, deadly assassins, mystery and mysticism, and all out martial arts action. Imagine all of this happening behind the scenes, unknown to most of the heroes in the greater Marvel universe. It's the undercover black ops layer of Marvel and totally cool. Shang Chi is one of the best kept secrets of Marvel.

SLEEPWALKER

First Appearance: Sleepwalker #1 (June 1991)

Who he is: The Mindscape is another plain of existence where thoughts, dreams, and nightmares connect with humanity. It is a dimension adjacent to our own, one in which humanity can only glimpse within our sleep. In the Mindscape malevolent forces try to affect our world through our dreams. A race of beings protect the Mindscape from these forces, beings known to us as Sleepwalkers. One of these guardians was trapped in the mind of New Yorker Rick Sheridan by a dark evil entity. By day this Sleepwalker roamed the mindscape and by night, when Rick slept, Sleepwalker manifested in the real world through Rick's dreams. Like a phantom in the night, Sleepwalker continued his role as guardian, fighting evil in the real world. And when Rick awakens the next morning Sleepwalker fades away back into the Mindscape.

Why I like him: I began reading comic books in the 1990's. Sleepwalker was one of the earliest Marvel characters I connected with and the first comic saga I ever completed. Naturally there's a lot of nostalgic love here but also a lot of unique qualities. The design is both classically evocative and alien and new. Sleepwaker can float through the air and alter the physical world via his "Warp Gaze," an eye beam capable of warping anything into unnatural shapes. He's almost like a heroic Freddy Krueger of the Marvel universe. His book lasted 33 issues plus a one-shot and several guest appearances. It mixed street level action with supernatural/alien fantasy.

A character based in the dimension of our dreams would naturally encounter the lord of fear, Nightmare, one Marvel's more underrated villains and a personal favorite. In addition to Nightmare, a fantastic nemesis was created too in the character of Cobweb. All in all the foundation laid for Sleepwalker was well done in nearly all aspects. Sleepwalker unfortunately was one of the first casualties of the comic market crash of the 1990's and hasn't been firmly reestablished since. Even after all these years though the character still holds up retaining plenty of potential and story for exploration. Reading his book today he is still one of my favorites.

DEATH'S HEAD

Death's Head on the left battling Death's Head II on the right.

First Appearance: Transformers #113 (May 1987)

Death's Head II First Appearance: Death's Head II #1 (March 1992)

Who he is: Death's Head (I) began as a 20 foot tall mechanoid (robot imbued with life) bounty hunter in the world of the Transformers. A mercenary for hire, he has battled both the Autobots and Decepticons and was even responsible for the death of Bumblebee. While time traveling to catch Megatron, Death's Head was hijacked by THE DOCTOR (a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. Yes, THAT Doctor). The Doctor shrunk Death's Head down to seven feet tall and transported him to an alternate reality (our reality). Now on Earth in the distant future, he set up shop as a bounty hunter taking jobs as they came. Again, through time travel, he made his way to the past (our present).

In the year 2020, A.I.M. scientist Evelyn Necker created an advanced cyborg called Minion. The Minion cyborg was sent after the deadliest mercenaries in the space time continuum, killing them all and assimilating their personalities. 105 different personalities in all were downloaded into the cyborg personality matrix. Then Death's Head appeared, after a bounty which Minion killed. Death's Head and Minion battled. In the end Minion proved the victor and per his programming downloaded Death's Head's consciousness into his own (the 106th personality). Instead of being lost among all the other personalities Death's Head took over Minion's consciousness and body. Now in complete control of Minion, he became Death's Head II.

Artwork by the great Bryan Hitch

Why I like him: Death's Head and Death's Head II (Minion) are the same character while at the same time two separate characters. And both are totally and completely awesome. Simon Furman, the creator of Death's Head (I) wrote a humorous, unrepentant killer robot that was incredibly unique and likable. Writer Dan Abnett and artist Liam Sharp (creators of Death's Head II) made their own unique character with Minion and instilled a few of Death's Head's quarks. If the story wasn't already far-out science fiction, Abnett and Sharp took it even further, ramping up the action, time travel, alternate realities, and alien worlds.

And through time travel both characters exist together, side by side in some instances even. No matter which Death's Head you're reading both are phenomenal characters like you've never experienced before. Humor, action, excitement! Once you get into the world of Death's Head you'll be a fan for life.

Well, there you have it! The list of my favorite Marvel characters that nobody's heard of. Have you heard of them? Do you like them? Let me know in the comments below!

As always I hope you enjoyed the list!

And for more Top Ten lists check out the posts linked below!

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