Which Marvel character has the best origin?

[Sawyer]

I’m not one to make threads that pose a simply “who’s the best” question, but I can’t recall seeing this one.

For me I’d say

1. Spider-Man. Unlike most it carries a powerful message. One that whilst we may have heard time and time again, doesn’t seem to lose its power. But for me what makes it standout is that unlike say like Batman or DareDevil: it’s Peter’s fault. If he had been responsible and stopped the robber, his Uncle Ben would be a live now.

2. Captain American - It’s perhaps been used to greater affect in Ultimate continuity, but the idea of man, being pulled out of the world he knew and thrown into one in which everyone he knew or cared about is dead stays the same.

3. Hulk – Almost tragic in the sense, that if he had just left Rick Jones, he would be the Hulk and not him.

Note. You could call Cap’s origin just the super solider serum and him fighting in the war, but take it as a whole and it’s him getting frozen also.

 

[Franklin Richards]

 

[Abaddon]

erm..I'm not sure. Silver Surfer I guess.

 

[GNR]

I will say that I really admire the fact that most of the original Lee/Kirby creations of the 60s were average joes before their respectable "accidents".Sure their personalities were established within a couple of pages before they got their powers,but Lee tried to make sure the characters had grounded personalities to make them more relatable for readers.This is one of the reasons I really love these Marvel characters.

 

[Jplaya2023]

 

[Ben Urich]

I've never really cared for Spider-Man, myself. He's too well-adjusted.
Daredevil.

 

[MyPokerShirt]

i'm gonna count the Icon imprint as Marvel and so say Christian Walker from Powers

For those who havn't read the Powers story arc Forever and plan to, look away now:
It started back at the dawn of man. Two Cro-Magnons were fighting over a woman when they discovered they had Powers and so began the first earth-shattering battle. Over the next few millenia they evolved with all humans, fighting each other again and again across time, even forgetting why. They believed they were demons or even gods at certain points, going by the names Wolfe and Walker until 1986 when, due to the invention of a Power Drainer by Triphammer (Iron Man style playboy millionaire), Christian Walker was able to trick his arch foe into fighting under the Drainer. There was an accident with the Drainer damaging their nervous systems, and both lost their Powers.

Wolfe was incarcerated until the day he evolved to counteract the Drainer's effects upon which time Walker, now a mere Cop, managed to shoot the rampaging Wolfe dead.

I can't really do the story justice, but it's a brilliant origin.


OTHER THAN THAT spider-man is Marvel's version of Superman: classic character with classic, memorable origin that, like supes, has been parodied again and again and again. so i guess WebHead gets my official marvel universe 616 vote.

I think if we talk the Ultimate universe it's Hulk, because the Hulk has been more like a bad guy up until the last issue of the Ultimates when he comes back to protect his country. So i count his origin as just ending, as this is the birth of Hulk as a hero. And i think he's now ****ing cool.

Supreme Power's Hyperion is a more realistic, edgy version of Superman. His 'parents' were bastards, America treated him like **** and yet he's their greatest hero. Is he going to turn bad and take over the earth? that's what i want to know.

 

[Darthphere]

Jesus Christ.

 

[Kool-Aid]

Lucifer.

 

[MyPokerShirt]

Has marvel ever named a definitive Satan? i know they say the stories refer to many rulers of Hell dimensions. Have they ever dared cover religion?

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

2. Captain American - It’s perhaps been used to greater affect in Ultimate continuity, but the idea of man, being pulled out of the world he knew and thrown into one in which everyone he knew or cared about is dead stays the same.

Wouldn't that make Galactus' similar, only better?

Last survivor of his entire universe, flung into a new universe, only to awaken some several years into it, as a brand new being with a purpose never-ending, with a hunger never-ending? With everybody he knew or loved gone and dead, and the simple fact that anybody he'll know and/or love (read: tolerate) in this universe, he'll outlive?

 

[MyPokerShirt]

yeah but galactus doesnt love. any story i've seen with him he doesnt have much of a personality anymore. he's a force of nature. that makes caps origins better IMO

 

[SouLeSS]

Deadpool.

 

[Gilpesh]

I'd have to agree with Supreme Power's Hyperion.

 

[samurai black]

Although Spider-man is 1st choice, Frank Castle/The Punisher is a hero who's origin/character has been copied time and time again but with little success.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

For me
1) Galactus
2) Dr Doom
3) Wolverine (actually quiet a good origin with the Weapon X MCP saga)
4) Silver Surfer
5) DareDevil

Spider-Man, Cap, and Hulk are all well and good, but aside from the expanded Hulk origin which delved into the murder of his father, the others are rather basic.

Batman probably stands as the best origin ever told simply because while basic it is the template for all others virtually plus it gives psychological, revelance and solid character development. However the 5 I listed are far more complex than either Cap's or Spidey's. They create complex rather than straight forward characters, and may account for why mainstream audiences have a harder time gravitating towards them. However if novel and well crafted origins are for you, these 5 are far more interesting.

 

[toya thegr8]

Wolver--, er...Storm. Because, its a tradgic and somewhat motivational origin.

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

yeah but galactus doesnt love. any story i've seen with him he doesnt have much of a personality anymore. he's a force of nature. that makes caps origins better IMO

Remember his herald, Nova? He was willing to forgive and work with the Silver Surfer again if the Surfer agreed to find her for him, since he cared so much.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Wolver--, er...Storm. Because, its a tradgic and somewhat motivational origin.

Watching Logan scream "I am a LOGAN, I am a MAN...and you are the animal" at the Professor in WeaponX is one of the most powerful moments in comic origin history. Plus the whole story to me gets a huge plus when you consider how sympathetic Logan is as a character despite the fact he has only a few lines of dialogue tops in the whole story.

 

[webhead731]

I like Spider-Man's, Dr. Doom's, Hulk's and Ghost Rider's origins the best.

 

[Venom.Symbiote]

I think I would have to say Spidey because of the message and Venom as well. He has jealousy and hatred as his motivations but still feels compelled to spare those who haven't wronged him. Of course if you happen to get in his way then that counts as being against him. Kind of twisted but I still like it.

Has marvel ever named a definitive Satan? i know they say the stories refer to many rulers of Hell dimensions. Have they ever dared cover religion?

I think the closest they get is with Mephisto who's name is a shortened form of Mephistopheles who is the devil in the Faust legend to whom Faust sold his soul.

 

[Apprentice]

Spider-Man
The ultimate classic superhero origin, turning the downtrodden geek into the powerful superhero that still doesn't get the recognition he deserves. It begins with his parents' death. He never knew them, and so that instantly makes us sympathise with him. He's raised with his aunt and uncle, and, essenitally, is a wimp. He's bullied, treated as the underdog, beaten from pillar to post with very few friends. Really...he's us. He's not some big guy that no one can touch. He's flawed, he's hurt. Then, he gets empowered by a radioactive spider. He becomes Spider-Man - veryone at school idolises the hero he is inside, but not Peter himself. The reason I love it so much is because it shows his humanity...and that needs to be present in a hero if you're going to relate to him/her.

Runners-Up

Wolverine
Mystery, intrigue, action, conspiracy. It's all there in Logan's past...except he didn't know it. Go on and tell me you've never been drawn into a tale that untangles his past. And when he finally remembers his past (bleh), it's still as confusing as ever. Another classic.

Captain America
The struggling artist drawn into a war, turned into a Super-Soldier and thrown into the midst of battle as the hero Captain America. A very complex character with a simple origin makes for some great stories. And when you throw that character not just out of his depth, but out of his timeframe, with his sidekick being killed simultaneously...well, I'll leave you to figure out that one.

 

[Flame on!]

Venom

LOL

 

[Mauser9910]

Spider-Man hands down.

 

[Sentry2005]

Jesus Christ.

I don't know, I could see it coming. It didn't grip me the way it should have. I mean, its not like the other characters... its 'average carpenter's son... no wait... i'm God's kid, and a extension of him on Earth, while also part of the holy trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.'

I mean... where's the acident? he was ALWAYS the son of God... I don't know, it's just not as tragic as a random accident blinding you and enhancing your remaining senses to the point of super human while also having to deal with your father being killed by the crime boss of the city.