Greetings nerdy list aficionados and welcome back to top 10 nerd today we’re entering
a realm of mystery looking at mysterious superheroes.
So our caveats there’s going to be two types of mysterious on this to the reader and to
the people in universe sometimes a combo.
I’m Sasha and these are the Top 10 Mysterious superheroes.
Number 10 – The Question we can go with either vic sage or renee Montoya for this
point but wither way being mysterious is kind of this characters modus operandi.
The question first debuted in Blue Beetle #1 (June 1967) and was modelled off of a classic
pulp noir figure.
His or her appearance is striking in that they have no face wearing a special adhesive
mask to well mask their features it renders them instantly mysterious to all who see them
from the start visually asking the question just who is that.
It shrouds them in mystery, and the question loves a good mystery he often operates behind
the scenes in the shadows gathering information sorting clues and looking to find the big
picture.
It’s why sometimes his depiction can veer a bit into conspiracy theorist territory particularly
on the jlu.
However the question adds something unique to DC you don’t have many characters like
this powerless yet rich in knowledge and operating in a tense but not necessarily always overtly
action packed way.
So he’s definitely mysterious that’s for sure.
Number 9 – Doctor Fate – Doctor Fate dates all the way back to the golden age More Fun
Comics #55 (May 1940) and is as magical as they come and has had a very convoluted set
of backstories as a result but this is part of what makes him so mysterious.
From starting off as the mystic Nabu who trains Kent Nelson to getting the powers from the
helmet of doctor fate.
He’s a bit of a character on the fringes for more casual fans so it’s very much a
who what and so he can come across as quite mysterious and even in universe people are
often awed by his abilities as a guardian of order.
Which in itself is quite vague and hence mysterious order oppose chaos yes but what does that
always mean.
Because of the mystical magic helmet Doctor fate is an alias that has been held by many
wearers which can also make the doctor appear different and any being operating on a quasi
other realmly scale appears quite mystical to us mortals.
Also that young justice episode where wally is like I don’t believe in magic nonsense
in a super hero world that’s just forced conflict.
Number 8 – Rorschach – Coming from Alan Moore’s dark age solidifying work the watchmen
Rorschach left quite the impression on those who read the series.
And the fact that he is mysterious is a huge part of his character from the swirling ink
blot mask designed to make the reader question what they are seeing as well as reflect some
of the damage to his psyche and also the questions of his motives which are no question to him
or to the readers who agree with his philosophy.The mystery of who Rorschach is ultimately ends
up paying off big time for the reader when they discover that he was in far more of the
story than they thought.
Since watchmen was brought into the dc universe officially there have been more roarshach’s
but none of them are walter kovacs in terms of how interesting they are.
What are your thoughts on that expanded watchmen universe ALAN MOORE hates them but that doesn’t
mean you have to.
Number 7 The Phantom this falls much more into the who is that category for a lot of
people but he’s coming into the public domain soon so get excited?
The phantom was a comic strip that began in February 17, 1936 so pre golden age he’s
a pre golden age hero.
However in canon the phantom is mysterious he is at first known as The Ghost Who Walks,
and is said to defend the jungles of bangalla a made up African county.
However the phantom is not one person but several a hero who passes the mantle down
through the ages you even get an oath "I swear to devote my life to the destruction of piracy,
greed, cruelty, and injustice, in all their forms, and my sons and their sons shall follow
me".
So do you get powers is there a magic crystal skull no you’re just some guy but hey you
get a lot of lre and build up around you so bonus points for that.
Because of the stories mythology this means you can also flash back to past phantoms.
There was also a 90s film that most people have forgotten but not me starring Billy Zane
Number 6 - Shadowman, the shadowman first debuted as such in Shadowman #1 (May 1992)
and yes we’re talking about a hero from valiant comics I know some of you have been
asking for a long time.
Shadowman is actually extremely popular in comic circles and yet outside of them many
people have never heard of it.
Shadowman is jack boniface and he plays the saxophone but sadly does not have a saxophone
hologram a la nightman.
Shadowman tranforms into such when he is drugged one night at the bar and wakes up with a mysterious
mark on his neck and a thirst for vengeance he learns from his housekeeper who practices
voodoo that a doorway has been ripped into his soul and he will arise when shadows fall.
He is extremely mysterious even at times to himself and well his stories are just cool,
and he looks cool if you haven’t read the shadowman check him out it’s dark, occult
and unique add something different to your repertoire.
Also he’s a character of colour for those who are looking to expand their collections
in that regard.
Number 5 Shade The Changing Man He first appeared in Shade the Changing Man #1 (June 1977) and
was branded as a new kind of superhero always a great start.
Shade is a fugitive from another dimension and would eventually team up with the suicide
squad the first iteration when some of the members were actually suicidal.
Deadshot, Deadshot was not ok.
Shade initially didn’t have a connection to the dc universe but became one of those
characters who was folded in.
Shade was a secret agent in his home dimension but was framed for treason and sentenced to
death he came to earth co clear his name.
But then shade would change again and be folded into vertigo and was now a poet sent to earth
to stop the tides of madness and his past origin would be explained as him coming to
earth to amuse himself.
He would be killed off and brought back many times in various forms as different characters
and would become a cult favourite like many vertigo comics of the time.
It would also discuss topics other comcis wouldn’t like transgender issues.
It’s an interesting read for characters in universe it was very much who is shade
what does he want.
Which definitely makes the shade mysterious.
Number 4 – Batman, now hold on hear me out we all know who batman is you say what’s
wrong with you.
Well depending upon when you are in canon Batman is very mysterious to the people of
Gotham city.
There have been period of his history when he operates so far in the shadows that people
aren’t even sure if he really exists or not or if he;s just an urban legend thought
up by police to scare criminals.
In the new 52 when he meets hal Jordan for the first time he expresses the same sentiment
the belief that he was just a rumour.
A man running around dressed like a bat yeah I can see why you wouldn’t believe it but
also no not if we’re in super villain time if it’s just corrupt gotham time then maybe.
Still Batman is the dark knight and to those he hunts he is quite mysterious the mystery
of who is the batman solved by only a core few haunts the city.
Also I’ll give it to comic hush Riddler he deserved to keep that knowledge.
Bane too props to bane classic bane not neck snapping bane.
Number 3 – Swamp Thing – Swamp thing has had a couple of iterations first appearing
in the 70s but the version most people remember is alan moore’s run in the 80s which would
revamp the character and turn him into a tragic yet horrific figure, a monster with a heart.
The swamp thing is quite mysterious to the dc universe who is he, is he even a person,
what is his function what is the green how does he maintain it.
The swamp thing has been a man, a concept, a man again, an earthbound elemental entity
it’s been a journey with swamp thing that’s for sure.
You’re never quite sure when he’s going to show up of late post rebirth he’s become
almost like a mystical entity invoked when someone is set to harm the earth or by Constantine
when he feels like it.
Moore’s swamp thing is really good but also very depressing do you want to see an entire
town wiped out by vampires and cry about it then read alan moore’s swamp thing.
Number 2 – The Hanged Man – Astro City time and creeping up the list cause well the
hanged man mysterious is his entire m.o why is he there.
I dunno what does he do well he protects the neighbourhood of shadow hill he’s a floating
shadowed spectre with a noose around his neck and a burlap sack over his head.
He’s been active since the 19th century and has powers of some kind he is drawn to
those who have suffered and those in need, so despite his appearance he is actually a
comfort to those in astro city well some of them they’re also still afraid of him.
He appears to be able to alternate memories in order to alleviate trauma because when
astro city suffers a giant multiverse event that results in the erasure of one timeline
and the creation of a new one one many remembers his past life and his wife who no longer exists
the hanged man regularly visits him and offers to help him forget but he chooses not to instead
living with both memories.
The hanged man is fond of him.
He’s just around and I love it.
You need characters like that.
Number 1 – The Phantom Stranger a character so mysterious that for years his powers have
been undefined his name is a mystery twice.
The phantom stranger first debuted in Phantom Stranger #1
(August–September 1952) and from the start he was designed to be mysterious he had no
official orgin and still doesn’t instead having a rotating origin 4 of them all equally
likely.
So that’s fun you can kind of choose your favourite if you feel he needs an origin,
you’ve got caught in a timeloop, a man cwho killed himself and was denied entry to heaven,
a fallen angel Judas but that one’s an outlier.
Overtime the phantom stranger has grown to be a being of cosmic power and contemporary
to the spectre though they both have very different approaches.
They do clash and we had to do the whole heroes as chess pieces thing.
The phantom stranger shows up when needed and often unasked but you’re never sure
when or where he’ll show up people just accept it at this point oh the phantom stranger,
must be serious.
So those were ten mysterious superheroes can you think of any more mysterious if you can
please leave them down below.
I’m Sasha thanks so much for watching top 10 nerd don’t forget to like share comment
and subscribe.
Hit that bell notification so that you never miss a vid and we’ll see you again soon
here on top 10 nerd.