The superhero life isn't cheap — luckily, many of Marvel's most powerful heroes have
plenty of cash to burn. From literal gods with untold fortunes to billionaire investors and
landed aristocrats, these are the richest heroes in the Marvel universe.
Joey Chapman is the latest in a long line of English heroes who have fought
evil as Union Jack. While the previous Union Jacks were part of the wealthy Falsworth family,
Chapman was born into the working class, and earned his mask through a baptism by fire.
Chapman's entry into the Falsworth family comes through his best friend,
Kenneth Crichton . Crichton is the grandson of Lord Brian Falsworth,
who fought alongside the team known as “The Invaders” in World War II. Shortly after
Crichton reveals this to Chapman, the vampire Baron Blood infiltrates the Falsworth mansion.
Chapman dons the costume and proves his worth in battle against the vampire,
leading Kenneth to suggest that it should be Chapman who carries on the Union Jack tradition.
Despite his humble beginnings, Chapman's access to the Falsworth fortune and his
own work with the British Secret Service affords him plenty of resources to pursue
his fight against evil. This wealth helps pay for his numerous gadgets,
his bulletproof costume, and Beryl, his high-tech motorcycle.
Stephen Strange begins his superheroic journey by spending
all the wealth he earned as a surgeon on anything that might heal his hands.
"3D printing a scaffold — if I could get a loan together, just a small loan…" "Stephen, you've
always spent money as fast as you can make it, but now you're spending money you don't even have."
Becoming a master of the mystic arts eventually
mends his broken digits — and it makes him rich again, too.
Doctor Strange's wealth is made most clear in the ownership and upkeep of his Greenwich Village
Sanctum Sanctorum , and the long employment of his faithful friend and comrade in arms, Wong.
There are plenty of other obvious examples of his wealth lying around his home, too:
While many of the antiques and artifacts in his vast collection are no doubt the product
of adventure, some of them were just as likely purchased by Strange himself.
Moreover, in 1989's Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #11, readers learn Strange owns a
nearby warehouse, for the sole purpose of storing the cryogenically frozen corpse of his brother,
Victor. Earlier in that series, Strange's pockets prove deep enough for his friend
Sara Wolfe to set up a memorial foundation in his name, after he is believed to have died.
As any fan of Highlander will know, living for many centuries
is a sure-fire way to get rich. This is a lesson well-learned by the eons-old Ulysses Bloodstone,
a caveman saddled with a mystical stone that gives him both his surname
and his unnaturally long life. Ulysses spends his considerable time on Earth hunting monsters and
searching for Ulluxy'l Kwan Tae Syn , the creature who destroyed his ancient tribe.
Ulysses eventually finds both vengeance and his long-awaited eternal reward,
but not before siring a daughter. In 2001's Bloodstone #1, Marvel introduced Elsa Bloodstone,
who learns of her father's fantastic past while settling his estate.
Not long after, with the help of the fabled gem her father left her
and a solid set of superpowers, Elsa follows in her father's footsteps.
Elsa also inherited Ulysses' massive fortune upon his death. Her first solo
series was short lived, but she continues to use her wealth to fund her crusade against
the world's monsters — perhaps most memorably in the acclaimed series, Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.
Janet Van Dyne, better known as the Wasp, begins her crime-fighting career after the death of
her father, Vernon. Vernon was a world-renowned inventor at the time of his death, and his demise
not only inspires Janet to become a hero, but also gifts her with a ton of cash. And she's not
shy about it, either — early on in her Avenging days, Janet is known both among her teammates
and the public as a socialite and an incorrigible flirt, not to mention a fashion plate.
And although she later curbs her more extravagant impulses, Janet never entirely loses her love of
the finer things in life. A fashion designer whose career predates her time as an Avenger,
Janet uses her fortune to further her art. She changes her costume so often
that it's not at all rare to see her in one outfit in one issue, and a different one in the next. Her
designs can also be glimpsed in other corners of the Marvel universe: for example, Karolina
Dean can be spotted wearing Van Dyne-branded clothing in the 2017 Runaways comic series.
Often, when new writers and artists are assigned superheroes who have never been particularly
popular, those creators like to shake up the character's essential traits. Marc Spector,
AKA Moon Knight, is a perfect example of this, as recent takes on the character have
tended to minimize the fact that this mentally splintered superhero is a bonafide billionaire.
Long before he became the Fist of Khonshu, Spector was a renowned mercenary and heavyweight boxing
champion. By the time he begins fighting evil as Moon Knight, his investments have yielded some
serious rewards. While his resources are not inherited as Bruce Wayne's are, Spector's
wealth is one of the reasons some fans see him as Marvel's answer to Batman. Not only does he mostly
work at night, but his wealth also affords him an arsenal of themed weapons, vehicles, gadgets,
and costumes. And sure, he's not as widely known in the Marvel universe as Batman is within the
world of DC Comics, but Moon Knight isn't to be underestimated. Dude has a Moon-copter, after all.
"Honestly, Charles. I don't know how you survived… living in such hardship."]
Little of the good Charles Xavier has done for mutant-kind
would have been possible without his considerable wealth. Indeed,
the grounds and the mansion used for Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters is inherited from
his father. That fortune was likewise used to build the more secret areas of Xavier's School,
such as the Danger Room, in addition to the X-Men's vast variety of high-tech vehicles.
Thanks to a story from the early '00s, we know that at that time,
Charles Xavier's net worth was $3.5 billion. This is revealed in 2002's
New X-Men #129, when the artificially-evolved mutant known as Fantomex tries to extort Xavier.
Of course, it's likely that Xavier's fortune has increased considerably since 2002.
Not only is the founder of the X-Men known for investing wisely, but the 2019 event Dawn of
X likely did a lot of good for Xavier's bottom line. In this arc, Xavier helps to found a new
sovereign mutant state on the sentient mutant island of Krakoa , a process that includes
brokering lucrative deals with other nations who are seeking medicines only available on Krakoa.
Warren Worthington III has often acted as one of the X-Men's deepest pockets:
Having inherited billions from his family as well as ownership of Worthington industries,
Archangel funds everything from missions to equipment. In fact, it has not been
unheard of for Charles Xavier himself to borrow money from Archangel in order to make repairs,
additions, and improvements to his Westchester school.
Financially speaking, Warren is also solely responsible for the founding of the first version
of X-Factor, the team set up by the original X-Men to hunt and secretly help mutants on the
run. It's Warren who bankrolls their equipment, their headquarters, and their new uniforms.
Warren's history has often worked against his resources, however,
such as when his board of directors uses his temporary amnesia to take the company from him.
Thankfully, in 2012's Wolverine and the X-Men #19, Warren successfully takes back
his family's company — with a little help from ace attorney Matt Murdock, of course.
Daniel Rand is more than just a master of kung fu and the hard-won wielder of the Iron Fist.
He's also CEO of the Rand Corporation, a position which has afforded Rand and
his allies many comforts and advantages. But it has also attracted plenty of new enemies.
Originally the Rand-Meachum Corporation, the company passes briefly into the care of Harold
Meachum, Daniel's father's old business partner. Wendell Rand had visited the mystical city of
K'un-Lun once upon a time, and searches for it in the snows of Tibet years later, with his son,
wife, and Meachum in tow. Disaster strikes, however, and when Wendell hangs helplessly
from the edge of a precipice, Meachum turns on him and throws him to his death. Daniel's
mother Heather subsequently sacrifices herself to save Daniel from hungry wolves,
allowing the young Danny Rand to find shelter — and more — in K'un-Lun.
As an adult, Danny returns to NYC and regains control of Rand,
though his revenge on Meachum is stolen from him by an assassin.
He has since used his vast wealth to fund his work as the immortal Iron Fist, including funding
the Heroes for Hire, an organization Rand and Luke Cage founded to help fight crime.
Kyle Richmond, AKA Nighthawk, is perhaps the most obscure of Marvel's wealthy heroes. As
part of the Squadron Sinister, he was originally a villainous Batman
clone in a group of villains blatantly modeled after DC Comics' Justice League.
He later changes sides, most prominently as a regular in Marvel's first Defenders series.
Like many rich Marvel heroes, Kyle Richmond inherited his wealth from his father — in
this case Arthur Richmond, owner of Richmond Enterprises. Nighthawk doesn't always prove
to be a vigilant owner of the company he inherited, however. While he's busy first
committing crime and then fighting it, he allows his friend J.C. Pennysworth to handle the reins.
Pennysworth is later revealed to be the head of the racist terror group,
the Sons of the Serpent, which makes you wonder if Nighthawk really did his due diligence on the guy.
Richmond subsequently uses his wealth to establish the Richmond Riding Academy, which doubles as a
base of operations for the Defenders. Or at least, it's intended to serve as such. With team members
Hulk and Doctor Strange often not showing up for work, Richmond complains about all the money he
spent for nothing — particularly on the oversized conference chair he had made for the Hulk.
While Professor X's history is not without its moral ambiguity, Marvel Comics canon has long
maintained that he never uses his psychic abilities to help with his investments.
However, Xavier isn't Marvel's only psychic, and they don't all share his principles. Emma Frost
certainly isn't afraid to use her formidable telepathy to gain an edge in the financial world.
It's likely a good chunk of her wealth may come from even sketchier ventures. Frost is, after all,
the former White Queen of the Hellfire Club, which is not known for its respect of the law.
Emma is the heiress to the Frost fortune, including Frost International, which specializes
in technology and electronics. When the X-Men establish the mutant safe haven of Utopia, it's
Frost's wealth alone that supports the island. Her power has grown considerably in recent years, too:
With almost the entire population of Earth's mutants having joined the sovereign nation of
Krakoa, Frost's position on the island's Quiet Council is a lofty perch indeed.
Reed Richards isn't exactly obsessed with hoarding wealth; Put him in a lab and give him the chance
to explore the cosmos, and you've got a happy Mr. Fantastic. But believe it or not, the upkeep
of an active portal to the Negative Zone and the storage space for a fleet of Fantasti-Cars isn't
cheap. So it's a good thing Richards also happens to be one of Marvel's wealthiest heroes.
Richards wasn't always wealthy, but the patents for the inventions he churns out,
not to mention the merchandising rights for the Fantastic Four, bring in the big bucks. Still,
Reed is the kind of guy who doesn't see his riches until they're gone.
Thus, he and the rest of the Fantastic Four are hit hard when their property is seized in
an early 2000s storyline. After Doctor Doom is dragged to Hell, the team dismantles the
government of Latveria in the hopes of undoing Doom's years of tyranny. When they return home,
their assets are seized by the government because of their unsanctioned invasion of a
foreign nation. It isn't until Richards emerges as one of the most prominent pro-government
heroes in Civil War that the United States releases their stranglehold on his property.
Unlike many of the richest Marvel heroes, Sable didn't inherit anything from her family — unless
you count the skills she's used to become one of the world's most well-known mercenaries.
Her father trained her to fight after the murder of her mother, and Sable went
on to found her own soldier-for-hire company, Silver Sable International.
Silver Sable's wealth is enough to afford her the acquisition of high-tech weaponry
and a vast variety of other equipment made from cutting edge materials. It is also
enough to allow her to hire other world-class mercenaries, including super-powered operatives.
Although she can be cutthroat in business, Sable doesn't amass her riches for riches'
sake. Much of her wealth goes to aid her homeland, the fictional nation of Symkaria.
Like Thor, the Marvel hero Hercules isn't just a modern-day strongman with a love of
Greco-Roman myth — he's the genuine god, and his long life has afforded him some very deep pockets.
This is never more clear than upon the news of his temporary death in 2010's Hercules: Fall of an
Avenger #1. When Venus and Namora do the hard work of closing out Hercules' estate, they learn he was
one of the first investors in Stark Industries. He initially invested $100,000 in the young company,
and at the time of the strongman's death, that investment was worth, quote, "a second line of
zeroes." He also owns a large number of breweries and wineries, as well as apartments and homes all
across the globe. And while Hercules is one of the richest heroes in Marvel, it seems that
he himself may not even know it, as Venus and Namora discover that he apparently forgot about
most of his investments. If ever there were a superhero in need of an accountant, it's this guy.
"Big man in a suit of armour.
Take that off, what are you?" "Genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist."
When you think of rich Marvel heroes, it's a sure bet that you'll probably think of Tony Stark.
He may have inherited his huge fortune and Stark Industries from his father Howard,
but Stark can't be accused of sitting on his laurels.
In fact, it's likely that no single person has more to do with the upkeep of the Avengers than
Tony Stark. More often than not, his wealth has financed the team, even before he reveals
his secret identity to his colleagues and, later, the public at large. It's Stark who owns Avengers
Mansion, it's Stark who employs their butler, Edwin Jarvis, and it's Stark who pays for
and designs the team's Quinjets. Not to mention, of course, the considerable amount of time, money,
and resources Stark puts toward designing and building his many Iron Man suits,
nor the innovations he's created for other heroes, such as Spider-Man's famous Iron Spider suit.
There are characters whose wealth is almost impossible to quantify, because their existence
is utterly incomparable to anything in the real world. Black Bolt, Medusa,
and the rest of the Inhuman royal family are a perfect example of this. The Inhumans are
a subspecies of humanity that was experimented upon by the alien Kree millennia ago, a process
that granted them extraordinary abilities… and access to stunning amounts of wealth.
Having made homes in both the Himalayas and on the Blue Area of the Moon,
the royal family claims real estate holdings that are entirely priceless. They also have in
their possession advanced Kree technology, which plenty of Earth's militaries would
pay dearly to get their hands on. Finally, the family possesses the Terrigen Crystals,
which are counted among the rarest materials in the Solar System.
Namor , the King of Atlantis claims all of the Earth's oceans as his kingdom, and — according
to him — the ships that traverse them are allowed to do so only because of his charity.
While few world leaders recognize Namor's claim to
two-thirds of the Earth's surface, he certainly has the muscle to back it up.
When you're a superpowered world-ruler in Marvel Comics, losing your throne becomes
kind of a big deal. As such, Namor has found himself dethroned more times than anyone can
count. Yet even without a kingdom, the Sub-Mariner has managed to secure significant wealth for
himself. Early in the '90s Namor the Sub-Mariner series, for example, Namor reinvents himself as
a businessman by using various treasures from the deep. The fortune these rarities bring him allows
him to found Oracle Inc., with the intention of using its wealth to heal the environment.
No organization on Earth could surpass Wakanda in terms of net worth, and no individual could
top T'Challa , the king of Wakanda and the superhero known as Black Panther. Though the
2016 Black Panther series sees T'Challa's power as ruler rendered less absolute by a new democratic
government, he still has more control over his nation's wealth than any other single person.
The source of the nation's wealth is vibranium , a substance that cannot be
found in significant amounts anywhere else on Earth. Vibranium is the most
versatile metal on Earth, and has helped to make Wakanda not only the richest,
but also the most technologically advanced nation on the planet.
While T'Challa doesn't often flex his financial muscles,
it's not unheard of, either. For example, in the 2002 Black Panther storyline "Enemy of the
State II," in which he finds himself at cross purposes with Tony Stark,
T'Challa stages a hostile takeover of Stark Enterprises — with seemingly no effort at all.
There are some riches whose worth cannot be properly counted with
numbers — and many of them are the property of Thor, the god of thunder.
"Slow down, there's a few people in the room who don't understand. Not me, I get it."
In 2019's Thor #16, Odin steps aside, allowing Thor to become the new All-Father
and the king of Asgard. Once that happens, every drop of gold in the land in the golden realm
becomes the property of the mighty Thor — as well as all the artifacts locked away in Odin's vaults.
One of the most valuable artifacts in Thor's collection is the one he's best known for:
His iconic hammer, Mjolnir. While it's best known for its ability to summon and control lightning,
the hammer's versatility is equally impressive. Not to mention the fact
that the Odinson is one of only a handful of people who have been able to wield the weapon
at all. Chances are, there's no Marvel weapon out there with a higher price tag.
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