The famous image of a comic book superhero may look like a circus strongman in tights
and a cape, but muscles aren't the only way to be powerful. Sometimes, the answer lies
in magic, science-fiction, or an alien world. The question being: how does a comic book
character become the most powerful in the world? Here are Screen Rant's 10 Most Powerful
Superheroes From Marvel and DC.
Sentry Modern comic fans may know Captain America
like the back of their hand, but it's another Marvel super-soldier who takes the cake. The
being known as Sentry is absolutely one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel
Universe, which means fans should all know him, even if he hasn't appeared on film. Said
to hold the power of "a million exploding suns," strong enough to fight the Hulk to
a standstill, and blessed with telepathy, immortality, and even the ability to resurrect
the dead, there isn't much Sentry can't do. In fact, he may be one of the truly invincible
characters in Marvel's entire universe.
Jean Grey There's no shortage of psychics in Marvel's
catalogue, so being the best of them is saying something. That honor *probably* goes to Jean
Grey, the fifth member of the original X-Men. The live-action movies only scratched the
surface of Jean's powers, since her decades in print have shown her do just about anything
a mind can achieve: mind-reading, mind control, telekinetic barriers, force fields, you name
it. And that's even before she unlocks full access to the cosmic Phoenix Force - it may
make her a bit more villainous, but the power it grants over the universe as a whole is
testament to Jean's dedication and focus.
Cable When Cyclops sent his son into the future
for protection, he never imagined that full-grown powerhouse that would return. With a techno-organic
virus turning him into a cyborg tank, completely with robotic arm and eye, Christopher Summers
took the name of Cable, and made time travel his stomping grounds. As the son of Cyclops
and Jean Grey, he has the telekinetic and psychic powers to be hoped for. But add in
futuristic upgrades, superhuman strength and reflexes, and a style that's just too badass
to be killed, and Marvel's baddest have all failed to pushed Cable around. The only one
who's come close? Would have to be Deadpool.
Shazam We know what you'e thinking: it's Superman
who has to be DC's strongest hero, right? Not necessarily. Superman was first, but with
updates and imitators came some serious upgrades. Take Shazam, formerly known as Captain Marvel.
All the powers, all the strength, all the speed and invulnerability of Superman, but
drawn straight from the magical gods of the ancient world. That basically means that the
champion of the old gods can go toe-to-toe with Superman, and actually hurt him (since
the Man of Steel, like most alien villains, is vulnerable to magic). Not to mention being
fast enough to challenge The Flash, and not needing to eat or sleep while in his superhero
form. Something almost no other heroes can claim.
Martian Manhunter He may be best known as a Justice League member,
but make no mistake: when you combine the best parts of Batman and Superman, you get
a hero who might be as cool as J'onn J'onzz. Based on superpowers alone, he's as powerful
as they come: psychic, telekinetic, able to fly, and use nearly all of Superman's special
attacks. While also able to phase through solid objects, and give the Dark Knight competition
when it comes to detective skills.
Firestorm As one of the most famous superhero identites
who actually consist of two men in a single form, Firestorm, the Nuclear Man draws his
powers from experimental physics as a whole. He may not have the name recognition of other
Leaguers, but his appearance on The CW has helped gain some cred. As far as his powers
go, he is able to manipulate all inorganic matter in the universe. Transmute stone into
gold, turn a nuclear bomb into a cake, or absorb the blast of a nuclear weapon are just
a regular weekday for this hero, even if it's only the voice of the scientist in his head
that's giving him direction.
Storm Her power might not be as immediately gratifying
as Cyclops', but Ororo Munroe's mastery of nature makes her one of the most determined
Omega-Level Mutants ever written. It isn't just the weather, either: the comics have
shown Storm doing everything from changing humidity in the air around the world, launching
concentrated lightning strikes, hailstorms, gusts of hurricane wind capable of granting
her flight, and Storm is one movie heroine who deserves a far better role than she got.
Superman We couldn't leave the Man of Steel out in
the cold, since he's easily DC's biggest icon, and a representative of comics as a whole.
By now, nobody needs to be told how his alien skin renders him bulletproof to most attacks
- except magical - or how he flies from one emergency to the next. But no matter how busy
or convoluted his stories have been over the years, it's hard to argue the charm of a Greek
demigod like Superman in our midst.
The Flash It might sound like running really fast would
get old quickly, but Barry Allen's comic book powers are on another level. When you have
the superhuman speed to casually stroll past almost-frozen people beside you, it's hard
to think of a superpower that couldn't just be faked using the same strategy. But that
was before Barry Allen realized he had the speed to travel to distant worlds, or even
back in time. And for all the muscles and alien physiology to choose from, a hero who
can rewrite time in the blink of an eye is as powerful as they come.
Doctor Strange Imagine if Harry Potter was a grown man, and
well-trained in martial arts? Now picture it a whole lot cooler, and you've got a rough
idea of why Doctor Stephen Strange is basically just that. Having learned the ways of mystic
magic, martial arts, and claimed the title of 'Sorcerer Supreme' for himself, it's true
that Strange relies on amulets and symbols for power, not his powers or mutation. But
he's been referred to as the most powerful human on Earth - so magic wands, necklaces,
or orbs aside, Strange is the heavyweight hitter of Marvels' supernatural side. Here's
hoping it makes it to the big screen soon.
Those are some of the most powerful superheroes from Marvel and DC that we love, but which
ones have we missed? Let us know in the comments, and remember to subscribe to our channel for
more video like this one.