r/hulk • u/thefulsometoetoise • 1d ago
General The masses have now forgotten about hulk
I've seen this all over people are replacing the hulk with iron man and it makes me so sad to see before the mcu he was easily in these conversations
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u/EmmaFrosts-Husband 1d ago
As a huge Hulk fan. He is not in the big four of Superheroes.
He is absolutely a foundation of Marvel and is in the Marvel Trinity, but not the big four of Superheroes as a whole.
The big four is not about "how popular" they are. It's about cultural impact.
Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Wonder Woman have huge cultural impacts.
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u/Created_Jxnior 1d ago
It’s such a simple concept and yet everybody and their mother keeps thinking that the Rushmore is a popularity contest. It’s just like you said, it’s about how much impact the characters have had on comic books as a whole, and no characters have had near as much impact as the DC trinity and Spider-Man.
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u/SomeBoxofSpoons 1d ago
Fact of the matter is that the DC universe had about a 20-year head start on the Marvel universe as we currently know it.
Naturally, that means the most "foundational" superheroes heavily skew towards DC.
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u/Impressive-Thing-780 1d ago
And yet Spider-Man sits right up there with them.
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u/JMPHeinz57 1d ago
Spider-Man is Marvel’s “lightning in a bottle”, it’s honestly insane how quickly he’s grown in cultural impact and seems to only keep getting more popular.
Heck, I’d argue that the last ten years have been his golden age in media. I don’t think you can say the same for any other 60+ year old comic character. I’ll be honest in that I’m biased, he’s my favorite fictional character, but the point stands regardless.
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u/Conlannalnoc Joe Fixit 1d ago
Peter was the first Kid HERO, not a Sidekick.
15 and NO MENTOR (or Adult Form)
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u/Pitiful-Local-6664 1d ago
I think Iron Man should be #4 these days.
The MCU did wonders for his cultural clout. No offense to Wonder Woman but she hasn't been culturally relevant in a while. I know more little girls who love Ghost Spider than I do who love WW
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u/EmmaFrosts-Husband 1d ago edited 1d ago
How is Iron Man culturally influential other than memes?
What has he actually changed the culture?
We're not talking about a popularity contest, the big four are characters who have made meaningful change in comics and other mediums.
Wonder Woman is the reason we have female superheroes. Back in the old days before Wonder Woman they didn't want Women in superhero comics other than as a love interest. Her character is deeply tied to feminism.
Without Wonder Woman, there would be no She Hulk, Black Widow, Supergirl, Storm, Invisible Woman, Jean Grey, Emma Frost etc.
That's half some of the most popular superheroes in Dc and Marvel.
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u/EmmaFrosts-Husband 1d ago edited 1d ago
Okay? How is that relevant to the comic medium?
As I said the big four are influential in the comic medium. The mcu is the superhero genre in the movie medium
Sure Iron man was the first superhero movie in a cinematic universe but he wasn't the first superhero movie or even the first popular superhero movie.
Superman is the grandfather of Superheroes, he has influenced any different characters like Shazam, Homelander, Omniman, The Plutonian, Hyperion, Gladiator.
Wonder Woman is the reason we have female superheroes on a larger scale, she wasn't the first female superhero but she was the most popular and because of her success, other creators decided to make more Jean Grey, Invisible Woman, Black Canary. Her character was deeply associated with women's representation and feminism.
Spider-Man showed that not all Superheroes had to be grown up, that the average unknown could be a superheroes rather than a sidekick and the Death of Gwen Stacy is classed as the Death of the Silver Age within comics. Comics became darker because of it.
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u/themoosic Green Scar 1d ago
I mean the big four thing is stupid in general; you cannot limit the cultural influence of superheroes to four characters, that’s stupid. If we’re going off cultural impact of superheroes on society; Iron Man would probably beat over Wonder Woman. On Comics, Wonder Woman beats him. But it’s not like the X-Men and Back Panther didn’t have some major impacts on the American Civil Rights movement. Captain America was huge during WW2 and had a major cultural influence then. Superman kicked off the Silver Age, Batman is holding DC comics in the mainstream with his recent popular runs
Fuck the big four as AN IDEA, I spit in the faces of those who abide by it. To debate the four greatest heroes on cultural influence is beyond stupid, the answer changes greatly within the different subcultures that enjoy comics, let alone the different CULTURES that enjoy comics.
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u/Ambitious-Pirate-505 1d ago
You cant be a huge Hulk fan and not say he has had a cultural impact.
Hulking out?
Hulkamania.
Multiple cartoons.
2 feature films.
Comics regularly in the top 5 of Marvel.
Outselling Wonder Woman often.
You are either being disingenuous or you are trolling.
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u/EmmaFrosts-Husband 1d ago
I never said Hulk didn't have a cultural impact.
I said the big four is for characters who have had HUGE cultural impacts, they're character who have changed the medium of comics as a whole.
The big four isn't a popularity contest.
Wonder Woman is why we have female superheroes, her Character is deeply tied to the feminist movement.
Spider-Mans death of gwen stacy is literally classed as the death of the silver age of comics.
Superman is the grandfather of Superheroes and has inspired many comic characters and comic book stories.
I'm not being disingenuous, I literally said that Hulk is the Marvel Trinity. If I was truly "disingenuous" then I'd say that "iron man, Thor and cap" are the Marvel Trinity which MCU fans keep saying.
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u/ChocolateThunderPie 1d ago
Is the marvel trinity Spider-man, hulk, and Wolverine? Im just curious cuz thats who id probably vote for.
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u/EmmaFrosts-Husband 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes.
Comic Trinity's are based on foundation/popularity within their respective universes.
Hulk, Wolverine and Spider-Man are deeply influential characters in the Marvel Universe.
They are also characters who have made Marvel the most money throughout the decades.
There comics are super popular with fans and have influenced clones within their universe.
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u/Oppai-Of-Foom 1d ago
And now which part of that gets over being a real world ambassador for women and girls for the real world United Nations
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u/sgtfan2005 1d ago
I don’t include hulk up there for one reason, even as a hulk fan.
The big four is for superheroes who were incredibly important and influential for the comic industry. Wonder Woman deserves to be up there for the fact she was one of the first female superheroes of all time. Superman is the standard for all superheroes, do I need to say anything about Batman, and Spiderman is pretty much marvels most popular character.
Hulk is popular but influential? not to the extent of the others.
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u/Twisty1020 1d ago
It's interesting how Spawn never gets mentioned when he probably has equal if not more impact on the comics industry.
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u/Ata-14042548 1d ago
Mfs will look you dead in the eyes and tell you the greatest superheroine of all time should’ve been replaced with iron man and expect you to not look at them crazy
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u/No-Hovercraft-4277 18h ago
I think it’s just because the gap between 5th and 6th place is just so huge. It’s obv superman batman spiderman as the top 3, then a gap, then wonder woman, then a gap, then iron man, then a much much LARGER gap, then everyone else
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u/Alphajurassic 1d ago
I think a hero’s popularity needs to be looked at through two lenses: their popularity among comic readers and their recognition among general audiences. Those aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Iron Man had been a staple of Marvel’s comic universe for decades before the films. He had an established readership and memorable stories, like Demon in a Bottle, while his role in Civil War made him more divisive. The films didn’t create his relevance, but they massively expanded his audience and turned him into one of Marvel’s biggest mainstream stars.
I’d argue Wonder Woman was considerably more recognisable to the general public before the MCU. She was already a cultural icon and arguably the most famous female superhero. But that recognition didn’t automatically translate into comic sales that consistently rivalled Batman or Spider-Man. The same applies to Iron Man.
Where I’d draw the distinction is how much the films changed their standing. Wonder Woman’s first film was a huge success, so it would be unfair to say it did nothing for her. But Iron Man’s rise was more transformative: Wonder Woman brought an established mainstream icon to the big screen, while the MCU turned Iron Man into a household name.
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u/darkmoonfirelyte 1d ago
DC's Trinity came about in large part because after World War II, when superhero comics went into a sales decline and were steadily replaced with Western comics (for instance, All Star Comics became All Star Western for a stretch from 1951 to 1961), only three superheroes sold well enough to continue their books through this phase: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Everyone else was phased out, and after the Western era ended, newer versions of many were introduced. This is the split that caused the Golden Age / Silver Age.
Spider-man, meanwhile, is included as he's the single best selling superhero. He sells well, he's beloved, he can launch universes... Any discussion of the "greatest" superheroes has to include him, by pretty much any metric.
So, yes, this image is correct. From a perspective of sales, and from cultural impact since the Golden Age of Comics, these are the heroes you point to.
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u/DocApocalypse 1d ago
Spidey also broke the mold: he's young but not a teen sidekick, brought in a ton of soap opera elements that DC didn't have, the ambivalent/hostile attitude of the public towards him, etc. He's also the most iconic full mask hero.
He even effectively spawned Super Sentai/Power Rangers through the Japanese tv show with Leopardon, so he's influential beyond just American media.
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u/darkmoonfirelyte 1d ago
Yeah, there have been discussions about how Spidey is a character that anyone can imagine themselves as since he's full masked and suited. Most superheroes you can see their skin, at least a little bit, so you know what color they are, how old they are, etc. But with Spidey most of the time you can imagine yourself in the suit no matter what you look like. Spidey is special.
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u/Advanced-Past-7340 1d ago
Iron man was hardly a popular comic or even super hero until the marvel movies.
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u/No-Sheepherder3929 1d ago
And? His influence in the past 20 years puts him up with the best. Hes earned it, even if it was a shorter amount of time. The MCU almost exclusively contributed to the most successful era of the Superhero genre and Iron Man was its protagonist.
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u/Advanced-Past-7340 1d ago
Nope.
Iron man is no where on the same level on any other type of media as Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, fantastic four, Xmen, etc.
There’s literally decades of comics, shows, video games and books that put most heroes above iron man.
Remove Robert Downey Jr and iron man is once again irrelevant.
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u/CREEKYHINGES 1d ago
Except now Iron Man is a household name thanks to the MCU it’s like removing Batman’s parents being killed and suddenly nobody gives a shit about a guy dressing up as a bat.
Times change and now a lot of people when they hear marvel think of Iron Man first, not all some and that’s thanks to the movies
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u/pokemonbatman23 1d ago
20 years is still tiny compared to the rest having 50+yrs of comic dominance
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u/ihateratz 1d ago
Mcu is like 20 years old now my guy. It’s kinda irrelevant to bring up that iron man was a B list Hero 25. Years ago
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u/Budget_Ask7277 1d ago
another day, another dude saying iron man was just some random d-lister before the movies
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u/ZeroQuick 1d ago
During the big 90s DC vs Marvel crossover, Iron Man had fallen so low he only appeared once in a splash page.
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u/OstrichRacer2021 1d ago
Dude, Iron Man was lame as hell in the 90s. His best story is about him being an alcoholic. His Rogue's gallery sucks.
He is so incredibly mid in the comic books. War Machine was 100 times cooler than Iron Man back in the day.
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u/MistahBill 1d ago
People always so quick to knock wonder woman off even though she's arguably the most impactful on the list
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u/black_pigeon_ 1d ago
Hulk and Tony are not near the overall Superhero Big Four. Its BEEN The Trinity and Spidey
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u/Think-Avocado8202 1d ago
Can that opinion in the image be somewhat misoginy-driven?
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u/OH_SHIT_IM_FEELIN_IT 1d ago
Judging by the tone of the comment it is 100 percent because she's a female character.
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u/Fucked-to-fit 1d ago edited 1d ago
Not really, Wolverine and iron man are just far more iconic to most people because of the Fox movies and the MCU
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u/Think-Avocado8202 1d ago
Surely in the last 20 years, you’re right. But as a whole, Wonder Woman has been more iconic, specially taking into account the representation of women she has given and still possesses. She even had a very popular tv series in the 70s and has been a core member of DC and the Justice League for a long time. And you can’t take away the misogynistic criteria that’s used in the post’s opinion. No need for that person to be so dismissive and rude (not OP btw).
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u/Leading_Elk9454 1d ago
Not to mention our most recent wonder woman has some of the worst and most memed on performances in not only superhero media, but also all of cinema.
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u/Hefty_Environment_40 1d ago
I don’t think hulk was ever as popular as these characters. I’d say he’s arguably 5th. The live action television show helped the characters notoriety with the masses.
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u/Mysterious-Post-5816 18h ago
Media representation matters,
man Oh gosh I love Hulk so much, my favorite movie is: Oh, wait, lemme think oh wait no not that one, ooh not that one, either.
BECAUSE HE HAS NO GREAT MOVIE(S).
Meanwhile Iron man has a worldwide loved one of the best on screen character arc(s) throughout 15-20 movie film saga.
(same could be said for Captain America, but Iron Man's was just better because he was more of the focus, so its the same arguments except Iron Man excels)
Wolverine has an actor across multiple generations, who is loved, has a peak narrative ending, then has another version who had a team up movie with another beloved character and the 2 were great together, and it was a great movie to show more of this actor as the character. (+ that's one of Marvel's only few movies post covid to make $1bil+)
So, yeah it matters the media representation. You could say this means WW doesn't belong, but I think even if you forget about media representation then it should be WW, then after those 4 maybe Hulk.
But if you apply my rules WW shouldn't be here, because similar to Hulk, she has not had enough good media representation.
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u/Simple_Vegetable2567 15h ago edited 14h ago
Media means more than just live action, respectfully.
Edit- Added respectfully. Reading my comment back it sounded hella rude and that wasn’t my intention.
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u/YesterdayOrnery1726 15h ago
People don't understand how things change. Iron Man may or may not have been a D-lister before Marvel (don't ask me, idk), but he's legit one of the most popular supes of all time; I can't even name a Wonder Woman villain other than Cheetah. The MCU is much bigger in popularity and has more people who've seen it than the comics. The Avengers: Doomsday trailer got 500 million views in one day, more than the best-selling Marvel comic of all time (X-Men 1)
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u/Mac_Magic 11h ago
Ok, but its not easy to name an iron man villain because of the movies either. He's famous because his role as an avenger, not solo.
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u/YesterdayOrnery1726 11h ago
he didnt even start out as an avenger in the mcu. also, i specifically named not being able to name a wonderwoman villain because thats one of a heroes most popular things, i know it may seem a little hypocritical that i didnt bring this up for iron man, but he still was a D lister before the MCU, so it makes sense why no one would know it.
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u/Mac_Magic 11h ago
I know he didn't start out as an avenger xd. I said he is MOST known for his role in the avengers which is true.
And you're right. He is super famous now, I won't deny it obviously, but wonder woman definitely has most known villains. Ares, Cheeta, Circe, etc. While not all of them are in movies, they still show up in a ton of shows, games, comics, etc.
And to be clear I don't think neither of them should be on the big 4, because each has their own shortcomings.
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u/YesterdayOrnery1726 11h ago
I personally think neither of them should be in the big 4 as well, it would be wolverine or hulk for me ngl.
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u/SeriousGreaze 3h ago
In defence of Wonder Woman she was never on there for having good content more because she pioneered the way for female superhero genre as a whole.
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u/RMP321 1d ago
The fourth spot goes to several characters, it’s not really cut and dry. Hulk will always remain a contender given how many of his books are considered classics to the super hero genre.
If he could get a big film or even game out that people loved then more people would consider him for the spot. But the mount Rushmore thing is already a stupid practice anyway. Heroes are going to ebb and flow in popularity no matter what.
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u/ShegoTheygo 1d ago
I remember when I was a kid and Spider-Man, hulk, and wolverine were the big three of marvel. I miss when that was the case
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u/SenpaiSwanky 1d ago
Nah, that layout is gold and Hulk doesn’t go up there. MCU has sort of made marvel fans forget this stuff imo.
Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman are absurdly popular. The only reason Spider-Man is even up here instead of a fourth DC rep is because Spider-Man is the most popular superhero on the entire planet. If Thor, Captain America, Iron Man aren’t already on this list, Hulk definitely is not.
Every other example, Marvel falls short compared to DC. X-Men deserve their own bracket imo, because a large portion of their popularity is from a time when they were technically separate from Marvel. Many early live action movies and the 90’s animated series (I think) are good examples.
There’s also no X-Men rep in any modern Avengers Movie, even though Wolverine for example is technically part of the Avengers in some stories. X-Men also have their own massive dedicated group, with lore that spans years as well as a changing/ rotating cast of characters. I’d like to see a list of 4 of the most popular X-Men.
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u/jpowell180 1d ago
Yeah, we have not seen the Hulk in ages, the last time we saw him was in Spider-Man: brand new Day, which has been quite a while ago…
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u/Adventurous-Map-259 1d ago
The 4th spot is always getting debated and hulk is defo brought up often. I personally think its wolv but hulk is a good candidate too and would put over ww.
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u/ImaLetItGo 1d ago edited 1d ago
If the 4th spot is a debate then there’s no such thing as a Big four, only a big 3. (Which makes sense because it’s only purpose is to farm engagement and rage bait)
But really spider man is on a whole new level at this point…
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u/SpecificLow4105 1d ago
No wolverine without hulk my man, plus I’d argue hulk is more popular with non comic fans 🙌🏼
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u/BraveToasted1 1d ago
No disrespect to Wonder Woman but can someone explain why she’s considered big 4?
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u/Ata-14042548 1d ago
She is the greatest superheroine of all time that’s why
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u/CalmSun7903 1d ago
I don’t even know one of her villains. Not a single one.
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u/klaguerre97 1d ago
Respectfully the same exact thing could be said about Iron-Man pre MCU and even still they are particularly forgettable. Not the best baseline here.
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u/GobulFan3000 1d ago
No she isn't. She gets it purely by coasting on her golden age status and being perceived to be the first female superhero - really a lot of it in pop culture actually comes down to Lynda Carter. She's absolutely not the greatest superheroine though. Plenty of Marvel and DC ladies have significantly better stuff than she does,
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u/themoosic Green Scar 1d ago
One of the first popular female superheroes, she hasn’t had many break out modern runs (excluding absolute Wonder Woman) recently which is why her seat is so debated
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u/The_Beyond_Resident 1d ago
It has to do with how long she’s been published. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman have been continuously published since they were first created whereas Human Torch, Namor, and maybe Captain America have not. And because she’s been published so long, she’s stuck around in the public eye, more so than other characters that have been around for that same time period
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u/Oppai-Of-Foom 1d ago
She’s the very foundation of women in superhero comics. She’s the bedrock the same way Superman is the bedrock of superheroes period.
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u/LazerXtreme 1d ago
She’s always been a huge staple of DC’s lore and was literally the foundation/blueprint for every female superhero yet to come, while also introducing magic/mythology to the background of comic characters
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u/AlarmingLifeguard144 1d ago
she is the woman superhero, she may not be as popular as others but she set the groundwork for women heroes and she is still to this day the go-to female superhero, nothing in marvel or dc come close to wonder woman
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u/South_Buy_3175 1d ago
Because “Big Four” means something different to everyone and for some it needs to have a woman superhero and WW is probably the most well known and culturally important
Realistically though “Big Four” means the most popular regardless of gender, so it’s either Hulk or Wolverine in place of WW.
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u/Blaze14192008 1d ago
Bro be so serious hulk ain’t that popular anymore
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u/Additional_Style9054 1d ago
You are buggin, people were screaming at the top of their lungs in my theater for Spider-Man brand new day when Savage Hulk came back, Hulk will always be popular
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u/Blaze14192008 1d ago
Yeah popular sure but big 4 worthy I don’t think so
He’s not as big as we was in the 90s unlike Batman and Spiderman who have gotten bigger since
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u/Additional_Style9054 17h ago
First you say “be serious Hulk ain’t that popular anymore” and then say yeah popular but big 4 worthy I don’t think so, I’m not debating if Hulk should be in the 4th spot or not but saying he ain’t that popular anymore is just a ridiculous statement, most people in the world who don’t know anything about comics know the Hulk
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u/CREEKYHINGES 1d ago
Yeah I agree I think it’s more fun if each person has their own big four of comics for me it would be Batman and Superman because they are instantly two of the most well known but also two of the very first heroes I was introduced to growing up.
The there’s Iron Man on if my first favourites and who I played constantly in Lego Marvel Superheroes with the last spot going to either Spider-man or Ben ten. I know Ben isn’t really a comic hero at least not until recently but he had a massive culture impact for being ‘the hero of heroes’
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u/Anti-Venom121299 1d ago
Objectively the big four are spiderman superman batman and wonder woman for all of comics and media in general. For just marvel its spiderman hulk wolverine and probably iron man or maybe thor for just dc its superman batman wonder woman and the flash or green lantern.
Yes Objectively wonder woman is on the top 4 of superheroes in media as a whole because she is literally the superman of female heroes as in the grandmother of heroines. Superman is literally the gold if not platinum standard for all modern superheroes and superhero media in general without him we wouldn't have everyone else. Batman is one of the most influential characters of all time just behind superman for how he has changed media itself and made dark brooding heroes with tragic backstories far more common. Spiderman is up there because he is also as influential as the others with how relatable he was before they butchered him and his stories in the early 2000s.
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u/Zombie_lover69420 21h ago
Do ppl forget how important wonder woman is? Istg it's out of ignorance or misogyny ppl say she doesn't belong.
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u/SeriousGreaze 3h ago
Let’s not lie Wonder Woman is cheeks HOWEVER I agree she’s a pioneer for female superhero’s and an icon.
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u/FeelingMaintenance29 1d ago
Superman batman spiderman or no doubt the most popular. Not even close. A fourth is prolly hulk. Hulk is big time popular. And he is also a really good character and is very relatable. And has a tragic kinda story hes great. If not hulk its iron man. Kids love Iron man. Massively popular with kids especially with the iron man and friends show. And he is just a very popular character. Idk if wonder woman is even the most popular female character. I mean she is one of them but it seems like recently Gwen has been trending hard and also storm. And captain marvel. And ms. Marvel. Although obviously wonder woman is the more classic character for sure and is the quintessential female superhero. But I dont think anywhere close to as popular as hulk or iron man. Also prolly doesnt have as memorable or well known stories or covers or series. Tbh.
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u/biomeat 1d ago
Wolverine*
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u/FeelingMaintenance29 1d ago
Yup I thought about him also. Tons of popularity tons of classic covers. A few video games. Great comic series with classic stories. So yeah I would agree you could also put wolverine in there. Hell the flash would prolly be before her possibly. Arguably. Maybe not. But you wouldnt be crazy to suggest it.
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u/OscarMichaelMyers 1d ago
There is no big four. It’s just the big three. Wonder Woman is nowhere near Superman, Batman, or Spider-Man in exposure or popularity
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u/Dismal-Refuse6987 1d ago
Hulk is the definition of superhero. “Don’t make me made, or I turn green”. It was something every kid wanted and loved.
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u/Senshado 1d ago
It's a category for superheroes, and for a lot of his early major stories the Incredible Hulk wasn't one of those. He was a menacing monster, without the motivation for heroics.
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u/bermass86 1d ago
The brand is the most recognizable, out of all of those you are saying, she’s the 5th most published super hero of all time. It’s not about sales here, just because doesn’t want to take a chance with her in regards of animation and movies doesn’t mean she’s not popular or known
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u/CaffeineWizard420 1d ago
I still remember when the big four of Marvel was Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, and the Thing. With their occasional tag along being Ghost Rider.
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u/Slight_Message_8373 1d ago
I agree jolly green is definitely ahead of wolvy and especially iron man in the list of rushmore contenders
However, it's hard to put him over diana.
If you were to exclude wonder woman, it'd be due to ww "downscaling" (in terms of significance), rather than anyone else actually being above where wonder woman fans (very reasonably) claim she's at in terms of influence
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u/Ecstatic_Dance5767 1d ago
Superman, Spider-Man, Spawn, Hellboy. The real big four of comics. DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse.
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u/Conlannalnoc Joe Fixit 1d ago
HULK ISN’T IN THE BIG FOUR!
HULK IS IN THE NEW FANTASTIC FOUR!
So is Spider-Man by the way.
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u/South_Buy_3175 1d ago
Hulks still super popular and easily recognised, they just can’t have solo films.
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u/Tuliao_da_Massa 1d ago
Truth is there is no big 4. Only a big 3.
Nobody gets close to the level of batman, superman and spider man.
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u/CulturedShortKing 1d ago
Wonder Woman was recognized by the United nations at one point. Anyone saying she shouldn't be there is delusional.
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u/pbjWilks 1d ago
ANYONE having a problem with Wonder Woman being up there is weird as fuck.
Deadass.
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u/Timely-Layer6302 1d ago
I think big four is absolutely subjective, and it depends on when/how you’re measuring. I think for golden age heroes with big long-term impacts, it’s probably Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America. Namor was Marvel’s first “superhero”, but he wasn’t the first important or relevant one. Much like Superman, Cap was meant as a statement that was important at the time, and continues to be relevant today.
For the silver and bronze ages, it’s unquestionably the DC trinity and Spider-Man. See, when you lay the foundations for what a superhero is in the first place, AND continue to be relevant and popular, you don’t get knocked of your pedestal pretty much ever. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are foundational to the concept of a superhero, and are individually foundational to different archetypes of superheroes. Sure, these archetypes have branched off into a number of different additional archetypes, but at a foundational level, this holds true. Superman is THE superhero, the super powered golden boy who does the right thing because it’s right. Batman is the non-powered human doing what he can and somehow keeping up. He would later become darker and grittier as well, spawning several additional archetypes, but that’s his main thing. And Wonder Woman paved the way for female superheroes in general, and particularly the super powered warrior woman who is a paragon of virtue first and foremost, very similar to Superman.
But just off to the side, you had Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Wolverine, and the Avengers bringing Marvel onto the same playing field as DC.
The Modern Age is where things really start to change, and rapidly so. Marvel and DC both take forays into film and television, but with Nolan’s trilogy, DC gets some real bangers on the board. But then Marvel creates their cinematic universe first, and it’s a smash hit, leaving DC in the dust. DC attempts to skip the line and catch up fast, but falls flat on their faces, only really recovering in the last few years.
I think the modern age is where things shift in Marvel’s favor, putting Iron Man on the board, and bringing back up as well. For the 2010s in particular, the Rushmore is Iron Man, Captain America, Batman, and Spider-Man. Hulk might’ve been up there had Marvel Studios not consistently and severely mishandled him.
Right now it’s harder to say. Superman and Spider-Man are at the top of the heap, and I think Sam Wilson would be as well if not for Marvel botching and underutilizing him like Hulk.
For all of superhero history overall, it’s undoubtedly the DC Trinity and Spider-Man, but I think it’s ridiculous to think they’re the only ones. Cultural context matters a LOT. Hulk, Wolverine, Punisher, the FF, Daredevil, the Flash, Green Lantern, Robin, Cyclops, Storm, Thor, Ghost Rider, Black Panther, Iron Man, and Captain America are all incredibly influential just as, if not (at times) more influential than the DC Trinity and Spider-Man.
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u/iamnotveryimportant 1d ago
Hulk is more deserving than iron man but its still objectively the trinity plus spiderman with hulk and/or wolverine as an honorable mention
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u/Willow1883 1d ago
I think this is entirely accurate based on the last couple of decades. Supes and WW are hanging on by their fingernails, though.
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u/BuddermanTheAmazing 1d ago
The real solution to the Superhero Mount Rushmore is Hulk, Spidey, Wonder Woman, and have a giant mechanism that can swap out Superman and Barman's heads like one of those old Ninja Turtles mutating toys
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u/Acceptable-Box6012 1d ago
Crazy take, hulk is easily big 4 in popularity. As a kid I knew about hulk before any superhero except maybe Batman and he’s one of the most interesting
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u/RIP-Screw 1d ago
I don’t agree with Wonder Woman being there either tbh. She is no where near as popular or influential as those other 3 and never will be. And that is not a bad thing.
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u/mushinjedi 1d ago
Hulk may have more media properties but he does not go above Wonder Woman. She is a bonafide icon. A foundational image that this industry is built on.
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u/IFunnyJoestar 1d ago
This is definitely a cultural impact top 4. If it was a modern day popularity top 4 it'd be Spider-Man, Batman, Wolverine and either Iron Man or Superman.
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u/FluffcakeCHAN 23h ago
Sorry but unfortunately a lot of women aren’t quite fond of the big green angry dude lol, not trying to discredit female hulk fans but I’m more drawn towards Diana, even if Bruce is still a significantly good character. They’re both wonderful and incredible characters, but I think Diana deserves her dues.
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u/Flyingfoigras42 23h ago
If the list top ten most recognizable superheroes Hulk might cut it for being uniquely shaped but culturally important? I think he may barely crack top ten. I'd have Superman, Wonderwoman, Batman and Dick Grayson seperate and both important, Spiderman, Captain America, The Original Xmen, Wolverine, The entire Fantastic Four, Hulk might be tied for tenth with Zorro.
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u/BlueBorbo 22h ago
Hulk is 5 or 6 if anything, he hasn't had as big an impact as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman or Spidey
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u/Kipernip 22h ago
All you really have to do is look up boy super hero room decorations. It's a good bit of Marvel but it's always Spidey. Iron Man, Cap, and Hulk are in the mix as well as Supes and Bats. I would think Wolverine but I don't see much of him.
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u/Nonchalant_Samurai 20h ago
nah, we ain’t forget…. he’s just not up there with the big boys (and girl). he’s apart of marvel’s trinity (spidey, hulk, wolverine) though and that’s about it
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u/N1ghthawk007 19h ago
It’s crazy how ppl disrespect ww so harshly she’s literally THE female superhero I also do wonder what’s the sales for her absolute run compared to iron man’s or wolverine’s current run
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u/cursed_melon 8h ago edited 8h ago
It because comics are targeted towards children and specifically male children, and they happen to like the male heroes more. WW is big but I've never seen a kid play with a WW toy. It's always Superman, Batman, Spiderman or Hulk. I don't think Wonder Woman comes close to them in terms of overall pop culture
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u/Sharpiemancer 12h ago
No hate against Hulk but realistically make me an argument for swapping any of them out?
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u/rug1998 4h ago
Yea Wolverine or hulk. Leave the mcu stuff aside hulk was one of the most iconic superhero’s before 2008
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u/Bi-Han67 4h ago
This isn't "before 2008" anymore. Iron man more is iconic now. Accept it and move on.
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u/rug1998 3h ago
Idk wolverine is still pretty popular. Wolverine just got his own video game release.
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u/Bi-Han67 3h ago
I'm mainly talking about your Hulk comparison. Wolverine is way more iconic than him too now.
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u/BoogieBone_904 4h ago
If we're talking both Marvel & DC my big 4 would be Wolverine, Superman, Hulk & Spider-Man. That's mostly all Marvel 🙃
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u/No_Mistake_6404 4h ago
Big r4 Batman, Superman, Spiderman and probably Wolverine or Iron Man. I know this a Hulk sub but I think we can still be objective
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u/ZombieZekeComic 1d ago
I don’t know how it is in the US, but I’ve never heard of anyone reading WW comics. If you went out on the streets, and asked people to name 5 villains of each of these characters, how many do you think would be able to name WW villains?
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u/LrCranberry 1d ago
i doubt many would be able to name 5 hulk villains beyond abomination and leader
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u/ZombieZekeComic 1d ago
No, I wouldn’t place Hulk in the top 4 either, at least not modern Hulk. Technically, the #4 spot belongs to either the X-Men or Fantastic 4 as a team, not a specific character.
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u/DocApocalypse 1d ago
I'd argue Wolverine (and I'm not a Logan-stan). He's the breakout star from those books and the one who consistently supports solo outings (books, movies, games) and particularly in the 2000s was sometimes getting first billing ahead of the rest of the X-Men. I.e. the Wolverine and the X-Men cartoon, comics and the Fox movies which made him the focus and turned everyone else into supporting characters.
In terms of engaging with stories/knowing the basics of the character I'd probably put the Flash ahead of Diana too (though as an icon she is ahead imo).
Having successful TV shows really helps, the 70s Hulk and Wonder Woman shows are a big part of why those characters are iconic to Boomers/GenX.
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u/ZombieZekeComic 1d ago
I agree with Wolverine, he was everywhere in the 90s and 2000s. Has had long solo runs, has been involved in X-Men, Avengers and even Fantastic Four stuff, and also shows up sporadically in Spidey and Hulk comics.
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u/Sektor-4D4 1d ago
Basing a hero on their villains is a poor argument. Superman has quite a poor roster and most of them are mostly Justice League villains or share with others.
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u/babedar1000 1d ago
I think if you asked people on the street to name comic villains you’d only hear a few Batman ones. With the occasional lex Luthor
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u/Lopsided_Network1248 1d ago
Greg rucka’s Wonder Woman is pretty popular run as well as George Perez. Kelly Thompsons absolute Wonder Woman has been on a tear since its release. No way these runs are popular and people are still using the “can’t name a single Wonder Woman villain” argument.
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u/Reddevil8884 1d ago
I'm sorry but Diana shouldn't be here. She doesn't sell that many books, she doesn't have any tv show adaptation in like 40 years, only her first movie was good, no animated series, her only animated movie was not that good. Heck, even Harley (I don't like her) was selling way more books than her. So, why is she here? She is strong and powerful but that shouldn't be enough.
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u/FadeToBlackSun 1d ago
She's there because she's historically and culturally important.
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u/GapStock9843 1d ago
As much as I hate the lack of woman representation, there are multiple characters with far stronger cases to be here than wonder woman. Id give it to wolverine personally, I dont think hulk is quite well known enough
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u/ConclusionJust1820 1d ago
That's where you're wrong. In the 90's Hulk and Spidey were both considered faces of Marvel. Wolverine was just overused by authors in crossovers. Hulk has been replaced by Wolverine in the mid 2000's because of the Fox movies. And now Iron Man takes it because of the MCU.
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u/No_Interview_3894 1d ago
Wolverine has been popular last few decades Wonder Woman over half a century
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u/SenpaiSwanky 1d ago
Wonder Woman is absolutely meant to be up here. She isn’t just a woman representative, she is one of the most renowned heroes on the planet lol. I get not liking the lack of Marvel characters but this layout is perfect as-is.
You could argue for a separate X-Men tiering altogether. Wolverine is not to Marvel as Wonder Woman is to DC. She is a cornerstone of DC, and unlike Wolverine she is also a pinnacle member of DC’s combined superhero forces, the Justice League.
In general, DC character popularity far outstrips Marvel in the public eye. It’s hard to tell in modern culture because of the MCU, specifically, but these comparisons you’re drawing aren’t the same.
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u/AlphaMikeFoxtrot87 1d ago
This is the fact of it. Wolverine or hulk over WW in the fourth spot. Everybody knows it
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u/Sudowoodo1997 1d ago
Or idk replace her with the dude thats literally Marvel's first Superhero they created and he is also Marvel's equivalent of Superman. Still absolutely criminal how a overrated garbage Spider is more talked about and recognized than a Super Soldier who whole idea is fighting to help others, Captain America is no Superman, but he is The Superman of Marvel💪💪
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u/biomeat 1d ago
Sorry bro Spider-Man is just way more popular. Calling spider-man overrated garbage is dumb. Cap and Spidey are more alike than different. Cap was not Marvel's first either lol that was the Human Torch even when it was Timely comics lol
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u/Vaportrail 1d ago
Which superhero logos have keychains at your local Autozone?
There's your cultural impact.