Sometimes, you just need to give them a chance! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for unpopular comic characters that gained lots of fans. Beware of minor spoilers ahead.
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00:00 "Does it make it easier for you to think that my little dip in his fountain of youth turned me rabid?"
00:05 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for unpopular comic characters that gained lots of fans.
00:12 Beware of minor spoilers ahead.
00:14 "Good job, guy."
00:16 "Yeah. Yeah, you too."
00:18 The main man wasn't always a main attraction.
00:23 For starters, even his co-creator Keith Giffen had little love for him.
00:28 "I don't know you, but I'm pretty sure I don't like you."
00:31 "Good instinct. His name's Lobo. He's a low-life bounty hunter."
00:35 "The main man happens to be the best bounty hunter in the known universe!"
00:39 Lobo was a loudmouth, vain, obnoxious jerk when he first showed up in Omega Men.
00:44 And that was the whole point.
00:45 He was meant to be a parody of Edgy Brutes, a dumb lug who never should have been anything more than a joke.
00:51 "Come on, Green Log John! Let me out of here so I can go upside your head!"
00:56 But after a while, his reckless attitude and penchant for violence started generating fans.
01:01 Nowadays, he's appeared in comics, shows, games, and more.
01:06 There's even speculation of Jason Momoa playing him in the DCU.
01:10 It looks like the last Czarnian is going to be everybody's main man soon.
01:14 "I'm going to grind you into paste!"
01:17 "Awful brave talk for a dead man."
01:22 "Grab the muddy guy's bucket or face the wrath of Squirrel Girl!"
01:28 Standing as one of Marvel's most powerful and quirkiest characters,
01:33 this unlikely hero has helped vanquish big bads like Doctor Doom and even Thanos.
01:38 But she didn't exactly fare well with people at first.
01:41 When she debuted in the early 90s, she was considered a joke both by fans and even superheroes.
01:47 "So you're saying Squirrel Girl shouldn't be on the list?"
01:50 "I mean, she has squirrel powers, but seriously, squirrel powers? I don't see her making it."
01:55 But if you're someone who can topple Marvel's heaviest hitters with only squirrels and a can-do attitude,
02:00 then you've more than earned our respect.
02:02 Her comic book series became a hit in 2015.
02:05 It even cracked the top 10 of the New York Times Best Sellers list in September of that year.
02:10 While Squirrel Girl may still have a few detractors, her loyal fan base continues to grow.
02:16 "You might think you're a hero, but that doesn't make you one."
02:18 "Of course it does! I'm your friendly neighborhood Squirrel Girl!"
02:22 Number 8. Deadshot
02:24 "If you want to live another century or two, hand over the card."
02:28 This deadly character is recognized today as one of the DC Universe's premier contract killers.
02:34 His bad skills are often put to slightly better use for Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad.
02:39 Despite Deadshot's notoriety, he didn't exactly strike fear in his first iteration.
02:43 "Deadshot'll be your team leader."
02:45 "I told you before, Waller. I don't take orders from murderers."
02:49 "Not even if I said please?"
02:52 In his earliest appearances, he wore just a suit and tie, a top hat, and an eye mask.
02:58 While it was a bold fashion choice, it didn't help him resonate with readers.
03:02 It wouldn't be until Detective Comics #474 that a slick redesign and attitude adjustment
03:08 made him into the icon we now know and love.
03:10 While Deadshot may not always be a good guy, his flexible moral code and accurate skills
03:16 make him a fun wild card in any story.
03:19 "Right now, we're just playing poker, and I've got the wild card."
03:23 "Well, that makes me feel a lot better."
03:26 Number 7. Artemis
03:28 "You know, Artemis, I found myself saying a little prayer for you last night."
03:31 "Did you, Diana? How kind."
03:34 Before we go any further, we want to make it clear that we're not talking about the awesome Archer.
03:39 The Artemis we're focusing on infamously beat the world's most famous Amazon in a competition
03:44 and then became Wonder Woman.
03:46 Coming out of nowhere and ripping the iconic mantle from Diana kicked the horn in its nest, to say the least.
03:52 "I could have shot her in the leg. Not near an artery, of course."
03:55 "You are the soul of thoughtfulness, Artemis."
03:57 But when she was reintroduced during DC's Rebirth initiative, she got a much-deserved second chance.
04:03 She became an integral and beloved part of Red Hood's Outlaws team.
04:08 Sparks even flew between her and Red Hood, leading to arguably one of the former Robins' most popular romances.
04:14 In the end, Artemis started being beloved once DC kept her far from the Wonder Woman moniker.
04:20 "Alexa, you bring yet more disgrace to our family. This time, I will ensure that you stay dead."
04:26 Number 6. Ben Reilly
04:28 "Ben, I need you-" "Sorry, I can't talk right now. I'm thinking about my past."
04:33 "Actually, we need you here for some reason."
04:35 "That was a particularly harrowing memory."
04:38 If you were following Spider-Man for years, and Marvel suddenly told you that your beloved web-slinger wasn't actually the real Spider-Man, you'd probably be furious.
04:47 But anyone who's heard Ben Reilly's name before knows this pain all too well.
04:52 This character was introduced as a clone of Peter Parker.
04:55 However, everything was turned on its head for an infamous storyline.
04:59 During the Clone Saga, it was revealed that Peter Parker was actually a clone of Ben Reilly.
05:05 "He discovered that, according to our genetic structures, it might be Peter who was the clone, not me."
05:11 "That news pushed Peter Parker over the edge. Now he hated me with a passion."
05:15 "This is starting to sound like a bad comic book plot."
05:18 This retcon was loathed by fans.
05:20 Once Marvel moved away from the Clone Saga and did some more retcons, Ben got to become a popular new hero called the Scarlet Spider.
05:28 There's a lesson to be learned. Sometimes, you just gotta do your own thing.
05:32 "But next time, just knock. You're always welcome here, Ben."
05:36 Number 5. Guy Gardner
05:38 "Guy Gardner." "What are you doing here?"
05:41 "Apparently rescuing you."
05:43 "We don't need no rescuing. I could've got us out any time."
05:46 In the infinite multiverse, there's few people who can rock a bowl cut.
05:50 And we're still not entirely sure if Guy Gardner is one of them.
05:54 But we can confirm that he beat the odds to become a fan favorite.
05:58 Guy was originally nothing more than an obnoxious musclehead that played second fiddle to more popular lanterns.
06:05 "Wait a minute. Who died and left you in charge?"
06:08 "I put myself in charge. Got a problem with that?"
06:11 "Yeah, I do."
06:13 It arguably wasn't until the legendary Justice League International run from the 80s that Guy's abrasiveness finally became endearing.
06:20 He went from someone people hated, to a hero who fans love to hate, to someone people genuinely loved.
06:26 While the Green Lanterns have always been an ensemble act, Guy's managed to cement himself as one of the Corps' best cadets.
06:33 "You didn't think I was above fighting dirty, did you?"
06:40 Number 4. Mr. Freeze
06:42 This may sound cold-blooded, but ridiculous gimmicks and horrible puns used to be the norm for Mr. Freeze.
06:48 "What killed the dinosaurs?"
06:51 "Guy's age!"
06:53 For a long time, he was in the category of joke characters like Calendar Man and Kite Man.
06:59 But while they would all get fun reinventions later, Mr. Freeze is the only one who can brag about having an Emmy Award winning origin story.
07:07 The Heart of Ice episode from Batman the Animated Series changed the game for Mr. Freeze forever.
07:13 During the story, we learn that Freeze had a terminally ill wife who he was desperately trying to save.
07:19 "Laura!"
07:21 "My God."
07:24 "Yes, it would move me to tears if I still had tears to shed."
07:31 His tragic backstory and striking new design made viewers flock to him.
07:36 Ever since Freeze's reinvention, he's been a DC staple and one of Batman's greatest foes.
07:41 "Think of it, Batman. To never again walk on a summer's day with a hot wind in your face and a warm hand to hold."
07:51 Number 3. Aquaman
07:53 "It is I, Aquaman, son of Atlan, heir to the throne of-"
07:58 "Oh, to you."
07:59 If there were ever a character who would benefit the most from a strong PR firm, it'd have to be Aquaman.
08:06 On paper, this guy should have been a fan-favorite superhero right from the very start.
08:10 He was a founding member of the Justice League and also, you know, the freaking King of Atlantis.
08:16 Yet, despite the stacked resume, Aquaman was always the butt of jokes to people.
08:21 "Hey, there's a YMCA pool down the street!"
08:23 "Oh, yeah, yeah, just throw saltwater fish into a chlorinated pool. Water's water, I guess. Come on!"
08:32 They laughed at his ability to talk to aquatic life and his admittedly not-so-impressive costume.
08:37 However, numerous overhauls like Peter David's 90s revamp, Jeff Johns' New 52 reboot, and Jason Momoa's movie portrayals
08:45 eventually altered fans' perceptions.
08:47 The tides have finally turned in Aquaman's favor.
08:51 "I am the protector of the demon. I am Aquaman."
09:00 Number 2. Jason Todd
09:02 "Hard to forget that night, huh? In a way, Batman, this was the site of your first great failure.
09:08 Maybe your greatest, but certainly not your last, right?"
09:12 There's characters that fans don't like, and then there's characters that fans detest so much
09:17 that they actually manage to get them killed off.
09:20 That's what happened to Jason Todd.
09:22 Initially, he was considered to be a poor imitation of Dick Grayson.
09:26 "We needed him. He would have talked, but you put him into shock."
09:31 "Sorry. That was dumb. But he deserved it."
09:36 There was so much animosity towards him that DC readers voted for him to die.
09:41 But after he was resurrected as Red Hood decades later, fans latched on to his reckless attitude.
09:47 Jason was now seen as a cool character with great fighting skills and a good foil for Batman.
09:53 Admittedly, he wasn't the only disliked Robin.
09:56 Fans didn't take too kindly to Damian Wayne initially either,
09:59 but Jason's meteoric rise from hated sidekick to celebrated antihero made him a dark legend.
10:05 "I don't know what clouded your judgment worse, your guilt or your antiquated sense of morality."
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10:26 Number one, Miles Morales.
10:29 "I thought I was the only one." "You're like me." "I don't want to be." "I don't think you have a choice, kiddo."
10:35 After Peter Parker died on Earth 1610, Brian Michael Bendis created a new Spider-Man, Miles Morales.
10:42 He made history as the first Afro-Latino web slinger.
10:46 Unfortunately, the decision got a lot of unwarranted backlash from those who felt like it was just a publicity stunt.
10:53 But those initial complaints never derailed this web head's popularity.
10:57 He quickly grew to be a fan favorite in the comments.
11:00 Within a decade of his introduction, he reached even higher heights by starring in an Oscar award winning film.
11:07 "Miles? Spider-Man?" "Wow, Miles! You're doing it on command!" "It's about time, right?" "Miles!" "Look who it is!" "You figured it out."
11:16 "I love you. I am so proud of you."
11:19 Miles is now one of the most popular heroes in the Marvel Universe, and then some.
11:23 Instead of just being compared to Peter Parker, he's now seen as a hero who fully swung out of the main web head's shadow.
11:30 "My name is Miles Morales. I was bitten by a radioactive spider, and for like two days, I've been the one and only Spider-Man. I think you know the rest."
11:39 Is there a beloved character with a turbulent past that we missed? Let us know in the comments.
11:44 "I'm Spider-Man. I'm not the only one."
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11:56 [outro music]