Marvel has some of the most respected heroes ever created, with the most well-known being the stars of TV, movies, and video games. Their adventures have enthralled audiences for decades, as they battled against intimidating villains and saved the Earth more times than they can count. While many Marvel heroes are run-of-the-mill, there are some pretty strange ones.
Comics have always embraced outlandish concepts. Although the Marvel Universe has always traded in realism and seriousness, that doesn't mean things haven't gotten a little weird over the years. There are plenty of strange Marvel heroes out there, some among the weirdest in comics.
10 The Great Lakes Avengers Are The Weirdest Super Team In The Marvel Universe
The Great Lakes Avengers are one of the most outlandish Marvel teams. Even though they have powerful members, this team of misfits' powers weren't enough for them to join one of the more popular teams. Instead, they united to patrol the Great Lakes region and keep its citizens safe.
Pretty much played for laughs, Mr. Immortal, Dinah Soar, Flatman, Doorman, and Big Bertha weren't exactly ready for the big leagues, but they gave it their all, trying to prove themselves worthy of the Avengers title.
9 Xorn Has A Star For A Head
Introduced during Grant Morrison's seminal New X-Men run, Xorn was meant to be a red herring for Magneto, so fans wouldn't figure out the Mutant Master of Magnetism had joined the group. However, later retcons would reveal that Xorn had a brother who had the same powers as him.
The Xorn brothers' mutations were the same – they had a star inside of their heads and wore iron masks to protect others from the effects. They could both manipulate gravity to create a black hole and were way more powerful than they got credit for.
8 The Strange Thing About The Hulk Is That He's Considered A Hero At All
The Hulk, on the surface, isn't exactly a strange character. However, the weird thing is that characters like him aren't usually considered heroes. Looking at the Hulk's history, it's kind of foolish that he's regarded as a hero at all.
In fact, one needs to look no farther than his first appearance for his creators' opinion of him – they called him the "strangest hero of them all." While others have claimed that title since, it makes him no less weird.
7 Beak Takes The Bird Themed Hero In An Unexpected Direction
Comics have always been full of bird-themed characters – usually majestic birds like hawks or sinister ones like crows. However, rarely was there one based on one of the most populous birds in the world – the chicken. Well, until Grant Morrison hit Marvel, that is. Morrison's New X-Men run went in many weird directions, and one of them turned out to be Beak.
Beak's mutation turned him into a chicken. This transition wasn't great for him, as he wasn't exactly the most attractive person, but he made the best of it. Beak learned how to fly and earned his place with the X-Men.
6 Angel Was Not What She Sounded Like
Yet another Grant Morrison-created mutant that entered the strange heroes scene was Angel. Usually, one would expect someone with her name to have powers more along the lines of the X-Men's first Angel. While she certainly had wings, hers were of a decidedly less angelic form.
Angel's mutation turned her into a human fly – she puked up acid to help her digest food, and she had the wings of a fly. When she got pregnant by Beak, she laid eggs and had children that had the genetics of both chickens and flies. It doesn't get much stranger than that.
5 Eyeboy Was Exactly What He Sounded Like
When it comes to strange Marvel heroes, mutants take the cake. Case in point – Eyeboy. Unlike Angel, Eyeboy was exactly what he sounded like – he's a guy with eyes all over his body. While that's a pretty disturbing visual, he's anything but that – he's a chipper young man, one who always wants to help out and hasn't let his mutation get him down.
Eyeboy can see anything from all directions, and he's even able to detect different kinds of energy. This ability made him perfect in Krakoa when he joined the X-Factor to help them investigate mutant deaths.
4 Maggot's Digestive System Came To Life
Maggot was one of the least-loved '90s X-Men characters. He was lost in the shuffle when creator Scott Lobdell left the Uncanny X-Men, and it took some time for his powers to be revealed. The maggots he was named after were his digestive system come to life; they would eat things, and he would absorb them, gaining superhuman strength.
Maggot's whole schtick was weird and while it was imaginative, people didn't like the character very much. He'd drift in and out of the X-Men for years and is now a rarely seen resident of Krakoa.
3 Squirrel Girl Is One Of The Most Successful Strange Marvel Heroes
On the surface, Squirrel Girl is vaguely ridiculous. Yet, she beat Doctor Doom right off the bat and creators leaned into that, as Squirrel Girl defeated some of the most dangerous villains in the Marvel Universe. Eventually, it was revealed that her abilities allowed her to beat anyone, and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl was born.
Even though her whole gimmick ruins the serious nature of the Marvel Universe, she's a delightful character who fans love. She runs around with squirrels and beats everyone in fights.
2 Deadpool Is One Of The Strangest Mainstream Heroes Of Them All
Deadpool went from being a semi-serious bounty hunter to the funniest person in the Marvel Universe. It was leaning into the comedy aspects of Deadpool, along with the ultra-violence, that made him a household name. It was a huge change from the wisecracking assassin of the early '90s and it paid dividends.
Deadpool is one of the most popular heroes in the Marvel Universe. He wears his strangeness on his sleeve and is a lot of fun to read about. His madcap blend of violence, humor, and the weirdest stuff imaginable all make him a winner.
1 Impossible Man Was One Of Marvel's First Comedy Characters
In Fantastic Four #11, Impossible Man first appeared as an eccentric alien created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He was an immortal shapeshifter who could transform into anything. While he always tried to do the right thing, he was kind of annoying and got in the heroes' way more often than not.
Impossible Man's shapeshifting skills allowed him to use the abilities of whoever and whatever he came into contact with. These powers also made him more comedic, and he set the stage for many future Marvel characters.
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