This thread is intended for discussion about Comic Books (or "Graphic Novels" if you want to get all hoity-toity about it). Just so that we're all on the same page there are two major publishing houses as far as comic books go; Marvel and DC, as well as a few smaller independent producers (Dark Horse Comics, etc.). Comic books have a very long and proud history, taking their first firm steps in the 1930's and 1940's. Several of the comic heroes from that era are still around today (Superman, Captain America) and new ones are still invented from time to time. Here's a few of the notable characters from the Marvel universe.

Characters of the Marvel Universe

The Amazing Spiderman

Real Name: Peter Parker
Aliases: Webhead, Webslinger, Wall-Crawler
Occupation: Freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle, crimefighter
Origins: When high school nerd Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider during a science experiment, he soon found out that he had gained the proportionate powers of an arachnid. With his new found abilities, Parker attempted to cash in on them. In a turn of events following his first wrestling match, Peter soon discovered that with great power comes great responsibilities.
Arch-nemesis: The Green Goblin, Doctor Octupus, Rhino
Quote: "With great power, there must also come great responsibility"

Spiderman, long the flagship hero of Marvel Comics, first appeared in 1962 and immediately became a sensation. Spiderman's clear cut sense of right and wrong, as well as his amplified spider-like powers, tend to keep him on the winning end of things with his enemies. Inarguably Spiderman's greatest foe is the Green Goblin, who knows Spiderman's secret identity and has interfered in his personal life on several occasions. Spiderman's special abilities, gained from being bitten by a radioactive spider, include the ability to crawl up walls, superhuman strength, dexterity, speed, stamina, shooting spider web from his wrists, and his famed "Spidey Sense", that is his ability to discern he is in danger before he actually sees it. Spiderman's home address is New York City, NY, USA.

The Incredible Hulk

Real Name: Bruce Banner
Aliases: Jolly Green Giant, Hulky
Occupation: Nuclear Physicist
Origins: Banner's molecular structure was transformed by the gamma radiation passed down by his father and because of the gamma bomb Bruce created when he raced out onto a testing site and saved the life of one Rick Jones.

The Hulk, well known for his giant green physique and purple pants, is the alter-ego of Bruce Banner. When Banner, who is a super genius, becomes enraged or excited, his adrenal glands pump and cause him to transform into the Hulk. The Hulk is basically good as Banner himself is good, and in this way the Hulk will never hurt someone who is also good. The Hulk is all but impervious to damage, taking direct hits from artillery pieces and simply shrugging it off as though it were an annoyance. The Hulk is one of the physically strongest beings ever to walk the earth. He possesses vast superhuman strength enabling him to lift (press) far in excess of 100 tons easily.

Iron Man

Real Name: Tony Stark
Aliases: Tony, the Armored Avenger
Occupation: Inventor, Industrialist, CEO of Stark Enterprises
Origins: Tony Stark was born to parents Howard and Maria Stark. During the Vietnam War (recently changed to the Persian Gulf War), Stark was captured by Communists and, with a piece of shrapnel in his heart, was about to die. Constructing a suit of iron armor that would also help with his recovery, Stark broke out of captivity and journeyed back home to the United States.

Iron Man's powers aren't actually effective until he dons his armor, of course. With his armor on Iron Man can fly and gains superhuman strength and stamina. His main weapons are his Repulsor Rays, located in his palms, essentially particle cannons which he can focus into either tight beams or use a wide area attack.

Captain America

Real Name: Steve Rogers
Aliases: "Cap", Winghead
Occupation: Soldier, adventurer
Origins: As a serviceman, Steve volunteered to be the subject of and was the first success of an experimental Super-Soldier Serum developed by the US Army—Captain America.

Captain America was originally a patriotic US comic book hero during WW2, and most of his early adventures were spent fighting Nazis in Europe. Not long after WW2 Rogers, and his sidekick Bucky, attempted to stop a plane loaded with explosives when the plane blew up, seemingly killing Bucky and entombing Rogers in the icy waters of the Arctic, where he was preserved for many years until found later. Rogers was originally a frail weakling who nonetheless wanted to help stop Hitler. A scientist, seeing Rogers' earnest desire to fight, yet being helpless to do so, gave him an experimental serum creating a Super Soldier. Captain America has incredible strength and is a master tactician and soldier. His primary weapon and defense is his shield, impenetrable by bullets, which he oftentimes throws like a discus at enemies.

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear

Real Name: Matt Murdoch
Aliases: Horn Head, The Man Without Fear, DD
Occupation: Attorney, vigilante
Arch Nemesis: Kingpin
Origins: Exposure to radioactive waste at adolescence caused him to be blind but extended his other senses to a great level. Daredevil is blind and cannot see, however the radioactive waste he was exposed to in his teens has so amplified his other senses that he is more surefooted at heights than most other "normal" people would be. He wields a pair of batons and is known to patrol the area of New York City known as Hell's Kitchen, where he administers vigilante justice by night and tries the same criminals by day as a prosecutor. His archnemesis is Kingpin, a large and superpowerful crime lord in NYC. He commonly teams up with Spiderman to derail Kingpin's, and other criminals, destructive plans.

The Punisher

Real Name: Frank Castle
Aliases: Too many to list
Occupation: Former soldier, vigilante
Arch Nemesis: Jigsaw, Kingpin, Mafia, Yakuza, Chinese Triads, Russian Mafia, etc.
Origins: A 4 year Vietnam veteran, Frank Castle became a Vigilante after seeing his wife and children gunned down for accidentally observing a Mafia "hit". Since then he has devoted his life to the task of destroying organized crime wherever he finds it.

Frank Castle, a Vietnam veteran of dozens of military training schools (SEALS, UDT, Airborne, Marine Force Recon, British SAS, among many others), was home on leave with his wife and child in Central Park NY when a Mafia hit went wrong, resulting in Frank's family being executed and himself left for dead. When he recovered he saw that little to no action had been taken against the perpetrators of the murder and used his extensive military training to hunt down and execute them, as well as other ne'er-do-wells. The Punisher has no superpowers but rather relies on his vast knowledge of military tactics, armament, and espionage to take down his intended target. His brand of "justice" often puts him at odds with Spiderman and Daredevil, who prefer to put criminals behind bars, whereas the Punisher simply kills them. The punisher wears a reinforced kevlar armored suit, which spare ammunition clips tucked in his beltline. His iconic white on black death's head is meant to draw enemy fire away from less protected areas like his head.

Thor

Real Name: Thor Odinson
Aliases: God of Thunder, The Mighty Thor, "Goldilocks"
Occupation: Lord of Asgard
Origins: Thor is one of the Asgardians, god to the Germans, Vikings and Scandinavians, who was forced to learn a lesson in humility by living life as a human.

Thor possesses vast physical strength, in which exact limit is unknown, but he is able to lift far in excess of 100 tons effortlessly. He has shown enough strength to move and lift objects that are as heavy as the Earth and shatter entire planets with his blows. Thor is one of the physically strongest beings to ever walk the Earth and one of the most physically powerful beings in the Universe. His weapon of choice is his iconic warhammer Mjolnir, which grants him incredible powers, such as the ability to control weather phenomenon around him. Mjolnir itself is practically indestructible and demolishes anything it is swung at. Thor has been around for a very long time and (long story, short) got a little prideful about his power. Thus his father Odin cast him to the Earth to live life as a human. Thor retains much of his powers and fights for the cause of good.

The Fantastic Four

Real Names: Susan Storm, Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm
Aliases: Susan (The Invisible Woman), Reed (Mr. Fantastic), Johnny (The Human Torch), Ben (The Thing)
Occupations: Reed - Scientist, Susan - his girlfriend, Johnny - her daredevil brother, Ben - Astronaut
Arch Nemesis: Doctor Doom
Origins: The brilliant aeronautical engineer Reed Richards inadvertently created the Fantastic Four after deciding to make an unauthorized test flight into space using an experimental rocket of his own design. While the rocket might have made it possible to travel to other star systems, Reed's financiers were losing interest. Reed's girlfriend Susan Storm and her younger brother Johnny insisted on joining Reed on the flight. Reed's old friend Ben Grimm was convinced to pilot the rocket. Once in space, the rocket was bombarded by a wave of cosmic radiation. The craft crashed back down to Earth. Emerging from the ruins of the spaceship, they discovered the radiation had mutated their bodies and had given them remarkable new abilities. Reed gained the ability to stretch his body and limbs, Johnny was able to fly and become engulfed in flame, and Sue was able to bend light around her body and become invisible. Ben gained incredible strength and durability, but his body was tragically transformed. He now had a muscular orange, rock-like hide.

Here's a few notable characters from the DC Universe.

The DC Universe

Batman

Real Name: Bruce Wayne
Aliases: Batman, The Dark Knight, The Caped Crusader
Occupation: Millionaire Playboy
Origins: Bruce Wayne's parents were wealthy philanthropists in the high society of Gotham City. Bruce grew up in Wayne Manor and experienced a privileged life until one fateful night. Bruce and his parents went to the movies and were walking home when suddenly they were confronted by a small-time crook named Joe Chill. At first, Chill demanded Martha's jewelry, but he ended up shooting both of Bruce’s parents. After the deaths of his parents, Bruce swore to rid Gotham City of evil forever. He began an intense mental and physical training and mastered many skills including martial arts, criminology, and escape artistry.

Upon completing his training Bruce realized that his skills alone were not enough to do the job; he needed the criminals to fear him. It was then that a bat flew through the window, scaring Bruce. He was inspired by the symbolism of the bat and used this to become Batman.

Superman

Real Name: Kal-El (Earth name Clark Kent)
Aliases: The Man of Steel, The Man of Tomorrow
Occupation: Newspaper reporter with the Daily Planet
Origins: Superman was born on Krypton, was named Kal-El, and was the son of Jor-El by Lara Lor-Van. When Jor-El found out the planet was going to explode, he tried to warn the Science Council, but the other Councilors rejected Jor-El’s theory. Jor-El decided to try and build spaceships for his family to escape Krypton, but the disaster came much quicker even than he had expected. The only ship done by the time of Krypton’s destruction was only big enough to fit Kal-El and Lara. Lara elected to stay behind with her husband to give their son a better chance of escaping the explosion.

Kal-El’s ship landed in Smallville where he would be discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent. They named Kal-El Clark, after Martha’s maiden name, and would proceed in adopting him as their own son.

The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive

Real Name: Barry Allen
Aliases: The Fastest Man Alive, Wizard of Whiz, The Flash
Occupation: Crime fighter
Origins: Barry Allen was a forensic scientist for the Central City Police Department, with a well known habit for lateness. His detective skills though have been said to rival that of Bruce Wayne's. He lived in Central City and had a steady girlfriend named Iris West (later Iris Allen West). He had a love of comic books, his favorite being the Flash. Working late one night, lightning struck the chemicals in the metal rack next to where he was working. They exploded over Barry who was knocked over. As he stood up he realized that he was unharmed. After clearing up, Barry went about his business, but it is not long before he discovered the world around seemed to have slowed. More accurately he had become much faster! He's the fastest dude alive.

Realizing he had become like his hero, Barry decided to follow in his foot steps and become a hero. He discovers that not only is he fast, but he can also vibrate his molecules, rendering him almost invisible and allowing him to phase through solid objects.

Aquaman

Real Name: Arthur Joseph Curry
Aliases: Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas, King of Atlantis
Occupation: Crime fighter
Origins: Arthur Curry was the son of Atlanna, an Atlantean princess banished from Atlantis due to her interest in and frequent visits to the surface world; and Tom Curry, a surface man and lighthouse keeper. One night, amidst a terrible storm, Tom Curry would find Atlanna thrown up on the shore by storm-tossed waves, and rescue her from harm. Both Curry and Atlanna made the lighthouse their home and developed a strong bond that would quickly lead to a sentimental relationship, which in turn, would later lead to the birth of Arthur Curry. Tom Curry accepted his relationship with Atlanna, and though he always knew there was more to her than she would let on, he'd never ask her about her origins.

After Arthur was born, all of that became even more irrelevant as his presence there cemented the bond between the two. Two years after his birth, young Arthur was found by his father playing underwater after he had apparently been there for an hour without drowning. Several years later, both Tom and Arthur himself would learn the truth about Atlanna's origins, as she would reveal that she came from the lost continent of Atlantis while she lay in her deathbed. Atlanna would also reveal to Arthur that he had inherited her ability to live and breathe underwater, as well as her power to communicate with and control all marine life.

The Green Lantern

Real Name: Hal Jordan
Aliases: Green Lantern
Occupation: Pilot
Origins: Hal Jordan was a test pilot trying to get out from under the shadow of his dead father, an ace Air Force pilot. Hal's father was killed inside his jet when it crashed. Both Hal and Carol Ferris were watching as the jet crashed. Hal then made a promise to his mom that he would never join the Air Force after the incident. At the age of 18, Hal ran away and broke his promise. Years later when Hal's mother was dying, Hal planned on visiting her. However, his brother Jack said his mom had no interest in seeing her son. After Hal was discharged from the Air Force after punching his commanding officer. He did this on purpose to have an excuse to see his mother. She passed away just before he got to the hospital. Hal and his brother Jim are the sole survivors of the Jordan family.

Much later, while testing a flight simulator, an energy field surrounded him and took him to Abin Sur. The simulator landed Hal out in the desert, near a crashed alien ship. The ship was piloted by Abin Sur, a member of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic peace keeping force and he patrolled sector 2814. On the verge of death, Abin Sur, with his power ring, sought out the most worthy successor on Earth. The ring actually found two Earthlings, Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner. Hal happened to be closer to the crash site so he was chosen. Despite some character flaws, Hal Jordan was given the power ring and its power battery. He journeyed to the planet Oa, home world of the Green Lantern Corps, and trained with Sinestro, a Corps member that would later become one of Hal's deadliest enemies. He became the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 (home of Earth) and formed many relationships among the superhero community.

Please feel free to add any heroes you'd like, discuss all manner of comic book lore, super groups (Justice League of America, X-Men, etc.), talk about movie translations of comic books, post videos, or speak about which comic book hero could outdo another in various ways. As always please ensure that all forum rules are followed. Enjoy!