Almost Heroes List

It's time for the latest installment of my heroes list: PJ'S Almost Heroes.

Who are these guys? These are the bad guys who--deep down inside--are really good guys who always seem to get in trouble. Or bad guys that finally saw the error of their ways, and are seeking redemption for the pain they've seen. Or good guys that just keep managing to get in trouble from time to time. Or mercenaries available to the highest bidder...but do have at least some streak of honorable code in them.

Think of them as the bad guys we love to root for.

10. Crovax
Crovax was a incredible warrior who was cursed upon killing a dark angel, and eventually became one of the most powerful evil beings in the Magic universe. However, I always felt sorry for him: Magic took the "destiny" approach with Crovax, where he had no choice but to fall under the curse of evil while fighting for justice. I was happy in Planar Chaos--the Magic version of Marvel's "What If"--the curse was not passed to Crovax, and he instead became an exceptional hero.


9. Toxin
I've always felt that Venom was a character that got a somewhat bum rap--he's had moments, and his desire to protect "innocents", as he calls them, is noteworthy. However, to put it lightly, in the end Venom was just too insane to be thought of as a good guy. Marvel solved the almost hero with Venom recently by having the symbiote (the evil part) gain more power and grow more crazy, but had Carnage give birth to Venom's "grandson", Toxin. Toxin bonds with a cop, and the two eventually reach a level of respect/compromise that allows Toxin to become more of a hero. I also like they way they draw Toxin, and I've always thought the Venom powers were cool.




8. Artemis Entreri/Jarlaxle Baenar
Two of Drizzt Do'Urden's most powerful enemies, who eventually like each other's company enough that they abandon their "pure killing" ways and travel the world looking for adventure together. Entreri is the second greatest swordsman (behind Drizzt) and possibly the greatest assassin in the Forgotten Realms universe, and Jarlaxle is the flamboyant Dark Elf who is a jack of all trades--and Master of all them. Jarlaxle, especially, I find hilarious.


7. Richard B. Riddick
The last of the Furyans, a legendary warrior planet in the Pitch Black/Chronicles of Riddick universe. Riddick is the modern anti-hero, the arrogant bad ass who has respect for no one and has no qualms about killing an enemy. When push comes to shove, however, he does tend to make the good decision, and as the story has evolved we find that the people Riddick has "murdered" weren't so innocent after all.


6. Scorpion
Scorpion is the hellspawned ninja from Mortal Kombat. While Scorpion can be (somewhat easily) tricked into serving the forces of evil, a closer look at his story shows that he was betrayed and murdered by the forces of evil, and has fought for revenge and justice ever since.


5. Lobo
The "Main Man", as Lobo likes to call himself, might be more powerful than Superman. The epitome of the arrogant motorcycle punk, Lobo is truly a lout: a drunk, loud, abonxious, violent bounty hunter who sells his services to the highest bidder, and even likes to brag that he wiped out the rest of his species for his Science Fair project (he gave himself an "A"). In spite of this, when push does come to a punch that will send you across the planet, Lobo does have a sense of honor and a willingness to do the right thing. Especially if that means he gets to beat someone up--then he's definitely all for it. Or if a hot girl is involved. When all is said and done, you have to love Lobo if for no other reason that he annoys Superman so much.


4. Darth Vader
Talk about a character butchured. Once upon a time--before Episode II: Attack of the Clones--the Dark Lord of the Sith would have been the unquestionable number 1 on not only this list, but in almost everyone's. Now, however, as Lucas has seemingly gone on a campaign to destroy his most beloved character, we see that Anakin was almost as much of a spoiled brat as he was legendary hero.

In spite of this, you still can't deny the appeal of The Dark Lord of the Sith--the power, the voice, the costume, and the redemption. In spite of Lucas' attempts to ruin him, he is still one of the greatest characters ever, and is the epitome of the good guy who loses his way, but finds it in the end.



3. Lord Sesshomaru
The son of the legendary Demon Lord Inu no Taishou and brother to the powerful half demon Inuyasha, Lord Sesshomaru reminds me a lot of one of my favorite villians, Darkseid--he hides an ocean of emotions (mostly rage, those that changes as the series progresses) beneath an icy, aloof demeanor. The difference between the two, though, is Sesshomaru has grown throughout the series Inuyasha to not only feel compassion towards, but love to innocents--specifically his adopted ward, Rin. This compassion has changed him from one of the most powerful villains in the Inuyasha universe to one of its greatest heroes--if he notices you to help you. Sesshomaru also is in my patheon of favorite voices, as David Kaye perfectly matches his voice to the character.


2. Deadpool
Deadpool has gone from a freak, let's-try-him-once character in the Marvel Universe to one of their biggest stars. The "Merc With A Mouth" is a mercenary who posses a healing power at least equal to Wolverine's, along with the martial skills to put him on par to all but the strongest characters in Marvel. The best part of Deadpool, though, is his mouth. One of the most hilarious characters in comic books, Deadpool is thoroughly insane (ummm...in the good way?), AND is well aware that he is a character in a comic book (Loki told him--hence his comments in his first comic as seen on the left). Deadpool will be played by Ryan Reynolds in the Wolverine: Origins movie (fantastic casting) coming in 2009, and make no mistake: Marvel is grooming him to be one of their future stars. I'm looking forward to that, as Deadpool can be summed up perfectly in one word: fun.


1. Boba Fett
Without question the most popular underground character in Star Wars, Boba Fett is the perfect clone of Jango and eventually rises to become Mandalore of the Mandalorian Commandos (Mandalore being a name/title to the leader). Why is Boba Fett so cool? Honestly, I don't even know how to put my finger on it. Maybe it's because he's so good at what he does, even though he lacks the power that so many of his targets possess. He is without question though one of the greatest characters in Star Wars, and the greatest Almost Good Guy.

Villains: 10 to 1

We've been very adult here lately. Lots of sports issues, political/social topics, & coupla things dealing with the wild and crazy world around us. Well, it's time to get back to our "lighter" side, our childish side, our nerdy side. And to do that, I felt like it was unfair to have a top 40 heroes list and not name any villains at all. So let's correct that: here are my top ten greatest villains.

Dishonorable Mention: Mister Sinister, M. Bison, Shang Tsung, Queen Bavmorda, Naraku, Agent Smith, Dracula, Anubis (Stargate), Venom, Shredder, Doomsday.


10. Jenner (The Secret of Nimh): I honestly believe that you won't run into a more dark, a more evil, a more cunning, a more affective, and a scarier villain than Jenner under the age of 10. Perfectly drawn throughout the movie to appear more sinister, more powerful, and more devious than any other character (as a child you believe that he could beat Dragon if he put his mind to it), the scariest thing about Jenner is that you honestly don't believe he can lose. He's just too good at what he does.


9. Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th series): I love the Friday the 13th movies. I swear that they make those movies by going to a room, sitting around a large office table, as the producer then says, "Okay, tell me the strangest ways you can think of to kill a human being" as the room then bursts into heated and frantic conversation. Trust me, in my head, it's a funny scene.

But funny as that may be, one cannot deny Jason's body of work. Or bodies of work. Jason kills without discrimination, without a real reason, or without a real purpose. And he's damn good at what he does. Combine that with the fact that he's nigh unbeatable, and he is truly the king of the slashers, and has earned a place in the top ten.


8. Shockwave (Transformers): Cold. Unfeeling. Logical. Patient. Unflinching. Ruthless. Unreasonable. Effective. Shockwave is the machine that mankind fears--he is evil not with emotion, but simply because that is what he is: evil. One of the most powerful Transformers ever in both his robot and Cybertronian state--an incredibly powerful ray gun--he is second in command of the Decepticons, behind only Megatron himself...and many believe that he is even more powerful than Megatron. Shockwave is similar to a brilliant scientist, except that his thesis is the destruction of his enemies and the subjugation of Cybertron and Earth. Whatever his goals, Shockwave is totally driven to achieving them, and nothing--least of all any emotion--will stand in his way.


7. Randall Flagg (Stephen King's universe): So many names...all the same man. While he is a servant of the Devil, Randall Flagg--The Walkin' Dude, The Man in Black, Walter o'Dim, The Ageless Stranger, Walter Padick, and any number of R.F. names--is the personification of evil in Stephen King's universe. He is the one that is bringing about the destruction of countless worlds, up to and including the Dark Tower itself. There is no evil that Flagg won't perform, no trick he won't pull, no limit to his means. He is driven to destroy, and has the means both supernatural and scientific to pull off his dark and twisted schemes. He is evil incarnate, and what makes it even more frightening is that he begins as a man, just like we all did.


6. The Borg (Star Trek series):

We are the Borg. Lower your shields and power down your weapons. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated."

There is no more feared greeting in the Star Trek universe. Since Q introduced the Next Generation's crew to The Borg, they have been the single greatest threat to the universe--even moreso than the Dominion. A collective mind that conquers, adds, and eliminates any race or culture it finds, it is groupthink truly gone mad. It is the "perfect utopian" society that madmen such as Hitler have strived for. Like Shockwave, they are not destroying you, your people, and your culture over any feelings or hate--they are assimilating you because that is what they do. And that makes them both powerful and evil.


5. Sauron (The Lord of the Rings): Similar to Randall Flagg, Sauron is a servant to the greatest evil--Morgoth--but makes this list for being the true architect of destruction that we come to know in the LOTR. Sauron is the lord of Mordor, and the creator of The One Ring, the one ring to dominate and rule all the other great rings of Middle Earth. Sauron seeks to dominate the will of all creatures of Middle Earth. Total and complete power is what Sauron craves, and he has the will and the means to achieve that goal. Whether appearing as a noble and beautiful Valar or a twisted spirit of blackness, Sauron is truly one of the evilest beings ever.


4. Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious (Star Wars): Palpatine was correct: he was the greatest Dark Lord of the Sith ever. Like Sauron, Lord Sidious was totally committed to the Sith dream of ruling the galaxy absolutely and dominating the will of all beings within completely. Unlike Sauron, The Emperor accomplished his goal for a time. Through treachery, guile, and an incredible knowledge of the Dark Side of the Force, Palpatine was able to conquer the Republic and establish his Empire, and to almost completely destroy the Jedi Order. This wizened and feeble-looking old man was one of the most powerful and evil forces ever.


3. Megatron (Transformers): To kill the greatest hero ever, surely you must be one of the greatest villains ever. You've earned your place, leader of the Decepticons. Megatron and Hitler (the evilest person ever) to me both shared a similar "style" for lack of a better word: both were chaotically insane, filled with hate, and prone to what appeared to be uncontrollable rages--yet there was always a method to their madness, a consistent rationale to the pure evil that they inflicted on the worlds around them. That is what made Megatron so frightening as a villain: he had the unbridled power of the insane, yet the will and clarity to channel it in the right direction and use it accordingly. Such a combination was rare, and truly deadly.


2. Apocalypse (X-Men): The greatest villain in the Marvel universe. I seriously considered putting Apocalypse as 1B instead of 2, as he is truly one of my favorite villains of all time.

En Sabah Nur is the world's first mutant, and undeniably one of it's most powerful. His natural power is a metamorph--he can alter his mass into almost any form, and he is immortal. On top of this, Apocalypse discovered a ship from the alien race the Celestials that also granted him immense power.

Apocalypse believes in "survival of the fittest", meaning that anything too weak to survive must be culled. Unfortunately, that means the entire human race and most of the mutant population. Apocalypse has succeeded in conquering the world in the Marvel universe several different times, and even almost destroyed the universe itself in order to rebuild it in his own image (Beyond Good & Evil, the greatest cartoon series ever). Marvel did an alternate universe comic series entitled Age of Apocalypse that is arguably the best comics series ever, in which Apocalypse conquers the Western Hemisphere.

Not only is Apocalypse incredibly powerful and horribly evil, but there is an inherent nobility to him that adds to his presence. Apocalypse believes that he is destined to rule the world, and that it is simply a matter of time before he does so. This icy, calm demeanor and noble arrogance add both to his evil nature and his aura of invincibility. Apocalypse is one of the greatest villains any universe has ever known--and he is well aware of this fact.


1. Darkseid (Superman): Narrowly beats out Apocalypse because I think that Darkseid is slightly more powerful. Maybe. Possibly. Anyway, Darkseid is the ruler--god, really--of Apokolips, which he attained by assassinating his own mother. He seeks to rule the entire universe by discovering the Anti-Life Equation, which will allow him to suppress all free will in the universe. He is the most powerful enemy of Superman, but his power is such that he is really the enemy of all characters in the DC Universe.

Darkseid has strength, stamina, and speed on par with Superman. However, his most powerful weapon is his Omega Beam: two beams of red light he fires out of his eyes. These can do almost anything: transform matter, teleport an individual wherever Darkseid wishes, create life, or destroy an individual entirely.


Darkseid is truly evil incarnate. He rarely gets outwardly angry or upset, in spite of the unbridled rage that exists inside him. Darkseid sees himself as an honorable ruler, but never lets his sense of "honor" get in the way of his lust for power. Like the Devil, Darkseid takes special pleasure in seeing the "good" guys brought low through moral dilemmas or sacrifices they are forced to make, in order to watch them suffer and forced to face potential evil of their own actions. He honestly sees himself as a god, and expects to be deified as such. Somewhat sadly, he rules the Hell-like world of Apokolips so completely that the people of that world do see him as a god. To rule the universe by totally and completely removing free will is his right and destiny, and like Apocalypse in Marvel, he sees it as only a matter of time before he succeeds in this task.

Heroes: 10 to 1

This is it kids. The best of the best. Every one of these guys gets their own pic.


10. Magneto (X Men): What? Magnus, the principal adversary of the X Men? Yes. He makes the heroes list. Magneto has always been a half and half guy; sometimes good, sometimes bad. But whether you like it or not, even his evil acts--attempting to eradicate homo sapiens in order to protect the mutant species--were not the evil actions prompted by greed, powerlust, or personal gain. In the end, when Marvel and DC combined to do their ultimate Good v. Evil showdown comic, Magneto was sided with the good guys--and that's good enough for me.
Magneto is Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, a Holocaust survivor who eventually grew to become the most powerful mutant on Earth. Magneto can shape and manipulate magnetic fields, either artificial or naturally occurring. Any form of energy that is in any way related to magnetism is his control, and he can manipulate the entire electromagnetic spectrum. He also has minor psychic abilities. Magneto is a born leader who tries to do the right thing, but in the end strives for one thing: mutant safety through mutant domination.

9. Gandalf the Grey (Lord of the Rings): Mithrandir, the White Rider, the one who would eventually become Gandalf the White. Gandalf was the ultimate wizard: wise, powerful in his magics, subtle, and stern. But he was also so much greater than most wizards: he cared for the world around him, he was devoted to good (a rarity amongst wizards), he was a great warrior and an adept swordsman, and never resided in one place for an extended period of time. He was powerful, just, and used his power to make the world a better place. Gandalf Greyhame was the ultimate mix of warrior and wizard. The Enemy of Sauron, one of the greatest evils ever, and the world was fortunate that it had one of the greatest heroes to counter him.

8. The Shrike (Hyperion Series, by Dan Simmons): Another "is he a hero" candidate, The Shrike has been many things to many people: hero, demon, avatar, Lord, and pain. The Lord of Pain, as his cultist followers call him, is really a construct from the distant future when God--our God, the God of humans--wars against the machine's Ultimate Intelligence, their own self created god. The Shrike can move in "Fast Time", meaning he can slow down time to move at whatever rate he wishes it to travel (for instance, he can slow time to where he is moving at normal speed, but it would take a human a week to complete a blink). Four armed, over three meters tall with ruby faceted eyes, The Shrike's skin is black caraspace completely covered in spikes. He is truly terrifying to behold.
The Shrike has been sent back in time both to destroy humanity and to protect it. As a guardian, he is second to none. He is a warrior without peer, and has only been bested in single combat ones: by Colonel Fedhman Kassad, the very warrior whose essence was used to create The Shrike in the future.

7. Sub-Zero the Younger (Mortal Kombat): Not to be confused with his older brother of the same name (who would eventually become the evil Noob Saibot), Sub-Zero is one of the Earth realms greatest defenders. As you can guess, Sub-Zero commands ice; he can create and shoot balls of ice from his hands, freezing his enemies, and can also make an ice statue of himself that will freeze his enemies if they touch it. He can also create a very powerful ice sword from ice.
Sub-Zero's older brother was killed by Scorpion in the original Mortal Kombat. Sub-Zero then took his brother's title and place amongst the cadre of ninja assassins known as the Lin Kuei. At one point he left the Lin Kuei, was scared on the right side of his face, and marked for death. He eventually took over as leader of the Clan and has since been using it to fight for good and the safety of Earth Realm. While Johnny Cage and Liu Kang have earned more glory for the exploits in defending Earth, Sub-Zero has always been one of the stalwart defenders, and arguably the most important.

6. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars): The venerable Jedi Guardian Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the greatest Jedi to have ever lived. It was he who defeated both Darth Maul and Anakin Skywalker, and set Luke Skywalker on the path to saving the galaxy from the Empire established by the evil Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious.
Unfortunately, it was his perceived failing that most people--and he himself--probably remember. Obi-Wan become the Master of Anakin Skywalker after the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, and blamed himself for his apprentice's fall to the Dark Side. He also did not kill Anakin after their duel, thus leading to the emergence of the powerful Sith Lord, Darth Vader.
Obi-Wan was a powerful Jedi and a skilled warrior. His skill with a lightsabre ranked him amongst the greats, and The Force was strong with him. He was also a kind soul who cared about doing the right thing and helping those in need around. He was strong in the Light.

5. Wolverine (X Men): Probably Marvel Comics most visible character, Wolverine is one of the most popular comic heroes of all time. A mutant possessing an incredibly healing ability (Wolverine is probably immortal) and three bone claws that can be extended from just above his knuckles in each hand, Wolverine's bones were bonded with the unbreakable metal Adamantium by the Canadian government as part of the Weapon X project. His unbreakable bones, healing factor, and his bone claws now covered in Adamantium that can cut through anything except Adamantium make him a truly formidable warrior.
Unfortunately, another part of the Weapon X project was the wiping of Wolverine's mind. He doesn't know of his Origins, any family, or what his past holds. Those few memories he does have are suspect at best; some could have been placed in his mind as part of the Weapon X training. He has been with the X Men for many years, fighting to make the world a better place.

4. Ryu (Street Fighter video game series): Ryu is the Japanese warrior trained in the martial art Ansatsuken, and is famous for his two most powerful moves: the Hadoken, or Dragon Ball, and Shoryuken, or Dragon Punch. Ryu is the winner of the original Street Fighter Tournament, and gave Sagat the scar he bears on his chest during the final battle of the tournament (courtesy of his Dragon Punch). Ryu is on a quest for purity through battle, but still fights to keep the world safe from evil men like M. Bison and Akuma.

3. Colossus (X Men): Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin is the quiet, loving artist who can turn his skin into metal with a thought and become one of the strongest beings in the universe, Colossus. Colossus has been an X Men as long as Wolverine has, but longs for the simple life on the Russian farm he grew up on. However, he realizes that with great power comes great responsibility, and uses his incredible strength and fighting skills to fight for peace and justice in the world. He is devoted to his friends on the X Men, but most especially is devoted to his little sister, Illiana, who is the mutant known as Magick. The great warrior with the heart of a poet, Colossus is one of the greatest and most admirable heroes of all time.

2. Snake Eyes (GI Joe): Snake Eyes, or the Silent Master as many of his students call him, is one of the greatest heroes who ever lived. Snake Eyes is a ninja master who is also trained in modern warfare--one of my favorite Snake Eyes comics is one where Cobra Commander creates a room that is designed to specifically disrupt the minds and fighting styles of ninjas. He defeats Snake Eyes' clan brother, Storm Shadow, in the room, as Storm Shadow is only trained in ninjitsu. When Snake Eyes goes to rescue him, he also enters the room and listens to Cobra Commander arrogantly explain how his ninja skills are useless in here, and how he will defeat him. Snake Eyes then blows up the room--with Cobra Commander in it--with a rocket launcher. :-)
I digress. Snake Eyes dresses in all black, and wears a mask to cover his face, which was disfigured in an accident. His vocal cords were injured in the same accident, leading to his silence. He is one of the original recruits to GI Joe, and learned ninjitsu along side his best friend, Storm Shadow. He has been romantically linked to Scarlet on again off again for years. He has faithfully sided with GI Joe and fought to keep the world safe from COBRA since its inception.

And now, without question, the greatest hero ever is...


1. Optimus Prime (Transformers): The leader of the Autobots, and the greatest hero that ever existed, in any universe, ever. Making this list was hard, but choosing number 1 was not. Optimus Prime combines the greatest traits of all heroes: love of the defenseless, compassion of all living things, a desire for justice and peace, and unerringly stays on the side of right. He strives always for the best of things, for all. He is also a brilliant strategist, a charismatic leader, and a formidable warrior. He's also willing to go all the way: once you've crossed the line, and refused to turn from the side of evil, Optimus Prime is going to kick your ass. And not feel bad about.
That's the thing that I think I admire most about Optimus Prime. No hero I've ever seen has managed to walk that fine line so well. In both our fiction worlds and the real world, we always seem to struggle with when to use might in order to enforce the right. Optimus Prime has never had that problem. There are few more caring, compassionate heroes than he; however, when faced with true evil, Optimus is ready to put it down, and will not feel bad about it at all. They--Megatron, Shockwave, Starscream, Unicron--all have made their choice, and will now have to live with the consequences of their decisions and actions. It's as simple as that, and that's the way it should be.
Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots, a benevolent group of Transformers--mechanical beings from the planet Cybertron. They fight against the Decepticons, a group of evil Transformers bent on conquering Cybertron and the rest of the galaxy. Optimus can transform into a Mack truck, and has a variety of different weapons, including his Ion Canon and Laser Axe. Optimus carries the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, which grants the Leader of the Autobots exceptional powers.

Heroes: 20 to 11

Don't worry, everyone: I'll make a SPECIAL off-Friday to post to give you my top ten heroes tomorrow.

20. Colonel Fedman Kassad (Hyperion series, by Dan Simmons): Kassad was the greatest warrior in the history of the Hegemony of Man. A FORCE Marine, Kassad was known as the "Butcher of South Bressia" for the total war-like way he defeated the Ousters on the planet Bressia. He was the only human to ever beat The Shrike in single combat. He was also devoted to his love, Moneta, and to protecting the human race. Kassad was such a complete warrior that it was his spirit that was used in creating the galaxy's ultimate killing machine: The Shrike. As Kassad laughingly put it, "I conquer my enemy; I destroy him; and then I become him."

19. T-101 (Terminator 2 & 3, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger): Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, The Terminator. Sent back in time to protect the hero of the future, John Connor. Masterfully played by Arnold as a robot with a soul, The Terminator was one of the coolest characters of all time. Hasta la vista, baby.
18. Arcades Sabboth (Elder Dragon Legend from Magic: The Gathering card series): Another of the Elder Dragon Legends, Arcades Sabboth is one of my favorite pictures from any of the Magic series. He is also one of the most powerful cards in the game.
17. Roland of Gilead (The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King): Roland Deschain is The Last Gunslinger, the last ruler of the land of Gilead to stand in protection of The Light. A decendent of King Arthur, Roland is on a quest to protect the Dark Tower--the nexus of all realities in the Stephen King universe--from those who would seek to destory it.

16. Samurai Jack (Samurai Jack cartoons, Cartoon Network): Long ago in a distant land, Evil Incarnate--a sorceror named Aku--flung a young Samurai into the future, where Aku had established control of the world. The Samurai--who quickly acquired the name Samurai Jack--possesses a magical sword that is the only thing that can harm Aku. Jack fights tireless to find a way back to his past, so he can undo the evil future that is Aku.
15. Aragorn, son of Arathorn (Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkein): The heir of Isildur, The King of Gondor, Chieftan of the Dunedain, Leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn is the first great king in the age of man. He has no peer in battle, and is a wise, just, and generous king.
14. Batman (DC Comics): Batman is in some ways the opposite of Superman: while Superman is the ideal that we all strive for, Batman is the pinacle of human achievement. He is an example of the best of what we can be--and the worst of what can happen to us on the way there. Batman doesn't have the inherent nobolity of Superman, nor the physical skills. He is tirelessly devoted to his craft, and uses every bit of his being--mind, body, resources--in order to accomplish his goals. In the end, however, the reason I like Batman more than Superman is because, as I mentioned earlier, Batman is willing to get his hands dirty. In some ways, it's not Superman's fault: he has to be the ideal we've given him. But I've always identified more with Batman and others we'll see later on the list, the heroes who always fight for good, truth, and justice, and are willing to do whatever is necessary in order to fight for those ideals. There's no holding back with them.

13. Voltron (Voltron cartoon/comic series): Voltron, Defender of the Universe, is a giant robot that could be formed by combining 5 robot lions. Voltron fought to protect the planet Arus from the evil King Zarkon, his son Lotor, and the witch Hagar, who would create giant Robeasts to try to defeat Voltron. Each lion was piloted by a different human. One of the few drawbacks to Voltron was it inspired the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Yes, I'm embarrased to say that.
12. Grimlock (Transformers): Grimlock was the leader of the Dinobots, and was the strongest Autobot behind only Optimus Prime. Orignally selfish, haughty, and stupid, Grimlock grew to be an effective leader of the Dinobots, someone who truly cared about the people he was to protect, and one of the best warriors the Autobots had. Grimlock is featured front center in the picture below.



11. Shinobi (Shinobi video game series): Shinobi was the code name for Joe Musashi, a ninja who originally had to save the children from the Oboro clan who were being kidnapped by Zeed. This game, orignally released on the SEGA Master System, led to a score of games on several different systems. I'm pretty sure Shinobi was the first console video game I ever played, and remains one of my all time favorites. Shadow Dancer: Revenge of Shinobi for the SEGA Genesis is one of my favorite games of all time.

Heroes: 31 to 21

31. Drizzt Do'Urden (Dark Elf novels by R.A. Salvatore): One of the greatest swordsmen to ever live, Drizzt is one of the very few Dark Elves to be good. He dual wields two scimitars with magical properties, and his innate magical abilities as a Drow give him an edge in battle, as well.
30. Dante (Devil May Cry video game series): The son of the legendary demon knight Sparda, Dante is a demon hunter who runs the "Devil May Cry" investigation agency. Armed with his handguns--Ebony & Ivory--and his powerful sword Alastor, Dante fights against the forces of evil, including his own twin brother. Dante is also able to switch to a devil form, where he takes on the appearance and abilities of a demon.
29. Neo (The Matrix movies): The One himself, Neo is a human created by the machines in order to eliminate the "anamoly" that is humans aware of the existance of The Matrix. Neo is super strong, fast, and can fly. He also has the ability "to remake The Matrix as he sees fit". In the end, he brings peace to the machines and the humans, while defeating Smith, the personification of evil.

28. Madmartigan (Willow): Madmartigan--played by Val Kilmer--claims to be the greatest swordsman to ever live, and does not disapoint. A drifter and scoundrel who befriends the nelwyn Willow, Madmartigan fights alongside Willow to protect a baby princess from the evil Queen Bavmorda.
27. Duncan MacLeod (The Highlander TV series and fourth movie): The Highlander, played by Adrian Paul, was the greatest of a race of immortals inhabiting the Earth. These Immortals could only be killed when their head was cut off, and then their essence--skills, abilities, memories--would be passed to The Immortal who killed him. The Immortals lived their lives through the centuries, when they would wait for The Gathering, in which all would compete for The Prize, when one Immortal was left standing. In the end, there can be only one. It is believed that Duncan will eventually win The Prize.

26. Storm Shadow (GI Joe): Storm Shadow was the head ninja of COBRA, and in the beginning of the GI Joe storyline, was Snake Eyes' enemy. However, later we learned that he really infiltrated COBRA to find who murdered his uncle and the head of the Arashikage ninja clan, the Hard Master. Once he had succeeded in avenging his master (against Cobra Commander), Storm Shadow joined GI Joe. Storm Shadow is a ninjitsu master with only one peer: his best friend and clan brother, Snake Eyes.
25. Superman (DC Comics): Kal-El, Clark Kent, the Last Son of Krypton. We all know Superman's story. Why isn't he higher? I admire Superman for what he stands for: he represents the best in mankind, the ideal we should all strive for but can never truly hope to achieve. The world needs Superman. However, the world also needs men who fight for truth and justice...but are willing to get their hands dirty. I identify more with these men, as we'll discuss later. Still, Superman is a hero who stands alone.

24. Master Chief (Halo video game series): The armored Spartan soldier fights to protect the Earth for The Covenant, a group of fanatical aliens intent on destroying the human race. Master Chief is the ultimate soldier: protecting his people from any danger, no matter what.
23. Blade (Marvel Comics): The Daywalker, a child born immediately after his mother was bitten by a vampire. Blade inherited all of the Vampire's strengths--super strength, speed, regenerative abilities, longer life span--and none of their of their weaknesses--he's not alergic to silver or sunlight--save one, the thirst for blood. He controls this with a special syrum. Blade fights to protect mankind from vampires and any other supernatural evils he comes across.
22. Iron Man (Marvel Comics): Millionaire genius Tony Stark was injured by industrial sabotage, weakening his heart to the point where he would die. He then built a suit that not only would help strengthen his heart, but give him super strength, speed, and the ability to fly. Now he fights evil as Iron Man, one of The Avengers.
21. Seraph (The Matrix movie series): The Guardian on The Oracle, Seraph protects The Oracle and later Sati from any that would seek to harm them--machine or human. An incredible warrior, he even defeated Smith when he was an Agent. Little is known about Seraph's past, though it seems that he did work for The Merovingian at one point.

Heroes: 41 to 32

So it will come as no surprise to most that I keep a list of my personal favorite heroes.

I showed this list--ranked in alphabetical order--and he asked me if it was in order of importance. Well, I took that as a challenge, and organized my top 40 heroes. So yes, now I will beat you down with said list.

Note: this is not a list of most powerful heroes, or greatest heroes, or a ranking of who could beat who. These are just my personal favorite heroes. Enjoy!

41. Ermac (Mortal Kombat video game series): Red-robed ninja, created from the souls of dead warriors. Martial arts master and telekenetic. Fights to protect Earth from various evil gods.

40. Prowl (Transformers): Pictured top left, along with Jazz and Mirage, Prowl is the second in command of the Autobots, and is one of the greatest tacticians ever. He is incredibly accurate shot, and an excellent hand to hand combatant as well. Can transform into a police car.
39. Mack the Knife (Captain Commando arcade game): A Mummy commando armed with two Knives and a do rag. I don't know why, but I always loved this guy.
38. Inuyasha (Inuyasha anime series): Definitely not your typical hero, Inuyasha is a half human/half demon searching for the shards of the legendary Shikon jewel. He carries the powerful sword Tetsyga (originally made from one of his father's--one of the most powerful, but good, demons ever--fangs), and has several different abilities.
37. Hercules (Greek mythology): The bastard son of the god of gods, Zeus, Hercules was the most powerful man to ever live. Famous for the Ten Labors of Hercules.
36. Thrall (Warcraft PC game series): Thrall was a young orc slave raised by humans in the land of Azeroth. He eventually rose to become Warchief of the Orc Horde, and brought honor to his people and peace with the humans.

35. Nicol Bolas (Elder Dragon Legend from Magic: The Gathering card series): An incredibly powerful Magic card with a really cool picture, I've always wanted to know more about the storyline of the Elder Dragon Legends (they came about before I started playing Magic).
34. Gimli son of Gloin (Lord of the Rings): Gimli was the dwarven representative of the Fellowship of The Ring. A powerful warrior, Gimli was deadly with his battle axe and dwarven strength. His father, Gloin, was one of the 13 dwarves who went with Thorin Oakenshield to retake the Lonely Mountain from Smaug, which led to Bilbo Baggins finding The One Ring.
33. Smoke (Mortal Kombat video game series): Seen as both a grey-clad Ninja and a greyish Robot, Smoke was Sub-Zero's best friend in the cadre of Assassins known as the Lin Kuei. Smoke wore a grey uniform and smoked--literally. He had the ability to turn invisible and teleport. Unfortunately, Smoke was captured by the Lin Kuei and turned into a cyborg. He has been the pawn of several different evildoers ever since.
32. Goliath (Gargoyles cartoon): Goliath is the leader of the last Gargoyles clan. Stone by day, living creatures by night, they are guardians of modern day Manhattan, as they know live there thanks to a spell.