While Marvel Comics may have the reputation as the more kid-friendly publisher when compared to DC, Marvel has their fair share of adult content to delve into. Marvel does have characters that often deal in hyper-violent situations such as Deadpool or Punisher, but this violence is often buried safely within the pages of the story, only accessible to those daring enough to read.

RELATED: 10 Marvel Comics That Got Worse Once The Original Writer Left

Marvel may only be able to show a certain amount of violence on a cover that kids could easily see, but very scantily clad, suggestively posed women were often on the covers of some of Marvel's adult-targeted comics. Marvel has published plenty of books that would have readers' parents gasping in shock at the vulgarity or controversial themes.

8 The Ultimates #8 Has A Controversial Theme In Its Story

Ultimates #8 Cover

While this cover might not seem so terrible at first glance, if readers' parents had any idea who these characters were, they might start to get concerned. The two characters on the cover are Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, the son and daughter of Magneto, who have always had a close relationship in the main Marvel continuity.

For some reason, Marvel decided it would be a good idea to have them take their relationship to the next level and be in an incestuous relationship in The Ultimates continuity. 

7 Spider-Woman #1 Variant's Cover Over-Sexualizes The Character

spider-woman issue 1 variant cover

Women have often been the subject of unnecessary and over-the-top sexualization in media, but superhero comic books are an especially notorious culprit. Therefore, it was extremely disappointing when Marvel debuted Spider-Woman. For the strong female superhero's self-titled book, the cover had Spider-Woman posing in a gratuitously sexual position.

RELATED: Marvel: The 10 Strongest Female Villains

Reader backlash led Marvel's editorial team to place the title over the most intense part of the picture but this was too little too late. This is not meant to critique Milo Manara, a great artist, but to Marvel for allowing this to be the cover image of a female hero’s self-titled debut.

6 Fans Of Princess Diana Or The Royal Family May Not Like X-Statix #15

Princess Diana look-alike Henrietta Hunter joins the X-Statix in Marvel Comics

While far from the most sexually explicit cover, X-Statix manages to be controversial in another way. If readers' parents were fans of the royal family, they may be offended to see a mutant resurrected Princess Diana jumping into battle with the team.

This comic was always a little bit comedic and self-aware, so it might not have been a problem if people had actually read the story. However, judging the book by its cover, it isn’t hard to see why the public and Marvel's editorial team weren’t happy. Luckily, this was edited before release.

5 Marville #6 Is A Pitiful Attempt At Satire

Marville comic

Marville is consistently referenced amongst the worst comics Marvel has ever published. Created by then-editor-in-chief Bill Jemas as a bet against writer Peter David, Marville is a pitiful attempt at a satire of superhero comics that abandons every idea as soon as it introduces it.

Marville #6's cover is one that features a woman swinging over the city in a sexualized version of Spider-Man’s costume, and sitting in a taxi wearing a bikini. This cover has nothing to do with the content of the book, but readers can take their pick of covers from Marville to be embarrassed about.

4 Marvel Tried Its Hand At Teen Romance Comics With Trouble #1

trouble cover

Another terrible series, Trouble was Marvel’s half-hearted attempt to reach a new audience with teen romance comics. Penned by edge-lord Mark Millar, Trouble opted to use real photographs for its five covers.

Showing bikini-clad girls looking over their sunglasses is nothing new but the content of the comics is all very explicitly sexual, and the characters who the models are supposed to be representing are teenagers. Trouble also totally ruins the conception and backstory of Peter Parker, featuring Peter’s father cheating on his mother with Aunt May.

3 The Sensational She-Hulk #40 Isn't Handled With Respect

She-Hulk Issue 40 Cover

This cover of Sensational She-Hulk is one of the more blatantly sexist and humiliating covers published by Marvel. Female characters are usually drawn in a sexual manner, but this pushes the unnecessary sexualization to embarrassing extremes. When done well, sexuality can be a powerful aspect of a character, no matter their gender.

RELATED: 10 Best Single Comic Stories Of The Modern Age, Ranked

However, the tough powerhouse of a superhero is depicted as nervous, naked, and seemingly performing actions she doesn’t want to do. This is not an appropriate way to depict any hero on a cover. These themes can be addressed in comics if handled with grace and respect, but this was not one of those times.

2 Spider-Man And The Black Cat #1: The Evil That Men Do's Overly Sexual Cover

Marvel Spider Man and the black cat

Readers' parents wouldn't be happy if they found this overtly sexualized cover. Black Cat has always been a sexualized character in skin-tight clothing, but this cover pushes it to new limits. Her cleavage is all but fully exposed, and the pose she is striking positions her curves in an unnecessarily sexual nature.

It’s clear who Marvel was hoping to attract with this cover, as Spider-Man wasn't featured at all. The concept of an empowering team-up of two heroes on equal footing was clearly lost with Spider-Man And The Black Cat's cover. Luckily, subsequent covers feature both heroes, and while Black Cat is still provocative, it isn’t entirely as gratuitous.

1 Deadpool #41: FRAG! Is A Poor Attempt To Bring In Readers

Deadpool FRAG!

Many covers of Deadpool feature scantily-clad women, hoping to tantalize teenagers into buying their violent, comedic, hyper-'90s book. However, Deadpool: FRAG! is notable for the sheer number of naked women on the cover, with no subtlety at all.

While a few women are wearing small bikinis, several are only covered by signs that read “CENSORED - What were we thinking??” or "CENSORED - Oh my." Not only are the green women naked, but they’re all swooning over Deadpool, grabbing his body while he poses heroically.

NEXT: 10 Marvel Comics That Deserve A Sequel