Maybe it's the plethora of superheroes that are lawyers, but Marvel comics have had a lot of trials. Superheroes tend to find themselves in court from time to time. Whether it's a mistaken case of murder or cosmic ramifications, they happen often enough to become a trope of super-hero comics. Marvel has made it more of a staple than DC Comics has.

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Of course, any ranking of these trials is subjective, but the weight has been placed on the consequences of the trial's outcome. Another factor in a trial's placement is how the story has lasted in the collective cultural memory of comic book fans. Some of these trials may be better known, collected multiple times; conversely, others have been all but forgotten, except in the impact they had on the Marvel Universe.

10 Trial of Black Widow

When it seemed that she had contributed to the death of the Scorpion, Black Widow found herself on trial for his murder. At first, it seemed she would have an easy time being acquitted, as Daredevil's best friend Foggy Nelson was the District Attorney at the time. Unfortunately, Foggy was being blackmailed by the villain named the Assassin.

The Assassin orchestrated the apparent death of the Scorpion and sent Mister Hyde to destroy the body before Daredevil could examine it. Had Daredevil examined it, he would have realized that Scorpion was an android replica. Without the body, the case against Black Widow was dropped. Unfortunately, the strain of accusations drove a wedge between Daredevil and Black Widow that was never fully repaired.

9 Trial of Starfox

Starfox Smiling And Giving A Thumbs Up As She-Hulk Holds Him Lovingly With An American Flag In The Background

Starfox has a very questionable power as he can stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain. More often than most people would be comfortable with, he has used this power to seduce women. When one of them accuses him of sexual assault, he finds himself in court and being defended by his old Avengers teammate, She-Hulk.

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During the trial, She-Hulk begins to wonder if her past fling with Starfox was the result of his powers. When she confronts him, he tries to escape confinement; however, She-Hulk stops this attempt before Starfox is teleported away to Titan by his father to face justice there.

8 Trial of Namor

In 1991, John Byrne finally had Namor stand trial for his various attacks against "the surface world" over the decades. Members of the Fantastic Four were called as character witnesses but saw a shrewd prosecutor pull out of that testimony evidence to support Namor's guilt.

It wasn't until the testimony of Namor's new friend and business partner, Caleb Alexander, that the case turned around. Alexander testified of his discovery that Namor's nature as a human/Atlantean hybrid meant that if he spent too long in one environment he began to experience mental problems that resulted in paranoia and rage. Namor was ruled guilty, but his bouts of insanity placed him on parole.

7 Trial of Vance Astrovik

Vance Astrovik, also known as Marvel Boy and later Justice, had a very abusive father. It even drove him to run away at one point. One day, when Vance was injured from fighting Terrax and Gideon, his father began beating him again. When his mother was likewise attacked, Vance lashed out and killed his father with his telekinetic powers.

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Vance sat in the trial showing the injuries from his beating. While he made a valid case for self-defense, the prosecutor showed that Vance had enough control over his powers that he could have stopped his father without killing him. Convicted of negligent homicide, Vance served fourteen months in prison and even dissuaded his teammates in the New Warriors from breaking him out.

6 Trial of the Punisher

In 2013, the Punisher surrendered himself for the murder of an Assistant District Attorney. He was put on trial to determine his sanity. He had a very capable public defender who tried her best to spare him the death penalty. Unfortunately, the testimony of numerous witnesses was leading to a conviction.

Then the Punisher revealed his plan. Using a recorded confession from the Assistant D.A., he got himself into the judge's chambers where he escaped. He then made his way to another courtroom where a child molester in witness protection was testifying. The Punisher's plan all along was to get himself into the courthouse to kill the child molester that had escaped justice.

5 Trial of Yellowjacket

Following his expulsion from the Avengers, Hank Pym was broke and desperate. His old enemy Egghead used this to frame Pym for the theft of adamantium from the government. Framed for treason, Pym was soon put on trial. During the trial, a rescue was staged by the Masters of Evil. The team of villains was working for Egghead.

Egghead wanted Pym to build a machine to extend the human lifespan. Instead, Pym built a device that enabled him to defeat the Masters of Evil. The battle ended when Hawkeye caused Egghead's gun to backfire, killing the man that had framed Pym. Following testimony from some of the Masters of Evil, Pym was acquitted but gave up his heroic identity for some time.

4 Trial of Magneto

When Magneto reformed the first time and joined the X-Men, he made himself a target for the world's governments that wanted him brought to justice. Magneto had spent many years terrorizing the world in the cause of elevating mutants over humans.

Tensions ran high as Magneto stood trial for his most recent actions, among them, sinking a Soviet submarine and killing everyone on board. Magneto professed that he had changed his ways and was working to find peaceful means to preserve mutantkind in the face of building prejudice. When Fenris attacked the court, Magneto exhibited a willingness to give his life for those of the innocents in harm's way. The World Court adjourned without passing judgment on Magneto, but several judges were impressed by his humanity.

3 Trial of Phoenix

Pheonix underwent a different kind of trial from all of the others, a trial by combat. Rather than give her over to the Shi'ar for execution, Professor X invoked a challenge to a "duel of honor." The X-Men went up against the Imperial Guard for Jean's very life in the Blue Area of the Moon. The Beast realized that this was as close to a trial that Jean Grey would ever get from the Shi'ar.

The battle did not go the X-Men's way. The Imperial Guard was too powerful, especially with Gladiator on their side. However, when Phoenix re-emerged, things became very dire. In a tragic ending, rather than endanger the universe, Phoenix used her power to kill herself with ancient weaponry. It became one of the most meaningful deaths in comics for many years.

2 Trial of the Ultimate Hulk

Hulk in court

Following his rampage through Manhattan, Bruce Banner's secret identity as the Hulk was exposed by a traitor within the Ultimates. He was put on trial for the deaths of hundreds of civilians. Matt Murdock even defended him, but ultimately it was in vain.

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The Ultimates were tasked with executing him. However, Hank Pym used his responsibility with anesthetizing Banner to give him a chance to survive. Banner turned to the Hulk just seconds before the bomb blast that should have killed him. Banner vanished until he was needed to stop a foreign takeover of the United States.

1 Trial of Reed Richards/Galactus

Marvel Comics Trail of Reed Richards Fantastic Four

When Galactus was dying, Reed Richards saved his life. This earned him the accusations of Princess Lilandra of the Shi'ar. If Galactus killed any world, Reed Richards would be held responsible. The first world he devoured was the Skrull Throneworld. Reed Richards was placed on cosmic trial.

Galactus eventually showed up and with the Watcher, summoned Eternity itself. All minds were linked and shown that Galactus is a living force of the Universe. In saving Galactus, Reed Richards was preserving a balance in the universe.

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