There are so many characters in the Marvel Universe that have been undervalued, underrated, and overseen. With so many heroes and villains possessing so many skills and talents, there is nothing more frustrating for readers than seeing interesting characters not realizing their full potential, or even worse, going unnoticed by other characters.
Whether it's due to ego, hubris, or poor timing, many characters are overseen by others closest to them, which may remain a part of the status quo or may cause resentment between these two groups. Either way, the undervaluation of these characters can't go on unnoticed, and could very well come to define them in future stories.
10 The New X-Men AreOverprotected By The X-Men
The mutant population has suffered so much in such a short amount of time. In the 2000s, the mutants made great strides in advancing mutant rights but suffered various setbacks at the same time. First, the genocide of the mutant nation of Genosha, then M-Day, which left 98% of the mutant population de-powered, leaving only around 200 mutants active on the planet.
As a result, the next generation of mutant youngsters were heavily policed by the X-Men, who feared for their safety. So much so, they completely underestimated an incredibly talented generation that featured the likes of Laura Kinney, Prodigy, and Mercury. A whole generation of mutants were overseen by adults who feared that their species would be fully extinct.
9 Hawkeye Deserves More Respect From The Avengers
Clint Barton joined the Avengers as a former criminal with an attitude problem but an incredible skill for archery. He remained a member of the Avengers for decades, even leading the West Coast Avengers for a short period of time. Consequently, he went down in history as a mainstay of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
But despite his long tenure on the team, Hawkeye has often been overseen by the rest of the Avengers. Especially in the case of new members, who only see him as an archer with no actual superpowers, Barton's character, utility, and commitment to the team is often called into question, despite him being truly one of the hearts and souls of the Avengers.
8 Cypher Is the Key To Krakoan Nation
Douglas Ramsey is an incredibly powerful mutant on Krakoa with the mutant ability of Omnilingual Translation. Basically, Doug can understand, translate, and communicate with any language and form of language, making him the perfect translator. This has allowed him to form connections with aliens, other life forms, and form a unique bond with Krakoa, the mutant sentient island nation.
But despite Douglas' unique ability to form connections with other living forms, it can still be argued that he has been given lackluster roles in the X-Men's new sovereign nation. Where Douglas could be used to extend the X-Men's connections in different parts of the world, or even the galaxy, he is too preoccupied keeping Krakoa satisfied.
7 Darkhawk Is A 90s Cult Hero
Christopher Powell gained access to the Darkhawk amulet as a young man and became the hero known as Darkhawk in the 1990s. Vowing to use the armor and technology to be an "edge against crime," Christopher would gain friends in Spider-Man, the New Warriors, and even go on to become a reserve member of the West Coast Avengers.
However, despite his power and aptitude for crime-fighting, Darkhawk was rarely used by the West Coast Avengers. He later became a fringe character in the Marvel Universe. With someone who had so much experience and was one of the most interesting characters from the 1990s, surely Darkhawk deserved more visibility from the Avengers in the 21st century?
6 Wonder Man Had A Valid Claim Against The Avengers
Simon Williams, the vigilante known better as Wonder Man, has lived quite a life. Originally a villain who was manipulated by Baron Zemo and exposed to cosmic ionic rays that gave him tremendous power, he turned his life around in order to become one of the strongest Avengers in history. However, since he has left the Avengers, he has come into a different school of thought. Due to this, he has been thoroughly dismissed by Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
After the events of M-Day, Simon came to believe that the Avengers didn't take enough accountability for their own mistakes in the handling of certain events, such as the superhuman civil war and Wanda Maximoff's mental breakdown. He came to resent the Avengers, even attempting to attack them and stop them from operating anymore. While the Avengers pitied him, they never tried to listen to what he was saying. Instead, they institutionalized him and treated him like they would any other villain.
5 Victoria Hand Was Disrespected Because Of Her Time Working With Norman Osborn
Victoria Hand's rise to prominence in her field is something short of incredible. Three years prior to the Secret Invasion, she was an accountant for S.H.I.E.L.D, who sent a lengthy letter to Director Fury berating him and how he was handling the war on terror, leading to her being transferred to Portland, Oregon. But once Norman Osborn took over and rebranded as H.A.M.M.E.R, he made Victoria his right-hand, where she was incredibly adept.
Recognizing her skill and ability, Steve Rogers kept her as a liaison to the New Avengers, but she was immediately deemed untrustworthy by the rest of the team due to her previous working relationship with Norman Osborn. Despite her best interests to serve the team and help Rogers' Avengers, she was completely overseen by the Avengers, which caused several conflicts.
4 Namor Has Been Overseen By Captain America And The Surface World
While he may be an aggressive and short-tempered personality, Namor McKenzie, the King of Atlantis, has ruled the Deep Sea for decades and has always been a fair and considerate ruler. He's always sought to defend the best interests of his people first and foremost. However, he's dismissed the problems of the surface world on many occasions, criticizing its leaders for their handling of global climate disasters and other issues.
When he has sought help from the surface, Namor usually turned to Captain America – one of his oldest friends due to the two being a part of the Invaders during World War II. But due to his loyalty to the Avengers, Captain America has always prioritized the surface world. He's often been inconsiderate to Namor's allegiance to Atlantis, leading to the King being deemed a threat and sometimes leading to larger-scale conflicts.
3 Doctor Voodoo Is Just As Capable As Dr. Strange
Jericho Drumm was a sorcerer and powerful magic user from New Orleans, also known as Brother Voodoo, who earned the praise of Doctor Strange. Eventually, Jericho Drumm was granted the title of Sorcerer Supreme of Earth after Doctor Strange was displaced from the position.
Brother Voodoo was very capable as Sorcerer Supreme and even teamed up with the Avengers on multiple occasions. However, he eventually relinquished the position back to Strange. Ever since, it seems the major superhero teams have been shortsighted in their use of Drumm's abilities, as he's certainly proven that he deserves a spot on the team and more recognition.
2 The Absorbing Man Is An Incredibly Powerful Villain
Crusher Creel was given the magic power to absorb the qualities of anything he touched by the Asgardian god Loki, turning him into the villain known as the Absorbing Man. Having allied himself with the Masters of Evil, the Lethal Legion, and the Serpent, the Absorbing Man has gone toe-to-toe with some of the most formidable heroes in the Marvel Universe.
It can be argued that Creel has been undervalued by other villains in the Marvel Universe – usually reduced to the role of a henchman or a large distraction for more cunning villains. Realistically, with the power he possesses, Creel could cause huge problems to the Avengers and the world at large, but only if he properly applied himself and his unique set of abilities.
1 The Wrecking Crew Have The Potential To Be Very Real Threats
The Wrecking Crew have a magical origin. They gained their powers of strength and vulnerability from an enchanted crowbar of mystical proportions. As a result, Dirk Garthwaite and his team became the Wrecking Crew, who have gone toe-to-toe with the Avengers, the likes of Thor, and many other groups in the Marvel Universe.
However, the Wrecking Crew have been reduced to the role of glorified henchmen. They work as villains for hire and are often allied with Parker Robbins (the mercenary known as the Hood), despite the fact that the Wrecking Crew is made up of an ex-physicist, an ex-military sergeant, and other intelligent minds. The Wrecking Crew have been overseen by the supervillain community in the Marvel Universe and deserve their turn in the spotlight.