Superheroes may be popular among comic book readers, but their enemies are just as memorable. Most heroes in Marvel Comics are defined by the obstacles that they bypass to become a hero, which includes fighting against some of the most vicious supervillains.
What makes these Marvel villains so popular, isn’t just determined by the popularity of their superhero adversaries or their level of evil, but by their sheer determination. Villains like Thanos may be evil incarnate, but fans admire his tenacity. Whether it’s their style, humor, or live-action appearances, these villains have proved to be just as popular as their heroic enemies.
10 Venom Has A Toxic Connection With Comic Readers
It is no secret that Spider-Man is the most popular character in Marvel Comics and Venom is one of his most notable foes. Originally created to be a temporary costume for Spider-Man, Venom gained fame after becoming a symbiotic predator and Spidey’s most horrific enemy.
Though there are several variations of Venom, and he is often seen as an anti-hero, Eddie Brock’s Venom gained the most notoriety among comic fans. Eddie Brock’s rage built from jealousy for Peter Parker made him the perfect host for a symbiote with a thirst to destroy Spider-Man. Aside from having several hosts for long periods of time, Venom is a favorable villain because even heroes has temporarily become hosts for the deadly symbiote.
9 Red Skull Is A Formidable Foe
As a follower in Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Red Skull isn’t necessarily a favorable villain, but he is one of the most talked about. Not only is he famous for his lifelong war with Captain America, but Red Skull is also known for being one of the first wielders of the Cosmic Cube. The Cosmic Cube plays a key role in some of the most popular events in Marvel Comics including the Infinity War.
Though Red Skull Is a bigot with intentions to create world domination, it is his evil schemes and hatred that makes him a formidable villain. It’s satisfying for readers to see a Nazi general constantly getting his butt kicked by Captain America.
8 Galactus Is A Universal Destroyer
With a reputation as the “Destroyer of Worlds,” Galactus is a name that is hard to forget. Galactus was one of the first god-like villains in Marvel Comics and has made quite an impression on comic fans since first appearing in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four #48.
As a being who consumes planets for his own survival, Galactus has a reputation as a detrimental threat within the universe which is why fans find him so intriguing. Since his existence, Galactus has made several appearances in video games and animations. In 2020, Galactus made an impression on the younger generation after appearing as the big boss in Chapter 2: Season 3 of Fortnite.
7 Kang Has Conquered The Hearts Of Comic Fans
Kang’s many variations, supreme intelligence, and advanced weapons and technology are some of the reasons why comic fans find him appealing. As a distant relative of Mister Fantastic, Kang’s rivalry with the Fantastic Four makes for a compelling story and is partly why fans are drawn to his origins.
Johnathan Majors brought Kang to life as one of his variations called “He Who Remains” in the Loki series and has left quite an impression on comic book fans who were looking forward to finally seeing the character in live-action. Majors is reprising the role of Kang in the upcoming film Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which is said to be one of the most anticipating films of 2023.
6 Green Goblin Is Entertaining Onscreen And In Comics
Another popular enemy of Spider-Man, Green Goblin is such a dynamic character because of the drama surrounding his conflictive relationship with Peter Parker. With Green Goblin being Norman Osborne, Peter Parker’s best friend Harry’s father, the rivalry between Spider-Man and Green Goblin is beyond complicated as Peter wrestles with trying not to hurt his best friend by defeating his father.
Green Goblin is also a fan favorite in films due to the stellar performance of Norman Osborn by Willem Dafoe in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Green Goblin gained more buzz this past year after Dafoe returned to the Goblin armor in the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home which brought nostalgia to older fans and created a new generation of Green Goblin fanatics.
5 Doctor Doom Has Many Enemies
Victor Von Doom is another one of the Fantastic Four’s most infamous archenemies. While Doctor Doom is a supervillain with the intentions of wanting to conquer the world, as the King of Latveria his motivation to protect his country is slightly admirable.
One of the reasons why Doctor Doom is a popular villain is because he has seemed to tick off several other superheroes and super teams, which include Iron-Man, the X-men, Black Panther, and the Avengers. Along with the Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom’s live-action appearance has not appealed to fans compared to his comic counterpart, but fans are hoping that he eventually makes a prominent appearance within the MCU.
4 Magneto Is One Of The Most Influential Villains
As a mutant and a survivor of the Holocaust, Magneto’s rage built from being harassed and rejected by society led him to fight for his and his fellow mutant’s survival. Though his intentions do not appear to be completely immoral, Magento was willing to stop everyone who got in his way, including his fellow mutants, which is the main reason why he was considered a villain.
However, being loosely inspired by Civil Rights activist Malcolm X, comic fans seem to empathize with Magneto’s actions and what he is trying to accomplish for his people. Eventually, Magneto has progressed into an anti-hero, but his stint as a supervillain made him the character that comic fans have grown to love and respect.
3 Kingpin Is Loved By Comic And TV Fans
Kingpin is a villain that is known for torturing several superheroes but is best known for his beef with Daredevil. With his massive build and iconic white suit, Kingpin is a vicious fashion icon.
Though many comic fans can easily point out Wilson Fisk in a line-up, the character’s popularity increased during the success of the popular Netflix series Daredevil, where Kingpin was portrayed by the talented Vincent D’Onofrio. Since Kingpin’s return in the MCU’s series Hawkeye, fans just can’t stop riveting over the character and D’Onofrio’s beloved portrayal of the iconic mafia boss.
2 Thanos Left A Snappy Impression On Comic And Movie Fans
Thanos is the threat behind some of the most prevalent events and storylines in Marvel Comics. After succeeding in decimating half the universe, Thanos has proven to be a diabolical supervillain with no regrets. As a universal force of evil, there is no doubt that Thanos has the most enemies in comics, with them consisting of other villains as well as heroes.
The first few phases of the MCU contained 23 films and has led to Thanos being the Big-Bad of the Infinity Saga, which was inspired by some of the most popular series in the comics. Thanos has been the most talked about Marvel villain for the past few years and remains a household name.
1 Loki's Tricks And Schemes Make Him A Fan-Favorite
Thor may be a popular superhero for Marvel fans, but his brother and often rival Loki, has gained a large fanbase of his own. Loki may be corruptive and a constant traitor of Asgard, but it is the hilarious nature in how he conducts his tricks and schemes that makes him favorable.
Loki earned respect as the MCU’s Kenny of South Park. The fact that Loki can’t stay dead leads the audience to wanting to know what he is planning to do next. Many fans can’t seem to get enough of the trickster god, which is why the Disney+ series Loki is the most-watched series within the MCU.