In life, when there are two great things, many believe that by mashing them together, they can create something even better. Comic books have the same philosophy. With so many popular characters in so many universes with all sorts of different powers, comics have been known to throw characters together to create something even more memorable than before. Whether it be a publisher combining their own characters or working with other publishers to combine their universes, comic books are no stranger to mashing up their heroes and villains.
The results can range from lackluster and ridiculous to cool and powerful. Naturally, throwing together an impressive set of superpowers will create a stronger character than just leaving them by themselves. As a result, these mashup characters are generally more powerful than their subsequent characters. Marvel and DC have worked together in the past to create an entire pantheon of combined characters in a reality known as the Amalgam Universe. Characters like Batman and Wolverine or Captain America and Superman are thrown together to create new versions with different origin stories and powers. Likewise, Marvel has also been known to combine their own characters to create new threats or heroes for readers to behold. With all of these mashup characters being created, there are some that have benefitted the most from their respective combinations. We're ranking the top 20 strongest mashup characters in comic history, whether it be a joint character from Marvel and DC or a combined character from a single publisher.
25 PUNISHER WAR MACHINE
One of the more recent stories in comic books involved Rhodey taking a break from the War Machine armor. However, the situation becomes dire when some political issues sprout overseas. S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted to send someone to deal with the threat, so they hired Frank Castle to use the armor and handle it.
As expected, Castle forged his own path by using the War Machine armor. With all of his skills and experience, giving him a suit designed by Tony Stark made him a much deadlier weapon. His crusade to destroy those who harmed the world was suddenly much more realizable in his eyes.
24 RED GOBLIN
Cletus Kasady was one of the most threatening Spider-Man villains when bonded with the Carnage symbiote. However, his biggest downfall was that he was careless and chaotic, never having a plan or thinking ahead. When the Carnage symbiote bonded with Norman Osborn, though, that was no longer the case.
Combining their powers and intelligence, Osborn and Carnage created the Red Goblin. This monstrosity had both characters' strengths and none of their weaknesses. With the proper knowledge of Spider-Man's alter ego, the Red Goblin was able to terrorize Peter Parker, and it seemed as if no one would be able to stop him.
23 DARK CLAW
It's often said that Batman could beat anyone given the right amount of prep time, and that has everything to do with his experience, ingenuity, and intelligence -- he doesn't have any superpowers. However, imagine if he were drafted into the Weapon X program and given an Adamantium skeleton.
In the Amalgam Universe, Batman and Wolverine were combined to create Dark Claw. He had the same tragic backstory of Batman with all the powers and skills of Wolverine, including that overpowered healing factor. As such, he was a much more dangerous protector to his city, and criminals knew to stay from him.
22 MISTER X
Martian Manhunter has a lot of mental and physical abilities. Being from Mars, he can telepathically communicate with others, fly, and shapeshift into all sorts of other forms to get the job done. He has strength on a level like Superman. Combine that with the mental powers of Charles Xavier, and he becomes much more potent.
Mister X was the Amalgam Universe's combination of these two characters. It was later revealed that he was a Skrull who had to escape Mars, but that did little to diminish his powers. He was a potent member of the Justice League X-Men and had all the abilities to back it up.
21 STORM THOR
Storm is a member of the X-Men with the power to control the weather and she often uses it to summon lightning to diminish her foes. There was a time, though, when she lost her abilities. Loki saw his opportunity and crafted a hammer specifically for her, which was nearly as powerful as Mjolnir, then later tricked her into attacking her friends.
She was granted the powers of Thor, and her lightning was enhanced with her natural ability to command it. She proved almost unbeatable, being able to even hold back Wolverine. Storm Thor would later appear in alternate realities and seems to have a place in the larger Marvel Universe.
20 IRON LANTERN
The Green Lantern rings already give their wielders immense power. Combine with the technology of Tony Stark, and you get something truly special. In the Amalgam Universe, it was a Lantern that served as the battery for the Iron Man suit rather than the arc reactor. Hal Stark created with both human and alien technology, and it made him stronger than either Green Lantern or Iron Man.
He could fly at breakneck speeds, shoots blasts of energy with ease, and even travel through time. The Iron Lantern was the pinnacle of what could be done with the will of a lantern and the intelligence of a Stark.
19 AMAZON
Storm is one of the most powerful X-Men. Wonder Woman is one of the most powerful Amazons. Combine them, and you get one of the strongest heroes in the Amalgam Universe. Amazon was the result of Storm being raised by Queen Hippolyta in Themyscira. She was taught all the combat tricks and skills that Wonder Woman learned, but she had an edge in her ability to manipulate weather.
This allowed Amazon to create her own lasso of truth, and it made her a serious force of nature to the rest of the world. She was nearly unbeatable, both in her raw strength and her metahuman abilities.
18 WEAPON H
There has been a lot of talk as to whether Hulk or Wolverine would win in a battle. While the two seem to be neck and neck, Marvel decided that they would simply end the debate altogether by creating a combination of the two. Stryker worked on a program that combined the Weapon X technology with the gamma radiation incident that Bruce Banner accidentally created.
The result was a hybrid of Hulk and Wolverine, referred to as Weapon H. Imagine the Hulk with an Adamantium skeleton and claws as well as an invincible healing factor. Weapon H was a massive character, able to go through anyone with ease. Even Wolverine, X-23, and Sabretooth couldn't do much to stop him.
17 RED DORMAMMU
When the Marvel Universe was mashed together, one of the most original combinations was Red Dormammu. Being a combination of the Red Skull and Dormammu, this deadly being was the high priest for the Third Reich. Having all of the intelligence and skills of Red Skull, this was combined with the raw mystical powers of Dormammu.
As a result, he was a threat to the entire world and even when he was defeated, he had enough power to send his foes to the Dark Dimension. Being an extremist with the powers to warp reality and travel through dimensions, there were none quite like Red Dormammu.
16 IRON HAMMER
In a world where Madame Masque and Hela combine to form an even greater threat, the only person strong enough to stop them is the Iron Hammer. An Asgardian prince with the tech genius of Tony Stark, the Iron Hammer was created to protect Asgard from some of the most sinister threats the Nine Realms had ever seen.
With the help of a massive hammer and Asgardian materials to create the armor, the Iron Hammer was a legendary foe that every villain knew to fear. Channeling the powers of being a god on top of that, Iron Hammer was destined to take on even the toughest foes in the Marvel Universe.
15 SPEED DEMON
There wasn't much interest in a character like Speed Demon, which caused all three versions to never take off with readers. However, there is a lot to say about them solely on a power level, because they combined two of the strongest characters in the Marvel and DC Universes: the Flash and Ghost Rider.
Seeming like a weird combination, the results were off the charts. Ghost Rider is already a nearly unstoppable character in the Marvel Universe, having the potential to destroy anything in the world. The Flash, likewise, has control of the Speed Force and can defeat most before they even realize what happened. Imagine what the two could do with their powers combined.
14 BUCKY WONG
The Soldier Supreme wasn't the only superhero working to stop Red Dormammu during World War II. His best friend, Bucky Wong, had managed to unlock mystic powers that easily made him one of the strongest people on the battlefield. Becoming a ghost that could slay people without getting touched, he became known as the Winter Soldier.
It was his ethereal powers that allowed him and the Soldier Supreme to defeat Red Dormammu, as his ghost form was able to sneak up on the villain undetected. Essentially on the same power level as a Star Wars force ghost, there was plenty of reason to fear the Winter Soldier.
13 SILVER RACER
Silver Surfer and Black Racer are already said to be copies of one another, so it made sense for Marvel and DC to pair them up in their massive crossover. The Silver Racer is, more or less, what most readers would expect.
He manages to fly around the cosmos but does so on some unique silver skis rather than a surfboard. However, Silver Racer is imbued with the Power Cosmic as well as the deadly powers of the Black Racer. As such, he can travel anywhere in the universe in an instant, and cause someone to meet their end with just one touch.
12 ONSLAUGHT
After Magneto went off the deep end, Professor X decided to wipe his mind. In parading around in his rival's brain, though, Charles picked up a piece of Magneto that festered in his own mind. The result was that the two powerful mutants were combined to create something that the rest of the X-Men weren't sure how to handle.
The combination was known only as Onslaught. Having a massive size, the cold heart of Magneto, and the enhanced telepathic abilities of Charles Xavier, it seemed that there was no hope for the mutants of the world. There was no limit to Onslaught's power, and it took a lot of strength to defeat him.
11 DOCTOR DOOMSDAY
Doctor Doom is known for his intelligence and dedication to his ideals. He is the ruler of a nation as well as the creator of some of the most impressive technology in the Marvel Universe. He is strong on his own, but the Amalgam Universe gave him a little-needed upgrade. In a nutshell, he was given the look and powers of DC's Doomsday to boot.
However, he sacrificed none of his previous intelligence in the process. The result was a villain who could both take just about any attack, maul through any superhero, and create just about anything with his smarts. There seemed to be nothing that Doctor Doomsday couldn't do.
10 WEAPON HEX
Wanda Maximoff was one of the strongest mutants ever created by Marvel. Her magical powers had the potential to recreate reality, and she was aptly feared. However, things got crazy when she was combined with X-23 to create Weapon Hex. This new amalgamation had all the magic powers of Scarlet Witch with the Adamantium skeleton, claws, and healing factor of X-23 through a special program that tried to create such a mystical individual.
Being magical on the same level as Scarlet Witch, Weapon Hex was a ruthless force in the Marvel Universe. Couple that with her indestructibility, and there would be no stopping her if she lost her mind.
9 GHOST PANTHER
Prince T'Challa is a strong fighter. Equipped with a Vibranium suit and a life's worth of training in every form of combat and weapon imaginable, he is a serious threat as the Black Panther. However, Marvel decided to combine with him with the Ghost Rider in "Infinty Warps" to create the Ghost Panther.
Cast out of Wakanda, T'Challa used his agility to become a performer until one accident brought him to his wit's end. That's when he struck a deal to become the Spirit of Vengeance. Equipped with the agility and skills of Black Panther with the raw power of Ghost Rider, he was destined to return to Wakanda.
8 THORION
While the costume leaves a lot to be desired, the powers of Thorion are not to be trifled with. Thor is already one Marvel's strongest heroes, having a mastery of lightning and combat thanks to the use of Mjolnir. Orion is one of DC's New Gods and can go toe to toe with some of that universe's strongest characters.
Together, they create a hero unlike any other. Complete with his own hammer, Thorion is one of the strongest heroes in the Amalgam Universe. He was even considered strong enough to become a Celestial, which very few comic characters could ever say.
7 NIGHT SPECTRE
Nightmare of Marvel and Spectre of DC are more supernatural entities in their universes. As such, they have powers on a level that regular minds cannot properly comprehend.
Together, they created the Night Spectre of the Amalgam Universe, whose goal was to collect evil and good souls to essentially have full dominion over Earth, Heaven, and Hell altogether. He could do whatever he wanted, steal people in an instant, and even destroy anyone that tried to stop him. Even when the Speed Demon tried to end him, Night Spectre easily separated the Spirit of Vengeance from his body.
6 COSMIC GHOST RIDER
Imagine this story. Frank Castle was one of the last people on Earth and about to meet his end. To save his life, he bargained with Mephisto, who gave him the curse of the Ghost Rider. After being the last hero on Earth, Castle started to lose his mind until Galactus came to consume the planet.
Instead of destroying Castle, he made him his herald, giving him the Power Cosmic. Thus, the Cosmic Ghost Rider was born with the skills of Frank Castle, the limitless strength of Ghost Rider, and the powers of Silver Surfer. Cosmic Ghost Rider was stronger than even Galactus and remains an invincible entity in the Marvel Universe.