Sunday, August 23, 2009

The Top 10 Hottest Men in Comics

Posted by Ryan Jent on Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 7:09 PM

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Ryan Reynolds has signed on to play Green Lantern for DC's upcoming live-action adaptation of the same name — and while he may play the same character in every film, so do his abs. Wolverine has been played in four separate films by Hugh Jackman and his pecs.

Before Christan Bale's mouth was crippling franchises like Terminator, he saved another with Batman Begins. Ex-model James Marsden played X-Man Cyclops.

Robert Downey, Jr. regained heartthrob status as Iron Man, Tobey Maguire showed what a gym could do with Spider-Man, and Nicholas Cage played Ghost Rider.

(Okay, ignore that last part.)

The point is: there's a reason actors like Danny DeVito play the supervillain. Sex sells. In any genre and in any medium.  Just look at our Most Popular blogs. (You probably already did.)

I would like to point out that I don't think any of the following characters are real. I don't think I could date them and I don't think they're better looking than any real human being, except for Nicholas Cage.

But, if only for art's sake, take a look at mainstream comic book's Top 10 Hottest Men:

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WICCAN

Billy Kaplan is a character of potential. Originally introduced several years ago as one of the Young Avengers, Marvel's next generation of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Wiccan has continued to evolve into a master magician.

During the recent search for Marvel's next Sorcerer Supreme, Kaplan was even considered a candidate.

The character is in a grounded relationship with his boyfriend, Hulkling, and may even be the son of the Scarlet Witch. Longtime boyfriend, crazy mother... maybe I can just identify with him. (I'm kidding, Mom.)

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SUPERBOY

DC'S favorite junior Superman is about to make his return to the company's pages in Adventure Comics after a trip to the grave. The character, a clone of Superman, has built up years of intriguing and complicated continuity — but it's definitely added to his depth.

Superman is still dating Lois Lane or something.

And while he may not wear tighty-reddies or a cape, he does wear jeans.

Really nice ones.

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GRIFTER

Like Wolverine, without the claws or overexposure.

Wildstorm's Grifter is a powerful and resourceful character — and the mask lends to mystery. There's an "I don't care" factor with the character's appearance.

Most masks are tight, form-fitting — so either the character has an incredibly massive chin, or he's too good-looking to be bothered with anything other than hair gel.

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MULTIPLE MAN

The character who could populate an entire list — on his own. Jamie Madrox was a fan favorite in the 90's and has recently resurfaced, in a big way, in Marvel's X-Factor.

Jamie Madrox currently leads X-Factor Investigations — where he's been carefully molded into a complex character with, well, identity issues. He can be sensitive, he can be sweet. He can be daring, he can be brash. Layers are sexy.

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CANNONBALL

The little X-Man that could. Cannonball's journey has been one of endurance. An original member of the junior X-Men, The New Mutants, Sam Guthrie eventually graduated to leading his own squad in X-Force before becoming an on-again, off-again full-fledged X-Man.

The character currently leads the reunited New Mutants in a new ongoing series and paved the way for two siblings to join other X-Teams.

Besides, y'all, he's a Southern gentleman.

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CYCLOPS

The first X-Man, Scott Summers has always been a natural tactician and leader. The character's history has grown incredibly elaborate: he's had a son, founded X-Factor, had two wives and a few frosty girlfriends.

After the Scarlet Witch decimated the mutant population, wiping it from thousands to nearly 200, Cyclops became the figurehead for mutant survival.

Summers always believed wholeheartedly in Professor Xavier's dream of mutant equality and now follows his own dream. Most of the mutant population follows.

Besides, ruby quartz sunglasses aren't cheap. Who knows what's in that bank account.

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LUKE CAGE

Belt buckle aside, Luke Cage has gone from zero to hero. The character went from an afro with a tiara, no — really, to a sleek, sexy father and husband.

Cage has dropped his codename of Power Man and cemented himself in Marvel history as an essential Avenger.

He'll take on every villain in the Marvel Universe before dinner just to see his wife and child.

That's a hero.

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HAWKEYE

Real men don't wear pink, they wear purple.

While Marvel's Clint Barton may have traded in the Robin Hood factor to become ninja-esque Ronin, it won't last forever.

The character has cheated death, changed identities and risen again through the ranks to become the newest leader of The Avengers. After the frenzy of crossover event Secret Invasion, Hawkeye has also been reunited with his supposedly deceased wife, Mockingbird. There's no telling where the character will go.

Robin Hood, by the way, was a fox. Even Disney thought so.

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SPIDER-MAN

He's smart, he's funny, he's amazing, spectacular and friendly — he's Peter Parker, Spider-Man.

Spider-Man is now published three times a month, and while quantity doesn't always equal quality, it does here.

Peter Parker remains the timeless boy next door, the hero you could be, even in Marvel's Brand New Day.

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NIGHTWING

Dick Grayson, longtime mainstay of the DC Universe, has evolved from green-thonged, yellow-caped Robin to dark, sexy Nightwing to assuming the role of Batman himself.

He's become a top-tier hero in his own right, carrying not only multiple teams over the years but also his own title. He's now mentor to a new Robin, and his continuously confusing relationship with Barbara Gordon, once Batgirl and now Oracle, continues to progress.

As Batman, Dick Grayson's story can only continue to evolve and fascinate. Sure, Bucky Barnes was iconic character Captain America before Grayson dawned the cowl — but who is Bucky Barnes?

Batman: R.I.P. Nightwing: Reborn. The King is dead, long live the King.

There you have it, at least in my humble (though rarely not, when it comes to comics) opinion. The Top 10 Hottest Men in mainstream comics today. There are a few honorable mentions, of course, and reasons they were excluded.

WOLVERINE: He's the best he is at what he does, sure, but what he does is everywhere. He's in nearly every Marvel Comic and even one, slightly-better-than-average comic film. Overexposure is never hot.

GAMBIT: Another X-Man, another character to join the ranks of live-action adaptation with Wolverine. But it's never hot to be billed as such from inception. Don't get me wrong, I like the character — but it's too typical.

SUPERMAN: A character without flaws isn't really much of a character at all.

SPAWN: There's something sexy about the cape, the torment, the mystery — but underneath it all, he's still a dead guy.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: I can't get married in this country. There's nothing hot about a character who represents it.

Supposedly, after Adam came Eve. Up next: The Top 10 Hottest Women in mainstream comics.

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