19 Marvel characters that are hardly superhero materials

Not all Marvel superheroes emerge as naturally heroic characters from the beginning. The Marvel Universe is packed with powerful, iconic superheroes, but some characters show deficiencies through their peculiar abilities, missing heroism traits, or funny nature. The hero status belongs to remarkable figures like a duck with speech abilities or a vampire cow who misses the mark in saving the world. This article analyzes 19 Marvel heroes who do not qualify as traditional superheroes, although they appear in comic book publications. Marvel Universe characters prove that only certain members qualify as superheroes because incompetence, wicked nature, or unrealistic abilities become contraindicating factors.

Please note that this entire article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

19. Squirrel Girl

Squirrel Girl, who was first shown as a witty figure with seemingly insignificant skills like talking to squirrels and having a bushy tail, has surprised everyone by becoming a true superhero. She ranks last among this list due to his more superpower ability than others do. The true value of Squirrel Girl stems from her unwavering optimism and self-belief contrary to typical superhero abilities. Her acceptance of herself pushes her to convert weaknesses into assets that shows personal acceptance and authenticity can be true superhero powers.

18. Ego the Living Planet

Author Stan Lee and illustrator Jack Kirby invented the character, who made his debut in Thor #132 (September 1966). Ego the Living Planet shows minimal qualifications to be a superhero because the traits defining heroes like empathy moral sensibility and protective intentions are absent in the cosmic entity. The ego exists to reproduce and maintain its existence while destroying various other living organisms during its growth. The creature generates more threat across the cosmic scale than superhero status because its actions come from a destructive drive to make every part of the universe part of its own expansion.

17. Howard the Duck

Howard the Duck constitutes a character that appears regularly in comic books created by Marvel Comics. Author Steve Gerber alongside illustrator Val Mayerik created the character through their realization of his college companion Howard Tockman. His adventures are often satirical and comedic, focusing on his misadventures in a human-dominated world. Howard's primary concerns are usually personal and trivial, rather than altruistic or world-saving. His ill-tempered and cynical nature, combined with his tendency to get into trouble rather than solve it, makes him more of an anti-hero or a comedic character than a conventional superhero.

16. Dazzler

Most people regard Dazzler as a marginal superhero because of her abilities and lack of effectiveness in direct combat despite her secret identity as Alison Blaire. The collaboration between Casablanca Records and Marvel Comics resulted in Dazzler as a coordinated promotional initiative that ended when the licensed products were terminated in 1980.

15. Big Bertha

Big Bertha, born Ashley Crawford, is a mutant and member of the Great Lakes Avengers. She can increase her body mass, granting her superhuman strength and durability. However, this transformation limits her agility and requires induced vomiting to revert to her original form, which can be both impractical and unsettling. Despite her powers, her role as a Milwaukee-based fashion model and the grotesque nature of her abilities often overshadow her superhero potential.

14. Madcap

Madcap obtained his superhero abilities after a chemical incident (Chemical X07) occurred in the Marvel Comics Universe. When he looks somebody in the eyes, it becomes possible to wear them into mental illness, and his rapid healing makes him practically impenetrable. His unpredictable personality combined with his unclear moral values leads superhero society to see him as an unsteady element.

13. Ruby Thursday

As an enemy of the criminal organization, Headmen Ruby Thursday uses her true name Thursday Rubinstein. Her brain had been replaced with a moldable machine, which could make multiple forms of weapons and concealments. Her alliance with criminal organizations together with her criminal behavior overrides any trace of heroics making her an official enemy of the Marvel Universe despite her resourceful approaches.

12. Flatman (Val Ventura)

Due to his unusual abilities and strange personality, Flatman shows few signs of superhero potential as a member of the Great Lakes Avengers. Through his mutant talent, he can stretch his body into thin behavior more suitable for laughter than traditional heroic actions. Although his fashion mastery combined with his Origami-fu fighting methods sets him apart, he does not embody the superhero persona. As a member of the team, Flatman resolves cases by using his fashion skills while making distant interventions that reinforce his character as a funny associate instead of an intimidating defender

11. Forbush Man

Forbush Man represents a Marvel satire with Irving Forbush being the name of the employee working at "Marble Comics." In his role as Forbush Man, he used a cooking pot to represent a helmet while he targeted the clichés of superhero comics. Forbush Man's actual powerlessness next to his artificial superhero persona makes him useless for real superhero work thus clearly demonstrating the uselessness of his super-powered role.

10. Angar the Screamer

Angar the Screamer, despite his striking name, is often considered one of Marvel’s weaker characters due to his rather limited power set. His ability to produce sonic screams does not come across as particularly versatile or overwhelming compared to other heroes or villains. Lacking a compelling backstory or notable development, Angar’s character struggles to leave a lasting impact, making him easily overshadowed by more iconic figures in the Marvel universe.

9. Doorman

Doorman maintains two special powers of both turning his body intangible and accessing neighboring rooms at will. This talent shows practical uses in selective instances but fails to match conventional superhero offensive maneuvers and diverse ability sets. Support functions make up most of his work as the superhero role lacks his effectiveness due to self-esteem issues that compound his limitations at being a traditional superhero.

8. 3-D Man

The Marvel Comics superhero 3-D Man is a hybrid of brothers such as Hal Chandler and Chuck Chandler. Besides, his extraordinary human capacity to sense three times faster and possess triple strength and sensory abilities help him to detect Skrulls without disguises. The superheroes who exist as 3-D Man differ from other heroes because their abilities work only when specific conditions activate them. His restricted abilities make him less effective when operating in superhero teams on a larger scale.

7. Stilt-Man

Marvel Comics features Stilt-Man as a villainable character named Wilbur Day who uses enhanced leg extensions in his costume to gain elevated height and great height advantage against enemies. Although he has unusual capabilities, he needs mechanical stilts to function so opponents can harm him through his vulnerable legs. Stilt-Man cannot defeat opponents of greater power since he does not possess additional abilities and his equipment makes him slow and cumbersome.

6. Hindsight Lad

Hindsight Lad, whose real name is Carlton LaFroyge, becomes the first member of the New Warriors through forced participation. He lacks operational skills and spends his time analyzing past battles for mistakes. The team suffers from selecting Hindsight Lad as a member because he demonstrates excellent analysis yet lacks the fundamental strengths required to be a superhero.

5. Asbestos Lady

Victoria Murdock serves as the Marvel Comics villain Asbestos Lady who used asbestos fibers to create protection against fire for battling the Human Torch. The accomplished chemist used her weapons created from asbestos to perform illegal activities during her career. Asbestos Lady serves primarily as a negative example because her use of asbestos and unlawful actions despite the known health risks make her more suited as a cautionary tale instead of working as a superhero.

4. Hawkeye

The ordinary abilities of Hawkeye differentiate him from other Marvel heroes who possess superpowers. The superhero abilities of Hawkeye include excellent archery and hand-to-hand combat skills yet his abilities are beneath those of divine beings and mutant superheroes with extraordinary strength. The team depends on Hawkeye's resourcefulness as well as his precise skills combined with his bravery to earn their respect as a key member.

3. Hellcow

After being bitten by Dracula, Hellcow (originally Bessie the cow), became a vampire bovine. Her usefulness as a serious character is limited by the ridiculousness of a vampire cow wanting vengeance, even though this gives her immortality and vampiric talents. She is not a good fit for conventional superhero roles because of her animal character and the humorous overtones in her narrative.

2. Cypher

Cypher, or Douglas Ramsey, is considered one of the weakest Marvel characters due to his primary power: omnilingual translation. While his ability to communicate with any species is unique, it is often overshadowed by other mutants' more combat-oriented powers. His dedication to improving his physical skills cannot compensate for his lack of offensive abilities. Additionally, his struggle with internet addiction further highlights his vulnerabilities in a world of powerful mutants.

1. Leather Boy

A non-powered person named Leather Boy (actual name Gene Lorrene) briefly joined the Great Lakes Avengers because he thought it was an S&M club. When it was discovered that he lacked superpowers, he was banished while wearing a leather fetish suit. Leather boy ranks first among the weakest superheroes because he is unfit to be a superhero and he misunderstands the team's mission and lacks any skills.