Why are they no new Iconic characters at Marvel?(or in comics)

[Zelena]

Well, there was Guardians of the Galaxy, which I’m sure most would agree was more obscure than how Iron Man was before 2008. After the James Gunn movies came out though, now it seems many people are ready to call the Guardians of the Galaxy iconic.

Well, just wait few years if people still remember precisely of them…

[Hypestyle]

marvel needs to introduce at least a dozen new hero characters each year. guest stars in other books as well as new characters in mini series.

[phantom1592]

I miss the 90's

It seemed like every year there were a ton of new characters coming out with brand new ongoing series. Some didn't succeed, some did, but Marvel took a lot of chances. It was the age of the Darkhawks, Sleepwalkers, Danny Ketch Ghost Rider, Night Thrasher/Speedball, Marvel Boy... Nova was an older character but was reinvigorated. There was a lot of great stuff then, and most of it was not 'Steal a book from an existing character and hope the fanbase followed'.

[Toxin45]

I mean tmnt has new characters in each media and hellboy even spawn but marvel and dc seems to have also new characters in other media

[danielsan52]

marvel needs to introduce at least a dozen new hero characters each year. guest stars in other books as well as new characters in mini series.

Highly disagree (no offense).

Marvel constantly puts out new characters and then don't know what to do with them.

All of the initiative characters for example spread over multiple books and now are just ....limbo.


I still say it is the lack of cartoons as to why newer characters never become "Iconic". FF, Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man all had 60's cartoons. Spider-Woman was hugely popular 1979-80 with her cartoon and then Spider-man, Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, Incredible Hulk in the 80's. X-Men, FF, Iron Man in the 90's.

Imagine if there was a successful New Warriors cartoon in the 90s or an Initiative cartoon in the 00s.

We would possibly be getting movies for them or they would have appeared in Avengers Endgame.

[JKtheMac]

Isn't Ms. Marvel (Kamala) kindo a new iconic character?

I am late to this party but this is the pin that pops the idea. Ms. Marvel was instantly iconic from the very first glimpse of her design. Her books remain in print and her character is everywhere. It is only a matter of time before she turns up in either her own live action series or in a movie. Given time and careful use she has the potential to be a multi billion dollar franchise all on her own.

[Will Evans]

Just introduce a superhero with a niche that hasn’t already been filled by other Marvel characters.

For example. Gambit is at his foundation (after stripping away superheroics and mutant themes) a play on the old charming “gentleman thief” trope.

So not only can you use this character for writers that want to write that type of story. For writers of Gambit, it can give them a starting point on plot ideas to draw on.

Hulk is obvious a Jekyll and Hyde type as another example.


Start using a central trope that main Marvel characters don’t have. And create a character from there.

And then you’ll see in a giant cadre of known superheroes, a new character can still become iconic.

[Electricmastro]

In regards to relatively more distinct hero personas, I suppose Ripley Ryan as Star has the makings of potentially becoming iconic.

[Digifiend]

I am late to this party but this is the pin that pops the idea. Ms. Marvel was instantly iconic from the very first glimpse of her design. Her books remain in print and her character is everywhere. It is only a matter of time before she turns up in either her own live action series or in a movie. Given time and careful use she has the potential to be a multi billion dollar franchise all on her own.

It's already been announced, last August.
https://www.cnet.com/news/ms-marvel-...n-disney-plus/

[stormphoenix]

Being an icon takes time, so of course many of the new characters aren't considered icons yet.

This hit the nail on the head.

[Dthirds3]

Because marvel is rooted in pre 2000's nostalgia characters creates after that have the deck stacked against them to gain their footing

[kilderkin]

Imo

Fans of legendary characters are not at fault here

Because no one is really

I feel it's more that the big time of comics being new and novel is way in the past, and legends take years to build

When legendary characters cane around they were new and fresh, most new characters have built upon them, in many ways they are derivatives

Also exposure back in the early days of comics, and more importantly in the early days of them being on film and TV is also well gone, they no longer have an unusualness to them

Batman became much more popular thanks to the sixties TV show, the hulk with the seventies same for wonder woman, Spidey with the sixties cartoon, wolverine and the X-Men were helped massively by the nineties cartoon and the speculator bump, superman was bumped hugely by the films which were the first major superhero films

All of these things cannot be replicated because to an extent superheroes are commonplace now

I have family members and friends who knew of batman and the hulk from TV, never heard of marvel or DC

Now people know them much more, because of that they are less special, in a way

The medium is much more commonplace and therefore makes less impact, or for an individual character it's harder to stand out I think

Even within the hobby, I think the publishers don't publish in the way that helps this happen, far too many fresh starts, resets, new runs,

With every joint on point there is a jumping off point

Imo

Of course some characters are punching above their weight and migjt break through, I think miles might and Kamala too, but reach the heights of the original bunch, I don't actually think that's possible just because the world is different

It's no one's fault

[pageturner]

I mean, I get the iconic status of DCs holy trinity...but is there no room for Spider Man and Wolverine on that level? I venture to say, the reason for DCs lack of success at the box office (in comparison to Marvels success) is due to characters that represent <fill in the blank> vs "truth, justice and the American way...". I feel like that mantra is on the down slope.

DC is not lacking for success in box office. They get dumped on by critics with the exception of Dark Knight, Shazam, and WW but they are bringing in cash.

[pageturner]

Iconic and new don't really fit. To be an icon you have to have some history to back it up.

In Marvel Spidey and the Hulk certainly have it. Probably Wolverine too but I would be slow to grant that to many others quite yet.

[kilderkin]

Iconic and new don't really fit. To be an icon you have to have some history to back it up.

In Marvel Spidey and the Hulk certainly have it. Probably Wolverine too but I would be slow to grant that to many others quite yet.

Agree with the time aspect

There are no instant icons

That's just a new fad

Icons take time