Which characters can carry their own franchise?

[Ubauba01]

If Marvel was not a shared universe, which characters and their mythos could carry a succesful franchise on their own?

Obviously, Spider-Man and X-Men can. Fantastic Four has been a moderate success in the movie and show department. Daredevil had a failed movie but a succesful, largely self-contained TV show.

What about Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Wolverine etc.?

[Digifiend]

Iron Man can. He has three movies, and two cartoons (the 90s one and Armored Adventures), and Ironheart and War Machine both have their own MCU projects too (Rhodey's is Armor Wars).

The Incredible Hulk - he had a very successful TV live action show in the 70s, plus three cartoons (the 80s and 90s ones plus Hulk and the Agents of SMASH). That franchise also has two movies (the 2003 one and the MCU one) and another TV show (She-Hulk).

[Riv86672]

Deadpool?

Multiple solo series, two movies and one pending.

Appearances in other franchise’s cartoons/animated movies and video games.

Surprised he hasn’t had a solo cartoon series of his own, though.

[Ubauba01]

I think that not being a part of a shared universe would have impacted Thor and Captain America the most. I know that Captain America movies did well and Thor's movie series was a moderate success, but most of those were heavily tied into the MCU storyline.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Thor has a cool setup but the films couldn't make it work.

Iron Fist has a cool world but weak lead.

[Ubauba01]

I don't have much to go off of, but I think Silver Surfer has a huge potential.

[Gaastra]

Thats up to the era but yeah, the big ones like x-men, hulk, spider-man, etc.

Other big hits in other eras were patsy walker in the golden and silver age lasting over 400 issues in two series and many spin-offs with millie also getting over 100 issues! She has to be marvels most successful female character. Today however marvel almost never releases those comics in trades and no one knows her much.

90s new warriors, dan ghost rider, darkhawk and sleepwalker at first anyways were huge with darkhawk 1 going for high prices. Today no one ever uses them much.

The ones I can think of who can do really well are squirrel girl with her trades selling great at schools plus merch, novel series and been in many cartoons, moon girl with also great kids sales and a cartoon and ms marvel maybe but marvels bombing gave her a big blow.

Deadpool pretty sure can stand out on his own also.

Movie non comic fans will know blade, men in black, big hero 6 but blade is acting as a bad guy right now and marvel never uses men in black or big hero 6 in the comics but mib does have 4 movies, toys, games, a new arcade game, merch, ride at universal studios, music video and cartoon.

Howard the duck was huge in the 70s and 80s even getting a newspaper strip and studios fighting over the movie rights and almost had a saturday cartoon but the movie killed it all!

[Digifiend]

Carol's the one that'll suffer from The Marvels bombing. She's probably got the next two Avengers films and then it's over for her.

You're right about Patsy. People often cite Spider-Girl as Marvel's most successful female led comic due to having a 100 issue run (double Carol's highest), but she's only the most successful superheroine - Patsy Walker's old slice of life comics ran far longer and that's the most successful female led Marvel comic.

[Tony Stark]

Iron Man can. He has three movies, and two cartoons (the 90s one and Armored Adventures), and Ironheart and War Machine both have their own MCU projects too (Rhodey's is Armor Wars).

Agreed on all accounts.

[Mister Mets]

One way I'm thinking of this would be characters who can have multiple titles and spinoffs.

So Captain America has Falcon, Winter Soldier and untold tales from the Golden Age as well as years of superheroing.
Iron Man's got War Machine and Riri Williams.
Thor's got the history of Asgard, Thunderstrike, Hercules and others.
There have been multiple Hulks, and the way Bruce has changed makes untold tales more appealing.
Wolverine's history allows for a second title, and his Weapon X buddies have headlined spinoffs.

[Android 17]

For sure Doctor Strange.

He has the whole mystical side of the Marvel universe on lock.

[whitecrown]

Carol's the one that'll suffer from The Marvels bombing. She's probably got the next two Avengers films and then it's over for her.

You're right about Patsy. People often cite Spider-Girl as Marvel's most successful female led comic due to having a 100 issue run (double Carol's highest), but she's only the most successful superheroine - Patsy Walker's old slice of life comics ran far longer and that's the most successful female led Marvel comic.

Doesn't Millie the Model actually beat Patsy?