Who are Marvel's "Big Three"?

[Tony Stark]

I disagree. I still contend that Dennis O'Neil's run on Iron Man from 1982-1986 was consistently interesting. Added quite a bit to the character I felt.

You are correct. They were more also, but people just would rather count it off a garbage. People just find ways to knock the character, but for someone who doesn't have great runs and has lame villains. He sure has lasted really long time. That means it's the character himself that has sustained. Also if people can't relate to him, because he's a rich white guy missed the boat.

[phantom1592]

Which is interesting, since I recall that X-Men used to be one of their lesser-selling titles back in the 60s, though indeed, Claremont contributions, the cartoons, and the movies really did help with that. Though, were Fantastic Four always significantly more popular than Avengers? I would have figured their cartoons, both as a team and separate, would have helped out as well.

Fantastic four floundered often.. they kept trying to shake up the team, but more than any other the fans wanted the status quo. There was only ONE Fantastic Four... and that's still the case. That kind of stability and history elevated it more than the actual stories did. Fantastic Four launched the Marvel Age, It was Lee and Kirby's main book and I think they held the longest run on a book for a long time. Not to mention all the FF-adjacent things. Doom, Inhumans, Black Panther... Sales may have gotten Stagnant... but they were an institution.

I disagree. I still contend that Dennis O'Neil's run on Iron Man from 1982-1986 was consistently interesting. Added quite a bit to the character I felt.

Ok, but that's still just 4 years out of 60... He's had a couple of really good runs... and that a lot of rehashing the same plots over and over again between espionage, and 'failing body in a metal life support'. And honestly... outside Armor Wars, nobody REALLY liked reading about Rich guy who's trying to keep other people from getting his money. He's a bit tough to relate to. There was a LOT of turmoil on Iron Man from the ealry90's through... heck, just about through till Downey and Civil War!

Unless he's a duck...

[ETMike1988]

Pain, Death, Misery

[The Kid]

Yep, that's the first thing I thought too. Iron Man has had a pretty good run since MCU, can't deny that... but his books were TERRIBLE for decades. Writers didn't have a clue what to do with him and he bottomed out a few times... up to 'replacing him with Teen Tony' and being a Kang sleepr agent... Since MCU he's been pushed to the flagship role and is the main character in a lot of cartoons and comics... but traditionally, he wasn't that popular. Same with Thor. He had his own book but wasn't huge on guest appearances and pushing the brand. The Avengers just weren't that big of deal till maybe post-Heroes Return with Busiek.

I do believe that Cap, IM and Thor are the 'Big Three' of the Avengers... and personally think any Avengers team without them is lame... but not of the whole Marvel Universe.

If I had to pick three...

Spider-man is obviously number one. He's been the flagship for decades... Any new character they released had the obligatory Spider-man appearance to basically welcome the new guy to the universe and give him the power/responsibility talk... He was even the on the Marvel productions Logo after all the cartoons in the 80's/90's He's the man.

After that... Hulk gets a LOT of love and a LOT of toys. Hulk cages, hulk fists, Hulk helicopters... odd as that is... They used to Push Hulk for anything. All the kids knew about the weakling who gets mad and turns green. A lot of it was the Bixby show... but he's had at least 3 major cartoon series that I remember off the top of my head.

After that... probably Wolverine. He guest starred EVERYWHERE. Had multiple books. Then Jackman made him a household name to compete with Downey's Stark. He was probably the most popular character there was in the 90's. Not MY favorite, but I can't deny his popularity.

It will be interesting to see where the chips fall though. I'll be very surprised if the MCU versions keep their popularity once the movies are done. Chris Evan's Cap was amazing... but how many mcu fans will keep that fire going in the comics? Deadpool? He's not a character... he's a gimmick He's the anti-comic character. Eventually the gimmick will get old. I heard a lot of people claiming it was getting old In the second movie. It wasn't fresh and new anymore... I don't think he has the staying power.

I haven’t read many of the book but the fact that he had a solo with 500+ issues is good enough to consider him pretty popular with strong appeal. The MCU factor then puts him ahead of Hulk for sure. People are seriously sleeping on how big the MCU has been. As it’s de facto lead, it easily trumps any cartoons or TV shows the X-Men or the Hulk were ever in

[Electricmastro]

You are correct. They were more also, but people just would rather count it off a garbage. People just find ways to knock the character, but for someone who doesn't have great runs and has lame villains. He sure has lasted really long time. That means it's the character himself that has sustained. Also if people can't relate to him, because he's a rich white guy missed the boat.

I suppose it partially has to do with how certain stories were enjoyed more back then compared to now, in which we live in an age in which Marve stories are perceived as having more interesting depth compared to back then. For example, we might find the 1960s and 70s stories with Daredevil not that good, particularly when compared to Frank Miller, but evidently, enough people back in the 60s and 70s themselves seemed to find them interesting enough to keep on buying, and justify Marvel’s continued publication of it, because Daredevil Volume 1 ended up lasting continuously for nearly 400 issues spanning more than 30 years.

[Ultimate Captain America]

Is this even a question? Captain America, Iron Man and Thor. Like DC's big three, they are already a trinity in-universe, and thanks to the MCU they are among the most recognizable faces of Marvel Comics out-of-universe. And that will stand even with RDJ and Evans leaving the franchise. The gargantual success of the MCU is cinematic history on its own right, and will stay so for decades to come. The first Star Wars trilogy ended in 1983, and even nowadays people still remember perfectly well who are Dark Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, etc.

As for other characters, nobody ever said that the "Big Three" have to be the lone ones at the top and everyone else play second fiddle to them. That's not the case with DC either. The Teen Titans animated series has been one of those successes that grow well beyond the comic book fanbase.

[Electricmastro]

And honestly... outside Armor Wars, nobody REALLY liked reading about Rich guy who's trying to keep other people from getting his money.

Funny, I think back to what Stan Lee said:

"I think I gave myself a dare. It was the height of the Cold War. The readers, the young readers, if there was one thing they hated, it was war, it was the military ... So I got a hero who represented that to the hundredth degree. He was a weapons manufacturer, he was providing weapons for the Army, he was rich, he was an industrialist ... I thought it would be fun to take the kind of character that nobody would like, none of our readers would like, and shove him down their throats and make them like him ... And he became very popular."

[Ana]

You are correct. They were more also, but people just would rather count it off a garbage. People just find ways to knock the character, but for someone who doesn't have great runs and has lame villains. He sure has lasted really long time. That means it's the character himself that has sustained. Also if people can't relate to him, because he's a rich white guy missed the boat.

This O'Neil's page is amazing.

Iron Man is very relatable and a great character since day 1. And is more than proved that is a character that can be loved. It has good runs and not so great ones like every other character.
I think the problem now is that in every other media except the movies, IM seems stuck as he was portrayed in the first half of the first movie. Storylines like Civil War I and II not help his case either.
Sometimes seems like they're foucosing in the playboy, billionare genius stuff more than in what makes this character a true hero. And it's hard to translate someone's charisma to make this work.

[Electricmastro]

This O'Neil's page is amazing.

Yea, from Iron Man #182. Iron Man #200 is also a particular highlight, showing Tony taking responsibility for his actions and all.

[Ana]

I haven’t read many of the book but the fact that he had a solo with 500+ issues is good enough to consider him pretty popular with strong appeal. The MCU factor then puts him ahead of Hulk for sure. People are seriously sleeping on how big the MCU has been. As it’s de facto lead, it easily trumps any cartoons or TV shows the X-Men or the Hulk were ever in

I love both Iron Man and his fanbase in this forum, but I still don't think about him as "Marvel's big three" in a sense of being iconic to embody the brand as a whole in pop culture. The same goes for Thor. Even with the MCU.

Being iconic is different of being extremely popular. Dc's Trinity is iconic, X-Men, Hulk and Spider-Man are also. Movies have audiences, generate money, social media buzz and many likes in facebook. But not every audience will be translated in devoted fans. The difference between iconic and popular is even more than be profitable in every media. It's something almost instinctive and that ring bells for everyone.

Like, you can talk to elderly people or younger kids who never saw a super hero movie before and they will know who we are talking about when they hear the great powers, great responsabilities line. Or will understand if you say " Only the Hulk can open this". The characters are so big that it's just natural. It's a case of things like these.

I also think that Avengers' Trinity can be there. But that's a thing that only time can give. The MCU was a great start for sure.

[Ana]

Yea, from Iron Man #182. Iron Man #200 is also a particular highlight, showing Tony taking responsibility for his actions and all.

I sure need go to comixology and pick up this older IM runs. The scans are always great.

[The Kid]

I love both Iron Man and his fanbase in this forum, but I still don't think about him as "Marvel's big three" in a sense of being iconic to embody the brand as a whole in pop culture. The same goes for Thor. Even with the MCU.

Being iconic is different of being extremely popular. Dc's Trinity is iconic, X-Men, Hulk and Spider-Man are also. Movies have audiences, generate money, social media buzz and many likes in facebook. But not every audience will be translated in devoted fans. The difference between iconic and popular is even more than be profitable in every media. It's something almost instinctive and that ring bells for everyone.

Like, you can talk to elderly people or younger kids who never saw a super hero movie before and they will know who we are talking about when they hear the great powers, great responsabilities line. Or will understand if you say " Only the Hulk can open this". The characters are so big that it's just natural. It's a case of things like these.

I also think that Avengers' Trinity can be there. But that's a thing that only time can give. The MCU was a great start for sure.

Respectfully, I think you're wrong about talking to elderly people or younger kids. Iron Man is for sure bigger with both of those demographics (especially kids) because of how big the MCU has been. it's arguably one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons in American history on the level of the Original trilogy. Iron Man is an iconic character now. A low budget TV show from the 80s doesn't compare. If we're talking about the 60s Batman show, I get it since that was massive for a while but Hulk's show really doesn't compare at all to Iron Man in the MCU

[tg1982]

Probably Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor. Primarily due to the explosion in popularity due to the success of the MCU.

[Ana]

Respectfully, I think you're wrong about talking to elderly people or younger kids. Iron Man is for sure bigger with both of those demographics (especially kids) because of how big the MCU has been. it's arguably one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons in American history on the level of the Original trilogy. Iron Man is an iconic character now. A low budget TV show from the 80s doesn't compare. If we're talking about the 60s Batman show, I get it since that was massive for a while but Hulk's show really doesn't compare at all to Iron Man in the MCU

I sure understand where are you coming from and I agree, the MCU is the biggest American cultural phenomenon of this decade. But I think I fail to make myself clear, I'm sorry for that.

I do know that IM these days is more popular than Hulk. Maybe even than Batman himself. I was trying to illustrate more about a demographic group of people out of the MCU main target and how it's instinctive to them know about some super heroes as much as know about vampires and garlic.

It's more like if you think in people outside of USA, or people who never pay attention to super heroes. A person in this demographic maybe will be able to name three Superman villains for you even if they never enter a cinema. But probably will fail in do the same with Thor. I was going more in this direction with my definition of iconic.

[Electricmastro]

I sure need go to comixology and pick up this older IM runs. The scans are always great.

You are correct. They were more also, but people just would rather count it off a garbage.

Yeah, and while on the subject, while I imagine he's more popularly received in Avengers stories, I felt that his original solo book had some good stuff to offer as well, from various eras. In particular:

Iron Man #17-19 (1969)

Iron Man #21-22 (1970)

Iron Man #55 (1973)

Iron Man #120-128 (1979)

Iron Man #136-139 (1980)

Iron Man #149-150 (1981)

Iron Man #168-170 (1983)

Iron Man #182 (1984)

Iron Man #198-201 (1985)

Iron Man #225-232 (1987-1988)

Iron Man #272-275 (1991)

Iron Man #280-286 (1992)