Generally speaking, everyone loves superheroes. From the costumes to the very smooth action movies, many aspire to be the face of popular heroes, even those in the insect category.
Why are critter-inspired superheroes a big hit in the Hollywood scene? First, they’re a fun mix to a big group, because of their powers and the way they fight crime. Second, they sometimes turn out to have better storylines compared to others.
This article shows you the different critter inspired superheroes everyone learned to love, despite initially cringing at the thought of having annoying pesky bugs as heroes.
1: The Amazing Spider-Man
Ever since this hero debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15, the fans instantly loved how Spider-Man started changing the usual superhero game. Starting as the first non-sidekick teenage superhero, Spider Man’s powers and personality are one of the fan favorites, which is why it gave way to the instant boost in popularity. His humor is light and somewhat comparable to Deadpool.
Fun Facts
- Stan Lee specified the hyphen in the hero’s name so that there is no confusion between the DC hero, Superman.
- The superhero’s web is so reliable that it can hold the hulk in place, but it also dissolves after an hour.
2: The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet’s era was long before Superman came into the picture, which is why he’s popular among the older generations (ask your parents or grandparents about him). Although a lot of fans compared Superman to this hero because of the “newspaper publisher by day, hero by night,” the Green Hornet doesn’t have superpowers. Instead, he’s a very skilled fighter that has two guns and a now-famous getaway car called The Black Beauty.
Fun Facts
- Each gun has a different purpose. One fires a specific knock-out gas, while the other was for inflicting electric shocks, which earned the name “Hornet’s sting.”
- The Green Hornet is the grand-nephew of the Lone Ranger.
3: Mighty Mouse
The 1942 debut of Mighty Mouse graced televisions and instantly touched the hearts of both adults and children. Mighty Mouse continued to inspire and air its shows for the next thirty years. The cartoon is so well-loved that many in the film industry are planning to reboot the series, taking this Mouse a step further than Garfield and G-Force.
Fun Facts
- The hero got his powers by eating Super celery and Super cheese, as well as using Super soap.
- He was initially named Super Mouse, as a parody for Superman.
4: The Tick
The Tick is proof that not all heroes have to have a severe or dramatic storyline to capture the hearts of people. This funny hero started in a comic shop and was initially meant to poke fun at the famous superheroes. Fortunately, this character was so loved by many that he had his comics, television show, a live show, merchandise, and a video game.
Fun Facts
- The creator remembered how difficult it was to eradicate ticks, which gave him the idea of making a superhero of the same nature.
- The Tick has no clear origin because he has amnesia.
5: Batman
It’s impossible to find someone who hasn’t heard of Batman because ever since his debut in 1938, the character instantly became a phenomenon that would soon go side by side with Superman. From the dark history up to the different materials Bruce Wayne has, both kids and adults are still enamored with the overall status of this superhero.
Fun Facts
- The name Bruce Wayne is a combination of two real-life heroes: Robert The Bruce and Mad Anthony Wayne.
- The comics mentioned Batman’s online name: jondoe297.
6: Black Widow
The first female hero to enter the Marvel universe is the Black Widow. Unlike Spider-Man, this character got her insane abilities (and young-looking appearance) from Russian experiments done in the past. Natasha Romanov continued to inspire girls into thinking that anything a man can do; a woman can do better.
Fun Facts
- She was initially a villain sent to kill Tony Stark.
- The Black Widow’s real name is Natalia “Natasha” Alianovna Romanoff.
7: Ant-Man
Ant-Man became an instant hit because of the different things Henry Pym could do inside his lab. Pym is known to be one of the smartest scientists in the Marvel universe. Still, unfortunately, his character eventually became the bad guy in the comics, thus losing everything he had. But luckily, in the end, his Marvel friends learned to forgive, and he currently helps manage the Avengers Academy.
Fun Facts
- One story about Henry Pym involved him getting killed in battle while being a giant, leaving his large-sized remains all over the city.
- He became a vampire at one point in the comics.
