the comic book super-hero (& villain) index of themes & motifs

Cafe Society
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Let’s sort & categorize all the types of superhero /villain motifs we can think up. (There will of course be some overlap.)

Animals: Batman, Robin, Hawkman, Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Wasp, Black Widow, Wolverine, Penguin, Catwoman, Scorpion, Fly, Silver Swan, Vixen, Wolfsbane, Catseye, Mockingbird, Raven, Dolphin, Nightcrawler, Orka…

Magicians: Zatara, Zatanna, Sargon, Dr. Fate, Dr. Strange, Shaman, Felix Faust, Agatha Harkness, Clea, Jason Blood, Son of Satan, Satana, Brother Voodoo, Black Talon…

Ghosts/undead: Spectre, Deadman, Evil Ernie, Lady Death, Silver Banshee, Living Zombie, Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula…

Mythical figures: Black Knight, Shining Knight, Sasquatch, Banshee, Siryn, Griffen…

Super strong: Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, Captain Marvel, CM jr, Mary Marvel, Lt. Marvels, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl (Troia), Wonder Tot, Thing, Hulk, She-Hulk, Thor, Colossus, Hercules, Wonder Man, Titania, Steel (Hank Heywood), Mr. Hyde, the Wrecking Crew…

Speedsters: Flash, Kid-Flash, Johnny Quick, Jessie Quick, Quicksilver, Northstar, Aurora, Max Mercury (a.k.a. Thunderbolt), Prof. Zoom…

Wears a super-suit: Iron-Man, Yellowjacket, Ant-Man, Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo, Guardian, Vindicator, Stingray, Torpedo, Dr. Doom…

On Fire: Human Torch(es), the female Firebrand, Nova, Firefly, Volcana, Magma, Pyro, Sunfire, Firestar…

Aquatic: Sub-Mariner, Aquaman, Neptune Perkins, Aqualad (Tempest), Mera, Aquagirl, Dolphin, Marinna, Namora, Namorita, Black Manta, Ocean-Master, Fisherman, Attuma, Orka, Tyrak…

Stretchy: Plastic Man, Elongated Man, Elasti-Lad, Mr. Fantastic, Metamorpho, Warlock, Skin, the Metal Men, J’onn J’onzz…

Constructs: Robotman, the Metal Men, Vision, Red Tornado, the Brain…

Special weapons: Green Lantern(s), Hawkeye, Green Arrow, Speedy (Arsenal), Batman (all those bat gadgets), Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Thor, Swordsman, Black Knight…

Mind-readers: Prof. X, Jean Grey, J’onn J’onzz, Moondragon, White Queen, Midwich Cuckoos (3-in-1), Saturn Girl…

Physics properties: Lightning Lad (Live Wire), Electro, Graviton, Magneto, Polaris, Cosmic Boy, Quantum, Half-Life, Zzaxx, Decay…

That’s enough to get the ball rolling, I believe. Feel free to add categories / names…

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Plant-based: Swamp Thing, Man-Thing, Floronic Man, Poison Ivy

Elemental: Crystal, Terra, Geo-Force, The Elementals (Monolith, Fathom, Vortex, Morningstar), Masters of Disaster

Martial Arts: Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, Karate Kid

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Big city/urban vigilante heroes (usually, but not always, powerless): Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Huntress, Batgirl, Question, Blue Beetle, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Punisher, Luke Cage/Power Man, Iron Fist, Richard Dragon, Guardian, Gangbuster, Wild Dog, Dr. Mid-Nite, Starman (Jack Knight), Wildcat, Grifter, Midnighter, Jack Hawksmoor…

Magicians: John Constantine, Enchantress…

Cold/ice-themed: Captain Cold, Mr. Freeze, Elijah Snow, Ice, Icemaiden, Iceman, Blizzard, Coldsnap, Frostbite, Killer Frost…

Super-strong: Majestic, Apollo, The High, The Tick, Sentry, Jakita Wagner…

4

Thor goes in Mythicals and super strong.

Does Captain Marvel?

Mr Incredible–Strong.
Elasti-Girl–Stretchy
The Dash–Speedster.

We need an Infiltrator catagory…for the sneaky types. Batman, Nightcrawler, the Shadow, Black Panther, the Spirit, Violet Incredible.

Shrinkers–Atom, Ant Man, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Dollman.

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Wings–Hawkman, Angel, Black Orchid (I think), Red Raven.

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And the corollory, Growers: Giant-Man, Goliath(s), Black Goliath, Giganta, Colossal Boy, Spectre, Sasquatch, Hulk, Atlas, Tower…

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Archers: Green Arrow 1, Green Arrow 2, Speedy (Mia), Arsenal, Hawkeye, Merlyn, Shaft, Spider, I Spyder…

Behind-the-scenes brains/inventors/scientists: Oracle, Calculator, Cypher, Professor X, Forge, Iron Man, Beast, Mister Fantastic, Lex Luthor, Batman, Atom, Steel, Blue Beetle, Mister Terrific II, Brainiac 5, Vril Dox…

Stretchy: Ragdoll 1, 2, and 3…

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I tried not to get sucked in, because I think the subject is nigh-infinite, but I failed.

BBVL - would you consider the Ragdoll fellows “Stretchy” exactly, or more “Bendy”?

In Mythical Figures - The Black Knight? I dunno… Banshee? Well, he’s named after one, at least…

We also seem to be lacking the ‘Cyborg’ category. (Cyborg, Commander Steel, Deathlok) and possibly the ‘Military Experiment’ category, including the Weapon X offshoots and Captain America, among others.

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Political Villains: Hate Monger, The Trasks, Senator Kelly, Baron Strucker, the Mandarin, the Radioactive Man, Crimson Dynamo, Black Widow, Red Skull, Amanda Waller, Count Vertigo, Phantom Girl’s Mother,- Something Wazzo

I’m sure there are more. These are the ones that come immediately to mind.

add Poison Ivy to the growers list and Shadowcat and Clarice Ferguson to the infiltrator category.

Another category occurs to me. Entities from outside our version of space-time: Mojo, Tyrannus, the Inbetweener, Dormammu, Blastaar, Annihilus, Phantom Girl.

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Metal Men belog in the “constructs” category not “super stretchy”

11

They look kind of stretchy to me. But it’s an overlap of course.

12

I think the Animal category from the OP is more a theme than a power: characters like Batman and Wolverine may name themselves after animals but they really have no animal specific powers. They could have just as easily called themselves Nightguy and Slasher. Superheroes with genuine animal powers would be someone like Beast Boy or Animal Man. Or Tarzan for that matter…

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Not to mention Blue Shooter.

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How old are you?
I used to make lists like this on a manual typewriter when I was 11!
[too embarassed to admit similar lists still exist , carefully packed away with old Star Trek memorabilia]

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Arrowette I, Arrowette II, Golden Arrow

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Much, much older than 11 years! But, it’s a slack day at work, can’t leave for the day, and I’m easily amused.

So sue me!

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<Barney Fife voice> Shame on you Art Vandelay! Shame! Shame! Shame! </Barney Fife voice>

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Toro, sidekick to the Android Torch. And Fire, the green one, from Giffen’s(?) JL.

DUH! :smack: :smack: :smack:

Sidekicks!–The Robins, Speedy, Bucky, Jimmy Olsen, Rick Jones, Hawkgirl, Snapper Carr, Incrediboy (briefly).

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Okay, I’m leaving work soon, so to sum up thus far:

Animals: Batman, Robin, Hawkman, Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Wasp, Black Widow, Wolverine, Penguin, Catwoman, Scorpion, Fly, Silver Swan, Vixen, Wolfsbane, Catseye, Mockingbird, Raven, Dolphin, Nightcrawler, Orka…

Magicians: Zatara, Zatanna, Sargon, Dr. Fate, Dr. Strange, Shaman, Felix Faust, Agatha Harkness, Clea, Jason Blood, Son of Satan, Satana, Brother Voodoo, Black Talon, John Constantine, Enchantress…

Ghosts/undead: Spectre, Deadman, Evil Ernie, Lady Death, Silver Banshee, Living Zombie, Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula…

Mythical figures: Black Knight, Shining Knight, Sasquatch, Banshee, Siryn, Griffen, Thor…

Super strong: Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, Captain Marvel, CM jr, Mary Marvel, Lt. Marvels, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl (Troia), Wonder Tot, Thing, Hulk, She-Hulk, Thor, Colossus, Hercules, Wonder Man, Titania, Steel (Hank Heywood), Mr. Hyde, the Wrecking Crew, Majestic, Apollo, The High, The Tick, Sentry, Jakita Wagner, Mr. Incredible…

Speedsters: Flash, Kid-Flash, Johnny Quick, Jessie Quick, Quicksilver, Northstar, Aurora, Max Mercury (a.k.a. Thunderbolt), Prof. Zoom, Dash Incredible…

Wears a super-suit: Iron-Man, Yellowjacket, Ant-Man, Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo, Guardian, Vindicator, Stingray, Torpedo, Dr. Doom…

On Fire: Human Torch(es), the female Firebrand, Nova, Firefly, Volcana, Magma, Pyro, Sunfire, Firestar…

Aquatic: Sub-Mariner, Aquaman, Neptune Perkins, Aqualad (Tempest), Mera, Aquagirl, Dolphin, Marinna, Namora, Namorita, Black Manta, Ocean-Master, Fisherman, Attuma, Orka, Tyrak…

Stretchy: Plastic Man, Elongated Man, Elasti-Lad, Mr. Fantastic, Metamorpho, Warlock, Skin, the Metal Men, J’onn J’onzz, Elasti-Girl (of the Incredibles), Ragdoll…

Constructs: Robotman, the Metal Men, Vision, Red Tornado, the Brain…

Special weapons: Green Lantern(s), Hawkeye, Green Arrow, Speedy (Arsenal), Batman (all those bat gadgets), Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Thor, Swordsman, Black Knight, Valkyrie…

Mind-readers: Prof. X, Jean Grey, J’onn J’onzz, Moondragon, White Queen, Midwich Cuckoos (3-in-1), Saturn Girl…

Physics properties: Lightning Lad (Live Wire), Electro, Graviton, Magneto, Polaris, Cosmic Boy, Quantum, Half-Life, Zzaxx, Decay…

Plant-based: Swamp Thing, Man-Thing, Floronic Man, Poison Ivy, Black Orchid, Nightshade…

Elemental: Crystal, Terra, Geo-Force, The Elementals (Monolith, Fathom, Vortex, Morningstar), Masters of Disaster

Martial Arts: Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, Karate Kid, Black Canary…

Vigilantes (usually, but not always, powerless): Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Huntress, Batgirl, Question, Blue Beetle, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Punisher, Luke Cage/Power Man, Iron Fist, Richard Dragon, Guardian, Gangbuster, Wild Dog, Dr. Mid-Nite, Starman (Jack Knight), Wildcat, Grifter, Midnighter, Jack Hawksmoor…

Cold/ice-themed: Captain Cold, Mr. Freeze, Elijah Snow, Ice, Icemaiden, Iceman, Blizzard, Coldsnap, Frostbite, Killer Frost…

Wings: Hawkman, Angel, Black Orchid (I think), Red Raven…

Growers: Giant-Man, Goliath(s), Black Goliath, Giganta, Colossal Boy, Spectre, Sasquatch, Hulk, Atlas, Tower, Elasti-Girl (of the Doom Patrol)…

Shrinkers: Atom, Ant Man, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Dollman…

Infiltrators: Batman, Nightcrawler, the Shadow, Black Panther, the Spirit, Violet Incredible,Shadowcat, Clarice Ferguson…

Archers: Green Arrow, Speedy (Mia), Arsenal, Hawkeye, Merlyn, Shaft, Spider, I Spyder…

Behind-the-scenes brains/inventors/scientists: Oracle, Calculator, Cypher, Professor X, Forge, Iron-Man, Beast, Mister Fantastic, Lex Luthor, Batman, Atom, Steel, Blue Beetle, Mister Terrific II, Brainiac 5, Vril Dox, the Chief (Doom Patrol)…

Political Characters: Captain America, USAgent, Miss America, Hate Monger, The Trasks, Senator Kelly, Baron Strucker, the Mandarin, the Radioactive Man, Crimson Dynamo, Black Widow, Red Skull, Amanda Waller, Count Vertigo…

"From Beyond" (other dimensions / universes): Mojo, Tyrannus, the Inbetweener, Dormammu, Blastaar, Annihilus, Phantom Girl, the Beyonder, the Living Tribunal, Umar…

Keep the suggestions coming though! I’ll update the index later.

20

Say, you forgot that dork in the suit and the bowtie.

Okay, so he’s not technically a magician…