Christian superheroes?

Call me a nitpicker, but I don’t think that real military women get to wear tops that are so low-cut when they’re on duty.

Then of course there’s Warrior Nun Areala. And Battle Pope.

I was in a nativity pageant and I’m not Christian. That’s just America.

–Cliffy

Speaking of non-standard uniforms…

Thor battled a fellow called IIRC The Crusader, who received weaponry after praying to the Christian God. Thor broke his sword and thereby his faith.

Fire, back when she called herself Green Flame, was identified as Catholic.

Grimjack fought alongside a nun whose last name was Miller (who made the eponymous Miller Medallions).

As I’ve said before. Ben Grimm is not Jewish-

Lee and Kirby intend for Ben to be Jewish. Kirby draws several posters of the Thing with yarmulke, tallis, etc and keeps them around the house. But, they never really bring it up in the comics.

Other artists and writers make Ben Christian (judging from claims of Ben making confession, we can guess he is specifically Catholic).

Waid rediscovers Lee and Kirby’s original plans for the Thing to be a yid. He ignores forty years of history and does a story claiming the Thing has always been Jewish.

Fenris doesn’t buy it

The discussion was part of the Is Superman Cicrumcised? thread

Back To The Op

For a short time (IIRC in the 90’s) Marvel published a Christian superhero comic Illuminator. It’s tagline was “He defends the faith”.

On the WB’s Superman Adventures, it was revealed that one of the heroic police lieutenants was Jewish when he stood up to Darkseid. Darkseid vaporized him. The funeral service featured various characters talking as a rabbi chanted the kaddish in the background.

SpiderMan 2099- Miguel Ohara is IIRC a lapsed Catholic.

Cliffy
Umm, what is a nonChristian doing in a play whose purpose is to reenact the birth of Christ? To me, this moves people into the realm of ‘generic, lapsed Christian’
In any event, IIRC Dagger specifically recalls the name of the church the pageant was at.

I buy Ben Grimm being Jewish (and sometimes I wonder about Peter Parker). ;j
One possible correction–I’m pretty sure Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair) is Scots Presbyterian, not Irish Catholic (I’m certain about the Scots part, at least).

This is pre-Crisis DC, but there was a character in the Global Guardians called… I think… Sereph? Anyway, his powers came from a variety of Christian relgious artifacts.

Plus, Colossal Boy of the Legion was portrayed as Jewish. His family is seen celbrating Chaunakah and when he married the Durlan woman, his moter wondered if he would raise the kids Jewish.

Peregrine from Alan Moore’s excellent Top Ten comic is a born-again Christian, and is referred to directly or indirectly as such at various points. Interestingly, the character also has some anger management issues; the two traits make for great character development.

It was Seraph, and he was a Jewish hero from Israel. OTTOMH, he had the staff of Aaron, the ring of Solomon, the mantle of somebody or other, and the strength of Samson.

Re Wolfsbane

But, Rahne often says “May all the saints preserve me!”. I thought that the veneration and petitioning of saints were part of Catholicism. Anyhoo, she’s definitely a very religious Christian. At first, she has problems accepting Nightcrawler due to his demonic appearance.

Re Gaiman

So he is Jewish. After seeing the way his family is depicted in Violent Cases, I’ve been wondering if he was.

That’s what I get for relying on decades old memories.

I forgot to mention Ragman from DC who’s Jewish.

That would do it for me to :slight_smile:

Thanks for all the answers! I imagine I’ll come across some of this stuff as I’m rereading the rest of my old comics, though some characters were mentioned here I’d never heard of.

In the old DC comics, it was generallhy assumed that all the characters believed in God and whatever else.

For instance, Superman worshiped God and Rao.

When the Justice League met The New Gods, Wonder Woman said something along the lines of “Who are these New Gods? I only know of the Gods of Olympus and the One True God”

That character’s name was either Ben or Dan (I forget which) Turpin, and he was actually based on Jack Kirby. A squatty, heavyset man with bushy eyebrows, I understand that Bruce Timm intended him as a visual homage to Kirby in an episode featuring Darkseid, the Intergang, and other story elements Kirby created. I’m not sure if Turpin was an original Kirby creation as well, or just a tribute by Timm and the cartoon producers.

I’ve been cross-referenced!!! :smiley:

Anyway, back to the OP…

Preacher…Jesse Custer…is an ordained Baptist minister.

… Jesse Custer is many things – demon-possessed, ordained minister, badass, drinking buddy, fornicator, befriender of the undead, macho hypocrite, gunfighter, skullboner and cowboy – “Christian” is nowhere on the list.

Interesting his name is an anagram for “Secret Jesus”, huh?

Preacher

He’s an ordained minister only because his incredibly abusive Granma forced him into it. His own feelings about the Lord are summed up when he throws a bottle of booze at the crucifix in his church and yells “F*ck you! And the cross you rode in on!”

Turpin

Based on every photograph or drawing of Jack Kirby I’ve ever seen, I really should have realized that sooner.

The New Gods

High Father dresses and speaks like an average Old Testament prophet. The New Gods worship a thing called The Source, which IIRC is essentially the JudeoChristian God.

In The Top Cow Universe

The Catholic church has a bloodline of warrior women who fill a role titled The Magdalene. For some reason (okay sales and trying to appeal to 13 year old bosy) the holy warrior of the Church wears a spandex outfit that shows a lot of skin. The Magdalene was traditionally armed with spiritual powers and the Spear Of Destiny. The spear was recently broken and the head was lost.

From Mage-The Hero Defined

The heroes in this series are either reincarnations of legendary figures or the latest embodiments of legendary figures. However, rather than armor or fine raiments, their powers are displayed through t-shirts. One of the heroes is John the Presbyter. I’m missing the last few issues but- He is devoutly Christian. I remember him using a pouch of small stones to form a circle and reveal something hidden by illusion, but I can’t remember the details. He also carries a miracle lantern. It appears to be an ordinary flashlight, but it tugs at the user’s hand and guides them along the right path. John’s shirt was black, with large white cross of IIRC Saint Andrew (whoever the X shaped cross was named after)

From The Mystery Men
This is the comic on which the fine film was based. There are many more Mystery Men than appeared in the film. When four of them go to a junkyard to investigate reports of a monster, the Metro Marauder’s wife complains that they’ll miss mass. The Metro Marauder appears to be the standard suburban father, slightly out of shape and with a hairline that may be receding. If he has any powers, they aren’t displayed in this issue.

From The Elementals

Somebody doing a very convincing impression of an angel appears to a televangelist. After giving him guidance and various instructions for a while, the angel instructs the man to put out a call asking for 1200 volunteers with any police or military experience. Acting on the angel’s orders, the televangelist has all 1200 tortured to death in horrific ways. For the angel has told him that among the 1200 are those who are truly chosen, and that the Lord shall raise them from the dead. IIRC 6 people do come back, and with great powers. The preacher names each after a Bible verse and calls the group the Rapture. I’m missing a bunch of issues, but AFAIK the members of the Rature were depicted as good Christians trying to do the Lord’s work. Eventually, they realized that the “angel” was lying to them and left to decide how best to use their powers for good.

From Defiant

IIRC all but one of the Warriors Of Plasm are Christian. Short version- alien scientist from other dimension transports a large number of humans to a chamber in his lab and subjects them to an experimental treatment. Most of them die. The survivors (OTTOMH the superstrong and durable Mouse and Glory, the light controlling and laser generating Preacher, the telepathic Nudge, and the quick and invisible guy whose name I don’t remember-Swift? Stealth? Sly?)Preacher holds a position in an urban church. Nudge is Jewish. Everybody else is shown pining for Christmas and visiting relatives with trees in the Warriors Of Plasm holiday special.

About Superman, I have these vague recollections of him treating religion with respect but not actually subscribing to it, kind of like how the Sandman says “I am of all faiths, in my fashion” to Haroun al-Rashid. Anyone else remember this? Where’s Spectrum when you need him?

“Terrible” Turpin was a Kirby creation. He was in New Gods but I think he was on Jimmy Olsen first.

Remember the Newsboy Legion? Created in the 40s, but their clones were crafted by the DNA Project. One of the originals, Brooklyn, grew up to be Turpin in the 70s. I guess his clone can grow up to be a gruff detective, too.