# Which was the most recent "universally" known comic character? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784 "2010-02-20T18:30:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/81 "2010-02-24T23:38:29Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Yeah, well, the movie stands poised to make this character very well-known and it hasn’t been released yet. Long story short, it’s a darkly satiric superhero comic about a kid whose life was ruined by superhero comics. Luke Skywalker wasn’t “well-known” prior to the summer of 1977 either, although he too had already appeared in a few comic books (Marvel’s adaptation of Star Wars started coming out in April '77). Give it a few months. It’s still a hard-R movie and by virtue of that alone will be off-the-radar for a significant percentage of the population. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/82 "2010-02-25T01:11:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Plenty of folks who don’t watch football regularly still watch the Super Bowl, and Tom Brady has won a number of them quite recently. (And for bonus points, he makes headlines by sleeping with famous women.) > [@](#): > > There’s you problem right there. You’re not in the majority. Knowing nothing about football puts you squarely in the minority. Which still doesn’t make Tom Brady not mainstream as far as athletes go. He’s likely #2 behind Peyton Manning. OK, apparently, this year’s Superbowl was [the most-watched Superbowl ever](http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/super-bowl-xliv-ratings-.html), and it still only had a third of the nation’s population tuning in. A third is pretty high, but it’s neither a majority nor “universal”. And I’d wager that almost all of that two-thirds who didn’t watch it, plus a decent chunk of those who did, wouldn’t have a clue who Brady is. As for Tom Brady being #2 behind Peyton Manning, where does that put Babe Ruth, or Joe Dimaggio, or Michael Jordon? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/83 "2010-02-25T01:28:42Z")
Perhaps the “#2” was meant to be in terms of currently active athletes? (Well, it probably wasn’t seriously meant to be anything scientific…) As a piece of anecdotal data, I didn’t watch the Superbowl; indeed, I’ve never cared in any way about any sports. But I know who Tom Brady is and assumed he was a pretty mainstream athlete, so far as such recognition goes. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/84 "2010-02-25T03:43:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, apparently, this year’s Superbowl was [the most-watched Superbowl ever](http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/super-bowl-xliv-ratings-.html), and it still only had a third of the nation’s population tuning in. A third is pretty high, but it’s neither a majority nor “universal”. And I’d wager that almost all of that two-thirds who didn’t watch it, plus a decent chunk of those who did, wouldn’t have a clue who Brady is. As for Tom Brady being #2 behind Peyton Manning, where does that put Babe Ruth, or Joe Dimaggio, or Michael Jordon? Indeed. So “universal” in this context to some, means known by many Americans? What about the rest of the world? I’ve never heard of Tom Brady or Peyton Manning but I suspect much more of the world has heard of Mohammed Ali or Pele without having watched a single boxing match or soccer game. - ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/85 "2010-02-25T04:20:56Z")
Comic-book and superhero ignoramus checking in here to provide a data point. I more or less know who Wolverine (claws), the Incredible Hulk (green), and the Ninja Turtles (Italian Renaissance painters) are. I have vague name recognition for Pikachu (something Japanese, right?) and Optimus Prime (was that Transformers?), although I probably couldn’t identify them if I saw them. I definitely know Garfield, the Simpsons, Dilbert, Calvin, the nameless Far Side characters, and the older comic-strip characters mentioned here. I not only could pick them out of a line-up but I could tell you something about their storylines. The names Blade, Tony Stark, Iron Man, Punisher, Sandman, Death, Deadpool, Kick-Ass, and Hellboy (all of which I had to check while I was typing this list to make sure I was getting them right) mean nothing whatever to me. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/86 "2010-02-25T04:51:48Z")
I recommend the Iron Man movie with Robert Downey Jr. Not so much for Iron Man, but for Tony Stark. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/87 "2010-02-25T04:54:41Z")
I’m not a comics “fan” (I’ve read _Watchmen_ and _The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen_ and thats it), but My vote is Superman. I mean, _everyone_ knows Superman. I’m sure even Nomadic Mongolian Yak Herders know who Superman is. He’s been around since the late '30s, after all, and has been in Serials, Comics, TV, Movies, Games… Pop Culture Osmosis basically means that even if you’ve never seen any of the movies or read a comic, you still know that the dude with the red cape who wears his undies on the outside of his blue spandex and has a big “S” on his chest is Superman. And likely that his alter-ego is Clark Kent, the mild-mannered newspaper reporter, Next up would be Batman (a contemporary of Superman), and probably best known to most people from the campy '60s TV series (starring [del]Adam West The mayor of Quahog[/del] Adam West) or one of the many movies. Wolverine is popular _now_ because of the films, so I’ll put him as third, but give it another 10 years and he _may_ not be as well known. I’ve never heard of Sandman before, and whilst I’m aware there is a graphic novel character called “Deadpool”, I couldn’t tell you anything about them. As for non “Graphic Novel” characters, my votes would be Garfield, Dilbert, and Snoopy. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/88 "2010-02-25T05:02:15Z")
Superman arrived in 1938. Popeye was first in cartoons in 1933. They have been on stage, cartoons, TV and movies. Everybody knows who they are. Mention Wolverine and watch the blank stares in any one over 40. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/89 "2010-02-25T05:23:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, apparently, this year’s Superbowl was [the most-watched Superbowl ever](http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/super-bowl-xliv-ratings-.html), and it still only had a third of the nation’s population tuning in. Now tell me what percentage of Americans bought tickets (domestic gross / ~$9) to the three X-Men movies and you’ll understand how apt the comparison is. Just like you don’t have a clue who Tom Brady is, many many people can easily not have a clue who Wolverine is. This was a perfect illustration of a point, so kudos to us both. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/90 "2010-02-25T06:25:53Z")
I dug up the numbers out of curiosity: $157,299,717 X-Men $214,949,694 X2: X-Men United $234,362,462 X-Men: The Last Stand $179,883,157 X-Men Origins: Wolverine If we use $9 as a rough approximation for individual ticket prices, that gives us attendance figures of roughly: 18m X-Men 24m X2: X-Men United 26m X-Men: The Last Stand 20m X-Men Origins: Wolverine That’s just shy of 90 million tickets sold for movies prominently featuring Wolverine. The Superbowls get watched by 90 million people each. How many of those 90 million movie tickets were bought by people who saw more than one of them? Quite a few, I’d imagine, meaning we’re probably talking about fewer than 40 million ticketbuyers. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/91 "2010-02-25T07:16:36Z")
All this analysis just brings us back to the definition of universal. Like I said, if you get too strict, Superman and Jesus are out. Too loose and the Purple Man is in. I still think Wolverine is the best answer, but this is an opinion question. Breakin’ down numbers hain’t gun’ do it. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/92 "2010-02-25T08:21:06Z")
I didn’t break down the numbers to show universality. I broke down numbers to demonstrate my original point, which was to give comic book fans a sense of how someone could not know a seemingly universal comic book character. It’s easy to think that a famous character would seep into the consciousness of just about everybody, but that’s not how it works. It’s just as easy for a non-fan to absorb nothing about comic book characters as it for a non-fan to know nothing about sports. Offering perspective, is all. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/93 "2010-02-25T13:15:38Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > I didn’t break down the numbers to show universality. I broke down numbers to demonstrate my original point, which was to give comic book fans a sense of how someone could not know a seemingly universal comic book character. It’s easy to think that a famous character would seep into the consciousness of just about everybody, but that’s not how it works. It’s just as easy for a non-fan to absorb nothing about comic book characters as it for a non-fan to know nothing about sports. But now you’re circling right back around to **Cisco** ’s point, what’s the definition of universal? Actually though, I think **gonzomax** inadvertantly hit it a few posts back. He said people over 40 won’t know who Wolverine is. But it’s more than likely that those under 40 will. Which is well over half of all Americans. And I’d say that’s pretty damn universal. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/94 "2010-02-25T14:43:18Z")
I’d put the Wolverine cut off at 50, not 40. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/95 "2010-02-25T14:50:48Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > But now you’re circling right back around to **Cisco** ’s point, what’s the definition of universal? > > Actually though, I think **gonzomax** inadvertantly hit it a few posts back. He said people over 40 won’t know who Wolverine is. But it’s more than likely that those under 40 will. Which is well over half of all Americans. And I’d say that’s pretty damn universal. So let’s exclude eveyone over 40, and the rest of the world in our defintion of “universal” ? The world is getting smaller by the minute … As to the assumption that "everyone " over 40 " hasn’t heard of Wolverine. I am over 40 , I have but that is because I read the comics in the 70s - othesr may have. I haven’t even seen all the films - just the first one - I may not be typical but then I don’t assume I am. - - - - ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/96 "2010-02-25T15:01:55Z")
“Universal” in this context doesn’t mean every living soul. For comic book characters, there is an elite pantheon of incredibly popular characters, most of them created around 1940 and a few others created in the early 60s. There will always be some toothless guy in a yurt somewhere in Mongolia who doesn’t know who Superman is or why he wears his underwear outside his tights. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/97 "2010-02-25T15:27:58Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Offering perspective, is all. Well, if we’re just havin’ fun is all, you still have to consider a lot more than just the movies. There’s posters (in Wal-Mart. Mijo, who’s that guy with the funny yellow suit and bushy sideburns?), comic books, t-shirts, multiple tv shows, trailers airing on tv, banner ads on the internet, DVD sales, cable and network tv showing the movies, etc etc. You don’t have to go see an X-Men movie at the theatre to know who Wolverine is. I’ve only watched 3 or 4 of the last ~15 Super Bowls and I know who Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are. They show up on magazine covers and in Google News, etc etc. And then there’s people like me. I bought every issue of _Enemy of the State_, but the only Wolverine movie I saw in the theatre was _X-Men_, back in 2000. I have a friend who has a Wolverine tattoo and hasn’t been to the movies since _Jurassic Park_. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/98 "2010-02-25T16:02:52Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > Wolverine, most likely. If the OP means 80s on forward and superhero specific, this is the best answer. He was the star of all the X-Men films, to the point where they could have titled them Wolverine and the X-Men. Prior to that, he was arguably the most popular modern hero in comics to the point of his overexposure being lampooned on Marvel Comics covers with bursts announcing, “Wolverine is not in this issue!”. My test for something like this is to imagine how many middle-aged mothers would recognize the character. Post movies and the accompanying marketing onslaught, I have to imagine that Wolverine has skyrocketed in recognition factor among non-comics fans. He’s not near, say, Superman territory\*, but he’s about as good as it gets for post-80s characters (yes, I know he first appeared in 74). \*On Superman’s recognition factor, I’ve always maintained that one could travel to the furthest most primitive tribal corners of the globe, draw the Superman S diamond in the sand with a stick, and stand a very good chance that the locals know to whom you refer. That’s got to be on par with Jesus and the cross symbol. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/99 "2010-02-25T16:26:39Z")
Continuing the hijack: it has just occured to me that a big way that an American could not know about Tom Brady is if they watch very little television. I say that because Brady’s big enough to have done credit-card commercials and to have hosted _Saturday Night Live_, among other things such as numerous appearances on tabloid TV. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784/100 "2010-02-25T16:49:35Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > Snoopy. > > With Charlie Brown a close second. I came in to say Snoopy. I doubt there is a single Thai who does not know Snoopy. My wife loves Snoopy. Snoopy – and Woodstock – T-shirts, purses, pants etc are for sale barely a five minutes’ walk from where we live. Pirated Snoopy merchandise is everywhere. This extends to other country’s in the region, too. Just about every Thai female’s heart melts for Snoopy. It would not surprise me if it were not a worldwide phenomenon. Charles Schultz ought to be very proud of himself. (Yes, I know he’s dead.) Despite the _X-Men_ movies having been shown here, I doubt very many Thais know Wolverine. The movies weren’t very popular, and no one’s read the comics. Only Thais with cable TV would know _The Simpsons_, and I don’t think I’ve met many Thais who know of Bart or Homer. Snoopy is it. Snoopy rules. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-was-the-most-recent-universally-known-comic-character/529784.md?page=6)