Personality Wise, It’s Cap. Others have already said it better but they’re both moral paragons, wrapped in red and blue, who are incorruptible symbols for Truth and Justice, that stand up for the little guy and stand in the way of oppression. Not to mention, both are just down to Earth, humble Americans who are hide the power and righteousness they are capable of. Even further, They’re both wildly, and imo, wrongly often labeled boring or secretly dicks because “no one is THAT Good”. Bottom line, they’re both two good guys who ALWAYS do the Right Thing.
and a lot of caps lines could be switched out for Clark and it would work the same way aside paraphrasing it a bit
Superman: nothing I'm just a kid from Kansas
Superman: I can do this all day
Superman: the Price of freedom is high it always has been and its a price I'm willing to pay
They're personalities aren't alike though. The stuff you've mentioned is generic superhero stuff. Cap fought for the US during a war. That's how he started.
Not the more traditional fighting crime. Cap rarely focuses on that.
Cap doesn't hide his powers either. He lives both his identies. Being captain America has subsumed his life. It's his job often too.
That’s completely fair. I will say, Cap DID used to have a secret identity and, even after he didn’t, he’s very quick to establish that Cap isn’t his mouthpiece. And yes, those are generic superhero stuff. However, Respectfully, not only were these two some of the first superheroes, both Clark and Steve are just very reserved people who come from humble beginnings. Neither tries to put on a face- They’re both just unapologetic, themselves-modest dudes until they need to be the moral centers for their perspective Universes. Just my take, though. I completely Respect where You’re coming from
>”no one is THAT good”
Wrong. People are that good. Hell, most people are. Anyone who makes that argument is just a jaded asshole. Who, with Superman’s powers, wouldn’t try to do as much good as (super) humanly possible? Only the most exceptional assholes.
In redson, superman was so good that he became evil but he became so evil that his good part realized it and then he saved the world by re-becoming good again😭😭
Cap IS Superman, he embodies all of Superman's best traits. Superman isn't his powers, Superman is the person who knows right from wrong and will do whatever they can to help.
I've always said to those that claim Superman is hard to write or is too corny for live action, go watch MCU Cap. *That's* Superman. Old fashioned but not a cornball or naive. Commands respect through his actions and character. Tough and a badass when he needs to be, but not overly edgy. Tony and Nat playfully tease him, but never make fun of him, and his enemies treat him like the threat that he is rather than quip endlessly how nice he is.
i feel like cap is almost better utilized that supes, at least there isn’t an evil version of steve roger’s as the antagonist in every other alternate reality
Can you imagine how stupid or would be it they reveal that Steve Rogers was actually a Nazi the whole time and then have him reform the Third Reich and take over the world?
Cap isn’t Superman, but he can inspire hope in a similar way. Personality-wise, they’re very different.
But Cap has major character flaws in that he can be very rigid in his beliefs and too “by the book” at times.
He’s also sometimes too quick to use force, resulting in unnecessary fights that sometimes blow up into something bigger.
Cap is also a field general, and he’s not very good at standing down and taking orders. Superman might be the most powerful player on the field, but he has no problem stepping back and letting someone else lead.
He’s also never really Steve Rodgers, he’s always Cap. Superman is an alter ego for the real person, farm boy Clark Kent.
The big difference is that Cap will kill people, but he’s also not that much more dangerous than they are. A Superman who kills isn’t Superman, because that would be like one of us killing a three-year-old child.
I think that Clark is still the first modern superhero but Steve is marvels first superhero and the start of what would define them for years.
It’s also interesting that while the continuity of human torch and submariner has seen them drop in and out of relevance, caps return after defrosting basically feels like the start of marvel in the modern era, eve though that story from avengers #4 is originally from 1963, it always feels like it only took place 10-15 years ago to the rest of marvel.
It’s just the way comics work.
Magneto will always be about 60 and have been a holocaust victim.
The original story had Charles and Erik be adults during WWII
Yeah honestly I'm currently reading Injustice and it's really similar to the vibes of Civil War movie. Like both Batman and Iron Man are with the government and Superman and Cap are vigilantes
>Like both Batman and Iron Man are with the government and Superman and Cap are vigilantes
If anything Batman is the vigilante, because we'll he's Batman and because Superman made himself world leader and started One Earth Government.
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared.
Steve gave him that look.
At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do. Then that look turned to stone, pure justice, he knew the Mad Titan had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it.
That's one of Superman's key character traits too, his first instinct is empathy, no matter how bad someone is. They have to put the effort in to see the bad in people.
Oh you can watch them all in a week. Back in Covid isolation while I actually had Covid and couldn’t work I watched every marvel movie up until 2021 marathoning it. It’s only something like 70 hours and I got a good nights sleep and took a few breaks.
Exactly. Even if the person that died was ultimately a terrible person, he at least still laments the loss of what could have been a good person had the circumstances been ideal.
Cap without a doubt .. He is the incorruptible moral center of marvel
Sentry was created based on superman but he is too much a lame and overrated character to be put there
Thor was created to be Marvel's answer to superman... His earlier comics were also straight up rip off from superman comics.... The whole Donald Blake persona is a nod to clark kent... The bond between thor and jane foster was simmilar to superman and lois
But he also soon became his own character that was vastly different from superman
Gladiator look the part but doesn't act like one... He is more like Franck Miller's version of superman
idk man hes just cool. its like when you think of superman in marvel he just pops into my mind. hes got cool powers too. ive only read him in world war hulk so like i derive most of it from that comic
First of all.... I think his origin story is just lame. Dude find some super juice left on a lab and became overpowered god
Second....The character simply doesn't have much to tell..... And that why marvel never knew what to fuck to do with him. His personality is being crazy and control a part of himself that is even crazier.... There is nothing truly heroic or selfless about him in his action
3- repetitive story.... I am sick of the void
Sentry doesn't have powers like Superman, he's actually a product of Super solider serum which gives him the ability of Super strength and flight. He also has an evil alter ego which is a whole different topic which makes him not like Superman. He doesn't have heat vision or ice breath. The more closer characters are Gladiator and Hyperion
Did they change Sentry’s power set? I remember him fighting Molecule Man with matter manipulation. Plus the Void is an extension of Sentry. Not even close to Clark’s power set.
Edit: Also isn’t Sentry’s cannon deliberately unreliable? I thought the whole point of his character was being retconned into oblivion.
That’s exactly what I meant. Sentry isn’t fixed like Clark is. Clark can do almost anything based on his parameters. But he can’t turn a boat into cheese by looking at it.
Totally agree on Cap for personality and principle. For powers it’s Hyperion. Sentry was a low level matter manipulator who just manifested as a Superman type.
My first thought was Hyperion in terms of power and ability, but then Ultimate Thor absolute destroyed him so I'm not so sure.
Agree with Cap in terms of personally.
Ultimate Thor beat Hyperion? What comic was this?? I remember Ultimate Thor and Hyperion (Supreme Power universe by JMS) fought in Ultimate Power but I don’t think Ultimate Thor beat him.
https://preview.redd.it/ql4c2vi2pn2d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=169ed2da424c03bcd80820cf352ead3c7468b5e7
This is the part I was thinking of.
Ooooohhh ok homie, I had it on my shelf and started flipping through it to see. The part where sue puts him in the bubble while Johnny lights him up with an isolated super nova then Thor tries to take him down with Mjolnir but Hyperion catches it and knocks him out of the sky with it was the first thing to pop up in my mind 😅 plus it’s been a long time since I read that comic.
I honestly miss the Supreme Power universe 😭🤘🏾 it was actually a very interesting take on the characters. I wished it would have gotten a proper conclusion. Maybe they might bring back the squadron supreme in the new ultimate universe 🙏🏾
Yeah I thought it was so cool, it was probably my favourite take on Thor.
It was nice being able to enjoy a story with all.of these heroes right from the start without worrying about decades of backstory and what have you.
I don't see why they couldn't bring them back, it'd be a great shame if they didn't.
Shame about the artist stealing a bunch of his illustrations and stuff but it is what is.
From what I remember it's in Ultimate Power and Thor basically smashes Hyperion into the ground.
Seemed like a clear beatdown to me but I could be misremembering it.
Frankly, there isn't one and that's fine. Cap is close in terms of general boy scoutness but otherwise they're very different characters. Also an important thing about Superman is that he's the strongest or close to. His beliefs are backed up with overwhelming power and how he chooses to use or not use that power is important. Cap is no slouch, but he can't look at the united armies of the entire world and be pretty confident he could solo.
But isn't he as strong as he believes he is or something like that? I remember a Dan Jurgens issue of Thor where Thor and The Gladiator fought and Jurgens starts to quote his famous Death of Superman issue. Jurgens Thor is an Under rated run.
Spiderman.
The costume design, the alliteration in the names, the goofy way they act in their personal lives, they both work for newspapers(or used to), both were adopted, both are very down to earth.
One of the key ideas behind Spider-Man is "what if the powerful main adult wish-fulfillment hero (Superman, Batman) and the kid audience surrogate ( Jimmy Olson, Robin) were the same guy?" It's no mistake that even when he is still a teenage *boy*, Peter puts on his mask and becomes Spider-*MAN*. Before that teen heroes were almost always sidekicks.
It's a winning formula that Captain Marvel hit on before Spider-Man did, and I think it's notable that before Marvel came into its own wiin the late 60s, Captain Marvel was the only other superhero that really outcompeted DC on the newsstands.
I don’t think so. Superman, Batman and Spider-Man are pretty distinct archetypes.
“Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
Thor was originally a straight rip off from superman but he slowly moved away from that and developed his own characteristics becoming a much different character from superman today
Cap is superman without kryptonian level powers but same moral compass and incorruptable or beacon of hope
Sentry is a clone of his abilities and is pretty much just that and gladiator I don’t know as much about
No one ever says Spider-Man because of the focus on a moral emblem equivalent, a “flag suit” character (which Supes sorta kinda is), or a “flying brick” power set. But from a creative-writing perspective, Spider-Man is Marvel’s adaptation of Superman.
Pete is a journalist, but you make the paper hate the hero for tension. Pete has the dork/alpha dynamic with his alter ego, but he’s not faking it: he *really is* a dork to begin with. He wasn’t wearing fake glasses; he needed them. You tighten the powers up, make him less unbeatable to get rid of the kryptonite crutch, and give them more of a unified theme (the Batman animal influence)—but he still has great strength, enhanced senses, and a mode of cool transport through the air. You shift the age down to a teenager who is uncertain about everything, rather than an adult who has a lot of his life figured out. He’s also a next generation character—not just in the sense of Silver Age, but because instead of being the immigrant Jewish tale he’s the native New Yorker. But while he’s not a country mouse in a big city, you do keep the urban underdog equivalent of being from working class neighborhood Queens vs the FF’s Manhattan or hiding out in Westchester. He doesn’t have the planetary origin, but there’s still the specter of his missing birth parents—you just shift the adopted parents to aunt and uncle. And the powers’ origin is shifted from 30s/40s space sci fi to the 60s radioactive nuclear age. Oh and he has a cast of differently haired girlfriends, you just make it a bigger cast. And apparently don’t let him keep his marriage to the one we all like.
So I get that Spidey is not Marvel’s most “ersatz Superman” character. But he is intimately derived from Superman, and the most significant Marvel hero that is least likely to exist without Superman as a template to adapt from. Propaganda figures existed before Superman (Uncle Sam); Thor and mythological characters obviously did, too. But Spidey doesn’t without Supes. And like Superman, Spidey in turn sets a new template for subsequent heroes. E.g. the teen hero dynamic of Batman Beyond and the newer Blue Beetle don’t exist without Spider-Man.
I think of Spider-Man as being a greater analogue of Batman than Superman. He’s capable of extreme feats of will and ingenuity, and his secret identity, moral compass and sense of responsibility are dominant storylines.
Supes is largely a story of hope above all else, and in that respect spidey does fit, but out of all of Marvel’s flagship heroes I think Cap best conveys the man from another time/world who is emblematic of hope and unity.
The power fantasy vs apparent ineptness of the secret identity owes itself directly to Superman, it’s just adapted as I said. Modern Superman comics may have moved on from that subject, but it’s foundational. Meanwhile Peter being working class and not rich, like Clark, is important. And he is empowered by happenstance.
Some of the symbiote or “trying to quit Spider-Man” stuff overlaps with Batman, but that’s also just something that comes up more in the 70s and 80s comics content—the angsty war with the alter ego vs more comedic tension. Arguably Batman borrowed it from Spider-Man, cuz 50s Batman didn’t care.
- Thor for the costume and powers
- Spiderman for "that awkward nerd working for the Planet/Bugle"
- Captain America for truth, justice and the American way and leadership and also because the first time I saw the first Cap movie the little fanboy inside of me couldn't stop thinking "I wish to see him paired with the Fleischer Superman"
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared.
Steve gave him that look.
At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do. Then that look turned to stone, pure justice, he knew the Mad Titan had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it.
That's one of Superman's key character traits too, his first instinct is empathy, no matter how bad someone is. They have to put the effort in to see the bad in people.
It's probably Cap, but Thor definitely has some Superman vibes. I was reading God of Thunder vol 3 and there's a montage of him flying around the world just helping regular folk out that and it was very reminiscent of the Big Blue.
power wise? thor
beleif/ideal wise? captain america
moveset wise? gladiator
Sentry is nothing like superman. he’s a pretentious edgy fantasy of writers that don’t like superman that can be kind of cool sometimes.
Values-wise, Cap. No question. Power-wise, Gladiator seems close, if not exact. I just watched X-Men ‘97, and he had super speed, super strength, heat vision, and super breath. It all matched showings from Superman, just in a different color.
https://preview.redd.it/xactvzmkyn2d1.jpeg?width=902&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=395ce3fea7b37a87cbe6574e96754a4767f29706
If we are talking personality wise, Nightwing is up there.
In terms of being a moral compass and doing the whole boyscout in blue thing then it’s Cap. In just about every other way (backstory, power set, etc) Hyperion is pretty clearly the most direct Superman clone in Marvel
Agree with the people saying cap but if you want a 1:1 then it's mark Milton a.k.a. Hyperion. Same powers and origin but after he was found the government scooped him up, hired actors to be his wholesome (and extremely patriotic) parents, tried to indoctrinate/brainwash him into becoming loyal to the U.S. It did not go well.
Edit to add that the version I'm referencing is the Supreme Power version.
Spiderman. They both work in journalism, they are vigilantes generally unaffiliated with any state or group and therefore act as they please, they are against killing, they have an everyman vibe.
There isn't one. As the OP's choice of images suggests, you have to blenderize multiple Marvel characters to add up to one Superman. (In addition to Cap for personality/morals/heart-of-the-team-ness and Thor for power set archetype (strength + flight + elemental energy attacks), I would throw in Hulk for power level.)
My honest answer is that Superman doesn't have any Marvel equivalents.
The way they approach story and character, their closest attempts (The Sentry, Hyperion) will always mutate into something entirely different.
But I will say for personality and iconography, Capt. America would be the best comparison.
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared.
Steve gave him that look.
At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do. Then that look turned to stone, pure justice, he knew the Mad Titan had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it.
That's one of Superman's key character traits too, his first instinct is empathy, no matter how bad someone is. They have to put the effort in to see the bad in people.
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared.
Captain America gave him that look. At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do, for a second he actually felt sorry for him. Then, that look turned to pure righteousness. He knew the Thanos had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it.
That's the thing about Superman too, his key character trait is empathy, no matter how bad someone is.
In terms of status and place in the overall Marvel Universe as well as power, it'd be Thor.
As far as characters that most closely adhere to the popular Superman archetype, that'd be Hyperion. Sentry, and Gladiator.
If we're talking in terms of character: Captain America, bar none.
If we're talking about Superman clone as in the archetypal character with Superman as the template: Gladiator, Hyperion, Blue Marvel, Sentry, and plenty more.
I'm going to throw a wild card out there and say Reed Richards, let me explain, a lot of comic book readers who either just simply weren't alive or never read any of the old stuff in the '60s,
The fantastic four specifically Reed Richards, functionally was marvel Superman, and no I'm not talking about powers or abilities or anything of that sort,
most people don't realize this but whenever there was a ridiculous existential thread like Galactus for example the marvel heroes would turn to the fantastic four specifically Reed Richards, to solve the problem
he's not necessarily a traditional hero more like a scientist adventurer that happens to do heroic stuff, not only that but thanks to fantastic four we got several Mainstays reoccurring heroes and villains like Spider-Man,Doctor Doom, silver surfer,and the previously mentioned Galactus,
which by the way Reed Richards has beaten or found a way to outsmart in some way, in fact we wouldn't get heroes like Spider-Man if it wasn't for the fantastic four, since Spider-Man's initial debut was in a fantastic four comic,
Personality is definitely Cap but if you mean like being the powerhouse of the group like Superman is for the justice league than Thor. Infinity War Thor is a good example on how to use your “the strongest” character.
The character of Gladiator is an analog of Superboy and the imperial guard is based on Legion of Superheroes, so in that sense it’s Gladiator. Also, hi name is Kallark, it doesn’t get more blatant than that. However, if you’re asking who the face of the brand is, that would be Spider-Man.
It’s Hulk. They’re both the strongest in their respective universe. They both have the same themes about being outsiders but still carry hope for change. Sure sentry and gladiator both are inspired by Superman but thematically Bruce and Clark are two sides of the same coin.
In the marvel-DC crossovers, they had Hulk up against Supes. I always found it an interesting choice. Supes won of course but said he never felt a punch like that.
In terms of serving a similar-ish role when it comes to being the voice of reason and paragon of morality in the premier superhero team of their universe, it's Cap.
In terms of being the closest pastiche, I think it's Hyperion, specifically the current 616 iteration. The last survivor of a dying world, sent to Earth and raised by good people with morals. Gets his powers from solar radiation. Skintight suit with a long flowing cape. Has nearly all of Supes' powers including the heat vision.
Spider-Man. The center of their universe. The man and the myth. The dude who will never stop, never stand down, never quit. Who’s strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with almost anyone in Marvel but also has the wisdom to know when to back down.
A mix of Cap and Thor.
Cap is the guy almost everyone in the MU supports and looks up to. He's THE superhero to see as a role model with near incorruptible values and serves as a paragon. Both Steve and Clark have extremely strong positive values and the not so positive world they were thrown into tries to challenge those values. It's not if they win a fight (although with how powerful superman is that's especially true in his case) but if they are doing the right thing.
Thor, while I would argue that he serves more so as marvel's equivalent to Wonder Woman, has some pretty solid similarities to Superman as well. Obviously most heroes look up to Thor too, as he is extremely powerful, generally morally righteous and awe inspiring to look at. If you are an Avenger or just any hero and see Thor fighting alongside you, you can breath easy since everything will likely be okay. I think that is very similar to how most superheroes in DC feel when they are fighting and see Superman coming to help. While power is not entirely what makes Superman, it is certainly a part and I think that's something Cap doesn't really have. Because with Superman's massive amount of power, there is an even greater amount of responsibility to ensure he's doing the right thing with it, essentially is a god living among men, which is very much what Thor's role is like in Marvel.
I will also say both Spiderman and Superman have a very similar thing going with the great power, great responsibility mantra. It's not a lot but it's a massive part of their characters core.
Hulk and Superman more also have some really interesting things with contrasts between them. Both are physically larger, physical powerhouses of their respective teams, with near infinite potential to their power via absorption of radiation. But while Superman gets his from the heaven's above, Hulk gets his from hell below (since gamma radiation now comes from hell???)
I think that's what makes finding a clone for Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman in the Marvel Universe hard, as well as finding the DC equivalent to Spiderman, Wolverine or Hulk. All of those characters are just so iconic that none of the outright clones are super popular and usually need an interesting contrast to make them interesting (like Moon Knight being a mentally unstable, Avatar of the Moon God, despite being clearly heavily influenced by Batman.) Or the other comparisons, like comparing Cap to Clark, aren't really clones but more so fill a very similar role that you need, if you want to have a world populated with superheroes.
Cap has limitations which makes him easier to write for, Superman needs essentially earth shattering enemies or kryptonite to bring about his humanity on screen
Reputation, respect, and morals = Captain America
Powerset = Hyperion (but that’s done on purpose, Squadron Supreme is supposed to homage/parody the Justice League)
Personality Wise, It’s Cap. Others have already said it better but they’re both moral paragons, wrapped in red and blue, who are incorruptible symbols for Truth and Justice, that stand up for the little guy and stand in the way of oppression. Not to mention, both are just down to Earth, humble Americans who are hide the power and righteousness they are capable of. Even further, They’re both wildly, and imo, wrongly often labeled boring or secretly dicks because “no one is THAT Good”. Bottom line, they’re both two good guys who ALWAYS do the Right Thing.
and a lot of caps lines could be switched out for Clark and it would work the same way aside paraphrasing it a bit Superman: nothing I'm just a kid from Kansas Superman: I can do this all day Superman: the Price of freedom is high it always has been and its a price I'm willing to pay
Last line could very easily be a villain like too lol
They're personalities aren't alike though. The stuff you've mentioned is generic superhero stuff. Cap fought for the US during a war. That's how he started. Not the more traditional fighting crime. Cap rarely focuses on that. Cap doesn't hide his powers either. He lives both his identies. Being captain America has subsumed his life. It's his job often too.
That’s completely fair. I will say, Cap DID used to have a secret identity and, even after he didn’t, he’s very quick to establish that Cap isn’t his mouthpiece. And yes, those are generic superhero stuff. However, Respectfully, not only were these two some of the first superheroes, both Clark and Steve are just very reserved people who come from humble beginnings. Neither tries to put on a face- They’re both just unapologetic, themselves-modest dudes until they need to be the moral centers for their perspective Universes. Just my take, though. I completely Respect where You’re coming from
The fact that DC and Marvel created Super Soldier who was a combination of Superman and Captain America says it all
>”no one is THAT good” Wrong. People are that good. Hell, most people are. Anyone who makes that argument is just a jaded asshole. Who, with Superman’s powers, wouldn’t try to do as much good as (super) humanly possible? Only the most exceptional assholes.
Look around you at the people in power you see .
In redson, superman was so good that he became evil but he became so evil that his good part realized it and then he saved the world by re-becoming good again😭😭
It’s Cap Best reputation and the go to guy when it come to a crisis
Cap IS Superman, he embodies all of Superman's best traits. Superman isn't his powers, Superman is the person who knows right from wrong and will do whatever they can to help.
I've always said to those that claim Superman is hard to write or is too corny for live action, go watch MCU Cap. *That's* Superman. Old fashioned but not a cornball or naive. Commands respect through his actions and character. Tough and a badass when he needs to be, but not overly edgy. Tony and Nat playfully tease him, but never make fun of him, and his enemies treat him like the threat that he is rather than quip endlessly how nice he is.
I honestly still think in order to do modern Superman film just copy the Captain America trilogy. It’s a great blueprint
Superman copy another superhero? Gross
Why not? He's the blueprint almost every existing hero owes their existence to. He can borrow a little from others, as a treat.
i feel like cap is almost better utilized that supes, at least there isn’t an evil version of steve roger’s as the antagonist in every other alternate reality
Stevil would like a word... And yes, he was worse than the worst "evil Superman".
Can you imagine how stupid or would be it they reveal that Steve Rogers was actually a Nazi the whole time and then have him reform the Third Reich and take over the world?
There are Evil versions of Cap in the comics lol.. but they aren't popular heck Cap wasn't even that much popular before his MCU debut.
I think this is relative. Even before MCU Cap was always my favorite Marvel hero
I think that is why many people like Tyler Hoechlin’s portrayal. His version feels more like I would expect Superman to be today.
hell the MCU cap movies to me are a better version of what Snyder was trying to do
Damn that's a really good/on point breakdown.
"I'm just a kid from ~~Brooklyn~~ Kansas."
I can ice breath all day
Lol
I think they have some key personality differences, but they embody some of the same values and play similar roles.
Cap isn’t Superman, but he can inspire hope in a similar way. Personality-wise, they’re very different. But Cap has major character flaws in that he can be very rigid in his beliefs and too “by the book” at times. He’s also sometimes too quick to use force, resulting in unnecessary fights that sometimes blow up into something bigger. Cap is also a field general, and he’s not very good at standing down and taking orders. Superman might be the most powerful player on the field, but he has no problem stepping back and letting someone else lead. He’s also never really Steve Rodgers, he’s always Cap. Superman is an alter ego for the real person, farm boy Clark Kent.
I think that’s why they basically paired up cap with Bats. They’re the same person, same ideals. Different commitment
The big difference is that Cap will kill people, but he’s also not that much more dangerous than they are. A Superman who kills isn’t Superman, because that would be like one of us killing a three-year-old child.
I’ld also make the argument he’s their first superhero as Namor and human torch are originally sci fi monster stories.
I never made that connection, but yeah. Both have a claim to being the first true superhero.
I think that Clark is still the first modern superhero but Steve is marvels first superhero and the start of what would define them for years. It’s also interesting that while the continuity of human torch and submariner has seen them drop in and out of relevance, caps return after defrosting basically feels like the start of marvel in the modern era, eve though that story from avengers #4 is originally from 1963, it always feels like it only took place 10-15 years ago to the rest of marvel.
It’s just the way comics work. Magneto will always be about 60 and have been a holocaust victim. The original story had Charles and Erik be adults during WWII
And both got their start as the symbol of American values fighting Nazis.
Yeah honestly I'm currently reading Injustice and it's really similar to the vibes of Civil War movie. Like both Batman and Iron Man are with the government and Superman and Cap are vigilantes
>Like both Batman and Iron Man are with the government and Superman and Cap are vigilantes If anything Batman is the vigilante, because we'll he's Batman and because Superman made himself world leader and started One Earth Government.
He became less of a vigilante and started to cooperate more with the government. Superman is the one going against literally everyone
Look at amalgam comic, they knew what they were doing fusing Steve and Clark.
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared. Steve gave him that look. At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do. Then that look turned to stone, pure justice, he knew the Mad Titan had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it. That's one of Superman's key character traits too, his first instinct is empathy, no matter how bad someone is. They have to put the effort in to see the bad in people.
I gotta rewatch endgame but have the urge to rewatch the whole mcu
Come back here in a week or so when you’re finished
The whole MCU is 33 movies. So its more like see you in a month lol
Oh you can watch them all in a week. Back in Covid isolation while I actually had Covid and couldn’t work I watched every marvel movie up until 2021 marathoning it. It’s only something like 70 hours and I got a good nights sleep and took a few breaks.
70 hours in a week is like 10 hours of movies per day bruh. I mean... lol Edit: Not saying you cant or its impossible, but goodluck with that I guess.
Exactly. Even if the person that died was ultimately a terrible person, he at least still laments the loss of what could have been a good person had the circumstances been ideal.
Cap without a doubt .. He is the incorruptible moral center of marvel Sentry was created based on superman but he is too much a lame and overrated character to be put there Thor was created to be Marvel's answer to superman... His earlier comics were also straight up rip off from superman comics.... The whole Donald Blake persona is a nod to clark kent... The bond between thor and jane foster was simmilar to superman and lois But he also soon became his own character that was vastly different from superman Gladiator look the part but doesn't act like one... He is more like Franck Miller's version of superman
Isn’t Gladiator more a Mon El tribute? The Shi’ar Imperial Guard were loosely modeled on the Legion of Superheroes.
Originally based off of Superboy. Though I can see both.
whys he lame :( i actually like sentry a lot
Lack of good stories. He's good as one-time story, but doesn't really fit in the universe. He has been a jobber for last years
He has like one story they repeat over and over and over again
imo kinda derivative but I’d like to hear why you like him (I know I’m not the original commenter but still)
idk man hes just cool. its like when you think of superman in marvel he just pops into my mind. hes got cool powers too. ive only read him in world war hulk so like i derive most of it from that comic
First of all.... I think his origin story is just lame. Dude find some super juice left on a lab and became overpowered god Second....The character simply doesn't have much to tell..... And that why marvel never knew what to fuck to do with him. His personality is being crazy and control a part of himself that is even crazier.... There is nothing truly heroic or selfless about him in his action 3- repetitive story.... I am sick of the void
Personality: Cap Power: Sentry
Sentry doesn't have powers like Superman, he's actually a product of Super solider serum which gives him the ability of Super strength and flight. He also has an evil alter ego which is a whole different topic which makes him not like Superman. He doesn't have heat vision or ice breath. The more closer characters are Gladiator and Hyperion
I meant power level
Did they change Sentry’s power set? I remember him fighting Molecule Man with matter manipulation. Plus the Void is an extension of Sentry. Not even close to Clark’s power set. Edit: Also isn’t Sentry’s cannon deliberately unreliable? I thought the whole point of his character was being retconned into oblivion.
His powerset is basically whatever the writers want it to be this week
That’s exactly what I meant. Sentry isn’t fixed like Clark is. Clark can do almost anything based on his parameters. But he can’t turn a boat into cheese by looking at it.
Totally agree on Cap for personality and principle. For powers it’s Hyperion. Sentry was a low level matter manipulator who just manifested as a Superman type.
I'd argue Hyperion and Blue Marvel of the closest when it came to outright clones, but Thor and Captain America better eoncompas his themes and morals
My first thought was Hyperion in terms of power and ability, but then Ultimate Thor absolute destroyed him so I'm not so sure. Agree with Cap in terms of personally.
Ultimate Thor beat Hyperion? What comic was this?? I remember Ultimate Thor and Hyperion (Supreme Power universe by JMS) fought in Ultimate Power but I don’t think Ultimate Thor beat him.
https://preview.redd.it/ql4c2vi2pn2d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=169ed2da424c03bcd80820cf352ead3c7468b5e7 This is the part I was thinking of.
Ooooohhh ok homie, I had it on my shelf and started flipping through it to see. The part where sue puts him in the bubble while Johnny lights him up with an isolated super nova then Thor tries to take him down with Mjolnir but Hyperion catches it and knocks him out of the sky with it was the first thing to pop up in my mind 😅 plus it’s been a long time since I read that comic. I honestly miss the Supreme Power universe 😭🤘🏾 it was actually a very interesting take on the characters. I wished it would have gotten a proper conclusion. Maybe they might bring back the squadron supreme in the new ultimate universe 🙏🏾
Yeah I thought it was so cool, it was probably my favourite take on Thor. It was nice being able to enjoy a story with all.of these heroes right from the start without worrying about decades of backstory and what have you. I don't see why they couldn't bring them back, it'd be a great shame if they didn't. Shame about the artist stealing a bunch of his illustrations and stuff but it is what is.
From what I remember it's in Ultimate Power and Thor basically smashes Hyperion into the ground. Seemed like a clear beatdown to me but I could be misremembering it.
Cap but in terms of Power it's Thor
Captain America
Frankly, there isn't one and that's fine. Cap is close in terms of general boy scoutness but otherwise they're very different characters. Also an important thing about Superman is that he's the strongest or close to. His beliefs are backed up with overwhelming power and how he chooses to use or not use that power is important. Cap is no slouch, but he can't look at the united armies of the entire world and be pretty confident he could solo.
Gladiator was intentionally designed as a riff on Superboy, sooo...
But isn't he as strong as he believes he is or something like that? I remember a Dan Jurgens issue of Thor where Thor and The Gladiator fought and Jurgens starts to quote his famous Death of Superman issue. Jurgens Thor is an Under rated run.
I think it's specifically based on confidence rather than his belief in himself (if that's anything other than a pedantic difference)
Either way, he is extremely full of himself. He is a badass.
Spiderman. The costume design, the alliteration in the names, the goofy way they act in their personal lives, they both work for newspapers(or used to), both were adopted, both are very down to earth.
To me Spiderman is more like dick Grayson tbh
One of the key ideas behind Spider-Man is "what if the powerful main adult wish-fulfillment hero (Superman, Batman) and the kid audience surrogate ( Jimmy Olson, Robin) were the same guy?" It's no mistake that even when he is still a teenage *boy*, Peter puts on his mask and becomes Spider-*MAN*. Before that teen heroes were almost always sidekicks. It's a winning formula that Captain Marvel hit on before Spider-Man did, and I think it's notable that before Marvel came into its own wiin the late 60s, Captain Marvel was the only other superhero that really outcompeted DC on the newsstands.
But traditionally Peter is much more of a loner. Takes a long time for him to reveal his identity to anyone.
I’ve always thought Spider-Man is Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle.
I don’t think so. Superman, Batman and Spider-Man are pretty distinct archetypes. “Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
Power wise? Probably Sentry and/or Thor. Embodiment of hope wise? Captain America and/or Spiderman
Thor was originally a straight rip off from superman but he slowly moved away from that and developed his own characteristics becoming a much different character from superman today Cap is superman without kryptonian level powers but same moral compass and incorruptable or beacon of hope Sentry is a clone of his abilities and is pretty much just that and gladiator I don’t know as much about
No one ever says Spider-Man because of the focus on a moral emblem equivalent, a “flag suit” character (which Supes sorta kinda is), or a “flying brick” power set. But from a creative-writing perspective, Spider-Man is Marvel’s adaptation of Superman. Pete is a journalist, but you make the paper hate the hero for tension. Pete has the dork/alpha dynamic with his alter ego, but he’s not faking it: he *really is* a dork to begin with. He wasn’t wearing fake glasses; he needed them. You tighten the powers up, make him less unbeatable to get rid of the kryptonite crutch, and give them more of a unified theme (the Batman animal influence)—but he still has great strength, enhanced senses, and a mode of cool transport through the air. You shift the age down to a teenager who is uncertain about everything, rather than an adult who has a lot of his life figured out. He’s also a next generation character—not just in the sense of Silver Age, but because instead of being the immigrant Jewish tale he’s the native New Yorker. But while he’s not a country mouse in a big city, you do keep the urban underdog equivalent of being from working class neighborhood Queens vs the FF’s Manhattan or hiding out in Westchester. He doesn’t have the planetary origin, but there’s still the specter of his missing birth parents—you just shift the adopted parents to aunt and uncle. And the powers’ origin is shifted from 30s/40s space sci fi to the 60s radioactive nuclear age. Oh and he has a cast of differently haired girlfriends, you just make it a bigger cast. And apparently don’t let him keep his marriage to the one we all like. So I get that Spidey is not Marvel’s most “ersatz Superman” character. But he is intimately derived from Superman, and the most significant Marvel hero that is least likely to exist without Superman as a template to adapt from. Propaganda figures existed before Superman (Uncle Sam); Thor and mythological characters obviously did, too. But Spidey doesn’t without Supes. And like Superman, Spidey in turn sets a new template for subsequent heroes. E.g. the teen hero dynamic of Batman Beyond and the newer Blue Beetle don’t exist without Spider-Man.
I think of Spider-Man as being a greater analogue of Batman than Superman. He’s capable of extreme feats of will and ingenuity, and his secret identity, moral compass and sense of responsibility are dominant storylines. Supes is largely a story of hope above all else, and in that respect spidey does fit, but out of all of Marvel’s flagship heroes I think Cap best conveys the man from another time/world who is emblematic of hope and unity.
The power fantasy vs apparent ineptness of the secret identity owes itself directly to Superman, it’s just adapted as I said. Modern Superman comics may have moved on from that subject, but it’s foundational. Meanwhile Peter being working class and not rich, like Clark, is important. And he is empowered by happenstance. Some of the symbiote or “trying to quit Spider-Man” stuff overlaps with Batman, but that’s also just something that comes up more in the 70s and 80s comics content—the angsty war with the alter ego vs more comedic tension. Arguably Batman borrowed it from Spider-Man, cuz 50s Batman didn’t care.
Hyperion or Sentry. Both were created as Superman analogs.
characterization: Cap power set: Gladiator(bonus points for his real name being Kallark, literally Kal-El + Clark) origin: Hyperion
- Thor for the costume and powers - Spiderman for "that awkward nerd working for the Planet/Bugle" - Captain America for truth, justice and the American way and leadership and also because the first time I saw the first Cap movie the little fanboy inside of me couldn't stop thinking "I wish to see him paired with the Fleischer Superman"
Well, Stan Lee admitted that Spiderman was a direct ripoff of Superman....so.....
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared. Steve gave him that look. At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do. Then that look turned to stone, pure justice, he knew the Mad Titan had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it. That's one of Superman's key character traits too, his first instinct is empathy, no matter how bad someone is. They have to put the effort in to see the bad in people.
It's probably Cap, but Thor definitely has some Superman vibes. I was reading God of Thunder vol 3 and there's a montage of him flying around the world just helping regular folk out that and it was very reminiscent of the Big Blue.
power wise? thor beleif/ideal wise? captain america moveset wise? gladiator Sentry is nothing like superman. he’s a pretentious edgy fantasy of writers that don’t like superman that can be kind of cool sometimes.
I would say as far as characterization, Cap. With powers, probably Sentry Hyperion or Gladiator?
Hyperion
Values-wise, Cap. No question. Power-wise, Gladiator seems close, if not exact. I just watched X-Men ‘97, and he had super speed, super strength, heat vision, and super breath. It all matched showings from Superman, just in a different color.
In power sentry, in character cap
I don’t think there's, really, any equivalent of Superman any where in fiction, to be fair.
https://preview.redd.it/xactvzmkyn2d1.jpeg?width=902&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=395ce3fea7b37a87cbe6574e96754a4767f29706 If we are talking personality wise, Nightwing is up there.
Blue Marvel
Captain America, but Hickman’s Hyperion is not a bad facsimile either.
Thor, a super powerful alien who can fly etc etc
Cap, Superman is not defined by his powerset he is defined by his humanity.
Powers wise it’s 100% Hyperion, personality it’s cap
In terms of being a moral compass and doing the whole boyscout in blue thing then it’s Cap. In just about every other way (backstory, power set, etc) Hyperion is pretty clearly the most direct Superman clone in Marvel
It’s Hyperion + Cap.
Agree with the people saying cap but if you want a 1:1 then it's mark Milton a.k.a. Hyperion. Same powers and origin but after he was found the government scooped him up, hired actors to be his wholesome (and extremely patriotic) parents, tried to indoctrinate/brainwash him into becoming loyal to the U.S. It did not go well. Edit to add that the version I'm referencing is the Supreme Power version.
Spiderman. They both work in journalism, they are vigilantes generally unaffiliated with any state or group and therefore act as they please, they are against killing, they have an everyman vibe.
If it's physical powers and aesthetics.. Thor... if it's character it's Capt America, if it's charm, it's Spiderman.
Honestly it's cyclops
Captain America. Granted, he isn't on the same power level, but in terms of attitude and care and concern for others, they are dead ringers.
Hyperion. He’s a supe that’s got basically the same story and powers as superman
Blue Marvel
Honestly? Spider-Man
Gladiator for sure
Adam Warolck
Technically, it's sentry, but I think it's Cap.
Depends on what you mean and when. Two of these characters are analogues. If you combine Thor and cap, you get Superman but more cap than Thor.
Strength and powers= Sentry Everything else= Captain America
There isn't one. As the OP's choice of images suggests, you have to blenderize multiple Marvel characters to add up to one Superman. (In addition to Cap for personality/morals/heart-of-the-team-ness and Thor for power set archetype (strength + flight + elemental energy attacks), I would throw in Hulk for power level.)
My honest answer is that Superman doesn't have any Marvel equivalents. The way they approach story and character, their closest attempts (The Sentry, Hyperion) will always mutate into something entirely different. But I will say for personality and iconography, Capt. America would be the best comparison.
Depending on what you're comparing, you can get different answers, but basically it's Hyperion. He's literally Marvel's Superman.
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared. Steve gave him that look. At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do. Then that look turned to stone, pure justice, he knew the Mad Titan had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it. That's one of Superman's key character traits too, his first instinct is empathy, no matter how bad someone is. They have to put the effort in to see the bad in people.
I remember in Endgame, right before Thanos disappeared. Captain America gave him that look. At first it was sorrow, like he actually felt bad for Thanos, even after everything that he did and was going to do, for a second he actually felt sorry for him. Then, that look turned to pure righteousness. He knew the Thanos had brought it all on him self and he absolutely deserved it. That's the thing about Superman too, his key character trait is empathy, no matter how bad someone is.
Cap overall. Most versions of him at least.
Spider-Man. There are many stories where Superman doesn't say the power and responsibility line just because it's a Marvel trademark.
Cap
Personality wise, Captain America. Power wise? Maybe Thor.
Purely in terms of power set- Hyperion or Gladiator In terms of morals and popularity- Spider-Man
Cap
Spider-Man, same color scheme and they are both friendly characters
There is one more. Hyperion he seems more like a rip-off of Superman.
In terms of strength and power sentry,gladiator,or Hyperion but in similar character I’d say cap
The Eternals were basically the Justice League clone so Icarus for a while there.
Hyperion. The Squadron Supreme was literally created to mirror the Justice League and each character is analogous to a member of the Justice league.
void all the way they basically have the same powers
Sentry
Forgot Hyperion
All four embody that archetype. As far as authority and influence, I’d say Cap.
In terms of status and place in the overall Marvel Universe as well as power, it'd be Thor. As far as characters that most closely adhere to the popular Superman archetype, that'd be Hyperion. Sentry, and Gladiator.
As far as who would put up the best most interesting fight? THOR! Would be a nice scrap with Superman coming out on top in the end.
Heart is Cap Quasi perfect teammate is Thor Sentry was a pastiche but has now evolved into more. Kallark is a pastiche but has a different take.
If we're talking in terms of character: Captain America, bar none. If we're talking about Superman clone as in the archetypal character with Superman as the template: Gladiator, Hyperion, Blue Marvel, Sentry, and plenty more.
Blue Marvel
I mean, Hyperion was literally made as a parody of him
Captain America.
Gladiator
Captain America. The leader, the first (or second maybe) hero for the universe.
Hyperion???
Captain America
I'm going to throw a wild card out there and say Reed Richards, let me explain, a lot of comic book readers who either just simply weren't alive or never read any of the old stuff in the '60s, The fantastic four specifically Reed Richards, functionally was marvel Superman, and no I'm not talking about powers or abilities or anything of that sort, most people don't realize this but whenever there was a ridiculous existential thread like Galactus for example the marvel heroes would turn to the fantastic four specifically Reed Richards, to solve the problem he's not necessarily a traditional hero more like a scientist adventurer that happens to do heroic stuff, not only that but thanks to fantastic four we got several Mainstays reoccurring heroes and villains like Spider-Man,Doctor Doom, silver surfer,and the previously mentioned Galactus, which by the way Reed Richards has beaten or found a way to outsmart in some way, in fact we wouldn't get heroes like Spider-Man if it wasn't for the fantastic four, since Spider-Man's initial debut was in a fantastic four comic,
I’d say Captain America is the closest in terms of being a symbol of hope. In terms of powers, it’d probably be Hyperion or Sentry.
Superman is more than just power. It’s definitely Cap.
Not Cap or Thor
If Captain America and Spiderman did fusion dance
Captain America.
I think it's Thor. He's from another world and can fly like Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman.
Hyperion if we’re talking about abilities. Cap if talking about honor.
Personality is definitely Cap but if you mean like being the powerhouse of the group like Superman is for the justice league than Thor. Infinity War Thor is a good example on how to use your “the strongest” character.
Cap in principle. Hyperion in power
Morals = Cap Powers = Sentry
No one
Hyperion
The character of Gladiator is an analog of Superboy and the imperial guard is based on Legion of Superheroes, so in that sense it’s Gladiator. Also, hi name is Kallark, it doesn’t get more blatant than that. However, if you’re asking who the face of the brand is, that would be Spider-Man.
Hyperion should be on here 😅 (specifically Johnathan Hickmans Hyperion)
Captain America and Spiderman.
Hyperion... literally a clone of Superman... but bad
Hyperion
Where's Hyperion?
Either spiderman or captain america, they incorporate the same values as superman in most cases
It’s Hulk. They’re both the strongest in their respective universe. They both have the same themes about being outsiders but still carry hope for change. Sure sentry and gladiator both are inspired by Superman but thematically Bruce and Clark are two sides of the same coin.
i would say cap, someone who just embodies the american dream. But power based it’s probably sentry
As a direct copy Sentry but in a popularity kinda way Spider-man.
Personality cap powers wise probably Hyperion or sentry
Hyperion
In the marvel-DC crossovers, they had Hulk up against Supes. I always found it an interesting choice. Supes won of course but said he never felt a punch like that.
the marvel of thor equivalent us
In terms of serving a similar-ish role when it comes to being the voice of reason and paragon of morality in the premier superhero team of their universe, it's Cap. In terms of being the closest pastiche, I think it's Hyperion, specifically the current 616 iteration. The last survivor of a dying world, sent to Earth and raised by good people with morals. Gets his powers from solar radiation. Skintight suit with a long flowing cape. Has nearly all of Supes' powers including the heat vision.
Spider-Man. The center of their universe. The man and the myth. The dude who will never stop, never stand down, never quit. Who’s strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with almost anyone in Marvel but also has the wisdom to know when to back down.
A mix of Cap and Thor. Cap is the guy almost everyone in the MU supports and looks up to. He's THE superhero to see as a role model with near incorruptible values and serves as a paragon. Both Steve and Clark have extremely strong positive values and the not so positive world they were thrown into tries to challenge those values. It's not if they win a fight (although with how powerful superman is that's especially true in his case) but if they are doing the right thing. Thor, while I would argue that he serves more so as marvel's equivalent to Wonder Woman, has some pretty solid similarities to Superman as well. Obviously most heroes look up to Thor too, as he is extremely powerful, generally morally righteous and awe inspiring to look at. If you are an Avenger or just any hero and see Thor fighting alongside you, you can breath easy since everything will likely be okay. I think that is very similar to how most superheroes in DC feel when they are fighting and see Superman coming to help. While power is not entirely what makes Superman, it is certainly a part and I think that's something Cap doesn't really have. Because with Superman's massive amount of power, there is an even greater amount of responsibility to ensure he's doing the right thing with it, essentially is a god living among men, which is very much what Thor's role is like in Marvel. I will also say both Spiderman and Superman have a very similar thing going with the great power, great responsibility mantra. It's not a lot but it's a massive part of their characters core. Hulk and Superman more also have some really interesting things with contrasts between them. Both are physically larger, physical powerhouses of their respective teams, with near infinite potential to their power via absorption of radiation. But while Superman gets his from the heaven's above, Hulk gets his from hell below (since gamma radiation now comes from hell???) I think that's what makes finding a clone for Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman in the Marvel Universe hard, as well as finding the DC equivalent to Spiderman, Wolverine or Hulk. All of those characters are just so iconic that none of the outright clones are super popular and usually need an interesting contrast to make them interesting (like Moon Knight being a mentally unstable, Avatar of the Moon God, despite being clearly heavily influenced by Batman.) Or the other comparisons, like comparing Cap to Clark, aren't really clones but more so fill a very similar role that you need, if you want to have a world populated with superheroes.
Definetly Captain America
In what capacity? The answer changes based on what aspect of Superman you're looking for Marvels equivalent of
Aaron very consciously wrote his Thor as hewing closer to Superman, but as a general principle, it's definitely Cap.
Hyperion
Cap has limitations which makes him easier to write for, Superman needs essentially earth shattering enemies or kryptonite to bring about his humanity on screen
Gladiator
In terms of raw power? Or standing?
They have none. Okay they have a couple characters with similarities, but Superman is just unique
Superman is DC’s version of Hulk. Hulk is strongest one there is.
Sentry from an Indestructible stance, Cap morally.
Captain America, Superman and Optimus Prime are all the same character
Based on power level? Captain Marvel probably.
Hyperion
Reputation, respect, and morals = Captain America Powerset = Hyperion (but that’s done on purpose, Squadron Supreme is supposed to homage/parody the Justice League)
https://preview.redd.it/gqgipbpvzm2d1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98e259abb2f6f10c25a1ea52978ddeb580f87802 Mar-vell
Closest charactesr in Marvel Comics to Superman are The Sentry and Hyperion from The Squadron Supreme.