Spawn

• From: Image Comics

Spawn is one of the few characters that has sort of been all over the place comic book-wise. He was created by former Marvel artist/writer Todd McFarlane for Image Comics. He has appeared in some DC Comics storylines over the years but tends to be separate for Image. Born Albert Francis Simmons, he eventually becomes a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marines, but eventually joins the Secret Service and CIA. He’s eventually asked to be part of a security group where he becomes an assassin for the nation. Yet Simmons is not a cold-blooded killer as he has an inner morality that tells him this team is overstepping. His commander hires Simmons’ friend and partner to kill him as a result.

Simmons is then burned to death and sent to hell, where he makes a deal with the Devil, Malebolgia. He claims he’ll become a Hellspawn as long as he is allowed to see his wife one las time. Malebolgia agrees but sends him back to the world of the living without most of his memories, along with being in a severely burned body accompanied by a bodyguard. After the resurrection, he’s now called “Spawn.” His powers are fueled by Necroplasm but once it is gone, he’ll be returned to Hell. To avoid this, Spawn uses as little power as he can as he begins to find a new purpose in life. This ends up being to stop criminals, where he often executes some of the worst offenders. All the while, trying to regain some of his memories and his overall past.

Blade

• From: Marvel Comics

Blade is quite an interesting character, as he is one of the comic book antiheroes that most kind of understand. He is actually a Dhampir, which is a union between a human and vampire. Though rare, mortal humans have mated with female vampires to produce dhampirs. There are real-world legends of dhampirs, who tend to operate as normal members of their community. They have similar vampire-like powers, allowing them to sense supernatural creatures, have super-hearing and sight, regeneration abilities, and immortality. Best of all, they can walk in the sunlight where normal Vampires cannot.

Blade can technically die, but he is immune to any vampire bites or hypnosis. He also ages very slowly and could have the body of a 30-year-old for 50 years or so potentially. Due to his abilities, Blade becomes a vampire hunter as well as a hunter of other supernatural threats. He’ll do this solo or on various teams within the Marvel Universe. Seeing as Blade’s entire job is to remove supernatural threats, he ends their lives often. A lot of those threats are part of the undead, to be fair. In spite of this, he might attack normal humans in a similar way which can be a big problem. Often putting him in the crosshairs of other superheroes.

John Constantine

• From: DC Comics

John Constantine, like others within the supernatural territory, will often face threats on that same supernatural level. Those creatures or beings must be ended, so Constantine’s actions against those types are often just. The “Hellblazer” is considered an occult detective and working-class warlock, but also often a con man. His cons do tend to be done for a purpose. For example, he frequently has run-ins with supernatural beings that he willingly claims he’ll sell his soul to for either assistance or as a wager for something. Yet he does this with several beings, so it will cause huge problems upon his death. Something John finds hilarious.

Constantine has an endlessly cynical attitude, is as smart-aleck as they come, and chain-smokes more than a 1920’s English chimney. Yet for all of his faults, he is driven by a truly heartfelt desire to do at least a little good with his life. If that means removing supernatural threats from the mortal plane, he happily does it. Of course, Constantine is known quite well among other supernatural characters in DC. Most tend to hate his guts, likely over being cheated by him or simply for his attitude overall. That includes Swamp Thing among many others. In spite of this, John is certainly one of the best comic book antiheroes ever created.

Wolverine

• From: Marvel Comics

He’s the best there is at what he does, but what he does is not very nice. Wolverine is a mutant with incredible regeneration and healing abilities, who also has bones that can pop out of his hands around the knuckles. Born James Howlett around Alberta, Canada in the late 19th Century, he is the son of John and Elizabeth Howlett. It is then revealed, however, he is the illegitimate son of their groundskeeper, Thomas Logan. The Howletts throw him off their property when his son attempts to sexually assault Liz. Thomas returns to end John, which causes James to end Thomas. He then flees, going on to grow up in a mining colony under the name “Logan.”

Eventually, Logan goes on to take part in many wars and battles, including World War II alongside Captain America. He is then kidnapped and taken into the Weapon X program which results in his entire skeleton being fused with adamantium. This is a powerful metal within the Marvel Universe. This allows his bone claws to now be fused with the same substance, making them nearly indestructible. Logan escapes then joins up with the Canadian Government’s Department H, an intelligence program. Which would one day lead to a run-in with the Incredible Hulk. After this, he is actually sent on a mission to execute Charles Xavier, which Professor X finds out about. He then removes this from his mind and convinces Logan to join the X-Men.

Deadpool

• From: Marvel Comics

The Merc with a Mouth is likely one of the most famous superheroes in the world right now. Interestingly, Deadpool was really sort of separated from other mutants in the X-Men universe initially. This is likely due to his mercenary status. Wade Wilson was part of the armed forces and acted sort of as a mercenary for hire before finding out he had severe cancer. Willing to do anything to remove it, he joins up with an organization that gives him the super-power of regenerative healing. It is actually far more advanced than the healing factor other characters like Wolverine are known to have. Wade can have his entire head sliced off and it’ll either grow back or can be reattached. In fact, Wade only needs a microscopic portion of himself to be present in order to regenerate entirely.

Yet the cancer cells are equally unable to die, meaning he keeps his cancer but it simply cannot kill him. Thus, they take over his body to disfigure him. They’ll always regenerate with everything else. Cancer in his brain actually causes him to be slightly crazy, which is why he’ll often talk to himself or to others that are not there. That allows him to “break the 4th wall” for readers, as we are essentially one of the things not “truly there.” Naturally, Deadpool is one of the best comic book antiheroes, because he is certainly fine ending lives. He’ll even torture people to get information and do whatever he must to achieve his goal or finish his mission. Yet he does not just end people to end them, no matter how nuts he is. He usually has a purpose for it that most can understand.

Venom

• From: Marvel Comics

Technically, we should reference the “Venom Symbiote” here. However, it is also worth mentioning that it is from a race of symbiotes that seek to find hosts that they can perfectly bond with. While a symbiote can bond with anyone, it can only be for a limited time unless that bond is perfect for the symbiote itself. Venom essentially first bonds with Peter Parker, and due to being a super-powered individual, the bond works. Peter eventually removes the symbiote only for it to attach to Eddie Brock. Of course, Venom might be a symbiote with its own beliefs but it also bonds with a person’s mind just as much as their body.

Thus, it will help its host accomplish their deepest desires or act on random emotions their host has. Since it cannot understand anything about emotion, that can lead its host into conflict. Eddie manages to get Venom under control, allowing Venom to become a hero. But he is not always able to do this. The same happens with Flash Thompson, who bonds perfectly with Venom. He adopts the “Agent Venom” name to become mostly a hero, but this symbiote is not capable of being controlled entirely. It is also quite dangerous when in use by evil people. All of that leads to Venom’s antihero status. As it is truly important to know who its host is.

Deathstroke

• From: DC Comics

Deadpool’s invention was actually done in response to Deathstroke, as it was a deliberate copy. Deadpool only developed a proper character after that. Deathstroke was, at the time, a major villain that was the main antagonist for the Teen Titans. He’d also go on to have conflicts with other DC Superheroes, including Batman and many more. Slade Wilson is simply a mercenary for hire, which happened after he spent time in the U.S. Armed Forces. He is eventually chosen for a secret experiment by the Army, who gave him a drug that allowed him to use far more of his brain but also enhanced his physical kills, giving him near master control of his body too. That also included an accelerated healing factor with heightened senses.

Though he has had repeated conflicts with superheroes, most would claim that Deathstroke merely did his job usually. He has been written to be more villainous for a lot of TV shows, but in the comics, he is often sort of in the middle. Slade has always chosen humanity when it came to aliens or supernatural beings trying to conquer the Earth. He even ended the life of his son Jericho, who was taken over by the Souls of Azarath. Resulting in him losing control. Not to mention, most of the time Deathstroke has been capable of ending the lives of some heroes both young and old. Yet unless he is contracted to end them, he tends to avoid more bloodshed than what is required. He might not be a hero or villain but tends to make him one of the best comic book antiheroes ever to us.

The Punisher

• From: Marvel Comics

Frank Castle, like Deathstroke, served in the Armed Forces where he was able to do some very impressive things. He was a skilled marksman and leader, often known for his incredible sniping skills. He is also a skilled hand-to-hand fighter too, which means gun or not, Castle will take you down. When he returned home, his wife and two children are killed by the mob for witnessing another killing in Central Park. Frank then decides to go on a one-man war on New York’s criminal empire, dropping bodies left and right. The first on the list are those who ended the lives of his family. He eventually works with The Hand as well, in an attempt to resurrect his family. Although, this does not exactly go as he planned.

Castle’s beliefs are simple, if you did something horrible then your life must be ended. If you’re around those who did wrong and get hit in the crossfire, so be it. This is the issue with Frank. He often has trouble controlling his rage and realizing people have some redeeming qualities or goodness. Along with the fact that innocent people could be affected by his actions just as much as the guilty. Due to his war on crime, meant to punish those who did wrong, he takes on the name of “The Punisher.” Which strikes fear into the hearts of all who hear it. Castle is one of the best comic book antiheroes because, in spite of being willing to go to extremes to take people out, his war is often against very bad people.

Sources:

Marvel Comics

DC Comics

Image Comics

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