The 5. 0 greatest comic- book characters, Feature Movies. Batman? Superman? Groot, even? The greatest comic- book characters in the canon have been debated and argued over for decades. The creations of Bon Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Stan Lee and co.

Empire has delved into it and picked 5. SPAWN (Spawn)AKA: AL SIMMONSIn 1.

Marvel's top artists, frustrated with having their work exploited, walked out to form Image Comics, a place where creators would retain the rights to the characters they created. Among their numerous launch titles, Spawn would prove to be by far the most popular. Created by Spider- Man legend Todd Mac. Watch Soul Man Vioz. Farlane, Spawn was a murdered CIA operative who makes a deal with the demon Malebolgia, returning to Earth as an immortal, Hellspawn. While he began as a traditional – if unorthodox – vigilante hero, Spawn grew increasingly dark over time, slipping further into an anti- hero role as the theology- heavy storylines became increasingly twisted. His popularity has since waned, but Spawn remains an iconic crusader, both for the characters in his stories and creator- owned comic books.

Trademarks: A Billowing, semi- sentient cape, trailing chains, glowing green eyes and hell- derived magical powers. On Screen: An award- winning HBO animated series ran in the late '9. Michael Jai White. A sequel is currently in development and has been since 1. Did You Know?: The scope of Spawn's hell magic is limited only by his imagination. The energy fuelling it, however, is not and if Spawn ever exhausts his reserves it's a one- way ticket back to hell.

CAPTAIN HADDOCK (Tintin)Tintin's most enduring sidekick turned up in the ninth of the young reporter's adventures, and became more and more prominent thereafter – eventually becoming practically the main character. The full- bearded alcoholic, rageaholic, commitment- phobic British sea captain lucked into a fortune (Red Rackham's Treasure) and wound up drinking himself insensible in Marlinspike Hall, occasionally giving vent to amazingly picturesque salty language (often through a megaphone) when assailed by bashi- bazouks, troglodytes, prize purple jellyfish, Incan mummies and Signorina Bianca Castafiore, 'the Milanese nightingale'. Pursuit of whisky is his defining motive – he even got drunk on a trip to the Moon! One of the most human and perversely admirable characters in fiction. Trademarks: Captain's hat, bushy beard, tumbler of whisky and a roll- neck pullover. Catchphrase: "billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles!" ("Mille millions de mille milliards de mille sabords.")On Screen: Georges Wilson and Jean Blouise played him in 1.

French films (Tintin And The Golden Fleece, Tintin And The Blue Oranges), Paul Frees dubbed the voice in internationally- seen cartoons (providing definitive live readings of the "blistering barnacles" business), and some bloke called Steven Spielberg directed the bequiffed Belgian in stop- motion animation The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn. Did You Know?: The Captain's name was suggested by Hergé's wife, who explained that a haddock was "a sad English fish". HARVEY PEKAR (American Splendor)AKA: LUCAS TRENTHarvey Pekar, a fairly miserable and obsessive fellow who works as a file clerk in a Veterans' Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, is the creation of Harvey Pekar, a writer who sets out to chronicle his everyday life in comic form, recruiting artist Robert Crumb and others to illustrate anecdotes about the cranky hero's mundane, frustrating life.

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Eventually, the irregularly- published comic book - and its several sequels (Our Cancer Year, Our Movie Year, The Quitter) - made Pekar a fringe celeb, better- known for his fractious, controversial appearances on The David Letterman Show until the film adaptation brought attention to his ongoing comics. Besides covering his courtships, marriage, illnesses, career reversals and brushes with fame, Pekar has opened up the comic to chronicle the lives of his friends. Trademarks: Poor fashion sense, middle- aged frustration, dour outlook and general whining. On Screen: Cinematic sad sack Paul Giamatti plays Pekar in the film version of American Splendor.

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Did You Know?: Jonathan Demme tried to adapt American Splendor in the '8. Demme wasn't yet an established director. APOLLO AND THE MIDNIGHTER (Stormwatch)Technically this is clearly two characters, but how could we separate comics' most significant out- and- proud couple? In the often simplistically macho world of superheroes, these two were introduced as an off- kilter Superman and Batman into Warren Ellis' excellent Stormwatch series, but after a series of gradual hints were revealed as a couple in the Authority series which followed, hopefully shaking at least a few fanboy prejudices out of existence. Now married, with an adoptive (super)daughter, the pair have starred in a number of controversial storylines (including an implied rape) as befits the darker tone of the more adult Authority, but have recently been reunited after a mind- wipe took Midnighter away and broke up their home (these things are why the superhero divorce rate is so high).

Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com. Watch Code 46 Online (2017). With Halloween just around the corner, we take a look back at some of the scariest video games ever made, including Amnesia, Silent Hill and more. For most of the world’s elite national teams, qualifying for the World Cup is a charade. Sure, Spain and Germany and the other powerhouses have to earn their places.

Now reunited, expect them to keep flying the rainbow flag and beating up anyone who gets in their way. Trademarks: Apollo can absorb solar energy and convert it to superstrength, flight and heat beams from his eyes; The Midnighter has enhanced physical abilities, a spare heart, and the capacity to anticipate his opponent's moves.

On Screen: Think a blonde Superman- type for Apollo - maybe Matthew Mc. Conaughey? – and a brooding, darker figure for The Midnighter – say, Josh Brolin. Did You Know? Marvel's gay pride poster- boy is Alpha Flight's North Star. Only implicitly gay when the series was launched in 1. Northstar has since come out and even developed a crush on Iceman during a stint with the X- Men in 2.

J. JONAH JAMESON (Spider- Man)Throughout his career, Spider- Man's major nemesis has not been Dr Octopus, the Green Goblin, the Kingpin or any other conventional super- foe, but J. Jonah Jameson, editor- publisher of the New York Daily Bugle – a newspaper which has run a campaign against Spider- Man (and other masked vigilantes) that has often turned the public against superheroes. Initially annoyed that Spider- Man got more acclaim than his astronaut son, whom he wanted to boost as 'a real hero', Jameson's hatred of Peter Parker's alter ego has grown into an overpowering obsession which has threatened his health and business. Ironically, he is also Parker's most frequent employer, buying the freelance photographer's blurry, out of focus shots of Spider- Man in action for the front page – and paying as little as possible for them. Trademarks: Hitler moustache, brush- cut and an ever- present cigar.

On Screen: J. K. Simmons perfectly captures JJJ in the Spider- Man films. David White played the part in the 1. TV pilot but was replaced by Robert F. Simon in the subsequent action series, and various Spider- Man cartoons have cast Keith Carradine, William Woodson, Ed Asner, Paul Kligman and Darran Norris. Did You Know?: JJJ financed several super- villains, including the robot Spider- Slayers and the Scorpion. DEADPOOL (Deadpool)AKA: WADE WILSONWhen he first appeared on the scene in 1.

Deadpool was a minor character, hailed as the mutant answer to Spider- Man. Or, rather, the mutant rip- off of Spider- Man, right down to the red costume with coloured rings around the eyes, the extraordinary agility and a propensity for delivering one- liners in the middle of a fight. But the Rob Liefeld/Fabian Nicieza creation quickly became a fan favourite and established a demented identity of his own.

The constant regeneration of his brain cells has turned the former Weapon X subject certifiably insane – so much so that he realises he's in a comic book, and frequently refers to the fact. Although he began life as a villain, the Merc With A Mouth was given his own title in 1.

Marvel's having another crack later this year) and is now officially a hero. Well, an anti- hero.