You may have noticed that superhero films and TV shows are undergoing a major shift. And that’s a good thing. Throughout the last 12 months, we’ve seen parameters broadened and conventions subverted across the entire comic book spectrum. Marvel Studios continued its explorations of new worlds and characters starting with Black Panther. It’s not often that a movie achieves cultural significance immediately after it hits theaters, but Ryan Coogler’s take on the African hero certainly earned that distinction. It may even have a bright future at the Oscars.
From there, Marvel went on to produce Avengers: Infinity War, the genre’s biggest, most densely populated film of all time. At least until Avengers: Endgame arrives next April. Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp provided young female fans with a new role model to look up to. Even the oft-maligned Sony enjoyed a respectable degree of fan adulation this year. Say what you will about their last two attempts at a Spider-Man franchise. But Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse exceeded expectations with a breathtaking animation style and a heartwarming script.
RELATED: Superhero Hype’s Top 10 Villains of 2018
Marvel’s chief rival, DC, largely sat out this year’s round of superhero cinema until Aquaman‘s release earlier this month. However, that film continues to draw audiences thanks to its lightheartedness imbued by James Wan’s direction and Jason Momoa’s performance. DC also persisted in building their TV universe on The CW, culminating in the Elseworlds crossover that introduced a handful of beloved characters from the comics. Unfortunately, Marvel didn’t have the same luck on the small-screen. The Marvel Netflix shows had new seasons for four out of the five ongoing series. The new episodes were positively received. But that wasn’t enough to keep save Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist from getting canned by the streaming service. Ongoing conflicts between Netflix, Disney, and Marvel also played a role in the demise of those shows.
Of course, 2018 wasn’t without its share of sadness. We said goodbye to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, giants of the industry whose collaborations inspired countless readers and creators over more than five decades. Although they’re no longer with us, their legacies will live on in their pathos-driven characters that now dominate American popular culture. Spider-Man’s success on the big screen is indebted to his creators’ shared idea that sometimes, being human is the most heroic thing a person can do.
In that spirit, let’s bid “Excelsior!” to 2018 and take a gander at the Top 10 superheroes of the year. Then share your picks in the comment section below!
Superhero Hype's Top 10 Heroes of 2018
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10. Sabrina Spellman
Just when you thought the “gritty reboot” treatment was played out, along comes Netflix’s take on Sabrina the Teenage Witch to make you reconsider.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina follows the lead of Archie Comics' horror title by re-imagining the character as a member of a Satanic witch coven.
Kiernan Shipka plays Sabrina with enough confidence to eclipse Melissa Joan Hart’s comedic take from the last millennium. Hail to the Dark Lord! This Sabrina is a keeper.
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9. Luke Cage
Even though he took a dark turn at the end of the second season, Luke Cage is still one of the most socially astute characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When he wasn’t trading punches with Bushmaster, Mike Colter’s bulletproof hero still wrestled with the everyday pressures of being a black man in a hoodie.
Cage may be hard to hurt, but he has a very vulnerable heart. That's why it was so affecting to see Luke slowly reconcile with his father, as played with undeniable charm by the late Reg. E. Cathey.
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8. Ant-Man and the Wasp
While the MCU’s heavy-hitters were literally fighting for existence, everyone's favorite pint-sized hero and his new partner had a more personal battle to win.
Paul Rudd already demonstrated his own brand of heroism with the first Ant-Man film. However, Evangeline Lilly stole the sequel as the Wasp. She also continued the trend established by Wonder Woman by bringing a new flavor to the male-dominated superhero movie-verse.
Additionally, Rudd and Lilly’s witty banter helped ground the film with infusions of much-needed levity. The original Ant-Man, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and the Wasp, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) also charmed us. Bring them back, Thanos!
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7. Aquaman
Thanks to Super Friends, Aquaman was treated like a joke for decades. But who's laughing now? Jason Momoa's headlining the Aquaman live-action movie, which may actually make more money than Justice League and a few of the Marvel movies.
Of course, the comics were several years ahead of the curve when it came to making Aquaman a badass. But the best part about the movie is that it still makes Aquaman's humanity shine through.
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6. Daredevil
Netflix’s flagship Marvel series has done an excellent job of sending Matt Murdock to hell and back every year. But thanks to new showrunner Erik Oleson and his writers, Daredevil’s latest outing executes this journey with a renewed fervor that outperforms the two previous seasons.
Watching the Man Without Fear overcome Wilson Fisk’s onslaught of psychological warfare consistently kept us on the edge of our seats until their bloody showdown in the last episode. Charlie Cox’s impassioned speech in the finale makes the series’ cancellation all the more heartbreaking.
However, our fingers remain crossed for an eventual revival, even if we have to wait two more years.
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5. Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle may not have had a TV show or a movie to his name, but 2018 was a banner year for this Jack Kirby creation. Tom King and Mitch Gerads' 12-issue Mister Miracle maxi-series redefined its hero with a mind-bending tale that challenged superhero conventions.
King and Gerads' take on Mister Miracle was an instant classic, and it's well-worth picking up if you haven't read it yet. Just remember, "Darkseid is."
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4. Phil Coulson
One of the most underrated MCU heroes, Coulson has been a welcome presence ever since his introduction in Iron Man. His death in The Avengers was tragic, but his eventual resurrection of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. led fans to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Regrettably, the fifth season finale appeared to be Coulson's permanent swan song. But he bravely faced his final days with dignity and love. Not many heroes get a second chance at life. But Coulson made the most of his second. And if he's truly gone, then he will be greatly missed.
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3. Spider-Man (and Spider-Gwen!)
Who is Spider-Man? Peter Parker is no longer the only answer. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse gave casual fans a vivid introduction to Miles Morales, one of the newest Spider-Men in the Marvel universe. It also told a story that belonged to both Miles and Peter, while exploring their counterparts from across the multiverse.
The message of the movie is that anyone can be under Spider-Man's mask, even if it's a young woman like the Gwen Stacy of another Earth. Peni Parker doesn't even need a mask, as long as she's got her SP//dr.
Basically, there's a Spider-Man for everyone, and Into the Spider-Verse gave all of them their due.
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2. The Avengers
Avengers: Infinity War differed from prior installments in that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes remained fractured after the events of Captain America: Civil War.
Regardless, when Thanos reared his ugly purple head, the team’s various factions couldn’t sit idly by and watch the universe crumble under the weight of his all-powerful Infinity Gauntlet.
Whether fighting on Wakanda’s frontier or on the outskirts of the galaxy, the heroes faced their greatest battle yet, one that definitely took a toll by the film’s cliffhanger ending.
They still have a few more months to lick their wounds. But there’s no doubt that the divided group will stand united once again by the time Avengers: Endgame rolls into theaters.
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1. Black Panther
It’s hard to believe that Chadwick Boseman’s vibranium-clad protector of Wakanda made waves with his first standalone feature almost a full year ago. But what a year it’s been.
Upon its release, Black Panther was lavished with praise for telling a unique superhero story that deftly balanced high-octane action with clever social commentary.
It’s not often that a film’s hero adopts the villain’s motivations (albeit with a loftier execution), but T’Challa’s gradual realization that his isolated homeland can change the world is what elevates the film to unprecedented heights. Black Panther is now an A-list superhero, and he's only getting started.
