15 Most Underrated Marvel Heroes Created by Stan Lee

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With Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four and more, Stan Lee co-created many of the most iconic heroes in Marvel history. However, not all of Stan ‘The Man’ Lee’s characters became household names – there are plenty of great creations who don’t get the love they deserve, despite many of them embodying unique concepts that have sparked great stories.

Here are the 15 most underrated Marvel heroes co-created by Stan Lee. We’ve been strict with who appears on this list, showcasing Lee’s truly underrated creations – those who even many Marvel fans often don’t know much about. For that reason, characters like Silver Surfer and She-Hulk who have recent TV and movie appearances won’t appear, even if they do still deserve more love from fans than they get. However, we will be counting some heroes that Lee introduced as villains if they were later redeemed – after all, it’s the nature of superhero comics that later creators take great ideas in new directions.

16

Atlas, aka Power Man, aka Erik Josten

Debuted in Avengers #21 by Stan Lee and Don Heck

Erik Josten first appeared as an Avengers villain, acting as a minion of Baron Zemo under the codename Power Man. Over the years, Josten enjoyed a minor role as a recurring villain, taking the names Smuggler and Goliath while boasting ionic powers similar to the heroic Wonder Man. However, the ’90s saw the character reborn in Incredible Hulk #449, as Marvel introduced a mysterious new team of heroes – the Thunderbolts.

Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley’s Thunderbolts followed a team of former villains now reimagined as heroes, debuting during a time where many of Marvel’s greatest crime-fighters were lost in another dimension. While some of the Thunderbolts were scamming the public, others like Atlas truly embraced the superhero life. In modern comics, Atlas tends to rely on his size-changing and immense strength, although he does have other ionic abilities such as flight and phasing.

What makes Erik unique is his story of genuine supervillain to hero, keeping a lot more rough edges than a lot of outright do-gooders. Atlas may be a good guy, but he has a major chip on his shoulder against heroes and authority figures, and has dipped back into ‘evil’ when the vigilante life has gotten too difficult. Marvel has always found the humanity in its heroes, but Atlas in particular is a good-hearted character who struggles with feeling more at home on the wrong side of the law.

15

Mimic, aka Calvin Rankin

First Appeared in X-Men #19 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

An early, often forgotten X-Men villain, Mimic has the combined powers of the five original X-Men. The character has appeared sparsely since his debut, generally failing to live up to his potential. That changed in Exiles #1, when Judd Winick and Mike McKone introduced an alt-universe variant of Calvin Rankin. This series takes Lee and Kirby’s original story and imagines Mimic joining the X-Men after their first clash. Able to relate to each member by sharing their mutation, Mimic becomes the X-Men’s leader instead of Cyclops, leading to a world where mutants are more accepted than in almost any other reality.

Exiles’ Mimic ditches some of his original powers in exchange for Colossus’ steel skin and Wolverine’s claws, becoming the leader of the Exiles – unusual X-Men characters from different realities who travel the multiverse, working to fix broken timelines.

14

Mach-X, aka The Beetle, aka Abner Jenkins

First Appeared in Strange Tales #123 by Stan Lee & Carl Burgos

Another member of the Thunderbolts, Abner Jenkins was introduced as the Beetle – an enemy of the Human Torch who used a disturbing armored suit to commit acts of evil. However, Abner is another character who was sincerely redeemed as one of the Thunderbolts, becoming Mach-1 (and later Mach-3, Mach-IV, etc.) Essentially Iron Man without the generational wealth, Abner is constantly upgrading and redesigning his suits while changing his name to match – currently, he goes by Mach-X.

13

Hercules Panhellenios

First Appeared in Journey Into Mystery Annual #1 by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Hercules has served on the Avengers multiple times, but it’s hard for the character to stand out when he’s essentially Thor with fewer powers and a less epic attitude to heroism. While Hercules is a storied hero, he’s also prone to bluster and carelessness, turning him into a figure who few other Avengers truly respect. Dan Abentt and Luke Ross’ Hercules Volume 4 did a lot of work to recontextualize Hercules as a burned-out hero struggling to confront his alcoholism, giving him new life as a weary warrior who chooses camaraderie and optimism because, after millennia fighting evil, they’re what get him through the day.

12

Clea Strange

First Appeared in Strange Tales #126 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Clea Strange has a fantastic premise – the niece of the demonic mage Dormammu who, instead of joining him in ruling the Dark Dimension, instead becomes a freedom fighter. Sadly, Clea has rarely had a chance to shine outside of acting as Doctor Strange’s chief love interest, but she’s characterized as a far more bloodthirsty sorcerer – a rebel warlord to Strange’s former doctor. 2021’s Death of Doctor Strange had Clea replace her fallen love as Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme, showcasing what makes her so unique.

11

The Two-Gun Kid, aka Matthew Hawk

Two-Gun Kid #60 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Matthew Hawk’s vigilante lawyer started out as a genuine Western hero – one of several back when Old West stories had more of a presence on comic shelves. However, Steve Englehart and George Perez gave the character the final ingredient for greatness in Avengers #142, having him travel through time and join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the present. The Old West’s greatest gunslinger fighting crime in the present is a great pitch, especially once the Two-Gun kid gets his hands on modern-day gadgets like Hawkeye’s jet cycle. Two-Gun has spent time in both the Old West and Marvel’s present ever since.

10

Doctor Druid, aka Dr. Droom, aka Anthony Ludgate

First Seen in Amazing Adventures #1 by Larry Lieber, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Doctor Druid possesses many similarities to Doctor Strange, and was also trained by the Ancient One. The biggest difference is that Druid is a huge jerk. Originally a mix between sorcerer and Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Druid later became an antihero who walks the line between hero and villain. In Walter Simonson and John Buscema’s Avengers #294, he psychically forced the Avengers to name him their leader, and has had a bad relationship with his fellow heroes ever since. While Doctor Druid wants to do good in the world, he’s often suborned by Marvel’s villains, most recently infecting Iron Man’s armor with a mystic virus after being blackmailed by AIM.

9

The Inhumans – Crystal, Karnak, Gorgon and Triton

First Appeared in Fantastic Four #36 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Following their disastrous 2017 TV series, Marvel has essentially ignored the Inhumans franchise at every opportunity. That’s a shame, because while the Inhumans are difficult to write as the outright protagonists of their own stories, they have some of the most fascinating powers in the Marvel Universe. The Inhumans are a hidden society of humans who were experimented on by an alien race, developing the tradition of Terrigenesis – a ceremony where their bodies are transformed to awaken superhuman powers.

Medusa and Black Bolt are the most famous Inhumans, but most of the royal family have compelling abilities and backstories, especially considering how later stories have developed them:

Gorgon – A superstrong hero who subjected himself to Terrigenesis twice in order to save his family, increasing his abilities to dangerous, potentially fatal levels.

Crystal – An incredibly powerful superhuman who can control the classical elements, Crystal was asked to undertake a political marriage to the Kree soldier Ronan the Accuser. The two sincerely fell in love, but shifting political alliances mean they can never again be together.

Triton – An Inhuman who suffered a drastic transformation, leaving him unable to survive outside water.

Karnak – Triton’s brother, spared Terrigenesis because of what happened to his brother. Karnak instead studied and trained to become the equal of his superhuman peers.

8

Rick Jones, aka Sleeper Agent, aka Whisperer, aka A-Bomb, aka Bucky

Debuted in Incredible Hulk #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rick Jones was introduced as the Hulk’s best friend and sidekick, becoming the hero’s companion after Banner saved his life. Rick later became an honorary member of the Avengers, and has worked as a sidekick and hero with many different vigilantes. He worked as Captain America’s replacement Bucky, gained gamma powers as the A-Bomb, swapped bodies with Captain Marvel, and most recently gained his own symbiote as Marvel’s new Sleeper Agent (not the new Venom, as fans had speculated.)

Through it all, Rick has become one of Marvel’s most interesting characters – a wannabe musician always on the periphery of superhero life, both allied with Earth’s heroes and struggling with his reputation as the ultimate superhero groupie.

7

Lockjaw

First Appeared in Fantastic Four #45 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

The Inhumans’ family pet is one of Marvel’s most underrated heroes, mostly because he sits exactly on the line of ‘knowingly goofy but still awesome’ that comics nail but movie adaptations tend to struggle with. Lockjaw is the universe’s greatest teleporter, able to access any location including alternate dimensions. While he’s faultlessly loyal to Inhuman leader Black Bolt, he’s also a frequent ally of Ms. Marvel and a founding member of the Pet Avengers, even wielding the Infinity Stones against Thanos.

6

Balder the Brave, aka Balder Odinson

Debuted in Journey Into Mystery #85 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby

In Norse mythology, Balder is essentially the perfect person – a bastion of wisdom and nobility who inspires even the other gods – at least until Loki arranges his assassination. It’s therefore tragically unfair that in Marvel Comics, Thor is the one who gets all the glory, leaving little page space for Balder to be the divine hero he was meant to be. Balder often allies with Thor and has even worked with the Avengers, but most often finds himself fulfilling roles of cosmic responsibility – for example, ruling Asgard after Odin’s death or being imprisoned in the underworld as the King of Hel.

Balder is portrayed as a legendary hero whose mythic responsibilities stop him from being able to do as much good as he potentially could. While the MCU saw Tom Hiddleston’s Loki ascend to breakout status as the semi-evil brother frustrated by his place in the royal hierarchy, Balder is a more subtle twist on the same concept – a hero born for adventure but confined by his appreciation for the greater good. Because of this, Balder getting to swing his sword is always a joy to see.

5

Ka-Zar and Zabu, aka Kevin Plunder

First Appeared in X-Men #10 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Yes, Ka-Zar is basically Tarzan, but accompanied by the last living saber-toothed cat and ruling over an alien game preserve where dinosaurs never died out. While later stories gave Ka-Zar the power to harness the abilities of the Savage Land’s flora and fauna, he’s generally depicted as an adventurer who wants to protect the unique Antarctic paradise from the outside world.

4

Prowler, aka Hobie Brown

Debuted in Amazing Spider-Man #78 by Stan Lee and John Buscema, Design Contributions by John Romita Jr.

While originally introduced as a villain, Prowler was always a sympathetic character. After believing he’d accidentally killed Peter Parker, the Prowler abandoned crime, becoming a hero and longtime ally of Spider-Man. Like Spidey, he designed and created his own gadgets, including clawed gauntlets that shoot a range of unique pellets (sleeping gas, acid, flame-retardant foam) and a glider cape that allows him to fly between New York’s skyscrapers.

The concept for the Prowler came from John Romita Jr. – a future comic artist who was only 13 at the time, and the son of Marvel’s John Romita. Prowler’s striking design and intimidating name make for a near-perfect antihero vigilante, but sadly Prowler has never quite taken off. Marvel has repeatedly rebooted the hero with a new face under the mask – the latest is Miles Morales’ criminal uncle Aaron Davis, who is a far more villainous version of the character. Hopefully, his inclusion in the Into the Spider-Verse movies – voiced by Mahershala Ali – will translate to a new lease on life for the comic character.

3

The Howling Commandos

First Appeared in Sgt. Fury #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Nick Fury may have become Marvel’s ultimate superspy, but he originally appeared in a series of war stories alongside his ‘Howling Commandos.’ Fury’s World War II adventures saw him lead a team of soldiers including:

Trumpet-playing commando Gabriel Jones.

Mechanically-minded ranger Isadore Cohen.

Former playboy Percival Pinkerton.

Skilled horseman and future Senator Rebel Ralston.

The Fighting Commandos have had other incarnations since, including horror-themed teams who take the codename literally and a group who were commissioned to hunt down Frank Castle’s Punisher. Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman and Stefano Caselli’s Secret Warriors deepened the lore around the Howling Commandos, revealing their later influence on Marvel’s political and black-ops world, with several dying as part of Nick Fury’s ultimate takedown of Hydra.

2

The Uranian, aka Marvel Boy, aka Robert Grayson

First Appeared in Marvel Boy #1, Created by Stan Lee & Russ Heath

A young human raised among the aliens of Uranus, Robert Grayson learned to command telepathic abilities but ultimately became a forgotten footnote for most of Marvel history. That changed in Jeff Parker and Leonard Kirk’s Agents of Atlas, which retconned Robert’s story, revealing that his prior history was a heavily redacted version of the truth. In fact, Marvel Boy’s human form is a lie – his biology was totally reconfigured by the Uranians, turning him into an alien monstrosity who hides his true nature with telepathic illusions, unable to even breathe in Earth’s atmosphere.

There’s a long history of comics revitalizing heroes by retconning their classic roots into something darker, but Agents of Atlas made Marvel Boy fascinating by turning him into one of Marvel’s weirdest heroes – a super-genius, telepathic immortal trying to protect a world he no longer has any place in.

1

Jack Frost, aka Isabrot

First Seen in U.S.A. Comics #1 by Stan Lee & Charles Nicholas

More than any other hero, Jack Frost begs a huge ‘what if?’ In terms of powers, Jack Frost is essentially identical to X-Men’s Iceman, which was likely his downfall. One of Marvel’s earliest heroes, Jack Frost is an obvious counterpart to the original Human Torch, who is often celebrated and brought back in the comics. Sadly, Jack hasn’t enjoyed anything like the same success, returning only occasionally to aid old WWII allies like Captain America.

Jack recently returned in the pages of Scarlet Witch, which confirmed he’s a descendant of the Frost Giant Ymir and a distant part of Thor’s family tree. Hopefully, this added detail of Asgardian lore leads to new adventures for Jack Frost, since there’s plenty to explore. While Jack Frost has familiar ice powers, he also has unique teleportation abilities and a lifelong mission to combat a race of giant Iceworms, who Ymir created to slaughter the Asgardian gods.

Jack Frost’s backstory – a mythic warrior who came to love humanity – has a lot of promise, and his powers are a proven favorite. With a little work to differentiate him in powers and design from X-Men’s hero, he could become a major aspect of Marvel lore. Any Marvel fan who has watched Namor and Human Torch return again and again and again knows how much Marvel loves folding old faces into modern stories – as a near-unknown name with significant history and fun powers, Jack Frost more than deserves the same.

Those are the 15 most underrated Marvel heroes co-created by Stan Lee – let us know in the comments who else should appear on this list, and your own hopes for how these characters could finally get the love they deserve.

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