Sleuth-er Heroes: The 10 Best Detectives In Comic Books

Superheroes might be talented in the art of fisticuffs, but sometimes they need to employ some brain work in order to fight crime, too. Sure, the big punch-up is what will stop the evil supervillain from destroying the world, but the dogged investigation that led them to that point is the real reason the day is saved. Considering that, it's not surprising that so many comic book heroes double up as detectives. Whether they are officers of the law, private eyes or simply detectives by nature, so many characters from Marvel, DC and other comic universes are just as much super-sleuths as they are superheroes. Some notable examples include Misty Knight, the Spirit, the Spectre, Jessica Drew's Spider-Woman and let's not forget Howard the Duck. While these characters are magnificent with a magnifying glass, they didn't manage to break into our picks for the top 10 detectives in comic book history. Instead, the men, women, mutants and monkeys we've chosen here can crack a case just as well as other superheroes can crack heads, making them 10 of the best comic book sleuths. 10) Detective Chimp How could we talk about the best comic book detectives without mentioning the strangest of the lot? Enter Detective Chimp. One of those characters whose name says it all, really. When he debuted back in 1952's Rex The Wonder Dog #4, the character - real name: Bobo - was simply an ape with above-average intelligence who could communicate with people. Eventually, DC was revamped and given a genius-level intellect, the ability to speak and his own detective agency. A kind of parody of crime fiction tropes, Detective Chimp is always seen with his Sherlock Holmes-like deerstalker and is a serial smoker and alcoholic. Bobo's had some crazy adventures over the years, too. For a period, he lived in the other-dimensional Oblivion Bar, after that he possessed the Helmet of Fate and gained all its immense powers and, along the way, teamed up with other DC detectives like Martian Manhunter and the Phantom Stranger. His most recent appearance in DC Rebirth even saw him team up with Batman himself. 9) Martian Manhunter Fans only familiar with the Last Son of Mars from David Harewood's interpretation on Supergirl might be surprised to learn that the character usually leads a career as a detective, instead of heading the alien-busting governmental organization the D.E.O. like in the hit The CW show. Debuting in 1955, J'onn J'onzz AKA the Martian Manhunter came to Earth after leaving his home planet of Mars - originally because he was exiled from it, not because he was the last of his species. With his shapeshifting abilities, he assumed the identity of Detective John Jones. Over the years, the importance of his alter ego has faded in and out, with J'onn even abandoning his human life for a time. Martian Manhunter's detective work isn't as integral a part of the character as much as it is with other heroes on this list, then, but it's a traditional, long-running element. It would be nice to get J'onn's detective career referenced in Supergirl at one point, too. Better still, how about a spinoff featuring the character as a private eye investigating alien-related cases? 8) Multiple Man After retiring from the life of a costumed hero, Jamie Madox - formally known as Multiple Man - started up his own detective agency, X-Factor Investigations (briefly known as XXX Investigations until it was pointed out to him that it sounded like he was investigating porn). With teammates like Strong Guy, Wolfsbane, Siryn and Rictor, Madox helped out his fellow mutants in New York's Mutant Town district. As can be deduced from his superhero moniker, Madox can duplicate himself on impact, which is a handy skill to have for a detective as he can chase up several leads at once. This also allows him to effectively have several different lives, meaning he's acquired valuable skills over time. Jamie Madox is proficient in martial arts, handgun training, picking locks and card throwing. He can also speak multiple languages, has received espionage training, was once an Olympic gymnast and has been a licensed attorney. In the comics, Madox is currently dead, after he succumbed to the harmful effects of the Terrigen Mists that give Inhumans their powers. In fact, it was his death that sparked the X-Men/Inhuman War. 7) Elongated Man Ralph Dibny AKA Elongated Man might be most known for his super-stretching abilities, but he's actually an adept investigator, as well. In fact, he's generally considered to be one of the finest detectives in the whole DC universe. Sometimes he's even said to be on the same level as Batman (though the pair differ greatly in their approaches and methods). Back in the Silver Age, Dibny and his wife Sue were reimagined as a couple of amateur investigators who travelled the country looking for unusual cases, usually to do with metahumans. Unlike most comic book detectives who use their powers, fists or gadgets to solve crimes, Elongated Man would employ classic problem-solving and deduction in a way that allowed the readers to follow the mystery and work it out themselves. It will be interesting to see whether The Flash's version of Elongated Man, as played by Hartley Sawyer, will explore this element of the character when he appears in a recurring capacity in season 4. 6) The Question(s) A throwback to classic pulp heroes like the Shadow or the Spirit, Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko's The Question was originally made for Charlton Comics before being subsumed into the DC universe. A hard-hitting journalist by day, Vic Sage used a featureless mask to fight crime and corruption in his hometown of Hub City. What made The Question stand out from the crowd was his philosophical outlook and commitment to fighting social injustice Though Sage wasn't a detective by profession, he definitely had the spirit of one. His protege Renee Montoya, however, was an alcoholic ex-detective for the Gotham City Police Department. Before he died of lung cancer, Sage trained Montoya as the next Question, operating out of a lighthouse. Montoya's Question often allies with Batman and has joined a team of superheroines formed by Wonder Woman. It's worth mentioning that Watchmen's Rorschach is a pastiche of The Question, so shares the character's thirst for fighting crime and dogged detective ways. That said, he's a fair bit more unhinged than Sage, to put it mildly. 5) Hellboy Probably the most unconventional - and the only non-Marvel/DC character to boot - detective on this list is Hellboy, created by Mike Mignola for Dark Horse Comics and known to the world at large thanks to Ron Perlman's big-screen portrayal (soon to be rebooted by Stranger Things' David Harbour). Originally summoned to bring about the Apocalypse, Hellboy was adopted by the kindly Professor "Broom" Bruttenholm and grew up to fight alongside the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense against occult threats. As such, the character isn't strictly speaking a detective but he is often called the World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator, due to his considerable expertise in solving supernatural cases. Jaded and unflinching in the face of pure evil and giant monsters and with a wry putdown on hand for every occasion, Hellboy has the personality of a classic pulp detective... he just happens to look like a demon from the pits of hell. 4) John Constantine From one occult detective to another, John Constantine is also in the business of paranormal investigation. In terms of their characters, Constantine is somewhat the reverse of Hellboy, however. While the latter was able to escape the clutches of Hell and lead a heroic life on Earth, Constantine - in many versions - has his soul damned to spend eternity in Hell upon his death due to his past sins. In the meantime, the Liverpool native is dedicated to saving innocents from the horrors that walk our planet. Constantine is also another character who isn't a detective by profession, but his methods and street-level heroics put him on the same level as private eyes rather than fully-fledged superheroes. That said, when called upon, John does have an impressive skillset at his disposal: he's a master sorcerer with his abilities including teleportation, telekinesis, necromancy and occasionally time travel. Unusually for comic characters, Constantine ages in real-time (at least in the Vertigo universe, an offshoot of DC). While 35 when his solo series first started, the character is now in his 60s. 3) Commissioner Gordon He might often be overshadowed by the Dark Knight himself, but let's not forget that James Gordon is a damn fine detective in his own right. Sure, Batman is the one who saves Gotham on the grander scale, but Gordon is an effective commissioner and a man of extreme integrity and courageous spirit. In most continuities, Gordon is a former army veteran who moves to Gotham and becomes a cop. Realizing how corrupt his fellow officers are, he clears up the force from the inside and eventually rises to the top of the pile, achieving the position of commissioner. Recently, Gordon's own heroic nature was proven when he briefly took on the mantle of Batman, after Bruce Wayne had apparently died. With the aid of a mecha-suit, he struggled to fill Wayne's boots, but he did some good in Gotham before he returned to his usual career. The early part of Gordon's life, where he actually operated as a detective, has often been explored over the years in the likes of Batman: Year One, Batman Begins and, most notably, in Fox's Gotham, where the young Gordon is played by Ben McKenzie. 2) Jessica Jones This list has been mostly DC-heavy, due to the fact that, on average, Marvel doesn't dip into the generally grittier, noirish world of detective fiction. The one big exception to that, though, is Jessica Jones, the Marvel universe's premier private investigator. Despite being a relatively new character when compared to Marvel's long-lasting pantheon, she quickly rose up the ranks from her debut in 2002 to earn a core fanbase - a fanbase that has ballooned in recent years thanks to Jessica's smash hit Netflix series starring Krysten Ritter. So, what makes Jessica so great? Maybe it's because she's a such an effective twist on the archetypal private eye. With a deeply cynical attitude, a sharp tongue and an over-dependence on alcohol, Jessica is a wonderful counterpart to the majority of more lighter-hearted heroes in Marvel's library. Ms. Jones has been a costume-wearing superhero, an investigative journalist and a family woman in the past, but she's a hard-boiled detective at heart. 1) Batman Who else could be at number one? He's not called the World's Greatest Detective for nothing, you know? When Bob Kane and Bill Finger created Batman back in 1939, they mixed the essence of vigilante heroes like Zorro and the Shadow with the mental capacity of Sherlock Holmes. The result was a man who was an incredible physical specimen and a dab hand in a fight, but who also had one of the smartest brains on the planet on his shoulders. Having trained himself to the peak of human physical and mental achievement, Bruce Wayne has proven adept at espionage, escapology, science, disguises and deductive reasoning - all incredibly helpful skills to have in the field of criminal investigation. There's a reason the GCPD turn to the Dark Knight for help in their more challenging cases. Batman's genius-level intellect and training allow him to see things and make connections that few others can. Most of all, though, it's Batman's superhuman force of will that makes him such a great detective. He'll never stop until the perpetrators have been dealt with, those at risk are safe and the case is closed.