For decades, the debate has raged across playgrounds, workplaces and homes around the world, as friends and family argue over just who the greatest superhero of all time is. Before the comic book movie became the biggest and most popular genre in Hollywood, there weren’t quite as many potential contenders, but the rapid rise of franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DCEU has introduced many new faces into the public consciousness, with previous so-called B-level heroes like Iron Man and Black Panther becoming household names.
It would be virtually impossible to get a definitive answer to the age-old question, but a new poll recently asked 2000 Americans to name their favorite superhero, and it was surprisingly Superman that came out on top. Of course, the Son of Krypton has endured as a cultural icon for over 70 years, but the character hasn’t maintained the same kind of big screen presence as the rest of the top ten lately.
Superman scooped 47% of the vote, with Spider-Man a close second with 46% and Batman at 45%, which is hardly surprising given that those three are arguably the most instantly-recognizable and beloved comic book heroes in history. The rest of the top ten was made up of characters that had recently starred in big budget blockbusters and were fresh in the minds of those that were polled, with Captain America, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, Black Panther and Wolverine rounding out the rankings.
Obviously, you can’t get a truly definitive answer on who America’s favorite superhero is when the sample size is so small, but it still remains interesting that Superman managed to come out on top, given the brief amount of screentime that he’s been gifted and the constant rumors of a reboot that have been surrounding Kal-El ever since Man of Steel was released in 2013.
