Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool

9 Comic Book Characters That Are Blatant Rip-Offs

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Well, yes and no. If the imitation is pretty much cut and paste, then it's a little bit obvious and borderline theft. In the comic book world especially, we've seen more than a few characters that are undoubtedly copycats.

Imperiex

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Marvel isn’t the only one taking crib notes, since DC has done the same to its biggest rival as well. Step forward Imperiex, a character that first appeared in Superman #153 in February 2000. As the main villain for the “Our Worlds at War” storyline, he shook up the landscape of our heroes’ worlds, living up to his name as the Destroyer of Galaxies. Hmm… Now where have we heard something similar before?

Obviously, Imperiex was DC’s imitation of Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. Truth be told, he did end up being the poor man’s version of the Fantastic Four‘s popular antagonist – and he kinda sucked. You see, the late 1990s and early 2000s aren’t fondly remembered as a great time for comic books. The stories were stale and the new characters were akin to recycled toilet paper, where you could appreciate the effort but you weren’t too keen to experience it firsthand.

While Galactus has undoubtedly stood the test of time – despite the best efforts of Fox to turn him into a giant fart cloud in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer – Imperiex is nowhere in his league. In fact, he’s largely remembered as a “meh” by most comic book fans.


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Author
Sergio Pereira
SERGIO PEREIRA is a speculative fiction writer from Johannesburg, South Africa. He has a strong interest in comic books, film, music and comedy. When he's not reading or writing, he enjoys a game of Pro Evolution Soccer, watching football, catching up on films, and playing with his dog. His short stories have appeared in various magazines and anthologies, such as Devolution Z, Death Throes, Centum Press's 100 Voices, and Tales from the Lake: Vol. 3 from Crystal Lake Publishing.