Marvel Comics did a fantastic job of incorporating science fiction and more cosmic storytelling into their books. DC had been doing cosmic stories for years, with Superman, Green Lantern, Adam Strange, and numerous others all having adventures in the cosmos. Cosmic Marvel stories were quite different from DC, though; there was a scope to them that truly felt new. Go back and read some old Fantastic Four or anything with the Silver Surfer or Adam Warlock in it from the ’60s and ’70s or the original Captain Marvel series. Their adventures took them into the depths of space to face the most dangerous threats out there. Cosmic Marvel heroes have to be superlatively powerful, but they also need to be very hard to kill.
The Marvel Universe is full of cosmic beings like Galactus and villains like Thanos, Annihilus, the Supreme Intelligence, Mephisto, and so many more. These are some of the most dangerous beings ever and the only the toughest heroes can survive battles with them. These heroes can take a licking and keep on ticking, able to survive anything thrown at them. These are Cosmic Marvel’s five toughest superheroes… but one of them may not be long for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
5) Adam Warlock
Cosmic Marvel is full of supremely powerful characters, but there’s one man who has been able to defy them all and save the universe when the going got the toughest: Adam Warlock. Adam first appeared as Him, a perfect man created by the Conclave in Fantastic Four #66. He’d disappear and return in 1971 as Adam Warlock, under the pen of Jim Starlin. Adam was the main hero of the Cosmic Marvel sagas of the ’70s, battling against the greatest villains out there, clashing with Thanos, creating a network of friends across the universe to help protect the weak. He got his hands on the Soul Gem and would later get the Infinity Gauntlet for a short time. Adam isn’t as powerful as some of the other characters on this list, but he’s survived just about everything you can imagine, thrown at him by the most powerful beings ever. He can go toe to toe with Thanos and has a good chance of winning and that says it all. Plus, because of his bond to the Soul Gem (I’m not calling it the Soul Stone; I’m sorry, I just can’t), he can usually come back to life any time he dies.
4) Beta Ray Bill
Once upon a time, I saw Beta Ray Bill and fell in love (one of my best friends gave me his first appearance for one of my birthdays). Thor was giving Odin problems and the king of Asgard decided to mess with his son, so he found someone else in the universe who could also wield the mighty Mjolnir as Ragnarok approached. Bill was chosen to be the champion of the Korbinite against Surtur and the Fire Demons, fighting for his homeworld. He proved he was worthy and Odin let him battle Thor for Mjolnir. After their early troubles were ended they became the best of friends, with Bill getting his own hammer – Stormbreaker – and being allowed to keep much of the power of Thor. He’s been fighting threats across the cosmos ever since, battling the most powerful enemies out there, whether it be on his own or with the champions of Asgard. He can take a beating like few others and has survived Ragnarok more than once. Currently, the universe remembers him as the real Thor (it’s complicated; go read Immortal Thor and then catch up on Mortal Thor), so he was able to survive the greatest battles the God of Thunder was involved in.
3) Nova
The Nova Corps was a powerful force in the Marvel Universe, based on the Green Lantern Corps. Instead of rings, though, they had helmets that hooked them into the Nova Force and the planet Xandar, giving them amazing powers like super strength, invulnerability, flight, energy powers, and a connection to the Worldmind. Richard Rider (man, poor guy) was chosen to the Nova of our planet and became the Human Rocket, battling evil on Earth and beyond. He was a member of the New Warriors, proving to be one of their heaviest hitters and evening the odds with enemies like Terrax. Eventually, he would find his way to the cosmos and have adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy. When the Nova Corps was destroyed, he was the sole survivor and gained full control of the Nova Force. He’s light years more powerful and durable than he once was; he’s been able to fight Thanos toe to toe (he’s the easiest measuring stick in cosmic Marvel; anyone who can hang with him is usually tough). He’s still out there in the universe, traveling the spaceways and fighting the greatest threats.
2) Thor
Thor battles enemies on Earth, but he’s been a cosmic hero for a long time; at one point, Asgard was basically in space and he would battle the Celestials and other cosmic threats. Thor is one of the most well-known and beloved Marvel heroes because of the MCU, although there have been rumors of his death in Avengers: Doomsday. It’ll be interesting to see how they kill him (if they kill him) because comic Thor has always been one of the toughest heroes in the Marvel Universe. Asgardians aren’t all-powerful, invulnerable gods; they can be hurt. However, it’s just very hard and Thor is easily the toughest of them all. Few weapons out there, on Earth or beyond, can scratch him and if you want him to feel your punches, you better be strong. Thor has been killed several times over the years, but it’s usually the kind of beating that would kill a planet or something magically made to kill gods. However, this is a guy who fights Celestials and massive monsters; he can take nearly every beating you can imagine.
1) Silver Surfer
The Heralds of Galactus have become iconic, with the most popular – and durable – of them being the Silver Surfer. He was the first Herald we met; he led the World Devourer to the Earth and eventually turned against his master to save the planet. Norrin Radd was given a measure of the Power Cosmic, his skin coated in a silvery metallic coating that has been described as both “impenetrable” and “nearly indestructible”. He’s known as one of the most powerful beings in the universe and has survived battles with the heaviest hitters. He’s honestly not died all that many times; it’s kind of hard to conceive of a battle where he could be killed, since he has survived everything thrown at him. He has fought every powerful Cosmic Marvel villain and has either won or helped win the fight. He’s stared down the Infinity Gauntlet numerous times, battled Galactus enough for it to become a meme, and helped save the universe numerous times. The only reason he’s been able to do that is because of his durability.
Who do you think is Cosmic Marvel’s most durable hero? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!