Dozens of Marvel characters have been left behind over the years, but some of them still have a chance to return and steal the show. The Marvel multiverse is overflowing with characters of every type, powerset, and background imaginable. The sheer scope of Marvel’s storytelling means that even the average reader could likely name hundreds of characters.
With such a massive universe, it’s only natural for a few characters to fall through the cracks. Some heroes were never meant to last beyond a single issue, while others were left behind before they could reach their full potential. Marvel’s constant evolution sometimes leaves these unsung heroes stranded in the past, waiting for the right story to pull them back into the spotlight.
8
Foolkiller
Introduced in 1974; Last Seen Around 2016
Foolkiller is a moral extremist who “kills fools” in the name of righteousness. Several people have carried the Foolkiller mantle since his 1974 debut, each representing a different form of fanaticism. The most well-known, Greg Salinger, first fought against Daredevil and Spider-Man before joining the Thunderbolts as a reformed antihero. His last major appearance was in 2007’s Foolkiller MAX, where his crusade took on a psychological edge.
Foolkiller’s mix of dark humor and street-level grit makes him perfect for a modern revival. In a post-gritty age of superhero content, Foolkiller’s warped sense of justice could present a new take on brutal vigilantism separately from Deadpool and the Punisher. Hopefully, Foolkiller’s cameo in Eddie Brock: Carnage suggests his return is just around the corner.
7
Terror
Introduced in 1988; Last Seen Around 2016
Terror, star of Terror Inc., is an immortal mercenary who survives by replacing his decaying body parts with those of others. Each new graft temporarily grants him the memories and skills of the body’s former owner. Originally linked to 1940s horror comics and later folded into the Marvel Universe, Terror has since become an underused cult figure. After teaming up with Deadpool and Foolkiller, Terror has only occassionally popped up as a guest character.
Terror’s gruesome power set and noir tone make him ripe for a comeback. Marvel could double down on Terror’s dark humor or focus on the more terrifying implications of his body-horror nature in a stylistic reboot of the character. A new Terror Inc. mini-series could place Terror in modern-day Madripoor or intersect him with the Midnight Sons, where his ghastly pragmatism could shine alongside Ghost Rider and Blade.
6
The Blazing Skull
Introduced in 1940; Last Seen In 2012
After discovering the hidden City of the Skull Men, Mark Todd was granted a supernatural flame that engulfed his head and made him nearly indestructible. As the Blazing Skull, Mark Todd fought Nazis during World War II and joined the Invaders. Unfortunately, he slipped into obscurity after the war and was eventually killed by zombies.
The Blazing Skull’s pulp-inspired origins and fiery powers could easily blend horror and mystery with patriotic heroism in the modern day. Todd could act as a fiery moral compass in today’s Marvel Universe, perhaps as a slightly less supernatural counterpart to Ghost Rider. The Blazing Skull’s righteous fury would be a great complement to Captain America’s idealism in modern stories.
5
The Blonde Phantom
Introduced In 1948; Last Seen Around 2009
Blonde Phantom is the moniker of the glamorous secretary Louise Grant, who fights crime in a red evening gown and domino mask. The Blonde Phantom predates most of Marvel’s major female heroes, but unfortunately, her prime was in the Golden Age. Louise later resurfaced in The Sensational She-Hulk, reimagined as an older woman reflecting on her past adventures and her transition away from heroics.
The Blonde Phantom deserves a comeback as a bridge between eras. A revival could explore her aging as an older superhero, her legacy, and how the world’s first heroines paved the way for today’s icons. Otherwise, a modern glimpse at her Golden Age adventures could fill in a vintage void Marvel isn’t covering at the moment.
4
Nomad (Jack Monroe)
Introduced In 1953; Last Seen In 2005
Jack Monroe, best known as the 1990s incarnation of Nomad, was originally introduced as the second Bucky. Jack was the sidekick to the paranoid Captain America impostor of the 1950s. After being revived from suspended animation, he adopted the mantle of Nomad, a lone jacket-clad wanderer armed with shotguns. Despite earning cult status in his solo series, Monroe’s story ended abruptly when the Winter Soldier killed him.
Nomad deserves another chance. Jack Monroe represented the grit and disillusionment of America’s underbelly and stood apart from Bucky Barnes’ optimistic origins. A resurrection or legacy revival could see him return as a symbol of the forgotten, failed multiple times by institutions and heroes. With Bucky now among the Avengers, Nomad could become the Winter Soldier’s own Winter Soldier equivalent.
3
ROM The Spaceknight
Introduced in 1979: Last Seen Around 2000
ROM the Spaceknight debuted in a licensed comic from Parker Brothers that Marvel developed into a surprisingly rich and enduring mythology. ROM is a cyborg warrior from the planet Galador who hunts the Dire Wraiths across the galaxy. Unfortunately, when the toy line failed and the licensing deal expired, Marvel lost the rights to the character, leaving only his supporting cast and concepts behind.
ROM’s absence has been felt in the Marvel Universe. Often depicted as a tragic knight fighting an endless war, ROM used to be the perfect bridge between superhero sci-fi and space fantasy. With Hasbro and Marvel recently reconciling for reprints, there’s renewed hope that ROM could return as a canonical hero again. If that happens, a guest appearance in a Guardians of the Galaxy story could bring him back to the spotlight.
2
Omega the Unknown
Introduced In 1975; Briefly Returned In 2022
Omega the Unknown was an artificial being created by the extraterrestrial Protarians. Two of their last creations, James-Michael Starling, was placed on Earth to learn human emotion. The other, X3Z, doomed the planet Srenesk with its energy. X3Z traveled to Earth to protect his human counterpart as the hero Omega the Unknown, only to meet his tragic end at the hands of frightened authorities in Las Vegas.
One of Marvel’s many reinventions of Superman, Omega the Unknown has one of the most self-contained stories in the Marvel Universe. James-Michael Starling returned in 2022’s The Darkhold Omega, taking up the mantle of his android protector fourty-seven years after their debut. Still, James-Michael and the Protarians hold a lot of untapped potential for future stories that explore his identity issues.
1
Infinaut
Introduced in 2016; Last Seen Around 2017
The Infinaut is a colossal cosmic being from a parallel reality. Every few years, the Infinaut would begin manifesting into Earth-616, threatening to crush the planet under his sheer mass. Each time, humans (particularly Blue Marvel) prevented disaster by stabilizing the dimensional breach before his arrival was complete. During the Krakoan Age, mutants finally managed to anchor him properly, and the Infinaut expressed his gratitude.
Despite being a minor character, the Infinaut’s design and concept are a goldmine for Marvel. The Infinaut is a threat on par with Galactus, and his motivations are quite similar: he simply wants to exist. He could easily become a recurring figure as a misunderstood cosmic ally or tragic god-like wanderer who finds purpose among heroes, similarly to the Silver Surfer and the Eternals.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
