Highlights
- New Marvel heroes in 2023 bring fresh designs and motivations, forging friendships with established characters.
- Characters like Eve Warlock and Samurai Venom showcase unique powers and storylines within the Marvel universe.
- Jackpot, with her own series, offers a new perspective for Mary Jane Watson and her potential team-up with Spider-Man.
New Avengers, Mutants, and heroes alike burst onto the comic pages over at Marvel in 2023, but which of them ranked as the best among their new peers? Whilst these heroes do not have the stature expected of titans like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and The Hulk, they are certainly up-and-coming new Marvel creations that are bound to have a future on the comic pages within multiple different series. These new heroes have shown their determination to do what’s right and provide audiences with modern renditions of heroes that will further their adventures in 2024.
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The best Marvel heroes of 2023 feature new designs, and motivations, and reinforce that they are here for the betterment of the world with their goals and brewing friendship with other more recognizable names. Yet, some of the best new Marvel heroes for 2023 could well be old characters with a new superhero identity.
7 Eve Warlock
Creators: Ron Marz; Ron Lim
- First Appearance: Warlock: Rebirth #1 (April, 2023)
To those familiar with the Christian bible, if one knows Adam, then one must know Eve. Therefore, it makes sense that Marvel would add a new woman into the life of Adam Warlock, with Eve Warlock, a new hero genetically engineered to be the “perfect woman”. This counterpart is described as better than Adam in almost every way, and features in some new origins for the famed Marvel hero, Adam Warlock.
Created by the High Evolutionary, Eve Warlock does not abide by her creator’s wishes, and like Adam, has found a place amongst Earth-616 as a hero. Although, she is not as forgiving or sympathetic as one would like a hero to be, and she often keeps to herself over mingling.
6 Samurai Venom (Takemoto Tatsuya)
Creators: Leonardo Romero
- First Appearance: Extreme Venomverse #1 (May, 2023)
Located on an unknown Earth, Samurai Venom proves that anything paired with a Symbiote becomes instantly cool. Whilst Samurai Venom has only appeared in two Marvel comics in 2023 and has actually already died, there’s still room for a comeback, especially when Marvel seems to do new things with Symbiotes every year. After all, what’s cooler than a Symbiote sword that makes its wielder a Symbiote samurai?
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Samurai Venom is introduced quickly after an Oscorp employee discovers a strange black sword. Upon unsheathing the blade, Takemoto is engulfed in the Venom Symbiote. Whilst Samurai Venom exists in another dimension, it would be fun to see a gimmick like this arrive again in Marvel Comics, perhaps in the past of Earth-616.
5 Rek-Rap
Creators: Zeb Wells; Ed McGuinness
- First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 6) #17 (January, 2023)
Rek-Rap is a rather silly but sincere character introduced into Marvel Comics. On appearance alone, one would think that Rek-Rap is just an extremely buff and toothy Peter Parker Spider-Man. However, Rek-Rap is actually a demon of Limbo, who idolized Spider-Man after the hero rescued him. Rek-Rap wanted to do good, just like his hero. Yet, his inability to understand what was right and wrong made him apply for the Insidious Six, to which he was quickly rejected for his heroic ambitions.
However, Rek-Rap was bonded to a Symbiote, and it took the appearance of his Spider-Man shirt, thus giving him the bulky appearance of a new and muscular Spidey. With the powers of Spider-Man and a Symbiote combined, Rek-Rap was a strong hero, who often muddled catchphrases to a rather grating degree.
4 Wagnerine
Creators: Si Spurrier; Paco Medina
- First Appearance: Nightcrawlers #1 (February, 2023)
Marvel often experiments with two things: the Multiverse, and Mutants. Combine those together, and audiences receive Wagnerine from Earth-TRN993. In this world, Wagnerine was the result of a Mister Sinister experiment, and she is essentially a weaponized version of the famed Nightcrawler. Wagnerine combines the best of both worlds, with powers from Nightcrawler and Wolverine entwined.
Whilst Wagnerine didn’t exactly last all that long, her outfit and powers certainly made her a memorable Marvel character in 2023, providing audiences with a fresh perspective, and a woman who would do anything for her baby, even at the cost of everything.
3 Scarlet Scarab
Creators: Jed MacKay; Alessandro Vitti
- First Appearance: Moon Knight (Vol. 9) #25 (July, 2023)
Whilst first introduced as an original character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Layla El-Faouly made her debut in Marvel Comics in 2023 as the Scarlet Scarab. Layla provides an interesting story that readers will be enthralled with, as well as an agenda that further pushes Mark Spector over the edge, leading him to become Moon Knight. Together, the Scarlet Scarab and Moon Knight create a new duo in the Marvel Comics, one that remains entertaining to read.
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When Layla lost her life, she was sent to the Egyptian underworld, the Duat. Thanks to the goddess Taweret, she was returned to life as a balanced blade, one that protects the City of the Dead for the Egyptian gods. Layla’s powers and adventures are set to be wonderful in the Marvel Universe, and her relationship with Moon Knight will add to the intrigue.
2 Spider-Boy (Bailey Briggs)
Creators: Dan Slott; Humberto Ramos
- First Appearance: Spider-Man (Vol. 4) #7 (April, 2023)
After being kidnapped and having his DNA spliced by Madame Monstrosity, Bailey Briggs became Spider-Boy. His origins are as tragic as any character who wears a mask for good, and his gifted abilities allow him to stand tall and proud alongside Peter Parker as the sidekick of Spider-Man. Spider-Man and Spider-Boy had a complex relationship, starting with how Otto Octavius took control of Peter’s body as the Superior Spider-Man.
Whilst kid heroes are usually annoying, there’s something optimistic about Spider-Boy that works, even if he’s a character that readers won’t exactly prefer over Miles Morales and Peter Parker. However, Spider-Boy has been popular enough to receive his own series in the same year of his creation.
1 Jackpot (Mary Jane Watson)
Creators: Celeste Bronfman; Alba Glez
- First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #31 (August, 2023)
Whilst the alias of Jackpot is not new, this is the first time Mary Jane has taken the mantle. Whilst the relationship between Mary Jane and Peter Parker is currently stale in the Marvel Comics, and many fans wish for their love to return, in the meantime, they will be able to have a small taste of great power and great responsibility when Mary Jane develops superpowers and becomes the newest Jackpot.
Whilst only briefly introduced, Jackpot is here to stay for a while with her own series, and hopefully, that means fans can expect some heroic antics from Jackpot, and a team-up with Spider-Man, perhaps invigorating their love for one another now that Mary Jane can experience the life of a hero first hand.
