Marvel Universe is huge and lively. So many characters, each with their own cool powers and quirks. This amazing world is famous for its superheroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor. They fight all kinds of threats, from Earth to outer space. Stories twist and turn across planets and dimensions. Morality, bravery and challenges are always front and center. Fans get pulled into epic battles of struggle and triumph. It is a place where heroism shines bright.

Meet the Marvel superheroes

Black Panther

Black Panther is this regal, low-key king who somehow makes diplomacy look like a martial art — poised, fierce, and quietly terrifying when he decides to be. He’s proud of tradition but also the most forward-thinking leader you’ll meet, like, he’ll host a ritual and then unveil a new piece of tech right after (very Wakandan). There’s a noble seriousness but also a strangely soft spot for small, surprisingly specific hobbies — maybe he collects stones? — okay that might be me making things up but it fits his mysterious vibe.

Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange is equal parts brilliant surgeon and cosmic showman, with a flair for dramatic entrances and a library of gestures that say “I just rewired reality, trust me.” He’s arrogant in the best way — like, confident-demon-but-actually-earnest — and secretly terrified of losing control, which makes him oddly relatable. He has this monk-y discipline but he’ll also quote bad pop culture sometimes, don’t ask why, it just happens.

Daredevil

Daredevil is the gritty neighborhood guardian who hears more than you’d expect — literally hears everything — and turns it into this fierce, moral intensity that’s almost too much but also exactly what people need on the streets. He’s stoic and all about justice, but there’s this soft undercurrent of humor and tiny, reckless hope that keeps him human (and slightly lunatic). He’s a lawyer and a brawler, which is such a sad, perfect combo, like he edits justice by day and punishes it by night.

Thor

Thor is thunderous, dramatic, and lovable in the way of someone who was raised with thunder as a hobby; big laugh, big heart, bigger hammer (or axe, or confused expression about responsibilities). He’s noble and kind of an ancient goofball who’ll quote old prophecies and then break into karaoke — yes really, he would karaoke — but also he can snap and it’s terrifying. He’s both mythic and very, very emotionally blunt; he has feelings and also lightning, which is a lot to balance.

Iron Man

Iron Man is the billionaire ham with a heart-shaped arc reactor — flashy, sarcastic, and somehow both wildly arrogant and deeply, quietly self-sacrificing when it counts. Tony’s brain is a glittering mess of genius and poor impulse control — he will build a thing at 3 a.m. just because and then Tweet about it, probably. He loves costumes, gadgets, and drama, and yet there’s a weird softness underneath all the snark that sneaks up on you.

Hulk

Hulk is basically emotion in hulking, green form: smash-first, question-later, but like, sometimes he’s also this big gentle giant who likes flowers? (Maybe he likes smashing them first, who knows.) There’s a tragic poetry to him — raw power tangled with a brain that sometimes remembers who he was — and that contrast is what makes him oddly sympathetic and exhausting. He’s violent, protective, and surprisingly moody, like a walking storm with snacks.

Captain America

Captain America is honor wrapped in a flag-themed outfit, all old-fashioned decency and stubborn optimism that refuses to die, even when it’s inconvenient. He’s disciplined to a fault but secretly kind of an awkward friend who brings snacks and asks how you’re really doing — very wholesome, also very relentless about doing the right thing. He can be painfully earnest and also the anchor when everything else is chaos, which is both lovely and slightly annoying (in a good way).

Star-Lord

Star-Lord is the chaotic mixtape of a space rogue: charming, clueless, and somehow emotionally negotiable through cheesy 80s tunes. He’s a leader who makes terrible plans that somehow work, and he loves relics, snacks, and his mom’s music — also he’s prone to embarrassing dances at inopportune moments. He’s not the deepest philosopher but he’s trying, in between wisecracks and piloting his ship into improbable situations.

Spider-Man

Spider-Man is that awkward, fast-talking kid-next-door who can quip while dangling from a building and also cry in a broom closet — teenage energy packaged into a red-and-blue suit. He’s earnest, nerdy, and endlessly apologetic, like he’s always aware of the stakes and also perpetually surprised he survived another fight. He loves science, pizza, and responsibility, probably in that order if we’re being honest, though he’d deny it.

Black Widow

Black Widow is the cool, lethal spy who moves like she’s always three steps ahead and knows how to make you uncomfortable (in the best way). She’s low-key, intensely competent, and carries a history like a suitcase she refuses to open in public, but she’ll still make a sarcastic comment at the worst possible moment. She can be tender in a way that shocks you because she’s so used to not being seen, which is maybe why she’s so good at disappearing.

Ant-Man

Ant-Man is delightfully chaotic and kind of a lovable underdog — like a prankster who moonlights as a genius inventor and occasionally becomes a colossal problem (or tiny hero) depending on suit settings. He’s goofy and earnest and will absolutely crack a dad joke mid-battle, and also has surprising bravery when it counts, which is adorable and slightly terrifying. He loves family stuff but also quantum mechanics, which is the most oddly specific combo and I stan it.