40 Most Popular Superheroes by Country

In this article, we will see which are the most popular superheroes coming from different countries around the world. While the majority of superheroes are indeed American, there are also “foreign nationals” among them. We will list all the most popular superheroes by nationality.

The list is going to contain superheroes originating from different countries of the world. These superheroes are nationals of those countries, but they don’t have to – necessarily – be created in those same countries; for example, Thor is going to be listed as Norway’s most popular superhero, although he was created by American authors from Marvel Comics. The nationality of the superhero is important, not their creators.

If you want to see only Marvel’s most popular superheroes, check out this article by Zavvi.

Africa

Africa is specific in this category. Namely, while there are a lot of popular superheroes from Africa – Black Panther being the most prominent one – most of them are either from fictional countries altogether or are designated as being “just” African, without any country-specific information. The ones that have a specified country of origin are:

Egypt: Ibis the Invincible

Name: Ibis the Invincible
Alias: Amentep / Danny Khalifa
Created By: Tad Williams, Bob Kingett, Phil Winslade
Publisher: Fawcett Comics (currently: DC Comics)

Ibis the Invincible is a very old character, both in-universe and literally. He debuted back in 1940 but was truly revitalized by DC Comics in 2007; he is formally known as the protector of Egypt, although – truth be told – he has not appeared as a major character in recent times.

He was born an Ancient Egyptian prince, Amentep, roughly 4,000 years ago. As a young man, Amentep is given the “Ibistick”, a talisman of incredible power, by the Egyptian god Thoth, who empowers the talisman after Ibis was overthrown. Amentep’s throne is eventually usurped by a cruel magician known as the Black Pharaoh. When Taia, Amentep’s love, who is under the protection of Osiris, refuses to marry him, the Black Pharaoh shoots her with a poisoned arrow. Using his Ibistick, Amentep places his beloved in suspended animation to allow her to heal. He casts a similar spell upon himself, hoping to be present when Taia revives.

About 4,000 years later, the mummy of Amentep returns to life in an American museum in 1940 (this was later revealed to be the work of the wizard Shazam). Now called “Ibis”, Amentep sets out in search of his beloved, eventually finding her at another museum. Seeking to adjust to this new world, Ibis uses his vast powers to become a crimefighter.

Kenya: Storm

Name: Storm
Alias: Ororo Munroe
Created By: Len Wein, Dave Cockrum
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Storm was born Ororo Munroe to a tribal princess of Kenya and an African-American photojournalist father and grew up in Harlem, New York City, USA and Cairo, Egypt. She was orphaned after her parents were killed amid an Arab-Israeli conflict. An incident at the time also traumatized Munroe, leaving her within a claustrophobic situation that would make her fight for her life. Storm is a member of the X-Men, a group of mutated heroes who fight for peace and equality between mutants and humans.

Under the guidance of a master thief, a juvenile Munroe became an experienced pickpocket, whose means she met the powerful mutated Professor X by chance. Professor X later convinces Munroe to join the X-Men and use their skills for a bigger cause and cause. Storm has natural leadership skills and impressive powers of his own. He has led the X-Men at times and has been a member of teams like the Avengers and the Fantastic Four.

Nigeria: Powerman

Name: Powerman (later Powerbolt)
Alias: Unknown
Created By: Don Avenall, Norman Worker, Dave Gibbons, Brian Bolland
Publisher: Pikin Press (aka Pican Publications)

Powerman is a Nigerian superhero that appeared in the comic book series of the same name, which was published in Nigeria during the 1970s as part of a project to increase literacy in the country. Not much is known about the character’s origins, but he protects Nigeria from dinosaurs, robots, and other threats. His archenemy is a dishonest blond property developer, named Boss Blitzer, who is a Caucasian man. Despite his elaborate plans, Blitzer always faces defeat at the hands of Powerman.

The stories were published from 1975 to 1977 and were later reprinted in the United Kingdom, with Powerman’s name being changed to Powerbolt.

Asia

As for Asia, the situation is far less specific, as Asian-born superheroes have been present in modern superhero comics for a long time; even American publishers favored Asian characters as early as the 1940s. Still, a lot of these characters are Asian-Americans, so we have given our best to find the ones that are solely associated with Asian countries. The list, of course, includes only comic book characters, not the ones appearing in the manga.

Afghanistan: Dust

Name: Dust
Alias: Sooraya Qadir
Created By: Grant Morrison, Ethan Van Sciver
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Dust is one of the X-Men, a female superheroine that appears in stories published by Marvel Comics. She is a relatively “young” superhero – she debuted in 2002 – and was created by Grant Morrison and Ethan Van Sciver. Sooraya is a mutant with the ability to transform her body into a pliable cloud of dust. The X-Men travel to Afghanistan to rescue Sooraya, whose abilities have made her the target of slavers.

Born in Kandahar, Sooraya is attacked by a slave trader attempting to remove her traditional niqāb; almost instinctively, she lashes out with her powers and flays him alive with her sand-like dust. The X-Men, hearing of the situation, travel to Afghanistan and rescue her, where she is brought to the USA and becomes a student of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. After the actions of the Scarlet Witch (in which millions of mutants lost their powers), Sooraya remains one of the few mutants to keep their powers. She is currently a member of the Champions team.

Bangladesh: Enigma

Name: Enigma
Alias: Tara Virango
Created By: Paul Jenkins, Mark Buckingham, Wayne Faucher
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Enigma is a lesser-known Marvel Comics superheroine but is nevertheless the best known and most important one coming from Bangladesh. She made her debut in 1999 and she has not appeared in many subsequent stories, but she still deserved a place on our list, just because we want to be as diverse as possible.

Tara is a native of Bangladesh and through her mutation from a nano-virus, she gained superhuman powers giving her some sort of connection to the Buddhist goddess, Tara. Tara seeks revenge against those who infected the Bangladeshi village of Malpura: AGK, Inc. She contacts Spider-Man in order to seek his help in bringing justice to the people infected and killed by the nano-virus.

Years later, Tara moved to New York City and adopted the identity of Enigma, patterning herself after the Buddhist goddess, Tara. There, she met Spider-Man again and brought him to AGK’s headquarters. She demanded that an additional fifty million dollars in compensation be paid to the Malpura survivors in return for the Star of Persia. One of the bosses refused and threatened her with a squirt-gun filled with the control virus, which would kill her instantly.

Spider-Man soon arrived and the two heroes pursued Corman into a research lab, where they battled until Corman accidentally shattered a number of test tubes of the virus onto himself, which transformed him into the Virus. The Virus melted through the floor and Enigma disappeared. She later had a brief encounter with Peter Parker on the streets of New York.

China: Shang-Chi

Name: Shang-Chi
Alias: None
Created By: Steve Englehart, Jim Starlin
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Shang-Chi is one of those superheroes that doesn’t really use an alias, but rather his real name. He is a martial arts master appearing in stories published by Marvel Comics. He made his debut in 1973 and was created by Steve Engelhart and Jim Starlin. Shang-Chi was born in China as the son of criminal mastermind Fu Manchu, who wanted to conquer the world. He was trained by his father to become a loyal assassin and a follower of his goals. Shang-Chi did all of this until, at one point, he learned the truth about his father and decided to confront him.

In the meantime, he also learned the truth from his mother, a white American woman genetically selected by his father. He tried to end his father several times, fighting his army and even his adopted brother along the way. After many skirmishes and battles, Shang-Chi finally witnessed the death of Fu Manchu. Not long after his father’s death, a guilt-ridden Shang-Chi quit Freelance Restorations, cut ties with his former allies, forsook his life as an adventurer, and retired to a village in remote Yang-Tin, China, to live as a fisherman. He would, of course, return and, at one point, even become a member of the Avengers.

India: Nagraj

Name: Nagraj
Alias: Nagraj Shah
Created By: Rajkumar Gupta, Manoj Gupta, Sanjay Gupta
Publisher: Raj Comics

Nagraj is an Indian superhero in every aspect of the phrase – he is both from India and was created in India. Among the three most popular Indian superheroes, Nagraj takes the first place, which is why he is our representative on this list. He first appeared in 1986 and was collectively created by Rajkumar Gupta, Manoj Gupta, and Sanjay Gupta.

Nagraj is a baby born through an ancient Hindu ritual but he would become an important factor in modern times. In his debut, Nagraj was unleashed as an international terrorist weapon by the evil scientist Professor Nagmani. Nagraj, in this first mission, was tasked with stealing a golden statue of a Goddess from a temple that was protected by tribal devotees, snakes, and a mysterious 300-year-old Sadhu named Baba Gorakhnath.

Nagraj succeeded in his task, but upon confrontation with Gorakhnath, was defeated. Gorakhnath read his mind and discovered that Professor Nagmani had implanted a mind-control device in Nagraj’s head, to keep him under his control. Gorakhnath operated and removed the capsule from Nagraj’s head, setting Nagraj free of Professor Nagmani’s control. Nagraj then became Baba Goraknath’s disciple and vowed to eliminate crime and terror from the Earth.

Nagraj lives as Raj in the fictional city of Mahanagar as an employee of a TV channel that he owns secretly.

Israel: Seraph

Name: Seraph
Alias: Chaim Levon
Created By: E. Nelson Bridwell, Ramona Fradon 
Publisher: DC Comics

Seraph is a very old and very rare superhero from stories published by DC Comics. He was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon, debuting in 1977 as an Israeli-based superhero that collaborated with the Justice League. He was never a prominent member of DC Comics’ slate and has not appeared in many stories; his current status within the canon is unknown.

Chaim Levon is a Jewish school teacher who wields mystical power and goes by his superhero alias, Seraph. He helps Superman dismantle a bomb in Israel and free the Wonder Twins after they were brainwashed. He had a few missions as a solo fighter. As a member of the Global Guardians, he helped Superman retrieve an ancient artifact. He remained with the Global Guardians for a few years. For a while, Seraph fought solo, trying to think of ways to revive the Global Guardians. Finally, Doctor Mist called him to Bialya to rescue the Global Guardians. The mission was successful.

Japan: Katana

Name: Katana
Alias: Tatsu Yamashiro
Created By: Mike W. Barr, Jim Aparo
Publisher: DC Comics

Although sometimes portrayed as an anti-hero, Katana is one of DC Comics’ best female superheroes. She debuted in 1983 and was created by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo. Throughout her appearances, she was best known as a member of the Suicide Squad and, later, the Birds of Prey, although she was also a member of the Justice League and the Outsiders.

Katana is a samurai warrior whose skill with a sword allows her to fight for justice as a superheroine. Her tragic backstory includes the death of her husband, Maseo, whose soul becomes trapped in her blade, the Soultaker. Katana has been featured in various DC Comics superhero teams, including the Justice League and the Birds of Prey, but is most commonly associated with the team known as the Outsiders, a team of heroes hand-picked by Batman to act as his personal black ops team, handling riskier missions.

Korea: Amadeus Cho

Name: Amadeus Cho
Alias: Iron Spider, Hulk, etc.
Created By: Greg Pak, Takeshi Miyazawa
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Amadeus Cho is a relatively new character that Marvel introduced in 2005. He was created by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, and is one of the characters that has had a lot of relatively important, albeit recurring roles in modern Marvel Comics stories. He is always depicted as a superhero, but has had several aliases throughout his comic book appearances.

Amadeus Cho takes part in the Excello soap company’s “young genius” contest put on by Pythagoras Dupree, winning easily. Dupree, who claims to be the world’s sixth smartest man, tries to kill Cho to preserve his ranking. Cho’s parents are killed, but Amadeus survives and goes on the run. When the Hulk saves him from some of Dupree’s men, Cho considers the Hulk a friend and strictly views him as heroic and reactive to the aggression of others.

The character is next seen during the events of the crossover event, World War Hulk, where he gathers a team of the Hulk’s former colleagues of the super-group Champions, Hercules and Archangel. With the assistance of Namora, they attempt and fail to stop the Hulk. Later, though, Cho succeeded Bruce Banner as the Hulk in The Totally Awesome Hulk #1 (2015). In contrast with Banner, who found his Hulk powers to be a burden, Cho is a confident character who revels in his newfound abilities.

Pakistan: Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)

Name: Ms. Marvel
Alias: Kamala Khan
Created By: Sana Amanat, Stephen Wacker, G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona, Jamie McKelvie
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Ms. Marvel is not a new name in the history of Marvel Comics; the name is somewhat generic and has been taken by several characters throughout the years, which is not really that rare in modern comic books. Still, the current version of the characters – Kamala Khan – is a girl with Pakistani roots and deserves a spot on our list for that reason.

Kamala Khan was first introduced in Captain Marvel #14 (2013) as a Pakistani-American girl from New Jersey. She was a big fan of the Avengers, especially Carol Danvers, who was at the time operating as Captain Marvel. Her first appearance was a brief cameo, but as time passed, her role became more important.

Soon, it was announced that Kamala Khan would be inheriting the role of Ms. Marvel from Carol Danvers, making her Marvel’s first Muslim character to headline her own comic; this move was received with widespread critical acclaim. As it was revealed, Kamala Khan is an Inhuman with shapeshifting abilities who got her powers during the epic “Inhumanity” storyline. In 2014, she inherited the role of Ms. Marvel from her idol, Carol Danvers, and soon became the protagonist of the Ms. Marvel comic book

Vietnam: Mantis

Name: Mantis
Alias: Brandt (full name unknown)
Created By: Steve Engelhart, Don Heck
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Despite being a somewhat comical relief in the movies, Mantis is a very interesting superheroine with an even more interesting backstory. She debuted in 1973 and was created by Steve Engelhart and Don Heck. She later became a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers.

Mantis is the half-Vietnamese, half-German daughter of Gustav Brandt (Libra) and was born in Huế, Vietnam. In her childhood, her father leaves her in Vietnam at the Temple of the alien Priests of Pama, a sect of the Kree. The Kree believe she might become the Celestial Madonna and mate with the eldest Cotati on Earth to become the mother of the Celestial Messiah Sequoia.

She excels in her martial arts studies, but when she reaches adulthood, she is mind-wiped and sent into the world to gain life experience. She becomes a prostitute and barmaid in a Vietnamese bar, where she meets the Swordsman. She helps him regain his self-respect and follows him when the former villain attempts to rejoin the Avengers. She becomes an Avengers ally when the Swordsman rejoins the Avengers, and she battles the Lion God alongside them. With the Avengers, Mantis has many adventures.

Europe

Europe is the cradle of comic books, but unlike the United States, European comic books are not exclusively tied to the superhero genre. Europe’s comic book traditions are very different and although most European comics focused on action and different adventures, they weren’t really focused on superheroes. Still, a lot of modern-day superheroes are European; some of them originated in European comics, some in American ones, and we have a list of the most famous one for you (noting that a lot of excluded countries do have their own comic book characters, but they are mostly supervillains):

Belgium: Mister M

Name: Mister M
Alias: Absolon Zebardyn Mercator
Created By: David Hine, David Yardin
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Mister M is a Belgian mutant and a recurring member of the X-Men group the 198. He was created by David Hine and David Yardin and had his debut in 2004, which makes him one of the younger superheroes out there. His main powers include psionic manipulation of energy and matter.

Mister M is a very enigmatic figure. He grew up in a small village near Ghent, Belgium. After his powers manifested, he left for the United States, and after much wandering, settled in Mutant Town. Once there, he mostly stayed to himself, only leaving his apartment at night to get drunk. While in Mutant Town, he rid the town of sickness and corruption, but he did it by leveling the city with huge displays of energy manipulation. Still, he used his powers for good and helped the people around town. After M-Day, he somehow retained his powers and traveled to the Xavier Institute, where he fought against the Sentinels.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Harlan Draka

Name: Harlan Draka
Alias: Dampyr
Created By: Mauro Boselli, Maurizio Colombo
Publisher: Sergio Bonelli Editore

Harlan Draka is a fictional character appearing as the main hero of the Italian comic book series Dampyr, which set in the Balkans and incorporates elements from the folklore of that region. The character was created by Mauro Boselli and Maurizio Colombo, and had his debut in 2000. Harlan Draka himself is a dhampir, a creature born from a union between a vampire and a human.

Harlan Draka was born in a village in Bosnia in 1945. He is a dhampir, which gives him special powers and makes him look younger than he actually is. He is a professional vampire hunter; also, is blood is toxic for vampires. In his quest, he is aided by former soldier Emil Kurjak and Tesla Dubcek, a young vampire girl who abandoned her own species after Harlan had killed her master. While a lot of the stories take place in the Balkans, Harlan and his associates have also traveled around Europe and other continents as well.

Croatia: Abomination

Name: Abomination
Alias: Emil Blonsky
Created By: Stan Lee, Gil Kane
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Abomination is a supervillain and occasional antihero appearing in stories published by Marvel Comics. He was created by Stan Lee and Gil Kane, and debuted back in 1967; Stan Lee picked the name “Abomination” because it was not taken at the time. Abomination is primarily an enemy of the superhero Hulk, with which he shares a lot of similarities since he is an evil version of the character.

Emil Blonsky was born in Zagreb, but soon became a KGB operative and a mercenary for hire. At one point, he infiltrated an Air Force Base in New Mexico where Dr. Bruce Banner was experimenting with gamma rays. Blonsky triggers the event that turns Banner into the Hulk, and himself turns into a hideous lizard-like creature.

Abomination would usually appear as a supervillain and was a member of several supervillain groups from Marvel’s universe. Still, the reason why we included him on our list is that he did become an antihero of sorts when he became the leader of the Forgotten in New York’s sewers. Abomination not only led the group of outcasts, but he also protected them and did at least one heroic deed in his villainous career.

Estonia: Lady S

Name: Lady S
Alias: Shania Rivkas 
Created By: Jean Van Hamme, Philippe Aymond
Publisher: Dupuis

Lady S is a fictional superheroine and a spy that appears in the Franco-Belgian comic book series of the same name. The character was created by writer Jean Vam Hamme and artist Philippe Aymond, and debuted in 2004. Despite a rich career in espionage and a lot of aliases, Lady S was born in Tallinn, Estonia, in 1979, which is why she is considered to be the most popular Estonian superhero.

Lady S. is an agent working for the secretive non-governmental organization the Centre for Anti-Terrorism Research and Intelligence Gathering (CATRIG). She is also the aide to her adopted father who is a USA diplomat. Previously she had been a refugee and a thief. CATRIG is an organization and nobody has clue about that. It has been run by a group of retired intelligence officers of EU.

Adopted daughter and principal collaborator of James Fitzroy, roving ambassador, special correspondent for the American Secretary of State in Europe, Susan is a clever, multilingual young woman, in full bloom and perfectly happy in the eyes of an attentive father. But this too-perfect happiness hides many faults, sorrows and mysteries.

France: The Frenchman

Name: The Frenchman
Alias: Unknown
Created By: Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson
Publisher: Wildstorm, Dynamite Entertainment

The Frenchman is a character appearing in the comic book The Boys, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. He debuted in 2006. Despite the popularity of the television version, there are a lot of differences between these two characters and the television version is not a direct copy of the comic book iteration. The Frenchman is one of the principal characters of the series.

He is one of the original Boys, and displays a penchant for extreme violence within a few frames of his first appearance. As his name suggests he is a Frenchman. His spoken French uses incorrect phrasing, though whether this is an intentional plot point is not yet known.

He takes an immediate liking to “Petit Hughie.” He and the Female are the ‘muscles’ of the team, and he is prone to violent outbursts (especially with any insults towards France and the French), although he can control them better than the Female. According to Mother’s Milk, however, it’s better for the rest of humanity in general if they are in the team rather than in the outside world.

Like Billy and Mother’s Milk, the Frenchman possesses the military experience, particularly holding knowledge in ballistics, to the extent that Butcher defers to him on that matter. The Frenchman also possesses an incredibly strong sense of smell. When his sense of smell is first shown in the Glorious 5 Year Plan arc, a confused Hughie asks why Terror isn’t sniffing around. To which Butcher replies “Frenchie has the better nose for it.” Implying that The Frenchman’s sense of smell is greater than that of a dog.

Germany: Nightcrawler

Name: Nightcrawler
Alias: Kurt Wagner
Created By: Len Wein, Dave Cockrum
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The German Kurt Wagner, better known by his alias Nightcrawler, is a mutant appearing in stories related to the X-Men, published by Marvel Comics. He debuted back in 1975 and has since become one of the best-known X-Men in the whole franchise; he was created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum.

Nightcrawler is a member of a fictional subspecies of humanity known as mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. Nightcrawler possesses superhuman agility, the ability to teleport, and adhesive hands and feet. His physical mutations include indigo-colored velvety fur which allows him to become nearly invisible in shadows, two-toed feet, and three-fingered hands, yellow eyes, pointed ears and a prehensile tail.

In Nightcrawler’s earlier comic book appearances, he is depicted as being a happy-go-lucky practical joker and teaser, and a fan of swashbuckling fiction. Nightcrawler is a Catholic, and while this is not emphasized as much in his earlier comic book appearances, in later depictions Nightcrawler is more vocal about his faith.

Greece: Wonder Woman

Name: Wonder Woman
Alias: Diana Prince
Created By: William Moulton Marston, H.G. Peter
Publisher: DC Comics

Wonder Woman is a fictional superheroine appearing as one of the major characters in the DC Comics fictional universe. She debuted in Sensation Comics #1 in 1942 and was created by psychologist William Moulton Marston and illustrator H.G. Peter, who is usually not credited as her creator. Her real name is Diana, which accounts for her civilian name – Diana Prince.

Wonder Woman was born in the fictional island nation of Themyscira as Princess Diana of Themyscira. Dina is an Amazon warrior and has been trained in the way of the Amazons ever since she was a child. Initially, her origin story included a clay statue made by the Amazon queen, Hippolyta, which was later granted life and several superpowers by the Greek gods (the so-called Old Gods). Newer origin stories retconned this and made Diana the daughter of Zeus and Queen Hippolyta.

Wonder Woman is known as one of DC Comics’ most powerful superheroes ever. She was trained by the Amazons and she also possesses some divine powers, along with specific magical artifacts like the Lasso of Truth. Wonder Woman was granted passage out of Themyscira and into “Man’s World” when she had to accompany U.S. pilot Steve Trevor back to his home. Steve Trevor would later become a crucial part of Wonder Woman’s story.

Deciding to stay in “Man’s World”, Wonder Woman took on the civilian name Diana Prince, while secretly working as a superheroine and a member of the Justice League. During the years, she has managed to “accumulate” a fairly large and colorful gallery of rogues, which includes names such as Ares, Cheetah, Doctor Poison, Circe, Doctor Psycho, and Giganta, along with more recent adversaries such as Veronica Cale and the First Born. Today, Wonder Woman is one of the most important members of the Justice League but also a standalone heroine.

Ireland: Banshee

Name: Banshee
Alias: Sean Cassidy
Created By: Roy Thomas, Werner Roth
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Banshe is a mutant superhero appearing in stories published by Marvel Comics, and is Ireland’s most famous superhero. He is commonly associated with the X-Men. Banshee debuted in 1967 and was created by Roy Thomas and Werner Roth. He is named after the banshee, a legendary spirit from Irish mythology, said to possess a haunting cry. He possesses a “sonic scream”, capable of harming enemies’ auditory systems and causing physical vibrations.

Sean Cassidy is an heir to an ancestral castle in Ireland and a small fortune. He married Maeve Rourke, and worked for Interpol. While on a mission for a long time, his wife learns that she was pregnant and gives birth to a daughter named Theresa. Sean still hasn’t returned from his mission and still doesn’t know he’s a father when Maeve is killed in a bombing in Northern Ireland. Black Tom, Sean’s cousin, collects the child and plans to raise her himself.

When Cassidy returns, he is devastated to learn of his wife’s death and no one tells him about his daughter’s existence. Cassidy leaves Interpol. Kevin Sydney finds out about his existence through the Factor Three group. He invites him to join the Organization. When she learned of the group’s goals, Banshee refused. He is then captured and a bandage is placed around his head containing explosives to force him to obey, but he manages to get himself out of that tight spot. He later joins the X-Men.

Italy: Zatanna

Name: Zatanna
Alias: Zatanna Zatara
Created By: Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics

Zatanna is technically Italian-American, but due to her father being a famous Italian magician, we have decided to put her on our list. She appears in stories published by DC Comics as one of their most famous superheroines. She is a homo magi, a human that is capable of using magic, which is the primary source of her powers. She has crossed over with a variety of other DC Comics characters.

Zatanna is both a stage magician and an actual magician, like her father Giovanni “John” Zatara. As such she has many of her father’s powers relating to magic, typically controlled by speaking the words of her incantations spelled backwards. She is known for her involvement with the Justice League, her retconned childhood association with Batman, and her crossing of the Vertigo line with characters such as romantic partner John Constantine. She is also one of the members of Justice League Dark.

Netherlands: Rachel Van Helsing

Name: Rachel Van Helsing
Alias: None
Created By: Archie Goodwin, Gene Colan
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Rachel Van Helsing is the granddaughter of Abraham Van Helsing, the famous vampire hunter. She, like her grandfather, is also a vampire hunter and she appeared in stories published by Marvel Comics, debuting in 1972. She was created by Archie Goodwin and Gene Colan. Despite her famous last name, Rachel Van Helsing never became a prominent Marvel Comics character.

After Vlad Dracula killed her parents and gave her a scar across her forehead, Rachel was raised by Quincy Harker, who taught her to hunt and kill vampires. She saved Taj Nital from an attack by vampires led by Dracula. Even though the attack left him a mute and his son infected by vampirism, Taj then joined Rachel in her quest. Rachel was held hostage by two of Dracula’s brides and phoned Quincy Harker who was on the verge of killing Dracula and told him to leave Dracula alone or Rachel would die.

Harker agreed to the brides’ demands, much to Rachel’s frustration. The brides then let Rachel go. She later fought alongside Quincy, Taj, Frank Drake and Blade, during which time she developed an uneasy romantic relationship with Drake. She eventually became a vampire herself. Rather than suffer the shame of being something she once hunted, she allowed Wolverine to mercy kill her.

Norway: Ice

Name: Ice
Alias: Tora Olafsdotter
Created By: Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maguire
Publisher: DC Comics

Ice is a fictional superheroine appearing in stories published by DC Comics. She was created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire, debuting in 1988. She is an international member of the Justice League, but has also served as part of the White Lantern Corps. She is one of DC’s lesser known superheroines and is relatively uncommon in comic book stories.

Initially a princess from a people of magic-wielding Norsemen, Ice got a revised origin story in 2010. It was then revealed that Tora’s parents and brother are Romanifolket, and her grandfather was the head of a small sect of Romanifolket known as the Is Bygd.

Tora was trained to stay calm in order to control her metahuman abilities to create and manipulate ice, to ensure that her grandfather (from whom Tora’s parents sought to hide their daughter) could not find her and force her to use her power to keep control over the other Bygd residents.

Eventually Tora’s grandfather tracked his family down and, after seeing her father being beaten, she lost control, causing the death of several, among them her own father. It was this event, which she repressed due to the dissociative trauma tied to her accidental patricide, along with the result of the training to stay calm and her father’s dying wish that she prevent herself from interacting violently with others that caused Tora’s shy personality.

She overcame her traumas and would later join the other superheroes in fighting crime.

Poland: Blackhawk

Name: Blackhawk
Alias: Janos Prohaska
Created By: Chuck Cuidera, Bob Powell, Will Eisner
Publisher: DC Comics

Blackhawk is the leader of the Blackhawks, a small group of World War II ace pilots who are the protagonists of one of DC Comics’ longest running series. The Blackhawks first appeared in 1941 and their stories were officially discontinued 1984, although they still remain part of DC’s extensive lore. Their leader, Blackhawk, is a mysterious figure whose identity has been chaed on a couple of occasions.

Their current leader is Janos Prohaska, a Polish ace pilot. In their most well-known incarnation, the Blackhawks operate from a hidden base known only as Blackhawk Island, fly Grumman XF5F Skyrocket planes, and shout their battle cry of “Hawk-a-a-a!” as they descend from the skies to fight tyranny and oppression.

Clad in matching blue and black uniforms (with Blackhawk himself boasting a hawk insignia on his chest), early stories pitted the team against the Axis powers, but they would also come to battle recurring foes such as King Condor and Killer Shark, as well as encounter an array of gorgeous and deadly femme fatales. They also frequently squared off against fantastical war machines ranging from amphibious “shark planes” and flying tanks, to the aptly named War Wheel, a gigantic rolling behemoth adorned with spikes and machine guns.

Russia: Black Widow

Name: Black Widow
Alias: Natalia Romanova (Natasha Romanoff)
Created By: Stan Lee, Don Rico, Don Heck
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Black Widow is the superhero alter ego of Natalia Alianovna “Natasha” Romanova, a fictional character from the Marvel Universe. She is one of Marvel’s most important female characters and has a very interesting backstory.

Natasha lost her parents as a child and was rescued during the Battle of Stalingrad by a man called Ivan Petrovitch Bezukhov, who looked after and trained the girl. As she grew older, Natasha’s talents caught the attention of the KGB, and was recruited into their ranks.

After World War II, Natasha advanced into the infamous Black Widow Program, where young girls like her were conditioned to become sleeper agents. She was at a facility called the Red Room, and was later enhanced with the Soviets’ version of the Super-Soldier serum that created Captain America. This gave her peak human strength and stamina, as well as resistance to disease and slowed-down aging. This made her a very dangerous opponent.

After briefly having a romance with Winter Soldier, Natasha married pilot Alexei Shostakov. The Soviets ultimately faked his death and turned him into the Red Guardian, the Soviet version of Captain America. Although the grief over Alexei’s supposed death motivated her to finally earn the title of Black Widow, she soon defected into the United States and became a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and, later, a member of the Avengers.

Spain: El Águila

Name: El Águila
Alias: Alejandro Montoya
Created By: Dave Cockrum, Mary Jo Duffy
Publisher: Marvel Comics

El Águila is a Spanish superhero and mutant that appears in stories published by Marvel Comics. He was created in Dave Cockrum and Mary Jo Duffy, and had his debut in 1979. El Águila was modeled after the famous Hispanic character Zorro, although he is not a direct copy of him. His name means “eagle” in Spanish, which explains the sign on his costume; having eagle-themed superheroes is a tradition in a lot of Hispanic countries, especially in Latin America.

Alejandro Montoya was born in Madrid, Spain, and later moved to America. Upon discovering his mutant powers, Alejandro decided to use his unique abilities as a swashbuckler and costumed crime fighter, taking up the mantle of El Águila (The Eagle), an identity passed down by his ancestors. As El Águila, he preys upon drug dealers and criminals that take advantage of the poor and needy. He is not a certified law authority and is wanted by authorities.

Soon after launching his crime-fighting campaign against drug dealers, slumlords, brutal police, and other wrongdoers, Águila encountered Iron Fist, Power Man, and Misty Knight. Águila aided Power Man and Iron Fist against female assassins out to kill Jeryn Hogarth. 

He also battled Hawkeye while investigating Cross Technological Enterprises, when Hawkeye was serving as their head of security. Águila teamed up with Power Man and Iron Fist to capture the Slasher and fought the Constrictor.

Alongside Colleen Wing and Misty Knight, he battled mercenaries working for Ward Meachum and fought Fera. He aided Power Man, Iron Fist, Colleen Wing, Bob Diamond, and Rafael Scarfe in an attempt to rescue Misty Knight and D.W. Griffith from captivity by Ward Meachum’s mercenaries. He returned to Spain briefly on a request of his cousin Migdalia to save her village from the mutant Conquistador.

Águila was confirmed to have been depowered following the events of M-Day. Though Alejandro now has no powers, he was still considered a “potential recruit” for the Initiative program because of his expertise in sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat.

Turkey: Janissary

Name: Janissary
Alias: Selma Tolon
Created By: Brian K. Vaughn, Steve Scott
Publisher: DC Comics

Janissary is a superheroine appearing in stories published by DC Comics. She debuted in 2000 and was created by Brian K. Vaughn and Steve Scott. She is most famous as an international member of the Justice League and Turkey’s most famous superhero.

In 1566 Merlin hid his spell book, The Book of Eternity, from his half-brother Etrigan beneath an ancient Roman temple. With the book was Sultan Suleiman’s scimitar, enchanted by Merlin and buried in the sand like Arthur’s sword Excalibur.

Like Excalibur, only a brave and noble person could remove the scimitar from the sand. In 1999, after an earthquake, while working for the Red Crescent, Selma Tolon fell into the dungeon where she found the spell book and the scimitar.

She uses these to defend her native country, and to be an example and role model for other Muslim women. She has not yet totally mastered the use of the spell book, but has already gained the respect of the JLA, and was one of the heroines called in by Wonder Woman to help against Circe’s attack on New York City.

Ukraine: Yelena Belova

Name: Black Widow
Alias: Yelena Belova
Created By: Devin Grayson, J.G. Jones
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Yelena Belova is a fictional superheroine appearing in stories published by Marvel Comics. She is a character heavily connected with Natasha Romanoff, the original Black Widow, although they are two separate characters. She was created by Devin Grayson and J.G. Jones and she had her comic book debut in 1999.

She was trained as a spy and assassin in the Red Room. Originally a foe of Natasha Romanova sent to kill her, they later became allies. She was also a member of S.H.I.E.L.D., Vanguard and HYDRA, who changed her into a version of Super-Adaptoid.

As Super-Adaptoid, she was one of the members of the High Council of A.I.M. She has reverted to her original codename Black Widow in 2017. Unlike Natasha, she was never a member of the Avengers, but she did collaborate with other superheroes, although her moral code is not always that clear.

United Kingdom: V

Name: V
Alias: Unknown
Created By: Alan Moore, David Lloyd, Tony Weare
Publisher: Quality Communications

V is a comic book character from Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel V for Vendetta, which started its publication in 1982. V is the titular hero of the story, although this Guy-Fawkes-inspired character is more of an antihero than a classical superhero, but he does fight for liberty and humanistic values. The character was illustrated by David Lloyd and Tony Weare.

The main character of the story, V, with a mysterious past, tall, stature and imposing voices, always appears masked (he wears a mask representing Guy Fawkes). He is known to have been used as a guinea pig in Larkhill Internment Camp in 1993 and escaped after a destructive and apparently patiently premeditated operation.

He then undertakes his revenge, not only by assassinating the former staff of the camp while he was detained there but also by preparing the end of the fascist regime of England. He advocates terrorism. He thinks that by carrying out an attack he is doing something good to free the people.

He has taken full control of Destiny, is an expert in combat against several armed opponents (especially with his dummy arm). He lays bombs in very large quantities apparently without any accomplices and has a secret, large, comfortable lair. He is also a music lover and is described as being very enigmatic.

North America

North America is the birthplace of modern superhero comics, so it’s not strange that the most famous ones actually come from this continent. But, due to the fact that almost all of these famous superheroes are American, the other countries don’t really have such important names, but this is what we have found:

Canada: Wolverine

Name: Wolverine
Alias: James Howlett, Logan
Created By: Roy Thomas, Len Wien, John Romita Sr.
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Sorry Deadpool, but Wolverine tops this list without much debate. Created by Roy Thomas, Len Wien and John Romita Sr., Wolverine is probably the most recognizable X-Man along with Charles Xavier, the groups founder and leader. He has been a pillar of Marvel Comics for years, both as Wolverine and as Old Man Logan, so it’s clear why he “represents” Canada on our list.

He was born as James Howlett in Canada during the 1880s, as the son of John and Elizabeth Howlett; he was actually the illegitimate son of the groundskeeper Thomas Logan, which explains one of his aliases.

The contemporary Marvel canon states that Wolverine first manifested his powers when bone claws appeared from his hands after his father had killed John Howlett as a retaliation for the latter sending him away after he had been falsely accused of rape. He used the claws to kill Thomas Logan, avenging John Howlett’s death, but now knowing that he was actually murdering his own father.

He then became a soldier and mercenary, fighting in both World Wars and living a solitary life in between. He was recruited as a member of the infamous Team X and given false memory implants. He managed to break free from the fabricated reality, but was ultimately kidnapped and turned into a test subject for the Weapon X project.

During this captivity, adamantium was inserted into his body, which augmented his powers and made him the famous mutant he is today. He managed to escape and regain his humanity with the help of some friends. Later on, he was recruited by Professor X as a member of the X-Men.

Haiti: Brother Voodoo

Name: Brother Voodoo (or Doctor Voodoo)
Alias: Jericho Drumm
Created By: Len Wein, John Romita Sr., Stan Lee, Roy Thomas
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Following Haiti’s tradition of practicing voodoo, Marvel Comics decided to create a voodoo-based character in 1973, which is when Jericho Drumm, a.k.a. Brother Voodoo debuted. He was created as a very powerful sorcerer who would ultimately replace Doctor Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme, which lead to his name being changed to Doctor Voodoo.

In the comic books, Jericho Drumm is a licensed psychologist who returns to his native Hairi after studying in the United States. There, he finds that his brother is dying after being hexed by a local voodoo priest worshiping the serpent-god Damballah; at his brother’s behest, Drumm goes to see the sorcerer Papa Jambo, whose disciple he becomes and eventually becomes Brother Voodoo.

As a new superhero, he fights and defeats the sorcerer who killed his brother. He later collaborates with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, eventually becoming Sorcerer Supreme after the Eye left Doctor Strange. As Sorcerer Supreme, he apparently sacrificed himself, but returned later, alive and well.

Mexico: Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)

Name: Blue Beetle
Alias: Jaime Reyes
Created By: Keith Giffen, John Rogers, Cully Hammer
Publisher: DC Comics

Technically, Jaime Reyes is a Mexican-American living in El Paso, Texas, but this iteration of the Blue Beetle character is definitely the first name that’ll pop up if you go looking for the most famous Mexican superhero. He debuted in 2006 and has since become a pivotal member of DC Comics’ younger generation of superheroes.

As said, Jaime Reyes isn’t the first Blue Beetle, but he is without a doubt the most famous iteration of the character. After Jaime merged with an alien beetle he found near his home in El Paso, Texas, he gained access to cutting-edge technology and an incredible flight suit. He is arguably the most famous Mexican-American hero in comics today, not only thanks to an excellent presentation, but also to his appearances of him in other outlets.

United States of America: Superman

Name: Superman
Alias: Kal-El, Clark Kent
Created By: Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
Publisher: DC Comics

The question of America’s most popular superhero is always a very hot one, but a recently conducted poll states that Superman has once again taken the top position, beating Spider-Man and Batman along the way. Superman is certainly a brand name and is a superhero that embodies America’s idealistic values in a lot of way, so it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that he is America’s favorite.

Superman is a Kryptonian alien who was sent to Earth by his parents moments before the planet’s destruction. His pod landed in Smallville, where the baby was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who raised him as their own child, naming him Clark. Later, Clark Kent discovered his powers and his heritage, deciding ultimately to become the superhero Superman, while working as a reporter for the Daily Planet using the name Clark Kent. He is one of the seminal DC Comics characters and is also one of the founders (and the most common leaders) of the Justice League, DC’s primary superhero group.

Oceania

As far as Oceania goes, they’re more known for their supervillains such as Captain Boomerang than for their superheroes, but Australia and New Zealand certainly have something to offer and we are going to see who these superheroes are:

Australia: Gateway

Name: Gateway
Alias: Unknown
Created By: Chris Claremont, Marc Silvestri
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Gateway is an Indigenous Australian superhero and a minor character in Marvel Comics’ X-Men franchise. He was created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri, debuting back in 1988. He is an ally of the X-Men and a mysterious mutant with telepathic abilities, but due to him not appearing in many stories, much of his story is still shrouded in mystery.

Much of Gateway’s past remains a mystery to this day, including where exactly he was born and even his name. He is an Aboriginal man who appears to have grown up in the Outback. He serves the criminal group the Reavers in repayment for an undisclosed favor they did him. As extra assurance of his loyalty, they threaten to destroy an Aboriginal holy place if he betrays them. The X-Men realized that he was not one of the Reavers and later helped him, with him also helping them. After this episode, Gateway made several recurring appearances in later stories.

New Zealand: Kiwi Black

Name: Kiwi Black
Alias: Unknown
Created By: Dave Cockrum
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Kiwi Black is a fictional mutant from Marvel Comics’ X-Men franchise. He was created by Dave Cockrum and debuted in 2004. He is strictly not a superhero, but is also not a supervillain. A half-demon, Kiwi Black is probably the best-known superhero from New Zealand, which is why he is on our list.

Little is known about the past of Kiwi Black, apart from that his mother is from Ruatoki, New Zealand, and his father, Azazel, seduced her. Because of this Kiwi Black is the half-brother of Nightcrawler and Abyss. He was a mutant bred by Azazel to help him transport his army to Earth from the hellish dimension they had been trapped in.

However, after he survived a summoning ritual (one of three to survive) meant to free Azazel’s army, he started secretly operating within Azazel’s castle to free the X-Men. Kiwi rejected his father’s influence, and allied himself with the X-Men in order to eliminate Azazel’s army. In the process, he killed one of Azazel’s thugs and gained respect from Nightcrawler.

South America

Most Latin American superheroes are still associated with the United States, but South America does have its own comic book industry and it does have several superheroes worth mentioning, despite them not being all that famous globally. Here is our list:

Argentina: El Eternauta

Name: El Eternauta
Alias: Juan Salvo
Created By: Héctor Germán Oesterheld, Francisco Solano López
Publisher: Editorial Frontera

El Eternauta (The Eternaut) is not a superhero in the traditional sense, but this comic book character has exhibited more than enough heroic deeds that we can actually give him a place on our list, especially because of his popularity in Argentina.

The original comic’s story begins as a mysterious deadly snowfall suddenly covers Buenos Aires, wiping out most life in a few hours. Juan Salvo, along with a couple of friends, his wife and daughter remain safe from the lethal snowflakes.

They organize to survive the ordeal. A few days into the snowfall, they learn that the phenomenon was caused by an extraterrestrial invasion of Earth. They are recruited by the army to fight the invaders. As the insurgents march towards the country’s capital city, they fight on different occasions against different opponents.

All of these beings are pawns, remotely controlled through implants or fear devices by the real invaders, los Ellos (“Them”), unseen creatures who remain hidden, controlling everything from the distance.

After managing a few victories, their forces suffer defeats and get reduced to a few men. A passing nuclear missile convinces Favalli and Franco that a larger global war has begun. After the trio attacks the aliens’ HQ in Buenos Aires, they flee just before the city is destroyed by a nuclear attack.

Gradually, the aliens lure the pockets of survivors throughout the country to “snow-free zones”. Salvo’s group splits, and he tries to escape with his wife and daughter using one of the alien spaceships. He accidentally triggers a time travel apparatus in the craft. As a result, the three are lost in separate time dimensions known as “continuums”. Juan Salvo begins to travel through time seeking them, eventually being named Eternauta, a voyager of eternity.

Brazil: Fire

Name: Fire
Alias: Beatriz da Costa
Created By: E. Nelson Birdwell, Ramona Fradon
Publisher: DC Comics

Fire, also known as Green Fury, is a superheroine appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by E. Nelson Birdwell and Ramona Fradon, debuting in 1979. Her human alter ego is a Brazilian woman named Beatriz Bonilla da Costa; as a superheroine, she was a member of the Justice League and other heroic groups.

Fire got her powers from a Brazilian magician, and was the president of the Brazilian branch of Wayne Enterprises (Bruce Wayne’s company). During this time, she was a member of the Global Guardians under the name Green Fury. Her story was later revamped and she was renamed Beatriz Bonilla da Costa. She gained her powers when she became trapped in a pyroplasmic explosion. Beatriz met the heroine Ice, and together they became members of the Justice League.

Her powers were amplified by a “gene bomb” from an alien race. Fire was like a big sister to Ice on the team. She stayed with the Justice League for most of the team’s existence. In the battle with Doomsday, Bea was so injured that she lost her powers. She stayed with the team until her powers were restored. The temporary loss of her powers prevented Ice from being killed by the Overmaster.

Beatriz eventually returned to Brazil, where she tried to retire from the hero life. This failed, and she was soon recruited by the “Super Buddies”, a team of “heroes for the common man”. Later, Fire was reunited with Ice, who had been brought back to life.

Chile: Mirageman

Name: Mirageman
Alias: Marco Gutiérrez
Created By: Ernesto Díaz Espinoza
Publisher: MB Comics

Okay, technically, this guy is neither a comic book character, nor a superhero, but Mirageman has become a pillar of modern Chilean superhero culture and is definitely worth a mention here. Created by Ernesto Díaz Espinoza, Mirageman appeared in the movie of the same name that came out in 2007 and was a low-budget hit. After the initial success, Mirageman began appearing in comic books, which earned him a place on our list.

The protagonist of this story is Mago Gutiérrez, an martial arts expert and a black belt in karate, who works as a security officer in a night club. After several incidents, his family is murdered by a local criminal gang and his brother is raped, leaving him with great psychological trauma, all of which leads to him feeling exceptionally lonely.

All of these situations change when he instinctively decides to help a woman who is about to be raped, puts on a hood and faces the thugs. From that day on, he decides to call himself Mirageman and becomes a local superhero, despite not having any superpowers.

Peru: Maria Mendoza

Name: Wonder Woman
Alias: Maria Mendoza
Created By: Stan Lee, Jim Lee
Publisher: DC Comics

This is an alternative version of Wonder Woman created by Stan Lee and Jim Lee for the Just Imagine… comic book series; Maria Mendoza, a Peruvian woman, became Wonder Woman in this iteration, debuting in 2001. She was based on the original Wonder Woman, but is just an alternative version of the character that was not canon at the time.

Maria Mendoza is an activist, protesting against the corporate excavation of an ancient Incan holy site near her village. The CEO has a plan: gain power from the site and then take over the world. When Maria’s father is kidnapped by the CEO and taken to the excavation, Maria follows, only to arrive too late to prevent her father’s death.

The CEO gains demonic powers from artefacts at the site, and then travels to Los Angeles. Maria finds the staff of Manco Capac, granting her the powers of the Incan Sun god, and uses them to pursue and defeat him. She then decides to remain in Los Angeles, taking the name Wonder Woman.

Venezuela: Wind Dancer

Name: Wind Dancer
Alias: Sofia Elizabeth Mantega-Barrett
Created By: Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, Keron Grant
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Wind Dancer is Venezuela’s most famous superheroine and a member of the New Mutants. Created by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, and Keron Grant, she made her debut in 2003, initially as a student of Charles Xavier and later as a member of the New Mutants. She is best known for being to manipulate the air and the wind.

Sofia grew up with her strength and used them openly and freely with the blessing of her mother, who raised her alone in Caracas. When her mother was killed in a riot, Sofia was sent to Colorado to live with a father she had never met. Barrett kept Sofia at bay and left his butler, Derek Newton, to raise his daughter. Sofia was mocked at school for her cheerful demeanor and strange accent. When her father didn’t remember her sixteenth birthday, Sofia’s optimistic facade collapsed and she went into one of his shops and devastated it with her wind forces.

Barrett was ready to send her back to Venezuela before Danielle Moonstar arrived to offer Sofia a place with Xavier. At the institute, Sofia was able to make friends and maintain her optimistic outlook on life. She befriended her roommate Wallflower and the two friends became the core of the new training team, the New Mutants. Given the code name Wind Dancer, Sofia rose to head the New Mutants.

But her idiosyncratic ways and tendency to let the negative build-up in her until she exploded made her a less than ideal candidate. She eventually asked Prodigy, her brilliant teammate, to take the lead. But Prodigy realized that Wind Dancer was the emotional heart of the team. The two agreed to lead the squad together.