Enthusiasm for comics has blossomed in the last few years. We certainly love finding new, talented artists in the comic industry—and Andrew Nadeau and Phil Thompson are gems in this regard, even if their take on capes is a little different. Together, they created the Mediocre Superheroes comic.
Classic characters get a fun makeover that shows our favorite heroes off in a more human light. That's a departure from the standard action fare found in most comic books and movies. Get ready to plunge into 35 of these amusing and imaginative superhero-inspired strips!
Life And Death Lessons
Being a hero isn't just about possessing superhuman abilities, even if that’s what we see most of the time, Batman, of course, being the exception. There’s nothing out of this world about him apart from his ownership of a billion dollars and the scientific resources of Wayne enterprises.
Yet, with his sharp mind and unwavering determination, he is unquestionably one of the best fighters in the business. But after reading this comic, we think Batman is even more extraordinary than before. With that being said, if you're a superhero and don't have abilities, you might need some backup, like Batman has, to make the cut as a hero.
Burn Baby Burn
Robolt has a mysterious quality about him. He doesn't hold back when it comes to those burns, even against his allies. The guy—uh—robot, moves in for the kill without a second thought. It probably helps that fire doesn’t actually hurt him.
The two heroes discuss the need for secret identities. The hero is simply trying to convey the situation to Robolt. But in a classic Robolt move, Robolt reminds him that there’s no need since he’s a nobody already. Don’t you have a heart, Robolt? Oh, right.
Balance Is Essential
Having a high level of sensitivity to the things in your environment can be a positive thing. The world probably needs more sensitive people. However, if you are overly sensitive to everything that goes on around you, it won't be easy to enjoy yourself.
However, this does not mean that everyone should be as insensitive as possible and disregard others' feelings. Instead, there should be a careful balance between these two extremes. If you manage to achieve it, congratulations, you've done well as a person.
A Funny Strip
DC Comics fans, in particular Superman devotees, are sure to be familiar with the iconic symbol flashing shirt rip move. In Metropolis, if someone needs help, they can be sure Superman will be three button rips away from saving them.
When he first started out in the comics, he usually did it in a secluded spot in order to change outfits quickly. Even though it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, the original artists made an excellent decision with that one. Now though, it seems like it’s the solution to everything.
Big Issues
Across Bruce Banner's Hulk career, this has probably been the worst part of the gig. Because he undergoes frequent body transformations, his clothes never appear to be the right size at any given time. What’s the alternative to waking up in your pants?
…Walking around in an oversized suit! However, as you might know, the Hulk and Tony Stark are good buddies. Couldn’t he get an outfit that can shrink and expand with his changing body shape? Wouldn’t that be a more elegant solution?
Kryptonite Will Break His Might, But Words…
Using terms like "fat," "weight," and "size," you can elicit strong emotional responses from some people. Therefore, you should keep body-shaming comments to yourself. They can cause people to become self-conscious or even ashamed. This one comment appears to have been misinterpreted by Superman.
When people refer to him as an aircraft, it's not because he seems to be enormous and obese! They do it because the idea that a person is flying in the air without the assistance of machinery is fantastic. That's it!
Winging It
Here’s a one-in-a-million event. A green-tinted character can be seen in this comic. He appears to have some superhuman abilities. However, even though he seems superhuman, it's still probably a bad idea to wear a cape so close to an aircraft engine.
The engine's fan spins at 2800 RPM during a flight. This engine can suck all of the air from a four-bedroom house in a matter of milliseconds! That’s enough to shred a person into macaroni, even a super person, probably! So, put away your capes!
Super-Vision
As one of the best-known superhero quotes of all time, we have no idea how many times this one has been quoted over the years, in or out of the comics. One thing we’ve always wondered about: what kind of bird—or airplane for that matter—is red and blue?
In any case, it's been overused to the point where it's starting to irritate certain people. Perhaps that’s why this comic provides a realistic depiction of what might happen if someone attempted to coin the bird-plane line.
Super Starbucks
After eight hours of non-stop walking and serving without much relief, it’s easy to see why an employee might misspell a name here or there on your non-biodegradable cup. It shouldn’t be a big deal unless you’re one of those staunchly evil supervillains.
Here’s an odd case of a super-baddie actually going soft on one of his goons. In any case—are we being given a hint about Dr. Destruction’s back story? Was his cinnamon allergy enough to warp his brilliant mind over to the side of evil? Tune in next time!
Little Helpers
For a long time, people have been puzzled about how the web-slinger is able to spring webbing out of his wrists. This comic finally answers that mystery. You see, Spider-Man must chemically synthesize his own web fluid, but he does it in a way that you might not expect.
While many thought that could have been done with the help of an ingenious, wrist-mounted, fluid-shooting device—this isn’t the case. Well, now we know. Spiderman enlisted the help of two spiders to carry out the task. Smart.
Sisters United
We all know that Nebula is an excellent fighter, don't we? Thanos' adoptive daughters, Nebula and Gamora, have had extensive combat training throughout their lives, usually with each other, at Thanos’ command. We can’t imagine this would have led to a harmonious relationship.
Here's some behind-the-scenes downtime. We wonder how Thanos would feel about this. That is a truly touching comic. It's nice to see how close they are to one other now despite Thanos’ years of brutal sister-against-sister hate training.
Reboot Error Message
Robolt, the sarcastic and quick-witted robot, returns! We’ve speculated that this robot might be related to another well-known robot, Bender from Futurama, because of how he speaks to his colleagues. No one can miss it, can they?
Robolt’s superfriend appears to be trying to initiate a bonding executable with Robolt, but it seems that a catastrophic error occurred. Maybe he should try resetting. That usually does the trick for most other things.
A Great Feast
This is probably the most relatable comic on the list. As we all know, Thanksgiving is marked by a massive feast, and no one in their right state of mind would ever turn down so much delicious food, even if they were on a diet.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, you can see an overindulged Thor and Loki, full to the point where they can hardly move. Thor has a beer belly, which is nothing new. It’s odd to see a plump Loki, though. Wait, going off their accents, are these two even American?
Go Ahead, Bub
We doubt that anyone will ever fill the shoes of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in their respective alter egos. Wolverine and Deadpool have great chemistry in the comics, cartoons, and movies too. We could honestly watch them fight to the end—
…Well, that just happened. Both Deadpool and Wolverine have the ability to heal themselves through super-regenerative means. That doesn’t mean the regeneration is instant, however. Now we can watch them fight like babies all over again.
Super Secret Identity
There is no doubt that 22 Jump Street is one of the funniest movies of all time, thanks to the remarkable chemistry between Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. We are eagerly anticipating the release of a third movie, but we have no idea when or if that will be happening.
That movie had the memorable "My name is Jeff" scene between Channing Tatum and the gangsters. This extraterrestrial appears to be unaware that people on Earth use the "J" sound. Maybe the same thing is going on here.
Keep It Down, Down!
After the accident, Daredevil's hearing improved beyond that of any regular human being, but not in the way that one would expect. As well as his superhuman sense of smell, taste, and touch, Daredevil sees—or hears—the city through SONAR vision.
He can listen to people speak on the other side of an insulated wall and hear their heartbeats from a distance of more than five meters away. But being so sensitive to sound probably has its drawbacks, too, as the above image illustrates.
The Original Batman
In terms of practicality, Dracula is the original Batman. Arguably, he is even more of a man-bat because of his ability to transform into a bat or even a swarm of bats. A lot of people were left scratching their heads after this one.
If there were a “Wolfman,” werewolves would probably end up getting the same treatment. Let’s avoid any confusion—Dracula is Dracula and Batman is Batman—and the Dark Knight, and the Caped Crusader, and Vengeance. Okay, that’s a lot of titles.
The Red-Nosed Reminder
Here’s a tip if you’re going for your interview—never hoard your silver bullet. Put front and center what they want to see, like Rudolph, who is always positioned in front. Oh, look at that! A comic about the reindeer himself.
When you think about how many millions of toys are transported by nine reindeer, you might forget that they don't simply go to the next city—they go around the world—all done in one night! That might make this festive creature even faster than the fastest speedsters out there.
The Good and Evil
There’s good and evil in every moment, and as moments are measurements of time, this includes holidays. Like most superhero franchises produced these days, Santa has a villain to go up against, one with the same powers that he has.
For those out of the loop by a few centuries, there’s an evil version of Santa called Krampus—the "bad Santa." No, not that Bad Santa, starring Billy Bob. In any case, here they're attempting to reach an agreement. In your opinion, do you think they've reached a fair compromise?
Through A Glass Darkly
Has this ever happened to you? One day, while walking by a yard sale on the way back from the bakery, an old lady with an eye patch offers you a wall mirror for your loaf of bread. Thinking that it would be a great deal, you make the trade and head back home to your family. But every night, this mirror shows you twisted images of your future.
Your skin is sagged, warped by age and the stress of living in a nightmare world—your hair is matted and gray. There is a look of emptiness to you. All of a sudden, you find yourself in your bed. You slowly realize that the mirror, the old lady, the loaf of bread—all of it—was a dream. You go to the bathroom to splash your face… only to see that haunted face looking back!
Robolt strikes again
Here’s Robolt’s true origin story. Robolt lacks a heart—or any other fleshy organ for that matter. He's as sarcastic and as nasty as they come. It's as if he's vying for the title of snarky person—or machine—of the year.
However, mastering the art of sarcasm requires a great deal of practice. Sar-chasm is a term we’ve coined to describe the combination of sarcasm and chasm. If you don't get things done correctly, you may end up being "sar-chastic" instead of sarcastic.
Revenge
At first, it appears that this rhino is on a mission to exact revenge. Animals don’t usually seek revenge unless they've been put in an impossible situation. However, just like people people, some animals are just jerks. This is an easy one to grasp.
The reason this wild rhino is causing trouble is that he enjoys it. He may have a huge head, but that doesn't mean he’s clever or sophisticated. This is probably the most fantastic strip of all the comics. This rhino would have already been poached for its ivory in the real world.
Pointing Out The Obvious
The Riddler is unquestionably one of Batman's classic foes. Since the release of The Batman in 2022, he has become even more infamous. If the Joker matches Batman’s planning skills, the Riddler puts the Caped Crusader’s detective skills to the test.
But his habit of leaving Batman clues is a little outlandish. His riddles are wonderful, but he’s so invested in everyone seeing how smart he is that he has to do it. Hey Riddler—What’s green, covered in questions, and going to jail?
Special Delivery
In a nutshell, this comic explains why Batman prefers to work alone. Batman only accepts the advice of two people—those two people are himself and Alfred. That way of thinking appears to be working for him since he's managed to stay out of trouble for quite some time now.
The relationship between Batman and his young sidekicks is complicated. They sometimes get along, but it's not always the case. Is this new character Robin’s latest incarnation? In some ways, comics are getting way too gritty and real for us to handle.
Get It?
Sometimes it’s just easier to book a service over the internet rather than over the phone. Yes, finding the right page can be annoying, and not being able to speak to a human is irritating, but as long as you check your wording, there’s no room for a misunderstanding.
But that's what happened here. Personally, we can’t wait to see what Hintman gets up to next. The burning question on our minds is: how exactly does Hintman “finish the job”? If the strip above is any indication, presumably, he’ll do it with a big rock.
Talking Gibbefish
Even though it's a totally valid superpower, Aquaman's ability to communicate with fish is widely mocked by comic fans. However, Jason Momoa's portrayal in James Wan's Aquaman, which premiered in 2018, left audiences in awe, their mouths open like fish.
Because he is half Atlantean and half-human, he was given the ability to communicate with fish telepathically. In addition, the trident of Atlan that he possesses enhances his powers. Maybe someone should tell one of his underwater compatriots that green and orange still aren’t in yet.
Growing Up Right
Sitting with a straight back in order to maintain perfect posture and build a strong back is an essential part of building good posture. In addition, sitting with proper posture provides several advantages for the body.
That's what Rocket is attempting to teach Groot, who is still quite young. Even if you're wealthy or attractive, it won’t matter unless you have good posture. Straightening your back makes you look good and feel good. It's one of the first things people notice.
The Flying Doctor
This doctor appears to be completely unfazed about treating the Incredible Hulk. This might explain why he seems so ignorant about the Hulk's status as the strongest Avenger—no disrespect to Thor, of course.
If you’ve ever been examined, you’ll know that your leg springs up as a medical examiner hits the stop right below the kneecap. We wonder what got the Hulk got so mad. Maybe he knows how much a little tap on the knee costs these days.
Cry Me A River
Who said that Aquaman would be useless in a situation where there’s no water? Well, this is a cartoon, and we’re looking at him crying with comic book logic, so I guess that’s still a fair criticism. He probably wouldn’t have enough water in him to fill a river.
But since tears are salty, we guess that he’s made a sea in this strip. Then again, you never know what Aquaman is capable of. Maybe he gained the ability to create water? That would be handy, what with all the water shortages in the world.
The Flash Fizz
Carbon dioxide is probably the most important ingredient in carbonated beverages. It’s where the bubbles come from! But shaking or agitating the container too much will cause the gas inside the drink to explode!
Because the Flash travels excessively fast, the liquid in the can will be a little more than frothy when he arrives at his destination. This comic reminds us of the Simpsons episode where Bart used a highly shaken can to prank Homer.
Ask First
This kid knows nothing about genies. Here’s some advice: it never hurts to ask—it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission—change your toothbrush once every 12 weeks or so. Okay, that’s three pieces of advice. Are we genie material or what?
The point is: you can always have more. But then again, more isn’t always better. For example, it’s actually impossible to spend a billion dollars in a lifetime. If you spent 1,000 dollars a day, it would take you over 2,000 years to spend it all. What use would a trillion be?
Heroes Of A Golden Age
The Batman franchise has been around for quite some time now. There was even a cartoon called Batman Beyond in which Bruce Wayne appeared as a man in his late sixties—but despite that, he is, of course, still as good as ever. Despite its age, Batman has a lot of life left in him.
Not everyone is used to seeing Batman in his twilight years. How could he have lasted for so long? That's fairly easy to answer: he’s Batman. If something goes wrong, he has a plan B in place. In this case, we hope plan B meant retirement.
Look After Your Eyes
In the comic books, Cyclops has to wear ruby quartz lens-based glasses. Otherwise, force energy is infinitely beamed out of his eyes. Unfortunately, the region of his brain that controls these optic beams has been damaged.
Professor X may have given him those glasses, after all. It's no surprise that everything is red for him, considering what the glasses are made of. At the very least, it's an improvement over blindness, right? Make sure you take care of your eyes at all times!
How to remove stains
Has this ever happened to you? Combine a tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap with two cups of ice-cold water in a mixing bowl. Remove the stain by blotting it with a cleaning solution. Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, in that order, can be used if the discoloration persists.
After that, rinse everything out with cold water and a sponge before allowing everything to air dry. Just like Batman, we sometimes find ourselves at the wrong place at the wrong moment. Luckily, you now have the means to clean your cape.
Get ready to be amazed!
Could this be Beast Boy's father? You know—Beast Boy, the Teen Titans member? The green-colored teenage boy with the ability to transform into any animal in the world? That Beast Boy. Maybe he inherited that healthy green skin from this guy.
Do these guys know how terrifying a flock of geese is? He has the potential to be a great asset and a powerful member of any superhero team (or supervillain team, for that matter). He could match the Ratcatcher from the Suicide Squad, for example.