1. Batman - One of the most loved characters in the whole of comic world, his dominance and iconic status seems to be unparalleled by any other character in the DC or Marvel universe. The first major non-superpowered superhero, Batman forever changed the entire genre and the very definition of a superhero, making us realise that you don’t need superpowers to be a hero and made way for other popular non-superpowered characters like Iron man, Daredevil, Captain America, Punisher, Nightwing, Black Panther, Green Arrow, Batgirl, Black Widow, Hawkeye, etc. From the 1989 Batman movie to the 90’s Batman: the animated series, many TV shows, the Nolan trilogy and the recent Arkham game series, all have contributed to the tremendous and significant rise in Batman’s popularity creating a humongous fanbase. So much so, that every non-nerd thinks it’s cool to wear a Batman t-shirt.

2. Superman - He is the grand daddy of them all. He is the one who started it all. The first superhero ever and the powerhouse of DC. Without him there could have been no superhero genre. Warner Bros, Sony & Disney could have never made billions. He is the standard by which every other superpowered hero is measured.

3. Spiderman - Spiderman has been a favourite of Marvel fans since a very long time. From the 90’s animated cartoons and numerous other animated shows to the Spiderman trilogy and the amazing Spiderman series, he has been one of the most influential characters not just in Marvel but the entire comic world and his recent appearance in ‘Civil War’ was no less than awesome!

4. Iron man - Iron man’s success is more recent. Thanks to Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. for a really good Iron man movie. Iron man’s rise has been quite impressive considering that that the character has gained huge popularity in such a short span of time. The nerds were happy to see their favourite character on screen while the non-nerds became a fan of his after the movie. The movie’s success turned the table for Marvel’s cinematic universe and paved the way for other characters like Cap A & Thor. He could be considered as the most popular character in the avengers. Batman and Iron man’s success could be contributed to the fact they both are merely humans in a team of superpowered beings and that people find it easy to connect with them due to this factor.

5. Hulk - He is Marvel’s powerhouse and easily one of the most recognizable characters in whole of comics. Often considered to be the Marvel equivalent of Superman, his popularity never seems to fade even after having not-so-good solo movies.

6. Wonder Woman - Widely considered a women’s icon, She is the first female superhero and one of the strongest characters in the entire comic world and the one to make way for other female superheroes to come. Together with Batman and Superman they form the trinity. She never had any solo movie on the big screen. However, that never affected her popularity. She is a favourite among many fans and would soon be having her own movie. Also, her screen time in ‘Batman V Superman’ may have been short but it was nothing less than amazing! and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that she stole the show.

7. The Flash - When I say the word speedster I bet the name that first pops up in most people’s minds would be the Flash. There’s a reason why he is considered to be the fastest man alive and maybe the most famous speedster of the comic world.

8. Wolverine - It wouldn’t be wrong to say that he is one of the most popular Marvel characters ever and the most popular X-men of all. That adamantium claws and tough guy look, looks nothing short of badass.

Some of the other successful comic book characters are Captain America, Thor, Green Lantern, Nightwing, Green Arrow and Black Widow.

Honourable mention: Goku.