Everybody knows about the top mainstream comic book characters, like Batman, Superman and the Incredible Hulk. While they certainly have their charm, most comic book fans know that there are some other amazing characters – ones that you may not be familiar with if you aren’t a die-hard fan.
In fact, some of the best comic book characters of all-time aren’t well-known known in the United States because the comics they were featured in were rarely translated into English, making them only collector’s items for US-based fans.
Below, you’ll find five of the best from around the world that really deserve an international audience:
Captain Jupiter
Captain Jupiter, aka Rex Vane, is a Chilean comic book character who works out of a secret laboratory on Easter Island. Captain Jupiter has the ability to make himself invisible, hear from many miles away, shoot energy beams from his eyes and spend time in space or underwater without protective equipment.
If Captain Jupiter doesn’t give Superman a run for his money, no comic book character does.
Brainmaster
Brainmaster is an Australian comic book character who may be known to some comic fans familiar with the Vixen series. That’s because Brainmaster was Vixen’s partner in fighting crime.
Brainmaster isn’t just smart, as his name might suggest – he’s also telepathic – something he’s used to thwart villains since he was created in 1970.
Diabolik
Diabolik is an Italian master villain who routinely rips off other criminals. While he might seem like an anti-hero, he doesn’t seem to have any ethical compass, and potentially harming innocent civilian bystanders doesn’t seem to be a problem for him.
Unlike many master villains, Diabolik is just a normal human with no superpowers at all. He’s also one of the most well-known Italian comic book characters because he’s also featured in comics with Eva Kant – his lover and partner in crime.
Sabraman
Sabraman is an Israeli comic book character that many fans have compared to Superman; however, unlike Superman, Sabraman used to be a police chief in the real world during the time of the holocaust and WWII. In a lab explosion, Sabraman took on special powers that allowed him to seek out his captors and avenge them.
Sabraman’s main arch-enemy is Dr. Mengele. If you haven’t guessed it by now, the Sabraman series was designed as a morality tale and history lesson for children and teens.
Sabraman wasn’t a big success when the series was first published, but the series has since become something of a cult-classic both in and out of Israel since 1978.
Guyver
Created in Japan, Guyver is a popular cyborg character. In the series, a seventeen year old Japanese school boy discovers an alien device that allows him to transform. Attempting to impress a girl, he transforms and eventually becomes something of a superhero.
Since being created in 1985, the Guyver character has actually been featured in several movies available in the U.S., both of which comic book and Japanese animation fans should seek out.
Many popular comic book characters have been a major part of US pop culture, inspiring movies, video games, and more, but the five characters above are just a few of the hundreds if not thousands of characters from around the world that deserve attention from comic fans. Try seeking out comics from other countries that have been translated into English – you’ll likely find some new characters whose adventures you can follow for years.
Marcela De Vivo is a writer for music company Arena, mother and business owner who loves reading comic books, especially the ones that her children collect. Her writing also covers the health, music and marketing industries. Follow her on Pinterest and Facebook today!
