7 Marvel Supporting Characters Who Should Be Bigger Stars

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Marvel Comics is famous for creating iconic heroes and villains, like Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Iron Man, who are now recognized worldwide through comics, movies, and games. But beyond the action-packed battles, Marvel also excels at developing compelling supporting characters – some of whom have become even more popular than the main heroes themselves.

While characters like Mary Jane Watson and Pepper Potts have become famous, many other supporting characters in Marvel comics have the potential to be major stars. Looking back over the decades, there are numerous supporting characters who, with just a little development, could easily reach that level. Here are seven who deserve more attention.

7) Deathdream

Since its launch in 2024, Uncanny X-Men has been the standout X-Men title, and a major highlight is the introduction of the Outliers. These four new young mutants are instantly likable, each with a unique appeal. Currently, fans are especially captivated by Deathdream, a Japanese mutant who can communicate with the deceased and possesses a range of death-related abilities he’s still discovering. What truly sets Deathdream apart, though, is his personality – he’s quirky and possesses a strangely endearing, childlike quality balanced by a compelling darkness. With a little development, Deathdream has the potential to become a truly popular character.

6) The Daily Bugle Staff

Spider-Man is often considered Marvel’s most down-to-earth hero, and a key part of that is thanks to The Daily Bugle newspaper. Run by J. Jonah Jameson and Robbie Robertson, the paper employed many memorable characters like Ben Urich, Ned Leeds, and Betty Brant. Peter Parker’s work there consistently created interesting conflicts, and Jameson benefited greatly from the stories surrounding Spider-Man. But the rest of the Daily Bugle staff also deserve recognition. Marvel could follow DC’s lead with Gotham Central and create a compelling series focused on Jameson, Robertson, Urich, and the others, giving these characters the spotlight they’ve earned.

5) Misty Knight

Misty Knight has all the qualities of a long-term Marvel superstar, but the company hasn’t fully embraced her potential. Created in the 1970s during a wave of “blaxploitation” films, she was a unique character – a private investigator with a robotic arm. She partnered with Colleen Wing, another martial arts hero created during the popular kung fu movie boom of the time. Essentially, Misty and Colleen were the female counterparts to Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and Misty was always positioned as the lead. Despite her strong foundation, she’s remained a relatively minor character, when she could be so much more prominent.

4) Lindsay McCabe

I’ve always liked Lindsay McCabe. She was Jessica Drew’s best friend in the original Spider-Woman comic, and even though she didn’t have powers, she was such a solid, relatable character – just a normal girl from Long Island who always had her friend’s back. What’s cool is she wasn’t just a one-off. Later, she ended up in Madripoor, hanging out with Wolverine and even teaming up with Jessica again as private investigators! That shows how adaptable she is, popping up in a Wolverine book after being in Spider-Woman. Honestly, Marvel could really do something great with her if they just gave her a bit more focus. She’s the kind of fun, down-to-earth character who could fit into pretty much any story.

3) Sharon Carter

Captain America, Marvel’s top soldier, fights against injustice with the Avengers, the military, and SHIELD. A key figure in his story is Sharon Carter, a SHIELD agent with whom he’s had a long-term relationship. Sharon is a compelling character – capable, intriguing, and recognizable from her appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She deserves her own miniseries, and with the right creative team, could easily carry an ongoing series.

2) Moira MacTaggert

Moira MacTaggert has been a significant supporting character in the X-Men for years and played a crucial part in establishing the current Krakoa storyline. While she’s already well-known, she had the potential to become even more popular. Marvel originally planned a solo comic series for her, written by Al Ewing and illustrated by Adam Kubert, which would have explored her new life as a mutant. Unfortunately, those plans were altered, and instead, she was given a less impactful role as a villain. Had the original comic gone forward, with two highly-regarded creators working on it during a very successful period for the X-Men, she could have become a truly major character.

1) Rick Jones

Rick Jones was once a central figure in the Marvel Universe. Inspired by a DC character, he inadvertently caused Bruce Banner to be exposed to the gamma bomb, leading to the creation of the Hulk. He’s also credited with bringing together the original Avengers team – Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, Wasp, and the Hulk – to fight Loki. Interestingly, he even had a connection to Captain America, working alongside him as Bucky. Rick played a significant role in the story of Captain Marvel, sharing a unique connection through the Kree Nega-Bands, which allowed him and Captain Marvel (and later his son) to swap consciousnesses and travel to the Negative Zone. As the trend of using teen characters as relatable reader inserts declined, Rick’s prominence lessened. However, he remains an important part of Marvel history, and there’s plenty of potential to reimagine him as a major character for modern audiences.

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2026-03-17 16:12