7 Characters You Won’t Believe Are Actual Marvel

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Marvel Comics is well-known for creating its own superheroes and villains, but it also houses characters that were initially created elsewhere. This practice started in the 70s when Stan Lee chose to expand Marvel’s influence by licensing characters from films, toy lines, and TV shows, then integrating them into the Marvel universe continuity. In some instances, these characters maintain their own separate worlds like in Star Wars, while others are fully integrated into the mainstream Marvel timeline, such as Conan the Barbarian.

Here are eight surprising characters from the realm of literature and beyond who have found a home in the Marvel Universe.

Discover these eight unlikely heroes from various genres that have made their way into the Marvel Comics universe!

7) Angela

Angela is a captivating figure whose rights to publication have been embroiled in a complex legal battle. This dispute stems from a copyright disagreement where a creator accused his publisher of hypocrisy and took the matter to court. Notably, Todd McFarlane, who played a crucial role in establishing Image Comics with the aim of fortifying creators’ rights, found himself at odds with Neil Gaiman when he attempted to assert ownership over the character Angela, who Gaiman introduced as a new divine antihero in Spawn #9. McFarlane’s stance contradicted his initial statements about promoting creator rights upon founding Image Comics. In response, Gaiman challenged McFarlane in court, citing his own words, and ultimately succeeded in acquiring sole ownership of Angela. Later, Gaiman transferred the character to Marvel Comics, where she became a significant part of their Asgardian narratives.

6) Conan the Barbarian

Robert E. Howard introduced the character of Conan the Barbarian in his pulp novels back in 1932, penning 21 tales about the fierce warrior before his untimely death in 1936. Over time, various authors continued writing about this legendary hero, who has starred in numerous fantastical adventures. Prior to Arnold Schwarzenegger portraying him in movies during the 1980s, Marvel Comics had already secured comic publication rights for Conan in the 1970s. Unlike properties such as Star Wars that also have multiple Marvel comics, Conan was transplanted into the Marvel universe, specifically Earth-616, where he teamed up with various Marvel heroes. He has been a member of the Savage Avengers and has collaborated with numerous characters like Wolverine, Elektra, and even Venom.

5) Red Sonja

Fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie “Conan the Barbarian” might also recognize the spin-off film called “Red Sonja.” However, it’s worth noting that Robert E. Howard didn’t create Red Sonja in his original Conan stories. Instead, Marvel Comics introduced this character in 1973, crafted by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. They published comics about her until 1986, frequently depicting her fighting alongside Conan the Barbarian. The movie “Red Sonja” is based on the Marvel Comics character, even though Dynamite Comics now holds her rights, it was initially Marvel who created this fierce heroine.

4) G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe originated as a military-themed toy line by Hasbro, symbolizing the four branches of the U.S. army. The toys were essentially playsets for children to create their own stories about soldiers. Contrary to popular belief, the cartoons didn’t establish the backstory; instead, they debuted in 1984. Prior to this, G.I. Joe was depicted in comics, with Marvel Comics acquiring the license during the 1980s. Larry Hanna, the writer, developed the lore for most of the team members, including Duke and Snake Eyes. The cartoons and films drew inspiration from Marvel Comics’ concepts to expand upon the narratives. Interestingly, Duke made an appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #268, thereby integrating G.I. Joe into the official Marvel Universe.

3) Transformers

In contrast to G.I. Joe, which was solely a comic book character, Transformers expanded into the Marvel Comics universe, interacting with notable superheroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, and Wolverine. Similar to G.I. Joe, Transformers initially started as a line of toys but later evolved into an intricate narrative. In the 1980s, Hasbro collaborated with Marvel Comics to develop a story for their transformable robots, turning to Bob Budiansky for character creation. Budiansky is responsible for creating beloved Transformer characters such as Optimus Prime (whose name was coined by Jim Shooter) and Megatron. The team also collaborated on a third issue with Spider-Man, and they had crossovers with Captain America and Wolverine as well.

2) Predator

Readers of Marvel Comics today probably recognize that Predator is now part of the Marvel Universe. For those who aren’t familiar, this might be surprising news. Marvel obtained the rights to the movie monster in 2022 and has since produced comic books featuring the hunter-killers. Unlike other licensed characters, Marvel decided to have the Yautja interact directly with their heroes and villains. Since then, Marvel has published several original Predator stories, as well as fights between Predator and popular characters like Wolverine, Black Panther, and Spider-Man.

1) Godzilla

In various Marvel Comics appearances since the 1970s, Godzilla – a colossal Japanese monster that embodies fear from atomic devastation post World War II – often poses a threat, regardless of which superheroes are present to challenge it. Notably, Doug Moench and Herb Trimpe crafted these encounters after Marvel obtained the license for Godzilla in the ’70s. During this time, Godzilla engaged in battles with organizations like SHIELD, teams such as the Avengers and Fantastic Four, among others. However, other Toho monsters were not introduced by Marvel, making it primarily a clash between Godzilla and the Marvel Universe. The rights to Godzilla reverted at the end of the ’70s, but in 2025, Godzilla once again unleashed havoc on Marvel’s superheroes.

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2025-08-28 20:12