When we imagine a superhero, we too often think of a being mega-powerful, super-fast and able to fly. But a comic book character can have a physical disability and still be a superhuman. Besides, there is several heroes who proved to us that we could save the world with a disability. Whether you are deaf, blind or paraplegic, know that there is necessarily a character Marvel/DC which you can feel close to. Who are these heroes? Find out in this list of characters who have never let themselves down despite their handicap.
1) Echo (Marvel)
Maya Lopez was only a young girl when her father was assassinated by the Caïd and she was taken in by him. Despite the fact that she is deaf and that it is a problem for him on certain occasions, the heroine nicknamed Echo will turn her handicap into a real strength. She will develop superhuman reflexes and an eidetic memory allowing her to reproduce every movement she observes. In addition to being an Olympic-level athlete, she will also become an expert in martial arts.
Echo will be sent by the Kingpin, to Daredevil, to cause his downfall. When she learns that the man who raised her was actually her father’s murderer, she will turn against him and try to shoot him in the head.
2) Jericho (DC Comics)
Joseph Wilson is the son of the assassin Deathstroke. As such, he found himself in danger on many, many occasions. During one of them, he was taken hostage by a terrorist named Jackal in order to coerce her father into divulging secret information. But Deathstroke will not reveal anything, and Joseph will only be taken a little more to task. Jackal will then make the decision to slit the throat of the young boy, which will have the action to make him mute. However, this will not prevent him from becoming a superhero.
Under the pseudonym of Jericho, he will join the Teen Titans. By simple eye contact, the hero can take possession of anyone’s body. While in control, he then has access to all of his powers and memories.
3) Hawkeye (Marvel)
During his misadventures, Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, will see his abused eardrums more than any other character in the Marvel Universe. Being a superhero is not an easy job… And that, Clint will really realize when his personal life is impacted and that he will completely lose his hearing, after a sneak attack from the Clown.
The sound arrows and the explosions of buildings will have finally succeeded in overcoming Clint’s hearing. In the TV miniseries Hawkeye, the hero is shown wearing hearing aids. Will we then see him completely hearing impaired in the MCU sequel? No matter, we don’t worry about this exceptionally skilled archer!
4) Professor Xavier (Marvel)
During a stay in the Himalayas, Charles Xavier met a group of inhabitants placed under the cupel of a being named Lucifer. Wanting to help them regain their freedom, the telepath decided to face the alien. Unfortunately, he was trapped during the battle. In the heat of the action, Lucifer will knock a slab from the ceiling over Charles Xavier’s legs.
In the Marvel Universe, Professor Xavier is a character known for helping a bunch of mutants master their powers for the good of mankind. After his misadventure in Tibet and eventually becoming a paraplegic, he created the school of X-Men. Charles Xavier is considered, to this day, as the most fearsome mutant in the universe and the ambassador of this species in the eyes of humanity.
5) Oracle (DC)
Few changes have breathed new life into a character the way Barbara Gordon has. In The Killing Jokerthe young lady was shot in the spine and lost the use of his legs. It will then take some time for her to adapt to her new life in a wheelchair, but she will eventually succeed.
As Oracle, Barbara will become eyes and an invaluable bank of information for DC Comics heroes. It will support them on a level never seen before. When the publishing house finally decides to bring her back in the form of Batgirl, many fans will cry foul.
6) Captain Marvel Jr. (DC Comics)
After an unfortunate meeting with Captain Nazi, Freddy Freeman lost his grandfather and was seriously injured in the left leg. He will then be saved by the intervention of Captain Marvel, who will agree to share some of his powers with him. This will not return his leg to its original state, but will provide the reporter with an escape route by allowing him to transform into a superhero each time he speaks his savior’s name.
If you’ve noticed any similarities to the Shazam hero transformation mode, that’s completely normal. Captain Marvel is actually the old form attributed to the DC Comics character. Unfortunately, this means that when Freddy is no longer in his superhero guise, he becomes the crippled young man left for dead by the horrible Captain Nazi.
7) The Chief (DC Comics)
Niles Caulder, alias “the Chef”, was at the time an engineer devoted to his work, which consisted in creating a product intended to extend life expectancy. When he discovered the dubious intentions of the person who had employed him, he refused to pursue his research. General Immortus will then punish him by implanting an explosive device inside his body. Niles Caulder will eventually manage to extract the bomb without it exploding, at the cost all the same of its ability to walk.
Subsequently, the scientist will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. It will then become a kind of Charles Xavier in the DC universe, and will lead the Doom Patrol, a group of superheroes made up of outcasts. Under the nickname “Chief”, he will fight when the situation calls for it with weapons built by his own hands, such as the flamethrower attached to his wheelchair.
8) Daredevil (Marvel)
Thanks to his series formerly broadcast on Netflix, the story of the superhero Daredevil is now well known. If you have never heard of it on your end, here are some clarifications. As a teenager, Matt Murdock saved a civilian from a collision with a truck. In the incident, the young man became blind because of the radioactive products transported by the truck and which reached his eyes.
On the other hand, he noticed an exacerbation of his other senses. Like many visually impaired people, Daredevil uses sound to orient himself. His blindness did not prevent him from becoming an impressive martial arts master.
9) Cyborg (DC Comics)
During an experiment involving a dimensional portal, Victor Stone was maimed by an alien creature came from elsewhere. To save his life, his father implanted him with several cybernetic prostheses and transformed him into a real cyborg. When he woke up, Victor was horrified by the result and even confessed that he would have rather died than live with a robotic body part.
Despite the tragedy of the situation, Victor came to realize that he could using his disability as a weapon to protect others. He then took advantage of his robotic body and the many gadgets that went with it, to help the poorest.
10) Doctor Mid-nite (dc)
Introduced in 1941, Doctor Mid-Nite was one of the first blind superheroes in history, long before the creation of Daredevil… The character existed under 3 different identities. The first to wear this costume was Dr. Charles McNider, a surgeon blinded during surgery. While performing an operation on a patient who was preparing to testify against the Mafia, he was with a grenade throw that blinded him.
During his recovery, Doctor Mid-Nite discovered that his vision had completely reversed. Consequently, he could see perfectly in the dark, but could not distinguish anything during the day. In order not to be penalized in his arrests taking place in broad daylight, the superhero made himself special glasses allowing him to also see when the sun is up.
We have come to the end of this list. And you, Which disabled superheroes do you find classy and inspiring? Do not hesitate to let us know in the comments section. While waiting to read you, discover this list of the 10 most powerful enemies defeated by Moon Knight.
