Marvel has become well-known for their multiverse because of the MCU, but the publisher isn’t usually who comic fans think about when it comes to multiverses. The House of Ideas does have a comic multiverse, but they do it their own way, much like they do with everything else. The Marvel Multiverse really took flight after the X-Men alternate universe tale “Days of Future Past”, and since then readers have been introduced some of the coolest alternate universe superheroes of all-time. These alternate universe versions of beloved characters have starred in some of the best multiverse stories ever, taking readers on journeys they can’t have on Earth-616.
These new versions of our most beloved heroes are some of the best ever, showing why these character are so timeless. Some superheroes can work in just about any setting, and these stories prove that. Here are the seven best alternate universe versions of Marvel superheroes who we all love.
7) 1602 Nick Fury
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1602, by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert, is a forgotten artifact of ’00s Marvel, at a time when they were trying to take the crown of best prestige comic purveyor from DC Comics. The Sandman writer came over and worked his magic and gave us one of the best versions of Nick Fury ever. Sir Nicholas Fury served in the court of Queen Elizabeth I, and was embroiled in the birth of the Marvel Age in the 17th century. He was a take no prisoners warrior of Elizabethan England, and his schemes and skill made him more dangerous than many of the superpowered people he had to deal with.
6) Fantastic Four: The End Invisible Woman
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Invisible Woman is an icon, and it’s honestly hard to find her a version of the character that isn’t excellent. However, the version of Sue from the forgotten classic Fantastic Four: The End, by Alan Davis, is one of the best. After a tragedy drives the team apart, she’s the one who goes out and takes destiny into her own hands, trying to find what happened to her children when everyone else had seemingly moved on. She was a woman made of adamantium, her unyielding will, her refusal to give up on the people she loved, driving the team to solve the riddle that tore them apart. Sue is always the best, but this version was just a little better than usual.
5) Maestro
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The Hulk faces some powerful villains, but he’s the strongest one there is, so he usually is able to come out on top. However, what if there was another stronger one there is, only older, wilier, and more powerful? That was the question of Hulk: Future Imperfect, by Hulk legend Peter David and the incomparable George Perez. The Maestro is an evil version of the hero, who had gained more power than ever after a nuclear holocaust, killing every hero that came at him and ruling the survivors of the world. The Maestro has become something of a legend, returning numerous times and influencing certain portrayals of the Jade Giant in alternate universes.
4) X-Man
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Cable was one of the most popular mutants of the ’90s, so when the “Age of Apocalypse” created a new Earth, Marvel decided to bring over an alternate universe version of the character. X-Man is the best version of Cable, a teenage test tube baby of Cyclops and Jean Grey with godlike mental powers and no techno-organic virus. X-Man‘s first couple of years are honestly spectacular, taking the young hero on a journey through a universe that he could never imagine, learning how to use his powers and deal with a world of people who want to get their hands on him. He hasn’t been used well since, honestly, but his early years were so amazing, that it’s okay.
3) Avengers: Twilight Captain America
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Avengers: Twilight is a perfect Avengers story, Chip Zdarsky and Daniel Acuna serving readers pitch perfect portrayals of the best characters in the Marvel Universe. This alternate future tale took readers to a fascist America, where Captain America has had his supersoldier serum taken away after the Avengers died and superheroes became nationalized. When given a chance to rejoin the fight with Luke Cage, Cap jumps into the fight, gets his powers back, and takes the battle to the powers that be while reforging the Avengers. Zdarsky writes an amazing Cap, and this one is no different. He’s the perfect older version of the hero. However, he’s not the only Cap on this list…
2) Earth X Captain America
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Earth X is Marvel the way it should be, and I wish I lived in a world where more people thought so. This alternate future classic, by Jim Krueger, Alex Ross, and John Paul Leon, took us to a Marvel Universe where everyone gained superpowers and suddenly Captain America was just another soldier, weaker than many, fighting for a dream that kept getting further and further away. This is disenchanted Cap at its finest; Krueger and Ross give us a Steve Rogers who is completely broken, but can’t give up the fight because it’s all he has left. This unbreakable will becomes one of the touchstones of the story, and it makes the triumphs and losses this Cap feels shine. Honestly, the diminishing returns of the book’s two sequels are worth it just to spend more time with this amazing version of Marvel’s greatest hero.
1) Weapon X
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I’ll be honest: I’m the kind of Wolverine fan that could fill this whole list with Wolverines, and everyone would expect Old Man Logan to be at the top. However, there’s a better alternate universe Wolverine and it’s Weapon X. This version of Logan hails from the X-Men’s “Age of Apocalypse”, recruited to the X-Men by Magneto. He left the team after they abandoned Jean Grey to Mister Sinister, losing his hand to Cyclops to free her. The two battled the evil mutant empire, and played a key role in the end of Apocalypse’s reign. He’d later join the X-Men, leading the team before using a Death Seed to become the new Apocalypse in a failed bid to save the world. He’s a pretty well-fleshed out version of the character, and one of the most interesting alternates ever.
Whose your favorite alternate Marvel character? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!