Stories of superheroes are mostly about kindness, courage, and power. There are countless events where our favorite superheroes have to rely on their special strengths to save mankind from otherworldly threats. In many of these occasions, however, knowledge is the greatest power of them all.
There have been a lot of geniuses and smart characters in the Marvel Universe over the years. We are going to look at some of the brightest in this article.
Karnak
Karnak is an avid member of the Inhuman Royal Family. He is the character that advised Black Bolt and Medusa through the most difficult times of the Inhuman history, including through war. Karnak was also the one who helped save the Inhumans from total extinction.
His greatest talent is being able to see flaws in almost everything. He can discover weak points and figure out the weakest link in a group almost instantly. This same skill also turns him into a very capable negotiator and strategist on the battlefield.
What’s interesting is that Karnak isn’t an inhuman as such. He didn’t acquire his special abilities from a special event or a mutation. Instead, he acquired them through meditation and hard work. Karnak can even see the flaw in the afterlife, which is why he was able to cheat death time and time again.
Charles Xavier
Charles Xavier is more popular as Professor X, the leader of the X-Men. He is the brain behind the Cerebro and the Danger Room. He also runs a school for the gifted, where mutants learn to master their abilities.
Professor X is not just smart. He has a strong educational background, particularly in biophysics, psychology, and psychiatry. It is also said that he is a master in genetics and genetic engineering. Xavier was so smart that he was recognized as the leading expert on the super-humans – or mutants – until the end of his life.
Peter Parker
Peter Parker, or Spider-Man, may not be the name you expect to see on this list. That said, he is still one of the smartest guys in the Marvel Universe. Peel away the Spidey costume and his playful nature, Parker was actually a genius deep down.
Let’s not forget that it was also Parker who invented the signature web fluid. The invention of the Parker Particle, the form of energy that acts as a catalyst in the creation of Alpha, is also one of Parker’s best achievements.
Tony Stark
You thought I had forgotten about Stark, hadn’t you? Tony Stark is every engineer’s idol. I’m sure a lot of students who are pursuing their online masters in engineering degree from reputable names such as the University of California Riverside are inspired by Stark one way or another.
Stark is a genius on a more practical level. The technologies you see in the Iron Man comics are actually more accessible than you think. In fact, some engineering online students are using the same technologies as part of their courses right now.
Of course, these are only a handful of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe. There are still plenty of other genius superheroes, but we are going to save them for another discussion. Stay tuned for more updates right here on Comics Bulletin.