12. The Spirit
If you know The Spirit from the movie alone (which features Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, among others), then you don't know The Spirit. With a history dating back to 1940, this iconic comic book character has consistently been among the top-rated heroes of all time.
Like others on this list, The Spirit is in no way at the top of his physical game, although he’s a skilled fighter. Instead, he makes the most of knowledge he gathered as a detective to defeat his enemies.
Some might say that he shouldn't be on this list because he came back from the dead, but he was only believed to be dead due to the machinations of his archenemy, Octopus. As other heroes have created their villains, Octopus' plan gave birth to the Spirit. The former detective saw his “death” as an opportunity, and donned a costume to exert justice on evildoers.
