Every week, a secret cabal of Marvel staffers gathers to discuss the best of the best when it comes to the House of Ideas.
The Marvel Universe has always been a complicated place, but perhaps never more so than since Norman Osborn's Dark Reign began.
Under the leadership of Norman in his Iron Patriot guise, longtime villains like Bullseye and Moonstone have taken up the identities of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, becoming the Dark Avengers. But while their intentions may not be the purest, who's to say Venom, Daken and the rest couldn't end up heroes before all's said and done?
Stranger things have happened.
To illustrate this case in point, the Secret Cabal has singled out 10 Marvel stalwarts who started out on the wrong side of the law, but ultimately came to be known as heroes.
For each character you get the quick rundown as well as a special spotlight comic courtesy of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
As always, these picks reflect the personal choices of the Secret Cabal, not the official opinion of Marvel or Marvel.com, and can be considered subjective at best. Enjoy!
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10. WARPATH
First Appearance: NEW MUTANTS v1 #16 (1984)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "No one can really fault Warpath for dabbling in nefarious activities as a young man, seeing as his beloved brother John was killed during one of his first missions as an X-Man. His people were all but wiped out, their lands and culture desecrated. Difficult situations like those can make a man turn a bad corner. Luckily for his X-Force teammates new and old, James Proudstar's on the side of the angels, providing some intense speed, power, smarts and cunning—not to mention the hard edge earned from his younger days—to the fight for good." –Secret Cabal member Agent_M
Spotlight Comic: UNCANNY X-MEN #475—Warpath joins the X-Men!
9. ANTI-VENOM
First Appearance: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #299 (1988)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: Oh Eddie Brock—you're a strange one, aren't you? You've been so, so evil, yet you've been convinced of your own nobility. Then you went and tried to go the hero route. That didn't work and you floundered for a bit. Now, you're back to good again? Maybe? Anti-Venom's future allegiances remain to be seen, but it's the back and forth battle within, the insane fervor, the religious zeal and the wanton destruction surrounding Brock that makes him a fascinating character to watch." –Agent_M
Spotlight Comic: SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #39—Eddie Brock battles his inner demons while May Parker fights for her life!
8. SONGBIRD
First Appearance: MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #54 (1979)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "Once the Grappler known as Screaming Mimi, this former bad girl wrestler found redemption in the Thunderbolts, a group of villains posing as heroes. While many of the others were just playing hero, Songbird found her true self in the course of fighting the good fight. Although her team has been replaced by hardened criminals who show no signs of redemption, Songbird holds out hope. She has been seen as an Avenger in at least one possible future, and plenty of fans wouldn't mind seeing that come to pass." –Secret Cabal member RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic: THUNDERBOLTS: BREAKING POINT #1—Songbird struggles to keep Moonstone from tearing her life apart!
7. THE BLACK WIDOW
First Appearance: TALES OF SUSPENSE #52 (1964)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "By nature, Natasha Romanova should not be a hero, but to have led the life she has led and still strive to do what's right speaks to a tremendous wealth of character that makes her ongoing journey a fascinating one to follow. Regardless of whether she uses her skills for good or evil, the Black Widow's bad ass spy training, slinky leather outfits and in-your-face style of social interaction would make her a fan favorite. But the Widow breaks out of the classic femme fatale box through her nobility and the love she has shared with true blue heroes like Daredevil and the current Captain America." –Secret Cabal member Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: BLACK WIDOW #1—Natasha Romanova meets her would-be successor!
6. THE SCARLET WITCH
First Appearance: UNCANNY X-MEN #4 (1964)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "One of the most tragic figures in the Marvel Universe, Wanda Maximoff has so rarely been able to make her own decisions in steering her life, despite all her power. In her formative years, her father, Magneto, set her down a path of wrongdoing she never fully bought into. After first becoming an Avenger, she too often stood in the shadow of her brother, Quicksilver, or her husband, the Vision. Most recently, the Scarlet Witch has been the victim of power and madness beyond her control and caused tragedy she will likely never forgive herself for. But in her finest moments as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, whether bringing down Ultron when all other could not or saving scores of innocents from the tyranny of Kang, Wanda has shown an innate goodness and bravery beneath her scarlet cloak." –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: AVENGERS v3 #11—The Scarlet Witch leads the Avengers against the Legion of the Unliving!
5. THE BLACK CAT
First Appearance: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #194 (1979)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "Few heroes in the Marvel Universe stand out as greater paragons of naïve innocence quite like the ever-Amazing Spider-Man, so watching the sinfully sexy Black Cat trying to seduce the Webslinger over to the dark side has always proven a pleasure. Sure, Felicia Hardy has settled down a bit since her earliest days as a cat burglar par excellence—but not too much. Black Cat not only exudes a deliciously playful deviousness, she brings out the wild streak of every hero she comes into contact with. When she's good, she's good, but when she's bad, we love it." –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #226—The Black Cat crosses Spider-Man's path once more!
4. QUICKSILVER
First Appearance: UNCANNY X-MEN #4 (1964)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "Quicksilver has never been the prototypical knight in shining armor, but it's not for lack of trying. He's had his family tree working against him from day one, as his old man, Magneto, has always hoped his boy would one day follow in his footsteps as the premier megalomaniac of the mutant race. Pietro has crossed the line on more than one occasion, but he always seems to pull himself back from the brink. He's arrogant and often irrational, but his deep love for those close to him—like his sister Wanda and estranged wife Crystal—has been able to keep his inner demons in check…so far." –Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: SON OF M #1—In the aftermath of House of M, a powerless Quicksilver must atone for his grave sins!
3. ROGUE
First Appearance: AVENGERS ANNUAL #10 (1981)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "There is no stronger manifestation of the dichotomy of good vs evil than Rogue. She doesn't just have one power, or even one mind; Rogue constantly evolves. She's gaining new powers, new memories and new anguish with every poor soul whose energy she absorbs. Her southern charm is matched only by her beauty, but it's hard to tell which Rogue is more enticing: the ruthless villain of the Brotherhood or the heroine fighting alongside the X-Men. When it comes to extraordinary exploits, Rogue goes both ways." –Secret Cabal member GarbageHands333
Spotlight Comic: UNCANNY X-MEN #173—Rogue teams with Wolverine in Japan in one of her first missions as a member of the X-Men!
2. EMMA FROST
First Appearance: UNCANNY X-MEN #129 (1979)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "Emma Frost has long been an enigma to everyone, including herself. Far from pure of heart, the former White Queen was a long time adversary of the X-Men, even forming her own rival school. But she did hold mutants' safety as her highest concern, which is why when the tables turned on all mutantkind, Emma Frost found solace, and a home, with the X-Men. But is the former Queen hardening her soul once more in aligning herself with Norman Osborn? Diamonds are usually a girl's best friend, but the dark side seems to always hover a close second for Emma…" –RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic: ASTONISHING X-MEN #19—Though their trust in her has been shaken, Emma Frost joins the X-Men as they storm the Breakworld!
1. RONIN
First Appearance: TALES OF SUSPENSE #57 (1964)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "Clint Barton, the ultimate reformed baddie, wasn't really a 'bad' buy, just misunderstood. But he was given his shot to reform by none other than Captain America in the first Avengers line-up change ever. From his start as part of Cap's Kooky Quartet, he quickly proved that he may be a hero, but he's still got the spirit of a bad boy. Temperamental, brash, and hot-headed, he tends to rush head first into situations, but always with the best of intentions, and usually—even to his own surprise—with successful outcomes. He's won over the fans' hearts over the years, for sure." –RunawayJ
Spotlight Comic: AVENGERS #174—Clint Barton stands alone as Hawkeye against the cosmically-powered Collector!
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