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Continuing my list of the top 100 comic book super heroes.
75. Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt): The original Mr. Terrific seemed lame. I mean who would give them self the name "Mr. Terrific" (other than maybe Reed Richards) and yet Michael Holt is cool. Not sure exactly what makes the difference but Michael Holt seems to be able to live up to the name "Mr. Terrific".
74. The Question (Vic Sage): First came the Question at Charlton Comics. Then came Rorschach in Watchmen. Then came the Question again at DC Comics. This second time around for the character really established the Question in the DC universe. Originally the Question was an Objectivist but in the second-life for the character he adhered to a more Zen-like philosophy and it worked.
73. Swamp Thing: I admit that Swamp Thing isn't really a classic superhero but he has had team-ups with Batman in the Brave and the Bold and with Superman in DC Comics Presents not to mention that he has saved the world through "the green" several times so if that doesn't make you a superhero I don't know what does. The issue that revealed that Swamp Thing was not human Alec Holland turned into muck but actually a plant that thought it was Alec Holland was transformative, not only for the character but for the comic industry as a whole because that was when America discovered Alan Moore.
72. Phantom Stranger: Is he a superhero? Not really. Although he was a member of the Justice League of America, for awhile...sort of we don't even really know who (or what) the Phantom Stranger is or what his powers are. He's almost as bad as Uatu the Watcher but at least the Phantom Stranger shows up before the cosmic catastrophe to warn the heroes that it is coming...and then sometimes tries to help. Uatu always just shows up with a bag of peanuts and a diet Coke. Not knowing truly anything about this character has kept the readers guessing and allows him to fill many roles for the writer.
71. Green Lantern (Alan Scott): The original Green Lantern made his debut in 1940 when a young railroad engineer found a lantern bathed in green flames. The lantern instructed Scott to form a ring from its metal and the Green Lantern was born.
Decades later it was revealed that Alan Scott had some tangential relationship to Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps. As it turns out the Guardians of the Universe had attempted to purge magic from the Universe and that collected magic eventually became the Starheart and found its way to Earth where it eventually became the magic based lantern and ring that Alan Scott used. Overtime Alan Scott internalized the Starheart so he no longer needs to recharge his ring (he also no longer really needs the ring) anymore. Kept young by the mystical energies of the Starheart, Green Lantern's power is limited only by his will and a vulnerability to wood. This nearly limitless power has caused speculation that Alan Scott may be one of the most powerful heroes in the DC universe.
70. The Wasp (Janet Van Dyne): She was a founding member of the Avengers and along with Susan Storm Richards she was one of the first female heroes in the Marvel Universe and yet it took being hit by her husband (see Yellow Jacket #80) before she found her own voice. After separating from Hank Pym, Janet Van Dyne went on to lead the Avengers and became a strong independent woman...finally.
69. Hell Boy: An interesting study of nature versus nurture. Hell Boy is a demon who was ripped from Hell by the Nazis during WWII but was found by the Allied Forces. Even though he can be a bit rough around the edges, Hell Boy still fights for the forces of good against paranormal threats.
68. Wildfire: Like Cyborg, Wildfire was lucky that when his body was converted into a ball of anti-energy that someone just happened to have the Erg-1 suit lying around. This suit allows the sentient anti-energy that is Drake Burroughs to fly; exhibit great strength and blast powerful bolts of energy. Wildfire is considered to be one of the most powerful Legionnaires along with Superboy, Mon-el and Ultraboy. Unfortunately for Wildfire, Drake Burroughs still has the mind and soul of a man complete with all of the passions and desires which has led to a frustrating relationship with Dawnstar for years.
67. Firestorm: This character has gone through a lot of incarnations and the first was the best. The fusion of young dumb jock Ronnie Raymond with brilliant University Professor Martin Stein was great. It was like having the Odd Couple or any other wacky buddy sitcom characters (e.g. Bosom Buddies, Two and a Half Men, Laverne & Shirley etc.) trapped together in the body of a superhero. They griped at each other and like any good sitcom at the end of each episode they grew to appreciate one another again. 
Instead of turning Hank Hall into a psychotic anti-hero after the death of his brother Don in Crisis on Infinite Earths both brothers should probably have been allowed to die so that they could forever remain in the time that they were meant for.
65. Kick-Ass: Dave Lizewski is a normal non-powered teenager who wants to be a superhero. The initial "what if" premise of Kick-Ass is what makes this book interesting as this normal kid initially gets his ass kicked a lot and then goes on to inspire others to become "real life" heroes too.
64. Shinning Knight: Sir Justin is a man out of time like Captain America but his time was the time of King Arthur's Camelot. The reason he made this list, however, is because he has a winged flying horse. Great artists make the Shinning Knight look great. For example the Shinning Knight was the beneficiary of some early Frank Frazetta art work.
63. Mister Fantastic: Since the name "Mister Terrific" was taken Reed Richards had to settle for "Mister Fantastic (no ego here). Even though Reed failed to properly account for cosmic rays on the FF's jaunt into space he is considered to be the smartest man in the Marvel Universe. His pliable body is an impressive power but it is his mind that the bad guys fear.62. Beta Ray Bill: Now it seems like anyone can pick up Thor's hammer. Besides Odin (who made the hammer), Wonder Woman has picked it up; so has Superman and Captain America. Once upon a time, however, only "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy shall possess the power of Thor" and it was a big deal when an alien from a race that no one had ever heard of before battled Thor to a standstill; picked up his hammer and defeated Thor. Odin found Beta Ray Bill to be such a noble spirit that he had a hammer made for Beta Ray Bill, Storm Breaker.
61. Nightcrawler: Kurt Wagner is the child of a demon Azazel and the mutant Mystique. He has blue skin a prehensile tail and the ability to teleport but it's Kurt's humanity in the face of the prejudice that he has faced because of the way he looks and being a mutant that makes this character special.60. Wildcat (Ted Grant): He just gets cooler as he gets older. This is good for him since he has to be closing in on around 100 years old right about now. Originally, He was the heavy weight champion of the world in boxing who had taken up the costumed identity of Wildcat to clear his name. 
He became a member of the Justice Society of America towards the end of the Golden Age of Comics and has subsequently been a member through all of the JSA's revivals. Although always portrayed as a tough guy it has been Ted's role as mentor to young heroes as time progresses that has made Wildcat significant. Beginning with the Helena Wayne's Huntress on the old Earth-2 and then post-Crisis on Infinite Earths he became an early teacher for both Batman and the Black Canary. Kept young by an enchantment that has granted him 9 lives, hopefully, Ted can continue to be the trainer of superheroes.
He became a member of the Justice Society of America towards the end of the Golden Age of Comics and has subsequently been a member through all of the JSA's revivals. Although always portrayed as a tough guy it has been Ted's role as mentor to young heroes as time progresses that has made Wildcat significant. Beginning with the Helena Wayne's Huntress on the old Earth-2 and then post-Crisis on Infinite Earths he became an early teacher for both Batman and the Black Canary. Kept young by an enchantment that has granted him 9 lives, hopefully, Ted can continue to be the trainer of superheroes.
59. Animal Man: If Superheroes had "most improved player" awards it would go to Animal Man. From only a couple of appearances in the 1960's to a group called the "Forgotten Heroes" Buddy Baker rose to long running titles through the '90's that covered a lot of controversial issues but established Animal Man as a normal man imbued with powers who finds himself in extraordinary situations. 
58. Black Lightning: Before there was "Black Vulcan" there was Black Lightning. Truth is they wanted Jefferson Pierce for the Super-Friends but it would have involved paying his creator, Tony Isabella, some money so Black Vulcan was created in his place. How might it have affected Black Lightning's "Q" rating if he had been cast in the Super-Friends or if he had joined the JLA when he was original asked (Justice League of America vol. 1 # 173)? What was great about Black Lightning was that his jive talking; big afro having; disco collar wearing persona was truly an act unlike many of his contemporary (and some post) minority heroes. Jefferson Pierce was an Olympian who was well educated and chose to be a teacher at his old high school in one of the worst areas of Metropolis. Black Lightning's rise to near the top of the DC Universe was a slow climb but he had made it and now with the new DC 52 (even though one claim was that they would be introducing more diversity into the company's line-up of characters) we haven't seen Black Lightning yet or even know if he ever "existed". Let's hope that Jefferson Pierce has survived the latest retcon unscathed.57. Iron Fist: Marvel's premiere martial artist happens to be a blond haired white guy named Danny Rand. Sure it all seems a little David Carradine in Kung Fu-like (Iron Fist after all was created in the 1970's) but Danny Rand is cool. He can after all turn his hand "like unto a thing of iron". Marvel Comics made up for any indignity in the creation of Iron Fist when they partnered him up with Luke Cage. Even though I Spy was on TV a decade earlier it was still unique to see a Black guy and a White guy as equal partners and friends at this time. Heck, Powerman even got top billing. Way to make good Marvel.
56. Professor X: He's in a wheelchair and he's the leader of his own superhero team. This was unheard of in 1963...unless you had picked up a copy of My Greatest Adventure #80 three months earlier. Professor X is a player in the Marvel Universe. He is even a member of the Illuminate (a group of self-appointed hot shots in the Marvel universe who have decided to run the world from behind the scenes). 
55. Robotman (Cliff Steele): Like Cyborg and Wildfire, Cliff Steel was lucky that when his race car crashed there just happened to be a robot body waiting to put his human brain into. Instead of being overjoyed by the fact that he was still alive Cliff Steele was depressed by the loss of his humanity. Whether the X-men or the Doom Patrol came first doesn't really matter (the X-men won the battle between the supergroup of misfits led by a guy in a wheelchair a long time ago) what makes the Doom Patrol cool and unique was that they really didn't get along with each other at all. Often the characters seemed to really dislike each other and Cliff Steel was the grumpiest of them all. 54. Flash (Barry Allen): Even though Barry Allen is one of the most significant comic book superheroes because his appearance in Showcase #4 ushered in the Silver Age (Although I would argue that the Martian Manhunter is actually the first silver age superhero) and the concept of parallel Earths in the DC universe but Barry was always so boring. Like Supergirl, Barry had his most heroic moment at the point of his death in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Since then readers have romanticized Barry's tenure as the Flash. Now Barry Allen is back in the DC universe and Wally West (his successor as the Flash) is nowhere to be seen.
53. Deadman: Boston Brand was a circus trapeze artist who was killed during his performance. In the DCU this is an even more dangerous job then it even seems...just ask the Flying Graysons. After that the ghost of Boston Brand was granted the power to possess the bodies of people in order to find his killer. Deadman's sardonic wit makes all of his appearances entertaining.
52. Spawn: At the height of his creator, Todd McFarlane's, popularity he left with other big name comic book creators to form their own company. The creation of Image (and it's most popular character Spawn) was a watershed moment in the comic book industry of the 1990's.
51. Brainiac 5: Take one of Superman's greatest villains,the android Brainiac, then 1,000 years and 5 generations later give him a flesh and blood teenage descendant (no need to understand things like biology in the 1960's) and you've got Braniac 5, the brains of the Legion of Super-Heroes. "Brainy" as he is called (not so affectionately) has created such things as the Legion flight rings and the anti-lead serum that allowed Mon-El to be released from the Phantom Zone. Brainy has also created the villain Computo and gone stark raving mad on an occasion. Despite any setbacks Brainiac 5 is still going to be the smartest person in any room and he is always ready to remind anyone of that fact.Next:
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