With the exponential rise in prominence of characters like Doctor Strange, the Scarlet Witch, and Magik, Marvel's magical realm has been starting to spread its wings in film and television. Even Storm has been dabbling in magic. The old days of science fiction standing above the world of heroes are long gone.
Still, science fiction-based heroes still have their place in the Marvel universe. Whether they are biological experiments, cybernetically enhanced heroes, or the product of evolution or cosmic rays, sci-fi heroes like Iron Man and members of the Fantastic Four can still pack a major punch. Despite the rise of supernatural popularity, these sci-fi heroes still sell books every month.
10 Iron Man
Iron Man is probably the most recognizable sci-fi hero. After all, he's just a man in a metal suit of armor who isn't afraid to rocket himself into space and face the Phoenix one-on-one. Iron Man is at his best when facing sci-fi enemies Kang the Conqueror and Norman Osborn.
What makes Iron Man such a great hero is that he isn't perfect. Tony Stark has countless flaws, ranging from arrogance to the fact that his greatest defense is just a suit of armor. When that fails him, he still has his brain to fall back on, which is exactly what a sci-fi hero needs.
9 Spider-Man
Everyone knows Spider-Man's backstory. A typical teenager was bitten by a radioactive spider and given superhuman powers. He can cling to walls, lift with the proportional strength of a spider, and has fantastic spider-sense that protects him from danger.
Spider-Man has always been a compelling character because he's as typical as he is brilliant. He's smart enough to develop his own web-shooting technology, but he also feels like a typical man, a trait that makes Spider-Man Marvel's most popular character.
8 Beast
The big furry fuzzball with a bit of a malicious streak, Beast ranges from the happy-go-lucky genius of the Avengers to the downright genocidal evil scientist of the X-Men. It's quite a range, and it's kept Beast at the forefront of the Marvel universe for years.
But it's the sci-fi elements that really make Beast great. After all, he not only benefits from the science fiction explanation that powers come from evolutionary mutation, but his own experiments have also added some blue fur and supernatural powers to his repertoire. Beast's scientific experimentation is a fun element, and it's even earned him a cat-like secondary mutation.
7 The Hulk
It's hard to point to a giant raging monster with an inability to die and call him science fiction, but that's exactly what the Hulk is. Exposed to lethal levels of gamma radiation, Bruce Banner transformed into the Hulk, and his life has gone downhill ever since.
Despite the devastation that he causes everywhere he goes, the Hulk isn't purely a villain. He typically acts as a hero where he can, even if the people of the Marvel universe don't exactly appreciate him. Hulk takes advantage of his sci-fi powers to protect himself or others, and tinged with tragedy, it's what has made him so compelling.
6 Captain America
A walking/talking science experiment with an extraordinary sense of justice, Captain America has been a legendary sci-fi hero. He got his start in World War II after agreeing to take part in the experimental Operation Rebirth. Given the Super-Soldier Serum and some additional rays of energy, he began to develop superhuman powers.
There aren't many origins in comics as cut-and-dry sci-fi as Captain America's. He was just a regular American who wanted to do his part, and he was willing to take part in experiments to do it. Since his origin, he's risen to prominence because of his strict morals, his faith in those around him, and his prominence within the Avengers.
5 Sue Storm
Sue Storm wasn't even supposed to be on the Fantastic Four's first voyage. She was the fiancé of Reed Richards and wanted to join him on his trip to space after he'd lost his funding. Reed agreed, and it changed the fate of the Marvel universe.
In a classic origin story, the Fantastic Four met cosmic rays that granted them superhuman powers. Sue became the strongest of the Fantastic Four after her powers gave her the chance to turn invisible and create force fields. Ever since, she's been a living powerhouse, as she works to care for two kids who have also been affected by her cosmic rays. The Invisible Woman's popularity is only supported by her incredible sense of compassion and willingness to fight.
4 Luke Cage
Luke Cage started off as a troubled teen and a major headache for the NYPD. He eventually settled down and chose to leave behind his life of crime. It didn't last long, however. After an old friend framed him for a crime, Luke was thrown in jail and experimented on.
His newfound powers gave Luke the chance to make the world a better place — if it paid well enough. With superhuman strength and invulnerability, he made a name for himself. His interesting — and fairly realistic — backstory has made him a stand-out character. While his best friend, Danny Rand, may rely on magic, Luke has always been focused on science-based superpowers. That contrast is what makes the Heroes for Hire team so great.
3 Jim Hammond
It's hard to top a sci-fi hero who is literally just a talking machine. The first Human Torch is one of the deadliest robots in the universe and one of Marvel's first superheroes. After all, Jim Hammond has the power to burn relentlessly without ever getting hurt himself.
Jim was an experiment of Professor Phineas T. Horton, who was intending to produce a typical android. Unfortunately for Horton, the Horton cells that functioned as the android's battery overloaded, and Jim developed the power to burn at will. Ever since he's been a classic hero who served on the Invaders, Marvel's first major fighting team.
2 Rocket Raccoon
Rocket Raccoon isn't just a talking raccoon; he's a talking raccoon with guns, malice, and a reputation for exploding off into rampages. That's the recipe for one of the best sci-fi characters in history. It certainly helps that he's a tactical genius and a weapon smith.
Rocket combines technological experiments with cosmic origins and genetic manipulation. Created by a band of robots for the purpose of caring for a planet filled with mentally unwell patients, Rocket's backstory is wild enough that it resonates today. Nowadays, Rocket is a high-flying fighter and a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, making him a premier cosmic character.
1 Quicksilver
While Quicksilver originally thought he was just another mutant, a recent Marvel retcon revealed that he is secretly just a genetic experiment. Taken from his family and disguised as a mutant, he was really given his powers by the High Evolutionary. It gives him elements of the mutant sci-fi story, while also offering the experimental aspects of many other great science-fiction heroes.
He and his sister, Scarlet Witch, may have the same origin, but Quicksilver doesn't have the chaos magic that blessed her. Where Wanda struggles with teaching magic to young sorcerers, Quicksilver can focus on saving lives with his sci-fi origin and powers.