Red is a colour which the superhero genre sees a lot of. From Superman to Spider-Man, the colour red imbues the character with a colourful costume as much as defines his or her short temperament.
Red Superheroes That Wear Red or Are Red
From the early days of coloured superheroes, the colour red has often boasted greatness. It’s a colour that calls the superhero adorned with it to attention. But at the same time, it’s also a colour that has been used to show off ridiculous characters like Devil Dinosaur and Deadpool.
Everyone has their favourite red coloured superhero. Whether it’s red skin or scales, or if its a red cape or red tights. It’s a colour that truly inspires heroism. Let’s dive into our favourite comic book superheroes that wear red or are red.
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Red Tornado
Red Tornado is a comic book character published by DC Comics. Originally coming to mainstream prominence thanks to The CW’s Arrowverse (or is it to Flashverse at this point?), Red Tornado is a red Android created as a merger of two personalities; supervillain T.O. Morrow and the Tornado Champion from the Earth-One planet, Rann.
Due to the two halves of Red Tornado’s personality, the character is almost always explored with such emotional depth. Including a storyline focusing on Red Tornado ridding itself of its evil personality. Although drawn to look male (minus the genitalia), Red Tornado is technically gender-less and possesses immense strength, durability and can survive in almost any environment. Even deep sea and space.
Red Tornado is incredibly tough but has a fail-safe in his heel that, when struck, shuts him down instantly.
Bloodhawk
Bloodhawk is a comic book character published by Marvel Comics. Bloodhawk was first introduced to avid Marvel readers with the introduction of the 2099 comics in the early 90s. Debuting in X-Men 2099, Bloodhawk is a foul tempered winged mutant whose entire body is the colour read. Hence, the name.
A self exiled loner by nature, Bloodhawk briefly joined the X-Men 2099 team as a matter of convenience. He had previously been tortured and tied up by the greedy corporation, Alchemax, who serves as the overarching antagonist throughout all the 2099 books, however he was freed thanks to the help of these X-Men of the late 21st Century.
Eventually, Bloodhawk left the group but this red winged crusader would team up with the X-Men 2099 group many times in the future. Thanks to this and his red demonic-like appearance, Bloodhawk is a fan favourite in the X-Men 2099 series.
Deadpool
At this point, Deadpool is a Marvel Comics character who needs very little introduction. Although, he didn’t enter the mainstream pop culture sphere until the release of the Deadpool film, fans will tell you that Deadpool has been popular for decades.
Originally created by Fabian Niciesza and Rob Liefeld back in the 90s, Deadpool first debuted with the release of New Mutants #98 as a villain whose red suit, posture and stance was very spider-man-like. He’s since moved on to the anti-hero/superhero status as the “Merc with a Mouth,” since he’s a smart ass quick talking mercenary who loves to poke fun at friend and foe alike.
As a result of his time with Weapon-X (the same shadowy Canadian government organisation who gave Wolverine his adamantium claws), Deadpool aka Wade Wilson doesn’t just have a healing factor like Wolvie he also has a severely disfigured face. Which takes the term “pizza face” to a whole new level and is a big reason why Deadpool constantly keeps that red suit and red mask permanently on.
To add a further comedic element to Deadpool’s character, his Healing Factor is slow. Much slower than Wolverine’s. So slow that if you cut off Deadpool’s penis then it would probably take 8 or 10 hours for it to grow back. Wolvies on the other hand? Mere seconds. I’m not sure why you need to know this, you just do.
The Flash
The Flash has been part of the Pop Cultural zeitgeist for well over 60 years. Probably longer. Published by DC Comics, Barry Allen aka The Flash, is a character who runs at super speed. So fast, that the speed of his running ability rivals that of Superman. You could say that, in the DC Comics world, The Flash is the fastest red costumed human alive.
As a result of his speed, The Flash has encountered many speed-oriented villains over the years including Reverse-Flash, Zoom and Godspeed, to name a few. Thanks to his well storied and multi-decade as a scarlet speedster, Barry Allen has passed on the fastest man alive mantle to many other characters. For instance, Kid-Flash doesn’t wear a red costume like Barry Allen. Instead, his is yellow.
Thanks to The CW’s The Flash tv series, The Flash is easily in the Top 3 most popular red costumed superheroes out of every other superhero on this list. Sorry, Red Tornado.
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Devil Dinosaur
You could probably make the argument that Devil Dinosaur isn’t strictly a hero. Strictly speaking and according to Marvel Comics lore, he’s a mutant beast or devil dinosaur (hence the name). However, the many different versions of Devil Dinosaur has committed deeply heroic acts across the many different Marvel Comics universes.
According to a variety of events that occurred involving Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur on Earth-9997, Devil Dinosaur was part of a race of dinosaurs. In a number of other realities he’s also taken out The Beyonder, bonded with Venom (which you have to see to believe) and helped Moon Girl on many different adventures.
Despite his resemblance to being a red coloured T-Rex, he doesn’t just go around eating annoying insurance agents sitting on toilets, instead he spends his time aiding many superheroes in their fight against bad guys. Especially Moon Girl. So we’re saying it here and now: Devil Dinosaur is a red superhero.
Scarlet Witch
You’d have to have been completely asleep for the last decade or part of the Anti-Marvel bandwagon that’s swept the more toxic parts of Twitter to have not heard of Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlett Witch. The Scarlett Witch character has been published by Marvel Comics hundreds of times.
Initially part of the Brotherhood of Mutants, the Scarlet Witch’s character got extremely popular as the red wearing heroine that wields dark magic for good, with her addition as part of The Avengers. Soon her inclusion of the team expanded her personality so much so that her and Android team mate, The Vision, became an item.
In addition to her red tights and crown, The Scarlet Witch’s mutant powers include controlling the laws of probability. A power that has led her to being classified as the mutant equivalent of an atom power. That’s just how powerful she is. But don’t worry – I’m sure she enjoys the company of kittens as well.
Knuckles the Echidna
A property of Sega and part of the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, Knuckles the Echidna was originally introduced in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 video game. Since those early days, Knuckles (or Knux, as his friends call him) has since been published in comic book form, firstly by Archie Comics and then by IDW Publishing.
Knuckles is a red echidna who bears the mantle of Guardian of the Floating Island and it’s Chaos Emerald. Although, not as fast as Sonic, Knuckles has incredible strength and the ability to fan out his dreadlocks whilst in free fall and glide. Like Sonic, he also can go Super after collecting enough power rings and emeralds necessary to do so. Having gone “Hyper” many times, turning from the red echidna we all know and love and turning into a yellow Hyper Knuckles.
He often disagrees with Sonic, thus rightfully earning him the title of “Sonic’s friendly nemesis” on more than one occasion.
Red Hulk
Seen mostly as an antagonist of The Hulk in the early years as he hunted him to the ends of the earth. It was General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross’ obsession with stopping Bruce Banner aka The Hulk that, ironically, led to Thunderbolt Ross becoming the Red Hulk.
During the events of World War Hulk, Ross allied himself with M.O.D.O.K., The Leader and Doc Samson, using satellites to siphon energy from The Hulk. However, the tables turned when Ross’ three allies siphoned the power back into Ross – turning him into Red Hulk. A Hulk sized creature, similar in stature and appearance to Bruce Banner’s Hulk, but with the ability to transform into Thadeus Ross’ human form and back again at will.
Since those events, Red Hulk has gone from being imprisoned for villainous collusion to working alongside many superheroes. Even the likes of Venom, X-23 and Ghost Rider. Proving that even the worst of the worst can have redemption arcs. Well, sort of.
To be honest, Red Hulk is still a massive jerk.
Daredevil
Thanks to the Disney, Marvel and many other storytellers, the Daredevil story has been told many times. As a child, Matt Murdoch grew up motherless to his father, a boxer, however when he witnessed his father beating on a man who owed the Kingpin money, he ran and was caught in an accident resulting in chemicals getting into his eyes. This caused blindness.
As a blind child growing up Matt was bullied and teased but found that while he had become blind, his other abilities had become extremely heightened. Almost like echo location, Matt was able to sense people and objects around him.
This eventually led him to doubling as a lawyer by day and as a red and yellow, eventually all red, crime fighter who defended Hell’s Kitchen by day as a lawyer and then took out bad guys by night as Daredevil. As a blind crime fighter he was effective nicknamed, “the man without fear.”
Hellboy
Hellboy began his life on earth when he was summoned from hell to earth by Nazi occultists. This half-demon was discovered by Allied Forces during World War II. Among them, Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, who eventually went on to be one of the most integral members of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD).
Given Hellboy is a half-demon, he is red-skinned, has horns on his head, is cloven hooved, sports a matched spiked tail and an oversized red hand made of stone called “The Right Hand of Doom.” Hellboy is a vengeful force for justice. Especially when that justice involves bad guys like Nazis, Witches and minions from Hell. Interestingly, in earlier stories he is referred to as the “World’s Greatest Paranormal Investigator.”
What did you think of these Red Coloured Superheroes?
What did you think of this list of red coloured superheroes? Sure, we left some out but are any of these your favourites? Let us know in comments below.
