Marvel Comics has the richest cast of superheroic characters around, which means there isn't room in the spotlight for everyone. In a sea of colorful caped crusaders and billionaire tech developers, it's easy for some of Marvel’s underdogs to get lost in the crowd. It’s an unfortunate crime of time, as fans of the obscure and specific watch as their favorite characters fade from the limelight, praying they see their heroes return once more.

Not all the characters on this list began as forgettable heroes. In fact, most have exploded in popularity at one point or another. However, one burst of popular attention often isn’t enough to make a character a staple name. While some heroes deserve to fade into obscurity, (yes, that means you, NFL SuperPro), the characters on this list deserve a second (or third, or fourth) chance. There are plenty of young and hungry comic book creators out there, so Marvel should let them take a stab at these eight underrated Marvel heroes the world has forgotten.

1 Darkhawk

Debuted In Darkhawk #1 (1991) by Tom DeFalco and Mike Manley

When Chris Powell was only a teenager, he discovered that his cop father was in the mob's pocket. Chris soon found a magic amulet that transformed him into Darkhawk, as he swore to use his powers as an "edge against crime." Darkhawk is one of the most 90s-feeling characters to have come out of the much-maligned decade.

When Chris calls upon his amulet, his body trades with the Darkhawk Android, a Shi'ar superweapon built from sentient machinery. As Darkhawk, Chris gets the full spectrum of superhuman power-ups alongside flight and a customizable body. He is slick, chic, and sharp, a 1990s icon who fell into obscurity. While Marvel did attempt a new Darkhawk series in 2021, Chris was replaced and the series fell short. Practically Marvel’s own Power Ranger, Darkhawk, alongside some other classics on this list, could easily return in a Sentai series of their own.

How does a hero respected by everyone from Captain America to Namor the Sub-Mariner end up a perennial D-lister?

2 Stingray

Debuted As Stingray In Sub-Mariner #19 (1969) by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin

Dr. Walter Newell, aka “Stingray,” is one of Marvel’s most compelling characters for one reason and one reason only: he’s a human who Namor deeply respects. Newell is an oceanographer and engineer who once oversaw the construction of an undersea city. An underwater villain destroyed the city, but Namor arrived to save the day. Newell designed a deep sea exploration suit so that he could keep up with his new ally and explore depths that no surface dweller had ever seen before.

With his suit, Stingray’s strength, speed, and agility have all been significantly increased. His underarm wings allow him to glide easily through the water and in the air for some time. Stingray’s neatest tricks are his sonar scanners and his electrokinetic powers, allowing him to project nearly 20,000 volts of electricity. Most impressive is his relationship with Atlantis. Walter’s work has always been honest and moral, earning the respect of everyone from the irascible Namor to the iconic Captain America.

3 Squirrel Girl

Debuted in Marvel Super-Heroes #8 (1991) by Will Murray and Steve Ditko

While almost every Marvel fan has heard the name "Squirrel Girl" by now, Doreen Green has yet to find a true home in the comics. Doreen is traditionally a plucky comedic character, used to create short, stylistic, and positive stories. Squirrel Girl has become close friends with villains including Galactus and Kraven the Hunter, while defeating major foes like Thanos in a running joke where Marvel's A-list villains fall at her feet. Doreen has impeccable charm and such a whimsical theme.

The Unbeatable Squirrel is probably Marvel’s funniest comic series. She’s had her fair share of appearances in her own series or with the Great Lakes Avengers, but she’s never broken past those comedic barriers to truly feel like part of the larger Marvel Universe. Frankly, anybody who doesn’t think that Squirrel Girl deserves more recognition is nuts.

A lot of fans say that Nighthawk is practically Marvel’s Batman, and they’re absolutely right.

4 Nighthawk

Debuted In Avengers #69 (1969) by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema

A lot of fans say that Nighthawk is practically Marvel’s Batman, and they’re absolutely right. Technically, Nighthawk is an intentional “ripoff” of Batman. Kyle Richmond first became Nighthawk after he was chosen by the Grandmaster to compete in one of his multiversal games. Richmond was suddenly inspired by the Grandmaster to create a super serum that would increase his natural abilities and to spend his vast fortune on gadgets, vehicles, and weapons.

Jet-packs, wings, retractable talons, and the Hawk-Plane are only some of his high-tech arsenal. Nighthawk did make frequent side-character appearances throughout most of his comic career, often as a member of the Defenders. However, he's essentially been replaced by other versions of Nighthawk from Marvel's alternate realities, relegating the most interesting version - a reformed gloryhound self-conscious of his place next to more powerful heroes - to Marvel's background.

5 Deathlok

Debuted in Astonishing Tales #25 (1974) by Doug Moench and Rich Buckler

There are a lot of characters in Marvel enhanced with cybernetics, but there aren’t many full-blown RoboCop cyborgs like Deathlok. His cybernetics leverage the brain's thinking capacity, transforming his mind into an organic supercomputer. All of his sensory systems have been replaced with full synthetic augmentations, heightening his perception. Even what parts of him are still human aren’t technically alive. After his first death, the man who would become the machine was kept on ice for five years before being “revived.” His very name refers to him being locked in a death-like state.

He’s had some minor success in the comics, most recently appearing in the Savage Avengers series by David Pepose and Carlos Magno. He also made a surprise appearance as a recurring character on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television show. Maybe it’s just that cyborgs are a thing of the past, but if Cable can retain his popularity, so can Deathlok. His constant battle against the subservient military programming in his head makes him a character with some real issues to explore.

6 Sleepwalker

Debuted in Sleepwalker #1 (1991) by Bob Budiansky and Bret Blevins

Sleepwalkers are mystical, otherworldly entities that patrol the dreams of the living, tasked with staving off any supernatural threats that may use dreams as a doorway into reality. When one Sleepwalker became trapped in Rick Sheridan’s mind, the two became entangled as a singularly powerful entity. During the day, Rick Sheridan remained in control. However, at night, the Sleepwalker emerges, now able to manifest into the real world... but only as long as Rick stays asleep.

Once summoned, the Sleepwalker's previous dream-like reality manipulation powers can now be imposed on the real world, warping reality as he deems fit. Sleepwalker still has access to the Mindscape, the sacred realm psychics are connected to, allowing it to enhance other psychics’ mental powers. Likewise, Sleepwalker can absorb psychic energy, which accelerates his already potent healing factor.

This extradimensional creature, unfortunately, has never broken past the lines of obscurity. His original band of villains included creative characters such as 8-Ball, who has recently been exploring redemption alongside Moon Knight. With so many cosmic threats in Marvel lore, Sleepwalker should be as busy as the Avengers, not languishing in obscurity.

7 Demolition Man

Debuted In Thing #28 (1985) by Mike Carlin and Ron Wilson

Dennis "D-Man" Dunphy was a professional whose life forever changed after making a deal with the Power Broker. Dunphy’s greatest superheroic inspiration is Captain America, setting a strong moral com for the comic character. Faced with frequent threats like Hydra or the Serpent Society, D-Man has often fought alongside the likes of Cap, Nomad, and Sam Wilson. His original costume was an amalgam of Daredevil's first costume and Wolverine's mask.

Sadly, Demolition Man often finds himself as the butt-end of a joke because of his boisterous simplicity, with a lot of stories focusing on him being a 'bad' hero. Recent years have seen him reinvented as more of a hero to the dispossessed and downtrodden, but only by appearing in the periphery of other heroes' stories. D-Man is the ultimate fanboy given real power, and he uses it to protect the most vulnerable people - his story should be a triumphant victory, not a joke.

8 Karnak

Debuted In Fantastic Four #45 (1965) by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Marvel's Inhumans activate their powers by subjecting their children to the Terrigen Mist, but after the radical change in his brother Triton, Karnak's parents made the choice to remove him from the process, despite his place as part of the Inhuman Royal Family. Lacking powers, Karnak studied philosophy and martial arts with fervor, developing the 'power' to sense and target the weak point in any target - whether it's a concrete block or a political argument.

Karnak has a perfect 'logic puzzle' superpower with infinite possible applications, and during the period where Marvel was favoring the Inhumans over the X-Men, he was clearly being set up as the next Wolverine. Sadly, his solo series in that era was both plagued with delays and ultimately failed to find any real depth to the character, turning him into a brooding and mysterious cynic without a heart of gold. Karnak is loaded with potential both as a character and in of his powers, but his failed shot at the big time has kept him from other opportunities... at least so far. The massive flop of Marvel's TV adaptaton of Inhumans didn't help either.

Those are the eight underrated Marvel Comics characters that the publisher has forgotten - here's hoping they get a chance to shine sometime soon.