We collected input from hundreds of visitors to the site, convention attendees, and industry professionals to compile the list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters of All Time. You can see the beginning of the project here, where you’ll also find an index of all the results to date.
After counting down the previous 99 characters, today we bring you the character who topped the voting list and earned the #1 spot!
1. Batman
Appears In: DC Comics
Created By: Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Influence:
It’s no huge surprise to us that the Caped Crusader is the top character on our list of the Greatest Fictional Characters of All Time, as voted by our readers. From his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in 1939 through his current movie dynasty, cartoon series, and comic books, Batman has been an enduring hero for the ages. His origin and storylines have influenced future comic heroes toward darker tales, and his rogue’s gallery has redefined the importance of entertaining and engaging villains. Batman’s cultural impact is evident and unquestionable.
Fandom:
Batman is a superhero without superpowers. In the face of tragedy and adversity, he has trained himself to be the most brilliant and capable man he can be, and he uses gadgets and tools to appear otherworldly to his enemies. He also operates with a strict code of conduct and ethics, setting him apart from the villains he pursues. It is Batman’s reliance on his own human abilities, coupled with his unbending morality, that makes him a unique and favorite character for legions of fans.
Voter Comments:
“Batman is almost self-explanatory as a choice for number one. He is vengeance, he is the night, but he is also the very best and worst of humanity distilled. Who else is a coldblooded badass and a sensitive loner? Who else is as unforgiving and merciful? Everyday life is our Gotham, and Batman is that innate sense of justice that we all feel deep down when someone picks on the little guy.” – Perry Frost
“He’s simply the best any normal human can be.” – ADP
Previous character: #2
Thank you for following our countdown all the way from 100 to 1! On Monday we’ll look back at some of the characters who didn’t quite make the list, and we’ll also examine some rankings and selections that surprised us.
Let’s revisit the title, people. ‘Greatest fictional characters of all time’. ‘Of all time’. The results here remind me of a poll for the ‘greatest music of the millennium’ in 2000, the results of which were that all the greatest music had been composed after about 1990. See ya, Mozart! This list surprised me by remembering people like Odysseus and Mr Darcy, but friends do you *really* think people in 500 years are going to be more excited about Batman than King Arthur? BTW, Enygma, Dante wasn’t fictional, he was real and managed to write the Commedia Divina.
I eagerly click the button to see #1, expecting someone who I would instantly react to with an “OF COURSE! Who doesn’t love ________”
I was WRONG!!!!!!!! I’m waiting for a correction-
“Oh, sorry, did we say Batman? We meant to say the Doctor. I guess we spelled it wrong.”
I have nothing against Batman, I’m just surprised. He’s an okay character, but not amazing. Seriously, I know no one (over the age of 10) who thinks about Batman more than once a month, so I wouldn’t consider him to be GREAT.
Zack fair and vivi should be on the list :(
daredevil should be on there but batman 1. who the**** made this list
I just loved the list and consider it enriching.
I would recommend any one interested in fictional characters to read “The Mahabharata”. You maybe tempted to change the list somewhere.
I’m sorry, But Goku would totally kick the crap out of Batman…
First off, Batman should not be first, in my opinion superheroes shouldn’t even be aloud because they almost go without saying. Second,cloud should have been ranked higher. If Gandolf, Harry, even Herimone made (btw wheres Ron, Malfoy, McGonaglle, VOLDEMORT…etc etc.) Dumbledore should have gotten in the top at least 20 let alone on the list. Vader should have been in top 10, did i miss Sidious, and Maul? YODA for sure is way less then 60! I mean C’mon now did E.T. even get in here? I’m surprised The Hulk wasn’t even mentioned. So many thing wrong with this and yet there are a few i can agree with, Buffy for example, I know a lot of people won’t like me for it but personally, I love buffy, she deserved it. Hermione I agree with. To go as far as this list is “bull” isn’t quite true but it does need some “remodeling.”
i’m pissed off at this list wheres john coffey, rorsach, Carrie, bill and ted, lucy ricardo, the cheshire cat, Guy Montag, peter pan, aslan and countless others they have four characters from video games two of them the same game and i can’t live with my self knowing that none of these other characters got on the list where as f_king AQUAMAN got on which is ridiculous in and of itself raaj from big Bang theory summed it up nicely “aquaman sucks no one lies aquaman.” f_k you aquaman
im sorry but… WHERE IS NAPOLEON DYNAMITE!!!!!!!!!
Hellooo?? Where’s McFly?? Marty McFly???
How is John McClane not on this list? He is the…THE…working-class hero!
Speaking of working-class, does the name Al Bundy mean anything?
I think you forgot: L (Death Note), Rorschach (Watchmen) Geralt of Rivia & Ciri(The Witcher), Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, Alucard (Hellsing), Punisher and definitely Hannibal Lecter!
what i swear god is a fictional Character LOL.
no seriously though sherlock holmes should be 1
Where is the pink panther (cartoon version), pepe lepew? Calvin & Hobbies? I definitely believe optimus prime should be ranked higher…59th? No deal. And don’t forget lionel from the thundercats, papi smurf, he-man, and throw in skeletor. A bonus, the ninja turtles, the shredder , krang.
Of all time? This list is patheticly amerocentric (even when it has characters from other countries, they are the ones americans know by the media). The sole fact that Don Quijote is not in the list while Optimus Prime is, says it all!
oh come on…… no dumbledore, spiderman? where the hell is this world going to
Seriously you have a million LOR characters, a bunch of Harry Potter characters and all these lame video game and tv characters, but no Michael or Vito Corleone? WTF?
Im sorry but where the f**k is Master Chief. I mean hes only one of the greatest video game characters of all time.
WHERE THE F**K ARE NIKO BELLIC AND SONIC THIS LIST F**KING SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what is up with all these final fantasy characters?! Are you serious??? If you are going to include video game characters you need to include a couple of the Mortal Kombat characters like Sub-zero or Scorpion,Sonic the hedgehog, Mario of course, and Master Chief from Halo.