Some of the greatest comic book characters of all time have come to life within the pages ofMarvel Comics. Marvel has a knack for unmatched creativity, consistently setting the bar for original characters. Icons like Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the X-Men helped define the superhero genre, shaping its stories and conventions. Their impact cemented Stan Lee as a founding father of comics—even beyond his more widely recognized contributions.
That being said, while characters from Marvel legends like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were undoubtedly original, even the most unique creations are inspired by something or someone. Every creator draws from some form of inspiration—without it, ideas cannot take shape.In many cases, creators base their characters on real-life people.This can mean that a character embodies the qualities and ideals of their inspiration (such as power or resilience) or, more directly, that an artist models a character’s physical appearance after a real person. Marvel has used this approach on multiple occasions.
10Donald Glover Inspired Miles Morales
Miles Morales: Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli
The journey to bringing theMarvel Universe’s favorite Spider-Manto the page was anything but conventional. In a since-deleted 2010 tweet, Donald Glover jokingly threw his name into the race to be Sony’s next Spider-Man before the role ultimately went to Andrew Garfield. In his 2012Weirdocomedy special, Glover admitted he never expected it to happen, but the mere idea of a Black man playing Spider-Man sparked controversy. This, in turn,inspired an online movement campaigning for Glover’s casting—a moment later referenced when he wore Spider-Man pajamas onCommunity.
By coincidence, as Brian Michael Bendis was developing an African-American Spider-Man—an idea he had been planning since just before Barack Obama’s 2008 election—he happened to see thatCommunityepisode. As he told USA Today in a since-deleted interview,he thought Glover“looked fantastic,”providing his creative team with the physical inspiration for Miles Morales’ appearance.
As Troy Barnes, Donald Glover dons his Spider-Man pajamas inCommunity’ssecond season during the season premiere episode,“Anthropology 101.”
9Ann-Margret Inspired Mary-Jane Watson
Mary-Jane Watson: Created by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and John Romita Sr.
Ann-Margret, a two-time Oscar nominee, was at the height of her fame as a 1960s and 70s-era starlet. A Golden Globe and Emmy winner,she was once considered a Hollywood bombshell—so it’s no surprise that Stan Lee and his teamdrew inspiration from Ann-Margretwhen envisioning Peter Parker’s own neighborhood bombshell.
More specifically,MJ’s physical appearance was directly inspired by Ann-Margret’s role inBye Bye Birdie.The 1963 musical follows a rock star drafted into the military, and in her breakout role, Ann-Margret plays Kim McAfee, a superfan who wins a contest to have the star serenade her on stage before his departure. Much like MJ, Kim has a girl-next-door charm while sporting strikingly red hair.
8Samuel L. Jackson Inspired Modern-Day Nick Fury
The Modern, Ultimate Nick Fury: Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Allred
Not to be confused with the original Nick Fury created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963, this refers to the version introduced inThe Ultimatesin 2001. With the launch of a new universe, Ultimate Marvel had limitless potential to reinvent classic characters. One of the biggest changes was reimagining Nick Fury as a Black man who bore such a striking resemblance to Samuel L. Jacksonthat even Fury himself acknowledges it in the comics.
The character’s popularity eventually caught Jackson’s attention, leading to him officially portraying Furyin the MCU. Meanwhile, Marvel later introduced a character with Jackson’s visual likeness into Earth-616—Nick Fury Jr., the son of the original. With the elder Fury now retired, the Sam Jackson-inspired Fury Jr. has taken over his father’s role.
Nick Fury Jr. was created by Matt Fraction, Chris Yost, Scot Eaton, Cullen Bunn, and Paul Neary, and debuts in 2012’sBattle Scars#1.
7Pam Grier Inspired Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau: Created by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr.
Whether readersknow her best as Captain Marvel or Photon, Monica Rambeau has always been unapologetically herself.Her unmatched grit and determination echo the attitude of Pam Grier’s most iconic Blaxploitation-era characters,such as Coffy and Foxy Brown, as well as Jackie Brown from Quentin Tarantino’s film. Unsurprisingly, it was that same toughness and attitude that helped bring Monica to the page.
In the 2008 bookModern Masters Volume 18: John Romita Jr.,Romita admits he originally used“some reference on Pam Grier, because I always loved her.”Unfortunately, those above him felt Grier “wasn’t as good-looking,”leading them to encourage Romita to base Monica’s appearance on another, unnamed model instead. As a result, Monica’s final design ended up resembling, in Romita’s words, a“generic Black character.”
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6Paul D’Amato Inspired Wolverine
Wolverine: Created by Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Roy Thomas, John Romita Sr.
Paul D’Amato is best known for playing Tim"Dr. Hook"McCracken in the Paul Newman hockey filmSlap Shot. Like any other player seen on the ice, McCracken was volatile, but what made him instantly recognizable were his signature mutton chops—thick sideburns that helped D’Amato stand out among a sea of cast members.His distinctive look left a lasting impression on John Byrne, who used it as inspiration when designing Wolverine.
Wolverine’s mutton chops have since become one of his most defining characteristics. Another signature trait ofLogan in the comics is his short stature, traditionally standing at 5'3". Whether intentional or not, this also aligns with the late D’Amato, who was documented as being 5'7"—still shorter than the average adult male.
5Jack Palance Inspired Morbius
Morbius: Created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane
Jack Palance is a name deeply embedded in superhero culture, having played a supporting role in Tim Burton’s 1989Batman. Beyond his on-screen presence, the Oscar-winning actor also served as the physical inspiration forDarkseid in DC Comics.For Marvel, however, his likeness helped shape the appearance of Morbius, as revealed in a Comic-Art interview with Gil Kane.
Ironically, three years after Kane drew from Palance’s features to design the vampire antihero, Palance would take on one of his most revered roles—playing the titular character in a 1974 televised adaptation ofDracula, directed byDark Shadowscreator Dan Curtis.Since Morbius debuted in 1971, this became a rare case of life imitating art rather than the other way around, with Palance portraying a vampire after his likeness had already inspired one in comics.
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4Menachem Begin Inspired Magneto & Yul Brynner Inspired Xavier
Magneto and Xavier: Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
It has long been theorized that Charles"Professor X"Xavier and Magneto were modeled after Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, respectively, using mutantkind as an allegory for the Civil Rights Movement. While this interpretation has resonated with readers, it is ultimately untrue. Though mutants have always represented the struggles of oppressed minorities across various social backgrounds—whether race, sexuality, or otherwise—these two Civil Rights leaders were not the basis for Professor X or Magneto.
Professor X & Magneto Were NOT Based On Martin Luther King & Malcolm X
Professor X and Magneto may famously be compared to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, but the true inspiration comes from Israel, not America.
Instead, during Chris Claremont’s run,Magneto was inspired by former Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Menachem Begin, giving him a commanding yet morally complex presence. Meanwhile, Stan Lee took visual inspiration for Professor X from actor Yul Brynner, lending Xavier his signature composed and cerebral demeanor.
It’s worth noting that while Magneto’s politics took inspiration from Begin, Xavier’s took inspiration from David Ben-Gurion.
3Sydney Greenstreet Inspired Kingpin
Kingpin: Created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr.
The name Sydney Greenstreet may not be immediately familiar to most readers unless they are avid fans of classic cinema, but the name Wilson Fisk is unmistakable in the Marvel Universe.Greenstreet is best remembered for his roles alongside Humphrey Bogart in the black-and-white classicsCasablancaandThe Maltese Falcon.The latter, in particular, saw him portray a menacing, balding, and imposing villain—traits that perfectly describe the Kingpin.
John Romita Sr. was open about Greenstreet’s influence on Kingpin’s design, a fact confirmed bySteve Chung on X. Additionally,American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969by John Wells notes thatRomita also drew inspiration from actor Robert Middleton, who was frequently cast as powerful, authoritative figures—much like Fisk himself.
2Howard Hughes Inspired Iron Man
Tony Stark: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber, and Don Heck
Think for a moment about the defining qualities of the original Iron Man, Tony Stark:he’s a billionaire, eccentric, a master inventor, and has a tendency to spiral due to his alcohol addiction. Some may read this description and immediately think of Howard Hughes, the real-life"Tony Stark"of his time, rather than the fictional Stark. InThe Ages of Iron Man: Essays on the Armored Avenger in Changing Times,it’s noted that Stan Lee himself admitted to drawing inspiration from Hughes for Stark.
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Moreover, while Lee acknowledged Hughes' influence,artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby are also said to have looked to the swashbuckling movie star Errol Flynn for inspiration. Combining all of these elements gave rise to the iconic and incomparable character of Iron Man.
1Stan Lee Inspired J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson: Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Even the godfather of Marvel,Stan Lee, served as inspiration for one of his own characters.While Lee and Jack Kirby often made cameo appearances in Marvel comics, they usually played themselves. However, in this case, a character took direct inspiration from Stan"the Man"himself: J. Jonah Jameson, the tyrannical boss of The Daily Bugle.
Rest assured, true believers, this doesn’t mean Stan was tyrannical himself.But if he had a hand in creating the character, he certainly knew how to poke fun at his own personality. In an interview with NPR, Lee explained that he came up with Jameson by asking,“If I were a grumpy, irritable man, which I am sometimes, how would I act?“This self-referential humor led to the creation of one ofMarvel’smost hilariously over-the-top characters, a long-lasting contribution from Lee to his publishing company.
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Sources:Modern Masters Volume 18: John Romita Jr. by George Khoury and Eric Nolen-Weathington,Comic-Art,Steve Chung on X,American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969by John Wells, The Ages of Iron Man: Essays on the Armored Avenger in Changing Timesby Joseph J. Darowski,NPR
