5. The Question
Superhero comics have their origins in the pulp novels of the 20's and 30's. The characters in those stories were often two-fisted detectives, searching for the truth in a city dirtier than train station toilet. That's where The Question harkens from. Vic Sage is an investigative reporter by day and a faceless vigilante by night. He's expertly trained in a variety of martial arts and is a self-taught master detective. His mask is made of a compound called pseudoderm, giving him a blank expression that hides his identity. He's known for being extremely paranoid and has been portrayed as something of a conspiracy nut in most versions of the character. If some of this looks and sounds familiar, you wouldn't be far off. The Question is actually the basis for the more recognizable Rorschach from
Watchmen. While that character is certainly beloved and interesting, it's The Question I'd like to see get his due on the big screen. Jeffrey Combs' portrayal of him in the
Justice League Unlimited cartoon is too good not to mention. He brings out the humor, oddness and pathos of a character seemingly out of time. Maybe someday there will be a filmmaker who dares to ask The Question.