The marvelous men of Marvel

The typical male Marvel hero was a handsome and strong, sexy hunk - a perfect physical specimen. Sometimes the stories would call for him to appear scantily clad, creating classic, memorable moments. Other times an extremely well-drawn splash-page image would appear that made you go simply: “Wow”!”

A pin-up of Hercules drawn by artist Don Heck from Avengers Annual #1, 1967.

This feature presents a historical run-through of those all too rare glimpses of the men behind the masks. All the artwork is presented in chronological order to illustrate the evolution of comic book art styles throughout the years. As is evident, the mid-70s to mid-80s were the most daring when it came to sexy depictions of the heroes and at the time, bodybuilding ads with pictures of scantily clad muscle men also often appeared between the pages. Although the mid-90s saw a minor resurgence with popular swimsuit editions featuring the heroes in barely any clothes, male nudity in Marvel Comics became rarer and today, the almost body painted, revealing costumes the heroes became popular in, has been replaced by more clothes like uniforms.

Initially, at the beginning of the Marvel Age in the 60s, the Marvel men – although blue-eyed and handsome – weren’t much to look at. Even though they were great in other departments, muscle-tone just wasn’t that detailed in the works of prominent Marvel artists like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Don Heck. Here is an illustration of Erik Josten who had just become Power Man in Avengers #21 from October 1965. Notice the lack of detail on his powerful frame as drawn by Don Hec and Wally Wood – like, there’s no nipples or bulge in his underpants.

This illustration of Steve Rogers (Captain America) in bed by Jack Kirby and George Tuska from Tales of Suspense #72 in December 1965 was about as hot as it got under the Comics Code censorship in the sixties.

When Marvel Comics gave the Golden Age hero with a pointy-shaped head Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner his own serial in Tales To Astonish in 1965, they improved on his looks to make him appear more human. And so sexiness ensued because his superhero costume was but a pair of swimming trunks as seen here drawn by Gene Colan and Bill Everett from Tales To Astonish #85 in November 1966.

Then along came artists like John Buscema, Gil Kane and Jim Steranko and suddenly Marvel comics had a never-before-seen sexiness to them as witnessed here in this drawing of Bruce Banner by John Buscema and Mickey Demeo from Tales to Astonish #86, December 1966. When the Hulk changed back to his alter-ego, Bruce Banner, Bruce was often left half-naked, resulting in scenes like this one.

Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner’s Golden Age writer and artist Bill Everett helped bring the hero into the more sexy Silver Age of comics as seen here in Tales To Astonish #87 from January 1967.

John Buscema was among the pioneers of the art style of “painted-on costumes” where the heroes' impressive muscles and bulging biceps could be seen through the costume, making him look like a body painted nude, as seen in this example of Captain America from Avengers #44, September 1967. This art style would get very popular and lasted for decades, well into the 00s.

Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, Marvel’s most scantily clad hero may have roamed the oceans wearing nothing but a green pair of swimming trunks, but he rarely got drawn in any particularly sexy poses. However, Tales to Astonish #101, March 1968, featured a nice splash-page by Gene Colan and Dan Adkins of the sleeping monarch of the seas.

Then, in May 1968, the Sub-Mariner got his own title and the cover of the first issue featured him striking a very regal and daringly sexy pose as visualized by John Buscema. Things were heating up at Marvel.

In the second issue of Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner from June 1968, artists John Buscema and Frank Giacoia drew a nice splash-page of the scantily clad hero in a sexy strong-man pose. Look at those bulging muscles and abs.

Captain America and the Falcon
Artist Jack Kirby was the pioneer of body hair at Marvel as seen here in this example from Fantastic Four 78, September 1968, inked by Joe Sinnott. The Thing has just transformed into his human self as Benjamin Grimm, so he must hold up his Thing-sized shorts by hand to keep them from falling down and revealing his manhood. Not that his colleagues in the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards and Johnny Storm, would have minded it would seem. They’re just happy to see the manly Benjamin Grimm again.

When Jack Kirby and then Jim Steranko wrote and drew the adventures of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the pages of Strange Tales and then in his own series, the very masculine leading man often lost his shirt. Here Nick Fury is seen stripping out of his sexy skintight suit in Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #1 by Jim Steranko and Joe Sinnott in June 1968.

In February 1968, artists Gene Colan and Dan Adkins tried their hands on Prince Namor in Sub-Mariner #10. Although the art style was a bit crude, Namor still came off as both powerful and sexy in his masculine splendor.

In Sub-Mariner #11 from March 1969, artist Gene Colan inked by George Klein did a breathtaking panel with a unique perspective on Prince Namor. It almost seems like the reader is lying on the ground or a bed and Namor is crawling on top of you to have his manly way with you.

Things got seriously sexy when Jim Steranko drew the cover of Captain America #111, March 1969. It featured the Captain striking a pose in an almost body painted costume. His sporty build really stood revealed, leaving very little for the imagination.

Readers then got their first look at Sam Wilson, Captain America’s future partner, the Falcon, in a half-naked, sexy pose by Gene Colan and Joe Sinnott in Captain America #117, September 1969. He looked very handsome. No wonder Captain America immediately took a liking to him.

Here is a piece of sexy art from the previously mentioned Gil Kane inked by Dan Adkins from Captain Marvel #18, November 1969. The hero practically looks spread out in a hot pose on a bed while the readers gaze is directed up his lovingly crafted and marvelously detailed body.

As for Captain America himself, he was seen stripping out of his costume into his civilian identity as Steve Rogers, who washed up and went to bed as visualized by Gene Colan and Joe Sinnott in Captain America #122, February 1970. Steve was feeling mighty lonely, so who knows what went on in that bed between panels.

Look at those big strong hands! And the rest wasn’t bad either when Steve Rogers was drawn posing in his revealing Captain America costume by John Buscema and Tom Palmer in Avengers #81, October 1970.

In December 1971, Namor the Sub-Mariner still took the prize as the sexiest hero at Marvel as demonstrated by this sexy panel accentuating his muscular body and sexy package. It was visualized by artists Marie Severin and Jim Mooney in Sub-Mariner #44.

When student and freelance photographer Peter Parker discards his clothes to put on his Spider-Man costume, he occasionally does so in public as seen here in Amazing Spider-Man #105 drawn by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia from February 1972. But Peter’s spider-sense warns him of all kinds of danger, so if anyone was watching to catch a glimpse of his naked beauty, he would know he didn’t have the roof-top to himself.

The coming of body hair and nipples
As you might have noticed, body hair and nipples were pretty much non-existent on the Marvel superheroes’ bodies until artists like Neal Adams and Barry Windsor-Smith came along with their more detailed art styles. Here is the Greek god Hercules sporting both nipples and chest hair on his big powerful body as drawn by Barry Smith and Sal Buscema in Avengers #98, April 1972.

When artist Dan Adkins drew Namor the Sub-Mariner in Sub-Mariner #56 from December 1972, the swimwear wearing undersea monarch’s strong body was drawn with more muscle definition than ever before. He looked just marvelously sexy.

When Jim Starlin drew the Captain Marvel series in 1973, the hero occasionally appeared in sexually provocative poses such as seen here from Captain Marvel #27 where the hero’s crotch is accentuated, as well as half-naked like in issue #28 where the hero sported some sexy body hair.

Yes, he’s naked. That’s Peter Parker peeking from behind the shower curtain as tantalizingly envisioned by Ross Andru and Frank Giacoia in Amazing Spider-Man #135. So yeah, you can’t really see anything but this is from August 1974 and one of the first shower scenes depicted in Marvel Comics. More candid drawings of heroes in the shower would follow this groundbreaking panel.

Not every artist at Marvel were at the forefront of artistic developments, though. As seen here in Ka-Zar Vol.2 #10 from August 1975 drawn by John Buscema and Fred Kida, the Lord of the Savage Land was drawn without nipples, but he was still drawn hot enough to catch the eye of the young gentleman in the back. Ka-Zar was sometimes superhero, sometimes jungle lord – basically Marvel’s take on the more widely known comic book and movie star character Tarzan.

Daredevil stripped out of his costume and into his civilian identity as Matt Murdock while swinging over the city in Daredevil #130, February 1976.  The hot action was illustrated by Bob Brown and Klaus Janson.

In Champions ##, also from February 1976, Warren Worthington III a.k.a. the Angel was shown wearing nothing but swimming trunks by George Tuska and Vince Colletta and they sure had the nipple thing down pat.

George Tuska and Vince Colletta were on a roll in February 1976, also impressively depicting scientist Bill Foster, who worked on Hank Pym’s Ant-Man/Giant-Man serum, practically bursting out of all his clothes when transforming into Black Goliath in Black Goliath #1.

In Black Goliath #2, April 1976, the big guy is helped out by a stewardess who takes him home to recuperate and as a thank-you, he goes to bed with her. After that, the dirty Bill Foster needs a shower. Here he is shown standing butt-naked while wiping off with a towel by George Tuska and Vince Colletta.

In Super-Villain Team-Up #5 by writer Steve Englehart and artists Herb Trimpe and Don Perlin from April 1976, Johnny Storm – the hot-tempered Human Torch of the Fantastic Four – thought what everyone else was thinking: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner sure looked good in them green swimming trunks. Sure, it was “the swinging seventies,” but, hey, wasn’t Johnny Storm straight or what?!

A sexy peek into Peter Parker’s bedroom reveals him is in his underwear, putting on his Spider-Man costume as detailed by artists Ross Andru and Mike Esposito in Amazing Spider-Man #158 from July 1976.

Hot daddies

Who doesn’t like a sexy mature man who is even a macho soldier? In Astonishing Tales #36 from July 1976, Rich Buckler and Keith Pollard presented readers with just such a good-looking stud, namely Luther Manning in a hot body cloned from the Deathlok cyborg. And of course he had a bit of hair on his big, strong manly chest and spent the issue running around in nothing but a pair of black underwear.

In Fantastic Four #174 from September 1976, the Thing had reverted to his human self, Benjamin Grimm, once again and wore a Thing exoskeleton to substitute his lost powers. In this scene illustrated by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, Benjamin Grimm strips out of the suit, revealing his sexy features wearing nothing but a pair of blue briefs.

A couple of sexy men with impressive physiques were on the roster of Los Angeles’ one and only superhero team, the Champions, in October 1976, Warren Worthington III alias Angel and Greek demi-god Hercules as delineated here by Bob Hall and Bruce Patterson in Champions #8.

When Simon Williams, Wonder Man was re-introduced as a new member of the Avengers, it was made clear that the powerfully built strongman was very sexy indeed when artists John Buscema and Joe Sinnott put a spotlight on his impressive build in a big panel in Avengers #153 from November 1976. It definitely drew attention to his virile package, making him an object of desire.

It was a small panel, but if anyone doubted the desirability of Wonder Man, here he was in his underwear in Avengers #155 in January 1977. The powerful and hairy physique was courtesy of artists George Pérez and Pablo Marcos and made readers drool.

If you’re into the hot daddy type, then Fantastic Four #179 and 181 from February and April 1977 were really, well… fantastic, because Reed Richards, the aptly named Mr. Fantastic, was stranded in the Negative Zone – in his underwear! The fantastic art by Ron Wilson and Joe Sinnott sparked the imagination about this sexy family man.

Meanwhile in April 1977, militant mutant Magneto got rejuvenated in X-Men #104. The now younger father of Lorna Dane, Polaris, looked great in this shot by Dave Cockrum and Sam Grainger, especially if you were into the stern kind of man with a firm hand, who knew exactly how he wanted it.

In Avengers #160 in June 1977, the new stud on the team Wonder Man got his costume shredded in battle, revealing his big strong hairy body underneath. Very impressively drawn by George Pérez and Pablo Marcos.

John Byrne and Pablo Marcos drew an even more sexy Wonder Man in Avengers #164, October 1977. There, the male beauty got a physical examination by his Avengers colleagues Henry Pym and Tony Stark, and he sure gave them something to behold.

Dave Cockrum drew a nice pin-up of the Kree superhero Mar-Vell, Captain Marvel, which was inked by Terry Austin and appeared in Captain Marvel #54, January 1978. The Captain looked athletic and strong as he confidently strolled down a city street, making everyone turn their heads and gape in wonder and awe of his elegant, yet masculine beauty.

Also in January 1978, readers of the Amazing Spider-Man #176 were treated to a rare and intimate glimpse of Peter Parker waking up in bed and flexing his muscles as sexily portrayed by artists Ross Andru and Tony DeZuniga. Now, who wouldn’t want to be in bed with Peter Parker?

Gorgeous as an angel, millionaire Warren Worthington III – the Angel of the original X-Men and the Champions - is seen here relaxing on a sunbed with drinks and a big screen TV in his mountain retreat as illustrated by John Byrne and Bob Layton in Hulk Annual #7, 1978. Yeah, he looks irresistible, and not just to the ladies in that issue, but to the readers as well.

In August 1979, the Latin super-hero El Águila (The Eagle) was introduced in Power Man and Iron Fist #58 as visualized by Trevor von Eeden and Dan Green – and they sure had the Latin lover looks down pat. A very handsome and sexy looking man who could steal hearts while serving justice.

Another sexy peek into the private life of Peter Parker as detailed by artists Sal Buscema and Jim Mooney in Amazing Spider-Man #199 from December 1979. Yeah, those tight Spider-Man spandex pants are hot when he’s wearing nothing else.

Mostly naked superheroes
By January 1980, comic book artwork had generally reached a standard where it seemed sexy whenever one of the Marvel heroes was depicted scantily clad, like when Steve Rogers put on his Captain America costume in Captain America #241, showing off his clearly defined muscle tone as drawn by Frank Springer and Pablo Marcos. Or when Spider-Man swung right at the reader, giving readers a good view in between his legs at his hot body in the bottom position as depicted by Michael Nasser and Josef Rubinstein in Marvel Team-Up #89.

When drawn by Kerry Gammill and Ricardo Villamonte, Power Man did indeed look impressively powerful. In Power Man and Iron Fist #63 from June 1980, writer Mary Jo Duffy offered a welcome glimpse into his personal life as Luke Cage. He was seen sleeping naked in his bed in the backroom of his Hero for Hire office and showing off his strong torso while shaving and getting dressed in front of friend D.W. Griffith who probably had to sit down to cover his excitement at seeing the very masculine Luke Cage this intimately.

Luke Cage had a tendency to lose his shirt in battle, laying bare his impressively bulging muscles like seen here by artists Kerry Gammill and D'Agostino in Power Man and Iron Fist #64 in August 1980.

Things heated up considerably in X-Men #137, September 1980, when John Byrne and Terry Austin did the first fully nude male superhero in Marvel Comics history. Although his vital parts were covered in shadows, the small and hairy, yet sexy Wolverine was seen exiting a shower, sparking the imagination of the readers.

In that very same issue of the X-Men, readers also got a good view of Russian farm boy turned X-Man Colossus as he got up out of bed, looking very attractive in nothing but a pair of white briefs.

Luke Cage demonstrates why his superhero-name is Power Man in this scene by artists Kerry Gammill and Ricardo Villamont in Power Man and Iron Fist #65 from October 1980.

In Spectacular Spider-Man #48 from November 1980, artists Marie Severin and Bruce Patterson drew Peter Parker fresh from the shower and wearing nothing but a towel when he got interrupted putting his Spider-Man costume up to dry by his phone ringing.

Then, in Captain America Annual #5, 1981, it was Steve Rogers’ turn to delight readers with taking a shower. The nude scene was tastefully depicted by Gene Colan and Dave Simons.

Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. guest-starred in Captain America #265 and 266, January and February 1982. Like in the swinging sixties, he managed to once again lose his shirt, showing off his tight body and hairy chest in the two issues beautifully rendered by Mike Zeck and John Beatty.

Not to be outdone by his fellow Avenger Steve Rogers’ recent shower scene, billionaire Tony Stark, who doubled as his own bodyguard Iron Man, also had to take a shower, but as depicted by Steve Ditko and Dan Green in Iron Man #160 cover-dated July 1982.

Steve Rogers himself guest-starred in Fantastic Four #250, January 1983, and had to change into his Captain America costume on a rooftop, but it was all drawn in the best possible taste by John Byrne.

A scantily clad Bruce Banner in between transformations into the incredible Hulk as envisioned by guest-artist Tomoyuki Takenaka in Marvel Team-Up #126 cover-dated February 1983. He may be scrawny compared to the Hulk, but he sure is the better-looking, sexy personality.

Tony Stark changing from his Iron Man armor to his business suit as imagined by Luke McDonnell and Steve Mitchell in Iron Man #168 in March 1983. Tony Stark was a heavy drinker at this time, though, but he still looked good in his underwear.

In Amazing Spider-Man #239 from April 1983, artists John Romita Jr and Frank Giacoia treated readers to Peter Parker’s bathroom routine with a shower and a shave and cleaning his Spider-Man costume in the tub before taking a nap on his couch wearing nothing but a towel. Good times…

Luke Cage strikes a very manly and sexy pose by Ernie Chan and Mike Mignola in Power Man and Iron Fist #100, December 1983. Oh, yeah! Whatta man!

Artist John Romita Jr was at it again in Amazing Spider-Man #249 from February 1984, now portraying Peter Parker stripping out of his Spider-Man costume. The sexy delight was inked by Dan Green.

The 80’s really were a good era to be a fan of Spider-Man if you enjoyed candid drawings of him as Peter Parker. Like here as drawn by Ron Frenz and Brett Breeding in Amazing Spider-Man #252 cover-dated May 1984. That is his sentient black costume sliding across his nice underwear bulge when trying to dress him while he’s still in bed.

Another glimpse into Peter Parker’s private life with him doing a bit of a striptease by Al Milgrom and Jim Mooney in Spectacular Spider-Man #96 in November 1984.

The Human Torch’s American Indian friend, Chief Wyatt Wingfoot headed to the rooftop of the Fantastic Four’s building to soak up some sun, exposing his muscular body in Fantastic Four #275, February 1985, by John Byrne and Al Gordon.

Brian Braddock, the big, strong super-hero known as Captain Britain, was about to take a bath in Captain Britain vol. 2 #9, September 1985, but got a nasty surprise. Tantalizingly portrayed by artist Alan Davis, it was originally published in black and white but was colorized for the 1988 Captain Britain trade paperback – much to the delight of readers everywhere.

Beef cake
The one and only Captain America on the cover of a magazine. That’s Marvel Fanfare #31 from March 1987 and artists Kerry Gammill and Dennis Janke have envisioned the bootylicious Steve Rogers in a body painted Cap costume. Like, yum!

In Web Of Spider-Man #31 from October 1987 drawn by Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod, Peter Parker was so exhausted, he just threw himself on his bed in nothing but his underpants. “Yummy!” ‘Nuff said.

Let this drawing of Piotr Nikolievitch Rasputin, Colossus of the X-Men, speak for itself. It’s by John Bolton from Classic X-Men #29, January 1988.

In Captain America #339 from March 1988, artists Kieron Dwyer and Tony DeZuniga envisioned the type of underwear super-soldier Steve Rogers wore underneath his Captain America costume.

Even as a young man, the teenaged Namor the Sub-Mariner was desirably sexy as seen here in a flashback by Rich Buckler and Bob McLeod from Saga Of The Sub-Mariner #2, December 1988.

The adult Namor the Sub-Mariner looked physically impressive when taking on the army in this illustration by Rich Buckler & Richardson from Saga Of The Sub-Mariner #5, March 1989. That’s a very sexy body.

The monstrous The Thing of the Fantastic Four was temporarily transformed into his sexy human Benjamin J. Grimm self again and Keth Pollard and Romeo Tanghal sure drew him well, accentuating his package in Fantastic Four #327 from June 1989.

Marvel’s very own Tarzan, Kevin Plunder known as Ka-Zar, Lord of the Savage Land – the hidden jungle he considers his to rule. Usually running around half naked, he never looked better than when he was handled by artist Brent Anderson as seen here in a pin-up from Marvel Fanfare #45 in August 1989.

Marvel's other scantily-clad hero, Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, by Rich Buckler and Bob McLeod on the cover of The Saga of the Sub-Mariner #12, October 1989.

As Simon Williams, the powerful super-hero and West Coast Avenger Wonder Man worked as a stuntman in Hollywood productions and aspired to become an actor. Here he is seen working out as imagined by artists Javier Saltares and Jose Marzan in Marvel Comics Presents #38 from December 1989.

It turned out the handsome magician Doctor Strange had a younger brother Victor Strange and in Doctor Strange vol. 3 #14 in February 1990, what a brother he was as temptingly drawn by Jackson Guise.

It was sort of funny, because Victor Strange looked like someone you’d like to suck when drawn by Jackson Guice and Tony DeZuniga in Doctor Strange vol. 3 #20, August 1990, but he turned into a vampiric Baron Blood who wants to suck your blood, so don’t let his charms seduce you.

The powerful mutant Magneto by Jim Lee and Art Thibert from The Uncanny X-Men #269, October 1990.

Mister superstar

Avenger Simon Williams, Wonder Man supplemented his income as a Hollywood actor by doing advertising work in between movies. Here’s an underwear ad he did for Marvel Illustrated: The Swimsuit Issue #1, 1991, with layout by Paul Ryan and Tom Palmer.

Simon Williams, Wonder Man also modelled for a painting by Joe Jusko for The Marvel Masterpieces Collection #3, July 1992. The sexy portrait revealed that the muscular action hero star really harbored dreams of winning an Oscar for his acting.

Adam Warlock, who was originally called simply Him, was birthed from a cocoon as a fully matured adult – the creation of scientists who wanted to create the perfect human being. As he stepped from his cocoon in a recap of his origin in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1 from February 1992 as visualized by Angel Medina and Terry Austin, he sure looked delicious with his golden skin and not unlike another artificially created perfect man, Rocky from the 1975 Rocky Horror Picture Show movie.

The good-looking, handsome movie star Simon Williams also known as the superhero Wonder Man looked extraordinarily wonderful in this splash-page drawing by artists Tim Hamilton and Brad Vancata from Wonder Man #20 in April 1993.

Adam Warlock's origin was retold again in Warlock Chronicles #1 from July 1993, this time featuring even more sexy art by Tom Raney and Keith Williams.

Irresistible, but dangerous: Black Bolt, king of the Inhumans, looked very alluring in this pin-up by George Pérez from Marvel Swimsuit Special #2, 1993, but beware… His voice can destroy mountains, so imagine what it would do to his lover if he couldn’t hold back a moan of pleasure while in the throes of passion…

Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan may have originated from hell, but he sure had a heavenly body as visualized by Michael Bair in the initial 1993 Hellstorm story-arc.

Swimsuit fun at the beach
You gotta love a bad guy when he’s got a killer body like Benjamin Poindexter alias Daredevil’s archenemy Bullseye does in this pin-up by Aron Wiesenfeld and Klaus Janson from Marvel Swimsuit Special #3, 1994. Yeah, he’s about to go swimming with the fishes and looking mighty good doing it, too.

Artist Lou Harrison envisioned the usually slim Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America as something of a powerful-looking bodybuilder when relaxing at the beach in this pin-up from Marvel Swimsuit Special #4 from 1994.

Divorced father and architect Eric Kevin Masterson had bulging muscles like the thunder god Thor, who inhabited his body before Eric struck out on his own as Thunderstrike and put on a good show of his godly features by Gary Frank and Mark Farmer in Marvel Swimsuit Special #3, 1994.

Swimsuit specials were all the rave back there in the mid-90s and with hot images like this, was it any wonder? The Wakandan king T’Challa, the Black Panther never looked better or more sensuous than in this image by James Fry and Harry Candelario from Marvel Swimsuit Special #3, 1994.  

Marvel’s first openly gay superhero was Jean-Paul Beaubier, Northstar of the Canadian super team Alpha Flight and here he is imagined nude at the beach by the first openly gay comic book artist P. Craig Russell for Marvel Swimsuit Special #3, 1994. Yes, that’s his swimming trunks he’s wearing around his neck.

Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner was like, “the king of swimsuits” at Marvel and not just in the swimsuit specials, but wherever he appeared like on this October 1994 cover of X-Men: The Early Years #6 by Matthew Ryan. One word: “Wow!”

Rick Jones, friend of Bruce Banner and former side-kick to Captain America, was so into his imported comic books in Marvel Swimsuit Special #4, 1995, that he didn’t even notice his smoking hot wife, Marlo. (Who?) Sexy art by Carlos Pacheco and Cam Smith.

The handsome clone of Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider also brought reading material to the beach, but then he fell asleep in this very dreamy pin-up by Christopher Hawkes from Marvel Swimsuit Special #4, 1995.

Blind lawyer Matt Murdock was a hit with the ladies who thought he was a sweet sensitive fun-loving sexy man, but really, he was a tough muscular vigilante when donning his Daredevil costume. One thing was for sure, he had a very beautiful and desirable body as illustrated here by Keith Pollard and Tom Palmer in Daredevil #343 from August 1995.

Timeless beauties

The frail Steve Rogers was turned into the perfect male specimen during World War 2 and after spending years in suspended animation he was revived in the modern world, still looking perfectly sexy as envisioned by penciller Ron Garney in these illustrations from Captain America #444, 448 and 451 from 1995 and 1996.

The cosmic superhero Silver Surfer sheds his silver coating and becomes his sexy bald human self, Norrin Radd as envisioned by artists Tom Grindberg and Bill Anderson in Silver Surfer #115 from April 1996.

Nathan Dayspring Summers, the time-travelling Cable looks gorgeous even with a metal arm by Bernard Chang and Scott Hanna from Cable #36, October 1996.

Prince Namor, the decades-old Sub-Mariner looking majestically sexy by Jim Lee and Scott Williams from Fantastic Four vol. 2 #2, December 1996.

In 1996 and 1997, Daredevil was drawn by Cary Nord and Matt Ryan and looked very sexy both in costume and in his civilian identity as Matt Murdock as seen in these two examples from Daredevil #360, January 1997. Who wouldn’t want to cozy up next to him on that couch?

Gotta love a man in uniform. Here is Captain Mar-Vell of the Kree army, but despite his unearthly origins, he looked like a very sexy human, filling that tight uniform nicely. The attractive alien was visualized by artist Scott Kolins as ready to steal any Earthman's heart on the cover of The Untold Legend of Captain Marvel #1 in April 1997.

Also in April 1997, scientist Bruce Banner was shown completely naked in Fantastic Four vol 2 #6, but with his private parts covered by an inserted panel, of course. Still, he was very nicely imagined by artists Brett Booth and Tom McWeeney with a tight, defined body and a bit of sexy hair on it.

In May 1997, writer Brandon Choi and artist Brett Booth made official in Fantastic Four vol. 2 #7 what everyone had been thinking: Reed Richards is named Mr. Fantastic because he doesn’t just have a fantastic body – he is also fantastic in bed. 

Even onboard a spaceship, the mutant X-Man Lucas Bishop makes himself feel at home by lounging around in his underwear. And with a powerhouse body like that, he’s certainly welcome to it. Anywhere. Anytime. Artists Melvin Rubi and Harry Candelario drew the black beauty for Uncanny X-Men #345 in June 1997.

In Uncanny X-Men #351, January 1998, a wounded Daredevil looked up the X-Men’s doctor Cecilia Reyes for help. She made him strip down to his underwear for a thorough examination. His civilian identity as Matt Murdock stood fully revealed, but it was all drawn in a rather simple, yet somewhat captivating style by Ed Benes.

Back to Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The physically impressive man looked like he was eager to have his beastly way with Captain America in this powerful pose by Ron Garney and Dan Green in Captain America: Sentinel Of Liberty #2 from October 1998.

A very suggestive image of Garrison Kane, the man known as Weapon X, by Leinil Francis Yu and Scott Koblish from Wolverine vol. 2 #142, September 1999.

The handsome Daily Bugle photographer Peter Parker was seen stripping out of his Spider-Man costume on a Manhattan rooftop in Peter Parker, Spider-Man #13 in January 2000. The sexy scene was imagined by artists Lee Weeks and Robert Campanella.

Remy LeBeau, Gambit looked very handsome in this drawing by Anthony Williams and Andy Lanning during a time-travel to the past in Gambit vol. 3 #13, February 2000.

More suggestive images

Larger than life and in an almost body painted costume to spark one’s imagination, Captain America – the epitome of physical perfection - never looked sexier than in this Captain America Annual 2001 cover painting by Rodolfo Migliari.

In Daredevil vol. 2 #25, December 2001, Matt Murdock appeared in a very suggestive drawing by Phil Winslade and James Hodgkins. While wearing a practically body painted Daredevil costume, he was pictured approaching a man in bed and looking like he was about to force himself on him and have his manly way. It was a very sexy image, making the man in bed practically begging Daredevil to be gentle with him.

Artists Tom Raney and Scott Hanna managed to make the Asgardian God of thunder Thor sexy as witnessed by these two illustrations from Thor vol. 2 #46 and 50 from 2002. In the first, Thor looks like he is on his way to bed and inviting the reader along for him to have his manly way with and in the second he is showing off his strong hairy body.

Thor’s Asgardian friend, Fandral the Dashing of the Warriors Three also looked very handsome and attractive when drawn by Tom Raney and Scott Hanna in Thor vol. 2 #55 from December 2002.

In bed with Peter Parker, the amazing Spider-Man. The at the time married man was portrayed in solo beauty by John Romita, Jr. and Scott Hanna in Amazing Spider-Man vol 2 #46, December 2002.

Peter Parker, Spider-Man, was seen getting out of bed in House of M #8, December 2005. Wearing nothing but shorts, readers got a good look at his sleek and slender, yet strong body as nicely envisioned by artist Olivier Coipel.

In Captain America #22 from November 2006, artist Mike Perkins depicted an intimate moment of Steve Rogers putting his Captain America costume back on after having had sex with a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Look at those abs.

A powerful drawing of Captain America by Ron Garney and Bill Reinhold appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #537, February 2007. Captain America was giving a supportive, fatherly pep-talk to Peter Parker, whose head was placed suggestively close to the Captain’s impressive package.

The mercenary Marc Spector in his very tight and very revealing Moon Knight costume in this candid drawing by Javier Saltares and Mark Texeira from Moon Knight #16, May 2008.

Blasts from the past

The ages-old Logan in action as Wolverine wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts by Mike Choi from Uncanny X-Men #498, July 2008.

Strong-man Colossus looked both handsome and sexy in this pin-up by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson from Uncanny X-Men #506, May 2009. He enjoyed painting in his spare time and was a real sweetheart underneath his hard exterior.

Spider-Man takes a shower in his civilian identity as photographer Peter Parker as drawn by Mike McKone and Andy Lanning. It was in Amazing Spider-Man # 593, July 2009 that he rubbed that sweat off and got real clean.

Supervillain Norman Osborn, head of the peacekeeping H.A.M.M.E.R. organization, got a thorough look at the butt-naked beauty of Prince Namor of Atlantis while having a man-to-man talk with the showering Sub-Mariner in Dark X-Men: The Beginning #1, September 2009 – all visualized in the best possible taste by Leonard Kirk and Jay Leisten.

His costume torn in battle, the victorious Captain America looks ready to receive his just reward in this sexy cover painting by Gerald Parel for Captain America #605 in June 2010. And who wouldn’t want to give it to him?

Artist Paulo Siqueira made Captain America look very heroically impressive in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #37 from July 2010. The image practically forces worship of the hero upon the reader.

The mutant Wolverine often acts on his feelings whether they be animal rage or animal lust, so when he teamed up with the female mutant Domino in the 2010 X-Force: Sex and Violence limited series and sexual tension arose the two of them had sex in the second issue. Here Wolverine is seen relaxing in bed after the fact as beautifully painted by Gabriele Dell’Otto.

A very sexy drawing of Sub-Mariner by Scot Eaton and Mark Morales from Fear Itself: Book of the Skull #1 in May 2011. Oh, yeah… VERY sexy. A pity with that word balloon covering his arm pit.

After having been reduced to a frail weakling by the villainous Machinesmith, Steve Rogers was turned back into a perfect specimen in Captain America vol. 7 #10 by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer in June 2012.

The World War II veteran Steve Rogers, keeping fit for his duties as Captain America in Uncanny Avengers #5, May 2013, by Olivier Coipel and Mark Morales.

In August 2014, Marvel dared to put a mostly naked and very sexy Gambit on the cover of All-New X-Factor #9. The smoking hot image was created by Kris Anka and Jared Fletcher.

And practically ending where we began: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner in a John Buscema homage by Joe Jusko from an Inhumans Vs. X-Men #4 variant edition, 2017.

The mutant Warren Worthington III, Angel of the X-Men, sure looks like a beautiful, beautiful angel in this sexy drawing by Jim Cheung from Astonishing X-Men vol. 4 #1, September 2017. “Yes, please come rescue me from loneliness and despair.”

A wonderful pin-up of the time-travelling Nathan Dayspring Summers from Cable vol. 3 #4 by Yildiray Cinar in October 2017. He is a very sexy man in any day and age.

The angelic Warren Worthington III also looks very attractive and dashing in this drawing by Ed McGuinness and Mark Morales from Astonishing X-Men vol. 4 #3, November 2017.

Remy LeBeau, the handsome and charming mutant thief Gambit capable of stealing any person’s heart relaxes by the pool in Astonishing X-Men vol. 4 # 4 from December 2017 as envisioned by artists Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Fonteriz.

Eros, the brother of the mad Titan Thanos and once the Avenger Starfox, had the power to seduce anyone. In the 2018 Thanos - The Infinity Siblings graphic novel illustrated by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer he was seen resting in a bed surrounded by five women – surely the artists simply didn’t think to also put a man in that picture. As a “God of Love”, Eros should be into both women and men. But at least he was drawn attractively, looking very irresistible like he ought to be – to women and men both.

A lot of comic book artists do commissions - you tell them what to draw and pay them to do it. Apparently, someone paid legendary artist Neal Adams to do a sexy Tarzan-style drawing of Wolverine from the X-Men, because Neal Adams shared this on his Facebook page in 2020:

Here’s a piece of art from an actual issue of Wolverine, Wolverine vol. 6 #18 drawn by Paco Diaz and published in January 2022. It’s also a scantily clad Logan, here enjoying the sun at the beach while drinking beer with a male friend.