Is Superman the most well-known/recognized fictional character worldwide?

[Super Monkey]

Those top 3 came from a poll done a long time ago.

Who knows what would be the top 5 now?

[nightwing]

I've never known how these things were determined in the first place.  I mean, does somebody travel around the world with a pile of flash cards and quiz people on who they do and don't recognize?  Are previous claims of "most recognizable" based on anything even remotely resembling scientific sampling or approved methods of conducting surveys?

Personally, I'm with Mr Owl..."the world may never know."

That said, I think Superman, wearing a garish and unique costume that's been essentially unchanged for 7 decades, has to have an edge on James Bond, who's already had 6 faces and counting, or Sherlock Holmes, whose most famous movies were made in what, the 1940s?  As for Zorro, I'd be surprised if he made the top 50.  And if we're going to open it up to cartoon characters like Pac-Man and Mario (already unknowns to younger folks) then what about Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny?

[Super Monkey]

believe it or not, in a insane turn of events one of the most popular games right now for the Xbox 360 is none other than Pac-Man!

read this:

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) - Gamers from around the world are expected to take part in the first-ever Xbox 360 Pac-Man World Championship, which is getting under way Wednesday.

Microsoft says players will compete until May 9 in the game that's evolved from local pizza parlors and arcades of the 1980s to the Xbox LIVE Arcade on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.

The ten top scorers will be flown to New York City for the finals June 5, with the winner being crowned by Toru Iwatani, the creator of Pac-Man.

And the champ will get a lot of good stuff, including a one-of-a-kind Xbox 360 featuring a special design inspired by Pac-Man, 100,000 Microsoft points for games, movies and other content available on Xbox LIVE, and 26 years of free Quiznos toasted subs.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Johnny Nevada]

>>
Actually, I'm attending college. This really doesn't have anything to do with my courses. I was just wondering. A question that kept poping into my head recently was "Who doesn't know Superman?”<<

My four-year-old niece might not... though I've introduced her to Krypto via a few comics, so she must be sort of familiar with the S-logo at least...

[Kronicpimp]

I also think it's easier for characters who are public domain (or are psuedo-PD) to make it higher on the list. (Where does Indiana Jones rank, BTW?)

That said, I think Superman, wearing a garish and unique costume that's been essentially unchanged for 7 decades, has to have an edge on James Bond, who's already had 6 faces and counting...

If WB keeps producing Superman movies, the series may go through the 007-style actor change thing as well.


Gangerbuster has listed some examples of how Supes has obtained/maintained a higher position on the list non-storyline wise. Does anyone have their own reasons as to how he has also managed to do the same, but storyline-wise (especially compared to other characters), and if he IS at the top of the list?

[Ruby Spears Superman]

 I think his "S" is probably more recognized then he is. About a decade ago a car commercial (probably Mercedes) used some of the most famous symbols in the world to demonstrate that theirs is one of them. Superman's "S" was towards the end. Show someone who's never read a Superman comic before the symbol and they'll still know what it means.

[Kronicpimp]

I think his "S" is probably more recognized then he is. About a decade ago a car commercial (probably Mercedes) used some of the most famous symbols in the world to demonstrate that theirs is one of them. Superman's "S" was towards the end. Show someone who's never read a Superman comic before the symbol and they'll still know what it means.

weird... I guess it's probably due to merchandising.

Can anyone still answer this?

Gangerbuster has listed some examples of how Supes has obtained/maintained a higher position on the list non-storyline wise. Does anyone have their own reasons as to how he has also managed to do the same, but storyline-wise (especially compared to other characters)- includings aspects of his story that appeals to the world population, and if he IS at the top of the list?

[Permanus]

weird... I guess it's probably due to merchandising.

Can anyone still answer this?

Gangerbuster has listed some examples of how Supes has obtained/maintained a higher position on the list non-storyline wise. Does anyone have their own reasons as to how he has also managed to do the same, but storyline-wise (especially compared to other characters)- includings aspects of his story that appeals to the world population, and if he IS at the top of the list?

Not really sure if I understand you correctly, but I don't think the "public at large" (by which I mean people who don't read comics or watch the films, etc.) think of Superman in terms of storylines. Most of the elements of the Superman story (comes from another planet, lots of powers, good guy, double identity) have sort of seeped into the collective consciousness, so that everybody gets the joke about the guy with glasses entering a phone booth; Superman has become an archetype, almost in the Jungian sense: you know who he is even if you never consciously read a Superman story.

As an archetype, he is also invulnerable to continuity, by the way; one of the elements of the story that everybody knows is the Lois-Clark-Superman love triangle, which is why I hate the marriage of Lois and Clark so much: it detracts from the archetype. Sooner or later, someone's going to retcon that back to the Phantom Zone*, right where it belongs.

*Because I still can't say H-E-L-L on this forum.