This evening I accompanied my little brother as he got his first tattoo. The buzz of the tattoo gun as he winced against the ink injecting its way into his calf made me think of two things: How badly I wanted more ink… and what comic book characters are tattooed? I reached out to one of my closest friends and we had a frantic texting frenzy, trying to remember who had committed to a lifetime of adornment. In a society where tattoos are becoming more commonplace and accepted, comic book characters are slowly acquiring ink.
Aphrodite IX
Babely android chick assassin with green hair AND an identifying tattoo? Yes please. Aphrodite IX’s tattoo is tame and is used as a “marker”, but she owns it — and owns her life, in the process.
Colossus
It took Colossus awhile to go under the needle. Every time he’d hit up the tattoo parlor, he’d get too scared right as he was about to get stabbed and turn metal, thus breaking the tattoo gun. But finally in a fit of kind of stalkerish, obsessive love of his late love Kitty Pryde, he got an er– INTERESTING chest piece. It’s one thing to get someone’s name tattooed on you – it’s another to get an entire montage of your relationship tattooed across your upper body. Whatever floats your boat, I guess?
Shado
Shado is probably the sexiest Yakuza to ever live: the giant dragon tattoo snaking up her arm brands her as part of this Japanese gang, and she strikes with deadly accuracy as she draws her bow… and never misses.
Crying Freeman
Another assassin with ties to the gangs (this time – the Chinese gang 108 Dragons), Crying Freeman has just as impressive of a tattoo as the aforementioned Shado. He hails from the incredible manga of the same name, and sheds tears after each kill he makes: hence the title.
Warpath
Walking into the tattoo parlor, Warpath plops himself down in the chair and regards the tattoo artist levelly. “I want a bird.” He says, broad shouldered and intimidating. “But not just any bird… AN EAGLE.”
At least I like to pretend that’s how that happened.
What about you, iFanbase. What are your favorite comic book characters with ink?
Molly McIsaac has been poked with a needle a BUNCH and knows how to pet puppies JUST RIGHT. You can follow her misadventures on twitter, or at her blog The Geeky Peacock.
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No Tattooed Man?
Seriously?! How do you have a list titled “Top 5 Tattooed Comic Book Characters” and not include a character called Tattooed Man who’s super power is the ability to bring his tattoos to life.
Too on the nose.
That isn’t a picture of Colossus, or is his tattoo. That’s the villain from the same storyline. This was his tattoo: http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/5/55103/1700646-katya_super.jpg
Amended. Thanks, Barabus.
Honest mistake. Gotta be careful with sources on the internet.
HOW IS CARLIE COOPER NOT ON THE LIST. WHEN SHE GOT THAT SPIDER MAN SYMBOL ON HER HIP, WAS PRETTY AWESOME.
I used to love reading Crying Freeman and watching the anime cartoons, just a crazy story.
I’d definitely add Jack Knight to this list. I hadn’t read that issue where Colossus gets his tattoo, that is pretty silly.
Interesting list!
Two others that come to mind…
Spider Jerusalem
Leon Nunez (well I guess he is a tattoo artist)
Starling is pretty badass and her sleeve is awesome.
+1
She is my #1 pick
Yup. Starling came top of my list…
Wait, no Danny Rand? While more of a brand I suppose than a tattoo, I would think he would still qualify.
Well Aphrodite IX and Shado qualified, Iron Fist should too.
Isn’t it a scar though? I seem to remember that it came from when he embraced Shou-Lao. The writer of this article clearly had ink on the mind.
Ehh, I don’t think of it as a scar. It doesn’t even look like one to be honest, it looks more like a tattoo. Its not ink on skin, and if thats the key qualifier than Iron Fist shouldn’t count. But I don’t consider it a scar.
Yeah there are a lot of immortal weapons with some badass tattoo’s, but Iron Fist should be on this list somewhere. I mean his dragon makes colossus’s tat look puny
Jack Knight as Starman?
No Simon Baz? His tattoo says courage, and he is a Green Lantern. Seems fitting.
Magneto should be on this list. And I don’t mean that in an “offensive joke” way. I mean that in a “horrific event in history created one of the most fascinating characters in comics” way.
Good point!
El Diablo from DC (currently on Suicide Squad). Full body tattoos linked to his super powers. Pretty cool….I mean hot.
Spider Jerusalem is definitely missing. And I would add Jennie One from Brian Woods Channel Zero.
Yea no simon baz and iron fist? whats up with that?
What’s Simon Baz’s ink? It’s not just chainlinks on his arms is it?
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned Bishop and his M.
Is that a tattoo or a brand?
Your list is broken, it doesn’t include Kabuki. Kabuki’s back dragon piece is the best tattoo in comics.
ooooo good call!
Oh, nice one!
Grunge? http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/g/grunge.jpg
Starling – New 52 – Birds of prey