USA Today spotlights The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived, a new book that chronicles, “How characters of myth, legends, television, and movies have shaped our society, changed our behavior, and set the course of history.”
On the list, alongside the likes of Robin Hood, Romeo & Juliet, J.R. Ewing and Archie Bunker, are comics characters Batman (No. 60), Superman (No. 64) and Dick Tracy (No. 77).
So, who’s No. 1? “The most famous killer of the last two hundred years,” The Marlboro Man.
Other notables: Santa Claus (No. 4), Sherlock Holmes (No. 8 ), Mickey Mouse (No. 18), Dracula (No. 33), Alice in Wonderland (No. 34), Godzilla (No. 38), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (No. 44), Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock (No. 50), James Bond (No. 51), HAL 9000 (No. 66), Sam Spade (No. 68), King Kong (No. 74), Buck Rogers (No. 84), and Dorothy Gale (No. 91).
October 19th, 2006 at 10:16 am
I’m not sure how Mickey Mouse, Godzilla, HAL or King Kong qualify as people.
October 19th, 2006 at 10:24 am
Hey, giant irradiated lizards are people, too!
October 19th, 2006 at 10:55 am
Shouldn’t God be #1?
October 19th, 2006 at 11:49 am
I’m not really a Superman fan but seriously how do you put Buffy the Vampire Slayer ahead of a character who basically launched an industry?
October 19th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
You are left wondering what is the basis for these listings. I’m assuming it’s entirely America-centric, since Mister #1 is virtually unknown in other countries, even to people who smoke his brand.
October 19th, 2006 at 12:28 pm
The criteria might be a bit questionable (or maybe just mysterious), but I don’t think it’s overly America-centric.
For instance, of the Top 10, nine are non-American creations (I haven’t done a full list count, though).
October 23rd, 2006 at 10:21 pm
Captain Kirk AND Mr Spock #50? Jeez, pick one of the other guys.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
This is why people who watch E!, shouldn’t write top 100 lists.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
If God isnt number one then they obviously believe in God.