Fantastic Five: Best Kid Sidekicks

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our years on the Internet, it’s that there’s no aspect of comics that can’t be broken down and quantified in a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of five or ten. And since there’s no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we’re taking it upon ourselves to compile Top Five lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics.

This week we're taking a look at the kid sidekick, one of the most iconic tropes in superhero comics. Even in the most mainstream culture, superheroes are known for colorful costumes, fancy cars, underwear on the outside, and child endangerment. That's the one we're looking at this week: that seemingly endless horde of plucky orphans willing to jump out of a rocket car in short pants to punch a Nazi in the bread basket. Kid sidekicks, we salute you.

Show notes:

• If you feel like your favorite sidekick has been left off of this list, first ask yourself: is he or she a kid sidekick? Could he or she, if he or she wanted, purchase a cigarette or a ticket to a rated-R movie without a parent or legal guardian present? If yes, he or she is not a kid sidekick and does not fall within the purview of this video.
• You can read all about the best Robin stories in this article on the evolution of Dick Grayson.
• Find some solid Wally West stories in this article on the history of the Flash.
• Bucky features heavily in this survey of the history of Captain America.
• And, of course, Ten Golden Age Sidekicks Whose Names Sound Like Gross Sex Moves.

Maybe Enjoy These Other Fantastic Five Episodes While You're Here