Here’s Why Kingpin Is So Strong in Marvel Shows & Comics

There are plenty of characters in the comics that are considered to be powerful without having any kind of superpowers or superhuman abilities, the most notable being Batman. While Batman is on the side of the good guys, sometimes villainous personalities strive to better themselves as well and are capable of performing seemingly superhuman feats without any logical reason behind them. One of them is Kingping, who, both in the comics and in the shows, displayed almost superhuman levels of durability and strength. Let’s see what makes Kingpin so strong in both comics and shows.

Kingpin is not superhuman, but his body does have some unusual properties

Now, over the course of the comics, we’ve seen Kingpin going up against various enemies, mostly using his influence weapons and an army of guard dogs that surround him. Intellect and tactical skills were almost always associated with him, as well as the immense resources that allowed him to buy almost everyone and everything. But, when push comes to show, Kingpin is able to break some bones, and he does so relatively often both in the comics and in the show.

We’ve seen him breaking concrete and necks and even destroying metal objects; the key to this monstrous strength lies in his unique physiology. Kingpin seems to be fat at first glance; he is a pretty big guy. He is tall and massive and wide, but that weight isn’t exactly fat per se; most of his body mass is composed of muscles, so Kingpin is naturally inclined to be incredibly strong. At least there was an explanation used in the comics.

In the comics, Kingpin was once able to lift up to 1245 lbs, and he frequently went up against superhumans like Daredevil and Spider-Man.

Why is Kingpin strong in the MCU?

Many fans noticed that despite Kingpin appearing to be out of shape, he is incredibly strong; let’s revisit that scene from the ‘Echo’ TV show in which Kingpin brutally bludgeons an Ice Cream salesman for mocking deaf Maya. Well, the scene was pretty brutal, and it managed to prove that Kingpin is capable of killing a human being with nothing but his bare hands. Kingpin also survived being shot by Maya from point-blank range, and besides sporting a massive scar near his left eye, he seems to be pretty much okay.

The cause of Kingpin’s “superhuman” strength and durability in the MCU was never discussed, but we can assume that the reason is the same as in the comics, that it’s due to the majority of his body mass being composed of muscles. Hopefully, we will see him in action more once ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ gets released, and hopefully, we will get an explanation.

But so far, we’ve seen his immense strength allowing him to perform feats like lifting a grown man with one arm, beating opponents to death with a few hits, bench pressing extreme weights, punching through brick, and tossing Daredevil around effortlessly. In a second duel with Daredevil, Fisk nearly matched the highly-trained vigilante. He also demonstrated his strength by overpowering Frank Castle, albeit with Castle’s limitations at the time.

When Fisk’s police van was attacked, he shattered his FBI handcuffs with sheer strength. In a prolonged fight against Daredevil and Benjamin Poindexter, Fisk held his own and eventually overpowered Poindexter, breaking his back. In a 2024 confrontation with Kate Bishop, Fisk easily overpowered her despite being hit by a limousine, only succumbing to defeat due to her clever use of trick arrowheads in a toy store.

In any case, Kingpin is pretty strong, and although the greatest danger he possesses is related to his influence and a sharp mind, let’s not forget that he can be a powerhouse when he wants to. Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!