The list of characters to be included on the U.S. Postal Service's second (and final) modern comic book superhero series has been posted on the Virtual Stamp Club Forum.  As was previously announced the second series will feature Marvel superheroes (the first featured DC characters, see 'San Diego Comic-Con a Hot Time') and the smart money is betting that the USPS will release the Marvel stamps just in time for the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con. 

Each of the ten characters will be depicted twice once in a portrait and once on a comic book cover and entire issue will consist of 20 forty-two cent stamps on a self-adhesive sheet.  Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, Sub-Mariner and the Silver Surfer will be included along with two female characters, Spider-Woman and Elektra.  No super groups will be mentioned, though The Thing and Wolverine will be there to represent the Fantastic Four and the X-Men respectively.

Fans are somewhat upset about the two females selected, Elektra and Spider-Woman, neither of whom is a straightforward superhero.  Certainly there are female superheroes such as Storm from the X-Men and Sue Storm/Richards (no relation) from the FF who are arguably more important players in the Marvel universe.  Other fans posting on the Virtual Stamp Club Forum (and this humble writer) would have preferred Thor to either the Silver Surfer or Sub-Mariner, but all quibbling aside, it's nice to see comics getting this kind of mainstream exposure.