3-D Man was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Jim Craig. The character was originally created as a tribute to the unsuccessful Harvey Comics character Captain 3-D. 3-D Man was originally supposed to appear as the back-up feature in a stereoscopic comic book featuring Spider-Man, but the idea was cancelled and 3-D Man made his premiere in Marvel Premiere #35 (1977). 3-D Man is described as having three times the strength, speed and physicality of an average man. 3-D Man is the alternate persona of Chuck Chandler, a test pilot who was abducted by the Skrulls. Chandler was imbued with powers by a Skrull artifact during his escape, but the same incident connected him with his brother Hal Chandler, with Hal giving up his energy and going into a coma whenever Chuck needs to access the power of 3-D Man. The character retained his association with the Skrulls, and they became his main adversaries. The original 3-D Man remained an obscure character.

The character of Delroy Garrett was created by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez. Garrett is a former Olympic sprinter who joined a cult, the Triune Understanding, after he was disgraced for using steroids. Originally known as Triathlon and first appearing in The Avengers #8 (1998), he is given the powers of 3-D Man by the Triune Understanding after they steal them from Chandler. Triathlon joined the Avengers as the new 3-D Man, but he believed himself to be a token hire as he was African-American and the team was being accused of racism at the time they allowed him to join. The character played a prominent role during the Kang Dynasty story arc, but he was unpopular with readers and was not heavily used. He played another prominent role in Avengers: The Initiative #19, in which he joins the Skrull Kill Krew and uses his abilities to see through the disguises of shapeshifting Skrulls. This ability brings him to kill Z'Reg, a defecting Skrull who he falsely believed to be hostile.

An alternate version of Chandler's 3-D Man portrayed him as a hero in the 1950s who joined that world's version of the Avengers.

4D Man is a version of Kyle Richmond from Earth X, first appearing in Universe X #0 (2000). He was cursed by Mephisto to see the future, and he works alongside Isaac Christians, the Gargoyle, to document all of history. This is used as a framing device for 4D Man to be a narrator for the story. 4D Man is ultimately betrayed by the Gargoyle.

8-Ball is the name of multiple characters appearing in Marvel Comics.

8-Ball was created by Bob Budiansky and Bret Blevins, and first appeared in Sleepwalker #2 (1991). 8-Ball has no superhuman powers. Wearing a spherical helmet designed to look like a billiards 8 ball, he wields a concussive cue stick and exploding balls. Screen Rant listed him among the worst Marvel Comics villains introduced in the 1990s.

Jeff Hagees is introduced as a defense contractor and engineer who is also a skilled pool player. He develops problem gambling and adopts the villainous persona of 8-Ball to recoup his losses. 8-Ball first appears as an enemy of Sleepwalker, confronting him alongside 6-Ball, 9-Ball, and 11-Ball. Sleepwalker nearly captures 8-Ball until Rick Sheridan (the human to whom Sleepwalker is bound) wakes up, forcing Sleepwalker to return to Rick's mind. 8-Ball escapes.

When 8-Ball and Sleepwalker next meet, 8-Ball proves victorious; he distracts the hero by shooting civilians. He attempts to kill Sleepwalker, who manages to escape. Later, when Rick and Sleepwalker had switched bodies, 8-Ball and the Hobgoblin each attack Rick, trying to kill Sleepwalker to win a $100,000 bet. The inexperienced Rick is no match for them, which makes 8-Ball realize that Rick is not Sleepwalker.