If Batman, Superman & Wonder Woman are the Top Three, Who is #4?

[skyvolt2000]

3. Aquaman - Unlike Shazam, he benefits more from other media than the comics. Being a staple of Saturday morning cartoons for over two decades has permanently ingrained him in peoples' consciousness to this day, even if his comic presence has ebbed a bit. He's gone from being a regular punchline in mainstream culture to headlining a billion-dollar film (and its follow-up).

I don't think he has been a punchline as much. I met more folks EXCITED about Aquaman being in a movie let alone having his own movie than I I saw for any other DC or Fox movie. Had the toxic dudebros ignored Cap Marvel-Aquaman would have had more than her.

I think folks tend to forget we don't know HOW much there guys are used outside of comics in the USA.

2000 Justice League cartoon cast continues to be used in promotional stuff given to schools.
2000 JL Cartoon merchandise on shelves still when Christmas comes around.
A Justice League with Ollie and Dinah and Supergirl and Batgirl as members and NOT Cyborg.
There are tons of learn to read books featuring guys like Aquaman and Falcon that if you don't have kids wouldn't know about.
I remember seeing DC Valentines featuring art from the 1980s era in stores in 2021-22.

So it can be hard to say when you look beyond comic book stores.

[The Darknight Detective]

The Flash is definitely number four, but we're talking numerous people with that codename (with Barry as the most prominent). With that said, it's either Dick Grayson or Arthur if we're talking about a single character. The former has been in more comics and other media events, but the latter has been a headliner longer.

[Air Wave]

You chose Aquaman but it's really close!

[bat39]

I think its something that has shifted over time.

Traditionally, which is to say maybe uptil the 60's or 70's or so, it was probably Robin.

I think it remained Robin, but by the 70's, Aquaman probably became a contender too, given his increased profile due to the Superfriends cartoons.

In the last couple of decades, its been a toss-up between Flash, GL and Aquaman. Robin has been on a decline since the 80's, partly because it became a mantle rather than a specific individual (which is admittedly also true of GL and Flash, but those also have the advantage of being protagonists rather than 'sidekicks'), and partly because of the overall decline of Robin within the Batman franchise, and thus DC as a whole.

GL I think really had the momentum in the 2000's with Johns' run and the return of Hal Jordan, culminating in the movie. But the lack of success of the movie took the steam out of him. Aquaman had a lot of momentum in the 2010's, particularly thanks to the movie, and Johns' run (seeing a pattern here ). Flash has kind of perennially always been at the forefront without really becoming dominant, but his movie bombed...he does have two pretty successful TV shows though.

[BatmanJones]

Dick Grayson for sure.

[Rightoya]

Dick Grayson?

Dick.

I wanted to say Flash but that's more the mantle than the person. Whereas Dick as both Robin and Nightwing covers a lot of ground in the DCU.

I think if we count him, we might as well say the top three are all just Batman characters to be honest.

[Rightoya]

5. Harley Quinn - There will be pushback against this idea (there always is), but denying the explosion and impact she's had on comics and non-comics media, especially after being brought out of the BTAS world and into the mainstream, is an exercise in stubborn obliviousness. She's been in three movies with a fourth on the way, has a popular animated show, and is a go-to for Halloween/cosplay, as well as having a more consistent presence in DC's comic line than some of the others here, who predate her by decades. You don't have to like it, but that's irrelevant to the facts on hand.

Is anyone even truly doubting that, i think most people are more mad about how much DC and WB have pushed her and how many chances she got in contrast to any non-Batman character, and that they pretend that even superheroes with a strict non-killing rule are apparently just fine with a formerly psychotic serial-killer playing anti-hero while still often behaving like a criminal and supervillain now.