Second tier characters you'd like to work with...

[superduperman]

I'd love to do a Dr. Mid Nite book. I'd make him kind of a 1940s Batman. Give him a kind of DKR feel. Maybe even have him based out of Gotham.

[Dred]

Donna. She'd be so easy to fix and do well if someone actually cared.

[Ascended]

There's a WWII Elseworlds JSA story I would love to tell, with a lot of focus on the lesser knowns including characters like Sgt. Rock and Enemy Ace, Sandman, a Hourman DC would never let me publish, and a truly Cthulhu+Dune+Stargate take on Hawkman/woman (an idea I can't claim ownership of, as I stole much of it from someone much more creative than I). Oh, and a minor appearance by Hal Jordan's father, just for laughs. Sort of War of the Worlds+Vertigo+New Frontier.

I dont know if he counts by your metrics, but I'd love to write Cyborg too. Oh, to make Vic Stone the ultimate hero he so clearly could be........

I'd love to see what the new take on Vibe could have been. Looks like Sideways will be the book to do that, but I'd love to write Vibe like the original Exiles....

[Trey Strain]

The Spectre. The old spook could sell if done right.

[TheNewFiftyForum]

There's a WWII Elseworlds JSA story I would love to tell, with a lot of focus on the lesser knowns including characters like Sgt. Rock and Enemy Ace, Sandman, a Hourman DC would never let me publish, and a truly Cthulhu+Dune+Stargate take on Hawkman/woman (an idea I can't claim ownership of, as I stole much of it from someone much more creative than I). Oh, and a minor appearance by Hal Jordan's father, just for laughs. Sort of War of the Worlds+Vertigo+New Frontier.

I dont know if he counts by your metrics, but I'd love to write Cyborg too. Oh, to make Vic Stone the ultimate hero he so clearly could be........

I'd love to see what the new take on Vibe could have been. Looks like Sideways will be the book to do that, but I'd love to write Vibe like the original Exiles....

Just out of interest, what are some of the broad strokes for your ideas regarding Cyborg? I've tried to Monday-morning-quarterback a working direction for that character a couple of times, but I've never been able to come up with something interesting.

[Flash Gordon]

Air-Wave, 100%. I could elevate the hell out of him.

The Atom (preferably Ray Palmer) in a series of done-in-one science adventure stories that connect in unseen ways. He's been in every version of the Justice League and at every major event, even if you couldn't see him on the page. POWER OF THE ATOM!

Nightshade, Golden Age Hawkman, Orion, Space Cabbie, Bumblebee solo

There's a lot I could do with Cyborg, though I don't think he counts as second tier anymore.

[WonderScott]

Some of these are way lower than second tier, but...

Lady Luck
Madame Fatal
Extraño
Triumph
Phantom Lady
Flamebird
Catman
Steve Trevor
Vixen
Wonder Boy

[Elmo]

Plastic Man. I would make it an homage to 60's spy movies & tropes. Have Plas working for a division of the FBI dealing with superhuman threats. Bring back his old wacky villains like Doctor Dome.

[WebLurker]

Detective Chimp. Really interesting concept and you could get a lot of fun out of it, even if you played it straight as a mystery/drama.

[Ascended]

Just out of interest, what are some of the broad strokes for your ideas regarding Cyborg? I've tried to Monday-morning-quarterback a working direction for that character a couple of times, but I've never been able to come up with something interesting.

Well, my main goal would be to build Vic up through consistent world building and high-concept adventures that aren't limited to technology and/or the digital sphere. You know how in the Flashpoint timeline he was the biggest, best hero around? Their version of Superman? That's the kind of man and hero Vic decides he wants to be and he starts chasing that goal with all the drive and determination you'd expect from his character, but without the editorial mandates forcing him into a holding pattern.

Every major A-list hero has a "domain" where they're the best of the best, but these guys also do stuff beyond that narrow definition too. So I'd establish Vic as the nerve center of the heroic community, the same kind of role that Oracle used to fill. Vic is in touch with everyone. He sends the right hero to the right crisis and organizes the entire community. He deals with cyber threats other people don't even know exist. But he's more than just the "tech" guy too, and he'd tackle regular super-crime, travel space and time, have adventures with the Foragers on New Genesis, try to be an active role model for kids everywhere, and deal with cosmic beings like Kismet and the Spectre.

His whole "man v machine" angst crap ends. Definitively. Vic recognizes that he's the endgame the human race is trying to achieve; a fusion of flesh and cybernetics that isn't lessened by the combination, but strengthened. He's 21st century wish fulfillment and he gets his head out of his ass.

I'd tie him into the New Gods a little bit, in a similar way to how Superman already is; not really a part of the New Gods, but sort of like a neighbor. Mokkari and Symian, the two Apokolips gods of science, would be two of Vic's major recurring villains; they're fascinated by mortal-Mother Box fusion and think Vic holds the key to a new, advanced form of parademon. They're bit players in the New Gods saga but they're still Kirby-designed characters, which gives them a pedigree no original villain can claim and means I'd have the wiggle room to use them as I see fit. We'd see Vic fighting against their efforts around earth as well as alien worlds. Imagine your favorite alien planet turned into a cosmic-sized Evil Factory. That's the kind of stuff I'd be putting Vic up against.

I'd use Gizmo as his moral opposite, his Lex Luthor. I think there's a lot to be said between them, a lot of similarities and contrasts worth playing with. And Gizmo, while he might not be much of a challenge in a fight by himself, does have a few friends to bring along to help even the odds. So almost a antagonistic supporting cast member, in a way, who can bring in the Fearsome Five as regular "fluff" villains; capable of making Vic work for the win but unlikely to actually be serious threats. Sort of like Vic's version of Metallo.

Grid, of course, has to find a place in Vic's rogues galley as Cyborg's "dark reflection" akin to Bizarro or Zoom. I only have vague ideas for him but they revolve around making him the god-king of a digital space intent on conquering the Internet.

Beast Boy would become a major part of Vic's supporting cast (I have ideas about Gar that gets him out of the hero game but makes him grow up and become useful. His fans would hate it but everyone else would like it I hope) and I'd also bring the Dr. Magnus and the Metal Men in as well, to round out the supporting cast of Silas, Morrow (who'd eventually turn), and Sarah Charles (along with other newer additions like Blue).

And of course, I have plenty of other ideas too but this is likely more than you were wanting already.

Plastic Man. I would make it an homage to 60's spy movies & tropes. Have Plas working for a division of the FBI dealing with superhuman threats. Bring back his old wacky villains like Doctor Dome.

That sounds really good. I'd definitely check that out.

[CRaymond]

At this point I’m pretty confident in my Hawkgirl & Hawkboy & Hawkwoman 50 issue maxi series.

[Ascended]

At this point I’m pretty confident in my Hawkgirl & Hawkboy & Hawkwoman 50 issue maxi series.

I lost track of the thread you were discussing this in. I'd be interested in seeing what the end result is.

[WillieMorgan]

Some of DC's second tier characters are amongst my favourites. I'd love to have the clout in the industry to be able to raise the profiles of:

Metal Men
Vixen
Deadman
Various JSA members
The Atom
Adam Strange (in fact I'd love to flesh out the whole Vega/Polaris sector of space further)

And that's just for a start. So much potential.

[SJNeal]

Donna. She'd be so easy to fix and do well if someone actually cared.

I'm beginning to think Marv Wolfman should stop revisiting Raven, and turn his attention to Donna. He's past his prime, but as you say, no one else seems to really care about her.

[Dred]

I'm beginning to think Marv Wolfman should stop revisiting Raven, and turn his attention to Donna. He's past his prime, but as you say, no one else seems to really care about her.

I imagine he'd just try to make her marry him again.