If there was ONE character that you could take back to their roots...

[Hawkman]

I thought I was the only one who like that version of the Hawks best. Glad to see a few others in my boat.

Around here, I'd ballpark it at about 40-60, Katar-Carter. For what it's worth, I prefer Silver Age Katar and Shayera, too, by the way.

[Tzigone]

Luthor.

I've come to really despise the post-Crisis take that Lex Luthor is a respected public figure. Give me the guy who was unapologetically a criminal.

No LexCorp. No puppet-master of Metropolis. No personal vendetta against Superman.

Just a two-bit arms dealer with a talent for building super-scientific stuff he uses to strong-arm cities, foment wars, etc.

I'm pretty cool with this. I liked David Xanatos (Gargoyles). I don't want Lex to be David Xanatos. I don't mind if he develops a personal vendetta against Superman, really. I just prefer it to be because Superman causes him problems.

If we're going to go manipulative business-man version, though, I want his flaws to show. I like pettiness and a certain lack of control in that version. Like when Superman was dead and Lex was distracted and doing a poor job with his martial arts teacher. She said he was wasting her time and left to go home. And he killed her for it. To take back power, to put her in her place. If he's that version, give him ego and alpha issues. Make him a twisted, evil Elon Musk (okay, mostly referring the pedophile tweets - don't know much about EM).

Whatever. I just want him to not be every-piece-in-place/never-loses-his-cool/always-a-step-ahead. And definitely not to be president. He can win some victories in the court of public opinion if he must, but never that.

And the sheer economic ridiculousness of Lex employing that great a percentage of Metropolis is just too big to swallow.

There are really a lot of them, they've messed with so much. Wonder Woman, not the bondage stuff etc, but she's had so many origins. I'd go back to the clay origin. It's more unique then being one of many kids of that horny Zeus.

Yes, please. Not to mention the uncomfortable part that her power/specialness comes from her male parent. I also like the GA version where all the Amazons were the same in power.

Tim Drake. He originally was the level headed Robin who was not marred by tragedity. Then Identity Crisis came and he's been the one most like Bruce every since. Took away what as unique about him. He was a geek who was also Robin, had a very every man sense to him.

I hate Bruce-lite Dick. Hate Bruce-lite Tim, too. I liked him in the '90s when he had friends (including civilian friends) and a family. He had a balance of angst and happiness and was not just sitting at two seconds from self-destruction. He was over-compartmentalizing and he went too far hiding his identity and there were issues with his dad. There were difficulties. But he had happy times, too. Got along with Dick. Had fun sometimes. Ate pizza.

[Restingvoice]

Idk. Tim, I guess. Robin with parents is different.

[DrNewGod]

Luthor.

I've come to really despise the post-Crisis take that Lex Luthor is a respected public figure. Give me the guy who was unapologetically a criminal.

No LexCorp. No puppet-master of Metropolis. No personal vendetta against Superman.

Just a two-bit arms dealer with a talent for building super-scientific stuff he uses to strong-arm cities, foment wars, etc.

Honestly, I'd say restore the Ultra-Humanite so we can have both. Luthor as the hypocritical establishment dude let's Superman engage in at least some of the fights he was created wage.

[j9ac9k]

ORION. Remember when Orion (not Superman) was Darkseid's arch-enemy and a force-of nature? Kirby wrote him like a GOD, not an impetuous, arrogant dilettante which has become too much the norm for him.

[Agent Z]

I'm pretty cool with this. I liked David Xanatos (Gargoyles). I don't want Lex to be David Xanatos. I don't mind if he develops a personal vendetta against Superman, really. I just prefer it to be because Superman causes him problems.

If we're going to go manipulative business-man version, though, I want his flaws to show. I like pettiness and a certain lack of control in that version. Like when Superman was dead and Lex was distracted and doing a poor job with his martial arts teacher. She said he was wasting her time and left to go home. And he killed her for it. To take back power, to put her in her place. If he's that version, give him ego and alpha issues. Make him a twisted, evil Elon Musk (okay, mostly referring the pedophile tweets - don't know much about EM).

Whatever. I just want him to not be every-piece-in-place/never-loses-his-cool/always-a-step-ahead. And definitely not to be president. He can win some victories in the court of public opinion if he must, but never that.

And the sheer economic ridiculousness of Lex employing that great a percentage of Metropolis is just too big to swallow.

Yes, please. Not to mention the uncomfortable part that her power/specialness comes from her male parent. I also like the GA version where all the Amazons were the same in power.

I hate Bruce-lite Dick. Hate Bruce-lite Tim, too. I liked him in the '90s when he had friends (including civilian friends) and a family. He had a balance of angst and happiness and was not just sitting at two seconds from self-destruction. He was over-compartmentalizing and he went too far hiding his identity and there were issues with his dad. There were difficulties. But he had happy times, too. Got along with Dick. Had fun sometimes. Ate pizza.

The businessman version of Luthor predate Xanatos by a decade.

[Tzigone]

The businessman version of Luthor predate Xanatos by a decade.

I thought someone might bring that up. Yes, the business version does. But he was, as I said, still petty. He wanted to get the prettiest waitress to run off with him early on. He liked exerting power. He tried to keep Alice from Perry. Then there's the aforementioned incident while Superman was dead. He was not Xanatos-like in the way I mean. Always has a plan C and D and E. Never loses cool. Able to manipulate everyone successfully (heck, Superboy's two second attention span and another hot girl lost Luthor a contract). He wasn't the chessmaster. Oh, he had his successes in manipulation, but he still had his erraticism and pettiness, too. Later versions sometimes remove that to make him always emotionally in control and always able to predict every person's actions and that's a no-no to me.

[iron chimp]

I say we take Black Lightning back to his roots. I'm talking waaaaaaaay back. That's right, it's time to bring in the BLACK BOMBER "It's C.P. time!"

/s

Had to Google this. Now that is a proper comic book concept - that could be genuinely funny and cutting if done properly / or a complete car crash. Either way it's a win though.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Swamp Thing.

[Lightning Rider]

Barry for me. Such a simple but great character.

[caj]

Around here, I'd ballpark it at about 40-60, Katar-Carter. For what it's worth, I prefer Silver Age Katar and Shayera, too, by the way.

For most of my childhood, Katar was THE Hawkman. I would see Carter occasionally in the annual JLA/JSA crossover event. But Katar was always Hawkman for me (and he still is).

Nothing against Carter, who I like. But I also like Alan Scott despite the fact that Hal is THE Green Lantern for me.

[Ulysses]

I'd be down for BDSM Wonder Woman. JK

Really I think there are few DC characters I'd want stripped down to the roots. Lots of characters need pruning though.

Oddly enough, I have some Marvel characters in mind when it comes to drastic stripping down to roots.

[warzon]

Donna Troy

[ducklord]

Donna Troy

A younger version of Wonder Woman having freaky adventures with her grown-up and toddler selves? Funky.

Oops. Just realized you said "Donna Troy," not "Wonder Girl." Carry on.

[Starter Set]

The Hawks clearly for me.