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  1. #1
    The Fastest Post Alive! Buried Alien's Avatar
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    Default Unexpected DC hits?

    Which characters or titles throughout DC history, which initially didn't appear to hold much promise or were expected to do well, defied all odds to become runaway hits and ongoing success stories?

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  2. #2
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    The most recent example, despite me not really liking it personally, is Injustice. A schlocky video game tie in that became immensely popular very quickly.

    Another big example would obviously be New Teen Titans. DC was kind of using a known, good formula, but hell it's not like X-men itself wasn't a rip off originally (Hello Doom Patrol!). NTT reaching the heights it did, so quickly, was beyond everyone's expectations and that dragon has been chased for decades at this point.

  3. #3
    Mighty Member LifeIsILL's Avatar
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    Legion of Superheroes

    I mean, look at their names, Ball Boy, Sun Boy, This Boy, That Boy....and they have a big cult fanbase.

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    Astonishing Member Pohzee's Avatar
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    I really didn't think that DCeased would catch on like it did, but it's consistently one of DC's best selling titles.
    It's the Dynamic Duo! Batman and Robin!... and Red Robin and Red Hood and Nightwing and Batwoman and Batgirl and Orphan and Spoiler and Bluebird and Lark and Gotham Girl and Talon and Batwing and Huntress and Azreal and Flamebird and Batcow?

    Since when could just anybody do what we trained to do? It makes it all dumb instead of special. Like it doesn't matter anymore.
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  5. #5
    Ultimate Member j9ac9k's Avatar
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    I'm not sure that exists. There are not "unexpected runaway successes." There's the Trinity, then there's everyone else who gets to survive with varying degrees of success and then there are the ones who pop their heads up once in awhile only to get shot down until they're given another chance.

    That said, okay - maybe Harley Quinn I guess...

  6. #6
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    Great question!

    I would probably have to say G'Nort, the greatest Green Lantern of all!

    G'Nort started off as a one off joke appearance in Justice League International # 10 but soon became a fixture in that title and the early 90s Green Lantern series.

    G'Nort would appear in 80s comics such as Mister Miracle and Power of the Atom, and was even given a secret origin story in Secret Origins.

    G'Nort would go on to star in Justice League Annual 4 (Justice League Antarctica!) and Justice League Quarterly 2 with his sidekick, the Scarlet Skier.

    After his very own storyline in the main GL title, G'Nort would be given a gig as one of the features in the first five Green Lantern Quarterly books. These tales would feature G'Nort and his second sidekick, Sax Girl!

    A few years later Green Lantern 80 Page Giant came out and would feature tales of the greatest Lanterns ever. Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner...and G'Nort.

    G'Nort would go dark after that for a few years. Luckily superstar artist Dale Eaglesham would include G'Nort in background cameos of Green Lantern at the behest of G'Nort fans from the DC message boards. G'Nort can be seen on a poster during the Last Laugh crossover and as a waiter in issue 153 of the Lantern series.

    Geoff Johns hated G'Nort and wanted nothing to do with him, but not even Johns could withstand the power of G'Nort and included G'Nort in his final Green Lantern issue.

    Does that count?

  7. #7
    Hey Baby--Wha's Happ'nin? HandofPrometheus's Avatar
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    Definitely Injustice. The comic was a digital comic which people really don't talk about but it was more successful than other print comics. It's one of DC's mos popular elseworlds.

  8. #8
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    ...Modern Aquaman?

  9. #9
    Constant in Opal Nine Crocodile's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frontier View Post
    ...Modern Aquaman?
    Probably. Peter David's run maybe.

    I'm thinking maybe Lobo counts here too.

  10. #10
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    It'll sound weird but I think Jon Kent.

    I don't know if anyone expected the character to catch on so quick and the super sons dynamic and title with it.

  11. #11
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    I think Harley Quinn, she stared as just as side character in the DCAU but is currently one of DCs most popular characters.

    Jason Todd, not that popular as Robin, but as Red Hood he was at least able to keep his series going since Flashpoint. The sales are not that great, but there are not many other characters that manage this these days.

  12. #12
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    The Wonder Woman movie turned out to be much more successful then I think people were expecting. Untested director, untested film IP, the stereotype that women can't headline blockbuster Superhero movies, and despite her strong showing in BvS people were still unsure about DC movies.

  13. #13
    Spectacular Member Fromper's Avatar
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    Post-Crisis Matrix Supergirl. Nobody liked her when she first appeared, the premise was convoluted, and she wasn't the REAL Supergirl, Superman's cousin. Then Peter David came along and wrote her solo series that lasted 80 issues, because it was just so good. Then DC canceled that to make room for the return of Kara Zor-El, but David's series could have lasted longer, if they'd let it.
    Just re-reading my old collection, filling in the occasional gap with back issues, not buying anything new.

    Currently working my way through 1990's Flash, Impulse, and JLA, and occasional other related stuff.

  14. #14
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    Superman, Batman, the Sandman, the Joker, Jimmy Olsen, the Justice Society of America, Blackhawk, Plastic Man, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, Alfred, Johnny Peril, the Fox and the Crow, Boy Commandos, harlequins, wonder dogs, Tomahawk, teen humour comics, Smallville, Jerry Lewis, Superman and Batman team-ups, romance comics, horror comics, the Club of Heroes, Batwoman, intelligent apes, Sgt. Rock, the Manhunter from Mars, the revival of the Flash, the Suicide Squad, Wally West, Maynard G. Krebs, teen groups, Tomar Re, imaginary stories, multiple Earths, Mera, the Floronic Man, Zatanna, Death-Man, Animal Man, Guy Gardner, Jonah Hex, Nubia, the Champions of Angor, John Stewart, Swamp Thing, Darkseid, Power Girl, the Warlord, Shade the Changing Man, Black Lightning, the Global Guardians (featuring Green Flame and Ice Maiden), Vixen, digest comics, Vibe, Jason Todd, Deathstroke the Terminator, Terra, Ambush Bug, Lobo, John Constantine, Superboy Prime, the Monitor, Booster Gold, the Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Maxwell Lord, KGBeast, character deaths, heel turns, Azrael, Timothy Hunter, Lucifer, returns from the dead.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aahz View Post
    I think Harley Quinn, she stared as just as side character in the DCAU but is currently one of DCs most popular characters.

    Jason Todd, not that popular as Robin, but as Red Hood he was at least able to keep his series going since Flashpoint. The sales are not that great, but there are not many other characters that manage this these days.

    Red Hood totally he had a movie made about him as well appearing in other animated media and video games.

    Harley is probably the biggest unexpected hit from DC.

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