Which of DC's Black Characters Has the Most Potential to Achieve Trinity Status?

[Sandy Hausler]

If they ever get control of the Milestone characters -- Icon and Rocket and maybe Static. Other than not, I don't see any of the characters reaching Trinity status. Hell, I don't think any white characters will reach that status.

[SecretWarrior]

If they ever get control of the Milestone characters -- Icon and Rocket and maybe Static. Other than not, I don't see any of the characters reaching Trinity status. Hell, I don't think any white characters will reach that status.

I think for viewers of JLU who didn't read comics, Flash and GL were on that level. I mean the DCAU is where the idea of a joke-y Flash and black GL entered the public consciousness, and for a lot of people that's still how those properties are remembered.

[Adekis]

No other character, regardless of race, can reach the same level as the trinity. Nobody can. Even when someone like Harley Quinn or Green Lantern starts selling better than Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman, which happens, they still don't have that broad cultural awareness that the Big Three have. Arguably they can't. Robin probably has the most public awareness after those three, but that's just by piggybacking off Batman.

I would hasten to say, that doesn't mean there's no other success to be had. Flash and Green Lantern are probably the fourth and fifth best known (in no particular order), but while Hal probably has the most awareness in recent years, there was a whole generation of kids for whom John Stewart was Green Lantern because of JLU. That's success on a comparable level to the trinity.

However, I sincerely think that Cyborg has the best odds of being his own truly big character, just because unlike GL, he's, you know, the absolutely one and only Cyborg, and his cartoon was if anything more popular than JLU back during the mid '00s, and unlike John Stewart he's maintained a relatively high media profile.

[iron chimp]

What was the last original character to break big that came out of the main universe comics not counting people taking over mantle of someone else (or people ported over from other media)

I can only think of constantine but that was 30 years ago now.

[Vampire Savior]

However, I sincerely think that Cyborg has the best odds of being his own truly big character, just because unlike GL, he's, you know, the absolutely one and only Cyborg, and his cartoon was if anything more popular than JLU back during the mid '00s, and unlike John Stewart he's maintained a relatively high media profile.

This is true, but I would hazard a guess that Cyborg isn't anywhere near as loved as John Stewart.

[chief12d]

This is true, but I would hazard a guess that Cyborg isn't anywhere near as loved as John Stewart.

He’s not but that’s where DC might benefit from making some big renovations to the character that make him more lovable. Cyborg stands a good chance at making his own mythos but editorial is committed to a status quo that limits his appeal. Granted, DC is just trying to keep him as close to his Titans incarnation as possible to keep up his marketability. But because of the hesitation to truly experiment with him they’re stuck with a character that can never break out.

[Vampire Savior]

He’s not but that’s where DC might benefit from making some big renovations to the character that make him more lovable. Cyborg stands a good chance at making his own mythos but editorial is committed to a status quo that limits his appeal. Granted, DC is just trying to keep him as close to his Titans incarnation as possible to keep up his marketability. But because of the hesitation to truly experiment with him they’re stuck with a character that can never break out.

Because Cyborg was never designed to have his own mythos. He was designed to compliment a team. Teen Titans is a way bigger name than Cyborg, so it's understandable that DC keeps him in an incarnation that is familiar to people who know him as a Teen Titan.

[j9ac9k]

At this point, outside of comics he's JLA, Teen Titans, Doom Patrol and Outsiders. That's a lot of exposure but I also wonder if all the different interpretations undermine the character.

[Agent Z]

At this point, outside of comics he's JLA, Teen Titans, Doom Patrol and Outsiders. That's a lot of exposure but I also wonder if all the different interpretations undermine the character.

There's little if any difference between the interpretations.

And different interpretations never hurt Batman.

[SecretWarrior]

This is true, but I would hazard a guess that Cyborg isn't anywhere near as loved as John Stewart.

Goes to show how important wish fulfillment is. Cyborg had a fun, vibrant personality in the 2003 show, but no one wants to be him. He'll only ever be as popular as the Thing. People want to be the leading man or woman, not the deformed friend.

[Johnny]

Which is ironic because John Stewart wasn't created to be a leading man either. Even his most well-known version, where he had no "competition" from other Green Lanterns, still had no definitive origin story, still fought someone else's villains and still was given a love interest he had no prior history with, who was destined to be with someone else, while Hawkman was completely sabotaged in the process. If they could jump through hoops like that to make sure the character stands out, I don't see why the same effort can't be applied to a character like Cyborg. The people who wrote the DCAU did put in some effort to make their characters stand out, while Cyborg has had only half-assed attempts anytime DC tried to push him and that had nothing to do with him being deformed. Doom Patrol showed that he didn't need the Teen Titans to be a compelling character either. I don't find anything inherently deficient about a character like Cyborg that prevents him from being one of their upper echelon heroes. It's all part of the execution and so far they haven't found or haven't tried to find the right way to do that.

[iron chimp]

Goes to show how important wish fulfillment is. Cyborg had a fun, vibrant personality in the 2003 show, but no one wants to be him. He'll only ever be as popular as the Thing. People want to be the leading man or woman, not the deformed friend.

The thing was marvel's fan favourite during 60s and 70s

[Ilan Preskovsky]

Cyborg has gotten a lot of exposure but, is it just me, or is he a character that however much you push him will never rise to b-level, let alone a-level status? He works best as a member of the Teen Titans where he fits in a certain role but he's just not all that interesting in and of himself. Dare I say, he's just a little bit bland - especially as a solo character. I always thought he was such a bizarre choice to be one of the Big 7 in the New 52 JLA, not least because the attempt at diversity effectively replaced the only one of the founding seven who is, for all intents and purposes, black. J'onn J'onzz is constantly played by black actors in live-action and animated movies/ series and his whole character is actually a great representation of a minority living among an often xenophobic majority culture/ race.

And, honestly, just looking through the poll above, I would take most of them over Cyborg. Steel is probably my favourite but I would think that Mr. Terrific, Black Lightning, Vixen and, most especially, John Stewart would all be far better black characters to "elevate" than Cyborg. But, hey, maybe that's just me.

[Agent Z]

Goes to show how important wish fulfillment is. Cyborg had a fun, vibrant personality in the 2003 show, but no one wants to be him. He'll only ever be as popular as the Thing. People want to be the leading man or woman, not the deformed friend.

The Thing is the most popular member of the Fantastic Four. Even people who hate that team like him. If Victor is as popular as the Thing then he's in good company. Wish fulfillment is not the only mark of a good character otherwise Superman wouldn't be struggling in popularity.

Cyborg has gotten a lot of exposure but, is it just me, or is he a character that however much you push him will never rise to b-level, let alone a-level status? He works best as a member of the Teen Titans where he fits in a certain role but he's just not all that interesting in and of himself. Dare I say, he's just a little bit bland - especially as a solo character. I always thought he was such a bizarre choice to be one of the Big 7 in the New 52 JLA, not least because the attempt at diversity effectively replaced the only one of the founding seven who is, for all intents and purposes, black. J'onn J'onzz is constantly played by black actors in live-action and animated movies/ series and his whole character is actually a great representation of a minority living among an often xenophobic majority culture/ race.

J'onn J'onzz is a shapeshifting alien. He can look like anyone he likes and him being played by black men is a recent depiction. Victor has been depicted as a black man since his first appearance. J'onn is about as authentic a representation of black people as a mostly white X-Men team.

[lemonpeace]

The Thing is the most popular member of the Fantastic Four. Even people who hate that team like him. If Victor is as popular as the Thing then he's in good company. Wish fulfillment is not the only mark of a good character otherwise Superman wouldn't be struggling in popularity.



J'onn J'onzz is a shapeshifting alien. He can look like anyone he likes and him being played by black men is a recent depiction. Victor has been depicted as a black man since his first appearance. J'onn is about as authentic a representation of black people as a mostly white X-Men team.

while I 100% agree with you, with the right creative team they could rework J'onn's and the Martian socio-political landscape to be better representative to the black experience. it'll never be a substitute for legitimate black representation but I like whenever aliens come and they aren't just cosmic white people. Icon was able to make an alien taking the form of a black person legitimate, I think they could do the same with Martian Manhunter in the right hands