Graduation day!! DC's Freshest Faces

[lemonpeace]

It's 2020 now (a whole new decade!) and we have a whole 10 years worth of new additions to the DC landscape of characters, and a relatively good stretch of time to see what they're about. Given that, let's discuss these fresh faces and their prospects in the new decade. Who are the characters who have come out in the last decade (2010-2019) who have cemented their place in the DC universe and have the most potential to take off in the next year or ten years (it's up to you)?

[Jackalope89]

It's 2020 now (a whole new decade!) and we have a whole 10 years worth of new additions to the DC landscape of characters, and a relatively good stretch of time to see what they're about. Given that, let's discuss these fresh faces and their prospects in the new decade. Who are the characters who have come out in the last decade (2010-2019) who have cemented their place in the DC universe and have the most potential to take off in the next year or ten years (it's up to you)?

Jon Kent!
...Until he got Bendis'd.

Jason Todd. While not "new", his previous appearances were, well, "complicated". Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths, he was basically a blonde Dick Grayson. Post-Criss, he gained the street kid background, but wasn't popular, to say the least. Not to mention the main author at the time hated even the concept of Robin so much, he wanted to give Jason AIDS to kill him off. Then, the infamous phone call vote. We got UTRH, a great story. And then, we see Jason torn down and tugged all different ways. He was basically a villain of the week.

Come post-Flashpoint, UTRH sticks, but Jason is developed (actually developed) in a different direction. More anti-hero then before, starts his own team (twice), a member of the Bat Family (though sometimes with the usual issue popping up), and displayed as more then just a guy with a gun that trained with Bruce for awhile.

[Frontier]

Jessica Cruz is pretty much locked in as a major DC character moving forward.

Kaldur/Jackson Hyde Aqualad is starting to really pop again.

[Riv86672]

Gotta put in a good word for Damage (Ethan Avery).
DC gave us a really great Hulk like character. He had a great short lived series where established himself w. fun story telling and fights against major DC heroes.
Hopefully in the next ten years someone will take an interest in him and he’ll get another shot.

-sigh-

[Adekis]

This is a very boarderline case, but, er...



He came out in 2011, even though he's a version of a guy who came out in 1938. I think that like Jason Todd, he really started doing a new kind of thing for a while in this last decade, and I'm here for it.

I kind of want Rags Morales to draw a crossover between this early pseudo-Golden Age Superman and the Batman from First Wave that nobody remembers. First Wave also came out in 2010 so maybe that Batman counts too?

[HandofPrometheus]

Jessica Cruz is pretty much locked in as a major DC character moving forward.

Kaldur/Jackson Hyde Aqualad is starting to really pop again.

These two are pretty much the main ones who made a name for themselves and have secured a seat in future projects in the DC Universe.

Jessica is popping up in animated shows, movies and keeping up major appearances in the comic books. Since she's the face of the female GL now (Arisia and Katma y'all are still mine) and highly likable/relatable, she's pretty much safe.

Aqualad is moving upward slowly but surely. The YJ cartoon is the main force pushing him but since he's returned to the comics, he is lucky enough to not have to share sidekick status with anyone else in the Aquaman family. Since he has it all to himself, mini arcs, b-storylines and Aquaman family developments will be in his favor (I hope he stays as the only sidekick for a while too ).

I could definitely see Aqualad appearing in Injustice 3 as a newcomer while Jess might just be a costume skin but she could still have her own lines and what not. Aqualad was also in the Injustice 2 comic with a badass scene so he can easily come back.

For the DCEU, Aqualad can show up in Aquaman 2 especially since it's going to focus on Black Manta. The parent and son theme of the first movie can be played up again but this time with Aqualad and Manta. This will definitely put him on the board especially if the movie and his depiction is good.

[HandofPrometheus]

I'm trying to think of villains and oof this decade of villains were forgettable. I mean you have the Court of Owls but they are like a one and done thing. They only work once in my opinion and don't have staying power. The Trench, Grail and Godspeed were cool but the same goes for them, one and done. Grail could've been a mainstay but they already squandered her while Godspeed was never going to overtake the other speedster villains. The Trench may have some more things to them but I don't see anyone approaching them again unless its Johns.

I think this was the main problem for villains were they weren't reusable.

[lemonpeace]

I'm trying to think of villains and oof this decade of villains were forgettable. I mean you have the Court of Owls but they are like a one and done thing. They only work once in my opinion and don't have staying power. The Trench, Grail and Godspeed were cool but the same goes for them, one and done. Grail could've been a mainstay but they already squandered her while Godspeed was never going to overtake the other speedster villains. The Trench may have some more things to them but I don't see anyone approaching them again unless its Johns.

I think this was the main problem for villains were they weren't reusable.

Godspeed has been pretty consistently fascinating when he does show up and get play. I don't think Godspeed's arc is to be a villain though, I think he's supposed to skirt that villain/antihero line. If they can nail down that path for him, like they eventually were able to with Red Hood with Outlaws, I could see Godspeed securing a seat at the table.

[Frontier]

I could definitely see Aqualad appearing in Injustice 3 as a newcomer while Jess might just be a costume skin but she could still have her own lines and what not. Aqualad was also in the Injustice 2 comic with a badass scene so he can easily come back.

I think Mera and Alt!Ocean Master are locks for Injustice 3, but I could see them fitting in Kaldur since his powerset is so cool.

(Although he did nuke an entire city, so he's kind of a bad guy in that universe).

For the DCEU, Aqualad can show up in Aquaman 2 especially since it's going to focus on Black Manta. The parent and son theme of the first movie can be played up again but this time with Aqualad and Manta. This will definitely put him on the board especially if the movie and his depiction is good.

The director even said you don't introduce Aqualad until the second movie.

I'm trying to think of villains and oof this decade of villains were forgettable. I mean you have the Court of Owls but they are like a one and done thing. They only work once in my opinion and don't have staying power. The Trench, Grail and Godspeed were cool but the same goes for them, one and done. Grail could've been a mainstay but they already squandered her while Godspeed was never going to overtake the other speedster villains. The Trench may have some more things to them but I don't see anyone approaching them again unless its Johns.

I think this was the main problem for villains were they weren't reusable.

Godspeed I think still needs to move on from the stigma that he's a cool costume without much else. We'll see if Williamson can solidify him in a role that lends himself to becoming more popular/used.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Seems like a lot less than 1990 - 2000. Granted replacing characters was a big thing in the 90's. Also, I think creators are reluctant to give DC and Marvel their best ideas for new characters now considering they stand to make a whole lot more money off of their creation if it takes off and they own the whole thing.