If Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman are the Trinity, who is #4?

[regg215]

Given the prominence of flashpoint, the flash tv series and his upcoming films I would go with Flash (Barry Allen), Nightwing is a close 2nd. I feel like now that we have 4-5 different robins and very literal representation of Nightwing in media, outside of titans which I think actually damages his character he would be just below flash.

[9th.]

The Scarlet Speedster

[Samm]

Easily Aquaman. He’s the one with the billion dollar film, and the one with same name since creation. There’s too many characters who have called themselves the Flash, Green Lantern and Robin for it to be any of them

[Hcmarvel]

It's Flash, Robin, or Aquaman. Probably Flash or Robin

It's definitely not Green Lantern.

[Goldrake]

They don't have to know Robin is Dick Grayson, but they know who Robin is. I live in Europe. Everyone knows who Robin is.

they know him as the sidekick of batman not on his own right from the superfriends cartoons, but that applies to the generation that watched that cartoon. To younger generations not comic readers, that have not watched superfriends he is not that known. Besides that, the Robin fans are divided between who shall be Robin, That will always make any Robin not acceptable to the rest. Just like with Green Lanterns and Flash.

Nevermind my disdain towards WB, I probably won't disagree about Harley. Movies, cartoons, solo books, team-up books, new merch all the time, currently she's the only solo character with her own cartoon if I'm not mistaken. Her stock is probably as big as it will ever get. She's certainly in the conversation when it comes to "the fourth pillar".

Its debatable if she is that big, the movie flopped badly. In the US it earned nearly as much as it did overseas. Yes, She appeals to a segment in the US, but comics sales aren't that big, well behind Flash and GL, slightly above Aquaman when it dropped sales in the last year, usually on par level. But with the later no comparison at Box Office. Overseas she is not that popular as in the US and the box office of BOP confirms that. Not even WB changing the name of BOP to the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn did not attract audiences. Well behind Shazan at box office. So again its questionable if she is that big!

[Alpha]

they know him as the sidekick of batman not on his own right from the superfriends cartoons, but that applies to the generation that watched that cartoon. To younger generations not comic readers, that have not watched superfriends he is not that known.

Batman 66, Batman the animated Series, Batman Forever / Batman&Robin, Teen Titans, Young Justice, Batman the Brave and the bold, animated movies both of Batman (including Lego Batman in cinemas) and animated movies of Titans, Teen Titans Go, Titans on HBO MAX. This is constant exposure through the decades. Batman and Robin is used commonly as much as Sherlock and Watson in describing partnerships. Robin is far, far, more known than Flash and Green Lantern. There are jokes everywhere about Batman and Robin. You can still argue that he can't be the fourth place because he is a sidekick, but he is still far more famous than those two, even counting the Justice League film. Heck, the Batman v Superman film nevers mentions Robin but even my parents in Europe know who that costume in display belongs to, despite it not really looking like the traditional suit. This is because everyone knows who Robin is regardless of the color of his suit. So again, argue all you want about individuality, there's no contest in terms of recognizability.

[Restingvoice]

Wait, being a sidekick is a disqualification?

[Bored at 3:00AM]

...Did they ever refer to Hal and Barry by name in the Superfriends? I remember watching it some and can't for the life of me ever remember them using ANY secret identity names.

Yup. There was an episode that showed Hal’s origin that specifically named him.

[Dred]

Yup. There was an episode that showed Hal’s origin that specifically named him.

That makes sense. There's like a hundred episodes and I doubt I've even seen half of them.

[Goldrake]

Batman 66, Batman the animated Series, Batman Forever / Batman&Robin, Teen Titans, Young Justice, Batman the Brave and the bold, animated movies both of Batman (including Lego Batman in cinemas) and animated movies of Titans, Teen Titans Go, Titans on HBO MAX. This is constant exposure through the decades. Batman and Robin is used commonly as much as Sherlock and Watson in describing partnerships. Robin is far, far, more known than Flash and Green Lantern. There are jokes everywhere about Batman and Robin. You can still argue that he can't be the fourth place because he is a sidekick, but he is still far more famous than those two, even counting the Justice League film. Heck, the Batman v Superman film nevers mentions Robin but even my parents in Europe know who that costume in display belongs to, despite it not really looking like the traditional suit. This is because everyone knows who Robin is regardless of the color of his suit. So again, argue all you want about individuality, there's no contest in terms of recognizability.

All you mention is correct when it applies to people who watched shows or read comics, but there is a big segment that never did that. Younger generations have no idea about most of that, but older generations Yes they know that.
Also It depends on what criteria is needed to be number four.

Popularity and Recognizability aren't enough you need a general consensus. You can't have a number 4 without a general consensus. This requires fans to accept that example Hal Jordan is the number 4, are ALL the Green Lantern fanbase ready to accept that? same applies to other characters.

Recognizability isn't for granted nor a foregone conclusion of popularity. If its just about Recognizability at the moment Aquaman is bigger following the movie that registered the biggest DC box office. Prior to that movie with exception of people who saw Superfriends or read comics, he was just a character about which they had barely an idea.

If its about popularity Harley Quinn can have a claim, she is very popular in the US but at the same time equally disliked, so she does not have consensus.

Knowing who is the current Flash, Robin or GL is unknown to most non comic readers. Probably if you ask an non comic reader about Wally West they won't know who he is, same applies to other characters. As fans we make the mistake that the non comic audience know the details about these characters. They have no idea.

[The Kid]

If it's DC characters in general, it's either Robin or Joker. I disagree that younger people don't know Robin. Most of us grew up with Batman cartoons and the Teen Titans cartoon. That said, I can't deny the popularity and dominance Joker has had the last 30 years. If we're counting villains, he might be right behind the trinity

[Johnny]

Yup. There was an episode that showed Hal’s origin that specifically named him.

And I loved how straight to the point everything was. lol

[achilles]

Right now, Flash, (Barry), followed by Harley Quinn.

[El_Gato]

Wait, being a sidekick is a disqualification?

Yup! Especially because a sidekick is usually only popular due to their connection to the main hero of the franchise! Robin doesn’t have his own franchise.


Aquaman and Flash are in contention for that 4th spot imo

[Goldrake]

Right now, Flash, (Barry), followed by Harley Quinn.

while I agree conditionally about Flash, not at all about Harley Quinn, the movie flopped badly, while see might have a following, she has an equally if not larger amount of people who dislike her.

The Trinity is universally acknowledged by everyone, even if you might not be a fan of one of the Three or all of the three, nobody puts in doubt that they are the top three. Harley Quinn does not have that kind of consensus and BOP being a flop brings doubts if she is overestimated. Her comics neither sell that well. She might be all over the place, but I am starting to believe that its all due to DC targeting a particular audience. But its does not seem to translate into any results in Box Office or comic sales. Shazam who is not promoted by DC had a much better Box Office. It speaks volumes.