DC Characters If They Had Been Created Today

[TheBatman]

Superman: He'd be a modern version of his Golden Age self. In other words, Superman from Grant Morrison's New 52 run.

Batman: Still the same, except there'd be more examination of him being a rich white guy. Either Gordon or Robin becomes a POC.

Wonder Woman: Basically agree with what others have said. Still the same, except it'd be very clear that she's LGBT+.

Aquaman: Definitely Polynesian like the DCEU version.

The Flash: Pretty much modern Barry, except Asian.

Green Lantern: John is the main GL, but is given Hal's rogues gallery and relationship with Sinestro.

[Alpha]

yes if they stay a lot in the sun their skin turns bronze especially in southern Europe that is Greeks, Italians, Maltese, Cypriots but they are still from the same ethnicity.

No, the features in North Italy and Southern Italy are different. The shape of their jaws, the level of their cheeks, the form of the eyes, the type of nose. Bro I live in a country with a similar ethnical diversity to Italy and Greece. Also, Gal Gadot is Ashkenazi Jewish. Her ethnical features are definitely different from ancient Turkey.

[Alpha]

No, the features in North Italy and Southern Italy are different. The shape of their jaws, the level of their cheeks, the form of the eyes, the type of nose. Bro I live in a country with a similar ethnical diversity to Italy and Greece. Also, Gal Gadot is Ashkenazi Jewish. Her ethnical features are definitely different from ancient Turkey.

But okay, this argument is going into a weird place. The amazons were portrayed as a foreign people to the Greeks, who got involved in their scuttles at times. Diana is made of clay, from an island where in some versions women arrived over the millenia. Hippolyta probably saw and appreciated a large amount of different ethnicities, both while they were in Man's World and after they went off to an island. In most versions Hippolyta and Diana don't look similar. I don't see a reason why Diana's ethnicity has to be set in stone as "caucasian" (which is an outdated term that still included a large variety of different skin tones and overall features).

[Thor-Ul]

Batman would be a supervillian.

C'mon, he is a rich guy who spend millions in high tech gear (avoiding taxes I suppose) to beat people with health issues and see enemies in everyone.

[Goldrake]

No, the features in North Italy and Southern Italy are different. The shape of their jaws, the level of their cheeks, the form of the eyes, the type of nose. Bro I live in a country with a similar ethnical diversity to Italy and Greece. Also, Gal Gadot is Ashkenazi Jewish. Her ethnical features are definitely different from ancient Turkey.

I am of Maltese Italian descend. If you meet Gadot without knowing her in Sicily or Malta you mistake her for one of the locals and I am not referring to jaws cheeks etc her skin complexion is similar. Traits are something else, If you put Monica Bellucci and a typical Italian girl next to each other they will also have different traits.

[king81992]

Beast Boy would be some youtube influencer or celebrity.

Terra would have gotten a redemption arc.

Deathstroke would not be excused or justified for all the stunts he pulled.

[lemonpeace]

they'd probably be better off, definitely would be more engaging. the narrative universe would be far more cohesive and their stories would read significantly more authentic without the pressure to substitute good actual progressive storytelling with affirming nostalgia or the need to constantly reaffirm the "iconic-ness" of their characters.

[The Darknight Detective]

They’d be pretty awful, really, as DC tried desperately to pander to and appease everyone they possibly could.

"Hey, this character Robin is really bringing in the little kids. Juvenile (or not so juvenile) sidekicks for everyone!"

As for the OP's question, the characters wouldn't have any of the kiddie stuff from the past (i.e. the no-kill rule).

[Robanker]

Modern Greeks and Italians range from pale skin and sharp features in the north, to rough round features, bronze skin in southern rural regions.

Yeah I'm Greek on both sides of my family and I'm pretty pale by Mediterranean standards.

Diana is a Halloween costume. Nothing about her is really Greek, she just has the tropes and design aesthetics that appeal to Americans. The same way Kratos is basically just a viking stereotype in ancient Greece.

There are some exceptions. Perez felt the most true in this respect. Others just use mythology and generic warrior motifs and call it a day.

Diana's values are nebulously generic warrior caste or an American progressive moral compass. Putting a character in a Greek-inspired setting doesn't really make her authentic Greek.

She's only nebulously Greek, and considering most casting of her is "just have a white or lightly tanned woman use vague middle eastern accent" I don't think they really care about properly representing my heritage. We're just the ethnic white, and everyone claiming she's Greek basically confirms it. As long as it sounds foreign, isn't that dark and mentions Zues that's enough to pass for Greek to most readers because the stereotype they grew up fantasizing about from mythology is enough.

Sorry, this is a sore spot for me because she's really not at all representative of my family's heritage but everyone tries to tell me she is. She's as authentic as wearing a Native American costume on Thanksgiving and high fiving a pilgrim. There's been efforts to course correct by some, but it never gets picked up on in favor of generic warrior princess stuff.

Which is fine, but calling her Greek is a Herculean stretch.

[The Darknight Detective]

Batman would be a supervillian.

C'mon, he is a rich guy who spend millions in high tech gear (avoiding taxes I suppose) to beat people with health issues and see enemies in everyone.

FWIW, this argument still doesn't register with me.

[Alpha]

FWIW, this argument still doesn't register with me. :)

How exactly do you think Bruce files the taxes for his Batmobile, batarangs, Batcave, etc. Heck, in the Nolan movies he uses business expenses from a whole division in the company as a private utility. That's tax fraud. And obviously billionaires also commit loads of BS tax fraud, but that's actually something most people hate, which supports our critique of Bruce

[Alpha]

Yeah I'm Greek on both sides of my family and I'm pretty pale by Mediterranean standards.

Yo Robanker, do you know anything about Minoan culture and architecture? I really wanna learn more but in a soft environment.

[The Darknight Detective]

How exactly do you think Bruce files the taxes for his Batmobile, batarangs, Batcave, etc. Heck, in the Nolan movies he uses business expenses from a whole division in the company as a private utility. That's tax fraud. And obviously billionaires also commit loads of BS tax fraud, but that's actually something most people hate, which supports our critique of Bruce

What I keep hearing here is "Please stop reading Batman and buy my favorite character's book instead!"

[Ra-El]

Some would be better, some would be worst.

Batman would probably be pretty much the same, maybe a little less rich, they would probably adress some of his privilege, but nothing that Tynion isn't questioning already.

Wonder Woman would be bisexual or gay from the start. Possibly she would be closer to Azzarello version than Rucka's.

Superman would be more close to his Golden Age origins, with more social awareness on his stories and possibly not white, if I had to bet, he would either be latino or arabic. Of one thing I'm sure, he would not be The Superman, his symbol would not be known on the entire world and is likely that a little kid from Brasil would not know him.

Green Lantern, Hal Jordan would still be the main lantern, but he would not be white.

[The Darknight Detective]

Green Lantern, Hal Jordan would still be the main lantern, but he would not be white.

Maybe, but possibly one of the Trinity would be instead, so an African-American GL wouldn't have to be in the cards.