Characters we won't see headline a title again for a very long time...

[RobinGA]

There will never be a Golden Age Robin comic book. No way.

Sandman we can also add to that list.

I would have added Helena Wayne Huntress, but she pops up every once in a while.
Even the JSA might eventually get their book, but it will be a long wait it seems.

[Sutekh]

Red Tornado would totally suit a book in the same vein as The Vision. He already HAS a family, a human wife and adopted daughter, right? Maybe the girl would ask for a sibling, so he BUILDS her one - a character who could be DC's version of Viv Vision?

Man, that could be fun. Although I'd prefer if they stepped away from making any robot 'children' Reddy makes not being smaller versions of him, creating smaller tornadoes, but gave the little brother something more unique to himself. Red Crescendo, with a sonic cry. Red Commando, can turn invisible. Red Vertigo, can create a disorienting subsonic wave. Whatever. Just make it more original than a Viv Vision (same powers as adult Vision, but a teen!) riff.

[protege]

I'm certain we'll see both of these back as solo titles at some point. Plastic Man's too much of a classic iconic character and Vixen is just waiting for a big breakout moment in other media. I'd be more prone to put Black Lightning on the list than her (even though I'm sure we'll see another series for him, too).

Other characters I'm thinking of:

Mister Terrific (great character, name's a tough sell on the cover)
Deadman (I don't know if modern readers appreciate the gimmick as much as readers at the time did)
Arak - Son of Thunder (the other historical titles mentioned before reminded me of this book)
Blue Devil (truly hope I'm wrong here, but they need to embrace the goofy nature/showbiz satire of the original run that made him unique in the first place)
The Heckler
Vext
Hawkgirl (feels like her previous solo series was just trying to shake up things post-52 versus being something clamored for; likely bound for Hawkman supporting player or team books)
Vigilante (Sadly, we'll likely never get another Saunders series and as far as the Adrian Chase/Pat Trayce versions of the character, I feel like the current take on Deathstroke has supplanted that role in the DCU)
Black Condor (whichever version, too closely tied to Freedom Fighters to warrant a solo book again)
Metamorpho (if he lands in a team book that seriously boosts his visibility, maybe, but the name and the look are so retro it could be off-putting to newer readers)
Red Tornado (Hasn't been used beyond group shots since, when, his last mini? Short of a Vision style book, doubt folks would turn up for an emotionless android on a monthly basis)
Most of Morrison's Seven Soldiers (with Zatanna and Frankenstein being the two exceptions)

Too bad about black condor; apart from Uncle Sam, he was the only freedom fighter I was interested in.

[atomicskull]

Ms. Marvel stems from the 70s and has its roots in the feminist movement. Plus, it's from a publisher called Marvel Comics, so even though it's a bit anachronistic, it's still brand promotion.

Mr. Terrific is from the 40s and is an example of how broad and innocuous the comics could be at the time. Nobody would name a brand new (non-legacy) character in 2021 Mr. Terrific unless it was in a sarcastic way...it's simply out-of-date. It's only because DC is obsessed with legacy characters that the name gets used in a serious way. Cool character, works great for a team like the Terrifics, but not great for a solo book. It's probably one of the reasons the only member of the Fantastic Four to never score a solo book is Mr. Fantastic.

This is just sounds like preference to me. I don't see why Mister Terrific isn't great for a solo book. There's absolutely nothing wrong with his name and there's nothing you can't do with a character like him. Same with a character like Metamorpho. MM can easily appeal to readers who like Fraction's FF, Madman and Doom Patrol. I just feel like characters will never succeed with this mentality, imo.

[bretmaverick2]

Another character I liked that has been long gone. Steve Ditko’s Shade, the Changing Man.

[Sutekh]

Another character I liked that has been long gone. Steve Ditko’s Shade, the Changing Man.

I wonder in my feverish imaginings if the Meta-Zone from Shade the Changing Man might be the 20th century precedent that eventually becomes known as Bgtzl, in the 30th century (when they no longer need technology as much to cross the barrier between verses).

[Kaijudo]

Too bad about black condor; apart from Uncle Sam, he was the only freedom fighter I was interested in.

I think both he and Phantom Lady have the best chances as solo characters. And you're right...I dug both the Ryan Kendall and John Trujillo versions of the character. Hopefully the latter is still around in the new mainstream continuity and someone will pick him up and run with him sometime.

[Kaijudo]

This is just sounds like preference to me. I don't see why Mister Terrific isn't great for a solo book. There's absolutely nothing wrong with his name and there's nothing you can't do with a character like him. Same with a character like Metamorpho. MM can easily appeal to readers who like Fraction's FF, Madman and Doom Patrol. I just feel like characters will never succeed with this mentality, imo.

Don't misunderstand me, this isn't necessarily my own personal tastes (Metamorpho is a favorite of mine and I'd totally read a solo book with him in it), just me attempting to put myself in the mindset of the average modern comic book reader...who, if I'm being honest, I don't think particularly highly of.

[ultradav]

Yeah, but Barb and Karl Kessel and Greg Guler did a great job expanding their world/mythology and making them contemporary in the series back in the 90s (actually one of the most underrated 90s DC books, in my opinion) before Armageddon 2001 and then the Liefeld-driven New 52 title screwed all that up. Getting them back to something close to that would go a long way towards making them viable again.

Plus, given the state of the country/world currently, I'd argue Hawk and Dove could be even more relevant than they were in the decade that created them.

Agreed the Kesel series is one of my favorites of all time. Did a great job moving them beyond the "war & peace" angle that tied them to Vietnam. I want to find out who leaked Captain Atom as Monarch so I can go key their car. lol Ruined the characters for a long time (and made no sense - if anything, Dove was a more likely candidate for Monarch than Hawk).

Also agreed on the new series -- the country is so polarized, why not a title where a conservative and a liberal have to work together? Sometimes Dove is right, sometimes Hawk is right, but they're stronger together would be the theme. It has potential if it's done well -- but also high risk that it would not be handled with nuance and would just end up ticking both sides off.

[Kaijudo]

Also agreed on the new series -- the country is so polarized, why not a title where a conservative and a liberal have to work together? Sometimes Dove is right, sometimes Hawk is right, but they're stronger together would be the theme. It has potential if it's done well -- but also high risk that it would not be handled with nuance and would just end up ticking both sides off.

Totally. The trick, I think, would be to fall back on the more traditional conservative values for Hawk...less government in our lives, rule of law, peace via strength...versus the ultra-crazy garbage that's permeated (a lot of) the party in the last few years. If they try to write Hawk as an anti-vaxxer Q-anon "the election was stolen" nutbag, then the series is dead. Same with making Dove a variation of these wilting hothouse flower types who fall to pieces every time somebody says or does something that doesn't perfectly align with their own beliefs or agenda...one of those types for whom outrage has become an addiction.

Or make both of them those exact extremes and make it a Black Label book.

[ultradav]

Totally. The trick, I think, would be to fall back on the more traditional conservative values for Hawk...less government in our lives, rule of law, peace via strength...versus the ultra-crazy garbage that's permeated (a lot of) the party in the last few years. If they try to write Hawk as an anti-vaxxer Q-anon "the election was stolen" nutbag, then the series is dead. Same with making Dove a variation of these wilting hothouse flower types who fall to pieces every time somebody says or does something that doesn't perfectly align with their own beliefs or agenda...one of those types for whom outrage has become an addiction.

Or make both of them those exact extremes and make it a Black Label book.

Yeah, I think they would have to not fall into stereotypes either way. 90s series did a good job particularly with Hawk in showing him as more complex than just a hothead jock (though that was still part of him). For this they'd have to stick to broad timeless themes of conservative vs progressive rather than getting hung up on whatever the hot button topic of the day is.

[TheRay]

Probably not going to be seeing a Broot book ever, for obvious reasons.

[Alan2099]

Don't expect this guy anytime soon.

[MajorHoy]

Don't expect this guy anytime soon.

Well, Morrison used him in 1990 . . .


But DC also changed his name back in the 1980s:

[PennyDreadful]

Ah, the Inferior Five. The name was used for a horror comic by Giffen and Lemire but the team proper hasn't returned and certainly hasn't starred in an ongoing. Do they count?