What Made Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman so Popular?

[The Darknight Detective]

The likes of Spectre, Johnny Thunder, Wildcat, Dr. Fate and so many more are C-listers at best today, even though they have their fans. They and most other DC Golden Age characters are kept alive largely through their connection with the JSA franchise. So there was definitely something that put the likes of GL and Flash as concepts ahead of these, and something that put the Trinity as concepts (or rather as archetypes) right at the top of the pecking order.

GL and Flash are the interesting ones. Maybe if live-action special effects had been far better during the Forties, they could have made the Trinity a Quintet instead.

[Jim Kelly]

It's funny to me that Green Arrow and Aquaman survived mainly because they were too insignificant to kill off. They were secondary acts on the bill of whichever titles they were in. Readers bought the comics for Superman, Batman, Robin, Superboy, but the modern Robin Hood with his trick arrows act and the undersea explorer with his performing fish were good enough to fill the bill.

For Aquaman he lucked out after twenty years and got his own comic book in the 1960s. While Green Arrow actually lost his books (ADVENTURE COMICS and WORLD'S FINEST COMICS) and depended on his slot in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA for any exposure. It was really Neal Adams who saved the Emerald Archer, by giving him a new look in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD 85 (Septermber 1969) and then Adams and O'Neil teaming him with the Emerald Gladiator in GREEN LANTERN 76 (April 1970).

Even so, Aquaman would lose his book and go through a process of gaining a spot in one book then losing it or getting his own title and losing it. Green Arrow was doomed to pretty much the same fate. It took both of them a lot of years before they gained enough support to qualify as premiere characters. And out of that came Oliver Queen's long run on the ARROW television series and Arthur Curry's billion dollar AQUAMAN movie.

Clearly there was nothing especially great about these two characters to make them stars overnight. But they rose to stardom through the continued efforts of writers and artists to make them great.

[Air Wave]

While Green Arrow actually lost his books (ADVENTURE COMICS and WORLD'S FINEST COMICS) and depended on his slot in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA for any exposure.

He also had some BRAVE AND THE BOLD appearances, right? I'd be interested to see an exhaustive list of every Green Arrow appearance of the 60s.

[bat39]

GL and Flash are the interesting ones. Maybe if live-action special effects had been far better during the Forties, they could have made the Trinity a Quintet instead.

Maybe. But somehow I doubt there was ever a clamor for a live-action adaptation of GL or Flash during the 40's. Flash actually could have been managed. Even GL honestly - there would have been no complicated constructs, but some basic green lighting effects and flying and stuff like walking through walls would have been do-able.

Not that Wonder Woman got an adaptation either during the 40's. It was basically Superman and Batman. And Captain Marvel, who wasn't a DC character at the time.

It's funny to me that Green Arrow and Aquaman survived mainly because they were too insignificant to kill off. They were secondary acts on the bill of whichever titles they were in. Readers bought the comics for Superman, Batman, Robin, Superboy, but the modern Robin Hood with his trick arrows act and the undersea explorer with his performing fish were good enough to fill the bill.

For Aquaman he lucked out after twenty years and got his own comic book in the 1960s. While Green Arrow actually lost his books (ADVENTURE COMICS and WORLD'S FINEST COMICS) and depended on his slot in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA for any exposure. It was really Neal Adams who saved the Emerald Archer, by giving him a new look in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD 85 (Septermber 1969) and then Adams and O'Neil teaming him with the Emerald Gladiator in GREEN LANTERN 76 (April 1970).

Even so, Aquaman would lose his book and go through a process of gaining a spot in one book then losing it or getting his own title and losing it. Green Arrow was doomed to pretty much the same fate. It took both of them a lot of years before they gained enough support to qualify as premiere characters. And out of that came Oliver Queen's long run on the ARROW television series and Arthur Curry's billion dollar AQUAMAN movie.

Clearly there was nothing especially great about these two characters to make them stars overnight. But they rose to stardom through the continued efforts of writers and artists to make them great.

Both of them also benefited from being in the Justice League. Aquaman in particular, as a founder. This is the reason why Aquaman was a core Superfriends character, alongside the Trinity and Robin.

Aquaman remained in the spotlight because being a major 'Justice League' character gave him a spot on Superfriends, in the DCAU (even if he wasn't part of the core JL roster) and various other animated projects...which culminating in him getting a chance to be the star of a movie that eventually made a billion dollars.

The same thing happened with Green Arrow on a smaller scale. He had the 'Justice League' character tag, but not as strongly as Aquaman. It still gave him a spot in the DCAU though that introduced him to a wider audience. But ironically, it is being a Batman rip-off that gave him the 'big break' of being in Smallville and essentially serving as the 'Batman' of that show, which paved the way for Arrow.

[Air Wave]

some basic green lighting effects

Which, of course, would have been in black-and-white.

[Air Wave]

Aquaman in particular, as a founder. This is the reason why Aquaman was a core Superfriends character, alongside the Trinity and Robin.

Which was preceded by "The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure." So Aquaman was given a cartoon before even Wonder Woman.

[The Darknight Detective]

Which was preceded by "The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure." So Aquaman was given a cartoon before even Wonder Woman.

I assume Wonder Woman was victim of an embargo due to that horrible TV pilot that was produced around the same time the cartoons were being aired.

[The Darknight Detective]

He also had some BRAVE AND THE BOLD appearances, right? I'd be interested to see an exhaustive list of every Green Arrow appearance of the 60s.

The first time I saw GA in print was B&B, FWIW. Speedy, too (at least as part of a story instead of one panel here or there).

[NathanS]

He also had some BRAVE AND THE BOLD appearances, right? I'd be interested to see an exhaustive list of every Green Arrow appearance of the 60s.

https://dcuguide.com/w/Green_Arrow_(...en)_Chronology

It tries to put everything into in universe chronology, so best to use your browsers search feature and go search for each year just to make sure you get everything. its not 100% perfect but for the 60s it should have everything. The closer you get to modern day the more likely it is to miss something.

[bat39]

Which was preceded by "The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure." So Aquaman was given a cartoon before even Wonder Woman.

Lol yeah.

And along with Wonder Woman, Flash hasn't had a solo cartoon yet either.

[The Darknight Detective]

Lol yeah.

And along with Wonder Woman, Flash hasn't had a solo cartoon yet either.

Flash did have solo (with the exception of Kid Flash's help) cartoon shorts in the '60s, FWIW.

[Air Wave]

Flash did have solo (with the exception of Kid Flash's help) cartoon shorts in the '60s, FWIW.

Yes, on the Adventure Hour, right? Along with Hawkman and the Atom as I recall. Green Lantern too?

[Air Wave]

https://dcuguide.com/w/Green_Arrow_(...en)_Chronology

It tries to put everything into in universe chronology, so best to use your browsers search feature and go search for each year just to make sure you get everything. its not 100% perfect but for the 60s it should have everything. The closer you get to modern day the more likely it is to miss something.

Thanks. Just checked. His solo stories in WF went as late as 1964, which is later than I thought.

[The Darknight Detective]

Yes, on the Adventure Hour, right? Along with Hawkman and the Atom as I recall. Green Lantern too?

Correct, AW. It was the first time I saw all of them, too.

[The Darknight Detective]

Yes, on the Adventure Hour, right? Along with Hawkman and the Atom as I recall. Green Lantern too?

Correct, AW. It was the first time I saw all of them, too.