Underutalized DC characters that you would put in the spotlight

[JohnDiggle]

So what are some DC characters that are barely used that you would love to put in the forefront of things? Be it a ongoing comic book series, a tv show, a movie or video game.
For me it would be Deadman I know Deadman was kind of in the spotlight during Black Night, Brightest day and got mini series in the new 52 but I would love an ongoing comic with just him and newly created villains.

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[dan12456]

Agree on Deadman. Zatanna is my number 1, she should be one of DC's top 5 females, yet they refuse to push her. The only reason she has gotten as far as she has is Dini's commitment to the character.

[Güicho]

Vixen (might be about to change)
Vibe
Gypsy
Blue Beetle (Jaime)
Steel (John Henry)
Black Lightning
Kimiyo Hoshi (although drop the tainted Dr. Light moniker and call her Vega (Orihime) after the star which gave her powers)
El Diablo (although preferably not cliche latino gang member, we already lived through that with Vibe)
The Atoms: Ray, Ryan & Rhonda together as a team.
Malcolm Duncan and Karen Beecher as Guardian & Bumblebee.
Rene Montoya & Crispus Allen: Gotham Paranormal Dept.

[Rod G]

Vixen (might be about to change)
Vibe
Gypsy
Blue Beetle (Jaime)
Steel (John Henry)
Black Lightning
Kimiyo Hoshi (although drop the tainted Dr. Light moniker and call her Vega (Shokujo) after the star which gave her powers)
El Diablo (although preferably not cliche latino gang member, we already lived through that with Vibe)
The Atoms: Ray, Ryan & Rhonda together as a team.
Malcolm Duncan and Karen Beecher as Guardian & Bumblebee.

A worthy list. I particularly agree about the Jaime Blue Beetle.

[DGraysonWorldsGreatestSpy]

Grey Ghost
Red X
Karate Kid (Val Armorr)
Zatanna
Amestyt

[Güicho]

A worthy list. I particularly agree about the Jaime Blue Beetle.

It's agonizing how DC has dropped the the ball on this fun character.
They definitely recognized Jaimes potential at one point, and tried to put stuff out there.
Although it was always surrounded by a backlash.
Wish they'd called him something other than an already taken Blue Beetle, which already had it's fans looking for his return. They ended up robbing one fan base, and turning two against each-other, when every book needs old and new fans to survive.
So sad. How do you build up anything by splitting a fan base?
But that seems to be how DC wants to operate.
Instead of naming something new, that actually looks new, they feel they need to recycle everything.

And that's what's so frustrating, he was in fact so new!

They could have called him anything new, had the "scarab" be anything else alien, Themed after any other insect, arthropod, another creature, anything!
The design is so mutable. New kids and fans would have loved him anyway, old fans might have actually checked it out too if they didn't feel they were helping crush their favorite version.

He actually looks more like.....

Which actually exist....
Just add a tail to the tec.
And it spreads more like a venom.
His grandfather could have been an awesome Golden Age Luchador called Alacran Azul or Escorpion, who retroactively once fought alongside the Golden-Agers, inspiring his new ID.

Also Jaime is from El Paso, Texas, scorpion has a more Tex-Mex vibe, than freaking falling back on the whole Egypt theme again.
How simple is that ...https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...etle_Reyes.PNG

But no, rob one fan base and divide everyone, I think they've actually made it harder for a Jaime and a Ted Kord to survive, in what is already a small comic buying audience.

[Robotman]

Vixen (might be about to change)
Vibe
Gypsy
Blue Beetle (Jaime)
Steel (John Henry)
Black Lightning
Kimiyo Hoshi (although drop the tainted Dr. Light moniker and call her Vega (Shokujo) after the star which gave her powers)
El Diablo (although preferably not cliche latino gang member, we already lived through that with Vibe)
The Atoms: Ray, Ryan & Rhonda together as a team.
Malcolm Duncan and Karen Beecher as Guardian & Bumblebee.
Rene Montoya & Crispus Allen: Gotham Paranormal Dept.

agree with this list. Vibe really should be getting a push what with Cisco appearing of the very popular Flash show. maybe when he officially becomes Vibe they'll bring him back in the comics. same goes for Vixen and her mini cartoon and hopefully eventual live action appearances. DC just extended an olive branch to Tony Isabella so they may have something planned for Black Lightning. add to the fact that they no longer have Static, BL may be in for a push. Dr. Light is set to appear on The Flash and El Diablo will be in Suicide Squad so perhaps DC will start featuring them more in monthly comics.
and a big YES to Jaime Reyes. i really hope they dont permanently shelve him in favor of the young version of Ted Kord Johns introduced in Forever Evil. his last book was terrible because they took a character that works when portrayed fun and a bit light hearted and made him grim and gritty. which may have been an editorial mandate seeing as many of the New 52 books were apparently intentional done this way. see Gail's Batgirl.
i say bring back classic Ted Kord but keep Jaime so that everyone is happy. maybe in the rumored Booster Gold book Ted can be brought back somehow. either through time manipulation of dimension hopping. Booster is sure to have adventures with both scenarios.


i would add a few more:

The Creeper! always one of my favorites. he's kind of an amalgam of Joker and Spider-Man (Creeper also created by Ditko). such a cool character who they butchered in the New 52 by turning him into an oni.



Vic Sage the non-supernatural version of The Question

[Dispenser Of Truth]

Frankenstein. That DC has Frankenstein himself as a thoroughly integrated part of the universe, and he has the sword of Michael the Archangel, and he's basically their Nick Fury, and they don't use him ALL THE TIME, baffles me. Shining Knight from Seven Soldiers has a lot of potential too.

Speaking of angels, Zauriel. They should have let him officially replace Hawkman as God and Grant Morrison intended.

[DrNewGod]

Alpha Centurion. Just because he can be such an interesting alternative to Superman, and demonstrate what Superman could be, but probably shouldn't.

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[OBrianTallent]

Vixen (might be about to change)
Vibe
Gypsy
Blue Beetle (Jaime)
Steel (John Henry)
Black Lightning
Kimiyo Hoshi (although drop the tainted Dr. Light moniker and call her Vega (Shokujo) after the star which gave her powers)
El Diablo (although preferably not cliche latino gang member, we already lived through that with Vibe)
The Atoms: Ray, Ryan & Rhonda together as a team.
Malcolm Duncan and Karen Beecher as Guardian & Bumblebee.
Rene Montoya & Crispus Allen: Gotham Paranormal Dept.

I completely agree with everyone on this list and would only add two more: Zatanna & Amethyst.
Zatanna should be the premier magic user of the DCU. Not sure why DC has decided to downplay her profile so much since the New 52 started.
Amethyst is an awesome property with a rich world that has been (pardon the pun) mined very little. Warring factions and houses based on jewels, magic through the stones, allegiances, betrayals, high class villains, low life ones as well. Not sure why Warner Bros hasn't jumped all over this property either...animated series, dolls, costumes...it's a gold or jeweled mine waiting to happen!

[skyvolt2000]

Jaime Reyes
Vixen

We can stop there and a call it a DAY.

[Flash Gordon]

The Legion
Detective Chimp
Mera
Supergirl
Mon-El
The Great Ten
Orion
John Henry Irons/Steel
Cassandra Cain/Black Bat
Zatanna (in her satellite era outfit)
Zauriel
Starman

[GreenLanternRanger]

with Vixen now having her own animated series on CW Seed I think it would be the perfect time to launch a new mini or ongoing for the character.

And I personally would love to see a Question comic as well.

[j9ac9k]

- The Question (Vic Sage): comic book or tv
- Dr Mid-Nite (Pieter Cross): solo series
- Arisia (Green Lantern): I know she's appeared fairly regularly in the GL books, but usually as "the half-naked girl in the background. She's been around long enough, I'd make her the main GL in one of the GL titles.

[SJNeal]

I agree that a lot of the characters already mentioned in the thread could use some attention, but two that haven't been mentioned are Hawk & Dove.

DC gave them a respectable push with Brightest Day and then continued with The New 52, but sticking Liefeld on their title was death sentence.