so this occurred to me in a conversation about Steel. it got me thinking about when it's appropriate to for heroes to hang up the capes, about Jessica Jones, and about a discussion i was observing about Tim Drake hanging up the cape and how that doesn't have to mean he stops being a player in the DC universe. so my question to you guys is, which characters do you think should or would benefit from being competent civvies over being a cape and tights hero?
a couple things:
1. we're automatically putting aside the whole "well it's superhero fiction, they gotta blahblahbleettyblah whatever" or "well that wouldn't/couldn't sell so blah blah blah". we get it, you're all very smart and have a passing familiarity with the shortcomings of comic storytelling
2. this is not about them retiring and disappearing into limbo. this is not a thread for you to just put characters you don't like and don't want in the field anymore. in fact, I would like people to pick characters you actually care about (or would care more about) and would want to see more of if this change happened.
3. let's keep the criticism of other people's pick respectful and constructive.
ok so here are my picks:
- Tim Drake/Robin/Red Robin/Drake - unsurprising pick i know but I 100% buy into the idea Tim should be a super detective or private eye. I feel he's outgrown the Robin mantle and is being forced into it due to nostalgia and the fact that other hero identities never fit. of the Bats iirc he was the one who never intended to be a hero forever, and with his initial reason for helping now resolved many times over, I feel it's the logical next step.
- Claire Clover/Gotham Girl - I feel like she has a real case for being DC's Jessica Jones but far more capable. having been through what she's been through in the name of superheroics, it makes total sense that she wouldn't want any parts of that life anymore. I would love for her to return post-City of Bane, somewhere else in the DC landscape, having put her cape days behind her and is just using her powers to do good like her and her brother initially wanted to do.
- John Henry and Natasha Irons/Steel - this one is a little controversial because i know people got mad love for the Steels. however, I personally don't and I feel like a lot of the affection for them comes from a time where they were some of the few visible heroes of color at DC. with better options now, I feel like they just look less and less compelling as a hero IP. I would love to see them retire the suits and focus on being super scientists/engineers. I would love them as people who help solve problems by inventing useful tools and support items for other heroes and civilians
those are the three that I thought of off the top of my head, I'll probably think of more. who would y'all pick?