How many replacements have worked for the long haul?

[Mantis Girl 94]

I am personally saddened at the replacement of several heroes:

Hulk
Thor
Wolverine
Captain America
and the list goes on and on....

Has there ever been a "replacement" that really worked over the long run (as in 10 or more years)?

The Human Torch (Johnny) is the only one I can think of at the moment (the 2nd one being Wally West if we are talking both Marvel and DC).

[XPac]

A lot of the silver age heroes who replaced golden age ones have not only stuck around but essentially overshadowed the originals.

But beyond that one specific category, I'd say replacements pretty much across the board have pretty short shelf lives. In DC I think the replacements at least are usually meant to actually replace the originals even though the originals inevitably return (like Barry and Hal Jordan for example). But at marvel I don't think they even actually intend for the replacement to be permament most of the time. I think it most cases it's just a story.

[TakoM]

I am personally saddened at the replacement of several heroes:

Hulk
Thor
Wolverine
Captain America
and the list goes on and on....

Has there ever been a "replacement" that really worked over the long run (as in 10 or more years)?

The Human Torch (Johnny) is the only one I can think of at the moment (the 2nd one being Wally West if we are talking both Marvel and DC).

I don't know maybe Witchblade ?
Johnny I won't say that he took over the original identity of the Human Torch he has just the same hero nickname and similar powers.
I think most readers didn't notice that there was another guy like him or better said android.

The idea of taking someone else superhero identity is to follow his footsteps and for what this hero stand which is a bit wacky because Marvel and some authors of them have at least in some cases no idea anymore for what the hero xy stands .

[Mantis Girl 94]

Thinking on what you said that is correct. I can see now that Johnny was not a replacement; just a different hero with the same powers and name.

Wally West then is the only real replacement that I can think of that has been successful...even though now, it is like he don't exist anymore.

[Marvell2100]

I am personally saddened at the replacement of several heroes:

Hulk
Thor
Wolverine
Captain America
and the list goes on and on....

Has there ever been a "replacement" that really worked over the long run (as in 10 or more years)?

The Human Torch (Johnny) is the only one I can think of at the moment (the 2nd one being Wally West if we are talking both Marvel and DC).

Scott Lang: Ant-Man
Delroy Garret: 3D-Man
Tim Drake: Robin
Monica Rambeau: Captain Marvel

[Montressor]

Jim Rhodes as Iron Man, later growing into his own as War Machine.

Not sure if Matrix becoming the then-new timeline's Supergirl counts, but she was a successful replacement (I preferred Kara).

[Mantis Girl 94]

Disagree with some of these. Monica just stole the name imo, not replace the Kree warrior or his powers.

Jim Rhodes did not last 10 years as Iron Man....hence War Machine.

[ed2962]

Ted Kord as Blue Beetle

Vision ( although it wasn't a mantle passing thing)

Kyle had a good run as the main GL.

Dinah Lance as Black Canary ( although that's kind of retcon)

Red Tornado ( probably a better example than Vision)

[t hedge coke]

Morpheus and Daniel as Sandman, technically.

Valkyrie, in a sense. The entity we think of as Val bonds with a dead woman and sometimes has more presence than the dead woman, sometimes less. But, still different women, possessed or charged.

Replacement villains are a little easier to keep going, so there are quite a few of those, but usually second third tier villains.

Heralds was a great miniseries dealing with a cosmic-powered clone of Frankie Raye and people trying to make her the old Nova, when she isn't, that also looks at other characters who may share a name, a costume, or a look, but are not that person. Including Monica middle-Captain-Marvel Rambeau and Patsy han-me-down-costume Walker.

Most of them aren't meant to last, though, any more than AzBats was meant to last or Captain America in the armor with its own airbags for safety.

[Marvell2100]

Genis-Vell: Captain Marvel

[idisestablish]

How are we defining "replacement?" I see Johnny doesn't count so just using the same name is a no-go. Does the old hero have to be 100% retired or dead?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Carol Danvers. It's pretty safe to assume that Mar-Vell is pretty much gone for good. Monica hasn't gone by that name in like 20 years, and Genis-Vell is rarely/never seen or heard from. Carol is about to have a multi-million dollar major motion picture titled "Captain Marvel," so I'm gonna say she's Captain Marvel for the long haul.

It's too soon to call, but on the same token, I'm certain Kamala will last. Whether she stays "Ms. Marvel" indefinitely is another matter, though.

Then there's Rachel Grey. Jean's alternate reality daughter who conveniently showed up 3 issues after Jean's death with the exact same powers and codename. Despite the fact that Jean keeps coming back, Rachel has been pretty consistent as her "replacement."

Someone else mentioned Scott Lang. He's not going anywhere, and he's pretty much got the title locked down since Hank has so many others to choose from and since he's now internationally ingrained as Ant-Man. But he hasn't necessarily "replaced" Hank.

You could make an argument for Kaine as Scarlet Spider, Flash as Venom, and even Nick Fury, Jr., but they're all still pretty new.

Kate Bishop has been consistent and is really popular, though she hasn't truly "replaced" Clint.

Quite a few from characters who weren't that significant to begin with like White Tiger, Madame Web, etc., but even the examples I can think of haven't really stood the test of time or are too insignificant to really matter.


So basically, all of these that I mentioned were replacing C-list or lower characters, are no longer active with that title, arguably are not "replacements," or are still too new to call, with the exception of Rachel Grey, and Carol Danvers. They're both replacing dead/-ish characters. As far as big-name, popular, living characters retiring or using a different codename... Of the dozens and dozens of examples I can think of, none have been permanent. So it seems a character must die and stay dead or just die frequently to have a successful replacement.

[Thor-Ul]

Not all replacement are the same. One thing is replace a character who still have an ongoing and another is replace a character than has been absent from any appearance from some time.

Most characters from the silver age are (in DC case) more than replacement, reinventions of characters long absent from any publication. So if the character has been absent from publications for a long time or if its selling numbers are really low is most probably than the replacement is meant to be more permanent than the usual. But if the character has a publication story at the moment of the replacement is most probaly than it could be considered a limited arc.

[Kieran_Frost]

Ones to add: Baron Zemo, Moonstone, Mr Fear, Power Man, White Tiger, Night Thrasher, Blizzard, Morph, Titania.

[yojimbo]

Scott Lang is by far the most successful replacement hero of Marvel. He isn't a strong replacement as Sam Wilson as Cap or Wally West as Flash, but Scott is Ant-Man for good now. There is no way Pym is getting back to that title (and if I'm not mistaken he hasn't been Ant-Man in decades) and Scott has never had another alias besides Ant-Man.

Carol Danvers is on the way to become the permanent replacement of Captain Marvel.

[Ken Ashcroft]

I am personally saddened at the replacement of several heroes:

Hulk
Thor
Wolverine
Captain America
and the list goes on and on....

Has there ever been a "replacement" that really worked over the long run (as in 10 or more years)?
.

With Heroes as well known and established as those, I doubt if you will ever get replacements that will last as long as 10 years,though DC give it a good try with the Flash and Green Lantern. A couple of years is normally the best that they last such as with Jim Rhodes (Iron Man),John Walker,Bucky Barnes (Captain America) Eric Masterson (Thor) but with the current push on diversity, who knows how long the more recent replacements will last?