Al Harahap
Feb 7, 2005, 06:31 am
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/Top70DCCharacters.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="Top 70 DC Characters">Part 1: #70-51
By: Nick Costanzo, Raul Grau, Jon Hancock, Al Harahap, Matt Lazorwitz, Jordan T. Maxwell, and Dylan McKay
Comptroller: Jon Hancock
Editor: Al Harahap
Comic creators come and go. Comic stories come and go. But, whether or not we like to admit it, one thing can get fans going -- CHARACTERS. Many times, even despite the creators and stories attached. Such is the drawing power of comic book characters. For DC Comics, especially, the appeal comes from a diverse range of characters from the classic to the innovative, from the realistic to the fantastic to the downright freaky.
Why, in this installment alone, we have a fairytale princess, a businessman who turned superheroics into an enterprise, and the last man on Earth. And if that's not enough, there's the biggest dork alive, a comic book creator, and the spirit of vengeance himself.
ComiX-Fan's staff have chosen the best of the best for the Top 70 DC Characters of All Time. Without further ado, we submit to you #70-51:
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#70 Lobo
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/70.jpg" align=left alt="Lobo">First Appearance: Omega Men #3
Created by: Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen
Lobo began as a send-off of Deathstroke, the Punisher, Wolverine, and all the archetypical anti-hero characters of the 70s and 80s. It might also sound familiar that Lobo is the last surviving member of his race. But, unlike a certain Kryptonian, Lobo was the one who actually committed genocide on his whole race and planet Czarnia by creating a new deadly insect species to wipe them all out -- just to be unique throughout the whole universe. Such is Lobo. With highly attuned tracking skills, virtual invulnerability and, because neither Heaven nor Hell wants him, his immortality, Lobo started out as a recurring bounty hunter character throughout spacefaring DC stories, which were appropriate grounds for the grand scales of his hijinks that didn't have to touch Earthbound stories. With his much-exaggerated and over-the-top acts of violence, including assassinating Santa Claus for his popularity rival the Easter Bunny, along with inventing euphimistic terms like "bastich" and "fraggin'" to replace English expletives that would otherwise be censored by the Comics Code Authority, Lobo has become a cult favourite among comic readers and even earned his own solo series. Ironically, Lobo's success comes from being a hyperbole of anti-heroes that dares to go all the way with little regard to that commercial success itself. As Lobo himself would say, "FRAG THAT!"
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#69 Flex Mentallo
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/69.jpg" align=left alt="Lobo">First Appearance: Doom Patrol Vol. 2 #35
Created by: Grant Morrison and Richard Case
Despite simplistic appearances, Flex Mentallo is quite possibly the most complex character in comic books. But this is as much an entry for Grant Morrison as a writer, because to separate him from Flex Mentallo is to separate Plato from his Apology or Jimi Hendrix from his Voodoo Stratocaster guitar. The muscleman was created during Morrison's surreal Doom Patrol era as a mild satire of the world renowned bodybuilder Charles Atlas and his cartoon advertisements, "The Insult That Made a Man out of Mac" or "The Bully That Kicked Sand in My Face," that appeared in many comics and other periodicals for years. But after Morrison spun off his own reality-bending mini-series, the character developed into a kind of thinking man's Superman and so much more. He became a symbol of reader's interest in superhero types as the id's desire to be more. At the same time, he's also a contrasting response to the growing number of dark anti-hero types. As his name suggests, Flex Mentallo has a metatextual voice for his readers that challenges them to exercise their minds -- more specifically, about the subculture of comic books. The character traversed several states of reality, from the world of his comic book canon to the "real world" of the reader and everything in between. He thus became a personification of the various relationships between comic book time, space, creators, characters, and readers. Morrison, through the guise of Flex Mentallo, has created the standard of comic book existentialism.
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#68 Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Quinzel)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/68.jpg" align="left" alt="Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Quinzel)">First Appearance (TV): Joker's Favor
First Appearance (comics): Batman: Harley Quinn #1
Created by: Paul Dini and Bruce Timm
When fans of the new animated Batman series tuned in on Friday September eleventh 1992, they got more than they ever would have expected. The episode Joker's Favor introduced the animated series' first and most popular contribution to the Batman mythos: Harley Quinn. Harley was the Joker's girlfriend, a funny, doting, love interest to the volatile Joker, who would at times both love her and hate her. There were many reasons to love Harley, but chief amongst them were her own wacky sense of humor, and while she had her own psychotic streak, there was something so much more lovable about her, more caring, than the Joker. Harley became popular enough to demand episodes following her exploits not just with the Joker, but with gal pal Poison Ivy and even by herself. When creators Paul Dini and Bruce Timm wanted to reveal Harley's origin, they did it not on TV but in comics, in a special done in animated series style called Mad Love. The special proved not only immensely popular amongst fans, but won both the Eisner and Harvey awards that year. And during DC's mega-Bat epic No Man's Land, Harley took that final big step: she entered the DCU in her own special, joining the Joker to bedevil Batman. Harley wound up getting her own monthly series, lasting for a respectable 38 issues, had a critically acclaimed mini-series done in animated series style with Poison Ivy, and recently even received an action figure with design work by Jim Lee. Harley is a girl who has left the shadow of the Joker, and found her own place in the sun.
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#67 Deathstroke The Terminator (Slade Wilson)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/67.jpg" align=left alt="Deathstroke The Terminator (Slade Wilson)">First Appearance: New Teen Titans (1st series) #1
Created by: Marv Wolfman and George Perez
Slade Wilson was a military man through and through. Volunteering for an experimental treatment, he was struck comatose only to recover with increased physical and mental capacity that made him the perfect fighting machine. Acting as an assassin with high moral standards, Slade became obsessed with destroying the Teen Titans when his first son died fighting them and his second joined their ranks. After Slade was forced to slay his son he became more tolerant of the Titans and operated as a zero tolerance vigilante. More recently he has become one of the most feared assassins in the world and only accepts contracts worthy of his time. Any other offers get deferred to lesser associates. Slade's character has developed over time into a flawed yet relentless killer. His twisted sense of morality and permanent threat mean that he's one of the few comic book villains who has no need for a hero to play off. Slade is always a threat whose only weakness appears to be his hidden humanity. His influence and importance as a villain can be seen with his recent demolition of the Justice League in Identity Crisis along with the character's regular appearances in the Teen Titans cartoon series.
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#66 Snow White
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/66.jpg" align=left alt="Snow White">First Appearance: Fables #1
Created by: Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
Once upon a time…well, that's about enough of that. Forget the puffy sleeves, the twirling skirt, the idly singing to birds in a forest. Forget the dwarves, the poisoned apple, the glass bier. This Snow White is no damsel in distress, no flitting housemaid, no fairy tale princess. She's a strong, self assured and entirely capable woman of power and she's not going to take any of your attitude. One of the greatest appeals of Fables as a series is the masterful way in which classic characters from folk lore and fairy tales are subverted and updated for our modern day. And so when we first meet the new Snow White, we are amused and intrigued by the fact that she is no longer the doting air headed beauty and anathema to feminists everywhere, but the most powerful woman…the most powerful being…in all of Fabletown. As deputy mayor, she directly oversees all the affairs of state, business practices, criminal matters, personal crises and everything else. Her name no longer refers solely to the fairness of her skin, but to the icy edge of her demeanor. She's been through the invasions and wars of the Adversary, dealt with the philandering and condescension of her ex-husband Prince Charming and kept her people safe and secure from the discovery of the Mundies and from threats within the community itself. The hardship has made her strong…but it has also made her hard and cold. And it's when that cold exterior starts to melt away and reveal the more vulnerable side of her character that we find we don't just like Snow…but, like Bigby, we love her. For her hardness and her softness, for her edge and her vulnerability. Recently, Snow has been ousted as deputy mayor and taken on a new role that even better showcases her warmth and caring: mother to her and Bigby's children…with love, with protection and sometimes with sacrifice.
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#65 The Shade (Richard Swift)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/65.jpg" align=left alt="The Shade (Richard Swift)">First Appearance: Flash Comics #33
Created by: Gardner Fox and Hal Sharp
Reimagined by: James Robinson and Tony Harris
Like most supercriminals of the Golden Age, the Shade received little motivation beyond greed for his dastardly deeds. The only consistencies among his appearances were his desire for more wealth, his cane which projected dark constructs, and his penchant for battling speedsters wearing red. It would take fifty years and a recurring role in Starman to move the Shade beyond his less than dynamic beginnings. James Robinson decreed that the cane was a simple prop, the power to bend darkness to his will was his own, and that had been only the outer edge of his frighteningly demonic abilities. An immortal well into his second century of that singular state, he had clashed with Flashes not out of financial need (though he certainly enjoyed the spoils of crime), but because he appreciated the sport of costumed jousting. He blurs the line between hero and villain - foiling a robbery but taking a painting for himself, saving an innocent then slaughtering her attackers. He loves his city as much as he loves his friends or his absinthe, and will defend Opal with the last of his long-lived life. The Shade pushes past the standard spandex lifestyle to become something more honest and morally questionable. Plus, it is a rarity to find a character able to pull off a top hat and tails as a fashion choice.
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#64 The Question (Charles Victor Szasz/Vic Sage)
<img src=" http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/64.jpg" align=left alt="The Question (Charles Victor Szasz/Vic Sage)">First Appearance: Blue Beetle (1st series) #1
Created by: Steve Ditko
Reimagined by: Dennis O'Neil and Denys Cowan
At first glance The Question is hardly anything original, a masked street level vigilante with no powers, just ruthless fighting skills and his keen mind to protect him and his city. But when you scratch below the visual, one of the most truly unique superheroes is revealed. I remember my first experience with The Question, an annual crossover with Green Arrow, in it, The Question actually considered allowing the citizens of Hub City to receive a chemical lobotomy. I was shocked, never had I even imagined a hero weighing the pros and cons of a villain's plans. But that's who The Question is, the hero who defies all previous expectations of superhero morality. Essentially, there are two types of superhero moralities, one is the icon approach, fighting for truth justice and the American way/using their great power with great responsibility, a focus on harm reduction crossed with being an example above human failings. The second is the ruthless vigilante approach, that criminals must be forceably removed from society. The Question is neither and both at the same time, he is the most philosophically charged hero in comics. Beginning with Steve Ditko creating the character as a way to apply Ayn Rand's philosophy of objectivism to superhero comics. And evolving into Dennis O'Neil's clash of eastern and western philosophies, a hero that never took any situation at face value and was always at war with himself to determine his own personal morality. The Question is proof that superhero comics can aim for higher intellectual levels. A hero with an ever-evolving sense of morality that gives him a perspective unique from all other heroes. How will he come to view the world in the future? That, friends, is The Question.
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#63 Maxwell Lord IV
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/63.jpg" align=left alt="Maxwell Lord IV">First Appearance: Justice League #1
Created by: Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatties and Kevin Maguire
Maxwell Lord is the stereotypical businessman with no ethics or morals beyond making a dollar. Two failed marriages, countless failed businesses, no real friends. The checklist is all ticked. However, Max's endearing qualities are just these. Rarely is the hero shown to be such an utter slime ball. To have the DCU's most important and clean cut super team, the Justice League of America, led by a conniving businessman with no real back bone is such an oxymoron that it had to work. Max's relationship with each member of the League was strained at best. Even his assistants, Oberon and L-Ron, loathed to be around him. Max knew this and didn't care. Long before Wildcats v3.0 showcased corporate politics, Max was fighting to make the League a profitable global organisation, closing down other rival super teams like the fat cat he is. Max's place on this list is earned through his endearing grotesqueness as a person and because of his diametrically opposed place on America's premier team.
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#62 Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/62.jpg"align=left alt="Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter)">First Appearance: Booster Gold #1
Created by: Dan Jurgens
Michael Jon Carter was a successful athlete in the future when a match fixing scandal forced him to retire. He became night watchman at the Space Museum and using his wits managed to steal time travel technology along with a Legion flight ring, a force field belt and a suit that had gauntlet blasters. Booster travelled to the 20th century and was fast to join the newly formed Justice League International. Perfectly suited to the new, cosmopolitan, media friendly nature of the League, Booster was quick to form a friendship with Blue Beetle and the two would have a variety of harebrained schemes. Booster's endearing qualities are his total ineptness despite being one of the most powerful technology based DC characters. His comedy partnership with Blue Beetle is reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy's dumb and dumber routine. More concerned with his aging millionaire wife and how his hair looks for his next photo op than saving the world, Booster is the hero that 90% of comics readers would realistically be if they had the opportunity. Booster got lucky with his powers and he knows it. Flippant, jovial and totally unaware of any sort of danger, Booster is loveably stupid in every way.
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#61 Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/61.jpg" align=left alt="Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)">First Appearance: Captain Atom (2nd series) #83
Created by: Steve Ditko
When Ted Kord first appeared as the Blue Beetle in 1966, he was already living in the shadow of his fallen mentor. While Ted was certainly one of the first inheritors to a heroic legacy, not much else about him stood out. Even after he and the other Charlton characters were purchased by DC, Blue Beetle remained the very model of a very familiar archetype. A wealthy industrialist, who also happens to be a gifted scientist, driven to fight crime by a solemn promise, which leads him to design an array of weaponry and aircraft inspired by an animal, and to hone his body to perfection, before donning a Blue spandex costume... ok, maybe you've heard that one before. Placed on the Justice League, it would take Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis to reinforce the one trait that Ted clearly had over Batman... namely, a sense of humor. From moneymaking schemes to inexplicable comas to a budding weight problem, Beetle became that most unique sort of hero, the kind who gets the joke. And no matter how far ensconced he becomes in the Bat-verse, he will always remain the only action hero to ever go into battle wearing control-top spandex. That has to count for something.
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#60 Bizarro
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/60.jpg" align=left alt="Bizarro">First Appearance: Action Comics #254
Created by: Otto Binder and George Papp
Reimagined by: John Byrne
There isn't much in comics that becomes a part of mainstream culture, but the idea of the Bizarro has. (Thanks in large part to Jerry Seinfeld, as Bizarro Superman inspired an episode of his classic sitcom Seinfeld). Bizarro is the inverted duplicate of Superman, created in the silver age as a result of a flawed duplication ray who ended up living on the planet Htrae (Earth spelled backwards) where all men are Bizarro Supermen and all women Bizarro Loises. In the modern age he is the flawed clone of Superman. In both cases the flaw is within his mental development, why Bizarro is arguably the most powerful being in all existence (There has been evidence that he may be stronger than Superman.) he is essentially a small child, without the mental capacity to understand his actions, a trait that can be both humourous and tragic. As a Superman villain, Bizarro works as a physical threat, but also as someone trying to take Superman's place, thus illustrating, albiet comedically, the irreplaceability of Superman. The Bizarro concept is the ideal comedic tool for for reflecting what defines a character. Bizarro has also branched off into the world of Bizarro comics, where indie creators have fun with the DC Universe through Bizarro.
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#59 Grifter (Cole Cash)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/59.jpg" align=left alt="Bizarro">First Appearance: WildC.A.T.s #1
Created by: Jim Lee and Brandon Choi
Trench coat. Twin guns. Martial arts. Motorcycle. Cigarettes. Sarcastic quips in battle. Mysterious past with the military. Cool mask. Grifter began his comics career as the stereotypical badass character that every team was required to have in the 90s. One of the few consistent characters throughout the history of the Wildstorm Universe, he was an original member of Team 7, teaming up with Zealot and helping to found the original WildC.A.T.s, the first to leave for his own solo adventures and yet also the only original member to return to the Halo, Inc. fold after the team's disbanding (since Lord Emp and Spartan never really left, we can't really say they returned). And yet for all that was trite and derivative about him, there was something intriguing about the character of Cole Cash behind the mask. His unrequited love for a seemingly stoic woman, his constant questioning of the people and situations that surrounded him, his depressions and petty jealousies. Even before Joe Casey used him to reflect the antiquated notions of traditional superheroics, Grifter existed as a commentary on the very character type and genre of comics in which he was appearing, giving him an appeal on multiple levels. He kicks ass for the action lovers, has a real depth and humanity for those who like good character and drama and serves as a critique on himself and those surrounding him for the readers who enjoy a more progressive take on superheroes. Plus, bonus points for being one of only a few popular characters to survive from the inception of Wildstorm to the modern day.
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#58 Midnighter
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/58.jpg"align=left alt="Midnighter">First Appearance: Stormwatch (2nd series) #4
Created by: Warren Ellis
The Midnighter lost whatever civilian identity he may have once possessed the day he was drafted into Henry Bendix's personal superhuman army, and after years of hiding went on to make history as one of the founding members of The Authority. Created to be the greatest fighter in existence, Midnighter is capable of predicting untold millions of possible fight scenarios, able to select the most effective mode of attack. Along with enhanced strength, speed, durability and awareness, the Midnighter is an all but unstoppable force in battle. Even more captivating than his powers, however, is the man who wields them. A walking mass of contradiction, Midnighter is both a vicious killer, and a caring husband and father. He may be the designated team badass, but manages to do so with a level of wit and intelligence usually lacking from such an archetype. He's always been tough and nonchalant about saving the world, yet is deeply troubled recently as he wonders if his team is doing more harm than good. And oh yeah, he's gay, and very much in love with his teammate Apollo, but he's never let that define who he is. God help you if you call him a poof though.
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#57 Bigby Wolf
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/57.jpg" align=left alt="Bigby Wolf">First Appearance: Fables #1
Created by: Bill Willingham and Lan Medina
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Most of Fabletown, but not for the reason that you'd expect. Bigby Wolf is the sheriff of Fabletown, the district of New York populated by expatriates from the Adversary's attacks on the homelands of all Fables. Having been granted amnesty for such crimes as Grandma eating and house blowing down, the lycanthropic Bigby became the sheriff to watch out for all Fables (except on the farm where animal Fables live, as they're still concerned about his dietary habits), and to be close to Snow White, the woman that he has been harboring feelings for. The beauty of Bigby's character is the grey area he exists in. While he is obviously a good guy, he is more than willing to get his hands very dirty. When a reporter is trying to out the Fables, he drugs him and has… compromising pictures taken of his with Pinnochio, who is still a real boy. And when Ichabod Crane, former deputy mayor of Fabletown, is revealed to be willing to sell secrets to agents of the Adversary, Bigby has no issue with beating him to death brutally. But he is also a guy who does his best to keep poor Flycatcher, the Frog Prince, employed and guilt free, and to sit nervously while his cubs are born. This is a character with more than just a lot of huff and puff.
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#56 Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/56.jpg" align=left alt="Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne)">First Appearance: Flash (1st series) #139
Created by: John Broome and Carmine Infantino
The ongoing feud between the Thawne and Allen families spanned generations and centuries until one deluded man idolised the wrong family's hero. Eobard Thawne was as tragic a villain as you could find. Idolising the Flash and travelling back in time to meet him, he was sent insane by the trip. Battling his hero he managed to kill the Flash's wife and then later engaged the Flash in a race across the globe as he tried to kill his bride to be. Thawne's character was so groundbreaking due to his end. Stopped, inches away from killing his next victim by the Flash breaking his neck. For nearly twenty years Barry Allen's Flash had been the clean-cut hero in the DCU. As honest as Superman, Barry's one slip up marred his entire career. Thawne lends more to the character than this one moment though. His return years later to haunt the next Flash showed how his idolising of Barry Allen had led to his insanity and mistrust of his hero as he realised he was destined to die at his hands. The Reverse Flash is the greatest of Flash's Rogues and also one of the most tragic villains in the DCU.
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55. Yorick Brown
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/55.jpg" align=left alt="Yorick Brown">First Appearance: Y the Last Man #1
Created by: Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra
A plague sweeps across the Earth, killing off every living organism with a y-chromosome. Except for two. Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand. And while Ampersand has many fascinating personality traits (throwing feces, being kidnapped by ninja, etc.), our focus is on Yorick. So, what's so special about him? Nothing. That's the point. The last remaining human male on the planet is a moderately intelligent, sarcastic, unemployed English major with a fascination for trivia. Okay, he's also an above average escape artist, but other than that he's just a guy. Just as neurotic and flawed as the rest of us. That's what makes his story so compelling and extraordinary. The only thing that's special about him is that he's the last hope for the survival of the world. We can relate to him. He has hang ups about sex and death. He doesn't always get along with the people around him. He has issues with his family. He's not particularly noble or heroic. He makes reckless and dumb decisions. He judges others very quickly. Despite having a girlfriend he's in love with, he's cheated on her twice. But at heart he's a good guy and we care about him. He admits when he's made a mistake. He stands up for his friends. He tries to do the right thing, even if he's not always clear on what that is. He's a scared kid facing an impossible situation. We look at what he does and realize, to our amusement or shame, that it's probably what we would do. His character raises what could just be a rather witty escapist tale to a level of real human drama. He's not a hero. He's not a victim. He's just a man. The last man.
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#54: Alfred E. Neuman
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/54.jpg" align=left alt="Alfred E. Neuman">First Appearance: Unknown
First Appearance (Mad): The Mad Reader
Created by: Unknown
Reimagined by: Mad Magazine's Usual Gang of Idiots
Many cultural icons represent the most profound emotions and states within us, from the absolute positive to the absolute negatives -- ecstasy, anger, heroism, villainy, inner conflict, and so on. Ooh, so deep! But what about that which makes us giggle uncontrollably? What about our lighthearted, absurd, and nonsensical selves? Going back further than anyone can say with certainty, the face of Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman started appearing on early products and advertisements around 100 years ago. Some even argue him as an offshoot of "The Yellow Kid," the first ever comic book character. But Alfred E. Neuman came into his own. During the 50s and 60s, a tumultuous period in American history when the nucleic family was breaking down, traditional morals and values were usurped by the Baby Boom generation, and freedoms and rights were reclaimed by women and ethnic minorities, no better figure could arise into a topsy-turvy society than a dorky face that could make anyone smile at themselves and at the world. Readers of Mad wanted more of the freckle-faced, sly-grinned, buck-toothed dork. And more they got when the creators of Mad, or what they self-proclaim as "the usual gang of idiots," gave. He became a mascot for the magazine and soon began lampooning figures of pop culture and politics to remind everyone that: Yes, life's a bitch, but hey, we might as well make a joke of it and laugh at it. Embrace Alfred E. Neuman. Embrace the idiot within us all.
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53. Grant Morrison
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/53.jpg" align=left alt="Grant Morrison">First appearance: Animal Man #25
Created by: Grant Morrison and Chas Truog
To clarify, we are not discussing Grant Morrison the real person. We are talking about Grant Morrison the character, the fictional simulation of the real Grant Morrison who the real Grant Morrison wrote into Animal Man to interact with Animal Man. Hmm…okay, so I didn't do a very good job of clarifying there I guess. So, who is THIS Grant Morrison? As he explains to Animal Man, "Me? I'm the evil mastermind behind the scenes. I'm the wicked puppeteer who pulls the strings and makes you dance. I'm your writer." And he is. But he doesn't seem very happy about it. Or much of anything else. Morrison is the anti-climax to Animal Man's quest for meaning, the author and embodiment of his existential crisis. He and his "real" world are grey and bleak compared to Animal Man's brightly colored spandex, yet his power and authority are absolute because anything he wants to have happen he just writes into the script. He has all the answers, but he's also writing all the questions. But he is still in the end a creature of disappointment. His cat died, but he experiences his anger and sadness in a detached way because he knows he can use that emotion to write about death and suffering. He can interact with his creation, he can break the fourth wall to thanks his collaborators and readers, but he can't think of anything meaningful to say. He is a god in this four-color world, but his omnipotence is temporary and can't extend beyond the page. But for all his angst and ennui, he restores Animal Man's family to life and disappears regretfully into the chill and dark of the Scottish night…the unseen signal of a childhood imaginary friend offering a comfort and hope that he'll never experience. At least, not this issue…
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#52 Mister Mxyzptlk
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/52.jpg" align=left alt="Mister Mxyzptlk">First Appearance: Superman (1st seires) #30
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Ira Yarbrough
Reimagined by: John Byrne and Keith Williams
Mxyzptlk is a fifth dimensional imp who enjoys winding people up. He has plagued Superman for almost all of his career. His real name unpronounceable, Mxyzptlk created his moniker by randomly typing keys on an imaginary typewriter. He can only be returned to his dimension by tricking him into spelling or saying his name backwards. The impish character is so beloved due to his crafty schemes and ridiculously over the top theatrics. To have a character as straight laced and square jawed as Superman have to fight a villain who doesn't want to hurt anyone or steal anything, only make Superman look like a fool is always entertaining. Mxyzptlk is immensely powerful and yet chooses to limit himself to playing mindless games. One of Superman's most memorable and endearing enemies, Mxy strikes the reader as the type of guy you'd like your big brother to be. Scary when he has to be but fun to muck around with and never above making the authority figure look stupid.
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#51 Spectre (Jim Corrigan)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/51.jpg" align=left alt="Spectre (Jim Corrigan)">First Appearance: More Fun Comics #52
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Bernard Bailey
Though he trailed Superman by more than a year, the Spectre was much more powerful than that other Jerry Siegel concept. However, the undead avenger rarely exercised his spectral potential, usually utilizing fists and flight when fighting alongside the other founding members of the Justice Society of America. The resurrected hero joined the rest of the Golden Agers in limbo for a decade, but the Spectre re-emerged with a stronger presence than any of his peers, first with a regular showcase in Showcase and then with his own self-titled series. What set him apart from the crowd? It was impossible for the deceased detective to spawn inheritors, so his concept remained pure, and his presence noticeable. Though his power level and mission statement varied over time, the Spectre could always be counted on to appear in the midst of a cosmic crisis. In his final series, John Ostrander took the character a step further, revealing the ghost to be the first-born-son-killing spirit of Divine Wrath. His human side was equally enhanced, addressing religion (and his newfound place in it), racism, and the hereafter, with Jim Corrigan willingly making that final walk into the beyond... all that was missing was a Vertigo indicia.
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Join us next time for moments #31-50, and watch ComiX-Fan all month long for more anniversary goodness! (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=32203)
#52, 56, 62, 63, 67: Jon Hancock
#53, 55, 59, 66: Jordan T. Maxwell
#51, 61, 65: Raul Grau
#54, 69, 70: Al Harahap
#57, 68: Matt Lazorwitz
#60, 64: Dylan McKay
#58: Nick Costanzo
Comptroller: Jon Hancock
Columns Editor: Joel Phillips
Editor in Chief: Al Harahap
Co-Publisher: Brian Wilkinson
Publisher: Eric J. Moreels
<center>All characters, titles, and likenesses thereof ™ © DC Comics (http://www.dccomics.com) or its licensors,
and are used without permission, not for profit. All other content © original author and ComiX-Fan (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan).</center>
By: Nick Costanzo, Raul Grau, Jon Hancock, Al Harahap, Matt Lazorwitz, Jordan T. Maxwell, and Dylan McKay
Comptroller: Jon Hancock
Editor: Al Harahap
Comic creators come and go. Comic stories come and go. But, whether or not we like to admit it, one thing can get fans going -- CHARACTERS. Many times, even despite the creators and stories attached. Such is the drawing power of comic book characters. For DC Comics, especially, the appeal comes from a diverse range of characters from the classic to the innovative, from the realistic to the fantastic to the downright freaky.
Why, in this installment alone, we have a fairytale princess, a businessman who turned superheroics into an enterprise, and the last man on Earth. And if that's not enough, there's the biggest dork alive, a comic book creator, and the spirit of vengeance himself.
ComiX-Fan's staff have chosen the best of the best for the Top 70 DC Characters of All Time. Without further ado, we submit to you #70-51:
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#70 Lobo
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/70.jpg" align=left alt="Lobo">First Appearance: Omega Men #3
Created by: Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen
Lobo began as a send-off of Deathstroke, the Punisher, Wolverine, and all the archetypical anti-hero characters of the 70s and 80s. It might also sound familiar that Lobo is the last surviving member of his race. But, unlike a certain Kryptonian, Lobo was the one who actually committed genocide on his whole race and planet Czarnia by creating a new deadly insect species to wipe them all out -- just to be unique throughout the whole universe. Such is Lobo. With highly attuned tracking skills, virtual invulnerability and, because neither Heaven nor Hell wants him, his immortality, Lobo started out as a recurring bounty hunter character throughout spacefaring DC stories, which were appropriate grounds for the grand scales of his hijinks that didn't have to touch Earthbound stories. With his much-exaggerated and over-the-top acts of violence, including assassinating Santa Claus for his popularity rival the Easter Bunny, along with inventing euphimistic terms like "bastich" and "fraggin'" to replace English expletives that would otherwise be censored by the Comics Code Authority, Lobo has become a cult favourite among comic readers and even earned his own solo series. Ironically, Lobo's success comes from being a hyperbole of anti-heroes that dares to go all the way with little regard to that commercial success itself. As Lobo himself would say, "FRAG THAT!"
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#69 Flex Mentallo
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/69.jpg" align=left alt="Lobo">First Appearance: Doom Patrol Vol. 2 #35
Created by: Grant Morrison and Richard Case
Despite simplistic appearances, Flex Mentallo is quite possibly the most complex character in comic books. But this is as much an entry for Grant Morrison as a writer, because to separate him from Flex Mentallo is to separate Plato from his Apology or Jimi Hendrix from his Voodoo Stratocaster guitar. The muscleman was created during Morrison's surreal Doom Patrol era as a mild satire of the world renowned bodybuilder Charles Atlas and his cartoon advertisements, "The Insult That Made a Man out of Mac" or "The Bully That Kicked Sand in My Face," that appeared in many comics and other periodicals for years. But after Morrison spun off his own reality-bending mini-series, the character developed into a kind of thinking man's Superman and so much more. He became a symbol of reader's interest in superhero types as the id's desire to be more. At the same time, he's also a contrasting response to the growing number of dark anti-hero types. As his name suggests, Flex Mentallo has a metatextual voice for his readers that challenges them to exercise their minds -- more specifically, about the subculture of comic books. The character traversed several states of reality, from the world of his comic book canon to the "real world" of the reader and everything in between. He thus became a personification of the various relationships between comic book time, space, creators, characters, and readers. Morrison, through the guise of Flex Mentallo, has created the standard of comic book existentialism.
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#68 Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Quinzel)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/68.jpg" align="left" alt="Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Quinzel)">First Appearance (TV): Joker's Favor
First Appearance (comics): Batman: Harley Quinn #1
Created by: Paul Dini and Bruce Timm
When fans of the new animated Batman series tuned in on Friday September eleventh 1992, they got more than they ever would have expected. The episode Joker's Favor introduced the animated series' first and most popular contribution to the Batman mythos: Harley Quinn. Harley was the Joker's girlfriend, a funny, doting, love interest to the volatile Joker, who would at times both love her and hate her. There were many reasons to love Harley, but chief amongst them were her own wacky sense of humor, and while she had her own psychotic streak, there was something so much more lovable about her, more caring, than the Joker. Harley became popular enough to demand episodes following her exploits not just with the Joker, but with gal pal Poison Ivy and even by herself. When creators Paul Dini and Bruce Timm wanted to reveal Harley's origin, they did it not on TV but in comics, in a special done in animated series style called Mad Love. The special proved not only immensely popular amongst fans, but won both the Eisner and Harvey awards that year. And during DC's mega-Bat epic No Man's Land, Harley took that final big step: she entered the DCU in her own special, joining the Joker to bedevil Batman. Harley wound up getting her own monthly series, lasting for a respectable 38 issues, had a critically acclaimed mini-series done in animated series style with Poison Ivy, and recently even received an action figure with design work by Jim Lee. Harley is a girl who has left the shadow of the Joker, and found her own place in the sun.
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#67 Deathstroke The Terminator (Slade Wilson)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/67.jpg" align=left alt="Deathstroke The Terminator (Slade Wilson)">First Appearance: New Teen Titans (1st series) #1
Created by: Marv Wolfman and George Perez
Slade Wilson was a military man through and through. Volunteering for an experimental treatment, he was struck comatose only to recover with increased physical and mental capacity that made him the perfect fighting machine. Acting as an assassin with high moral standards, Slade became obsessed with destroying the Teen Titans when his first son died fighting them and his second joined their ranks. After Slade was forced to slay his son he became more tolerant of the Titans and operated as a zero tolerance vigilante. More recently he has become one of the most feared assassins in the world and only accepts contracts worthy of his time. Any other offers get deferred to lesser associates. Slade's character has developed over time into a flawed yet relentless killer. His twisted sense of morality and permanent threat mean that he's one of the few comic book villains who has no need for a hero to play off. Slade is always a threat whose only weakness appears to be his hidden humanity. His influence and importance as a villain can be seen with his recent demolition of the Justice League in Identity Crisis along with the character's regular appearances in the Teen Titans cartoon series.
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#66 Snow White
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/66.jpg" align=left alt="Snow White">First Appearance: Fables #1
Created by: Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
Once upon a time…well, that's about enough of that. Forget the puffy sleeves, the twirling skirt, the idly singing to birds in a forest. Forget the dwarves, the poisoned apple, the glass bier. This Snow White is no damsel in distress, no flitting housemaid, no fairy tale princess. She's a strong, self assured and entirely capable woman of power and she's not going to take any of your attitude. One of the greatest appeals of Fables as a series is the masterful way in which classic characters from folk lore and fairy tales are subverted and updated for our modern day. And so when we first meet the new Snow White, we are amused and intrigued by the fact that she is no longer the doting air headed beauty and anathema to feminists everywhere, but the most powerful woman…the most powerful being…in all of Fabletown. As deputy mayor, she directly oversees all the affairs of state, business practices, criminal matters, personal crises and everything else. Her name no longer refers solely to the fairness of her skin, but to the icy edge of her demeanor. She's been through the invasions and wars of the Adversary, dealt with the philandering and condescension of her ex-husband Prince Charming and kept her people safe and secure from the discovery of the Mundies and from threats within the community itself. The hardship has made her strong…but it has also made her hard and cold. And it's when that cold exterior starts to melt away and reveal the more vulnerable side of her character that we find we don't just like Snow…but, like Bigby, we love her. For her hardness and her softness, for her edge and her vulnerability. Recently, Snow has been ousted as deputy mayor and taken on a new role that even better showcases her warmth and caring: mother to her and Bigby's children…with love, with protection and sometimes with sacrifice.
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#65 The Shade (Richard Swift)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/65.jpg" align=left alt="The Shade (Richard Swift)">First Appearance: Flash Comics #33
Created by: Gardner Fox and Hal Sharp
Reimagined by: James Robinson and Tony Harris
Like most supercriminals of the Golden Age, the Shade received little motivation beyond greed for his dastardly deeds. The only consistencies among his appearances were his desire for more wealth, his cane which projected dark constructs, and his penchant for battling speedsters wearing red. It would take fifty years and a recurring role in Starman to move the Shade beyond his less than dynamic beginnings. James Robinson decreed that the cane was a simple prop, the power to bend darkness to his will was his own, and that had been only the outer edge of his frighteningly demonic abilities. An immortal well into his second century of that singular state, he had clashed with Flashes not out of financial need (though he certainly enjoyed the spoils of crime), but because he appreciated the sport of costumed jousting. He blurs the line between hero and villain - foiling a robbery but taking a painting for himself, saving an innocent then slaughtering her attackers. He loves his city as much as he loves his friends or his absinthe, and will defend Opal with the last of his long-lived life. The Shade pushes past the standard spandex lifestyle to become something more honest and morally questionable. Plus, it is a rarity to find a character able to pull off a top hat and tails as a fashion choice.
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#64 The Question (Charles Victor Szasz/Vic Sage)
<img src=" http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/64.jpg" align=left alt="The Question (Charles Victor Szasz/Vic Sage)">First Appearance: Blue Beetle (1st series) #1
Created by: Steve Ditko
Reimagined by: Dennis O'Neil and Denys Cowan
At first glance The Question is hardly anything original, a masked street level vigilante with no powers, just ruthless fighting skills and his keen mind to protect him and his city. But when you scratch below the visual, one of the most truly unique superheroes is revealed. I remember my first experience with The Question, an annual crossover with Green Arrow, in it, The Question actually considered allowing the citizens of Hub City to receive a chemical lobotomy. I was shocked, never had I even imagined a hero weighing the pros and cons of a villain's plans. But that's who The Question is, the hero who defies all previous expectations of superhero morality. Essentially, there are two types of superhero moralities, one is the icon approach, fighting for truth justice and the American way/using their great power with great responsibility, a focus on harm reduction crossed with being an example above human failings. The second is the ruthless vigilante approach, that criminals must be forceably removed from society. The Question is neither and both at the same time, he is the most philosophically charged hero in comics. Beginning with Steve Ditko creating the character as a way to apply Ayn Rand's philosophy of objectivism to superhero comics. And evolving into Dennis O'Neil's clash of eastern and western philosophies, a hero that never took any situation at face value and was always at war with himself to determine his own personal morality. The Question is proof that superhero comics can aim for higher intellectual levels. A hero with an ever-evolving sense of morality that gives him a perspective unique from all other heroes. How will he come to view the world in the future? That, friends, is The Question.
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#63 Maxwell Lord IV
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/63.jpg" align=left alt="Maxwell Lord IV">First Appearance: Justice League #1
Created by: Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatties and Kevin Maguire
Maxwell Lord is the stereotypical businessman with no ethics or morals beyond making a dollar. Two failed marriages, countless failed businesses, no real friends. The checklist is all ticked. However, Max's endearing qualities are just these. Rarely is the hero shown to be such an utter slime ball. To have the DCU's most important and clean cut super team, the Justice League of America, led by a conniving businessman with no real back bone is such an oxymoron that it had to work. Max's relationship with each member of the League was strained at best. Even his assistants, Oberon and L-Ron, loathed to be around him. Max knew this and didn't care. Long before Wildcats v3.0 showcased corporate politics, Max was fighting to make the League a profitable global organisation, closing down other rival super teams like the fat cat he is. Max's place on this list is earned through his endearing grotesqueness as a person and because of his diametrically opposed place on America's premier team.
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#62 Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/62.jpg"align=left alt="Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter)">First Appearance: Booster Gold #1
Created by: Dan Jurgens
Michael Jon Carter was a successful athlete in the future when a match fixing scandal forced him to retire. He became night watchman at the Space Museum and using his wits managed to steal time travel technology along with a Legion flight ring, a force field belt and a suit that had gauntlet blasters. Booster travelled to the 20th century and was fast to join the newly formed Justice League International. Perfectly suited to the new, cosmopolitan, media friendly nature of the League, Booster was quick to form a friendship with Blue Beetle and the two would have a variety of harebrained schemes. Booster's endearing qualities are his total ineptness despite being one of the most powerful technology based DC characters. His comedy partnership with Blue Beetle is reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy's dumb and dumber routine. More concerned with his aging millionaire wife and how his hair looks for his next photo op than saving the world, Booster is the hero that 90% of comics readers would realistically be if they had the opportunity. Booster got lucky with his powers and he knows it. Flippant, jovial and totally unaware of any sort of danger, Booster is loveably stupid in every way.
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#61 Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/61.jpg" align=left alt="Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)">First Appearance: Captain Atom (2nd series) #83
Created by: Steve Ditko
When Ted Kord first appeared as the Blue Beetle in 1966, he was already living in the shadow of his fallen mentor. While Ted was certainly one of the first inheritors to a heroic legacy, not much else about him stood out. Even after he and the other Charlton characters were purchased by DC, Blue Beetle remained the very model of a very familiar archetype. A wealthy industrialist, who also happens to be a gifted scientist, driven to fight crime by a solemn promise, which leads him to design an array of weaponry and aircraft inspired by an animal, and to hone his body to perfection, before donning a Blue spandex costume... ok, maybe you've heard that one before. Placed on the Justice League, it would take Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis to reinforce the one trait that Ted clearly had over Batman... namely, a sense of humor. From moneymaking schemes to inexplicable comas to a budding weight problem, Beetle became that most unique sort of hero, the kind who gets the joke. And no matter how far ensconced he becomes in the Bat-verse, he will always remain the only action hero to ever go into battle wearing control-top spandex. That has to count for something.
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#60 Bizarro
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/60.jpg" align=left alt="Bizarro">First Appearance: Action Comics #254
Created by: Otto Binder and George Papp
Reimagined by: John Byrne
There isn't much in comics that becomes a part of mainstream culture, but the idea of the Bizarro has. (Thanks in large part to Jerry Seinfeld, as Bizarro Superman inspired an episode of his classic sitcom Seinfeld). Bizarro is the inverted duplicate of Superman, created in the silver age as a result of a flawed duplication ray who ended up living on the planet Htrae (Earth spelled backwards) where all men are Bizarro Supermen and all women Bizarro Loises. In the modern age he is the flawed clone of Superman. In both cases the flaw is within his mental development, why Bizarro is arguably the most powerful being in all existence (There has been evidence that he may be stronger than Superman.) he is essentially a small child, without the mental capacity to understand his actions, a trait that can be both humourous and tragic. As a Superman villain, Bizarro works as a physical threat, but also as someone trying to take Superman's place, thus illustrating, albiet comedically, the irreplaceability of Superman. The Bizarro concept is the ideal comedic tool for for reflecting what defines a character. Bizarro has also branched off into the world of Bizarro comics, where indie creators have fun with the DC Universe through Bizarro.
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#59 Grifter (Cole Cash)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/59.jpg" align=left alt="Bizarro">First Appearance: WildC.A.T.s #1
Created by: Jim Lee and Brandon Choi
Trench coat. Twin guns. Martial arts. Motorcycle. Cigarettes. Sarcastic quips in battle. Mysterious past with the military. Cool mask. Grifter began his comics career as the stereotypical badass character that every team was required to have in the 90s. One of the few consistent characters throughout the history of the Wildstorm Universe, he was an original member of Team 7, teaming up with Zealot and helping to found the original WildC.A.T.s, the first to leave for his own solo adventures and yet also the only original member to return to the Halo, Inc. fold after the team's disbanding (since Lord Emp and Spartan never really left, we can't really say they returned). And yet for all that was trite and derivative about him, there was something intriguing about the character of Cole Cash behind the mask. His unrequited love for a seemingly stoic woman, his constant questioning of the people and situations that surrounded him, his depressions and petty jealousies. Even before Joe Casey used him to reflect the antiquated notions of traditional superheroics, Grifter existed as a commentary on the very character type and genre of comics in which he was appearing, giving him an appeal on multiple levels. He kicks ass for the action lovers, has a real depth and humanity for those who like good character and drama and serves as a critique on himself and those surrounding him for the readers who enjoy a more progressive take on superheroes. Plus, bonus points for being one of only a few popular characters to survive from the inception of Wildstorm to the modern day.
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#58 Midnighter
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/58.jpg"align=left alt="Midnighter">First Appearance: Stormwatch (2nd series) #4
Created by: Warren Ellis
The Midnighter lost whatever civilian identity he may have once possessed the day he was drafted into Henry Bendix's personal superhuman army, and after years of hiding went on to make history as one of the founding members of The Authority. Created to be the greatest fighter in existence, Midnighter is capable of predicting untold millions of possible fight scenarios, able to select the most effective mode of attack. Along with enhanced strength, speed, durability and awareness, the Midnighter is an all but unstoppable force in battle. Even more captivating than his powers, however, is the man who wields them. A walking mass of contradiction, Midnighter is both a vicious killer, and a caring husband and father. He may be the designated team badass, but manages to do so with a level of wit and intelligence usually lacking from such an archetype. He's always been tough and nonchalant about saving the world, yet is deeply troubled recently as he wonders if his team is doing more harm than good. And oh yeah, he's gay, and very much in love with his teammate Apollo, but he's never let that define who he is. God help you if you call him a poof though.
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#57 Bigby Wolf
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/57.jpg" align=left alt="Bigby Wolf">First Appearance: Fables #1
Created by: Bill Willingham and Lan Medina
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Most of Fabletown, but not for the reason that you'd expect. Bigby Wolf is the sheriff of Fabletown, the district of New York populated by expatriates from the Adversary's attacks on the homelands of all Fables. Having been granted amnesty for such crimes as Grandma eating and house blowing down, the lycanthropic Bigby became the sheriff to watch out for all Fables (except on the farm where animal Fables live, as they're still concerned about his dietary habits), and to be close to Snow White, the woman that he has been harboring feelings for. The beauty of Bigby's character is the grey area he exists in. While he is obviously a good guy, he is more than willing to get his hands very dirty. When a reporter is trying to out the Fables, he drugs him and has… compromising pictures taken of his with Pinnochio, who is still a real boy. And when Ichabod Crane, former deputy mayor of Fabletown, is revealed to be willing to sell secrets to agents of the Adversary, Bigby has no issue with beating him to death brutally. But he is also a guy who does his best to keep poor Flycatcher, the Frog Prince, employed and guilt free, and to sit nervously while his cubs are born. This is a character with more than just a lot of huff and puff.
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#56 Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/56.jpg" align=left alt="Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne)">First Appearance: Flash (1st series) #139
Created by: John Broome and Carmine Infantino
The ongoing feud between the Thawne and Allen families spanned generations and centuries until one deluded man idolised the wrong family's hero. Eobard Thawne was as tragic a villain as you could find. Idolising the Flash and travelling back in time to meet him, he was sent insane by the trip. Battling his hero he managed to kill the Flash's wife and then later engaged the Flash in a race across the globe as he tried to kill his bride to be. Thawne's character was so groundbreaking due to his end. Stopped, inches away from killing his next victim by the Flash breaking his neck. For nearly twenty years Barry Allen's Flash had been the clean-cut hero in the DCU. As honest as Superman, Barry's one slip up marred his entire career. Thawne lends more to the character than this one moment though. His return years later to haunt the next Flash showed how his idolising of Barry Allen had led to his insanity and mistrust of his hero as he realised he was destined to die at his hands. The Reverse Flash is the greatest of Flash's Rogues and also one of the most tragic villains in the DCU.
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55. Yorick Brown
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/55.jpg" align=left alt="Yorick Brown">First Appearance: Y the Last Man #1
Created by: Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra
A plague sweeps across the Earth, killing off every living organism with a y-chromosome. Except for two. Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand. And while Ampersand has many fascinating personality traits (throwing feces, being kidnapped by ninja, etc.), our focus is on Yorick. So, what's so special about him? Nothing. That's the point. The last remaining human male on the planet is a moderately intelligent, sarcastic, unemployed English major with a fascination for trivia. Okay, he's also an above average escape artist, but other than that he's just a guy. Just as neurotic and flawed as the rest of us. That's what makes his story so compelling and extraordinary. The only thing that's special about him is that he's the last hope for the survival of the world. We can relate to him. He has hang ups about sex and death. He doesn't always get along with the people around him. He has issues with his family. He's not particularly noble or heroic. He makes reckless and dumb decisions. He judges others very quickly. Despite having a girlfriend he's in love with, he's cheated on her twice. But at heart he's a good guy and we care about him. He admits when he's made a mistake. He stands up for his friends. He tries to do the right thing, even if he's not always clear on what that is. He's a scared kid facing an impossible situation. We look at what he does and realize, to our amusement or shame, that it's probably what we would do. His character raises what could just be a rather witty escapist tale to a level of real human drama. He's not a hero. He's not a victim. He's just a man. The last man.
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#54: Alfred E. Neuman
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/54.jpg" align=left alt="Alfred E. Neuman">First Appearance: Unknown
First Appearance (Mad): The Mad Reader
Created by: Unknown
Reimagined by: Mad Magazine's Usual Gang of Idiots
Many cultural icons represent the most profound emotions and states within us, from the absolute positive to the absolute negatives -- ecstasy, anger, heroism, villainy, inner conflict, and so on. Ooh, so deep! But what about that which makes us giggle uncontrollably? What about our lighthearted, absurd, and nonsensical selves? Going back further than anyone can say with certainty, the face of Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman started appearing on early products and advertisements around 100 years ago. Some even argue him as an offshoot of "The Yellow Kid," the first ever comic book character. But Alfred E. Neuman came into his own. During the 50s and 60s, a tumultuous period in American history when the nucleic family was breaking down, traditional morals and values were usurped by the Baby Boom generation, and freedoms and rights were reclaimed by women and ethnic minorities, no better figure could arise into a topsy-turvy society than a dorky face that could make anyone smile at themselves and at the world. Readers of Mad wanted more of the freckle-faced, sly-grinned, buck-toothed dork. And more they got when the creators of Mad, or what they self-proclaim as "the usual gang of idiots," gave. He became a mascot for the magazine and soon began lampooning figures of pop culture and politics to remind everyone that: Yes, life's a bitch, but hey, we might as well make a joke of it and laugh at it. Embrace Alfred E. Neuman. Embrace the idiot within us all.
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53. Grant Morrison
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/53.jpg" align=left alt="Grant Morrison">First appearance: Animal Man #25
Created by: Grant Morrison and Chas Truog
To clarify, we are not discussing Grant Morrison the real person. We are talking about Grant Morrison the character, the fictional simulation of the real Grant Morrison who the real Grant Morrison wrote into Animal Man to interact with Animal Man. Hmm…okay, so I didn't do a very good job of clarifying there I guess. So, who is THIS Grant Morrison? As he explains to Animal Man, "Me? I'm the evil mastermind behind the scenes. I'm the wicked puppeteer who pulls the strings and makes you dance. I'm your writer." And he is. But he doesn't seem very happy about it. Or much of anything else. Morrison is the anti-climax to Animal Man's quest for meaning, the author and embodiment of his existential crisis. He and his "real" world are grey and bleak compared to Animal Man's brightly colored spandex, yet his power and authority are absolute because anything he wants to have happen he just writes into the script. He has all the answers, but he's also writing all the questions. But he is still in the end a creature of disappointment. His cat died, but he experiences his anger and sadness in a detached way because he knows he can use that emotion to write about death and suffering. He can interact with his creation, he can break the fourth wall to thanks his collaborators and readers, but he can't think of anything meaningful to say. He is a god in this four-color world, but his omnipotence is temporary and can't extend beyond the page. But for all his angst and ennui, he restores Animal Man's family to life and disappears regretfully into the chill and dark of the Scottish night…the unseen signal of a childhood imaginary friend offering a comfort and hope that he'll never experience. At least, not this issue…
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#52 Mister Mxyzptlk
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/52.jpg" align=left alt="Mister Mxyzptlk">First Appearance: Superman (1st seires) #30
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Ira Yarbrough
Reimagined by: John Byrne and Keith Williams
Mxyzptlk is a fifth dimensional imp who enjoys winding people up. He has plagued Superman for almost all of his career. His real name unpronounceable, Mxyzptlk created his moniker by randomly typing keys on an imaginary typewriter. He can only be returned to his dimension by tricking him into spelling or saying his name backwards. The impish character is so beloved due to his crafty schemes and ridiculously over the top theatrics. To have a character as straight laced and square jawed as Superman have to fight a villain who doesn't want to hurt anyone or steal anything, only make Superman look like a fool is always entertaining. Mxyzptlk is immensely powerful and yet chooses to limit himself to playing mindless games. One of Superman's most memorable and endearing enemies, Mxy strikes the reader as the type of guy you'd like your big brother to be. Scary when he has to be but fun to muck around with and never above making the authority figure look stupid.
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#51 Spectre (Jim Corrigan)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/51.jpg" align=left alt="Spectre (Jim Corrigan)">First Appearance: More Fun Comics #52
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Bernard Bailey
Though he trailed Superman by more than a year, the Spectre was much more powerful than that other Jerry Siegel concept. However, the undead avenger rarely exercised his spectral potential, usually utilizing fists and flight when fighting alongside the other founding members of the Justice Society of America. The resurrected hero joined the rest of the Golden Agers in limbo for a decade, but the Spectre re-emerged with a stronger presence than any of his peers, first with a regular showcase in Showcase and then with his own self-titled series. What set him apart from the crowd? It was impossible for the deceased detective to spawn inheritors, so his concept remained pure, and his presence noticeable. Though his power level and mission statement varied over time, the Spectre could always be counted on to appear in the midst of a cosmic crisis. In his final series, John Ostrander took the character a step further, revealing the ghost to be the first-born-son-killing spirit of Divine Wrath. His human side was equally enhanced, addressing religion (and his newfound place in it), racism, and the hereafter, with Jim Corrigan willingly making that final walk into the beyond... all that was missing was a Vertigo indicia.
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Join us next time for moments #31-50, and watch ComiX-Fan all month long for more anniversary goodness! (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=32203)
#52, 56, 62, 63, 67: Jon Hancock
#53, 55, 59, 66: Jordan T. Maxwell
#51, 61, 65: Raul Grau
#54, 69, 70: Al Harahap
#57, 68: Matt Lazorwitz
#60, 64: Dylan McKay
#58: Nick Costanzo
Comptroller: Jon Hancock
Columns Editor: Joel Phillips
Editor in Chief: Al Harahap
Co-Publisher: Brian Wilkinson
Publisher: Eric J. Moreels
<center>All characters, titles, and likenesses thereof ™ © DC Comics (http://www.dccomics.com) or its licensors,
and are used without permission, not for profit. All other content © original author and ComiX-Fan (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan).</center>