Jon Hancock
Feb 20, 2005, 07:05 pm
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/Top70DCCharacters.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="Top 70 DC Characters">Part 3: #30-11
By: Raul Grau, Alex Groff, Dan Hancock, Jon Hancock, Al Harahap, Matt Lazorwitz, Jordan T. Maxwell, and Dylan McKay
Editor: Jon Hancock
Characters are everything when it comes to story. Without characters you’re left with some nice scenery that would look good as a calendar in a toilet, but makes for a lousy comic. Characters within comics are a special breed. They earn such attention and admiration that many readers will follow a character rather than a writer or story. How many times was Dickens asked to introduce Oliver Twist in the Pickwick Papers? How many times did Shakespeare receive death threats for killing off Romeo and Juliet? Comic fans know what characters they like and so do staff members on comic websites.
For our penultimate instalment celebrating DC’s wide and varied character base you can expect to find four founding Justice League members, three former sidekicks, two journalists and the most curmudgeonly man in comics
If you've only just joined us then feel free to check what you've missed in Part 1 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=32275) of the column or
But enough with the teasers and meaningless prattle. Ladies and gentlemen, ComiX-Fan’s staff proudly presents the third instalment of The Top 70 DC Characters Of All Time starting at #30
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#30 Alfred Pennyworth
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/30.jpg" align=left alt="Alfred Pennyworth">First Appearance: Batman #16
Created by: Bill Finger and Bob Kane
Butler, friend, and father: these are a few of the words that can be used to describe Alfred Pennyworth. After spending years with the British Secret Service and on the London Stage, Alfred took up the job that had belonged to his father: butler to Thomas and Martha Wayne. And although he intended to stay only a brief time, he did not, first out of friendship to the Waynes, and then to the duty of helping care for their orphaned son, Bruce. Alfred has stayed with Bruce through thick and thin, a turbulent adolescence, a period of seeking his place in the world, and his tenure as the Batman, hero of Gotham. Batman with Alfred is a stronger person and character, as Alfred is one of the few people in the DC Universe who is not afraid of Batman’s brooding exterior. With a wry comment for every occasion, Alfred never allows Bruce to take himself too seriously when he shouldn’t be. But he is also the caring heart of the Batman family, not only healing wounds as best he can, but looking out for Bruce and his various apprentices as the best of parents can. Alfred has proven more than a supporting character, carrying his own tales from time to time, and defending himself as need be, but he is best when he is taking care of the Batcave and Wayne Manor, and, of course, its master.
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#29 Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/29.jpg" align="left" alt="Green Lantern (Alan Scott)">First Appearance: All-American Comics #16
Created by: Bill Finger and Martin Nodell
1940 had its share of blackest nights, at least until Alan Scott began shining his green light on the evildoers of Gotham City (in sharp contrast to that other Bill Finger creation). His original middle name was Ladd, a play on words inspired by an Arabian lad who also found a magic lamp... though in Alan's case, the lamp (well, lantern) came with a matching ring. Alan was among the most powerful members of the Justice Society of America, so (in Superman fashion) he developed a sudden weakness to all things wood. You can argue that an extreme case of cellulose allergy and a cab driving sidekick with terrible grammar are necessary elements to add vulnerability, but Alan Scott was never one to lose sight of his humanity. It was Green Lantern who inspired the other members of the Society to collect money for war orphans. It was also he who indirectly drove a female employee to become a supervillain, simply to win his affections. Alan has always had a way with the evil ladies, marrying two villainesses over the course of his very long life. The 90s even brought a new dynamic to Alan's story, with the rechristened Sentinel dealing with the reverse ageism brought on by eternal youth. Now, still powerful but slightly greyer, Alan has reclaimed the Green Lantern mantle, providing guidance and green tinted power to a new generation of the JSA. He would say that his greatest legacy would be his two children, Jade and Obsidian, super people in their own right, but we know better. Without Alan and the fan base he inspired, there would never have been another Green Lantern. Without Alan, there would be no Hal, or John, or Guy, or Kyle, or G'Nort, or even Ch'p... and what a poorly lit fictional universe that would be.
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#28 Lucifer Morningstar
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/28.jpg" align="left" alt="Lucifer Morningstar">First appearance: Sandman #4
Created by: Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg
Lucifer was once the archangel Samael, first and greatest of the Host of angels. His passion rivalled that of his Creator, so much so that he led a third of the Host in a rebellion at the dawn of time. He failed and was expelled with his fellow renegades, falling from Heaven into the depths of Hell. So if pride cometh before the fall, what cometh after? When you’re left wondering if your great act of defiance was nothing more than playing some predestined role in the cosmic drama, what do you do? In the case of Lucifer, you retire, move to Los Angeles and open up a nightclub. When he first appeared in Sandman, he was a figure of regality and charisma. But it was his humanity in the Season of Mists story arc that truly endeared him to readers. The immediate subversion of expectations, that the Devil would quit Hell and go sing Cole Porter standards in the City of Angels instead, gave notice that this would not be a standard portrayal of the Adversary of Heaven. A tragic character who walks away from the tragedy so he can live his life. But it’s hard for the second most powerful being in existence to stay out of the game…and so since his retirement, Lucifer has battled with Japanese and Norse gods, gone toe to toe with enemies from Heaven, lovers from Hell and an evil deck of tarot cards, created his own universe, died and inadvertently kicked off the end of all reality…though not necessarily in that order. His moral ambiguity, political genius and the complete air of class and style that surrounds him even when going into battle have made Lucifer one of the most popular characters to spin out of the Sandman mythos, joining fellow trickster John Constantine in the honour of solo title glory.
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#27 Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/27.jpg" align="left" alt="Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt)">First Appearance: Watchmen #1
Created by: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Making the top 30 of this list while appearing in merely twelve issues is no small feat, but then again, those are arguably the greatest twelve issues in comics history. Ironically enough, of all the main characters in Watchmen, Adrian Veidt probably gets the least face time, but he also plays arguably the most important role. Adrian transcends the concepts of heroism and villainy by becoming, what I would describe as, a Machiavellian hero where morality is just for show and the end result is all that matters. And Adrian Veidt gets results, while virtually all other superheroes fail to achieve any great objectives, Adrian Veidt strives for world peace, and as far as the reader is allowed to see, he achieves it. Ozymandias stands out among comic book characters for being the first to demonstrate that classical superhero morality may not only be outdated, but also a hindrance to the stated objective of the superhero. But the questions will always linger, do the ends justify the means? Are three million lives a fair price for world peace?
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#26 James Gordon
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/26.jpg" align="left" alt="James Gordon">First Appearance: Detective Comics #27
Created by: Bill Finger and Bob Kane
Commissioner James Gordon has been a fixture in Gotham City for as long as Batman has. Introduced in the same story that introduced the Dark Knight, Gordon has been sometimes foe, most times ally to Batman. And more often than not, he has been his friend as well. A good cop in a very corrupt city, Jim Gordon rose through the murky ranks of the GCPD to be Commissioner of Police. And knowing that he alone couldn’t face down the evil of Gotham, he has allied himself with Batman to help the city he wants to see safe. His tenure has been rocky, and he has been relieved of duty more than once, but he always comes back, because he has the respect of his officers and the trust of the people. Even now, retired and teaching criminology, Jim Gordon proves an inspiration to the police, and a much needed confidant to Batman. Gordon has proven important not just for his longevity, but for his growth as a character. Gordon started out simply as a police contact for Batman, serving the plot and little else. But slowly he grew. He got a family in his daughter Barbara, who would prove important to the Bat mythos in her own way, and a well rounded history from Frank Miller in Batman: Year One. Far from the doddering old man he was once presented as, Gordon is now a vital part of the Batman universe.
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#25 Plastic Man (Eel O'Brien)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/25.jpg" align="left" alt="Plastic Man (Eel O’Brien)">First Appearance: Police Comics #1
Created by: Jack Cole
When lowlife thug Eel O'Brien attempted to rob a chemical factory with his gang, his life changed forever. When the robbery is botched, Eel is left wounded in a vat of a mysterious chemical. Upon his emergence, Eel found his bio-chemical structure completely altered meaning he could now stretch and shape his body in any way he pleased. Conventional wisdom would be that giving a crook super powers would lead to the origin of a new super villain, but Plastic Man's wisdom has never been conventional. Whether it's his classic origin of finding fighting for justice more fulfilling as he gets revenge on the gang that turned on him or the modern origin where his recovery in a remote monastery showed him that he could be much more, on that fateful night, Eel O'Brien became a legend in comics. Eel O'Brien became the superhero Plastic Man, and in the process he became the first reformed villain in superhero history. While there were funny superheroes before Plastic Man, Plastic Man was the first one to carry his own book, and in the process, paved the way for characters like Spiderman by proving the viability of the comedy superhero genre fusion. Plastic Man may not currently have the largest fan base, but no one can underrate the importance of this master of physical comedy and example to criminals everywhere to the comics medium.
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#24 Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/24.jpg" align="left" alt="Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)">First Appearance: Green Lantern (2nd series) #48
Created by: Ron Marz and Daryl Banks
Kyle Rayner was created to be the last of the Green Lanterns. After Hal Jordan went on a rampage, slaughtering most of his fellow GLs and all the Guardians of the Universe save one, the last Guardian, Ganthet, headed to Earth and gave the last ring to the first human he found. This human was Kyle Rayner. This was a person who was not fearless, like previous Green Lanterns, but was all too human. And in that is part of Kyle’s charm. This was the everyman Green Lantern, more than any of the others. He was a 20-something kid who didn’t want to do anything more than draw and hang out with his girlfriend. But, slowly but surely, Kyle becomes a hero. He was part of one of the most important traditions in the DCU, and those traditions are what make DC Comics great. And you cheer for him. You cheer for him joining the JLA. You cheer for him falling for Jade. You cheer for him finally stepping out of the long shadow of Hal Jordan. And while there has always been controversy surrounding Kyle, due mostly to the end that Hal Jordan met and that had little to do with Kyle himself, He has developed a loyal fan base. It’s funny that, with the return of Hal Jordan, Kyle’s fans are facing a similar angst to that felt by fans of Hal. But, if all goes well, Kyle’s emerald light will continue to shine for years to come, as he has many more journeys to make.
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#23 Aquaman (Orin)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/23.jpg" align="left" alt="Aquaman (Orin)">First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73
Created by: Mort Weisinger
I command the sea, but no one cares about me. Or at least that always seems to be the case. Yet Aquaman is one of the most original and long lasting characters ever spawned by DC. The King of the vast majority of the planet Earth, Aquaman seems to fall prey to the lame powers criticism far too often. Here is a character though who goes beyond powers. Aquaman is a regal lord who struggles to understand the rest of the world. Unlike Submariner, Aquaman has tried to embrace the surface world at every turn and his membership in various incarnations of the Justice League show his constant wish for human/Atlantean relations to improve. He's not the strongest, the fastest or the toughest hero but he is one of the strongest in character and experience. Having lost one son and been betrayed by another, Aquaman has lost his wife countless times and his Kingdom recently. Yet still he is a hero. Persevering, Aquaman still protects those that need him in Sub Diego. He's not cosmically powerful and he is best suited to talking to fishes but Aquaman is also one of the most noble, committed, brave and longstanding characters that exists in the DCU. Aquaman isn't cool, he's instead a model of what every hero should endeavour to be. Which is probably why Mitchell Hundred loves him so much.
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#22 Rorschach (Walter Kovacs)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/22.jpg" align="left" alt="Rorschach (Walter Kovacs)">First appearance: Watchmen #1
Created by: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Men who dress up in masks and costumes and go out nightly to beat up criminals are not right in the head. And the character of Rorschach renders that an extreme understatement. Walter Kovacs is a short and ugly man with a laundry list of neuroses: sexual identity, paranoia, obsessive behaviour, violent rages and an inability to function in society. By day, he walks the city proclaiming the end of the world (whether he believes this to be true or is using it as a cover identity) and by night he dons a trench coat, fedora and his “face” (a mask that resembles the inkblot tests from which he takes his name) and stalks the streets to investigate and fight crime. Of course, for Kovacs, “investigate and fight crime” means causing extreme bodily harm to a number of people. At first, he was a more restrained crime fighter, but a gruesome crime shattered what little shred of sanity he had left. His problems, though, run far deeper to his own abusive childhood. Rorschach is a disturbing yet compelling look at the kind of troubled psyche that would actually produce a Batman or a Punisher. He has no grand tragedy in his past that drives him on a quest for justice or vengeance. He has no enhanced skills or abilities beyond the sociopathic need to hurt others. He is simply ill, lashing out at a world that has hurt him, trying to make sense of the chaotic grey areas of life by reducing it to black and white. Ironically, there is no room for interpretation in Rorschach’s world. And yet we find ourselves rooting for him because we’ve been conditioned to. The moral absolutist. The violent power fantasy. The vigilante. Revealed as nothing more than an ugly little man, alone and overwhelmed by a world too large for his narrow perspective.
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#21 Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/21.jpg" align="left" alt="Hal Jordan (Green Lantern, Parallax, The Spectre)">First Appearance: Showcase #22
Created by: Julius Schwartz, John Broome & Gil Kane
Given the current context of this column-- the eve, not only of DC's Anniversary, but also of Hal Jordan's third rebirth-- its hard to separate the character from the world publishing him. Hal was a test pilot, haunted by the death of his father, given the power to shape his will into anything he could image. Yet in 1959 when he was created, he was a product of Julius Schwartz's and readership's desire for science fiction. (After all, the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott, had mystical powers and a magician's cape. The Green Lantern Corps and Guardians had far more in common with E.E. Doc Smith's 1950's sci-fi series, The Lensmen, than their emerald predecessor.) Jordan served the universe as the man who knew no fear, until the 1970's, when science-fiction and sales hit a low. Then, teamed with his best friend, Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), he toured the country helped to fix social injustices that the sixties had brought to light: drug abuse, racism and poverty. However, in a post-Dark Knight Returns DCU, he returned to the skies and drab sales only to be driven insane by grief and the injustices he suffered at the hands of Mongul and Sapphire. He killed friends and team mates to gain access to the Central Battery that powered all Green Lanterns, in order to recreate the world in his image. While such a grandiose plot fit Hal's idealism and confidence, the simplistic hero/villain writing style that characterized this period painted him as a vile, utter villain. He destroyed the universe in Zero Hour, but it was left to heroes like Damage and the Linear Men to heal the world. With his final battle against Kyle Rayner, his power source, his life source, was destroyed, and Jordan was gone forever. However, fans would not let Jordan die, especially not as a villain. So, he was resurrected to save the world by reigniting the Sun during the Final Night. And then he was resurrected to play host to the Spectre, so he could lament over his mistakes while playing the part of the hero. As the Spectre, he was not truly alive, but also not dead - and most importantly, he had his own series. Now, in Green Lantern: Rebirth, purgatory is over, and through a retcon he is restored to the true title of hero. Not only is Hal Jordan alive and perfect again, but his arch nemesis, Sinestro, is alive and perfectly evil again, which is perhaps yet another comment on the relationship between the audience and their comics.
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#20 Lois Lane
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/20.jpg" align=left alt="Lois Lane">First Appearance: Action Comics #1
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
The only one of Superman's supporting cast who was introduced along with him, Lois Lane started out in the cliche damsel-in-distress role. But it wasn't long before Lois would break through the archetype ceiling and come into her own with a headstrong attitude. As an investigative field reporter for the Daily Planet, she became a constant figure throughout Superman stories, brave enough to face dangerous villains head-on to help him. And sometimes, because of her trademark rebellious nature, even without his consent. More recently, Lois has become quite the modern woman by becoming adept at martial arts and firearms. Perhaps even more significant is Lois' role as the better half of Superman. She was his perennial unrequited love, whom readers would continually cheer for. Though she would get her fair share of competition for Superman's love over the years, it always leads back to Lois, as if destined soulmates. More importantly, yearning to be loved as Clark Kent, it is through Lois that the hero has maintained his humanity. She is his conscience, his anchor, who keeps him grounded. Now sharing his secret and his life in wedded bliss, no other civillian has earned more trust from the superhero community. Lois is the prime supporting character in the world of superhero comics who adds dimensions to what would otherwise be flat superhero characters. Without her, there would be no Alfred Pennyworth, no Mary Jane Watson, no Rick Jones. Friend, ally, confidante, lover -- Lois Lane is the human in all superheroes.
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#19 Spider Jerusalem
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/19.jpg" align="left" alt="Spider Jerusalem">First appearance: Transmetropolitan #1
Created by: Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson
If the truth is a weapon, then Spider Jerusalem is the naked berserker swinging it over his head and lopping off the heads of pretension, hypocrisy and corruption. He doesn’t like politics, he doesn’t like religion, he doesn’t like sex (mostly because he can never seem to get any) and most of all he doesn’t like you. But he’s here to serve you all the same. A gonzo journalist in a futuristic city that resembles the Jetsons a la Timothy Leary. Yet the world is still much the same. Politicians lie, police crack skulls more than they serve and protect, people thrive on apathy and ignorance and the media distracts more than it informs. Spider Jerusalem is armed with little more than his journalistic gifts, a need to expose the truth (and occasionally himself), his filthy assistants Yelena and Channon and a bowel disruptor…all in the service of taking on the world and shaking it out of its stupidity and banality so it can cease pissing him off and let him retire back into isolation. Despite his acerbic personality, Spider has at his core an all too caring heart that sees injustice and has to set it right. Whether it’s exploring the plights of the poor or exposing the machinations of the mighty, he will take the truth and beat you over the head with it until you finally look and see how ugly it is. In our present day world of white washed news and infotainment, Spider is a chainsaw into the reader’s consciousness, a wake up call to what’s going on in our own time. Like the fool in a Shakespearean play, his jests are outlandish, brutally honest and wise. And you’d best listen to him, lest he turn that dial to “prolapse.” He is also noteworthy for being the sole survivor of DC’s failed Helix imprint, and star of the first purely science fiction title in the Vertigo line up.
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#18 Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/18.jpg" align="left" alt="Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)">First Appearance: Flash Comics #86
Created by: Robert Kanigher and Irwin Hasen
Reimagined by: Roy Thomas
Where once there was only one Black Canary, DC decided in 1983 that there had always been two. One, Dinah Drake, Golden Age heroine of fishnets and fists, and the other, Dinah Lance, daughter of the original, with the same fashion sense and a Canary Cry to boot. It was the younger, empowered Canary who had been a long-standing member of the Justice League of America, playing footsie with Green Arrow and tagging along on his hard-travels, in an era when only those heroes without regular series received development. Crisis further raised her profile, retroactively adding her to the founding roster of the JLoA. Then the Longbow Hunters cost Dinah her powers, in a show of 80s style, grim n' gritty rape and torture. For years following the incident, Black Canary suffered from indecision and doubt, plagued by her pain and revealing personality along the way. She had name recognition, personal tragedy, and legs up to here, yet she remained either a simple background player or star of one short-lived series after another. Why you ask? It should be obvious, no one buys titles starring female heroes. That cliché held true right up until Dinah decided to play team-up with Oracle. The Birds of Prey has given Dinah a forum to examine vigilantism from a female perspective, and a costume that prevents drafts. Currently, Black Canary maintains her Birdness, along with reserve status on both the JLA and the JSA, cementing her position as representative of every era of DC history. With her powers restored, she is a force to be reckoned with, both in combat and on sales charts. Not bad for a former florist shoehorned into past continuity.
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#17 Oracle (Barbara Gordon)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/17.jpg" align="left" alt="Oracle (Barbara Gordon)">First Appearance (as Batgirl I): Detective Comics #359
First Appearance (as Oracle): Suicide Squad (1st series) #23
Created by: Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino
Reimagined by: John Ostrander, Kim Yale, and Luke McDonnell
When Batgirl was first introduced, she was just another member of the Bat Franchise. Originally spinning out of the 60s Batman TV series, Barbara Gordon is the adopted daughter of Commissioner James Gordon. Going to a costume party at Wayne Manor as Batgirl, Barbara stopped Killer Moth from kidnapping Bruce Wayne, and she was bitten by the crime fighting bug. She began to patrol wearing her costume, and eventually earned the trust and approval of Batman. After a time, she hung up her cape and cowl, enjoying the life of a private citizen. But this was not to be. One day, answering a knock at her father’s door, Barbara came face to dace with the Joker, who shot her, shattering her spine and leaving her crippled from the waist down. Instead of giving in to despair, though, Barbara made the most of her other abilities. A master hacker with a photographic memory, Barbara became Oracle, the resource for all the world’s heroes. If you need information of any kind, be it a location or a phone number, Oracle can get it for you. One of the important things about Oracle is that she has not recovered from her injuries. In a world where the dead regularly rise from the grave and people survive grievous wounds, Barbara is a shining example of someone who accepts their handicap and makes the most of her life, going as far as turning down the offer of cybernetic legs from the Martian Manhunter, as she was at peace with where her life was. Also, she is the leader of the Birds of Prey, DC’s first successful all female team, a position she has held from their inception.
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#16 Catwoman (Selina Kyle)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/16.jpg" align="left" alt="Catwoman (Selina Kyle)">First Appearance: Batman #1
Created by: Bob Kane
Catwoman is a hard character to place on the list. She is truly a revolutionary character who created multiple archetypes. Problem is, in the past ten years those archetypes have become synonymous with bad comic books. Catwoman is the original bad girl, which has become a four letter word lately. Catwoman and Batman's relationship is the first example of hero/villainess sexual tension, which even between the two of them has become pretty poor. Catwoman is one of the first villains to become an anti-hero, if not the first, it's hard to create a time line for that. And anti-heroes were in such a glut in the 90's that the thought of them makes my skin crawl. But this should not detract from Catwoman's revolutionary status as a character who broke down many barriers. Selina Kyle straddles the same fence as Wonder Woman in that she is simultaneously an empowered woman and a sexual fantasy. A hard balance to achieve, Catwoman challenges the notions that if a man was portrayed as she is, he'd be “kewl” but she is a threat that needs to be dealt with. In recent years though, this problem has subsided and this has enabled Catwoman to blossom as a well rounded and dynamic character. Probably no other character in comics has had a rougher ride to becoming a legitimate solo star, but this is one character who definitely took her lumps to earn a spot on this list. Catwoman’s value as a character can be seen by her own solo series coming before Robin’s.
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#15 Captain Marvel (Billy Batson)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/15.jpg" align="left" alt="Captain Marvel (Billy Batson)">First Appearance: Whiz Comics #1
Created by: Bill Parker and Charles Clarence (C.C.) Beck
Combine the wisdom, strength, stamina, power, courage, and speed of six Roman, Greek and Hebrew figures, blend in the mind of an orphan boy, shake well, and, Shazam!, you have Captain Marvel. Soon after his 1939 debut, Marvel quickly eclipsed his Super predecessor to become the best selling comic book character of the era. The Fawcett universe grew around him, with Lieutenant, Junior, Mary, and Uncle Marvels springing up to share in his adventures as well as Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. Billy might have secretly been a child within an adult frame, but the Captain was the very epitome of a superman, and, most importantly, quite profitable, so of course DC was going to sue for copyright infringement. Fawcett eventually gave up the fight, agreeing to cease production on the Marvel Family family of titles. Gone, but not the least bit forgotten, Billy would inspire Marvelman (who would later beget Miracleman), his many namesakes at Marvel Comic, and the most memorable catchphrase of Gomer Pyle. Surprisingly enough, DC, the very company that had forced him into hiatus two decades earlier, would prove to be his saviour, purchasing the character and sharing him with a new audience. He was given his own Earth, his own special, his own live action series, and animated equivalent. Sadly, his star soon faded, and readers have been treated to a string of failed series trying to recapture the Captain Marvel magic. Billy Batson may have a tragic life, but he is eternally optimistic, driven to help others by his own sense of goodness. Captain Marvel may be the purest, most undiluted example left of the Golden Age, so perhaps that explains his many cancellations. He is purposefully anachronistic, an ideal more than a person, but as long as a single writer still believes that the message of young Billy might once again resonate with our jaded community, then wonder and innocence will live on.
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#14 Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/14.jpg" align="left" alt="Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz)">First Appearance: Detective Comics #225
Created by: Joe Samachson and Joe Certa
J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, is in many ways the classic science fiction stranger in a strange land, only acting as a super hero. As opposed to Superman, who never knew his native world of Krypton, J’onn grew to adulthood and had a family on his native Mars before a plague took all the rest of his race. Teleported to Earth, J’onn disguised himself amongst humanity for years before the dawning of the second heroic age, when he revealed himself, becoming a founding member of the Justice League of America. J’onn has been a founding member of each incarnation of the League, serving sometimes as leader. J’onn was the first new hero to be introduced in the Silver Age of DC Comics. While there was a new Flash and a new Green Lantern, they each had Golden Age antecedents. J’onn was a fresh character, and has grown since then. His evolution has made him less and less a Superman clone, and has made him a deep thinker and feeler, and the heart and soul of the JLA. He is the thoughtful voice that provides strategy and good council to all members of the League, and has often been the mentor to young and inexperienced heroes. Whether in comics or on the cartoon, no Justice League would be complete without the Martian Manhunter.
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#13 The Flash (Wally West)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/13.jpg" align="left" alt="The Flash (Wally West)"> First Appearance (as Kid Flash I): Flash (1st series) #110
First Appearance (as Flash III): Crisis on Infinite Earths #12
Created by: Gardner Fox
Reimagined by: Mike Baron & Jackson Guice
“My Name is Wally West. I’m the fastest man alive. I’m the Flash!” These three sentences define why Wally West, the third man to wear the mantle of the Flash, is rated so highly in the DC Pantheon of characters. Firstly the Flash is an everyday person like you and me. No other character in comics (with the possible exception of Peter Parker) has been depicted with the level of humanity that exists in Wally. He has been developed from a brash teenager to a strong reliable man. The Flash’s personal life has been shown for all to see from the highs of marriage to the lows of losing his unborn children. This however doesn’t mean that the character’s super powers become second string in what makes him popular. As the Flash, Wally West has extended the possibilities of super speed beyond the nerdy fast running and into the ability to manipulate speed and velocity on any level. Whilst humanity and great powers make the character endearingly popular it is the third part of the statement that truly defines the character’s historical significance on this list. Wally West is the Flash. Period. Losing the Kid Flash tag, stepping out of his Uncle’s shadow, earning respect from the super hero community and being the only sidekick to fully graduate Wally has taken the legacy before him and run with it.
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#12 Nightwing (Dick Grayson)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/12.jpg" align="left" alt="Nightwing (Dick Grayson)"> First Appearance (as Robin I): Detective Comics #38
First Appearance (as Nightwing): Tales of the Teen Titans #44
Created by: Bill Finger and Bob Kane
Reimagined by: Marv Wolfman & George Perez
Dick Grayson’s life has been an amazing one, form a very young age. He was raised as an acrobat in Haley’s Circus, and after the death of his parents, he was taken in by Bruce Wayne, and took on the heroic identity of Robin, the Boy Wonder. He shared adventures with Batman, Superman, and his fellow young heroes as a founding member of the Teen Titans. But boys grow up, and Dick needed to find his own name and his own place in the world. And to do this, he had to take on a new name. He chose the name of Nightwing, and went out to his own man. Dick would lead the Titans, would finally come to terms with Batman, and serve as a mentor and big brother to Tim Drake, who had taken on the mantle of Robin. Finally pulling himself from the shadow of the Bat, Dick took on his own city, Blüdhaven, and became a hero in his own right. Dick Grayson is one of those characters that is a part of the public consciousness, even if he’s better known as Robin in most circles. But he has received his own comic as Nightwing, and even appeared in the latter episodes of the animated Batman series in his new guise. His evolution to Nightwing is a clear sign that the DCU changes and grows, that the heroes, while iconic, are characters who find their own way.
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#11 Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/11.jpg" align="left" alt="Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)">First appearance: More Fun Comics #73
Created by: Mort Weisinger and George Papp
Reimagined by: Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams
When he first appeared in the Golden Age, Green Arrow seemed like little more than a brightly clad swashbuckling version of Batman. Billionaire crime fighter with an orphaned ward as his sidekick, arrow themed vehicles, even a cave HQ underneath his mansion. He was a merry modern day Robin Hood. But then came Dennis O’Neil, who would redefine Oliver Queen for decades to come. No longer a wealthy smiling adventurer, Green Arrow was now an angry and defiant rabble rouser who had lost his fortune and thought that the Justice League should also stand for social justice. He was suddenly the kind of guy who would stand toe to toe with Superman, nothing but a quiver of trick arrows to back him up, and tell him he was full of it. For years, DC’s heroes were a perfect and happy group of friends and the worst problem in the world was an occasional bank robbery. Now there was a voice of social conscience, a character who saw how unjust the world was and wasn’t above confronting poverty, racism, the environment or drug abuse. And even better…he’s flawed! Completely and totally fallible. Self righteous, judgmental, womanizing. He has cheated on his love Black Canary multiple times. He fathered an illegitimate son, Connor, who now serves by his side as the second Green Arrow. When his first ward Roy was revealed to be a junkie, Ollie’s response wasn’t compassion but rage. And when his newest ward Mia was revealed to be HIV positive, his response was ignorance instead of sympathy. But Ollie is still a man of great heart and conviction who has built a family for himself, unintentional and dysfunctional though it may be. He is often the most human perspective in the DC Universe. And best of all…he makes a mean bowl of chili.
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Join us next time for the biggy. The top ten characters of the DCU of all time, and watch ComiX-Fan all month long for [url=http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=32203]more anniversary goodness! (]Part 2[/url)
#12, 14, 17, 24, 26, 30: Matt Lazorwitz
#11, 19, 22, 28: Jordan T. Maxwell
#16, 25, 27: Dylan McKay
#15, 18, 29: Raul Grau
#21: Alex Groff
#13: Dan Hancock
#23: Jon Hancock
#20: Al Harahap
Editor: 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: Raul Grau, Alex Groff, Dan Hancock, Jon Hancock, Al Harahap, Matt Lazorwitz, Jordan T. Maxwell, and Dylan McKay
Editor: Jon Hancock
Characters are everything when it comes to story. Without characters you’re left with some nice scenery that would look good as a calendar in a toilet, but makes for a lousy comic. Characters within comics are a special breed. They earn such attention and admiration that many readers will follow a character rather than a writer or story. How many times was Dickens asked to introduce Oliver Twist in the Pickwick Papers? How many times did Shakespeare receive death threats for killing off Romeo and Juliet? Comic fans know what characters they like and so do staff members on comic websites.
For our penultimate instalment celebrating DC’s wide and varied character base you can expect to find four founding Justice League members, three former sidekicks, two journalists and the most curmudgeonly man in comics
If you've only just joined us then feel free to check what you've missed in Part 1 (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=32275) of the column or
But enough with the teasers and meaningless prattle. Ladies and gentlemen, ComiX-Fan’s staff proudly presents the third instalment of The Top 70 DC Characters Of All Time starting at #30
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#30 Alfred Pennyworth
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/30.jpg" align=left alt="Alfred Pennyworth">First Appearance: Batman #16
Created by: Bill Finger and Bob Kane
Butler, friend, and father: these are a few of the words that can be used to describe Alfred Pennyworth. After spending years with the British Secret Service and on the London Stage, Alfred took up the job that had belonged to his father: butler to Thomas and Martha Wayne. And although he intended to stay only a brief time, he did not, first out of friendship to the Waynes, and then to the duty of helping care for their orphaned son, Bruce. Alfred has stayed with Bruce through thick and thin, a turbulent adolescence, a period of seeking his place in the world, and his tenure as the Batman, hero of Gotham. Batman with Alfred is a stronger person and character, as Alfred is one of the few people in the DC Universe who is not afraid of Batman’s brooding exterior. With a wry comment for every occasion, Alfred never allows Bruce to take himself too seriously when he shouldn’t be. But he is also the caring heart of the Batman family, not only healing wounds as best he can, but looking out for Bruce and his various apprentices as the best of parents can. Alfred has proven more than a supporting character, carrying his own tales from time to time, and defending himself as need be, but he is best when he is taking care of the Batcave and Wayne Manor, and, of course, its master.
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#29 Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/29.jpg" align="left" alt="Green Lantern (Alan Scott)">First Appearance: All-American Comics #16
Created by: Bill Finger and Martin Nodell
1940 had its share of blackest nights, at least until Alan Scott began shining his green light on the evildoers of Gotham City (in sharp contrast to that other Bill Finger creation). His original middle name was Ladd, a play on words inspired by an Arabian lad who also found a magic lamp... though in Alan's case, the lamp (well, lantern) came with a matching ring. Alan was among the most powerful members of the Justice Society of America, so (in Superman fashion) he developed a sudden weakness to all things wood. You can argue that an extreme case of cellulose allergy and a cab driving sidekick with terrible grammar are necessary elements to add vulnerability, but Alan Scott was never one to lose sight of his humanity. It was Green Lantern who inspired the other members of the Society to collect money for war orphans. It was also he who indirectly drove a female employee to become a supervillain, simply to win his affections. Alan has always had a way with the evil ladies, marrying two villainesses over the course of his very long life. The 90s even brought a new dynamic to Alan's story, with the rechristened Sentinel dealing with the reverse ageism brought on by eternal youth. Now, still powerful but slightly greyer, Alan has reclaimed the Green Lantern mantle, providing guidance and green tinted power to a new generation of the JSA. He would say that his greatest legacy would be his two children, Jade and Obsidian, super people in their own right, but we know better. Without Alan and the fan base he inspired, there would never have been another Green Lantern. Without Alan, there would be no Hal, or John, or Guy, or Kyle, or G'Nort, or even Ch'p... and what a poorly lit fictional universe that would be.
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#28 Lucifer Morningstar
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/28.jpg" align="left" alt="Lucifer Morningstar">First appearance: Sandman #4
Created by: Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg
Lucifer was once the archangel Samael, first and greatest of the Host of angels. His passion rivalled that of his Creator, so much so that he led a third of the Host in a rebellion at the dawn of time. He failed and was expelled with his fellow renegades, falling from Heaven into the depths of Hell. So if pride cometh before the fall, what cometh after? When you’re left wondering if your great act of defiance was nothing more than playing some predestined role in the cosmic drama, what do you do? In the case of Lucifer, you retire, move to Los Angeles and open up a nightclub. When he first appeared in Sandman, he was a figure of regality and charisma. But it was his humanity in the Season of Mists story arc that truly endeared him to readers. The immediate subversion of expectations, that the Devil would quit Hell and go sing Cole Porter standards in the City of Angels instead, gave notice that this would not be a standard portrayal of the Adversary of Heaven. A tragic character who walks away from the tragedy so he can live his life. But it’s hard for the second most powerful being in existence to stay out of the game…and so since his retirement, Lucifer has battled with Japanese and Norse gods, gone toe to toe with enemies from Heaven, lovers from Hell and an evil deck of tarot cards, created his own universe, died and inadvertently kicked off the end of all reality…though not necessarily in that order. His moral ambiguity, political genius and the complete air of class and style that surrounds him even when going into battle have made Lucifer one of the most popular characters to spin out of the Sandman mythos, joining fellow trickster John Constantine in the honour of solo title glory.
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#27 Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/27.jpg" align="left" alt="Ozymandias (Adrian Veidt)">First Appearance: Watchmen #1
Created by: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Making the top 30 of this list while appearing in merely twelve issues is no small feat, but then again, those are arguably the greatest twelve issues in comics history. Ironically enough, of all the main characters in Watchmen, Adrian Veidt probably gets the least face time, but he also plays arguably the most important role. Adrian transcends the concepts of heroism and villainy by becoming, what I would describe as, a Machiavellian hero where morality is just for show and the end result is all that matters. And Adrian Veidt gets results, while virtually all other superheroes fail to achieve any great objectives, Adrian Veidt strives for world peace, and as far as the reader is allowed to see, he achieves it. Ozymandias stands out among comic book characters for being the first to demonstrate that classical superhero morality may not only be outdated, but also a hindrance to the stated objective of the superhero. But the questions will always linger, do the ends justify the means? Are three million lives a fair price for world peace?
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#26 James Gordon
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/26.jpg" align="left" alt="James Gordon">First Appearance: Detective Comics #27
Created by: Bill Finger and Bob Kane
Commissioner James Gordon has been a fixture in Gotham City for as long as Batman has. Introduced in the same story that introduced the Dark Knight, Gordon has been sometimes foe, most times ally to Batman. And more often than not, he has been his friend as well. A good cop in a very corrupt city, Jim Gordon rose through the murky ranks of the GCPD to be Commissioner of Police. And knowing that he alone couldn’t face down the evil of Gotham, he has allied himself with Batman to help the city he wants to see safe. His tenure has been rocky, and he has been relieved of duty more than once, but he always comes back, because he has the respect of his officers and the trust of the people. Even now, retired and teaching criminology, Jim Gordon proves an inspiration to the police, and a much needed confidant to Batman. Gordon has proven important not just for his longevity, but for his growth as a character. Gordon started out simply as a police contact for Batman, serving the plot and little else. But slowly he grew. He got a family in his daughter Barbara, who would prove important to the Bat mythos in her own way, and a well rounded history from Frank Miller in Batman: Year One. Far from the doddering old man he was once presented as, Gordon is now a vital part of the Batman universe.
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#25 Plastic Man (Eel O'Brien)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/25.jpg" align="left" alt="Plastic Man (Eel O’Brien)">First Appearance: Police Comics #1
Created by: Jack Cole
When lowlife thug Eel O'Brien attempted to rob a chemical factory with his gang, his life changed forever. When the robbery is botched, Eel is left wounded in a vat of a mysterious chemical. Upon his emergence, Eel found his bio-chemical structure completely altered meaning he could now stretch and shape his body in any way he pleased. Conventional wisdom would be that giving a crook super powers would lead to the origin of a new super villain, but Plastic Man's wisdom has never been conventional. Whether it's his classic origin of finding fighting for justice more fulfilling as he gets revenge on the gang that turned on him or the modern origin where his recovery in a remote monastery showed him that he could be much more, on that fateful night, Eel O'Brien became a legend in comics. Eel O'Brien became the superhero Plastic Man, and in the process he became the first reformed villain in superhero history. While there were funny superheroes before Plastic Man, Plastic Man was the first one to carry his own book, and in the process, paved the way for characters like Spiderman by proving the viability of the comedy superhero genre fusion. Plastic Man may not currently have the largest fan base, but no one can underrate the importance of this master of physical comedy and example to criminals everywhere to the comics medium.
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#24 Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/24.jpg" align="left" alt="Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)">First Appearance: Green Lantern (2nd series) #48
Created by: Ron Marz and Daryl Banks
Kyle Rayner was created to be the last of the Green Lanterns. After Hal Jordan went on a rampage, slaughtering most of his fellow GLs and all the Guardians of the Universe save one, the last Guardian, Ganthet, headed to Earth and gave the last ring to the first human he found. This human was Kyle Rayner. This was a person who was not fearless, like previous Green Lanterns, but was all too human. And in that is part of Kyle’s charm. This was the everyman Green Lantern, more than any of the others. He was a 20-something kid who didn’t want to do anything more than draw and hang out with his girlfriend. But, slowly but surely, Kyle becomes a hero. He was part of one of the most important traditions in the DCU, and those traditions are what make DC Comics great. And you cheer for him. You cheer for him joining the JLA. You cheer for him falling for Jade. You cheer for him finally stepping out of the long shadow of Hal Jordan. And while there has always been controversy surrounding Kyle, due mostly to the end that Hal Jordan met and that had little to do with Kyle himself, He has developed a loyal fan base. It’s funny that, with the return of Hal Jordan, Kyle’s fans are facing a similar angst to that felt by fans of Hal. But, if all goes well, Kyle’s emerald light will continue to shine for years to come, as he has many more journeys to make.
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#23 Aquaman (Orin)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/23.jpg" align="left" alt="Aquaman (Orin)">First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73
Created by: Mort Weisinger
I command the sea, but no one cares about me. Or at least that always seems to be the case. Yet Aquaman is one of the most original and long lasting characters ever spawned by DC. The King of the vast majority of the planet Earth, Aquaman seems to fall prey to the lame powers criticism far too often. Here is a character though who goes beyond powers. Aquaman is a regal lord who struggles to understand the rest of the world. Unlike Submariner, Aquaman has tried to embrace the surface world at every turn and his membership in various incarnations of the Justice League show his constant wish for human/Atlantean relations to improve. He's not the strongest, the fastest or the toughest hero but he is one of the strongest in character and experience. Having lost one son and been betrayed by another, Aquaman has lost his wife countless times and his Kingdom recently. Yet still he is a hero. Persevering, Aquaman still protects those that need him in Sub Diego. He's not cosmically powerful and he is best suited to talking to fishes but Aquaman is also one of the most noble, committed, brave and longstanding characters that exists in the DCU. Aquaman isn't cool, he's instead a model of what every hero should endeavour to be. Which is probably why Mitchell Hundred loves him so much.
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#22 Rorschach (Walter Kovacs)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/22.jpg" align="left" alt="Rorschach (Walter Kovacs)">First appearance: Watchmen #1
Created by: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Men who dress up in masks and costumes and go out nightly to beat up criminals are not right in the head. And the character of Rorschach renders that an extreme understatement. Walter Kovacs is a short and ugly man with a laundry list of neuroses: sexual identity, paranoia, obsessive behaviour, violent rages and an inability to function in society. By day, he walks the city proclaiming the end of the world (whether he believes this to be true or is using it as a cover identity) and by night he dons a trench coat, fedora and his “face” (a mask that resembles the inkblot tests from which he takes his name) and stalks the streets to investigate and fight crime. Of course, for Kovacs, “investigate and fight crime” means causing extreme bodily harm to a number of people. At first, he was a more restrained crime fighter, but a gruesome crime shattered what little shred of sanity he had left. His problems, though, run far deeper to his own abusive childhood. Rorschach is a disturbing yet compelling look at the kind of troubled psyche that would actually produce a Batman or a Punisher. He has no grand tragedy in his past that drives him on a quest for justice or vengeance. He has no enhanced skills or abilities beyond the sociopathic need to hurt others. He is simply ill, lashing out at a world that has hurt him, trying to make sense of the chaotic grey areas of life by reducing it to black and white. Ironically, there is no room for interpretation in Rorschach’s world. And yet we find ourselves rooting for him because we’ve been conditioned to. The moral absolutist. The violent power fantasy. The vigilante. Revealed as nothing more than an ugly little man, alone and overwhelmed by a world too large for his narrow perspective.
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#21 Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/21.jpg" align="left" alt="Hal Jordan (Green Lantern, Parallax, The Spectre)">First Appearance: Showcase #22
Created by: Julius Schwartz, John Broome & Gil Kane
Given the current context of this column-- the eve, not only of DC's Anniversary, but also of Hal Jordan's third rebirth-- its hard to separate the character from the world publishing him. Hal was a test pilot, haunted by the death of his father, given the power to shape his will into anything he could image. Yet in 1959 when he was created, he was a product of Julius Schwartz's and readership's desire for science fiction. (After all, the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott, had mystical powers and a magician's cape. The Green Lantern Corps and Guardians had far more in common with E.E. Doc Smith's 1950's sci-fi series, The Lensmen, than their emerald predecessor.) Jordan served the universe as the man who knew no fear, until the 1970's, when science-fiction and sales hit a low. Then, teamed with his best friend, Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), he toured the country helped to fix social injustices that the sixties had brought to light: drug abuse, racism and poverty. However, in a post-Dark Knight Returns DCU, he returned to the skies and drab sales only to be driven insane by grief and the injustices he suffered at the hands of Mongul and Sapphire. He killed friends and team mates to gain access to the Central Battery that powered all Green Lanterns, in order to recreate the world in his image. While such a grandiose plot fit Hal's idealism and confidence, the simplistic hero/villain writing style that characterized this period painted him as a vile, utter villain. He destroyed the universe in Zero Hour, but it was left to heroes like Damage and the Linear Men to heal the world. With his final battle against Kyle Rayner, his power source, his life source, was destroyed, and Jordan was gone forever. However, fans would not let Jordan die, especially not as a villain. So, he was resurrected to save the world by reigniting the Sun during the Final Night. And then he was resurrected to play host to the Spectre, so he could lament over his mistakes while playing the part of the hero. As the Spectre, he was not truly alive, but also not dead - and most importantly, he had his own series. Now, in Green Lantern: Rebirth, purgatory is over, and through a retcon he is restored to the true title of hero. Not only is Hal Jordan alive and perfect again, but his arch nemesis, Sinestro, is alive and perfectly evil again, which is perhaps yet another comment on the relationship between the audience and their comics.
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#20 Lois Lane
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/20.jpg" align=left alt="Lois Lane">First Appearance: Action Comics #1
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
The only one of Superman's supporting cast who was introduced along with him, Lois Lane started out in the cliche damsel-in-distress role. But it wasn't long before Lois would break through the archetype ceiling and come into her own with a headstrong attitude. As an investigative field reporter for the Daily Planet, she became a constant figure throughout Superman stories, brave enough to face dangerous villains head-on to help him. And sometimes, because of her trademark rebellious nature, even without his consent. More recently, Lois has become quite the modern woman by becoming adept at martial arts and firearms. Perhaps even more significant is Lois' role as the better half of Superman. She was his perennial unrequited love, whom readers would continually cheer for. Though she would get her fair share of competition for Superman's love over the years, it always leads back to Lois, as if destined soulmates. More importantly, yearning to be loved as Clark Kent, it is through Lois that the hero has maintained his humanity. She is his conscience, his anchor, who keeps him grounded. Now sharing his secret and his life in wedded bliss, no other civillian has earned more trust from the superhero community. Lois is the prime supporting character in the world of superhero comics who adds dimensions to what would otherwise be flat superhero characters. Without her, there would be no Alfred Pennyworth, no Mary Jane Watson, no Rick Jones. Friend, ally, confidante, lover -- Lois Lane is the human in all superheroes.
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#19 Spider Jerusalem
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/19.jpg" align="left" alt="Spider Jerusalem">First appearance: Transmetropolitan #1
Created by: Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson
If the truth is a weapon, then Spider Jerusalem is the naked berserker swinging it over his head and lopping off the heads of pretension, hypocrisy and corruption. He doesn’t like politics, he doesn’t like religion, he doesn’t like sex (mostly because he can never seem to get any) and most of all he doesn’t like you. But he’s here to serve you all the same. A gonzo journalist in a futuristic city that resembles the Jetsons a la Timothy Leary. Yet the world is still much the same. Politicians lie, police crack skulls more than they serve and protect, people thrive on apathy and ignorance and the media distracts more than it informs. Spider Jerusalem is armed with little more than his journalistic gifts, a need to expose the truth (and occasionally himself), his filthy assistants Yelena and Channon and a bowel disruptor…all in the service of taking on the world and shaking it out of its stupidity and banality so it can cease pissing him off and let him retire back into isolation. Despite his acerbic personality, Spider has at his core an all too caring heart that sees injustice and has to set it right. Whether it’s exploring the plights of the poor or exposing the machinations of the mighty, he will take the truth and beat you over the head with it until you finally look and see how ugly it is. In our present day world of white washed news and infotainment, Spider is a chainsaw into the reader’s consciousness, a wake up call to what’s going on in our own time. Like the fool in a Shakespearean play, his jests are outlandish, brutally honest and wise. And you’d best listen to him, lest he turn that dial to “prolapse.” He is also noteworthy for being the sole survivor of DC’s failed Helix imprint, and star of the first purely science fiction title in the Vertigo line up.
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#18 Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/18.jpg" align="left" alt="Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)">First Appearance: Flash Comics #86
Created by: Robert Kanigher and Irwin Hasen
Reimagined by: Roy Thomas
Where once there was only one Black Canary, DC decided in 1983 that there had always been two. One, Dinah Drake, Golden Age heroine of fishnets and fists, and the other, Dinah Lance, daughter of the original, with the same fashion sense and a Canary Cry to boot. It was the younger, empowered Canary who had been a long-standing member of the Justice League of America, playing footsie with Green Arrow and tagging along on his hard-travels, in an era when only those heroes without regular series received development. Crisis further raised her profile, retroactively adding her to the founding roster of the JLoA. Then the Longbow Hunters cost Dinah her powers, in a show of 80s style, grim n' gritty rape and torture. For years following the incident, Black Canary suffered from indecision and doubt, plagued by her pain and revealing personality along the way. She had name recognition, personal tragedy, and legs up to here, yet she remained either a simple background player or star of one short-lived series after another. Why you ask? It should be obvious, no one buys titles starring female heroes. That cliché held true right up until Dinah decided to play team-up with Oracle. The Birds of Prey has given Dinah a forum to examine vigilantism from a female perspective, and a costume that prevents drafts. Currently, Black Canary maintains her Birdness, along with reserve status on both the JLA and the JSA, cementing her position as representative of every era of DC history. With her powers restored, she is a force to be reckoned with, both in combat and on sales charts. Not bad for a former florist shoehorned into past continuity.
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#17 Oracle (Barbara Gordon)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/17.jpg" align="left" alt="Oracle (Barbara Gordon)">First Appearance (as Batgirl I): Detective Comics #359
First Appearance (as Oracle): Suicide Squad (1st series) #23
Created by: Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino
Reimagined by: John Ostrander, Kim Yale, and Luke McDonnell
When Batgirl was first introduced, she was just another member of the Bat Franchise. Originally spinning out of the 60s Batman TV series, Barbara Gordon is the adopted daughter of Commissioner James Gordon. Going to a costume party at Wayne Manor as Batgirl, Barbara stopped Killer Moth from kidnapping Bruce Wayne, and she was bitten by the crime fighting bug. She began to patrol wearing her costume, and eventually earned the trust and approval of Batman. After a time, she hung up her cape and cowl, enjoying the life of a private citizen. But this was not to be. One day, answering a knock at her father’s door, Barbara came face to dace with the Joker, who shot her, shattering her spine and leaving her crippled from the waist down. Instead of giving in to despair, though, Barbara made the most of her other abilities. A master hacker with a photographic memory, Barbara became Oracle, the resource for all the world’s heroes. If you need information of any kind, be it a location or a phone number, Oracle can get it for you. One of the important things about Oracle is that she has not recovered from her injuries. In a world where the dead regularly rise from the grave and people survive grievous wounds, Barbara is a shining example of someone who accepts their handicap and makes the most of her life, going as far as turning down the offer of cybernetic legs from the Martian Manhunter, as she was at peace with where her life was. Also, she is the leader of the Birds of Prey, DC’s first successful all female team, a position she has held from their inception.
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#16 Catwoman (Selina Kyle)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/16.jpg" align="left" alt="Catwoman (Selina Kyle)">First Appearance: Batman #1
Created by: Bob Kane
Catwoman is a hard character to place on the list. She is truly a revolutionary character who created multiple archetypes. Problem is, in the past ten years those archetypes have become synonymous with bad comic books. Catwoman is the original bad girl, which has become a four letter word lately. Catwoman and Batman's relationship is the first example of hero/villainess sexual tension, which even between the two of them has become pretty poor. Catwoman is one of the first villains to become an anti-hero, if not the first, it's hard to create a time line for that. And anti-heroes were in such a glut in the 90's that the thought of them makes my skin crawl. But this should not detract from Catwoman's revolutionary status as a character who broke down many barriers. Selina Kyle straddles the same fence as Wonder Woman in that she is simultaneously an empowered woman and a sexual fantasy. A hard balance to achieve, Catwoman challenges the notions that if a man was portrayed as she is, he'd be “kewl” but she is a threat that needs to be dealt with. In recent years though, this problem has subsided and this has enabled Catwoman to blossom as a well rounded and dynamic character. Probably no other character in comics has had a rougher ride to becoming a legitimate solo star, but this is one character who definitely took her lumps to earn a spot on this list. Catwoman’s value as a character can be seen by her own solo series coming before Robin’s.
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#15 Captain Marvel (Billy Batson)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/15.jpg" align="left" alt="Captain Marvel (Billy Batson)">First Appearance: Whiz Comics #1
Created by: Bill Parker and Charles Clarence (C.C.) Beck
Combine the wisdom, strength, stamina, power, courage, and speed of six Roman, Greek and Hebrew figures, blend in the mind of an orphan boy, shake well, and, Shazam!, you have Captain Marvel. Soon after his 1939 debut, Marvel quickly eclipsed his Super predecessor to become the best selling comic book character of the era. The Fawcett universe grew around him, with Lieutenant, Junior, Mary, and Uncle Marvels springing up to share in his adventures as well as Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. Billy might have secretly been a child within an adult frame, but the Captain was the very epitome of a superman, and, most importantly, quite profitable, so of course DC was going to sue for copyright infringement. Fawcett eventually gave up the fight, agreeing to cease production on the Marvel Family family of titles. Gone, but not the least bit forgotten, Billy would inspire Marvelman (who would later beget Miracleman), his many namesakes at Marvel Comic, and the most memorable catchphrase of Gomer Pyle. Surprisingly enough, DC, the very company that had forced him into hiatus two decades earlier, would prove to be his saviour, purchasing the character and sharing him with a new audience. He was given his own Earth, his own special, his own live action series, and animated equivalent. Sadly, his star soon faded, and readers have been treated to a string of failed series trying to recapture the Captain Marvel magic. Billy Batson may have a tragic life, but he is eternally optimistic, driven to help others by his own sense of goodness. Captain Marvel may be the purest, most undiluted example left of the Golden Age, so perhaps that explains his many cancellations. He is purposefully anachronistic, an ideal more than a person, but as long as a single writer still believes that the message of young Billy might once again resonate with our jaded community, then wonder and innocence will live on.
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#14 Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/14.jpg" align="left" alt="Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz)">First Appearance: Detective Comics #225
Created by: Joe Samachson and Joe Certa
J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, is in many ways the classic science fiction stranger in a strange land, only acting as a super hero. As opposed to Superman, who never knew his native world of Krypton, J’onn grew to adulthood and had a family on his native Mars before a plague took all the rest of his race. Teleported to Earth, J’onn disguised himself amongst humanity for years before the dawning of the second heroic age, when he revealed himself, becoming a founding member of the Justice League of America. J’onn has been a founding member of each incarnation of the League, serving sometimes as leader. J’onn was the first new hero to be introduced in the Silver Age of DC Comics. While there was a new Flash and a new Green Lantern, they each had Golden Age antecedents. J’onn was a fresh character, and has grown since then. His evolution has made him less and less a Superman clone, and has made him a deep thinker and feeler, and the heart and soul of the JLA. He is the thoughtful voice that provides strategy and good council to all members of the League, and has often been the mentor to young and inexperienced heroes. Whether in comics or on the cartoon, no Justice League would be complete without the Martian Manhunter.
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#13 The Flash (Wally West)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/13.jpg" align="left" alt="The Flash (Wally West)"> First Appearance (as Kid Flash I): Flash (1st series) #110
First Appearance (as Flash III): Crisis on Infinite Earths #12
Created by: Gardner Fox
Reimagined by: Mike Baron & Jackson Guice
“My Name is Wally West. I’m the fastest man alive. I’m the Flash!” These three sentences define why Wally West, the third man to wear the mantle of the Flash, is rated so highly in the DC Pantheon of characters. Firstly the Flash is an everyday person like you and me. No other character in comics (with the possible exception of Peter Parker) has been depicted with the level of humanity that exists in Wally. He has been developed from a brash teenager to a strong reliable man. The Flash’s personal life has been shown for all to see from the highs of marriage to the lows of losing his unborn children. This however doesn’t mean that the character’s super powers become second string in what makes him popular. As the Flash, Wally West has extended the possibilities of super speed beyond the nerdy fast running and into the ability to manipulate speed and velocity on any level. Whilst humanity and great powers make the character endearingly popular it is the third part of the statement that truly defines the character’s historical significance on this list. Wally West is the Flash. Period. Losing the Kid Flash tag, stepping out of his Uncle’s shadow, earning respect from the super hero community and being the only sidekick to fully graduate Wally has taken the legacy before him and run with it.
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#12 Nightwing (Dick Grayson)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/12.jpg" align="left" alt="Nightwing (Dick Grayson)"> First Appearance (as Robin I): Detective Comics #38
First Appearance (as Nightwing): Tales of the Teen Titans #44
Created by: Bill Finger and Bob Kane
Reimagined by: Marv Wolfman & George Perez
Dick Grayson’s life has been an amazing one, form a very young age. He was raised as an acrobat in Haley’s Circus, and after the death of his parents, he was taken in by Bruce Wayne, and took on the heroic identity of Robin, the Boy Wonder. He shared adventures with Batman, Superman, and his fellow young heroes as a founding member of the Teen Titans. But boys grow up, and Dick needed to find his own name and his own place in the world. And to do this, he had to take on a new name. He chose the name of Nightwing, and went out to his own man. Dick would lead the Titans, would finally come to terms with Batman, and serve as a mentor and big brother to Tim Drake, who had taken on the mantle of Robin. Finally pulling himself from the shadow of the Bat, Dick took on his own city, Blüdhaven, and became a hero in his own right. Dick Grayson is one of those characters that is a part of the public consciousness, even if he’s better known as Robin in most circles. But he has received his own comic as Nightwing, and even appeared in the latter episodes of the animated Batman series in his new guise. His evolution to Nightwing is a clear sign that the DCU changes and grows, that the heroes, while iconic, are characters who find their own way.
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#11 Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/11.jpg" align="left" alt="Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)">First appearance: More Fun Comics #73
Created by: Mort Weisinger and George Papp
Reimagined by: Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams
When he first appeared in the Golden Age, Green Arrow seemed like little more than a brightly clad swashbuckling version of Batman. Billionaire crime fighter with an orphaned ward as his sidekick, arrow themed vehicles, even a cave HQ underneath his mansion. He was a merry modern day Robin Hood. But then came Dennis O’Neil, who would redefine Oliver Queen for decades to come. No longer a wealthy smiling adventurer, Green Arrow was now an angry and defiant rabble rouser who had lost his fortune and thought that the Justice League should also stand for social justice. He was suddenly the kind of guy who would stand toe to toe with Superman, nothing but a quiver of trick arrows to back him up, and tell him he was full of it. For years, DC’s heroes were a perfect and happy group of friends and the worst problem in the world was an occasional bank robbery. Now there was a voice of social conscience, a character who saw how unjust the world was and wasn’t above confronting poverty, racism, the environment or drug abuse. And even better…he’s flawed! Completely and totally fallible. Self righteous, judgmental, womanizing. He has cheated on his love Black Canary multiple times. He fathered an illegitimate son, Connor, who now serves by his side as the second Green Arrow. When his first ward Roy was revealed to be a junkie, Ollie’s response wasn’t compassion but rage. And when his newest ward Mia was revealed to be HIV positive, his response was ignorance instead of sympathy. But Ollie is still a man of great heart and conviction who has built a family for himself, unintentional and dysfunctional though it may be. He is often the most human perspective in the DC Universe. And best of all…he makes a mean bowl of chili.
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Join us next time for the biggy. The top ten characters of the DCU of all time, and watch ComiX-Fan all month long for [url=http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=32203]more anniversary goodness! (]Part 2[/url)
#12, 14, 17, 24, 26, 30: Matt Lazorwitz
#11, 19, 22, 28: Jordan T. Maxwell
#16, 25, 27: Dylan McKay
#15, 18, 29: Raul Grau
#21: Alex Groff
#13: Dan Hancock
#23: Jon Hancock
#20: Al Harahap
Editor: Jon Hancock
Columns Editor: Joel Phillips
Editor in Chief: Al Harahap
Co-Publisher: Brian Wilkinson
Publisher: Eric J. Moreels
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and are used without permission, not for profit. All other content © original author and ComiX-Fan (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan).</center>