Things You Probably Didn't Know About Popular DC Comics Characters

Many fans of DC comic book characters brought to live action think the BatmanThe television series started it, but that is not true. Captain Marvel, later named Shazam, was the first DC superhero to appear live action. This distinction matters: Superman is often the first true comic book superhero, but Captain Marvel reached the screen nearly a decade ahead.

The Adventures of Captain MarvelReleased in 1941, this film became the first to feature a superhero. Tom Tyler played the hero, and Frank Coghlan Jr. played Billy Batson. The serial showed Tyler recreating the comic book superpowers. This compares to modern filmmaking, but it remains the first live-action adaptation of a popular comic book hero that continues today.

When the Joker appeared inBatmanThe Joker appeared in #1 in 1940. He was a minor character, and the plan was to remove him from the story. The book's editor, Whitney Ellsworth, spared him.Whitney EllsworthComic book writer Steve Englehart stated in anNPR interviewEllsworth said, "Wait a minute—this guy is pretty good!"

Batman did not intend to end the new villain. The book planned for the Joker to kill himself by driving a knife into his chest instead of Batman. The book shows this scene, but the Joker survives instead of dying. This choice happened after the art was done, allowing a final text change where a doctor says the Joker lives.

That made his survival seem rushed at the end, which is what happened when Ellsworth saved him.

Anyone claiming Batman can beat anyone in a fight usually adds, "If he has time to prepare." The Dark Knight is famous for preparation. He uses this skill to beat foes stronger than him. Because he distrusts people, he prepares to fight his allies too.

In the "Tower of Babel" storyline, his plans areRa's al Ghul pilfered themHe used them against his friends, showing Batman's betrayal. To beat Superman, he made Red Kryptonite that turned the Man of Steel's skin clear, causing a sensory overload from the sun. For Wonder Woman, he made nanites that locked the Amazonian in a virtual reality where she fought an equal. She fought until she died from exhaustion.

The Flash uses a "vibra-bullet" to target him, causing epileptic seizures at light speed. These seizures render the Scarlet Speedster inert. Green Lantern can be stopped by hypnosis. Hypnosis makes him think he is blind, so the Ring, which controls his will, makes him blind and stops him from controlling his power.

Batman's Aquaman exploit uses Dr. Jonathan Crane's (Scarecrow's) fear toxin. This toxin causes hydrophobia, making Aquaman fear water. Because his powers stem from water exposure, he loses strength. Nanites injected into his body cause Martian Manhunter to experience constant burning, targeting his Martian biology and fear of fire.

Plastic Man's body needs freezing to defeat him. Batman covers him in liquid nitrogen. When Ra's and his men hit him with a hammer, they break him apart. Batman made a backup plan for himself if he goes rogue. The man says the way to beat the Dark Knight is to distract him with someone he cares about.

Superman needs the threat of Kryptonite to exist in a world. Superman originally had no real weaknesses. Kryptonite was added so Bud Collyer, the actor in the "Adventures of Superman" radio show, could take a vacation.Superman's Kryptonite weakness was introduced so Bud Collyer, the actor who played him on the "Adventures of Superman" radio show, could take a vacation.Superman could take a vacation because Kryptonite was introduced.Superman could take a vacation.Superman's Kryptonite weakness appeared to make space for a vacation.

For a whole week, Superman's voice came out as grunts and groans from another actor. The reason: Kryptonite! The dangerous green rock let Collyer take his vacation without stopping the show. It remains the biggest weakness of the Man of Steel's body. It took six more years before Kryptonite appeared in the comic books.Superman#61. It was red, not green.

If you know Aquaman from the film, you might find he changed. Early on, he attends college to study fish and uses the obvious name "Mr. Waterman".Mr. WatermanHe wears glasses. He looks nothing like himself, Clark Kent-style.

After one day, Aquaman cannot stand being out of water for long. He goes to the school's pool to swim. The next day, he learns the school must win its next swim meet or lose funding. Aquaman offers his skills to keep the school's ichthyologist department running. He holds his breath for 15 minutes and emerges as Aquaman to his coach.

Most comic book characters who die return quickly. A single issue might take a while.Single issueA series existed, but most ended within a year or two. Barry Allen, the Flash, died during the events ofCrisis on Infinite Earths.This event happens in1985.

Other characters with the same name appeared during his absence, but none were Barry Allen. He stayed inactive longer than anyone in DC Comics history—23 years.

This is a very long time for a character to be gone. Writers and artists likely made this choice forCrisis on Infinite Earths.The writers did not want Barry's sacrifice weakened. He returned in 2008'sFlash: Rebirth.This did not occur. He remains one of the Justice League's most heroic members.

Martian Manhunter needs a specific brand of cookies in the DC Universe calledMartian Manhunter is addicted to Chocos.Chocos look like Oreos. J'onn got hooked during his time off monitor duty. Basically, whenever he is not working officially, he eats Chocos from a bag, and his Justice League members joke about it.

Booster Gold and Blue Beetle play a joke on their Martian friend. They take his supply and buy all Chocos from every store in the city. When he finds his Chocos gone, J'onn panics and has a fit. His shape-shifting abilities then go wild, and he hulks out!

He runs through the city seeking Chocos, and his mind weakens. He becomes savage and destructive. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle must lead him to a warehouse to calm him with their cookies. Chocos contain a chemical that causes a narcotic effect in Martians. Eventually, Martian Manhunter finds a way to remove the addiction from his body.

Comics have an unwritten rule: a superhero cannot stay happy in a relationship for long. Kyle Rayner's girlfriend, Alex, was cut up and stuffed in a refrigerator. She is not the only example. Long, happy lives rarely happen for most superheroes because their partners often become villain targets or suffer terrible accidents that push the hero onto a new path.

DC has one great exception to this rule in the marriage ofRalph.and Sue Dibny. Unlike most who wear spandex to fight for justice, these two have a storybook romance that did not end in an affair, death, dismemberment, or any other crazy way of breaking them apart. They keep loving each other despite every possible problem in a superhero relationship, making them an example many hope to copy but few manage.

The characters show strong chemistry. When they made their live-action debut together onThe Flash.Fans immediately asked for a spinoff featuring the two characters. Showrunners knew the chemistry between them was a major part of their relationship.

Many superheroes in the Marvel Universe did not start as such. DC Comics characters rarely go from bad to good, except for Selina Kyle.Black CanaryBlack Canary started as a villain. People called her "the most fascinating crook of all time!" This happened in her first appearance inFlash Comics#92Black Canary was a villain. There was no doubt about this.

The character's origin changed once she became popular. She was not a bad guy; she was a heroine pretending to be bad to infiltrate wrongdoers. This was her whole game. Her popularity grew, and she got her own feature inFlash ComicsShe eventually joined the Justice Society of America, which preceded the Justice League in the Silver Age.

Zatanna stands next to Superman and John Constantine. People ask her for help; she is even called the most powerful Justice League member. She has been around since 1964. Years added more powers, making her a key character in DC's huge magical world.

Zatanna has an interesting family line. Fans might not know her ancestry connects her to Leonardo da Vinci.Leonardo da VinciDa Vinci is not the only famous person who passed genes to Zatanna Zatara. Zatanna's family also includes Nicolas Flamel, Alessandro Cagliostro, Evan Fulcanelli, and Nostradamus.

Wonder Woman became a symbol of feminine power today. But she was not that at first. When she first joined the Justice Society of America—the Justice League's group from twenty years ago—she was thesecretary.

The most powerful woman in the world held a gender-stereotyped role in the world's top organization. Wonder Woman appeared first inAll Star Comics#8, and she was "allowed" to appear without a solo series as long as she stayed the secretary, starting in issue 13. The position lasted from 1942 to 1947, but her job changed when she became an active member.

Drug use in comics was not always controversial. A body called the Comics Code Authority stamped approval on comics, banning substance use. This changed over time. In 1971, DC published a highly controversial story.Green Lantern#85-86 called "Snowbirds Don't Fly"

Oliver Queen got a crossbow bolt he made. He teamed up with Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, to fix it. They found out the attackers used drugs. Deeper investigation revealed Roy Harper, Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy, was involved. The story explored dependency and Speedy's addiction to smack. This was not light reading. It opened the door for comics to tell more stories about similar topics.

Darkseid is the main villain in the DC Universe. He inspired Thanos in the Marvel Universe. Darkseid, a New God, has many powers and a large family, including a Justice League member. Darkseid's second son, Orion, was traded with Scott Free when young to try and make peace between New Genesis and Apokolips.

This happened because OrionDarkseid did not raise Orion. Highfather Izaya raised him instead. This upbringing trained Orion to control his rage. This made him the most powerful warrior on both planets. Orion grappled with his inner rage his whole life. He mostly succeeded, making him a strong superhero.

Orion joined two different Justice League teams. He joined in 1990 for a short time; he was not a main part of it. Years later, he joined again during Grant Morrison's run. This gave him more stories than before.

The term "superhero" usually applies to people with powers. Superman tops lists when the term is mentioned. Some popular DC characters are superheroes. They lack the powers that put them near Superman's strength or ability. This sets the DC Universe apart.DC UniverseThis distinction separates the DC Universe from its rival, Marvel Comics. Fans value this difference.

Looking at popular DC characters, Batman leads the list of heroes without superpowers.Some DC heroes lack superpowersGreen Arrow, Nightwing, Huntress, the Question, Blue Beetle, Batwoman, Speedy/Arsenal, Robin, Nite Owl, Vigilante, Red Tornado, Herald, Black Canary, Lady Blackhawk, Manhunter, Wildcat, Richard Dragon, Katana, Deadshot, Mister Terrific, and Oracle join him; many others exist.

Hal Jordan started Green Lanterns by creating a cosmic corps of intergalactic space cops. The original Green Lantern differed greatly; his powers did not come from the same source as Hal Jordan and other Green Lanterns.Paul Newman shares similarities with Green Lantern.

The character took inspiration from the actor who neighbored Gil Kane, the artist who made the iconic Jordan. Kane created the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott, but for Jordan, he looked to his neighbor. The actor's good looks inspired Hal Jordan, though Kane used other Hollywood actors for his characters. For Sinestro, Jordan's teacher turned villain, David Niven provided the inspiration.

Hawkman has an expansive and strange family.Hawkman has had his origin changed, revamped, and rewritten many times, making him difficult to follow. Looking into his past shows various points where he developed a family. He had a son namedHector Hall is part of Hawkman's expansive and strange family., who first appeared inAll-Star Squadron involves Hawkman's family.#25 in 1983, and this character has a long, strange history. It includes his roles as Silver Scarab, the Sandman, and Dr. Fate.

Hall had a son named Daniel. Like his father, Daniel experienced strange events that affected his life. WhenDaniel is mentioned. was born, he was meant for something bigger than most DC characters. He was destined to become Dream of the Endless. In the DC Universe, the Endless are immortal beings who rule the worlds of Dream, Destiny, Destruction, Death, Despair, Delirium, and Desire.

When Morpheus, the original Dream of the Endless, died by the Three Witches, Daniel became the new Dream of the Endless to replace him. He looked different, colored white instead of Morpheus's black. Also, Daniel was the grandson of Hawkman, a fact many overlook.

Firestorm is a super-powerful person few want to replace. The original Firestorm only got powers to impress a girl. He was also an alcoholic. People did not line up to be the next Firestorm. Everyone who becomes Firestorm suffers a terrible end at some point.

As of 2021, eight Firestorms have occurred.Firestorms.Ronnie Raymond died at some point. The Shadow Thief killed Jason Rusch. Mick Rory took out Martin Stein. Stein nearly died of cancer from Firestorm's powers. Becoming the Fire Elemental Firestorm saved him. He was exiled. Deathstorm killed him later.

The Black Lantern Ronnie Raymond terminated Gehanna. Mick Wong was taken out during the Infinite Crisis.Infinite Crisis.Valentina Vostock's body exploded from nuclear energy buildup, making Firestorm dangerous. Some Firestorms returned. Losing lives in comics is small trouble, but only two Firestorms survived: Jefferson and Mikhail. This means there is a 75% chance anyone becoming Firestorm will die.

Ray Palmer, the Atom, is an interesting DC Universe character. Brandon Routh's portrayal in Legends of Tomorrow brought him back.Legends of Tomorrow.Like Ant-Man, Palmer is very smart. He shrank himself using science. Palmer introduced himself before Pym, making Marvel's shrinking man a copy of DC's character.

The Atom was not as popular as his Marvel counterpart. He had an interesting publication history. A strange time came after Palmer married Jean Loring. She slept with another man. Palmer handled the divorce badly. He left his Atom gear and became the lord of a tribe of tiny people called the Morlaidhans.

His title changed toSword of the Atom.He acted like a tiny Conan among the Morlaidhans. Government goons posing as loggers wiped out the tiny society. Palmer got revenge on the group, which turned out to be the Cabal. Palmer could not return to the extinct Morlaidhan society.

Comic books have an unwritten rule: a superhero must die sometimes. This might shake things up. Or, it could be a way to profit from a character's death. Superheroes, especially, get killed every few years or decades. DC Universe members follow this pattern.

Most people know about Superman's death in the 1990s.Man of SteelMan of Steel has been slain over a dozen times. Look at other main DC Universe members like Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, and Wonder Woman. They have experienced more deaths than most people realize. These characters have existed for nearly a century; they have had plenty of time to come back.

BatmanBatman has been bitten nearly 20 times. The many Green Lanterns have faced death. They have been slain and brought back so often, counting them is hard.Green LanternsThe Flash has a famous death in the DC Universe. He has kicked the bucket about five times over the years.Wonder WomanWonder Woman has died about as many times as the Fastest Man Alive. Batman likely holds the record.

The Dark Knight may have died around 20 times. However, that number seems low when you consider the "Emperor Joker" storyline. The Clown Prince of Crime took Mister Mxyzptlk's power. He toyed with Batman, slaying him and bringing him back to life thousands of times.