# So then, the 52 worst DC Comics Characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073 "2006-06-01T21:32:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/1 "2006-06-01T21:32:29Z")
Apparently the site that came up with [this list](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=373884) didn’t bother with the obvious corollary. So it’s up to us to vote on it. Let’s give it a week, send in your suggestions, make your choices., and next Thursday, we’ll tally up the votes. My votes - **I-Ching** (the white-costumed, non-superpowered Wonder Woman’s sidekick) **Jason Todd / Robin** (He deserved to stay dead.) **Vibe** (of “Justice League Detriot”) **Gypsy** (of “Justice League Detriot”) **Bumblebee** (from the original “Teen Titans” series) **Matter-Eater Lad** (How he made the cut for LSH, and why he wasn’t banished to the Legion of Substitute Heroes is a mystery for the ages.) **Prez** (the first “hip” teenage U.S. president) [Ace the Bathound](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ace_the_Bathound) **Brother Power, the Geek** **Zauriel** (from Grant Morrison’s “JLA”, at least Morrison had the decency to kill off this lame character after it became apparent it wasn’t working.) ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/2 "2006-06-01T21:55:37Z")
Quisp Bat-Mite Mr. Mxyzptlk Ms. Gsptlsnz … and other references to the fifth dimension, although I like “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In”, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/3 "2006-06-01T23:01:32Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Apparently the site that came up with [this list](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=373884) didn’t bother with the obvious corollary. So it’s up to us to vote on it. Let’s give it a week, send in your suggestions, make your choices., and next Thursday, we’ll tally up the votes. My votes - > > **I-Ching** (the white-costumed, non-superpowered Wonder Woman’s sidekick) > **Jason Todd / Robin** (He deserved to stay dead.) > **Vibe** (of “Justice League Detriot”) > **Gypsy** (of “Justice League Detriot”) > **Bumblebee** (from the original “Teen Titans” series) > **Matter-Eater Lad** (How he made the cut for LSH, and why he wasn’t banished to the Legion of Substitute Heroes is a mystery for the ages.) > **Prez** (the first “hip” teenage U.S. president) > [Ace the Bathound](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ace_the_Bathound) > **Brother Power, the Geek** > **Zauriel** (from Grant Morrison’s “JLA”, at least Morrison had the decency to kill off this lame character after it became apparent it wasn’t working.) Ick. No. These things never work well. No character is unredeemable. None. Gypsy is working quite nicely in Birds of Prey. Zauriel (who I always thought was cool) had a great cameo leading a superhero prayer service in Infinite Crisis. A version of Ace rocked the house in Batman Beyond. And Neil Gaiman made Prez positively inspirational in Sandman. Here’s the unrefutable proof: Catman is DC’s new hot property. Catman. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/4 "2006-06-01T23:08:48Z")
Zauriel’s still around. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/5 "2006-06-01T23:11:43Z")
I agree with _Menocchio_. There’s no character that can’t be good when a good, creative writer gets hold of them. Catman is a great example, and there are others. Percival Popp, Super Cop was used well in Ostrander’s _Spectre_ series. Percival Popp! A bunch of extremely minor and fairly lame characters such as the Red Bee got much more interesting in Robinson’s _Starman_. There’s no such thing as a bad character, only poor execution. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/6 "2006-06-01T23:58:42Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Zauriel’s still around. Yeah. **In pieces** after Evil Superboy smeared him! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/7 "2006-06-02T00:00:21Z")
The Blue, Energy-Bolt Superman sucked, though. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/8 "2006-06-02T00:01:52Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Yeah. > **In pieces** after Evil Superboy smeared him! It’s only a flesh wound. He got better. (See: 52 #1) ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/9 "2006-06-02T01:18:48Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > Ick. No. These things never work well. > > No character is unredeemable. None. Bizarro Superman. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/10 "2006-06-02T01:38:58Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Bizarro Superman. One of the great villains. Like Karloff’s portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster, capable of comic, tragic, or horroriffic dimensions. So well-beloved that “Bizarro” has entered the popular lexicon as a warped or reversed duplicate of the norm. What about him? ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/11 "2006-06-02T01:55:57Z")
I personally despise the Penguin, and no matter what you tell me, you’re not going to change my mind. I also typically hate all the “family” characters, all the Boys, Girls, Lads, Lasses, Kids, and Juniors that water down what make the original superheroes so special and unique. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/12 "2006-06-02T02:55:31Z")
Max Lord. I may be slightly biased after Ted Kord’s death, though… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/13 "2006-06-02T04:24:02Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I also typically hate all the “family” characters, all the Boys, Girls, Lads, Lasses, Kids, and Juniors that water down what make the original superheroes so special and unique. Don’t forget Uncle Dudley and Mr. Tawky Tawny. The Marvel Family were definitely the most egregious offenders in this category… ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/14 "2006-06-02T04:53:00Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I also typically hate all the “family” characters, all the Boys, Girls, Lads, Lasses, Kids, and Juniors that water down what make the original superheroes so special and unique. Is it the kind of unimaginative name-brand extension of superheroic names that bugs you so, or the idea that superheroes shouldn’t have heirs, legacies and closely allied “families” and emblems and all superhero characters should strive to be completely unique and original? I can get behind the logic of the former in most cases, but the latter idea is kind of… impractical and limiting. > [@jayjay](#): > > Don’t forget Uncle Dudley and Mr. Tawky Tawny. The Marvel Family were definitely the most egregious offenders in this category… I disagree. The [Superman Family](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_Family) was. This particular wiki list didn’t even include the Sons of Superman and Batman, Superman as a baby stories, the host of Bizarro World stories, or Tales of Krypton. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/15 "2006-06-02T04:56:46Z")
My list: The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins The Wonder Twins Any disagreement? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/16 "2006-06-02T05:20:48Z")
[This version](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a6/Wondertwinsross.jpg) of the Wonder Twins looked kind of badass. Even Gleek. (Way to ditch the mask!) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/17 "2006-06-02T06:04:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > My list: > > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > The Wonder Twins > > Any disagreement? I have a feeling that a lemur wielding an ice hacksaw is going to be coming after you real soon! ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/18 "2006-06-02T13:09:34Z")
I have to agree with Menocchio on this one. No character is irredeemable. I mean, they even fixed Luke Cage! Sweet Christmas! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/19 "2006-06-02T13:14:37Z")
from the 1960s: **Egg Fu** , Wonder Woman’s nemesis. I _know_ it’s supposed to be a parody of F Manchu, but it’s embarassing. The afiorementioned **Matter-Eater Lad** and **Bouncing Boy**. They _tried_ to do things with BB, but not hard enough. They shoulda been able to do some interesting things with such a serriously under-powered (and for a time, un-powered) guy surrounded by much more powerful superheoes. **Streaky** , the Super-Cat. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073/20 "2006-06-02T13:19:49Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Don’t forget Uncle Dudley and Mr. Tawky Tawny. The Marvel Family were definitely the most egregious offenders in this category… What? That makes no amount of sense to me. Granted, I am not a comics expert but I have some familiarity with Marvel and I don’t know of too many -kids, -lasses, -lads, -girls, or -(wo)men whereas DC seems to be crawling with them, comparitively speaking. Cites? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-then-the-52-worst-dc-comics-characters/359073.md?page=2)