# The 52 Best DC Comics Characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 31, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940 "2006-05-31T22:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/1 "2006-05-31T22:44:35Z")
Thefolks over at [The Great Curve](http://www.thegreatcurve.net/2006/05/tgcs-50-best-dc-characters.html) have made a list of the 52 best DC comics characters, complied from the votes of 89 comic bloggists. Things like this often turn out to be so wildly idiosyncratic as to be useless, but this one actually came out close to how I’d make it (number in paranthesis is how many first place votes it got): 1. Deathstroke the Terminator, Slade Wilson 2. Cyborg, Victor Stone 3. Doctor Fate, Kent Nelson 4. Mister Terrific, Michael Holt 5. The Phantom Stranger 6. Animal Man, Buddy Baker (1) 7. The Green Lantern, Alan Scott 8. Black Adam, Teth-Adam 9. The Sandman, Dream/Morpheus/Oneiros/etc. 10. The Atom, Ray Palmer 11. Bizarro 12. Adam Strange 13. Jonah Hex (1) 14. The Elongated Man, Ralph Dibny 15. John Constantine (1) 16. Swamp Thing, Alec Holland (1) 17. Hawkman, Carter Hall/Katar Hol 18. Booster Gold, Michael Jon Carter 19. The Spectre, Jim Corrigan 20. Green Lantern/Warrior, Guy Gardner (1) 21. James W. Gordon 22. Mister Miracle, Scott Free 23. Alfred Pennyworth 24. The Flash, Jay Garrick 25. Impulse/Kid Flash, Bart Allen (1) 26. Power Girl, Kara Zor-L/Karen Starr (1) 27. The Question, Vic Sage/Victor Szazs 28. The Flash, Barry Allen (3) 29. Plastic Man, “Eel” O’Brian 30. Darkseid 31. Blue Beetle, Ted Kord (1) 32. Two-Face, Harvey Dent 33. Zatanna, Zatanna Zatara 34. Robin, Tim Drake 35. Space Cabby (1) 36. Aquaman, Arthur Curry/Orin (1) 37. Catwoman, Selina Kyle (2) 38. Black Canary, Dinah Drake Lance/Dinah Laurel Lance 39. Green Lantern/Parallax/The Spectre, Hal Jordan 40. Starman, Jack Knight (2) 41. Martian Manhunter, J’onn J’onzz (2) 42. Lois Lane (1) 43. Green Arrow, Ollie Queen (1) 44. Captain Marvel, Billy Batson (3) 45. Kid Flash/The Flash, Wally West (4) 46. Batgirl/Oracle, Barbara Gordon 47. Wonder Woman, Diana Prince/Diana of Themyscira 48. Lex Luthor 49. Robin/Nightwing, Richard John “Dick” Grayson (4) 50. The Joker (1) 51. Superman, Kal-L/Kal-El/Clark Kent (15) 52. Batman, Bruce Wayne (27) Some surprises: No Legionaires at all. I suppose that Legion fans love the group more than any individual members. No Supergirl. I know some (like me) find the current version underwhelming, but you’d think Klassik Kara would have a strong showing. No Suicide Squad. I didn’t expect Deadshot or Amanda Waller to make the top ten, but I know they have their fans. Come to think of it, not many villains. Yeah, they’ve got some showing, but where’s Gorilla Grodd? Where’s Ra’s Al Ghul? A good villain is just as essential to a successful story as the hero. You’d think some of the more memorable omnes would make the list. Looks like Hal wins. Alan and Guy both got nods, but no love for old Crab-Face. Space Cabby? Really? ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/2 "2006-05-31T22:57:45Z")
Happy to see Constantine and Green Arrow in there (two of my favourites) but i’m surprised Arrow made top 10! ---
**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:** [May 31, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/3 "2006-05-31T23:24:50Z")
Dammit, I tried to push Ambush Bug onto that list… I _tried_… but Noooooo. And yet, Space Cabby. And I take some solace in that my vote for the Phantom Stranger probably got him into the top 52. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/4 "2006-05-31T23:31:06Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > Space Cabby? Really? Yeah, these guys think they’re so clever. I say that no list of DC characters without at least Cryll, Zook, Nameless, and Scooter in the Top 10, and Super-Hip/Tadwallader Jutefruce at #1, is worth reading. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2006, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/5 "2006-05-31T23:36:16Z")
Here’s some more background on the makeup of the votes : [http://www.thegreatcurve.net/2006/05/loneliest-numbers-odds-and-ends-from.html](http://www.thegreatcurve.net/2006/05/loneliest-numbers-odds-and-ends-from.html) I personally only sent in 20 items, because I was lazy that day. 1. Superman (Kal-El) 2. Batman (Bruce Wayne) 3. Ambush Bug (Irwin Schwab) 4. The Phantom Stranger 5. Lex Luthor 6. Robin (Dick Grayson) 7. Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) 8. Booster Gold (Michael Carter) 9. The Martian Manhunter 10)The Spectre (Corrigan) 10. Deadman 11. Elongated Man 12. Plastic Man 13. John Constantine 14. Wonder Woman (Diana) 15. The Flash (Barry Allen) 16. The Flash (Wally West) 17. Oracle (Barbara Gordon) 18. Karate Kid (Val Armorr) 19. Brainiac Five (Querl Dox) Stranger and Bug are my favorites, but even I had to concede the top two slots for Big Blue and Batboy. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/6 "2006-05-31T23:55:55Z")
Firestorm (Ronnie/Dr Stein, not the later elemental garbage) is way better than about half that list. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/7 "2006-06-01T00:59:42Z")
Is the list restricted to characters in the current continuity? (post-Crisis, post-Zero Hour, post-Infinite, post-I’ve lost track) That might explain the absence of Supergirl, and even more importantly, Superboy. Yes, I know, Superboy can be considered included under Superman. But consider that even _pre-Crisis_ there were hints that he was effectively a separate character, he had his own title for decades, and was responsibile for the semi-iconic character Krypto. I’d say Superboy deserves a place on the list. ---
**Author:** ![B\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@B\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B_Soup)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/8 "2006-06-01T01:23:33Z")
Where’s **Jimmy Olsen**? His old title featured some of the funniest comic stories ever written! No **Robby Reed**? Dial “H” for HOGWASH! **Bizarro** deserves a much higher ranking. Who wouldn’t rather read a Bizarro story (both the classics from the 1960s and the excellent recent stories in the Superman/Batman series) than a story starring Zatanna, Booster Gold, or even Aquaman? Me so angry at this list, me laugh and laugh! ---
**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, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/9 "2006-06-01T01:23:40Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Is the list restricted to characters in the current continuity? (post-Crisis, post-Zero Hour, post-Infinite, post-I’ve lost track) That might explain the absence of Supergirl, and even more importantly, Superboy. Yes, I know, Superboy can be considered included under Superman. But consider that even _pre-Crisis_ there were hints that he was effectively a separate character, he had his own title for decades, and was responsibile for the semi-iconic character Krypto. I’d say Superboy deserves a place on the list. No. Reboots were smushed together for voting purposes, unless they are very different (so Pre-Crisis and current Kara count as one vote, but Peter David’s Linda Danvers Supergirl wouldn’t). Also, characters were tallied by civillian name, not costume. Thus, Clark Kent is both Superman and pre-Crisis Superboy, just as Dick Grayson is both Robin and Nightwing. ---
**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 1, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/10 "2006-06-01T02:04:38Z")
Most of my favorites made the list (Blue Beetle, Question, Jack Knight, Booster Gold, Animal Man, Mister Miracle, John Constantine, Elongated Man, Swamp Thing), but I would have voted for Deadshot, Catman, and the Golden Age Sandman, Wesley Dodds, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/11 "2006-06-01T05:03:13Z")
I’m slightly miffed that most of my favourites made it to the bottom half, but considering how DC has a frillion million characters I suppose I should be grateful. (_Space Cabby_?) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/12 "2006-06-01T05:26:57Z")
I appreciate Space Cabby for the “weird” factor, heck, I own all of his appearances, but to imagine that in an open vote he was the 18th favorite character is beyond me. Good grief, if he’s that good a character, how come he hasn’t appeared in more than 30 books over a period of 50 years?? ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/13 "2006-06-01T05:28:45Z")
Damn, Travis Morgan as the Warlord was such a good book. Adventure, humor, artistry, beautiful women and he was such an interestingly flawed hero. Seems like he’d get some love as, if I recall correctly, his book was the longest lived of those created in the 70s. ---
**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, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/14 "2006-06-01T09:29:16Z")
Space Cabby? If any of DC’s futuristic characters deserved a nod, it should have been a Legionnaire, the Atomic Knight, Tommy Tomorrow/Kamandi. Heck, even Star Hawkins and Ilda. (Can you tell I’m a fan of Chaykin/Garcia-Lopez’s TWILIGHT?) Swamp Thing and John Constantine made it, but none of DC’s _other_ pre-Vertigo horror anthology characters made it? Destiny, Cain of the House of Mysteries, Abel of the House of Secrets, Eve of, well, Plop!, The Witching Hour witches, Lucien, Gregory the Gargoyle, I… Vampire! For God’s sake, _Etrigan the Demon_ didn’t make the list? Shade the Changing Man? Black Orchid? ANIMAL MAN? F’crissakes, Kobra didn’t make the list. That’s just wrong. ---
**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, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/15 "2006-06-01T09:33:51Z")
Not nearly enough honor done to Jack Kirby’s DC work, IMHYUCO. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/16 "2006-06-01T11:56:11Z")
These lists are always a mistake. Even if split into three lists (hero / villian / supporting cast), it still would not begin to cover the depth of the DC (or Marvel) universe. Also, who the bloody blue blazes is _Space Cabby_? I have been reading comics off and on for nearly 30 years, and that one totally eludes me. ---
**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, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/17 "2006-06-01T12:32:17Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Swamp Thing and John Constantine made it, but none of DC’s _other_ pre-Vertigo horror anthology characters made it? Destiny, Cain of the House of Mysteries, Abel of the House of Secrets, Eve of, well, Plop!, The Witching Hour witches, Lucien, Gregory the Gargoyle, I… Vampire! I direct you to the Phantom Stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/18 "2006-06-01T15:12:36Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > Come to think of it, not many villains. Yeah, they’ve got some showing, but where’s Gorilla Grodd? Where’s Ra’s Al Ghul? A good villain is just as essential to a successful story as the hero. You’d think some of the more memorable omnes would make the list. I agree with that. Not enough villains. There’s no way Grodd ranks below someone like Dr. Fate. ---
**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, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/19 "2006-06-01T15:30:11Z")
Checking the list again, I see Animal Man did make the list, so I’m slightly mollified. The Phantom Stranger is more of a mystic hero than a horror one, similar to the Spectre in most of his incarnations. Both made the list. D\_Odds made a good point about non-powered supporting casts. Alfred Pennyworth and James W. Gordon made the list from Batman titles. Lois Lane and Lex Luthor represent Superman. But no Perry White, Steve Lombard, Cat Grant or Jimmy Olsen, no Ma and Pa Kent. No Amazons for Wonder Woman. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940/20 "2006-06-01T15:55:55Z")
BAD: No Sgt. Rock No Harley Quinn Morpheus and Dr. Fate are way too low. GOOD: J’onn J’onnz makes the top 15. Jonah Hex makes the list. Alltogether not a horrible list. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-52-best-dc-comics-characters/358940.md?page=2)