Jofo's Top Ten: DC Heroes

Who are my favorite heroes from the DCU? Click to find out.

While I was quite a Marvel zombie growing up in the mid 90s to mid 2000s, I did still really enjoy many stories in the DCU, although initially I only read Batman, and the rest of my knowlege came from the various DC Animated series. Over the last decade though I've added several DC titles to my pull list and read several back issues, thus expanding my knowlege of the DC Universe and I have grown to love several characters from the different titles I've read. And without further delay, here are my top ten favorite DC Superheroes.

10. Jason Blood/Etrigan the Demon

 

Powers and Attributes

Jason

• Skilled hand-to-hand fighter
• Studied magic under Merlin
• Immortal
• Orginally from Camelot
• Member of the Demon Knights

Etrigan

• Superhuman strength and durability
• Flight
• Hellfire breath
• Demonic magic

Short Bio

I'm cheating a little bit here since Etrigan isn't really a hero as much as he is a monster within a man. Hailing from the Dark Ages, Jason Blood is a former subordinate of the famous sorcerer Merlin, who strangely decides to seal a powerful demon named Etrigan within Jason as the kingdom of Camelot begins to collapse around them. With Etrigan within him, Jason gains immortality and enhanced magical powers, but most notably he can switch places with Etrigan by reciting a poem. Unfortunately, he has no control over Etrigan who usually doesn't share Jason's more noble motives and seeks to cause trouble.

I admit that I don't know too much about the character pre-New 52 other than he was created by comic legend Jack Kirby, however I've really enjoyed the character in the Demon Knights book. Both characters are very interesting, the nature of their dual existance with one remaining on Earth while the other in Hell is awesome, and their dual relationship with the prophet, Madame Xanadu is perhaps one of the best, ambigous love triangles I have seen in literature to date. I'd like to do a little more backreading on this character, but for now I highly recommend Demon Knights for its excellent portrayal of Jason/Etrigan, as well as it's awesome Arthurian plot.


Notable Stories

• Seven Against the Dark (Demon Knights #1-#7)
• Blood of the Demon

9. Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter)

Powers and Attributes

• Power-suit that grants superhuman strength and durability
• Flight ring
• Gauntlet blasters
• Time travel technology
• Natural athlete
• Numerous corporate sponsers
• From the 25th Century
• Member and occasional leader of the Justice League International

Short Bio

Like Etrigan, Booster is another character that I've only recently become a fan of, mostly due to the recent(ly canceled) Justice League International series, of which he was the leader. Unlike Etrigan though, I've done a bit of backreading on Booster and I've gotta say that he is a prime example of a character developing over time.

 Hailing from the 25th Century, Michael Jon Carter was the star quarterback for Gotham University, however his dreams are dashed after being exposed for throwing games at the behest of his gambling addicted father. Down on his luck, Michael took a job as the night watchman for a museum and, with the help of a security droid named Skeets, ended up stealing several devices on display such as a power suit, flight ring, and a time machine. Using these items, Michael travelled back in time with the intention of using his newly acquired equipment to become the superhero Booster Gold (which was not his intended name), and use his fame to get rich.

Normally I would absolutely despise a character like this, however through the passage of time, Booster has became quite a likable character as his experiences have molded him into a true hero instead of the shameless self-promoter that he originally was. Initially he only cared about himself and the money to be made from corporate sponsers, but now he is a bold (if inexperienced) team leader who looks out for others and genuinely wants to do good in the world, and this transformation earns him a spot in my favorite DC heroes.

Notable Stories

• Crisis on Infinite Earths
• The Death of Superman
• The O.M.A.C Project
• Infinite Crisis
• 52

8.Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)

Powers and Attributes

• Power ring that grants the ability to create various energy constructs. It also gives its wearer access to all information recorded by the Guardians of the Universe, including technology specs, languages, and various other information
• Miltary trained jet pilot
• Flight
• Above average hand-to-hand combatant
• Founding member of the Justice League

Short Bio

Hal Jordan is a character that only recently (2006 to now) under the pen of Geoff Johns, has reached the great potential that the character and Green Lantern mythos in general possessed. Originally Hal was kind of a one note hero inducted into the Green Lantern Corps, until the infamous Emerald Twilight storyline when he killed most of the Green Lantern Corps and became the villain Parallax, until the end when he came to his senses and sacrificed himself to save the world.. However it has recently been retconned to where Hal was actually possessed by the living personification of fear and was actually not responsible for his actions.

Initially I was very much against resurrecting Hal since the character was rather boring, and I feared that it would mean the death of the current Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner. However, Geoff Johns managed to take a rather stiff-necked character and gave him a very likable, if somewhat overconfidant personality. Hal is a hero in the truest sense, shown by his strong sense of justice, and his uncanny ability to conquer fear. In short, Green Lantern: Rebirth was not just the physical resurrection of Hal, but a rebirth of the character in general which earns him a spot on this list.

Notable Stories

• Crisis on Infinite Earths
• Emerald Twilight
• Green Lantern: Rebirth
• Sinestro Corps War
• Blackest Night
• Rise of the Third Army

7.Raven (Rachel Roth)

 Powers and Attributes

• Empathic abilities such as healing, and calming
• Astral projection
• Sorcery
• Darkness and shadow manipulation
• Levitation
• Competant hand-to-hand fighter
• Teleportation
• Daughter of the powerful demon Trigon
• Member of the Teen Titans

Short Bio
Raised in the world of Azarath, Raven was hidden from her demonic father Trigon, and taught to suppress her emotions and powers in order to prevent herself from being used by her father as a weapon. Eventually she came to earth and warned Dick Grayson about Trigon's coming and convinced him to reform the Teen Titans. However Trigon succeeded in controlling Raven and transformed her into his herald, however with the help of the Titans and the denizens of Azarath, she was purged of his influence and seemingly killed. However she returned and took on a secret identity to better fit in one earth.

I was introduced to Raven throug the Teen Titans animated series and was quickly drawn to her due to my affinity for magic based superheroes. Although the animated series had a decent rendition of her, it failed to capture the genuine confusion that she felt by human emotion and instead painted her as a cynical goth (up until their adaptation of the Terror of Trigon). Raven (while a little cold) is a compassionate young woman who struggles with both her desire to have friends and loved ones, and the fear of the effect her emotions have on her great powers. Her cool powers, and backstory make her not only my favorite Teen Titan, but also one of my favorite DC characters; however her tendency to turn evil again for short stretches of time keeps her low on this list.

Notable Stories
• The Terror of Trigon
• The Judas Contract
• Titans Hunt
• JLA/Titans the Technis Imperative

6.Robin (Damian Wayne)

 Powers and Attributes

• Master of several martial arts and weapons.
• Bred by the League of Assassains to be physically and mentally perfect.
• Utility belt with various Wayne-tech gadgets such as batarangs, etc.
• Son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul
• Initially had no qualm with killing

Short Bio
Born to Talia al Ghul, fathered by Bruce Wayne, and raised by the League of Assassins, Damian was a stone cold killer by the ripe age of 10 years old, he was eventually deposited into Bruce's care in an effort by the League to disrupt Batman's operations. However their plan would eventually backfire as  Damian warmed up to both his father and collegues (minus Tim Drake) eventually taking up the mantle of Robin and helping his new family battle both the terrors of Gotham and the league that raised him.

Damian is a rather unique person to take on the role of Robin, mostly because he is Bruce's biological son as opposed to just a ward, which naturally means that his relationship with Bruce would be a different kind of dynamic than that of Dick Grayson or Tim Drake. He also presented a new kind of challenge to Bruce, especially since Bruce despises killing and Damian didn't bat an eyelash at the idea. While most saw a spoiled little brat, I saw a child messed up by his murderous mother's side of the family who eventually grows to become a hero and learn to truly live with the help of his father.

Notable Stories

• Batman Incorporated
• Batman and Son
• The Black Mirror
• The Black Glove

5.Nightwing (Dick Grayson)

 Powers and Attributes

• Potentially the greatest acrobat in the DCU
• Heir to Bruce Wayne's fortune and estate
• Owner of Haley's Circus
• Highly skilled martial artist
• Wields escrima sticks and other Wayne-Tech weapons
• Former founding member and leader of the Teen Titans
• Formerly the first Robin

Short Bio
Dick Grayson was formerly part of a family acrobat act known as the Flying Graysons, until his parents tragically fell to their deaths when mobster Tony Zucco put acid on the trapeze when the circus wouldn't pay him protection money. Bruce Wayne took Dick in raised him as a son, and eventually trained him as the first Robin. Dick eventually decided it was time to move on and changed his costume before finally leaving Gotham all together for the city of Bludhaven.

Dick is arguably one of the most likable superheroes of all time with his optimistic attitude, and fairly relatable life making him nearly impossible to even dislike. Despite mostly being known as the first side-kick, Dick has grown into an extremely skilled solo hero, as well as a great leader during his tenure in the Teen Titans. He even took over as Batman during Bruce's absence after Final Crisis. He's the perfect example of a hero growing up and getting even better as time goes by.

Notable Stories

• Terror of Trigon
• The Judas Contract
• Batman: Dark Victory (as Robin)
• Infinite Crisis
• Titans Hunt
• The Court of Owls
• Death of the Family

4.Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)

 Powers and Attributes

• Power ring that grants the ability to create various energy constructs. It also gives its wearer access to all information recorded by the Guardians of the Universe, including technology specs, languages, and various other information
• Talented artist
• Wields the power of the entire emotional spectrum
• Trained by Batman in hand-to-hand combat
• Personally chosen by the Guardian Ganthet

Short Bio
As the Emerald Twilight event was occurring and the Green Lantern Corps was falling at the possessed hands of Hal Jordan, the Guardian Ganthet made a desperate move and took one last power ring to Earth hoping to find someone to preserve the Corps; he found a young, down on his luck, but talented graphic artist named Kyle Rayner and bequethed to him the final Green Ring. Initially not taking his duties seriously, his girlfriend Alexandra pushed him to become a better hero until her untimely (and humiliating) demise at the hands of a supervillain. Kyle now fights in memory of Alexandra and wields his ring well with his powerful imagination, in addition to the powers of the other colored Corps.

Kyle was the first Green Lantern I was introduced to in the comics (not counting the Justice League Animated series) and I found him to be an immensely enjoyable character, however the primary reason why he ranks so high on the list is because of the recent, excellent book, Green Lantern: New Guardians, in which his character develops even further into that of a true hero who will go to any lengths to save the world, including trying to battle the Guardians of the Universe themselves. Geoff Johns' addition of the multiple ring colors to the Greent Lantern mythos has made this character even more enjorable considering he has been revealed to be able to use all of their powers and become more than just another Green Lantern like Guy, or John.

 Notable Stories

• Emerald Knights
• Emerald Twilight
• Identity Crisis
• Green Lantern: Rebirth
• Sinestro Corps War
• Rise of the Third Army

3. Zatanna Zatara

 Powers and Attributes

• Casts spells by speaking commands backwards, and can achieve virtually any effect desired
• Skilled stage magician
• Former lover of John Constantine
• Daughter of the powerful magician Giovanni Zatara
• Member of the Justice League and Justice League Dark

Short Bio
Daughter of the magician Giovanni Zatara, Zatanna is also a powerful sorceress and highly popular stage magician in the DCU. Little is known of her actual origins beyond discovering her magical abilities while searching for her missing father. She frequently appears as a member of the Justice League and is recently a part of a new mystical based team known as Justice League Dark.

As stated before, I am a huge fan of magic-based superheroes, and Zatanna definitely fits the bill. With her mysterious nature, powerful magical abilities, and beautful appearance, Zatanna is a sheer delight to read about, despite not often being a major character.

Notable Stories

• Identity Crisis
• The Books of Magic
• Zatanna: Mistress of Magic

2.Barbara Gordon

 Powers and Attributes

As Oracle

• Photographic memory
• Skilled hacker and information dealer
• Surprisingly skilled fighter
• Genius level intellect
• Daughter of Commissioner James Gordon
• Paralyzed from the waist down by the Joker

As Batgirl

• Highly skilled martial artist
• Talented gymnist
• Skilled detective
• Skilled hacker

Short Bio
Barbara is the original Batgirl, but eventually gave up the role in pursuit of a more peaceful life. Sadly those dreams were shattered when the Joker showed up at her doorstep and shot her through the spine, thus paralyzing her from the waist down. Barbara didn't let this stop her however, she used her powerful mind and determination to be a force for good to become the information broker and hacker named Oracle. She served as the eyes and ears of Batman, the Justice League, and the Birds of Prey for many years, and overcame the limitations of her handicap in doing so.

While I do really like Barbara as Batgirl now, I much preferred her as Oracle, because she was a rarity in the superhero world as a physically handicapped person. She was an inspiration for those who shared her handicap, and proved that you don't have to be a active fighter to be a hero (although she is still more than capable of defending herself even in her wheelchair).

Notable Stories

• The Killing Joke
• Death of the Family

1.Batman (Bruce Wayne)

 Powers and Attributes

• Trained to physical perfection
• Master of several martial arts and weapons
• Possesses vast wealth and resources
• Founding member of the Justice League
• Genius level IQ
• Utility belt filled with Wayne-Tech gadgets and weapons.
• The world's greatest detective.
• Master of disguise

Short Bio
I almost don't need to have a bio here since practically everyone these days knows the history of Batman, but for completeness sake I will include one. Born to the wealthy Wayne family, young Bruce suffered a great tragedy one night after a movie when his parents were killed by a mugger. Vowing vengence against crime itself, Bruce traveled the world and honed his body and mind to perfection, then returned to Gotham and became its shadowy protector, Batman. By day he is a billionaire philanthropist, but every night he takes to the rooftops of the city, and protects its citizens from both everyday criminals, and psychotic super-maniacs like the Joker and Scarecrow.

Batman is not only my favorite DC superhero, he is one of my favorite superheros of all time. He worked for his abilities instead of them just being handed to him (minus his wealth) he puts the safety of Gotham and its citizens above his own welfare, and he absolutely refuses to take anyone's life. Despite his grim, brooding nature, and his knack for attracting tragedy, he is a hero in the truest sense of the word and a role model for both new DC heroes, and for people in real life as well.

Notable Stories

• The Killing Joke
• Crisis on Infinite Earths
• Batman: Year One
• Knightfall
• The Long Halloween
• Hush
• Identity Crisis
• Infinite Crisis
• Final Crisis
• Batman: RIP
• The Court of Owls
• Death of the Family