2021 was a big year for new DC Comics characters taking the spotlight, as many fresh heroes and villains made their debut. With Future State, Fear State, and more events and stories being the perfect vehicle for new characters to be introduced, many standout faces made significant impacts in the pages of DC Comics in 2021.
DC Comics opened up its Multiverse like never before in 2021, leading to an impressive wave of new heroes and villains being introduced. Alongside events like Future State - which saw a handful of new characters take on the roles of legacy heroes - several fresh faces with staying power debuted. Here are the best new characters who made their way into DC Comics stories in 2021.
Jay Nakamura
In Tom Taylor and John Timms' Superman: Son of Kal-El, Jay Nakamura has become an important piece of Jon Kent's life. The activist and journalist quickly proved to be a much-needed, reliable partner for Jon - while even having his own mysterious superpowers. Nakamura not only humanizes DC's current Superman but makes him a better hero. We're hoping their relationship lasts a long time as Nakamura has become a welcome new character in the DC Universe. It will be exciting to see how his powers develop, as well.
Yara Flor
Flor's design, personality, and adventures have made her the breakout character from DC's Future State event. She's persistent, badass, and a superstar hero.
Joelle Jones created a truly special character when Yara Flor was introduced towards the end of Dark Nights: Death Metal. The Brazillian Amazonian was the perfect choice as Future State's Wonder Woman and has been a joy to follow in her own ongoing Wonder Girl series. Flor was so popular that a television series (later shelved) was developed as the hero's adventures were still in their infancy.
Still, Flor's staying power is evident as the hero isn't going anywhere soon.
Stitch
Stitch is DC Comics' best new hero, as the magical ragdoll and secret apprentice of Doctor Fate absolutely stole the show in Teen Titans Academy. Created by Tim Sheridan and Rafa Sandoval, Stitch is a non-binary magic user who's just scratched the surface of their powers. Seeing Stitch run for class president and gaining a much-needed morale boost was one of the most heartwarming comic moments of 2021. We're super intrigued to see where Stitch goes next.
Gold Beetle
Gold Beetle, created by Jeremy Adams and Fernando Pasarin, combines Blue Beetle and Booster Gold in a spectacularly fun way. The 30th Century hero played an integral part in protecting the Multiverse from the Unkindness. So, when she seemingly disappeared at the end of Future State, it seemed like the character would be gone too. Thankfully, Gold Beetle returned as Wally West stumbled through time and the Speed Force, leading to an excellent team-up issue between Gold Beetle and the Impulse-controlled Flash.
Gold Beetle is just a fun, energetic character who is the personification of one of DC's best bromances. It would be great to see the character team up with Booster Gold and Blue Beetle at some point, as it would be chaotic fun at its best.
Haley
There isn't much to be said about Haley (aka Bitewing), besides she's a very good girl who's proven to be an excellent sidekick for Nightwing in his newest adventures. The three-legged dog, created by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, gives Lucky the Pizza Dog a run for his money as the cutest pup in comics.
Flatline
Flatline, created by Joshua Williamson and Gleb Melnikov, made quite the entrance in the Lazarus Tournament, ripping out Robin's heart. The goth villain had an immediately recognizable design from Melnikov, with a dark backstory to boot. However, the character shines because of her incredible powers (she absorbs the powers of whoever she kills) and more human moments. Seeing her talk about Manga with Robin as they were still amid the deadly Lazarus Tournament was heartwarming. Hopefully, DC has plans for Flatline as the Lazarus storyline ends.
Jace Fox's Batman
While Tim Fox was introduced in the pages of DC Comics decades ago, he made his real debut as the new Batman (using the name Jace Fox) in 2021, so we're going to count the hero as a new character. Fox proved to be worthy of the Batman moniker despite his more violent tendencies. So whether it's in Future State or current DC continuity, Fox has earned the Batman title. Moreover, his growing profile showed there's room for more than one Batman in the DC Universe.
Miracle Molly
Miracle Molly, created by James Tynion IV and Jorge Jimenez, ended up playing an instrumental role in the Fear State event at DC Comics, as she helped Batman take down the Scarecrow. The cybernetically enhanced hero's eye-catching design and role among the Unsanity Collective helped establish her as one of the most important heroes in Tynion IV and Jimenez's Batman run. The question remains, will Miracle Molly's adventures continue now that their run is over? We sure hope so.
Whistle (and Lebowitz)
Whistle and Lebowitz, created by E. Lockhart and Manuel Preitano, starred in a young adult graphic novel and immediately fit in alongside some of Gotham's most iconic characters. The Jewish hero has the powers of a canine, including super-hearing and super-smell, which she used to take on Edward Nygma and Poison Ivy. Since Whistle just became DC canon, it would be great to see her get more adventures in the DC universe.
Levi Kamei
Introducing a new hero who's taking on a similar role as an established, beloved character is always somewhat tricky. But, when Ram V and Mike Perkins introduced Levi Kamei's Swamp Thing, the Indian antihero felt like a great continuation of Swamp Thing while bringing something new to the table. The horror series starring the new Swamp Thing was the perfect vehicle for Kamei, who will star in season two of his own ongoing series next year. We can't wait to see where the new Swamp Thing's DC Comics adventures go next.
This month, Screen Rant will be featuring numerous end-of-the-year lists. Check out Screen Rant's best comic books of 2021 and keep an eye on more posts to come.