Currently, anti-heroes are becoming the face of the DC Extended Universe starting with the release of The Suicide Squad and then Peacemaker, with James Gunn breathing new life into those characters, and it will soon be followed up with Black Adam. This franchise is not putting out new content at the same pace as its rival the MCU, choosing to be far more meticulous, yet still confounding.
Part of what made the recent run of projects so enjoyable for all audiences was the utilization of characters unknown to the general public, like Peacemaker or Bloodsport. While they could continue this trend with more villains and anti-heroes, the many underutilized and misunderstood heroes from the comics also deserve said treatment.
Captain Comet
Adam Blake aka Captain Comet is a hero with a long history in the comics, though he’s been lost to obscurity recently. He was first introduced in 1951, during the oft-forgotten Atomic Age of Comics Books, between the Golden and Silver Ages. Importantly he is actually one of the first comic characters to be born with his powers – a metahuman in DC comics – like Namor the Sub-Mariner in Marvel Comics.
He has been described as a man born a thousand years ahead of his time, with an extremely vast powerset, including teleportation, telekinesis, and super strength, and he’s even gone toe-to-toe with Superman. As befits his name and origins, his stories revolve around the cosmos, so if the DCEU were to venture beyond Earth, Captain Comet could surely come into play.
Deadman
The DCEU is currently missing the exploration of the mysterious and supernatural, an important part of the universe in DC Comics. There are plenty of characters who will hopefully be introduced soon to rectify this, such as Zatanna and/or John Constantine. In fact, there is a Justice League Dark TV show and other character-specific series apparently in development by JJ Abrams for HBO Max.
An important, yet less-widely recognized character who needs to be incorporated into these projects is Deadman. Boston Brand was once a very selfish man, but upon his death, he was given a second chance at redemption and he gained the strange ability to possess living beings. Using it he tries to avoid eternity in damnation as a hero and member of Justice League Dark. There is really no other character out there like him, so he should definitely be utilized soon.
The Question
Peacemaker was an extremely special case for the DCEU and not only for the fact that casual audiences had never heard of the character. He was actually a creation of Charlton Comics and with other action heroes, he was acquired by DC comics years later. The Crisis on Infinite Earths integrated these characters into the main continuity, and many have become quite prominent. One former Charlton Comics creation who also deserves their shot in the DCEU is the Question.
Recognized for his faceless mask – a precursor to Rorschach in Watchmen – Vic Sage operated as the Question, a detective obsessed with conspiracies, helping other heroes solve mysteries. There is actually already a link into the DCEU for the Question through Birds of Prey, in which Rosie Perez plays Renee Montoya, Sage’s protégé and successor.
Fire & Ice
Fire and Ice are a powerful duo who have been showcased and featured periodically throughout the various DC animated shows like Justice League Unlimited and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. However, neither has appeared in a significant way in live-action.
Fire is a Brazilian hero named Beatriz da Costa, who envelopes herself in a brilliant green flame to fight and fly. Her compatriot, Ice is a cryokinetic metahuman from Norway named Tora Olafsdotter, who is also in an on-again-off-again relationship with Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Together they are an incredible power duo, and they deserve their time to shine in live-action, whether in a film or an HBO Max show.
Matter-Eater Lad
Among the many great new characters introduced in Peacemaker, the show also made consistent references to some of the most ridiculous characters across DC Comics, including Matter-Eater Lad. As his name implies, his superpower allows him to consume anything and everything. Frankly, this might sound stupid, but it is actually very resourceful. If he or an ally were to be captured or trapped, there is nothing stopping him from eating their way out.
At first glance, he would make a strange inclusion in the DCEU, but if James Gunn were to include him in Suicide Squad 3 and/or the second season of Peacemaker he would fit in quite well. The most important factor would be the casting – just get someone who can match John Cena’s humor and convincingly eat anything.
Jesse Quick
The DCEU might need a new speedster soon. The Flash is still on schedule to arrive in theaters on June 23rd, 2023, but there has been continual controversy surrounding it. Thankfully, there are plenty of other heroes who could take up the role, such as the other Flashes, Jay Garrick or Wally West. However, they might benefit from a completely new perspective through Jesse Chambers aka Jesse Quick.
She is the daughter of fellow speedsters Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle, inheriting their abilities and becoming a member of the Teen Titans and Justice League. Since DC has a surplus of Flash-like heroes, she hasn’t gained the recognition of many of her contemporaries, so she would make for an interesting addition.
Mister Terrific
Black Adam is said to be featuring several iconic members of the Justice Society of America, including Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher. However, there are many more great and underutilized heroes from the precursor to the Justice League, including Mister Terrific. He is especially deserving since he is actually one of the smartest humans in the DC universe, and the DCEU could use some more wits.
Michael Holt aka Mister Terrific was first introduced in 1997 and he has appeared sporadically in animated series and films. He made his live-action debut in season 4 of Arrow, played by Echo Kellum. He is recognized for this characteristically-strange T-shaped mask and his T-spheres, which can really serve any technological purpose – both of which could make him an intriguing character to watch in the DCEU.
Artemis of Bana-Mighdall
Among the turmoil and ambiguity riddling the DCEU over the past several years, they know they can continue to rely on Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. Wonder Woman 1984 did receive mixed reviews, especially compared to its predecessor, but Patty Jenkins and the DCEU are supposedly forging forward with Wonder Woman 3 and a TV series focusing on the Amazons.
Either of these projects could and should introduce some of Wonder Woman’s best allies and contemporaries, especially Artemis of Bana-Mighdall. She is also an Amazon, but from a faction that left Themyscira and built a new home, Bana-Mighdall, in Egypt. She has even taken up the mantle of Wonder Woman herself, but the everyday fan probably doesn’t know this or much about Artemis and her group of Amazons.
Extraño
Due to the popularity of heroes like Constantine and Zatanna, other magic-wielders from DC Comics have been consistently overshadowed. One such hero is Gregorio de la Vega aka Extraño. He was first introduced in 1988 as a mediocre magician affiliated with the Green Lantern Corps, but he has since become a powerful and eccentric sorcerer.
Importantly, he is also the first openly gay superhero in DC Comics and now he serves as the leader for Justice League Queer, a team of LGBTQ+ heroes such as Midnighter, Aqualad, Batwoman, and Steel. This is an element of representation that is sorely lacking from the DCEU. Like Deadman, he could be incorporated into Justice League Dark and related series – perhaps introducing him as an ally and/or lover to fellow sorcerer, John Constantine.
Ambush Bug
The DCEU struck gold by hiring James Gunn and The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker set the stage for the new phase in the franchise. Currently, the only news regarding Suicide Squad 3 is that fans will have to continue waiting for news according to Gunn. However, that shouldn’t stop speculation and theorizing about who could be next to be introduced in these stories.
A strong candidate is Ambush Bug. He is like the Deadpool of DC comics, breaking the fourth wall and he is a joke to his fellow heroes, who just view him as a nuisance. His strange powers allow him to teleport across the multiverse – explaining that he can travel into any comic book. If they can make a psychopathic weasel and an anthropomorphic shark feel so authentic, they can do the same for Ambush Bug.