The 1990s were a decade of extremes for the comic book industry. The first half of the decade saw an explosion in sales as speculators came into the market, boosting sales as they bought multiple copies of comics looking for quick returns as the secondary market values increased. This speculation fueled a publishing boom that saw venture capitalists warring for ownership of Marvel Comics.

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As the market crashed, as it did for sports cards and Beanie Babies, the speculators left and publishers saw sales dropping rapidly for their titles. The creative direction in this time ran toward more extreme versions of characters as gimmicks were attempted to boost lagging sales. Along the way, some titles came and went quickly that could've worked, especially in today's vastly different market.

10 Warriors Of Plasm Just Came At The Wrong Time

Warriors of Plasm #4 cover detail

When Jim Shooter left Valiant, he formed Defiant Comics with an initial launch of a comic in trading card form, Plasm. It sparked a lawsuit from Marvel Comics over their UK comic, Plasmer. Defiant won the lawsuit, but the cost helped sink the company, along with the crash of the market.

Warriors of Plasm, as the initial title came to be known, was focused on a world where everything was alive. It thrived by conquering other worlds, and attention was drawn to Earth. Several abductees from Earth fought back against the invasion of the Supreme Acquisitor of Plasm, Lorca. Today, it would fit a market welcome to science fiction comics.

9 Aztek Had Such Potential For Talented Writers

Aztek #4 cover detail

Aztek was a hero raised from childhood in a secret society to battle an Aztec god. He became disillusioned when he realized that the society that raised him and gave him the armor he used was funded by Lex Luthor. Eventually, he sacrificed himself to help the JLA in stopping Mageddon, the actual threat he was raised to defeat.

Grant Morrison and Mark Millar were the writers of the ten issues that Aztek got. Having a hero become disillusioned by learning that his reason for being was compromised was a great story to tell and perfect for great writers like Morrison and Millar. Today's market is much more receptive to intelligent and explorative storytelling in superhero comics.

8 Monkeyman And O'Brien Has All The Elements To Work

Art Adams' Monkeyman and O'Brien

Art Adams had a creator-owned book in Monkeyman and O'Brien, published by Dark Horse. Its initial series sold well enough, but it fell victim indirectly to the demands of the market. Adams was very much in demand as an artist and took on higher-profile work to expand his audience. As of 2006, Art Admas still had plans to eventually get back to the series.

Art Adams is a very detailed artist, and his style still astounds comic fans, new and old. The humorous tone would be a perfect fit in today's market. The only hindrance to getting it done is the will of Art Adams himself.

7 Darkhold: Pages From The Book Of Sins Could Work Without The Comics Code As A Hindrance To Bizarre Horror

Darkhold #1 cover detail

The concept of Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins was a novel one. Each page was being given to unsuspecting people by an evil dwarf. A small team of non-powered individuals fought the effects of each page.

The book was held back from exploring the truly horrific effects of dark magic by the Comics Code, even in its weakened state in the 1990s. Since abandoning the code, Marvel really hasn't embraced the capability to produce a true horror comic. If produced today, writer Christian Cooper might write a very different comic, pushing the envelope further than he did in the 1990s.

6 Coventry By Bill Willingham Had a Rich World Ready For Exploring

Coventry By Bill Willingham Frog

Bill Willingham is now known for Fables, which is a rich world of fairy tales and storybook characters all living in one world. Before that, the creator of Elementals launched a few other series, including one at Fantagraphics called Coventry. It was set in a fictional town where magic existed within a bureaucracy.

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Drawn by Willingham, each page featured gorgeous staging in each panel and was exceptionally easy to read. If published today, it might find a market among fans of fantasy comics since the world was designed to make sense within its own rules. Willingham has even trusted other artists to help craft his vision, especially Mark Buckingham.

5 The Heckler Was Deadpool Before Deadpool Was Funny

Forgotten DC 90s Heckler

In the 1990s, Deadpool was a violent mercenary who expressed a sense of humor but didn't break the fourth wall or embrace the absurd. At this same time, Keith Giffen created a costumed hero named the Heckler who fought villains with tactics reminiscent of Bugs Bunny. In the 90s, there was very little market for humor-driven comics, and Heckler was canceled after six issues.

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Humor is more easily accepted by comics readers today. Deadpool even mixes it with violence and superheroes. The Heckler would have an easier time today finding a fan base and perhaps even thriving.

4 Team Titans Could Have Thrived If It Didn't Have To Try To Be X-Force

Team Titans #15 cover detail

Team Titans was a comic that spun off of two events, Armageddon 2001 and New Titans' Total Chaos crossover. According to TwoMorrows' Titans Companion, Jeff Jensen and Phil Jimenez couldn't agree with the editorial staff who wanted the comic to be DC's version of  Rob Liefeld's X-Force.

They were trying to do something more character-driven. Today, this type of storytelling is more welcome. Having characters from a future that no longer exists is a concept that really drives a story into places seldom explored.

3 Timber Wolf Had The Perfect Tone For Revival Today

Timber Wolf #1 cover detail

In the 1990s, Legion of Super-Heroes member Timber Wolf found himself physically transformed and transported back to the present day with a god-like being named Aria. He became a target of government agents and battling alien invaders. With the failure of his limited series, he was returned to the 30th century.

Timber Wolf was an effort to capitalize on various '90s trends, and it was unlike the issues of Legion of Super-Heroes that led into this limited series. If published today, Timber Wolf could move into adventures that set him apart from the rest of the DC heroes with a point of view of an everyman from the future. It also treated the genre as inherently silly, which fits better today than in the height of the 1990s extreme evolution.

2 Danger Unlimited Was John Byrne's Silver Age Heroes In A Dystopian Future

Promo image for Danger Unlimited

With Danger Unlimited, John Byrne told the stories of two teams, one in the more recent era of heroes and the other forming in a future where Earth had been conquered by aliens. It all centered around Cal Carson, a member of the first team, whose discovery in stasis was the spark of the second team. The origin of all of their powers came from an alien substance called "gunk."

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Danger Unlimited was a title aimed at being more inclusive for all ages, but the trend at the time was for more extreme and violent titles. The collapse of the market also resulted in lower and lower sales numbers for each issue. Today, the market might be more receptive to a more traditional take on superheroes inspired by the Silver Age of comics, welcoming all readers.

1 ClanDestine Has A Gorgeously Rich Potential That Should've Been Harnessed Within The Marvel Universe

ClanDestine Comic characters in a group shot

ClanDestine was a family descended from an immortal father and a magical mother. Each one had their own distinct powers and perspective of their role in the Marvel Universe. The youngest, twins Rory and Pandora, initially thought that they were mutants and set out to be superheroes. When the family was targeted by a shadowy organization, their family came together, some more reluctantly than others.

Writer Alan Davis gave logical explanations for these characters staying out of the way of Marvel history. In most cases, they simply wanted to be left alone. The tragedy of a lost brother underlined this decision to remain uninvolved. It sounds eerily similar to the path being taken by the Eternals in the MCU. In a better world, there'd be a ClanDestine film or Disney+ series.

NEXT: DC: 10 Heroes Whose Powers Have Changed The Most