In the 1960s, Charlton Comics made a legitimate attempt at making the "big two" the "big three." Comic fans often have high praise for the publisher which featured creators like Steve Ditko, Jim Aparo, Denny O'Neil, and Dick Giordano. John Byrne, Roger Stern, and Bob Layton had early work published by Charlton as well.
There were many great characters in Charlton comics, and many of those were purchased by DC Comics in 1983 and incorporated during 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths. That mini-series folded the world of the Charlton Action Heroes folded into the reformed DC Universe. Most famously, some of these characters were proposed for Alan Moore's series that eventually became Watchmen.
10 Doctor Graves Was A Sorcerous Hero
The Many Ghost of Doctor Graves started as a horror anthology as Charlton, like many publishers, chased trends. Doctor Graves was a narrator and host, much like Cain, Abel, the Crypt-Keeper, and others. Graves was introduced in Ghostly Tales #55 and went on to have his own comic which ran for 72 issues.
Doctor Graves would occasionally take on a Doctor Strange type of role. Usually, he would act as a narrator. Given Charlton's later troubles, and the fleeting nature of his given genre, he really didn't stand a chance. There were some really great stories, especially the twelfth issue by Steve Ditko that rivaled Doctor Strange stories.
9 Sarge Steel Was A Private Eye With A Steel Fist
Sarge Steel was a hard-bitten detective and spy. After losing his left hand, he has it replaced by a fist of solid steel, which he would use inevitably in many fights. His action stories are set in contrast with the superheroes in Charlton's Action Heroes line.
Sarge made the transition to DC Comics, taking a place in the Intelligence community. He became involved with the Suicide Squad and served on Lex Luthor's cabinet. His solid steel hand also became a functional prosthesis.
8 Thunderbolt Trained To Physical Perfection
Peter Cannon was a costumed adventurer who trained to the peak of physical and mental perfection. His recurring enemy was the Hooded Monk, whose face had been hideously scarred. His title took over the numbering of the defunct Son of Vulcan and ran for nine more issues.
He did have a brief run at DC Comics, even being the inspiration for Watchmen's Ozymandias. The character even was part of the Justice League for a brief time, but the rights reverted to creator Pete Morosi. Dynamite Entertainment has published tales of the character since, making changes to the character, notably the relationship between him and his best friend Tabu.
7 E-Man Became A Humorous Cult Sensation
E-Man is a very powerful alien with nearly unlimited energy powers. Created by Nicola Cuti and Joe Staton, he was a humorous take on super-heroes. With ownership transferred to the creators, the character has achieved cult status among comic fans.
After his brief run at Charlton, E-Man went on to a run at First comics where it delved firmly into parody. He went on to a series of publishers including Comico and Digital Webbing Press. The E-Man comics remain a favorite for fans of lighter comics, clearly separate from any trend towards "realism" and grim storytelling.
6 Judomaster Was A Martial Arts Master
Judomaster was a martial arts-based character with a past in World War II. He was rewarded for his heroism by being trained in judo. He took a kid sidekick named Tiger. When incorporated by DC Comics, he became ingrained with DC Comics history, serving with the All-Star Squadron and spending time in Nanda Parbat.
DC Comics has made Judomaster a legacy character, which most likely stems from a visually striking costume. The original's son used the identity as an operative for Checkmate. The Justice Society had a female Judomaster of Asian heritage, developing the character outside of a white hero appropriating Asian culture.
5 Nightshade Was A government Agent Working With Captain Atom
Nightshade was the daughter of a US Senator whose wife and son disappeared. Nightshade trained, knowing that her mother was an extradimensional princess. She took a secret identity as a CIA operative, often teaming with Captain Atom. They even had a brief romance.
Incorporated into the DC Universe, Nightshade became a longtime member of the Suicide Squad and a member of the mystical team Shadowpact. She was even reworked within the context of the New 52's Suicide Squad. Amazingly, her Charlton Comics appearances are in the public domain, but the character remains a DC trademark.
4 Peacemaker Loves Peace So Much He'll Fight For It
Peacemaker is gaining a resurgence lately, with a role in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. He's also getting a television series. Given that he'll be played by the charismatic John Cena, this is enough to spark interest in a character that is such a paradox.
Diplomat Christopher Smith was a pacifist that realized there was only one way he was going to see a world at peace. He had to be willing to fight for it. He developed non-lethal weapons to wage war on dictators and warlords. His title only lasted five years, but had a lasting impact, as demonstrated by his current resurgence.
3 Captain Atom Was Charlton's Most Powerful Superhero
Captain Atom was Charlton's answer to the trend in the Silver Age towards nuclear-powered superheroes. Disintegrated in an accident, he pulled himself back together and discovered that he then had superpowers. After a brief hiatus, Captain Atom returned with many stories done by Steve Ditko. Despite the excellence of the stories, Captain Atom went the way of many of Charlton's super-heroes, namely being purchased and incorporated by DC Comics.
At DC, the character received an upgrade growing even more powerful than he already was. His nuclear powers became based on quantum mechanics, although the military officer rarely demonstrated the highest potential of his powers until the New 52 revamp of the character. To be fair, even the world's experts on quantum physics don't quite know how to explain its properties, so comic books shouldn't be expected to, either.
2 Blue Beetle Might Be The Most Influential Hero
Ted Kord was a legacy hero that ended up having a legacy of his own. When created by Steve Ditko, his most appealing bit of tech was his scarab-shaped ship, the Bug. It's not surprising that Blue Beetle was the first Charlton hero to appear in a DC comic, specifically Crisis on Infinite Earths #1.
Blue Beetle served with the Justice League and maintained his own series longer than any other Charlton hero DC Comics purchased. He then gave way to a new incarnation in the 21st century in Jaime Reyes, bonded with an alien scarab that creates a powerful suit of armor. Blue Beetle might be the most influential of any Charlton hero.
1 The Question Was A Mysterious Street-Level Hero
The Question has had numerous incarnations since DC brought him into their universe. Consistent with his creation, he remains a mysterious street-level hero with a mask that gives him a featureless face. He stands in contrast to superheroes like Captain Atom and well-founded or connected costumed heroes like Blue Beetle, Peacemaker, and Nightshade.
The Question's legacy comes from Alan Moore using him as a starting point for Watchmen's Rorschach. A lot of that comes from the Objectivist beliefs of the Question's creator, Steve Ditko. Those beliefs were reflected by the hero, not compromising in his fight of right vs. wrong.