Of the two mainstream comic companies, DC has done a lot more for mature readers titles than Marvel has. Starting in the early '80s with Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, DC began to market certain books to an older audience with the subject matter to match. Eventually, this would lead to Vertigo, where many old DC concepts would find a new home with fewer rules than the mainline series. Lately, DC has started up the Black Label, a place for the heroes of the DC Universe to battle the sinister threats their worst enemies pose.

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While the line has mostly focused on Batman, there are a wealth of DC characters that deserve a Black Label book or two.

10  John Constantine And His Bloody Work

John Constantine Hellblazer DC Comics

John Constantine's most recent mature readers' book got canceled but that doesn't mean that he can't get a Black Label one-shot or mini-series in the future. With his Vertigo heyday far behind him, perhaps some shorter form stories would reintroduce him to fans who weren't around for his earlier books.

Constantine's adventures always have grave consequences for himself and those around him and the best place to illustrate that is the Black Label. Constantine is a character who can work in the regular DC Universe but his adventures are best played out in a place with no limits, like the Black Label.

9 Zatanna And Some Of The Horrifying Magic She Uses

DC Comics Zatanna

Vertigo was home to a lot of DC's magical characters in its heyday but one that never made the trip to the mature reader's side of things was Zatanna. This was always pretty weird, as most of the rest of the magical side of the DCU that she interacted with had a Vertigo book. Zatanna's adventures have had a lot of ups and downs and giving her a Black Label book actually makes a lot of sense.

While Zatanna's a bit too nice of a person to be dropping F-bombs, the more horrific side of magic would be best illustrated in a Black Label book, where the terror and gore wouldn't be censored. Plus, it would make up for the weirdness of Zatanna never getting a Vertigo book.

8 Sandman And His Investigations Into Awful Crimes

Wesley Dodds Sandman

This one isn't about Morpheus, who already has his own Black Label book, but the Golden Age Sandman, Wesley Dodds. This Sandman was a member of one of the DC's greatest teams, the Justice Society, but also worked on his own, solving mysteries. In the '90s, he had his own Vertigo book, Sandman Mystery Theater, to tell of his adventures and a new Black Label version of that would be great.

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The original Sandman Mystery Theater took a realistic look at the terror and horror the worst of crimes could cause without flinching and a new Sandman Black Label book could do the same thing, showing him trying to solve the most horrific crimes of the '30s and '40s.

7 Black Adam Does Not Take Half Measures

Black Adam Sits On His Ancient Throne And Fights Shazam

Black Adam started his life as a villain but his time in Geoff Johns' JSA made him one of the premiere anti-heroes of the DC Universe. Black Adam has no qualms about taking down anyone in his way and a Black Label book could capture his adventures in all their violent glory.

Black Adam's adventures have always pushed the limits of what can be done in an all-ages comic, so giving him a Black Label book would take the constraints off him, allowing him to use his powers and indulge his bloodlust in a way he had never been able to before.

6 Lex Luthor And His Complex Schemes

Lex Luthor stands at the head of Lexcorp in DC Comics

The Joker has already gotten his turn in a Black Label book or two, so now it's Lex Luthor's turn. Superman's greatest foe, Lex Luthor is one of the premier villains of the DC Universe and has rarely gotten to star in his own book. A great place to start would be in a Black Label book, where he can do just about anything.

Lex Luthor may be a super genius, but he's also always felt like the kind of guy who would curse a lot behind closed doors. Beyond that, a book starring a villain definitely should be more mature reader oriented as villains get up to some pretty terrible things in their spare time. A Black Label book could take a deep look at one of DC's greatest villains.

5 Hawkman And His Violent Methods

Hawkman From DC

Hawkman has long been considered one of the most violent heroes in the DC Universe and a great place for violence is a mature readers imprint like the Black Label. Hawkman has super strength and hits people with a spiked mace. That's going to cause a mess and the best place to show that is the Black Label.

Hawkman's arsenal and brutality make him the perfect hero to put on the Black Label. The visceral violence of Hawkman's adventures would find a great home on a mature readers label, showing it in all of its grisly majesty.

4 Sinestro Can Use His Fear-Powered Ring In Terrible Ways

Sinestro raises his arm to strike in DC Comics

Sinestro has long been on a quest to bring his own version of order to the universe, one that usually involves him using his fear-powered ring in terrible ways. In a Black Label book, Sinestro would be able to do the terrible things that everyone knows he does with his ring without the creators having to pull away or make it less horrific.

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A being whose power is fear-based would benefit greatly from a mature readers book. Plus, fans could get to see a foul-mouthed Hal Jordan hunting down a Sinestro on a rampage, which, frankly, is definitely worth the price of admission.

3 Checkmate And Her Messy Spywork

Sasha Bordeaux in the Checkmate initiative - DC Comics

The premiere spy agency of the DC Universe, Checkmate would perfect for a Black Label book. Spy work is often messy and the best way to let readers see this would be in a mature reader's book. Starring Batman's former girlfriend Sasha Bordeaux, it could take a look at what the world of superhero spycraft could do to a person.

Being a spy is a tough and bloody job and that would be compounded by having to deal with superpowered people. The toll such work would take would be vast and the best way to show readers both the work and how it affects the people doing it would be in a Black Label book.

2 The Creeper And The Madness He Has Within Him

Creeper-Sane-Insane

The Creeper is one of those characters who has always been cool looking but hasn't gotten enough love in recent years. The best place to capture the mad adventures of television host Jack Ryder's maniacal alter ego is a Black Label book, where his madness can be released on the bad guys with no restraint.

The Creeper has always been one of the creepier (sorry) vigilantes in the DC Universe and giving him a Black Label book could set him apart from the others. Pitting him against the violent, seedy underbelly of the DCU in all its terrible glory could put the character back into the reader's mind.

1 Hourman And His Drug Addiction

Rex Tyler as Hourman in front of a clock

While Hourman may seem like a goody two shoe Golden Age hero, there's something that has always been off about him. His power comes from popping pills that affect him for short periods of time, making him into a superhero. In later years, it would be revealed that he was addicted to his powers.

A Black Label book could show exactly what a drug addict superhero could be like. This is something that has rarely been explored and a Black Label book could take a warts-and-all look at what it means to be a superhero junkie and how Hourman fights his way back from that.

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