DC was the main architect of the modern superhero, starting with Superman in the Golden Age. Since then, they've created a coterie of amazing heroes. Many of them are among the most well-known heroes in comics, having moved beyond them to become multimedia stars. However, not every hero can be among the most famous of all time but that doesn't mean they don't deserve it.
DC is full of underrated heroes that for one reason or another don't get the plaudits of others. Some of them have fallen from grace and others haven't had as much of a chance to shine.
10 Fire Is A Fun Powerhouse
Fire is one of the best members of the Justice League International, which itself was one of the best rosters of the Justice League. Fire's powers are simple and obvious, she creates and controls a special green fire. On top of that, she's also one of the more entertaining members of the team, which is saying something on the JLI.
Fire doesn't get a lot of love outside of JLI revivals, which is a tragedy. She's just a fun character, able to do a lot of damage when she needs to, and quick with a joke. There are so many ways she could be used to make her more popular.
9 Miss Martian Has Everything She Needs To Be A Superstar
Miss Martian is a big deal in the Young Justice cartoon, but for some reason, she's never really done much in the comics. She's a Martian, which means she has all of the best superpowers, she has a bubbly personality that makes her a joy to read, and a very cool secret that adds a lot to her character.
Miss Martian could use a stint on the Justice League or another of the big DC teams in order to get more spotlight. She can hang with the most powerful heroes and her earnest heroic attitude would make her a great addition to any group.
8 Jakeem Thunder Never Got A Fair Shake
The Justice Society revival of the late-'90s brought a lot of great legacy characters to the fore and one of them was Jakeem Thunder. Finding the pen that Golden Age hero Johnny Thunder used to summon the Fifth Dimensional genie the Thunderbolt, Jakeem joined the JSA and became one of its most powerful and irreverent members.
Jakeem grew a lot over the years as a character and was one of the group's heavy hitters. He and the Thunderbolt made a great team, especially once Johnny himself bonded with the Thunderbolt. A stint on the Teen Titans would give him the spotlight he needs to shine.
7 Tempest Has Grown A Lot Over The Years
Garth goes by Tempest these days, but he started out as Aqualad and is one of a select number of sidekicks who have grown in power over the years. He's a master of Atlantean magic and has the requisite super strength and durability that all Atlanteans have. This has made him a formidable hero and he mostly worked with the Titans over the years.
As Atlantis's premiere magical protector, Tempest has gotten lost in the shuffle with Aquaman and Mera's return to prominence. He's an experienced, powerful hero who hasn't gotten the chances that other Titans alums have.
6 Jaime Reyes Put Blue Beetle Back On The Map
Blue Beetle is a rather venerable mantle in the DC Universe, and Jaime Reyes brought it into the 21st century. Jaime, unlike his direct predecessor Ted Kord, got the Beetle Scarab to work, gaining superpowered armor. Jaime's time as Blue Beetle redefined the mantle and he was one of the brightest stars of his generation of superheroes.
Jaime got a lot of love for a long time, but when Ted Kord's death was retconned away, he took a backseat to the older Blue Beetle. Jaime is a great hero and the history of the Scarab gave him built-in enemies. Giving him another chance to shine could make him a legend, and with an upcoming movie, he may just have his shot.
5 No Hourman Has Ever Gotten The Love They Deserve
There have been three different Hourmen over the years and none of them have gotten a fair shake. The first Hourman, Rex Tyler, was one of the founding members of the Justice Society and his addiction to Miraclo made him more interesting than most of his compatriots. His son was the second Hourman and overcame many of the same demons as his father to become a stalwart member of the modern JSA.
The third Hourman was a nano-based android from the future with a variety of time-based powers. Each one has their strengths and none of them get the love they deserve compared to other heroes. Hourman is a great part of the DC Universe that more people need to know about.
4 Jesse Quick Is One Of The Best Legacy Heroes No One Has Heard Of
Jesse Quick carried on in her father's footsteps, learning his speed formula and tapping into the Speed Force. After his death, she took up the Quick name and started hanging out with the Flash before eventually joining the JSA and becoming one of its most beloved members. Eventually, she'd also gain the super strength and durability of her mother Liberty Belle, making her strong and fast.
Jesse Quick is a hero who can do it all and is massively entertaining. The wife of the second Hourman, the two have made an excellent team and Jesse's one of the best unsung heroes of her generation.
3 Hawkman Should Be Treated Way Better
Hawkman is one of DC's most important- and convoluted- characters. Originally debuting in the Golden Age as a member of the JSA, he was brought back as a space policeman from the planet Thanagar in the Silver Age. Crisis On Infinite Earths nuked his origin and made it very complicated, which is one of the reasons he's such a hard sell in modern comics.
Every modern Hawkman story has to begin with a story making sense of his tangled origin but that's the wrong way to go. Hawkman is a guy with wings and a mace who is smart and likes to hit villains. Everything else is baggage.
2 Kyle Rayner Got Unfairly Overshadowed
Kyle Rayner was part of the raft of replacement characters of the '90s and probably the most successful. As Green Lantern, Kyle revived the flagging franchise and brought it back to prominence. He became one of the most powerful Lanterns ever but once Hal Jordan came back, he got pushed into the background. While he's been in ensemble books, there's a whole generation of fans who don't why he's so amazing.
Kyle was a linchpin of the JLA and helped defeat some of the greatest threats in the DC Universe. He's a great multi-faceted character and putting him back on the League would go a long way towards making him famous again.
1 Mister Terrific Should Be The Biggest Superhero In The DC Universe
Mister Terrific is one of DC's smartest heroes. He's the ultimate polymath; a multiple Ph.D., a gold medal-winning Olympic decathlete, and a genius inventor. He's the modern Justice Society's greatest leader and their Batman equivalent, except that he's actually a good person. In fact, even Batman admits Terrific is better than him.
Terrific is great in just about any environment, whether it be on his own, in the JSA, or with the Terrifics. He's one of DC's greatest leaders, an amazing combatant, and there isn't a case he can't solve. He could easily be DC's biggest star with little work.