Everything has a beginning, and for comics, that was the Golden Age. Beginning with the introduction of Superman, the Golden Age would span the '40s and are pretty much the whole reason comics exist in their present form. Golden Age-created superheroes have been appearing in comics for years, forming a bedrock layer that the industry has been set up on, even if some of them have aged poorly.
These prototype superheroes would go through a lot of changes over the years, with some characters reappearing multiple times without gaining a new following or completely fading into obscurity. However, that doesn't mean these characters should be left behind and lost to history.
10 Wildcat
The Justice Society has been mostly gone since the New 52 and fans haven't been happy about it. The team is one of the most important groups in DC history and while they've been slowly coming back over the last few years, it's been too slow for a lot of fans. While many want the team back, some members would work better on their own than others and one of the best would be Wildcat.
Ted Grant was a former champion boxer who put on a costume to fight crime and Nazis. In post-Crisis continuity, he would become a trainer for many younger heroes and was always an entertaining part of any story he was in. His gruff attitude and sense of humor are perfect for the modern times and putting him back into the continuity would be great for many character's backstories.
9 The Spectre
The Spectre is another Golden Age character that has appeared a lot over the years but hasn't really been seen much in recent years. God's Angel of Vengeance, the Spectre is one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe and is ripe for a comeback. The Spectre has always served an important role in the cosmology of the DC Universe and the fact that he hasn't been used in so long is kind of mystifying.
The Spectre would be a perfect addition to the Justice League Dark as either a member of the group or an an antagonist. The character is full of potential and should be given another chance to use his powers to take vengeance in imaginative and frightening ways.
8 The Sandman
When most people think of the Sandman, they think of either the Spider-Man villain or His Darkness Dream of the Endless. However, the first Sandman was a costumed vigilante that would go on to join the Justice Society. Wesley Dodds wore a gas mask, a suit, and trench coat; carried a gas gun; and would solve mysteries, while also adventuring with the JSA.
The Sandman starred in a beloved '90s Vertigo series, Sandman Mystery Theater, and bringing him back in that kind of book— an adult mystery thriller series that explores the dark underbelly of Golden Age DC— would be perfect.
7 Hourman
Hourman is one of the most interesting members of the Justice Society because of the metaphor of his abilities and what was done with the character in later years. Rex Tyler created Miraclo, a drug that gave him super strength and durability for an hour at a time. He would become Hourman and join the JSA, but later years would see a much more interesting wrinkle added to the character.
It would be revealed that he was addicted to Miraclo as well as being a superhero. This makes the character infinitely more interesting than most modern superheroes and was never played with as much as it should have been— it's still surprising there was never a '90s Vertigo series about it. An Hourman series dealing with a superhero addict would be amazing and fit in with DC Black Label wonderfully.
6 Red Bee
Admittedly, Red Bee is not a good character. In fact, the only reason to bring him back would be because of the jokes, but that would make his return completely worth it. Red Bee didn't have superpowers, instead using trained bees and a stinger gun. He also had a favorite bee named Michael who lived in a compartment in his belt.
Yes, it's completely ridiculous, but that's part of the fun of comics— they can be totally abusrd, and Red Bee is a prime example of that. DC has tried to bring the character back in a serious role over the years but they should go all out and embrace the inherent silliness of the character, maybe even taking him in a self-deprecating, fourth wall-breaking direction like Deadpool or Squirrel Girl.
5 The Whizzer
DC isn't the only publisher with ridiculous Golden Age characters. Enter the Whizzer. A speedster who got his powers from a mongoose blood transfusion, he was one of the most powerful members of the Invaders and was important to the early origins of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Looking at him now a days, however, he's hilarious.
He's a guy named the Whizzer and he wears yellow. There's a lot of joke potential there and that's reason enough to bring him back. However, another reason is that the Marvel Universe needs more speedsters. Have him pop out of the time stream or something, get made fun of for a bit, and then change his name and costume to completely reinvent himself.
4 Blazing Skull
Another Invader, Blazing Skull was a war reporter who learned various abilities while sheltering from attack with a group of mystics called the Skull Men. At first, he was just invulnerable to fire and a good martial artist, but as the years went by, he would gain super strength, a healing factor, and the power to control flame.
Blazing Skull could easily fit in with the modern Marvel Universe. He has a good repertoire of powers, a cool look, and his backstory can be molded just enough to keep him relevant. Blazing Skull has a lot of potential.
3 Human Torch & Toro
The original Human Torch, not to be confused with the one from the Fantastic Four, was one of the first Marvel superheroes ever, debuting alongside Namor in Marvel Comics #1. An android, the would join up with the Invaders, fight Nazis and gain a sidekick with similar powers, Toro. He's also been mostly forgotten, unlike a lot of other bedrock Golden Age Marvel characters.
Over the years, attempts have been made to bring both characters back, but none of have been successful. However, seeing as how Marvel has been trying to copy DC lately by emphasizing the age of some of their properties, now would be a perfect time to bring both of them back.
2 The Vision
Not to be confused with the android Avenger, the Golden Age version was an alien police man from a place called Smokeworld. Coming to Earth, he used his powers to help fight Nazis and other superpowered menaces as a member of the Invaders. His variety of powers made him a valuable addition to the team.
The Vision is another character that Marvel kept trying to bring back to little to no success. Because he's an alien, it would be easy to explain why he hasn't aged and his power levels make him perfect for the modern day.
1 Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam has been a part of the DC Universe on and off for years. Leader of the Freedom Fighters, he was shunted to Earth-X, the world where Nazis won WWII when DC acquired him. Post-Crisis, he would become a part of the Golden Age DC superheroes, helping them fight the Nazis. In recent years, he's been shunted back into the multiverse.
Uncle Sam is the literal representation of America. He has super strength which is proportionate to how much people believe in the ideals of the country. DC doesn't really have a patriotic hero like him and with the way things are going in the US, a character who represents all that is good about America would be welcome. Watching him tackle the problems the country is going through could make for great political commentary.