5 DC Characters Who Don’t Deserve the Hate

DC Comics is home to some of the best characters in modern fiction and has millions of devoted fans. However, not every character is equally beloved. Indeed, some have developed large groups of people who dislike them and their stories. Still, in the same way a character can be considered overrated, these heroes and villains can be classified as over-hated. Sometimes such grievances can be valid, but other times the animosity doesn’t seem particularly fair. The hatred can often stem from misunderstandings about a character, their storylines, or their purpose in the narrative. Whatever the case may be, these heroes and villains are much more engaging than many people give them credit for.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion regarding how they feel about certain characters. Still, these DC characters in particular have personalities and storylines that deserve a second chance.

5) Batman Who Laughs

One of the most popular new villains introduced in the last decade was the Batman Who Laughs, and many people felt that he quickly overstayed his welcome as the big bad of DC Comics. A Jokerized version of the Caped Crusader from the Dark Multiverse, the Batman Who Laughs has tactical brilliance, sadistic humor, and power-ups that ultimately led to him threatening the multiverse. While a case can be made that the Batman Who Laughs has been overexposed, he was a genuinely chilling villain who acted both as a satire for the Batman and the Joker’s plot armor, as well as a metaphor for absolute nihilism. The Batman Who Laughs was also at the center of many great storylines, including his origin story and both Dark Nights events.

4) Robin (Damian Wayne)

The thing about many of the critiques surrounding the fourth Robin, Damian Wayne, is that they can all be easily explained by looking at his background and character arc. Many people dislike how he’s a bratty, stubborn, and overly competent child. However, given that he was literally raised by Talia al Ghul and the League of Assassins, it is not surprising that he is all those things. But it was honestly refreshing to see Batman having to mentor a less mature Boy Wonder and teach him that violence isn’t always the answer. Batman’s lessons clearly paid off, as Damian’s character development led to him cutting himself off from the League of Assassins and making friends with Superboy, the Bat-Family, and the Teen Titans.

3) Harley Quinn

When Harley Quinn made her debut in Batman: The Animated Series, people fell in love with her wild personality and tragic relationship with the Joker. However, over time, many people felt she was overexposed and shouldn’t have been turned into an anti-hero. Everyone has their own idea as to what constitutes “overexposure,” but Harley’s transition from villain to anti-hero was both believable and necessary. Not only was her finally breaking free of the Joker’s abuse extremely cathartic, but by her becoming a more heroic figure, she was allowed to distance herself even more from her abusive past to carve a new name for herself. Harley has also been at the center of plenty of great stories where she toes the line between hero and villain.

2) Flash (Barry Allen)

It’s hard to believe that the second Flash, Barry Allen, has become so controversial in recent years, but after his climactic resurrection in 2008, many people feel that he’d be better off dead. The source of this resentment lies in DC Comics’ unfair sidelining of Wally West to put Barry back in the spotlight. However, that creative decision wasn’t Barry’s fault, and he’s made the most of it with some really invigorating storylines like Rebirth, Flashpoint, “Reverse,” and “Finish Line.” Barry’s grief at the loss of his mother at the hands of Reverse-Flash also gives him much more emotional depth and nuance than many readers give him credit for. Whether Barry or Wally is the definitive Flash, Barry never truly lost his touch as the Scarlet Speedster.

1) Superman

Despite being the first and most iconic superhero, Superman has his fair share of detractors who think that he’s too boring, unrelatable, outdated, and overpowered. This mindset, in part, led to the widely popular evil Superman trope. However, the core of Superman’s character is that his struggles are less about physical threats than about deeply complex, nuanced moral dilemmas. His kindness is not born out of naivety or poor characterization, but instead of limitless optimism and a genuine desire to help others just because it’s the right thing to do. Superman is the ultimate symbol of how ideas of compassion and heroism are timeless, and how they can rise and defeat any evil and ensure a better tomorrow for all.

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