If there’s one thing I love about DC Comics, it’s how many new heroes its pushed in the last several years. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the classic heroes like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. But I really do appreciate seeing DC take a chance on new ideas, either with legacy heroes or champions with completely original powers. Just a few years ago, it seemed like DC Comics was really pushing a bunch of new heroes. But recently, these characters have been reduced to sporadic appearances, assuming they even pop up at all.
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Admittedly, it’s hard to make new characters work in a genre that embraces familiarity and the status quo. But there are a couple of modern heroes I thought did really well with their first couple of appearances, like the Still Force-channeling Flash associate, Circuit Breaker. Or Degenerate, DC’s Hulk, who gains powers by being a complete jerk. 2025 was largely a back-to-basics approach for the DCU, but as we head into the new year, I would love to see some neglected new characters make a return, especially these five.
5. Degenerate
Unstoppable Doom Patrol was a fun series, and it introduced a new member, Maurice, aka Degenerate. Degenerate’s powers were activated after Lazarus Planet, allowing him to be much stronger and more durable. However, his powers are dependent on Maurice being angry and mean to others. He was featured in the miniseries, but he’s yet to show up anywhere else, despite fellow newbie Doom Patrol member Beast Girl being featured in Titans. I’d love to see what else DC Comics could do with Degenerate outside of the Doom Patrol, but honestly, just seeing him again, period, would be nice.
4. Circuit Breaker
Speaking of heroes activated in the wake of Lazarus Planet, Jules Jourdain also developed powers after that event, specifically a connection to the Still Force. As a diametric opposite to the Flash, Circuit Breaker can drain energy from others and transfer it to others or even use it himself. Jules had a few appearances in The Flash, and he still shows up in DC’s Pride annuals, but I feel like there has to be room for Circuit Breaker somewhere, especially with the Justice League being as big as it is now.
3. Bolt
I’m honestly amazed at how quickly Bolt disappeared after his initial debut. Malik White was a huge part of his ancestor Black Adam’s last miniseries, where White was endowed with the Living Lightning, transforming him into the hero Bolt. Despite the connection to Black Adam, Bolt is nothing like him and uses his powers for good, becoming an ally to the Shazam Family. But strangely, he’s been virtually nowhere outside of a couple of DC Power specials. There’s a lot of great potential with a heroic descendant of Black Adam’s and I’d love to see DC utilize him again.
2. Xanthe Zhou
I positively loved Spirit World and its main character, Xanthe Zhou, aka the Envoy. Xanthe is a powerful magic user who can travel between the realms of the living and the dead. Admittedly, they have had a few more appearances than a few others on this list, popping up in books like Birds of Prey or Justice League Unlimited. But Xanthe is too good a character to use in small doses, and if nothing else, they really need to be in a team book. I mean, Justice League Dark is practically calling Xanthe’s name, right?
1. Sideways
When it comes to new heroes, I don’t think they got better than Sideways. He was a unique character, he had a great power set, and worst of all, his series was canceled before it ever really got a chance to find its voice. Derek James might have been created to bite Spider-Man’s style during the New Age of DC Heroes, but Sideways is so much more than that. He’s a fun, dynamic character who deserves another chance to tell his story, rather than be relegated to popping up in cameo appearances for the rest of eternity.
What DC hero do you want to see make a comeback in 2026? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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