5 Underrated New Heroes of the 2020s

The most famous superheroes are the ones who have been around the longest. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman have all been around for over eighty years at this point, and they’ve each created legendary reputations that have turned them into household names. Comics are a medium that runs on what is proven to work, after all, so the Big Two companies are incentivized to keep the same old heroes kicking until they stop working. Of course, this isn’t to say that the only popular heroes are the oldest ones. Every hero was new at some point, and now and then, a new hero will leave a major impact on the comic book world.

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Today, we’re going to take a look at five new heroes from DC who have the potential to set the superhero world on fire, but have been practically nowhere since their debuts. Specifically, we’re taking a look at five heroes introduced since 2020. Some of these heroes have had more spotlight than others, but all of them could definitely use more time and space to flesh out who they are, what they want, and how they can save the day. They all have massive potential, but they need a chance to show it.

5) Marilyn Moonlight

Marilyn Moonlight started as an Old Western hero, defending Metropolis when it was still a small settlement. Eventually, she passed due to old age, but was resurrected in the modern age as a ghost with the ability to control moonlight. She was forced to only exist at night until she discovered the truth of her origin, though that curse was eventually broken. A cowgirl ghost who shoots moonlight bullets is legitimately one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. Unfortunately, the grand reveal of her backstory was rather underwhelming, and since then, she’s languished without much relevance. Marilyn definitely has the chops to be one of Metropolis’s defenders today, and I’d love to see a story about her adjusting to modern life.

4) Red Canary

When the Justice League was killed in the build-up to Dark Crisis, Sienna decided to fill the void that her personal hero, Black Canary, left, and fight to protect her neighborhood. She became the Red Canary, a rookie hero who clearly has a lot to learn, but whose heart is in the right place. As of the Justice League Red mini-series, she’s demonstrated that she has an uncontrolled connection to the Red, the mystical energy that connects all living things. What makes Red Canary interesting isn’t her newfound power, but what she represents. She’s a reminder of the impact that heroes have on the world and has a unique perspective. She sees herself as an outsider to the superhero community, and her perspective on it could make for a very interesting exploration.

3) Bolt

Malik White was a normal med student in the Bronx until he learned that he was the descendant of the legendary and infamous Black Adam. After a brush with death, Teth-Adam pulled a trick from Billy’s book and shared his power with Malik. Infused with the aspects of six Egyptian deities at the call of Shazam, Malik rechristened himself Bolt. Black Adam intended for Bolt to be his successor and the redemption of their family legacy, which makes it all the more disappointing that he hasn’t had any major appearances since Teth’s return to villainy. Bolt is the living bridge between Black Adam and the Captain, and the fact that they haven’t met is a major disappointment.

2) Xanthe

When Xanthe was still a little kid, they were struck and killed by a car. However, thanks to their body accidentally crossing into the Spirit World alongside their soul, they were partially revived. Now half-alive and half-dead, they work as an envoy between Earth and the Spirit World, keeping the peace and delivering goods. As the expert in a vastly underexplored corner of DC’s magical world, they have the potential to be the next Constantine. Xanthe combines their vast knowledge with incredibly unique joss paper origami weapons. Watching them fight and bargain their way out of dangerous situations is a blast, and they can definitely do a whole lot more as a star of DC’s magic side.

1) Monkey Prince

Marcus Sun grew up hating superheroes, especially Batman, after the Dark Knight seemingly attacked his parents for no reason. What he didn’t know was that his parents were career henchmen for villains all around the country. Even later, he learned that he was the son of the mythical Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Monkey Prince has all the trappings of a major hero, and his connections to Journey to the West make for some of the most fun reads that I’ve had in the past few years. Unfortunately, despite all of his boundless potential as the son of one of the most influential and greatest fictional characters of all time, his own series didn’t last beyond twelve issues. The Monkey Prince deserves another shot to show everyone why he’s the son of the king.

So there we have five highly underrated superheroes introduced this decade. Which underrated new hero is your favorite? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!