Superhero comics have a tendency to introduce dozens of new characters each year. Some stick, becoming instant hits with the community. Others don’t make the same waves, meaning they tend to fade into the background sooner rather than later. Once popular heroes are subject to being forgotten if the comic book industry doesn’t keep them in active storylines. With so many heroes rising up and saving the day, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. That said, almost every reader will have at least one hero they adore, regardless of how long it’s been since they’ve appeared in a comic. So we’re hoping that these ten heroes will be making a comeback, complete with a modern makeover.
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We know that publishers don’t mean to let these characters fall between the cracks. Sometimes it just happens, especially when series keep getting handed from one creative team to the next. Each new team has different characters they love and want to highlight. It happens, we get it. But we’re still going to cross our fingers for their return.
1) Starling (DC)
Evelyn Crawford is better known as Starling. She was the first member to join the Black Canary’s Birds of Prey, though that has since changed. She and Dinah go way back, which explains why she was so quick to help her friend out in an organized team. Unlike a lot of superheroes, or even those on the Birds of Prey team, Evelyn doesn’t have any proper superpowers. She’s trained in acrobatics, firearms, and hand-to-hand combat. She’s also pretty handy at pickpocketing, so it’s probably better to keep her at arm’s length.
Starling hasn’t been seen a whole lot since her time on the Birds of Prey. That might have something to do with how she betrayed Dinah and the Birds of Prey, but hey, you’ve got to admit that it made for an interesting story! She tipped Mr. Freeze off against the team, and got hit by a Canary Cry in response. Oops.
2) Justice (Marvel)
Vance Astrovik, aka Justice, is a Marvel hero who has seen a lot since his introduction. He’s a founding member of the New Warriors, though he went by a different superhero name then (Marvel Boy). He’s Earth-616’s counterpart to the Guardian of the Galaxy, Major Victory, and that’s a lot to live up to.
Justice can generate psychokinetic energy, turning it into force fields or giving himself a boost (flight, blasts, etc). He’s a talented hero who has tried really hard to become something greater. As such, he’s worked alongside countless Marvel teams, including Secret Avengers, Avengers Academy, and even the Avengers (as a reserve member, mind you). Most recently, Justice was seen in a reboot of New Warriors, which didn’t last more than a dozen issues.
3) Ragman (DC)
Rory Regan, aka Ragman, lives up to his namesake. His costume looks to be made up entirely of rags and scraps of fabric, and that’s by design. He fights crime wearing a raggy cape, which is made up of the Suit of Souls. This cape can channel magic, giving him some kinetic control in the process.
Ragman is a classic DC Comics vigilante, which means that, historically, he fought crime in Gotham City. Yeah, it may be hard to stand out when you’re putting yourself in direct competition with Batman. He has tried to make a difference in the world, even joining up with Justice League Dark for a time. Ragman deserves another chance to shine, and we’d love to see what a modern iteration of his cape would look like.
4) Wonder Man (Marvel)
There has been a lot of talk about Wonder Man, so now seems like the perfect time to bring this hero back to the forefront. Simon Williams is an actor-turned-superhero, and he’s got a pretty interesting history in Marvel Comics. Granted, he’s been around since the ’60s, so that’s plenty of time to accumulate a compelling backstory.
Wonder Man has an ionic energy form, superhuman strength, speed, and other classic superhero abilities. He’s been around for many major Marvel events, including more recent events like War of the Realms. He was more recently seen in the Infinity Comics line, but now is the time to give him a solo series and put it in print.
5) Jinny Hex (DC)
Who here remembers Jonah Hex? Most DC Comic readers are probably at least vaguely aware of his name. However, they may be less aware of Jinny Hex, Jonah’s great-great-granddaughter. Where Jonah was more the anti-hero type, Jinny tries to be a hero through and through, and that includes a more upbeat attitude in life.
Jinny Hex does have superpowers (unlike Jonah Hex). She’s effectively immortal, can absorb energy, and perhaps has other abilities, but she’s still trying to get a better understanding of those. She was a proud member of the Young Justice team, though sadly, they have since disbanded. Perhaps the team can rally and come back together, Jinny Hex included.
6) Darkhawk (Marvel)
Christopher Powell, aka Darkhawk, has been a part of Marvel Comics since the ’90s. However, it’s safe to say that more recent years have not treated this hero well. He’s currently in limbo, effectively. He may have sacrificed his life to buy time for the universe, but the lack of clarity leaves fans uncertain about his state. So there’s still hope for his return!
There has been another Darkhawk since then, but fans would still love to see Christopher Powell return as Darkhawk. He’s a cosmic hero with deep connections to the rest of the Marvel Universe. He was there for the first Civil War, joined up with countless classic heroes, and overall has done everything in his power to save the day. Chris deserves more than an ambiguous ending, so cross your fingers that we’ll see him again.
7) Doctor Light (DC)
Kimiyo Hoshi probably didn’t do herself any favors when she took up the mantle of Doctor Light. Yes, that means there are two Doctor Lights in the DC Universe, one is a hero while the other is a villain. Kimoyo is the former, who appeared during Crisis on Infinite Earths. She took the world by storm, almost literally. She ended up being a huge powerhouse during the battle against the Anti-Matter, so it may be hard to forget about her.
Doctor Light has a connection to the Light of Creation, which she used to help save the universe. She also has a pretty decent power set outside of that, including phasing, flight, and light projection. Despite having saved the universe, Doctor Light doesn’t appear all that much these days.
8) Songbird (Marvel)
Melissa Gold, aka Songbird, is a complicated character in Marvel Comics. She started out on the side of villainy, using the name Screaming Mimi. She joined up with Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil, which may say a lot about her. She met and fell in love with Angar during this time, and was accordingly devastated by his death. This is relevant because following Agnar’s death, Melissa threw herself into turning the Masters of Evil into a faux-superhero team, the Thunderbolts.
One thing led to another, and Melissa realized she liked being a superhero. She became known as Songbird, and she joined up with the Thunderbolts when they became a legit superhero team. She’s naturally made plenty of allies and enemies, and her story is almost always unique or compelling. She has been making more frequent appearances in the Thunderbolts revival, thanks to the movie. However, now should be the time to really let her shine and take up a solo series.
9) Doctor Occult (DC)
Osgood Arsmby, aka Doctor Richard Occult or Doctor Occult, is another character with a long history in DC Comics. He’s survived multiple universal reboots, but it’s safe to say he hasn’t gotten a lot of attention in recent years. He’s the legendary Ghost Detective, and yes, that does mean he’s dead.
His origin story is rooted in World War II, as he was a magician of the time. He since took up the role of protecting the House of Secrets, which may have led to his downfall. However, this is the world of comics; nothing is stopping Doctor Occult from making some sort of grand return.
10) Paladin (Marvel)
Last, but certainly not least, there’s Paladin. He’s a mercenary of Marvel Comics, and unlike some of his counterparts, he’s done a solid job of keeping his real identity a secret. So we don’t actually know who he is, behind the fancy specs. We do know that he is both a private investigator and a mercenary, basically meaning he’ll do anything for the right price.
Paladin has made some interesting choices during his appearances in Marvel Comics. He has taken money to track down the Purple Man (risky), gotten into fights with Daredevil, and taken work from Diamondback. He’s also worked for Silver Sable’s mercenary company, so there’s that. Overall, he does a pretty decent job of staying firmly in the middle of Marvel Comics, never officially taking one side or the other.
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