Comics

Top 10 DC Superheroes of the ’50s

The transition period between the Golden and Silver Ages, the 1950s, introduced many new heroes that changed the DC Universe forever.

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With the end of World War II, the superhero genre lost much of its momentum because people no longer cared about costumed characters fighting gangsters and Nazis. Moreover, the Golden Age of comics was coming to an end in 1954, amid a growing moral panic over the violence depicted in the medium. By 1956, the Golden Age had officially come to an end, but the Silver Age was just getting underway. Running from 1956 to 1975, the Silver Age is characterized by its brightness, colorfulness, and inspiration from the emerging genre of science fiction. Instead of gritty noir tales and war stories, superheroes fought a wide variety of flashy supervillains and aliens.ย The stories were much lighter and sillierย because DC Comics was trying to appeal to a younger demographic. New generations ofย heroes, oftenย inheritingย the mantles of their predecessors,ย in some casesย became even more popularย than the originalsย and expanded theย DCย universeย to new heights.

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In a time when noir and patriotic superheroes were becoming outdated, DC Comics managed to revitalize the industry with new stories and heroes that were out of this world (sometimes literally).

10) Phantom Stranger

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An entity shrouded in mystery, the Phantom Stranger has been an enigma ever since his introduction in 1952. No one in the DC Multiverse knows who or what the Phantom Stranger is, as he can appear anywhere at any time and possesses arcane knowledge.ย He primarily acts as an observer, watching major events unfold from the shadows. And,ย Phantom Strangerย only uses his god-like mystical powers when the fabric of reality is at stake, such as when the Black Lantern Corps attempted to exterminate all life in the universe. He has many contradictoryย origin stories, including being a man from Ancient Rome, a time traveler from the future, one of the first humans, an angel, and even Judas Iscariot. Whoever or whatever the Phantom Stranger is, he isย certainly one of the most powerful entities in the DC Multiverse.

9) Adam Strange

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Created in 1958, Adam Strange was written to appeal to fans of science-fiction adventure stories. Adam was an archaeologist who was accidentally teleported to the alien planet Rann. He quickly grew to love Rann and its people, becoming the planetโ€™s protector by utilizing a jetpack and a ray gun. Adam also fell in love with a Rannian named Alanna. However,ย the teleporter that brought Adam to Rann was temporary, and he was forced to go back to Earth.ย Desperate to get back toย what he viewed now asย his true home, Adam deduced when the next teleportation event would happen, andย hitched a ride back to Rann.ย Using special tools, he figured out a way to nullify the temporary effect of the teleportation.ย Adamย thenย married Alanna and became the high-flying superhero of outer space.

8) Lightning Lad

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In 1958, DC launched a new 30thย century generation of heroes: the Legion of Superheroes.ย The original team was inspired by the legacy of Superman, and consisted of Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, and Saturn Girl. Garth Rand, aka Lightning Lad, is an alien from the planet Winath. He is the first superhero in comics to possess electric powers. Garth and his siblings, Ayla and Mekt, all received their electrical powers after being attacked by an alien monster called a Lightning Beast. The three siblings absorbed the creatureโ€™s bioelectricity and gained its power. Ayla later became the heroine Lightning Lass, while Mekt became the villain, Lightning Lord. A headstrong and reckless hero, Garth is always ready to charge into battle.

7) Cosmic Boy

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The original leader of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Rokk Krinn, aka Cosmic Boy, is one of the greatest heroes of the 30th century. Debuting at just 15 years old, Rokk and the rest of the Legion are one of the first teenage superhero teams in comic book history. Rokk is an alien from the planet Braal and, like the rest of his species, can control electromagnetic fields. With this ability, Rokk can manipulate metal, generate force fields, and absorb energy. A strategic thinker who’s always cool under pressure, Rokk is a natural-born leader and mentor for all future members of the Legion of Superheroes.

6) Krypto

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In 1955, a young Clark Kent, at the time known as Superboy, became the owner of the worldโ€™s first superhero pet: Krypto the Superdog. Hailing from the planet Krypton, Krypto was launched into space by Supermanโ€™s birth parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, who wanted to test if their rocket was safe for their sonโ€™s voyage. Upon landing on Earth, Krypto eventually found Clarkย once he had also arrivedย and became the heroโ€™s pet and sidekick. Since he is from Krypton, Kryptoย has all of Supermanโ€™s powers, like super-strength, flight, and heat-vision. Krypto became the founder and leader of the Legion of Super-Pets, a team of animal superheroes that include Ace the Bat-Hound and Streaky the Super Cat. With his powers and sense of loyalty, Krypto is the best boy in the DC Universe.

5) Saturn Girl

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Imra Ardeen, aka Saturn Girl, was the first female member of the teenage superhero team of the 30thย century, the Legion of Superheroes. Irma stands out amongst the teamโ€™s original trio due to her powerful abilities and impact on comics. As the strongest telepath of the 30th century, Irma can read minds, brainwash people, and even fire telepathic energy bolts from her mind. Her importance only grew in 1963, after the Legion held its first official election to decide who should be the team leader. Irma won the election and became the first female comic book character to lead a superhero team. Since then, Irma has continued to be one of the most iconic members of the Legion of Superheroes thanks to her caring nature, leadership skills, and remarkable powers.

4) Martian Manhunter

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A founding member of the Justice League of America, Martian Manhunter is one of the most iconic and influential superheroes in DC Comics. First appearing in 1955, Jโ€™onn Jโ€™onzzย is the last survivor of Mars, which had its civilization destroyed in a brutal civil war between the Green and White Martians. Jโ€™onnย was able to escape the same fate as his people when a scientist accidentally teleported him to Earth. The shock of seeing the Martian caused the scientist to die of a heart attack. With no home to return to, Jโ€™onn integrated himself into human society. He adopted the persona of the human detective John Jones. Jโ€™onn has one of the most diverse power sets of any hero:ย he has super-strength, flight, telepathy, heat vision, shapeshifting, density manipulation, invisibility, and more. But itโ€™s his wisdom and generous nature that have made him the heart of the Justice League.

3) Supergirl

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In 1959, Superman discovered that he was not the last Kryptonian, as his cousin, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, also survived their homeworldโ€™s destruction. Like Superman, the teenage Karaโ€™s parents placed her in a rocket to save her from Kryptonโ€™s destruction. Her destination was the same asย thatย ofย her baby cousin Kal-Elโ€™s rocket: Earth.ย However, as Karaโ€™s rocket left Krypton, it accidentally went through a wormhole. The wormhole caused Kara to enter a period of suspended animation, which put her into a deep coma and paused her aging process. Upon crash-landing on Earth, Kara found that decades had passed since Kryptonโ€™s destruction, and her baby cousin was now twice her age. Shaken but happy to be reunited with her cousin, Kara made a home for herself on Earth just like Superman.ย 

2) Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)

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Hal Jordanโ€™s debut in 1959 not only introduced the world to a new Green Lantern but expanded the entire DC Universe in a way few other characters have. When a dying alien named Abin Sur gave Hal a Green Lantern ring, Hal was recruited into the greatest peace-keeping force in the universe: the Green Lantern Corps. Created by the immortal Guardians of the Universe, the Green Lantern Corps consists of thousands of Green Lanterns from countless alien worlds. Hal became the protector of Space Sector 2814, an area that encompasses thousands of inhabited planets that rely on him as their protector. With his ring, Hal can create anything he can think of and is limited only by his imagination and willpower. Due to his unbreakable will, Hal has proven himself to be one of the most powerful Green Lanterns the Corps has ever forged.

1) Flash (Barry Allen)

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With the end of the Golden Age, the next chapter of DC Comics began in 1956 with the introduction of Barry Allen, aka The Flash. The first hero of the Silver Age, Barry Allen helped revitalize the superhero genre following the post-war decline. He was everything the age represented: light-hearted, creative, and brimming with potential. A forensic scientist who was doused in chemicals after being struck by lightning, Barry became the fastest man alive as the second Flash. Harnessing the Speed Force, a cosmic energy that is the source of all motion across time and space, Barry can move millions of times faster than the speed of light. As the Scarlet Speedster, Barry protects Central City and becomes the first person to explore the Multiverse. With one of the longest and richest histories in DC Comics, Barry will always be the quintessential Flash.ย ย