A few weeks ago, DC announced that Red Hood will be getting a new ongoing series starting in September. With how popular the anti-hero is it makes a lot of sense but the real kicker is that it is going to be a mature 17+ series that is actually in-continuity. That latter bit is a surprising turn as DC usually shies away from doing mature books in the main continuity to keep more readers in easily accessible reading points. But Red Hood is a popular character and DC is taking a chance to do something new.
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With Huntress joining Jason Todd in New Orleans, there’s bound to be a lot more grit in the series. If it succeeds, it should be a big hit and a new practice for DC going forward. A lot of fans are excited about it, and this is the perfect time to look at some of DC’s other characters who could benefit from having a mature in-continuity series.
1) John Constantine
Everybody’s favorite petty dabbler of the dark arts, John Constantine is begging for a mature series. Currently John hasn’t had much going for him in canon but was living pretty large over at DC Black Label. While he’s no stranger to the mature treatment, it has always been out of continuity. With how well his books sell and his general popularity, it’s time for him to return to that, just in continuity.
Ever since the end of his Vertigo series, John has been in a very strange state of affairs over at DC. While it’s nice to see him with the rest of the heroes of the DC universe it is a bit jarring to say the least. Even seeing him on the Justice League watchtower feels wrong, but it would also be weird if he was removed back into the Vertigo world. This would be the best way for writers and fans alike to have their cake and eat it too.
2) Deathstroke
Deathstroke may be the greatest assassin in the DC universe. Having tangled with The Titans and Nightwing plenty of times he’s one of the biggest haters in comics. After a few solo outings in the New 52 onwards, Deathstroke has made his mark as a solid character selling solo books. After the legendary Christopher Priest run, Deathstroke would be a worthy contender for a mature series.
Taking account of how controversial the character is by a lot of fans would be a bold move for DC. Priest did a similar approach showing him be a no-holds-barred type of character that’s not like even the worst average person. Having all of the aspects that make him ruthless upfront would be the best case scenario for a story for Slade Wilson. He’s called Deathstroke for a reason, after all.
3) Suicide Squad
Before the current takes on the Suicide Squad acting similarly to the Secret Six, the original take on the Suicide Squad has long needed a comeback. Rather than taking out superhuman threats as an anti-Justice League, the idea of an off-the-books task force made up of Death Row inmates would be perfect. Keeping Rick Flag and an ever changing lineup of members in a mature book that has a grittier, and more grounded scope would be a real return to form for the team and it could be so good.
As it currently stands, it appears Waller is out of the game and Deadshot is on the outs with her as well. Maybe it’s time to give Captain Boomerang the leading role next to Flag or Bronze Tiger even. Get the obscure weirdos back with Rick Flag, bump the rating to mature and you’ve got a classic Suicide Squad again.
4) Lobo
The fraggin’ main man himself is in need of a mature series. Mini, Maxi, or ongoing we can’t get enough of Lobo and his wacky antics as is. It has felt like DC has wanted to push him a lot more lately so why not give him the mature treatment? A hardcore bounty hunting series, with more than enough violence would be the best thing for him. Maybe even throw in a fight from that other Lobo too, just to add salt to the wound.
With the retcon of there being way more Czarnians, there’s a lot to be had with that thought. Lobo going through the universe hunting them down to keep his title could be gold. No matter how they approach things, Lobo is primed for the comeback and mature is the way to go.
5) Red Robin
For most, Tim Drake doesn’t scream dark and gritty; some would say the opposite actually. For a while now DC has let Tim get a bit boring, and he’s needed a change. The best thing you could do is to do pretty much the same thing that’s going on with his brother Jason: Move him away, take Bernard with him and make it a detective thriller. Why do this for Tim though? Tim has a lot of unresolved trauma and using a mature title would be the best way to tackle that.
Tim often has middle child syndrome due to his place in the Bat Family. Mix that with some repression of being bisexual, and the loss of his parents, and it has the makings a good psychological book. It would also be a way to firmly establish Tim as not a child, but not necessarily a seasoned adult, as the character has sort of inhabited a weird in-between space for some time.
6) WILDC.A.T.S
After the most recent WildC.A.T.S. series, they are in need of a mature book. Spawning from Jim Lee’s Wildstorm imprint in a semi-mature series, the WildC.A.T.S., have always pushed the boundaries for government work. Acting more like the Suicide Squad at times, these guys have a lot of hard hitting battles that need to be explored with a mature rating.
With some members like Deathblow and Zealot always being seriously injured in fights, this would help keep that rating too. Plus there’s always a chance of having this series being a commentary on black ops teams too and the stuff that comes with that. While they may not be everyone’s favorite, this could bring them back in a fun way for new and old fans alike.
7) The Joker
The one may be a bit of an eye roll to most, but in the modern age of DC, the Joker is perfect for a mature series. With writers always pushing him to be darker than the iterations before theirs, it would only make sense. Yes he’s definitely overused and doesn’t need a solo title, but in the right hands it would sell itself with a mature rating. One of the most iconic Joker stories did that with Joker by Brian Azzarello. Now we just need it fully in continuity.
Whether you agree of disagree with the idea of Joker having an ongoing again, the mature rating would be a huge boost for him. As long as someone adds some more playful elements like Matthew Rosenberg, DC could have some epic and terrifying wins on their hands.
Who do you think deserves a mature series at DC? Let us know down in the comments.
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