The new DC Universe from co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran is now in full swing, with its first chapter, “Gods and Monsters,” successfully launching a trio of well-received projects. The universe officially kicked off with the adult animated series Creature Commandos, which premiered on Max in December 2024. This was followed by the franchise’s first theatrical film, Gunn’s Superman, which opened in July 2025 to positive reviews and a lucrative worldwide box office. The story then continued with the second season of Peacemaker, which began airing in August and streamlined the DCU’s canon. This initial wave perfectly establishes the DCU’s core strategy of balancing iconic A-listers like Superman (David Corenswet) with obscure characters like the monstrous members of the Creature Commandos.
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The upcoming slate continues this exciting trend, pairing major tentpoles like Supergirl and the Batman-and-Robin-centric The Brave and the Bold with more unexpected genre fare. A body-horror film focused on Clayface is in production and scheduled for a September 2026 release, while a gothic horror take on Swamp Thing is also in development. On the animation side, an adult-oriented Mister Miracle series based on Tom King’s award-winning comic has been announced, promising to explore the cosmic side of the universe with the New Gods. DC Studios’ creative approach makes the new DCU the ideal landscape to finally elevate heroes who have long been waiting for their moment in the spotlight.
5) Vixen
Mari McCabe is a successful supermodel and activist who fights crime using the power of the mystical Tantu Totem. This ancient Zambesi artifact allows her to tap into the morphogenetic field, a force that connects all life, giving her the ability to mimic the traits of any animal on Earth. Whether she needs the proportional strength of an elephant, the speed of a cheetah, or the flight of a hawk, her powers are as versatile as the animal kingdom itself.
Vixen is a perfect hero to introduce into the DCU because she brings a unique blend of magic, street-level action, and a distinctly global perspective. Her connection to the Tantu Totem and African spirituality would allow the franchise to explore mythologies far beyond the established American settings of Metropolis and Gotham. Furthermore, Mari is a compelling character outside of her mask, balancing a high-profile public career with her secret life as a hero. This duality would make for a rich solo story, but she would also be a fantastic addition to a future Justice League roster, offering a unique power set and a grounded worldview among gods and billionaires.
4) Deadman
Boston Brand was a world-renowned circus acrobat whose life was tragically cut short when he was assassinated by a mysterious hook-handed man during his trapeze act. In the afterlife, a Hindu goddess named Rama Kushna granted his spirit a unique power: the ability to possess any living being. As the spectral hero Deadman, he is tasked with solving his own murder while also helping the innocent from beyond the grave. He exists as an invisible and intangible ghost, only able to interact with the physical world by temporarily inhabiting the bodies of the living, which allows for incredible storytelling possibilities.
The introduction of Deadman would perfectly align with the DCU’s push into supernatural horror, a direction already signaled by the development of Swamp Thing and Clayface. His story is a compelling mix of a murder mystery and a tragic ghost story, exploring themes of grief, unfinished business, and the search for justice after death. A Deadman series on Max could function as a paranormal detective show, with Boston Brand investigating threats that other heroes cannot even perceive. His presence would also be the perfect catalyst to introduce a team like Justice League Dark, bringing the magical and monstrous corners of the universe together.
3) The Question
Created by the legendary Steve Ditko, the Question is the faceless alter ego of investigative journalist Vic Sage. Operating out of the deeply corrupt and morally bankrupt Hub City, Sage is a brilliant detective and martial artist driven by a relentless pursuit of truth. Unlike many other heroes, he possesses no superpowers, relying instead on his intellect and an unwavering, often objectivist, philosophy. His most iconic feature is his Pseudoderm mask, which renders his face a complete blank, creating an unsettling and mysterious persona that reflects his uncompromising nature as a seeker of conspiracies and hidden truths.
The Question is exactly the kind of street-level hero the DCU needs to balance its more fantastical elements. A project centered on Vic Sage could be a gritty detective thriller in the vein of classic crime dramas, a perfect fit for the world being built out in shows like Waller. After becoming a fan favorite in the animated series Justice League Unlimited, a live-action adaptation of the Question would provide a dark, cerebral, and tonally distinct corner of the DCU.
2) Animal Man
Buddy Baker is a dedicated husband, father, and C-list superhero who gains the ability to “borrow” the abilities of any nearby animal after a close encounter with a crashed alien spaceship. His connection to “The Red,” the life force that connects all animal life, allows him to mimic the flight of a bird or the strength of an ant. While his initial comic book appearances were straightforward, his character was famously reinvented by writer Grant Morrison, who used Animal Man to tell meta-narratives that explored animal rights, the nature of fiction, and a character’s relationship with their creator.
Bringing Animal Man into the DCU would give Gunn a character perfectly suited to his creative sensibilities. Buddy’s “everyman” persona makes him a highly relatable protagonist, a family man trying to balance his extraordinary life with his ordinary responsibilities. A project based on Morrison’s celebrated run could deconstruct superhero tropes in a smart and sophisticated way, with Buddy eventually becoming aware that he exists as a character within a cinematic universe. This would allow the DCU to become brilliantly self-referential and experimental, pushing the boundaries of the genre in a way that would set it apart from all competitors.
1) Ambush Bug
Irwin Schwab is a mentally unstable and deeply delusional man who stumbles upon a green suit from a crashed spaceship that grants him the power of unrestricted teleportation. After a brief and unsuccessful stint as a villain, he decides it would be more fun to be a hero, much to the annoyance of established figures like Superman. What truly defines Ambush Bug is his complete awareness that he is a character in a comic book. He constantly breaks the fourth wall, speaks directly to the audience, and uses his knowledge of narrative conventions for surreal and comedic effect.
Ambush Bug is a character practically designed for Gunn’s brand of humor and meta-commentary. His absurdism would fit perfectly within the new DCU, which has already demonstrated its willingness to embrace strange concepts with the cast of Creature Commandos. The introduction of Ambush Bug would be a bold and brilliant move, signaling that the DCU is not afraid to embrace the weirdest, funniest, and most unconventional elements of its source material.
Which other underrated DC hero do you think deserves a spot in the new DCU? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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Image courtesy of Stage 6 Films -
Image courtesy of Lucasfilm
