5. Traci Thirteen
She’s no second-rate Zatanna, she’s the last in the line of humans genetically gifted with magic — and she’s got her own ideas how to use it. Originally created by Joe Kelly and Dwayne Turner as the daughter doctor of the supernatural Dr. Thirteen, she’s grown to be her own character as seen in Blue Beetle, Tales of the Unexpected and Flashpoint. Although some might say it’s her father that deserves the spotlight more than her, I think putting Traci Thirteen up front with the good Doctor as an overbearing father is the way to go.
4. The Outsider
Not to be confused with the time Alfred Pennyworth masqueraded under the same name, this Outsider was the sleeper hit, critically speaking, of DC’s Flashpoint event before they rebooted their universe with New 52. Created by James Robinson, this alabaster-skinned is an old-school crime tyrant set up in his homeland of India. Anti-hero? more like full on villain, but Robinson and artist Javi Fernandez carved out an interesting story for him and it was sad to see it end when Flashpoint came to a close. He could be an interesting addition to DC’s New 52 as more than just someone’s villain but as a leading man in his own right.
3. Max Faraday
DC owns Wildstorm, remember? Using that, I’d dig out this forgotten Jim Lee creation and put him square into the New 52 as the ultimate everyman in the wild world of the DCU. Imagine Luther Strode‘s Justin Jordan, fresh off his run on DC’s Team 7, taking this character and modernizing it within the New 52. And if you read the original Wildstorm series, imagine the Equation, which powered Faraday, being connected to the Anti-Life Equation.
2. Raven Red
Sidekick no more! As the son of the Native American Man-of-Bats, he and his father have been key supporting characters in Grant Morrison’s run on Batman and through Batman Inc. I’d love to see Charlie Great Eagle take on the mantle of his father, as a South Dakota-based hero doing some real Middle American superhero values.
1. The Manhattan Guardian
Based on the golden age hero the Guardian by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, Grant Morrison’s the Manhattan Guardian takes that hero into a modern-day role as a newspaper-sponsored hero. Instead of a hero working clandestinely for the news like Superman does, imagine this bold corporate-era hero fighting as a city’s protector while also being embroiled in the politics of the news. Cinderella City or not, the Manhattan Guardian could be a great street-level hero for the wondrous world of DC.
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I would love to see the Guardian, and the Outsider. I have never heard of Max Faraday but looks interesting.
i would love to see a plastic man book. not sure if i could afford it, but if vibe gets a comeback, plastic man really should. preferably without the family.
+100
The Manhattan Guardian! HERE HERE!!!!
My list:
1. Zauriel – I loved this character ! We need more!
2. Aztek – What a fun concept this was
3. Klarion The Witchboy – The Morrison version made some appearances under the pens of BQM and Beechen, and they were highlights
4. Manhattan Guardian – Lovely character
5. XOMBI – by John Rozum only, of course.
In fact, I’d like John Rozum to write any of those.
Xombi was one I was sad got cut too soon when the New52 hit.
I would definitely be onboard for a Zuriel and / or Aztek book. Both characters with loads of potential.
Out of all the characters in Batman Inc. Raven Red and Man-of-Bats were my favorite. I’d love to see a mini with them fighting crime on the Rez.
Interesting choices.
Me? I’ve long wanted a truly creepy Creeper series. I think there’s a lot that can be done if Jack Ryder is positioned as a “fallen from grace” celebrity reporter who is trying to rebuild his life in a world where media is very different than when he began. Add in some serious “Jekyll and Hyde” issues and I think it could be very cool.
(And NO DEMONS or JOKER VENOM stuff!)
I want a full series of “Knight and Squire” even though the Knight died in Batman Inc. recently (eh, comic book deaths don’t last long!) It could also be a perfect opportunity for Squire to take up the mantle and become the new Knight!
I would love a Knight and Squire series, but without Cyril it might lose some of its charm. That mini was awesome. Not sure it would survive as an ongoing, though.
I’d read a Guardian series. And I second the suggestion above for more Klarion Witchboy.
The Outsider was probably the best thing to come out of Flashpoint. It’s a shame he never actually made it out of the mini. Lots of potential there.
I like the idea of a Man of Bats/Raven Red series, too. You could give it a darker vibe and focus on the underbelly of Midwest America. Maybe with a dash of Scalped, but not so much that it becomes any kinda ripoff.
“Top 5 D-List DC Heroes Who Deserve A Drastic Reboot, Vibe-Style, MORE Than Vibe”
Fixed.
Agreed. I can’t think of 5 characters I’d be less interested in reading about in a solo series than Vibe.
I just have visions of the meeting that got that book green-lit.
“So Geoff, you made people like Aquaman. How about a real challenge?”
“I dunno guys Vibe? That seems pretty arrogant.”
“Just do it. If it comes out on the same day as his team book, people won’t have time to figure out how lame he is!”
Wow, I actually agree with all these choices (except maybe for Max Faraday, but I’ve never heard of him so that’s probably why). And, having just read Seven Soldiers, I’d also like to see more of my favorite of the bunch, the Manhattan Guardian.
Oh man… I wish we could get a Manhattan Guardian series. I loved that book when it came out. (I loved all of 7 Soldiers, but MG was my favorite followed by Mr. Miracle.) GOod list though, if I’m not totally familiar with Farraday.
I really like the idea of an Outsider ongoing, based on the Flashpoint Outsider. He could be the Moriarty of the DCU.
Now, more than ever, we need a Booster Gold solo book.
I also would avoid anything with direct ties to the Batman family of books. There are almost too many now, let’s not dilute the brand further. Spread some love to some other corners of the DCU that need nurturing.
Right now, the only reason I care that DC Comics exists is my hope of one day seeing a new Ambush Bug comic.
Elongated Man, with Sue.
I love the original Guardian, would like to see him used somewhere but the concept with the Manhattan Guardian is good and would like to see that done with the original Guardian.
Raven Red would be sweet or The Runner ( I think that’s his name, the France Batman Inc character).
I wanna see a Spectre mini or him in Earth-2 but his ties/appearances in Phantom Stranger have been good.
Adam Strange would be great.
Vigilante.
I liked that Outsider Flashpoint mini, it was unusual as were all the Flashpoint minis which I liked more than most event tie ins, he would make a great addition via mini or ongoing.
This is all stuff DCU presents is perfect for and they’re canceling it last I checked. The Black Lightning/Blue Devil arc was fun.
The Outsider doesn’t need revamp he just has to introduced into the mainstream DCU. Then again since James Robinson wrote those comics maybe he’ll end up in Earth 2. I would like to see more Wildstorm or Milestone characters get a revamp. How about the rest of Gen-13 crew Freefall, Burnout, Grunge, and Rainmaker? What about Icon and Rocket?
I’d be interested in a Robinson-written Outsider book as a 3-issue mini didn’t seem long enough to do the character real justice. Having Martian Manhunter as his nemesis would provide a tie to the new JLA book too.
I wonder if DC editorial would see the Outsider character as too much of a step back towards the old DC universe, though?
Lobo
Hell yeah! Another character that is perfect for DCU Presents but they gotta cancel it, they don’t market some of these books hard enough and give up too easy on em when I know they can afford to keep it in print.
Reboot Tom Strong.
Y’know… just to f*$% with Alan Moore… er… more.
For my part, I’d love to see DC trying to throw in more of the characters from Dwayne McDuffie’s Milestone Universe.
I’d read a series based on Rocket from the Icon series. Also, it would be cool if a character like Wise Son from the Blood Syndicate got his own mini.
Also, since Wildstorm is now in the DC universe, where the heck are Elijah Snow and Axel Brass? I’m not sure if they qualify as D-listers but come on! Brass & Snow, Archaeologists of Unknown and Awesome, how would that not work?
MANHATTAN GUARDIAN!!
Totally agree. Things were going well for him until James Ribinson decided to resurrect the Jim Harper Guardian yet again.
But it’s a new landscape now. And while my favourite of the 7 Soldiers characters, Frankenstein, now has a good profile in the new52, it’s time to give the awesome Manhattan Guardian a shot.
Let’s do this!
I’ll even offer a suggestion: start with Lemire and Zub co-writing. Then give it to Zub 5 issues in. Still working on who should draw it. Suggestions?
While we’re at it- Let’s just swap out most of 52 for the flashpoint universe and call it good.
The one Wildstorm Universe creation I am dying to see in the DC’s New 52 is WETWORKS also would like to see a re-imagined Ultraa and Starro think they would be great additions to the universe maybe have Starro cameo in a Green Lantern book and Ultraa appear in Earth 2. I also would like to see reboot to a more dangerous version of some of the campier villains in the vault of the DC Universe