These underappreciated comic book characters deserve more attention. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re shouting out DC’s most underrated icons.
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00:00 The Defender of the Green...
00:04 Swamp Thing.
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're shouting out DC's most underrated icons.
00:10 We'll save villains for another list entirely.
00:13 Beware of some minor spoilers ahead.
00:15 Whoa! Let's not get off on the wrong foot here,
00:18 'cause that's one foot you don't want to step on.
00:21 Number 20, Jonah Hex.
00:23 A cowboy from the Wild West, Jonah Hex has kicked butt and taken names every time he's popped up.
00:28 But this physically scarred gunslinger with a chip on his shoulder could never hurt for more exposure.
00:32 Despite being primarily from the past, Jonah has managed to cross paths with famed heroes on multiple occasions.
00:38 His collaborations with Batman tend to be the most popular.
00:41 At least take this and get yourself a proper cowboy hat.
00:46 Now, I can't be partnering up with someone who parades around in that ridiculous bat getup.
00:50 While he's had live-action adaptations, none of them quite propelled Jonah into superstardom.
00:55 The ill-received movie based on him arguably made sure of that.
00:59 But with the right material, this hero of the past could become a beloved fixture of today.
01:03 Playtime's over. Anybody's got a problem with that, they answer to me.
01:08 Number 19, The Huntress.
01:10 They call me...
01:11 ...Huntress.
01:15 Born into the prominent Bertinelli crime family,
01:18 Helen's life took a drastic turn after her family was murdered.
01:21 She became a vigilante named The Huntress who showed little mercy to enemies.
01:24 Along the way, she often ran into Batman.
01:27 While her status within the Bat family is often up in the air,
01:29 she's definitely a skilled hero who deserves the spotlight.
01:32 Huntress' connection to the Bat family is also deeper than you might think.
01:36 During the Silver Age, Huntress was actually Helena Wayne, Batman and Catwoman's daughter.
01:41 That's one hell of a family treat.
01:43 She's also been a reserved member of the Justice League and a core member of the Birds of Prey.
01:47 Helena definitely has a story worth telling.
01:49 And now I'm done.
01:53 Bravo.
01:54 Number 18, Starman.
01:56 While initially reluctant, Jack Knight eventually inherited his father's mantle and became Starman,
02:00 the protector of Opal City.
02:02 It might be cliche to say, but Starman's not like other heroes.
02:05 Jack was part of the early counterculture wave of superheroes that have become so popular today.
02:10 He didn't dress like a hero, didn't sound like one, and definitely didn't always act noble.
02:14 But Jack eventually proved to be truly worthy of his dad's cosmic staff.
02:17 Someone with honor.
02:21 With honor and strength.
02:25 Must carry the torch.
02:26 This Starman even had a critically acclaimed comic written by James Robinson.
02:30 However, the closest thing we've gotten to seeing him in live action was Sly Pemberton's version of the character on Stargirl.
02:36 Starman!
02:39 I told you to wait in the car!
02:41 We think Jack needs some time to shine.
02:43 Number 17, Etrigan.
02:45 Gone, gone, the fall of man.
02:49 Lies the demon Etrigan.
02:52 It might be odd to admit that we love a character who's a literal demon, but we honestly love to root for Etrigan.
02:57 When the knight Jason Blood betrayed a king for Morgan Le Fay, he was punished swiftly.
03:02 The warrior was subsequently given immortality while being cursed to share his body with the demon Etrigan.
03:07 He's an imposing, fierce, and powerful demon who loves to light up enemies.
03:10 But the most striking thing about him might be that he mostly speaks in rhymes.
03:14 Once more, with words of metered rhyme, comes Etrigan the Slayer, just in time.
03:21 While Etrigan might be a demon, he's not actually that bad of a guy.
03:25 This gruff icon has helped DC heroes numerous times.
03:28 Etrigan's combat skills are only surpassed by his talent for rhymes.
03:31 Oh, great, now we're doing it.
03:33 Number 16, Plastic Man.
03:35 A lot of corners of the internet would have you believe that Plastic Man could single-handedly defeat the entire Justice League.
03:40 And maybe he can, but honestly, that's not really why we love him.
03:44 We're huge fans because he's a big goofball.
03:46 When Patrick O'Brien was exposed to a mysterious substance after a botched heist, he discovered his whole body was now elastic.
03:52 "Those chemicals turned me into the freak I am today."
03:56 "The only reason you ever helped me is because you feel guilty."
03:58 This got him into all kinds of zany hijinks before he became the hero known as Plastic Man.
04:03 He can stretch his limbs out for miles and miles, turn himself into virtually any object, and even shrink himself.
04:08 Plastic Man is so versatile that the fact that he's not in more DC media is downright criminal.
04:13 "Hang in there, Bats. I swear I won't let you down again."
04:17 Number 15, John Constantine.
04:19 "We need to talk, you and I. But if you try and summon Etrigan, I'll fill your lungs with bile before the first verse is done. Savvy?"
04:28 At first glance, John Constantine looks like someone that you should avoid.
04:31 And the chain-smoking, vulgar occult detective has screwed over just about everyone he's crossed.
04:36 But despite that fact, you can't deny that John's very resourceful and wickedly cool.
04:41 He's gotten one over on demons, devils, and all sorts of other nasty entities.
04:44 Despite having a wide knowledge of the occult and access to tons of useful spells, Constantine still isn't a household name.
04:51 But his great stint on Legends of Tomorrow alone is proof that he can be a compelling and powerful hero.
04:56 This is someone who seriously knows how to raise some hell with a sly smile on his face.
05:01 "Are there in for one hell of a ride?"
05:05 Number 14, the Doom Patrol.
05:07 "What the hell is that?"
05:11 "Now comes your reckoning!"
05:14 "Oh, God."
05:15 Being constantly overlooked is kind of the Doom Patrol's entire thing.
05:18 This team of individuals were shunned from society as existed for a while.
05:22 They even predate the X-Men by a few months.
05:25 But throughout their tenure, they've been seen as little more than rejects.
05:28 Admittedly, they do tend to get into plenty of bizarre and wacky scenarios.
05:31 But that's part of their whole charm.
05:33 Robotman, Crazy Jane, the Chief, and more defy the superhero mold.
05:37 However, they still have saved tons of lives by staying true to themselves.
05:41 Their critically acclaimed live-action show has done a great job getting their names out there.
05:45 But if they don't get into more media soon, the terrific team may be doomed to languish in obscurity.
05:49 "Look, we were the only people in this whole entire world who got Danny's SOS and followed it here."
05:54 "We're standing inside the heart of a sentient street."
05:57 "It's not a magic painting with a giant-ass cockroach."
06:00 Number 13, the Human Target.
06:02 "Christopher Chance." "John referred to you as the Human Target."
06:05 "Well, that works better as a job description."
06:07 "This is so weird."
06:10 Christopher Chance is either the bravest man alive or the most reckless.
06:13 As a bodyguard, he takes protecting his clients to a whole new level.
06:17 Using his special expertise, Christopher disguises himself as clients who are often in serious trouble.
06:22 He then puts his life on the line to save them as the Human Target.
06:24 He's a thrilling, no-nonsense, Bond-esque action hero, and you can never go wrong with that.
06:29 Tom King wrote a brilliant Human Target series for DC Black Label,
06:33 but outside of a few scattered appearances, he rarely appears outside of the comics.
06:37 This sneaky character is just begging to suit up as anyone in more DC projects.
06:41 "So thanks for doing this."
06:43 "Being killed is basically my job."
06:46 Number 12, Zatanna.
06:47 "Hmm, a little slow on the switch. Gotta watch that."
06:52 "What was it? Some kind of hologram? Or was it the real thing?"
06:56 "It's called sorcery, Bruce."
06:57 This magician will take your breath away, and she probably literally could with the right spell.
07:02 Having been trained by her father, Giovanni Zatara, Zatanna quickly became a skilled magician.
07:07 She's able to cast her spells by speaking backwards.
07:09 "Zatara, go!"
07:11 While it may sound like a little silly at first, trust us when we say she makes it extremely effective.
07:19 She's capable of doing anything from pulling rabbits out of hats to altering reality.
07:23 Zatanna's been a member of both the Justice League and its dark counterpart.
07:27 Between her incredible magical abilities and iconic costume, she's a heroine that is perfect for the spotlight.
07:32 Zatanna's a character that would definitely enchant audiences in a big live-action spectacle.
07:37 Number 11, Captain Atom.
07:39 "I've got my orders, legal and proper."
07:41 "Dude, Superman just told you to step aside."
07:44 "I heard him, ma'am. Not gonna happen."
07:46 Captain Atom's the bomb. Literally.
07:49 Nathaniel Atom was an officer in the Air Force whose body became gifted with nuclear energy powers after intense experimentation.
07:56 As Captain Atom, he's an immensely powerful superhero with virtually limitless energy and time-based abilities.
08:01 He was also an inspiration for Watchmen's all-powerful Doctor Manhattan.
08:05 You'd think having all that power and being the basis for a legendary powerhouse would make him a major focus.
08:11 Instead, DC has mostly just relegated him to being a guy who blows up all the time.
08:15 Captain Atom is absolutely a superhero who could use more love and screen time.
08:20 "Captain, I can't let you--"
08:22 "I was watching and listening."
08:25 "This is the least I can do."
08:26 Number 10, Wildcat.
08:28 "And that means we have a winner!"
08:31 "Still the undefeated champ..."
08:36 "Wildcat!"
08:38 While some heroes fight evil with incredible powers or high-tech gadgets, this cat-suited crime fighter makes do with just his fists.
08:45 A former heavyweight prizefighter, Ted Grant was framed for the murder of one of his opponents
08:50 and created a costumed alter-ego while attempting to clear his name.
08:53 After he was exonerated of the crime, Ted kept fighting crime and became a member of the Justice Society of America.
08:59 Despite being a humble pugilist, Ted's gone toe-to-toe with some of the DC Universe's nastiest villains
09:04 and has trained numerous other heroes in the art of combat.
09:07 This includes Ted's son Tommy, who has the ability to transform into a werecat.
09:12 "Believe me, fighting's nowhere near as tough as this is gonna be."
09:16 Number 9, Power Girl.
09:18 "Is that true?"
09:20 "It's complicated."
09:21 "No, it isn't!"
09:22 This powerful hero dates back to the Silver Age of comics and is actually the classic version of Supergirl,
09:27 whose Earth was destroyed in DC's epic Crisis on Infinite Earths event.
09:31 At least, that's who she is these days.
09:32 Like many DC characters, her origins have had a revision or two over the years.
09:36 But regardless of where she comes from, this is one powerhouse you don't want to mess with.
09:41 Like all Kryptonians, she has staggering strength and resilience, which she puts to good use when the time comes to dish out the pain.
09:47 She's loud, proud, and doesn't dig any nonsense, and we wouldn't have her any other way.
09:52 "You're absolutely sure this is going to work?"
09:55 "Does Power Girl have big-"
09:56 "Just feed it the numbers, kid."
09:58 Number 8, Animal Man.
10:00 You'd think that a superhero who can channel the powers of animals wouldn't be the most interesting character out there.
10:05 And for the most part, you'd be right.
10:06 But this DC underdog got really interesting really fast when his first solo series, penned by writer Grant Morrison, came out in the 1980s.
10:14 Under Morrison, the character was not only used to comment on animal rights issues,
10:18 but also taken on a head-spinning existential journey that ended up with him face-to-face with his own writer after becoming aware of his own fictional nature.
10:25 And when he's not neck-deep in complex meta-commentary, the character is also a devoted husband and father.
10:31 Number 7, The Spectre.
10:33 "Spectre, what's your stake in all of this?"
10:35 "That depends on you."
10:38 Perhaps one of the most powerful heroes in the DC Pantheon, this green-cloaked anti-hero is the literal embodiment of the Wrath of God,
10:44 the Angel of Vengeance charged with punishing the guilty.
10:47 So, naturally, he's no pushover.
10:49 Over the years, the character has taken a number of human hosts through which to carry out his mission,
10:53 including police detective Jim Corrigan and former Green Lantern Hal Jordan.
10:57 The character's thirst for vengeance against any wrongdoers has put him firmly in the anti-hero camp on many occasions,
11:03 especially when he lacks a human host to keep him grounded.
11:05 So what we're saying is, don't get on his bad side.
11:08 "Funny how Chill just happened to be under that crumbling ceiling when it came down."
11:14 "I wouldn't know anything about that."
11:17 Number 6, Doctor Fate.
11:19 "My apologies for the delay."
11:21 And speaking of characters from the more mystical side of the DC Universe,
11:24 this supernatural character dates back to some of the earliest DC stories,
11:28 having been a founding member of the Justice Society of America.
11:31 Empowered by the otherworldly Lords of Order, the many characters who have taken on the role
11:36 have all been incredibly powerful spellcasters, charged with guarding the Earthly realm against all manner of magical threats.
11:42 This means that the good Doctors have faced everything from gods, demons, and even the sinister Lords of Chaos.
11:47 "Give it up, Naboo! Order went out of style in the 20th century!"
11:51 Number 5, The Question.
11:53 "You fell asleep. Excuse me if I bore you."
11:56 Suitable for a hero without a face, this crime fighter is an ambiguous figure waging a one-man war against crime
12:02 ever since initially appearing in the pages of Charlton Comics before the character was acquired by DC.
12:06 Operating from the shadows, this crusading detective is dedicated to uncovering corruption and conspiracies, no matter how sinister.
12:13 He may not have superpowers, but don't let that fool you into thinking he's a pushover.
12:16 He's one of the most capable martial artists in the DC Universe.
12:20 With his face obscured by a mask made of an experimental material called pseudoderm,
12:24 he's been a thorn in the side of corruption and graft everywhere.
12:27 "It bites having someone in your head, doesn't it?"
12:30 Number 4, Booster Gold.
12:32 "Can I have your autograph?"
12:34 "Of course you can."
12:36 "I thought you were Green Lantern."
12:40 Some superheroes get into the spandex scene thanks to a deep-set altruism and a need to make the world a better place.
12:46 This gold-clad glory seeker isn't one of them.
12:49 Once a star athlete turned janitor in the 25th century, this hero would steal a number of superhero-related equipment from a museum
12:56 and travel back in time to make a name for himself as a 20th century crime fighter.
13:00 He's been...somewhat successful.
13:02 But as often as he's found glory and fame, he's spent just as much time palling around with his best pal, Blue Beetle.
13:08 He may not be the most upstanding superhero in the game, but his heart's in the right place. Usually.
13:13 "For the last time, I am not Green Lantern. My name is..."
13:18 "Just kidding. I know who Booster Gold is."
13:23 Number 3, Static.
13:24 "What do you think?"
13:25 "Don't know what to think, Rich. But I'll keep an electric eye out for him."
13:29 This electrifying hero originally debuted in the pages of Milestone Comics, a publisher with a focus on minority characters.
13:35 The publisher eventually went under, but after a successful animated series in the 2000s,
13:39 the character was brought into the DC Universe and made a member of the Teen Titans.
13:43 When not using his electric powers to fight crime, he's just a normal, everyday teenager with a passion for all things geeky.
13:49 And he often has trouble balancing his personal life with his career as a costume hero. And who wouldn't?
13:54 "Well, time to head home. Amen. But the subway's out, okay?"
13:58 Number 2, Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
14:00 "My real name is Ketar Hawk. But you can call me Hawkman."
14:08 Remember before when we said that DC heroes can sometimes go through several origin stories?
14:13 Well, these winged heroes are no exception.
14:15 The pair were originally an archaeologist and his wife, who used magical Egyptian artifacts to fight crime.
14:21 Later on, the pair were rewritten as alien police officers from the planet Thanagar.
14:25 Getting the various incarnations of DC's favorite winged couple to make sense is a continuing headache.
14:31 The two are nevertheless some of the fiercest fighters in the DCU,
14:34 using magical weapons made of nth metal to dish out justice from their home in Midway City.
14:39 "I've waited thousands of years for us to find each other. I can wait a little longer."
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15:00 Number one, Swamp Thing. "John Constantine, you dare threaten the green?"
15:08 The chosen avatar of the green, the collective power of Earth's plant life.
15:12 This mossy Avengers mission is to protect the Earth from any who would do her harm, including but not limited to us humans.
15:19 This has put him at odds with other heroes before, but his wife Abigail keeps his distrust of humans in check.
15:24 And thank goodness for that, as his power over plant life makes him a force to be reckoned with.
15:29 One capable of going toe to leafy toe with DC's best.
15:32 He's even given Batman a pummeling and helped fight off demons, supervillains and the primordial darkness.
15:37 Think about that next time you break out the weed whacker.
15:40 "I will take you there, so you are no longer here."
15:45 Is there a hero you'd love to see more of that we missed? Hype them up in the comments.
15:49 "I only know John Constantine because he enrages me."
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16:01 [Music]