5 DC Characters From The ’90s Who Are Totally Cringe Now

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As a film and comic book enthusiast, I always found the ’90s a fascinating time for DC Comics. While Marvel and Image were really grabbing attention – and huge sales – with these over-the-top, action-packed books aimed at teen boys, DC took a different approach. They doubled down on writing. Seriously, they assembled an incredible team of writers – arguably the best the industry has ever seen. For me, that meant DC consistently put out the most thoughtfully crafted comics of the decade. Marvel had some good stuff too, but DC’s storytelling just consistently hit different, and thankfully, they largely avoided a lot of the trends that ended up aging poorly for other publishers. Though, let’s be real, nobody’s perfect!

DC Comics wasn’t above following trends set by Marvel and Image, and sometimes made similar mistakes during the 1990s. Like other publishers, DC introduced characters that felt very much of that era – and looking back, many of them are pretty embarrassing. Here are seven characters from the ’90s DC universe that haven’t aged well, even though a few of them are still appearing in comics today.

5) Azrael

“Knightfall” is a well-known Batman storyline famous for severely injuring the hero and introducing a replacement: Azrael. First appearing in Batman: The Sword of Azrael, the character fit the darker, more violent tone popular in comics at the time. Created by the Order of St. Dumas, a secretive religious group, Azrael was a brainwashed soldier trained through a rigorous system. He represented DC’s attempt to create a hero similar to those from Image Comics – visually complex with an elaborate costume, weaponry, and artwork by popular artists like Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti. Azrael’s Batman suit was heavily armored and covered in blades, a look that feels very much of the 1990s and, in retrospect, is a bit awkward.

4) The Pyba-Rats

The ‘Bloodlines’ event in DC’s 1995 annuals introduced a lot of new characters, most of whom weren’t very good. But a few were so awkward they’re almost amusing, like the Psyba-Rats. This team of teenage hackers got superpowers from an alien invasion and decided to fight evil using both their tech skills and newfound abilities. They were the typical ’90s hacker stereotype – more focused on the image than actual hacking or being compelling characters. Despite their flaws, they got their own three-issue comic, appeared in Young Justice, and even showed up briefly in Infinite Crisis years later.

3) Gunfire

Gunfire was a hero first introduced in the Bloodlines comic series. His power allowed him to manipulate energy and fire it as explosive projectiles. He could even turn ordinary objects – especially those with a defined point or ‘face’ – into grenades. A true product of the 1990s, Gunfire saw everything as a potential weapon, and like many heroes of that era, he wore high-tech armor. Unfortunately, DC’s attempt to create a trendy ’90s character with him didn’t succeed.

2) Impulse

Impulse is a popular character today, but his initial appearance in the 1990s hasn’t aged well. Created by Mark Waid, Impulse was meant to be a teen obsessed with video games and struggling with attention deficit disorder (then called ADD). He embodied common stereotypes about inattentive and restless teenagers, and his upbringing was heavily tied to video games – specifically, advanced virtual reality technology from the future that he used constantly. While the Impulse comic itself was well-made, thanks to Mark Waid’s writing and the incredible art of Mike Wieringo, the character feels much more awkward and dated now than people remember.

1) Superboy

I have a huge soft spot for Superboy, but looking back, wow, he was a product of his time! This version, the clone of Superman, was just…so ’90s. He was this cocky, rebellious teenager with an earring and a leather jacket, always looking for a fight. Honestly, he was obsessed with girls and trying way too hard to be cool. As a kid growing up then, I thought he was amazing, but now it’s definitely a bit embarrassing! There have been different Superboys throughout the years, each reflecting the era they were created in, and Kon-El really captured the ’90s. Re-reading those old comics is a trip down memory lane…and a little bit cringe-worthy!

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2025-11-07 01:10