The strength of DC Comics lies in its characters. The publisher boasts many fantastic characters whose stories have enthralled audiences for years, often extending beyond comics into movies and television. However, while heroes like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman consistently have new adventures, other equally compelling characters often don’t reach their full potential. Despite being interesting or powerful, these characters frequently start with promise but ultimately fade away or simply don’t receive the narrative focus they deserve. They aren’t completely forgotten, but they aren’t being utilized as effectively as they could be.
It’s particularly annoying because these overlooked characters are often quite significant. They’re frequently important supporting characters or those who became very popular in other forms of entertainment, but haven’t had the same success in comic books. Some are so well-developed and interesting that it’s really disappointing to see DC seemingly not using their full potential, when they could easily become top-tier heroes. It feels like a waste when they have so much to offer.
7) Bart Allen/Impulse
I always thought Bart Allen had so much potential! Being Barry Allen’s grandson, raised in the future, he really made a splash in DC back in the ‘90s. He was a seriously fast speedster – one of the quickest in the Flash family – and even got his own comic! Plus, he was a founding member of Young Justice and later joined the Titans as Kid Flash. It was amazing when he actually *became* the Flash after Infinite Crisis! It’s just a shame things didn’t quite stick. He ended up dying, then getting brought back to life in the 31st century, and honestly, he’s been kind of all over the place ever since. It feels like DC doesn’t quite know what to do with him, especially with so many other speedsters already running around in the Flash Family. It’s a bit disappointing, to be honest.
6) Starfire
Although she’s a well-loved character, largely due to her appearances in media like the animated series Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, Starfire doesn’t seem to get much focus in the DC Comics universe. Debuting alongside popular characters Cyborg and Raven, she’s incredibly powerful, yet consistently placed in secondary roles. It feels like Starfire is never given the chance to move beyond being defined by her relationships, her alien background, or simply acting as a supporting hero, despite having the potential to be a major player.
5) Orion
DC Comics features many incredibly strong characters, and it’s not that every powerful one *needs* a central role. However, with Orion, it feels like his potential isn’t being fully explored. As one of the most powerful of the New Gods, he often doesn’t really *do* much. Considering he’s prophesied to eventually defeat Darkseid-you’d expect someone so powerful and important to appear more frequently-particularly given his ties to the Justice League-but unfortunately, that hasn’t happened.
4) The Spectre
The Spectre, as a representation of divine retribution, is a really interesting character. Throughout DC Comics history, he’s inhabited different hosts and possesses almost limitless magical and physical abilities, meaning he’s capable of pretty much anything. But figuring out how to *use* a character with that much power is tricky. It’s a valid point, and even DC Comics seems to struggle with it. The Spectre appears sporadically, typically when dealing with supernatural or spiritual problems. This already under-developed part of the DC universe contributes to the feeling that The Spectre himself is often overlooked and underutilized.
3) Cassie Sandsmark/Wonder Girl
Cassie Sandsmark was a fantastic Wonder Girl. She made a strong impression on Young Justice and eventually became the leader of the Teen Titans. Unfortunately, things became difficult for Cassie with the New 52 reboot, which completely reimagined her character. Currently, she feels somewhat lost within the larger Wonder Woman story, which already struggles with consistent focus. She’s become just one of several Wonder Girls, and it feels like another potentially great hero, Yara Flor, is being underutilized.
2) Jaime Reyes/Blue Bettle
Although Jaime Reyes starred in the 2023 film Blue Beetle, he hasn’t received a lot of attention in the comic books. After taking on the Blue Beetle scarab following Ted Kord’s death, Jaime quickly became a strong and refreshing take on the classic hero. However, he hasn’t been featured prominently. The return of Ted Kord has also added some complexity to the situation. Hopefully, with promised appearances in James Gunn’s DCU-Gunn has confirmed this-the comics will explore the hero’s potential further.
1) Tim Drake
When discussing the best Robin, Tim Drake might not be as strong as Dick Grayson, as fierce as Jason Todd, or as determined as Damian Wayne. However, he’s arguably the most intelligent of all the Robins, possibly even matching Batman’s skill as a detective. This ability could have made him a major character, but unfortunately, he’s largely been overlooked within the Bat Family. He’s tried operating as Red Robin, but that identity doesn’t quite suit him. The role of Robin now firmly belongs to Damian. Tim is a fantastic character who deserves a unique identity separate from Batman, but DC Comics hasn’t yet found a way to give him one, which is disappointing because he has a lot of potential.
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2025-10-01 18:21