7 Minor DC Heroes You Forgot Were Awesome

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DC Comics is largely responsible for the modern superhero, and has consistently produced iconic comic books. While Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are its biggest stars, DC also introduced a wealth of other heroes like Green Lantern, the Flash, and Aquaman. Over the years, the company has developed a fantastic roster of lesser-known characters – many of whom gained popularity through shows like SuperFriends, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). These supporting characters are incredibly well-developed and add a lot to the DC universe.

DC Comics is full of lesser-known heroes, and many of them are truly fantastic. They’ve helped populate iconic teams like the Justice League, Justice Society, and Legion of Superheroes, capturing readers’ imaginations and becoming beloved characters. Here are seven of these underrated heroes who deserve more spotlight.

7) Earth-Man

Kirt Niedrigh, a character from the 31st century, dreamed of being a member of the Legion of Superheroes. He had the ability to copy the powers of others, initially calling himself Absorption Lad, but was rejected from the team. This rejection led to him developing a strong prejudice against the alien members. He later reinvented himself as Earth-Man, leading a movement to drive all aliens – and the Legion – off Earth, forming a new team with other rejected hopefuls. Superman traveled to the future to stop him, and Earth-Man was imprisoned, only to be freed by Superboy-Prime and battle the Legion again. Eventually, he reluctantly joined the Legion, overcame his hatred, and truly became a hero, ultimately sacrificing himself to save the day. Earth-Man’s journey is a compelling story and deserves more recognition.

6) Karate Kid

The Legion of Superheroes is DC’s most popular team of teen heroes, and it’s packed with lesser-known characters that fans adore. One standout is Karate Kid, also known as Val Armorr. He’s an incredibly skilled martial artist, trained in fighting styles from Earth and across the galaxy. Like many members of the Legion, Karate Kid has traveled through time and fought some of today’s best fighters, even going up against Batman. In fact, Karate Kid would have won that fight if Batman hadn’t used unfair tactics, proving just how powerful he is. Karate Kid is a fantastic character who even starred in his own comic book series back in the 1970s, and fans are hoping the upcoming reboot of the Legion will give him the attention he deserves.

5) Atom-Smasher

The Justice Society of America is a historically significant superteam in the DC Universe, much like the Legion of Superheroes. As the very first DC superteam, the Justice Society established many heroic legacies, including that of the Atom. The original Atom didn’t start with superpowers; he gained them while fighting the villain Cyclotron. Interestingly, he later became the godfather of Cyclotron’s grandson, Albert. Albert inherited the ability to change size and possessed incredible strength, becoming the hero Nuklon in the team Infinity, Inc., which was similar to a younger version of the Justice Society. He eventually joined the Justice League and played a key role in bringing back the Justice Society, renaming himself Atom-Smasher to honor his godfather. Atom-Smasher was a popular character in the JSA comic series, but he briefly turned against the team to side with Black Adam before redeeming himself. He’s been relatively quiet since then, and fans are eager to see him return to action.

4) Ravager IV

As a huge fan of the Teen Titans, I always found Ravager IV to be a really compelling character. It’s wild to think she’s the daughter of Deathstroke! Her story is incredibly tragic – she was so desperate for her father’s approval that she even cut out her own eye, hoping he’d finally train her. She started as an enemy of the Titans, but eventually joined the team after the Infinite Crisis storyline and became a fantastic member. Honestly, she’s popped up here and there since then, but I really think Ravager deserves a bigger spotlight and a more fleshed-out story than she’s gotten so far.

3) Cyclone

The first Red Tornado was a mother dedicated to improving her community. She befriended the heroes of the Justice Society of America (JSA) and later retired. Years later, as a grandmother and great-grandmother, she managed the JSA’s headquarters in New York City. Her granddaughter, Maxine, inherited tornado-based powers and became Cyclone, joining the Justice Society and becoming friends with Stargirl. Cyclone was a popular and enjoyable character after the Infinite Crisis event, but she vanished following the New 52 reboot. While she made brief appearances in the Black Adam movie and related comics, she hasn’t been prominently featured since. She was a strong teen hero, and many fans wish DC would bring her back, especially with the Justice Society playing a bigger role in current stories.

2) Hourman I

As a huge comics fan, I always felt the Justice Society doesn’t get the respect it deserves – it gave us some truly iconic heroes! While a lot of the original members have been carried on by new generations, I think Hourman I, Rex Tyler, is seriously underrated. He invented this drug called Miraclo that gave him incredible strength and toughness for an hour, but the really fascinating part is that DC actually showed him struggling with an addiction to his own powers! He had to fight that addiction while trying to create a safer version of Miraclo so he could still be a hero. Honestly, there are so many amazing stories you could tell with a character like that, and I’m really hoping DC finds a writer who can do that complex, ’40s/’50s superhero story justice.

1) Red Canary

Sienna became the Red Canary after learning her favorite superhero, Black Canary, had died in action. When Nightwing gathered heroes for the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event, Red Canary answered the call and fought alongside them, even teaming up with the resurrected Black Canary. While she’s appeared in several comics, including Green Arrow and various anthologies, Red Canary is still hoping for a major spotlight. She’s a fantastic hero, and fans are eager to see what she accomplishes in the future.

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2025-10-28 01:12