The Batgirls. Just two of our top missing heroes over at the main site (click here for the full countdown). As we’ve done before, we thought now would be a good time to reach out through our cosmic treadmill-connected computer here at Newsarama HQ and ask these characters themselves what they think of being excluded. Some of them had a lot to say, some of them were just too shocked to say much at all. See what they think after the break, then tell us what YOU think.
10) Black Lightning
Black Lightning: Where would that punk Cyborg be without me? And Static Shock? He might as well be called Black Lightning, Jr.! In fact, can we make that happen? I’ll be a supporting character! Just don’t shove me back in the White House, that was no place for a strong black man…
9) Pulp Heroes
The Spirit: First you let Frank Miller make that movie of me, and now you won’t even let me be in a comic book anymore? What will DC do without her Spirit?
8 ) Xombi
Xombi: Oh hell, even I don’t really know who I am. Can’t really blame them on this one.
7) Batman Beyond
*beepbeep*
Terry: Hello?
Static: Yo Terry! M’man, long time!
Terry: Heeey Static! Great to hear from you man! How’ve you been?
Static: Aw, you know. I ran with with the Teen Titans for awhile, and now – get this – I’m getting my own ongoing series!
Terry: Woah, man, that’s great news! Who knew the two of us, “relics of our time” and all would both have our own series at the same time all these years later!
Static: About that. I have some bad news for you, man.
Terry: Ah, $#@*
6) Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain
Stephanie: So, there I was, The Spoiler. I was leading a great life, fighting on my own, when Batman said I wasn’t allowed to do it anymore. I defied him, of course. When Tim quit being Robin, both he and Batman said I couldn’t be Robin or go back to Spoiler, but I defied them. Things might not have gone so well, but come on! When Barbara Gordon herself said I couldn’t be Batgirl, I defied her – and even convinced her I was right for the job. That’s Batman, Robin, and Oracle that said I couldn’t do this. Do you really think I’m listening to some bald Italian guy?
Cassandra: … No, I’m not mute again, just speechless.
5) Power Girl
Power Girl: So, I hear there’s some new rule about female characters’ costumes here, and that’s why I’m out. Hey, where’d Supergirl’s skirt go… wait, Harley Quinn is wearing WHAT?!?!
4) Golden Agers
Jay Garrick: Get off my lawn, ya durn whippersnappers!
Alan Scott: What do you MEAN I’m not the Green Lantern in the movie? Ma Kunkel, call my agent!
Dr. Fate: I feel like I should’ve seen this fate coming…
3) Captain Marvel Family
Captain Marvel: This is almost as bad as when they stuck me in a Winnebago and had me rescue kids who got too close to power lines. Hmm, is there another publisher out there whose name might fit with mine a little better?
2) Wally West
Wally: Dear Mr. Waid, I hope this letter finds you well. I’m writing you to ask, no, to beg you to come back to DC. You see, for some reason, they don’t seem to like me very much here. The Speed Force, Linda my anchor, that was you and me, Mark! We both love Barry, everyone loves Barry! But you and I both know who the fastest man alive is…
1) The JSA
Stargirl: But Geoff… I’m your character! I was on Smallville, dammit!
Wildcat: I trained Batman for this?
Mr. Terrific: Um, Yeah, outrage! Boo! *runs and hides*
Well, that’s what the heroes think. What do YOU think? Sound off in the comments below!
June 14th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
Other big time characters that are MIA and not in your top ten, but still prominent in the DC old U: Donna Troy, Beast Boy, Raven, Secret Six (missing Catman already) and The Atom.
June 14th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
To many good characters being put off for lame books that will be canceled and some minority quoto all the sudden. Just doesn’t make any sense. What twlight zone universe does DC think they are in that a book like Batwing would sell? If they can’t get one of there better books Powergirl and Batgirl to sell what the hell batwing could be greatest thing ever. I, Vampire? Twilight/True Blood/Vampire thing was tried by marvel and failed badly. This is lame. Frankstein? Maybe if it was after Seven Soldiers of victory but silence is pretty bad on that one. Fake Blue Beatle Again? Did DC not hear fans screaming for Ted Kord? Bary Allen still Flash? Barry was boring and people don’t want him. Wally was better flash and more interesting flash. Johns couldn’t even make Barry interesting. Morrisons’ superman? If its bad as Batman RIP or the way he described what he wants to do with then he should be thrown out of comics forever.
June 14th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Doom Patrol (with Beast Boy) is missing, most of Charlton characters are missing ( Red Circle is gone, all New Gods are still AWOL… And 2 missing series: Shade’s 12-issue miniseries by James Robinson and Whistling Skull by B Clay Moore and Tony Harris.
However, if you read between the lines in Eric Wallace’s interview about Mr. Terrific, there is something cosmic involved (for me – and many others – it will be the return of Multiverse and a great way to promote Grant Morrison’s future miniseries).
But I am almost sure Adam Beechen said in a recent interview that Batman Beyond is not gone – it will probably skip a month or two.
June 14th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
This reboot is confusing the hell out of me. I’m already pissed that most of the comics I read were cancelled or changed just for change sake that I barely even want to read any of these Nu books. Bad enough DC has to bombard me with an endless stream of “event” crossovers that I can’t afford to buy but to make me feel as though I’ve wasted my time reading these comics these past few decades. Why build up books like Power Girl or JSA, why bother with Brightest Day if you’re going to just throw it all out a few months later? You’d think they’d at least want all their own hard work to count for something. However, leaving me in the dark about these changes doesn’t want to make me read these books either. So Superman died but the world doesn’t trust him? I’m assuming Funeral for a Friend never happened. Supergirl has no love for humanity? That’s not even the same character. You should’ve just left Kara to the mists of Crisis. I’m going to pick up a couple just for the creative teams or curiousity but I now have little interest in the books that used to dominate my reading list.
June 14th, 2011 at 11:56 pm
I think DC’s plans are going to be successful for getting new readers. Mainly because they’ve gotten rid of everything I read, I assume the world will balance out. If not oh well, it’s not me who’ll lose money. I miss Wally.
June 15th, 2011 at 9:44 am
You should only be mad at yourself for buying books you now think ‘don’t count’. Every book you buy should count to you. I don’t give a crap if DC doesn’t acknowledge the Seamus storyline from Flash #35-50. I read it, I liked (some of) it, so as far as I’m concerned, it counts. So what if he never pops up in another comic. They’d just do something horrible to a member of his descendants to make him ‘interesting’. Don’t bother, I’ll keep my back issues.
June 15th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Sad is that the ending to today’s powergirl issue made the fact that she is MIA even sader. Writer probably knew what was coming and wanted to a message in it by having bruce tell her that she matters. Just wish DC would realize she does more then Batwing or Frankstein or Fake Blue Beatle.
Save DCU from DCNU!
June 15th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
I second the Power-Girl sadness.
(as she stares down at me with Adam Hughes drawn eyes)
All that effort into making her readers care about her and…
“poof!”
Nuthin’
(Same goes for Wally (THE Flash), Huntress, Captain Marvel and the (almost) entire J.S.A.)
All that time emphasizing “legacy” characters just to piss it away in a heartbeat confuses and frustrates me.
June 15th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
DC pissed away their legacy characters long before the relaunch. It’s unfortunate, really, as legacy characters are one of the few things that makes DC different from Marvel.
June 15th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
They had to make room for Detective Comics #1 starring Batman.
And Batman #1.
And Batman and Robin.
And Batman the Dark Knight.
Not to mention, Batwoman, Batgirl, Batwing, Nightwing, Dead Robin and the Outsiders, 3rd Robin and the Teen Titans. There just wasn’t enough space. Sorry.
June 17th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Honorable Mentions:
Plastic-Man:
It’s bad enough people still think I’m nothing more than a stretchy Jim Carrey. C’mon! Jim’s not even funny anymore. I’ve been in two cartoons in 30 years. Heck, the guy who does Spongebob is voicing me now. I could be in Detective. Batman could easily give up one of his eleventy billion titles just for detectives like me, right? Maybe if I wore long pants, I could have a chance there. Harley Quinn’s doing fine without them though.
Elongated Man:
Unavailable for comment. Still dead.
WildC.A.T.S.’ Warblade :
Figures they’d pick the Wolverine with a gun and the stripper as opposed to the Amazon with a sword or me, a guy with liquid metal claws. Claws! I was Daken before Daken, and better at it too.
Gen 13:
C’mon! We’re teens with superpowers. Titans don’t have anything on us. Jim, Dad, we know you like us. Don’t go all Quesada on us and ignore your kids the way he did Ash.
Hardware:
A cameo in JLA, a mini-series with pointless edits. I’m a good guy, really, I am. If DC sees me as nothing more than an angry black man, it’s bullscat like that that does it. I know who Xombi is even if he doesn’t. Happy the kid gets to shine again, but the rest of us seem to be nothing more than cannon fodder. God, I miss Maestro. He knew us better than everyone.
Steel:
So . . . do I even exist? I’m a member of the Superman family too. I wear the S proudly. I was one of the stars of 52 for cripes sake. Do I have to be like Luke Cage and knock up Cameron Chase to matter anymore?
Mia Dearden:
I could be sexy too, Judd. But, well, you gave me . . . this, made me feel dirtier than I am. And now, DC has put me aside for some reason. Are they ashamed of me for something I did? I’m not a terrible person. I’ve been a great hero. I’ll be okay. I’ll still survive even if you don’t acknowledge I’m alive.
Conner Hawke:
Do I even exist anymore? Everybody seem to love Roy more than me, and he killed a lot of innocent people, went crazy, and is a notorious drug user, and yet he gets more love by DC than me and Mia COMBINED. I guess the world’s only big enough for one Green Lantern. Maybe me and Wally will have a few drinks over that.
Ryan Choi:
Unavailable for comment. Still dead.