15 Modern DC Comics Characters Fans Love, According To Reddit

DC Comics has a long history of introducing new comic book characters as the years go by, to keep things fresh. Some of them fall quickly into obscurity, but other characters end up appearing in different movies, video games, and television shows if they are popular enough, right alongside DC legends such as Batman and Superman.

Even after almost 90 years of its existence, DC is still bringing in more characters than ever in the modern comic book age. Comics readers on Reddit have been outspoken about which new characters already rank among their favorites, so perhaps more than one of them will soon wind up in an upcoming DCEU movie or TV series.

Updated on November 9th, 2022 by Jordan Iacobucci:

DC is back in the spotlight after the successful release of Black Adam and its completely revamped cinematic universe with James Gunn as its creative head. Now that an extended DCU is more possible than ever, fans are looking to the comics once more to see which new heroes deserve to one day make their big-screen debut.

Jo Mullein (Green Lantern)

One of the latest additions to DC Comics’ all-famous Green Lantern Corps is Sojourner “Jo” Mullein, who debuted as the protagonist of the Far Sector miniseries in 2019. After a difficult turn of events leaves Jo with little hope for her future, she is given a Green Lantern Ring and the opportunity to make a difference in the world over the course of a year.

CapeMonkey writes “Jo has quickly become my favorite Lantern.” They express their initial annoyance at certain comic shakeups around the time of her debut, but go on to say that “once Jo flew down to Oa I was on board.”

The Batman Who Laughs

First appearing in 2017’s Dark Days series, The Batman Who Laughs is a twisted version of Bruce Wayne’s Batman whose traumas turned him to villainy. Reminiscent of the mainline Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker, this Earth-22 counterpart is every bit as terrifying as any one of DC’s classic villains.

On the subject of this gnarled and unusual new DC Comics character, Redditor smileimhigh writes “I think he’s amazing, I mean they literally give him evil plot armor, he’s the meme Batman but evil and taken to the extreme… To me he’s a proper villain, no redemption possible… overpowered like an end game boss but still beatable.”

The Upside-Down Man

Hailing from DC Comics’ Dark Multiverse, the Upside-Down Man is a magical being belonging to a race of Otherkind. This monstrous being was first introduced in the second volume of Justice League Dark in 2018, though he hasn’t appeared often thereafter.

A DC fan using the handle 7hades7 sings the praises of the unusual and terrifying Upside-Down Man, who they enjoyed as a horrific turn for the Justice League comic. “Upside Down man was really the peak of Horror in this run,” they write before lamenting that he was “underused but creepy as ever.”

Ghost Maker

First introduced to the DC universe in 2020’s Batman (vol. 3) #100, Minhkhoa “Khoa” Khan, also known as Ghost-Maker, is a reformed villain who served as a rival to Batman himself. However, Ghost-Maker eventually became a member of the so-called Bat-Family, going on to serve a vital part in the ongoing series.

Though dedicated DC Comics fan jazzberry76 admits that they weren’t particularly fond of Ghost Maker in his early appearances, their opinion has changed greatly in recent months. They write that they are looking forward to his upcoming appearances, stating “He has grown on me tremendously, and I particularly enjoyed his appearance in the latest Annual.”

Flatline

A relatively new addition to the DC Comics pantheon, Flatline is the sidekick of Lord Death Man who has the ability to absorb the powers of those who have died. Recently, the character is proving to be rather reminiscent of Catwoman, fostering momentary romantic interest in Damian Wayne.

On the subject of this brand-new love interest for Damian Wayne, Redditor adeezzy seems to think that Flatline, in addition to being a very fun character by herself, will also prove beneficial to Damian’s overall story arc, writing “I think she’s cool. She’s the complete opposite of Damian, so the dynamic is really new for him.”

Punchline

One of the more recent additions to the Batman mythos, Punchline is the Joker’s new right-hand henchwoman after the latter had a falling out with Harley Quinn. Punchline is one of the best DC Comics characters introduced in 2020, as the fan perception has been solid given that she brings something new to Joker’s chaos that the newer versions of Harley Quinn did not.

Reddit user middy_1 describes the comparison between the two as “Harley is morally ambiguous and not entirely altruistic yet has a heart. Punchline is … dark, edgy, nihilistic, and competent.” There is a lot that DC can do moving forward with Punchline as the cold and heartless villain that she has been since her debut.

Jackson Hyde (Aqualad)

Initially created for the Young Justice television show, Aqualad has been a very important character in Aquaman-based storylines in DC Comics. Jackson Hyde, as he was renamed in the comics, is the son of the supervillain Black Manta and mentee of Aquaman. Hyde is also one of DC’s LGBTQ+ characters, as his being openly gay has been an integral part of his character development in the comics.

Reddit user 0LoveRainbow0 says “I am really loving Jackson Hyde’s mini-solo, Aquaman: The Becoming”, a comic storyline this year that he had a starring role in. Jackson is a very strong and capable leader who fans will get to see in live-action for the first time when the confirmed Aqualad HBO Max series comes out in the next couple of years.

Crush

The daughter of intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo, Crush is a fun addition to the DC Universe since her debut in 2018. After a tough upbringing that resulted in her fighting in illegal fighting rings before being recruited by The Teen Titans, Crush is a character fixated on revenge and anger, despite being a member of a superhero team. Given her own chance to shine in 2021’s “Crush & Lobo”, she confronts her father in a series that gave her a lot of fans in the DC community.

Reddit user Tabris172015 said “Crush is definitely one of my newer favorite characters from DC” in response to the comic series. With Crush being a younger character, there are a lot of different characters and storylines she could end up in down the line, especially with her father, Lobo, making strides in the DCU.

Naomi

Introduced in her self-titled DC Comics miniseries in 2019, Naomi is one of the newest heroes to join The Justice League. In an interesting backstory where a Superman sighting in her hometown results in her finding out that she’s not from Earth, Naomi soon finds herself deep into the world of superheroes, seemingly out of nowhere. Her popularity in the comics led to her getting a solo television series on The CW, Naomi, despite the character being very new.

Reddit user Techster17 says “Naomi definitely has a lot of potential, she has a decent cast built around her, her friends and neighbors all have potential.” Naomi is still a fairly new character, so DC Comics will have several years to develop her into the upper echelon of their superheroes.

Jace Fox (Batman)

Jace Fox, the oldest son of Lucius Fox, is the newest character in DC Comics to take on the mantle of Batman. He becomes Batman in a future where Bruce Wayne is seemingly dead as a way to make up for his past mistakes as a youth. Fans have become supporters of Jace Fox as the new Batman because he is something that they haven’t seen on that side of the universe before.

Reddit user Night-Monkey15 likes Jace Fox as Batman because, “He has NO direct ties to Batman, meaning he’s a more original choice.” Jace Fox has had positive receptions as the protagonist in his comics so far and will likely continue receiving support if he reaches his potential as a superhero.

The Signal

Duke Thomas, The Signal is a supporting character in some newer Batman comics. He is a great detective just like his mentor, Bruce Wayne who gave him his base of operations and suit to fight crime in. Gotham City has always been portrayed as a location where Batman protects the city at nighttime, but The Signal operates as the daylight protector of Gotham City. He is one of the latest additions in a long line of intelligent members of the infamous Bat-Family.

While some fans consider him to be just another version of Robin, Reddit user Jesuschristspencil says “Duke will never be a Robin. He is his own hero and that’s what makes him unique.” The Signal is a different take on Gotham’s protector mantle and has a lot of potential in DC Comics’ future.

Avery Ho (The Flash)

Avery Ho’s iteration of The Flash was introduced back in 2016 during DC Comics’ Rebirth relaunch. Unlike Barry Allen or Wally West, Avery received her speedster abilities after a speed-force storm hit Central City. She joined the Justice League of China as The Flash and eventually went on the become one of the more powerful characters in DC’s Justice League Incarnate. Avery’s upbeat personality and willingness to have fun while attending to her superhero responsibilities have made her a popular character.

Reddit user Daxam1978 says “Any book that has Avery Ho Flash gets my vote”, in response to Justice League Incarnate No. 1. Avery Ho’s reputation has continuously grown since 2016 and DC Comics has continued to use her in new and interesting ways.

Kong Kenan

Kong Kenan, also known as New Super-Man is the Superman of China, debuting in 2016. Despite sharing the title, Kenan and Clark Kent are not the same whatsoever. Kenan comes across as a somewhat cocky and overconfident superhero, while Clark has always been a more humble character. Despite some of his flaws, Kong Kenan had a lot of character development in his self-titled comic series, which led to several fans wanting to see the character appear in the DCEU.

Unfortunately, the character has been sidelined by DC Comics recently in favor of other new characters and storylines, despite positive receptions. Reddit user nicktorius_ says “hopefully we can see Kenan Kong again either in the main JL or a new JL International.” Fans likely have not seen the last of Kong Kenan, but until he appears again it’s more of a waiting game for his return.

Yara Flor (Wonder Woman)

Yara Flor is the newest character in DC Comics to become Wonder Woman. Flor is from the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil rather than the Island of Themyscira and like Diana Prince, she is a demigod and a member of the Justice League. Yara Flor became very popular among DC Comics fans during 2021’s Future State storyline which introduced several new characters and further developed her as the new Wonder Woman.

Reddit User Patient-Reputation56 says “She’s honestly the best thing (or only good thing) to come out of Future State.” Yara Flor’s comic series didn’t last very long due to deadline issues, but given her popularity, her character will appear in more storylines in the coming years.

Damian Wayne (Robin)

Introduced in the mid-2000s as the son of Batman and the next Robin, Damian Wayne has had a fantastic rise in the DC community. Initially met with a mixed reaction due to his willingness to kill criminals and often obnoxious personality, Damian Wayne has since grown into a respectable and beloved character. Raised by his mother Talia Al Ghul and the League of Assassins, Wayne was re-taught by his father Bruce Wayne to become a hero and not an assassin. He is now one of the most capable characters and fighters in the Bat-Family and can hold his own in almost any situation.

Reddit user Arial1007 says “He’s the most interesting of all the robins and has the most potential story-wise. He’s like a fresh clean slate.” Damian Wayne is one of the most used characters in modern DC Comics, but he has earned his place among fans and has developed into one of the most interesting comic book characters.

Next: 10 DC Comic Books That Make You Sympathize With The Villain