10 Little Known Superheroes That Would Make DC Millions On Film

Batman's cool and all, but come on, why haven't we seen more of these guys?

the question
DC Comics

When it comes to both the big and small screens, DC have, for the most part, mainly relied on their most popular characters to capture an audience. We are, after all, on our way to Superman's seventh big screen appearance, as well as Batman's tenth in as many years, with Justice League just months away.

Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with this approach; DC have to turn a profit and Bats and Supes are the two most recognisable fictional symbols in the world. However, it has become apparent in recent years that, when WB are particularly Bat-inclined, saturation and character fatigue emerge in a noticeable way. People may love Batman, sure, but just how much Bat can they take before - y'know - things get stale?

Unlike Marvel, DC have never had to worry about being separated from their most popular and indeed bankable characters. When Marvel had to bring their (originally) less-popular heroes to the big screen - a challenge in and of itself - they were met with an emphatic reaction and a hugely successful film franchise to boot. Iron Man, now one of the most popular comic book characters on and off the screen, was nowhere near as spoken of as the X-Men, or Spider-Man, or even the Fantastic Four; it took a concerted effort (and a helping hand from RDJ) to make the character the success he is today.

It’s a formula that DC could - and indeed should - be looking to replicate going forward. And while past animated efforts like Justice League Unlimited prove that it is indeed a path worth taking, DC's own attempts to evoke the spirit of '08 in their works could be so, so much better. Especially with the kind of untapped library the company boasts.

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.