10 Best New DC Characters Of The 21st Century

It's never easy to create new characters these days, especially ones that are wholeheartedly accepted by the fans. Oftentimes, attempts to push a new breakout star will lead to them falling by the wayside, as recently demonstrated by DC's New Age of Heroes line where the last series standing - The Terrifics - is the only one that prominently features pre-established characters.

Despite these shortcomings, new characters here and there have been able to win the hearts of many over the last twenty years. Whether they originally appeared in the comics, an animated series, or a live-action television show the best characters of this century all appear to have the one thing in common: breaking the mould.

Too many characters - heroes and villains alike - these days feel like cheap copies of the original, rehashing motives or struggles that don't fully resonate with the readership anymore. Whether it is due to their ethnic background, sexual orientation, personal struggles, or just the questions they ask, these characters are able to connect with the modern audience and the ever-evolving world that they inhabit.

Introduced in 2006's Infinite Crisis, Jaime Reyes became the third person to assume to alias of Blue Beetle, following the death of Ted Kord, and brought an energising sense of diversity to the universe through his Hispanic descent. In contrast to his predecessors, Jaime's identity as the Blue Beetle is based on extraterrestrial technology - until it is retconned as being magical in Rebirth - where the scarab on his back acts as a semi-sentient armour and weaponry.

The binding of alien technology and its connection to the villainous world conquerors - the Reach - gave the Blue Beetle mythos a much needed refreshment. The scarab's connection with the Reach intertwines both them and Blue Beetle with the Green Lantern Corps due to the former's conflict with them. In doing so, Blue Beetle immediately felt immersed in an already well-developed universe and became and entry way for new readers to experience the DC cosmos.

Outside of the comics, Jaime Reyes was heavily featured in Young Justice: Invasion, in which the Reach worked hard to resume control of Blue Beetle's scarab and dominate Earth. The series was hugely popular with fans, relating with Jaime Reyes' search for identity and place in the world.

Although he has been primarily absent since the cancellation of his series, it's only a matter of time a character as interesting as Jaime Reyes is brought back into the fold.