10 Superheroes Who Changed Identities For The Better

When Green Arrow was introduced, he was unashamedly a cheap Batman knockoff. This of course meant that along with an Arrowcave and an Arrowmobile, he had a teen sidekick named Speedy.

For years Roy Harper languished as a second rate Robin until the award-winning story Snowbirds Don't Fly, where he was revealed to be a heroin addict. This marked the beginning of Roy's journey into becoming one of DC's most complex characters as he overcame his addiction, became a secret agent and even fathered a daughter with the supervillain Cheshire.

Symbolic of all this growth, Speedy changed into the gun-toting Arsenal and became a key member of both the Titans and the Outsiders. A cult favourite, Harper balanced his superhero duties with his responsibilities as a father.

Eventually Roy changed his identity again, reconciling with Oliver Queen, taking up the mantle of Red Arrow and becoming a core member of the Justice League. It's a rare thing indeed to see such a satisfying narrative arc in comics.

Or at least it was until the horrible Cry for Justice where Roy lost his arm and his daughter Lian, got addicted to heroin and beat up some muggers with a dead cat. Then the New 52 retconned everything away anyway.

Thanks DC.