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In an industry often criticized for resisting change, these incredible legacy heroes show how change can improve things.
10) Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Unlike other legacy heroes, Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi adopted a mantle that initially belonged to a villain. The first Doctor Light, Arthur Light, was a notorious and vile enemy of the Justice League. Not only is Kimiyo a far more intelligent and noble person than her villainous predecessor, but her vast power is leagues above his. Kimiyo has direct access to the primordial and infinite Light of Creation, allowing her to manipulate all forms of light. With her incredible power, Kimiyo was instrumental in saving the multiverse during both the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Dark Crisis. Kimiyo took one of the most tainted mantles in DC Comics and reshaped it into something inspiring.
9) Red Tornado
The mantle of Red Tornado went from a powerless vigilante to a god-like android. The Golden Age Red Tornado was Ma Hunkel, a housewife who wore a pot on her head while fighting crime. But where Ma’s story quickly fell into obscurity, the second Red Tornado became one of the most recognizable robot heroes in comics. This Red Tornado is an android created by the mad scientist T. O. Morrow for nefarious purposes. Red Tornado, however, quickly rebelled against his creator and became a hero, joining both the Justice League and Justice Society. Housed inside Red Tornado’s metallic body is a wind elemental, which allows him to generate powerful tornadoes. Additionally, Red Tornado’s desire to be human has made him a complex and sympathetic character.
8) Atom (Ray Palmer)
Whereas the original Atom, Al Pratt, got his name because he was short, Ray Palmer earned his name because he could shrink to the size of an atom. Although Al Pratt was a founding member of the JSA and a skilled fighter, he can’t compare to Ray’s scientific genius or his ability to shrink with his Bio-Belt. Ray was also one of the first recruits into the Justice League and has used his ability to reduce to subatomic sizes to save his teammates on multiple occasions. Ray’s inventions and understanding of the building blocks of creation make him one of the most brilliant minds in DC Comics, a feat that Al never came close to achieving.
7) Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)
Where the Blue Beetle mantle once belonged to only B-tier heroes, Jaime Reyes changed that narrative and quickly proved himself to be the most powerful and popular version of the character. Unlike Dan Garrett or Ted Kord, Jaime possesses incredible powers that he gained by merging with the Blue Beetle Scarab, Khaji Da. The Scarab is a sentient technorganic alien that can envelop Jaime’s body, becoming armor that provides him all manner of weapons. Despite his young age, Jaime proved to be an incredible hero by repelling the Reach alien invasion. Jaime took the underrated Blue Beetle mantle and became one of the most iconic teen superheroes in DC Comics.
6) Robin (Tim Drake)
The third kid to become Robin, Tim Drake, quickly set himself apart from his two predecessors. After Jason Todd’s death, Batman swore never to have another sidekick. Unlike the other two Robins, who Batman chose and adopted before they became Batman’s sidekicks in his vigilante pursuits, Tim deduced the Dark Knight’s secret identity and actively sought him out, begging to become his new disciple. Batman eventually relented, and Tim proved himself to be the best Boy Wonder the Caped Crusader ever had. Tim is one of the best detectives in DC Comics and helped found the teenage superhero team Young Justice. A brilliant and kind hero, Tim is Batman’s most loyal and accomplished sidekick.
