For better or worse, someDC Universeheroes just can’t help but earn the scorn of fans. Sure, there arebeloved champions like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, who are all universally beloved. But others can’t help but be a magnet for negative attention.
To be clear, that doesn’t make them bad characters. Some are even the favorites of other fans. But even one’s favorite might have a history or element that just inspires the irrational hatred of others. As tough a pill as this may be to swallow, the following characters all have something about them that just makes them (for lack of a better word) hateable.
10Red Hood
Never Able to Move Past His Iconic Death
Batman’s second Robin and ultimate cautionary tale had a rough go almost from the start. Jason Todd was the first Boy Wonder to take over after Dick Grayson left the role behind and his tenure was not exactly welcome among long-time readers.His career as Robinwas so divisive, DC actually allowed fans to cast their votes to decide his fate, leading toTodd’s infamous death at the hands of the Joker in the “Death in the Family” storyline.
Of course, Jason did eventually come back, and he adopted his new identity, the Red Hood. But since returning to life, Red Hood has pretty much lived in the shadow of his infamous death. One can’t read a story about Jason without someone dredging up that traumatic event,stifling his characterization and preventing Red Hood from ever really growing.
9Power Girl
The Most Complicated Super-Family Member
Supergirl might fit in naturally to the Super-Family, but the same can’t really be said for Power Girl.Power Girl is actually the Supergirl of Earth-2, but afterCrisis on Infinite Earths, her history was retconnedto remove her connection to any Kryptonian, giving her an Atlantean heritage instead.Power Girl’s history waseventually restored, but with so many changes to the DC Universe (especiallyFlashpoint), it’s been hard to keep up with what’s canon to her and what isn’t.
Aside from her complicated and shifting past, Power Girl has had a few other things that have stuck in fans’ craws. Whether it’s the infamous chest window or her more recent decision to rename herself ‘Paige’ instead of Karen,Power Girl keeps running into issues that make it hard for fans to appreciate her as a character.
8Booster Gold
His Showmanship Was A Big Turnoff
No one likes a showoff, and for years, one of the flashiest characters who couldn’t help but talk a big game was Booster Gold. From the very beginning, a number of fans took issue with the hero, whose origin involves him stealing advanced equipment and going back in time to become one of the biggest heroes around.Booster Gold was nothing more than a glory houndwho used his knowledge of the future to make it seem like he was a much better hero than he actually was.
To be fair,Booster Gold did eventually grow out of that and became a hero who willingly played the fool to protect the timeline. However, Booster still presents himself as overconfident at best and foolish at worst, something that still rubs a lot of readers the wrong way.
7Harley Quinn
An Antihero with a Divisive Journey
When Harley Quinn made the jump from the DC Animated Universe to the Prime DC Universe, she was a welcome addition. And while everyone was fine seeing her as the Joker’s partner-in-crime or even an independent villain, some began disliking her when DC began using her as the ‘fourth pillar of the DC Universe’. During the New 52,Harley Quinn was pushed hard with her own series, miniseries, and numerous guest spots in other ongoing titles.
It also didn’t help that Harley started veering into more heroic territory, causing many bringing up all the awful things she did while working with the Joker. But Harley’s star kept rising and the more she appeared, the more ire she earned among readers. While she still has her fans that support her journey,there are plenty of readers ready to throw hate Harley Quinn’s way.
6The Legion of Super-Heroes
One of the Most Complicated Teams in DC History
One would think that a team of young heroes inspired by Superman would be well-loved among comic book readers. But the Legion of Super-Heroes has been through so many changes and reactions, it’s hard for anyone to support them, even their most die-hard fans. The problem is that they were presented as a team of young heroes from the future who were inspired by Superboy. Butwhen Clark’s time as Superboy was erased, it created a ripple effect that led to retcon after retcon to try and make the Legion of Super-Heroes make sense.
It also doesn’t help that the Legion has an incredible number of members, so many that it’s hard to keep them straight without a wiki on standby. Not to mention,it’s hard to take some Legion of Superheroes' members' names seriously(even if ones like Matter-Eater-Lad are, admittedly, incredibly unique).
5The Flash (Barry Allen)
Threw a Wrench in Wally West’s Growth for Years
When it comes to legacy characters, Wally West is hands-down one of the most beloved. After Barry disappeared during Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wally busted his butt and became a Flash that undeniably surpassed his uncle. However, Barry eventually returned and once he did, the spotlight was taken away from Wally and put directly on Barry.And things only got worse during the New 52 when Wally was removed from the DC timeline altogether.
It’s not that Barry’s Flash is a bad speedster, but Wally more than earned the right to be the Flash. Barry becoming DC’s primary Flash just felt forced and readers were not happy. Thankfully,Wally’s back in the spotlight as the main Flash in the DC Universewas Barry has quietly retired after losing his speed during the summer event, Absolute Power.
4Bluebird
The Fan-Favorite That Never Was
The New 52 brought a lot of changes to the DC Universe and, in Batman’s case, it brought Harper Row, a young Gothamite who allied herself with the Dark Knight. While there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with Harper, it was clear that there was a push to make her a Batman ally before readers had even gotten to know her. After only a handful of appearances,she was even referred to as ‘fan-favorite Harper Row’, which has since become an in-joke among readers.
It’s not that Harper was a bad idea, but there wasn’t much heat behind her in the same way there was for someone like Duke Thomas. Harper did eventually get her own superhero identity, Bluebird, and she still makes periodic appearances. Butthe rush to push Bluebird as the new ‘it’ Batman partner ultimately had the opposite effect among fans.
3Jon Kent
From Beloved Superboy to Wasted Potential
It’s sad to include Jon Kent on this list, because once upon a time, he was a really well-loved character. His time as Superboy is considered by many to be one of the highlights of the entire Rebirth era. But when writer Brian Michael Bendis came to DC Comics, he had Jon kidnapped and imprisoned on Earth-3.By the time Superman’s son came back, he was practically full-grown.
Since then, Jon has struggled to find a proper place in the DC Universe. He tried his hand at being Earth’s Superman, but his solo series as the Man of Steel was incredibly brief. As much as fans liked the younger, more carefree Jon, the decision to age him up has done considerable harm to him.Jon’s got nowhere near the amount of appreciation he once hadand, unfortunately, he may never be as well-loved again.
2Peacemaker
He’s Nothing Like His Television Counterpart
Peacemaker became a fan-favorite among movie and television viewers thanks to John Cena’s portrayal of the peace-loving hero inThe Suicide SquadandPeacemaker. Unfortunately for DCU fans, Christopher Smith is a lot more problematic than his live-action counterpart. While the last several years has done a good job at raising his public image,the Peacemaker that lives in the DC Universe is not as complex and hasn’t experienced as much growthas the one under James Gunn’s direction.
Most recently, Smith went all-in on working with Amanda Waller and her bid to take down the metahuman community inAbsolute Power. The live-action DCU’s Peacemaker might be flawed, but he had a solid moral core. Butthe Prime DC Universe Peacemaker had no qualms about attaching himself to Amanda Waller’s fascist crusadeto de-power and imprison every superhero alive.
1Guy Gardner
His Curt Behavior is Too Much For Some
If there’s a hero who draws hate like a magnet, it’s the Green Lantern’s resident jerk with a heart of gold, Guy Gardner. Guy has received a lot of criticism over the years, whether it’s because of his abrasive personality or his awful taste in haircuts. But whatever the reason, Guy has an almost uncanny ability to get people to dislike him. Heck, even people in the DC Universe andhis own teammates think of this Green Lantern as a complete and utter jackass.
Guy Gardner does have his fans and yes, he’s a good Green Lantern. But more than any other hero, Guy just makes people want to hate him. He does periodically attempt to improve himself, but at this point,it’s almost a constant that this Green Lantern is the most hateable hero in the DC Universe.
