DC Comics: Best Legacy Heroes

DC Comics has countless legendary heroes. Some of those heroes give up their mantles. And some of those heroes simply inspire the next generation! So, when another hero is inspired by the style, methodology, or even just the name, they are considered a legacy hero. That could look like taking over a role or just following in their iconic steps.

Recently, Jonathan Kent took over for Superman. Both Nightwing and Damian Wayne have taken over for Batman. And yet, the following 10 legacy heroes might be even more exciting.

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The Flash, AKA Barry Allen

Hero Name: The Flash

Predecessor: Jay Garrick was the very first speedster in DC Comics. After an experiment went extremely wrong, Garrick gained the ability to run faster than anyone alive. He joined the Justice Society of America (a predecessor to the Justice League) and helped save the world countless times. In fact, he was one of the first heroes to ever connect to the Speed Force. In time, Jay would serve as a mentor and role model for the other speedsters.

Powers: Barry Allen is connected to the Speed Force just like Jay Garrick. However, Barry is able to connect to the Speed Force in a way that few other speedsters can. He has survived within the Speed Force even without a body. His super speed, lightning generation, and slow aging have made Barry Allen one of the most well-known speedsters of all.

Differences: Barry Allen tends to fight crime with his powers alone. Alternatively, Jay Garrick is an expert in armed combat. Most interestingly, Jay uses the helmet of his costume as a weapon. The helmet can ricochet from villain to villain with perfect accuracy. That said,  Barry can use his connection to the Speed Force in unprecedented ways. He has even created a sword of lightning using the Speed Force itself.

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Green Lantern, AKA Hal Jordan

Hero Name: Green Lantern

Predecessor: Admittedly, most fans think that Hal Jordan is the original Green Lantern. And yes, he’s certainly made his splash in the world of comics. Still, Alan Scott came first. Just like Jay Garrick, Alan was a member of the Justice Society of America.

Powers: Both Alan Scott and Hal Jordan have very similar powers. As Green Lanterns, they both have the ability to create physical constructs using their imagination. Ultimately, their rings grant them the power to do nearly anything the heroes can imagine. Truly, their strength is only limited by imagination and willpower.

Differences: There is actually quite a big difference between Alan Scott and Hal Jordan. Both heroes share similar powers, but the source of their powers are drastically different. Alan Scott has the power of the Starheart, a magical artifact created by the Guardians of the Universe. Alan Scott controls the green flame of the Starheart, and the Starheart grants him nearly limitless abilities. On the other hand, Hal Jordan has a Green Lantern ring. It was still created by the Guardians of the Galaxy. However, the Green Lantern ring harnesses the emotion of willpower instead of magic.

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Ravager, AKA Rose Wilson

Hero Name: Ravager

Predecessor: Slade Wilson is Deathstroke. He’s an enhanced super-soldier turned mercenary with a mean streak. He’s best known for fighting against both Batman and the Teen Titans. Over the years, he’s had many children. Those children often took up his mantle. However, they never used the name Deathstroke. His legacy is Ravager.

Powers: Both Slade Wilson and his daughter Rose are completely enhanced. Through a series of procedures and experiments, they have become perfect weapons. They are stronger, faster, and more effective than the average human.

Differences: Rose Wilson takes her father’s abilities to the next level. Yes, Deathstroke is enhanced and powerful. Still, Ravager’s memory and learning capacity are quite literally perfect. She can learn new abilities and fighting styles after seeing them just once. She has the ability to remember every detail with perfect clarity. She’s more powerful than Deathstroke ever was.

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Punchline, AKA Alexis Kaye

Hero Name: Punchline

Predecessor: Batman’s greatest villain is The Joker. And for years, The Joker’s trusted partner-in-crime was Harley Quinn. She was more creative, capable, and crazed than any other lackey could ever be. Luckily, The Joker and Harley’s complicated and toxic relationship finally ended, thanks to Poison Ivy. That left an opening for Punchline.

Powers: Neither Harley Quinn nor Punchline have any powers. Honestly, they’re just talented fighters! That said, Harley Quinn is an excellent psychiatrist. And while Punchline didn’t quite finish high school, she is a talented chemist. In fact, she made her own version of Joker’s Venom just to impress the Clown Prince of Crime.

Differences: Perhaps the biggest difference between Harley and Punchline is their relationship to The Joker. Harley Quinn was obsessed with The Joker and spent years in a horrific romantic relationship with him. All the while, The Joker hardly paid her any attention. On the other hand, The Joker is extremely impressed by Punchline. She’s his right-hand woman! And while her connection with him isn’t romantic, it’s still entirely obsessive.

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Crush, AKA Xiomara Rojas

Hero Name: Crush

Predecessor: Before Crush, there was the Main Man, Lobo. He’s the last of the Czarnians! That is, until he had his daughter Xiomara Rojas. Lobo is usually fighting against Superman, or doing some particularly dangerous bounty hunting. And while he doesn’t really care about anyone or anything, he is a fan of space dolphins.

Powers: Lobo is a tough nut to crack. He’s immortal and extremely durable, plus he can regenerate from just about anything even if you did hurt him. Unlike many others, he can go toe to toe with Superman and barely break a sweat. Crush inherited a lot of her powers from her father. Though she’s exceptionally strong, she’s still just a teen. It’s unclear just how powerful she’ll become.

Differences: Lobo is a bounty hunter. He’s usually pretty apathetic about who gets hurt. Crush, though, was raised by humans. She was taught kindness and compassion in a way that Lobo never was. With that, she fought alongside the Teen Titans and plenty of good guys. She’s nothing like her dad.

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Zatanna, AKA Zatanna Zatara

Hero Name: Zatanna

Predecessor: Giovanni Zatara was a magician for a carnival. Truthfully, he was able to use real magic to fight against evil. He simply enjoyed the performance. While many mages get their powers from certain deities or artifacts, Giovanni was creative enough to find magic in his own way.

Powers: Both Zatanna and her father have access to incredible magical powers. Their magic is activated simply by speaking words backwards. For example, they could disintegrate an object by saying the word “explode” backwards.

Differences: Giovanni primarily interacted with magic by using backward words. Once again, the legacy hero was able to push those abilities even further. His daughter Zatanna has studied magic of every kind, from chaos magic to dark magic and more. Her abilities extend far beyond her father’s.

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Wonder Girl, AKA Yara Flor

Hero Name: Wonder Girl

Predecessor: Diana Prince is from Themyscira, the island of the Amazons. She is the daughter of Queen Hippolyta and (in some stories) the Olympian God Zeus. She left her home behind to fight for peace and justice. Along the way, she helped form the Justice League and saved the world countless times.

Powers: Wonder Woman was given powers from the Olympians. She has strength and speed and flight that can even match Superman. Yara Flor is the child of an Amazonian and a Brazilian deity. Her strength far surpasses most Amazonians. She was even trained by the Gods of Olympus in combat.

Differences: Wonder Woman has been in comics for over 80 years. Naturally, she has had a variety of powers. It’s hard to say definitively (at this point) whether Yara Flor has different powers, although she does have a lot to learn when it comes to patience. However, Yara is directly connected to a river goddess, and has a truly magical connection to water.

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Aquaman, AKA Jackson Hyde

Hero Name: Aquaman

Predecessor: Arthur Curry was the first Aquaman. He was the ruler of Atlantis, and a member of the Justice League. In many stories, he keeps the balance between the ocean and the land. He fights to protect all the underwater kingdoms, as well as the world of man.

Powers: Both Arthur Curry and Jackson Hyde are hybrids between an underwater mother and a human father. They can breathe underwater and use their superhuman strength in battle. Additionally, they both posses powers exclusive to royal Atlanteans.

Differences: Arthur Curry’s royal powers grant him the ability to communicate with animals. He can influence marine life and ask for their cooperation and their strength. Jackson, on the other hand, has extraordinary magical powers. His hydrokinesis and electrokinesis have no upper limits. With that in mind, his creativity allows him to adapt his powers in nearly any situation.

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Joker’s Daughter, AKA Duela Dent

Hero Name: Joker’s Daughter

Predecessor: The Joker is twisted. He’s aggressive and maniacal. From his twisted sense of humor to his obsession with Batman, he’s absolutely mad. And to make it worse, he does it all with a smile. After one twisted bout with Batman, The Joker literally peels off his own face. When Duela Dent finds his face, she dons it with unhinged pride.

Powers: Neither The Joker nor Duela Dent have specific powers. In fact, Duela doesn’t even attempt to impersonate The Joker like Punchline. She simply sees his twisted visage as beautiful.

Differences: While The Joker uses his special toxic chemicals, Duela simply fights with her passion. She’s played a role on multiple teams at different times. Over the years, Duela has been a part of the Suicide Squad and even the Teen Titans. It’s impossible to predict what she’ll do next — hero, villain, or someone in between.

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Arsenal, AKA Roy Harper

Hero Name: Arsenal

Predecessor: Oliver Queen is the wealthy son of a powerful businessman. He spent many years of his life being a reckless playboy. After a boating accident, Oliver Queen ended up alone on an island. Against the odds, he learned to survive with just a bow and arrow. When he returned to his home, he fought for justice as the Green Arrow. One of the best things he ever did was take on Roy Harper as a sidekick.

Powers: Both Oliver and Roy lack superhuman abilities. They learned to push their bodies to the extreme in order to stand up against dangerous metahumans. Together, the two heroes are incredibly agile, strategic, and excellent at hand-to-hand combat. Of course, their greatest skill is archery.

Differences: Roy Harper went through some particularly difficult challenges. He struggled with addiction, homelessness, and more. In one particularly devastating event, Roy lost his arm. Eventually, it was replaced with a cybernetic arm, granting him enhanced strength. In time, he left behind the Green Arrow and became his own hero, Arsenal. As Arsenal, Roy is slightly more ruthless than would be expected of a Justice Leaguer.

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