Nearly everyone has heard of the DC Universeās biggest names. Superman is virtually universal, and Batman is arguably one of the most popular vigilantes of all time. And who hasnāt heard of Wonder Woman? These characters are, in a sense, household names. Then comes the more involved superhero fans. These fans definitely know about superheroes that are a little less well-known, like Green Lantern, The Flash, and Cyborg. Before the movies that have come out in recent years, fans of this caliber would have been invested in the comics themselves or some of the television shows that centered around DC.
At Sons of Gotham, though, weāre true comic book fans. The super-geek fans that discuss the names mainstream media has never heard of before. We love a good convo that involves some of the original DC names or some of the more obscure superheroes. In short, we know the DC Universe inside and out. So, weāve created the ultimate guide so you, too, can get to know the names of all 166 characters within the DC Universe.
The Groups
To simplify an entire universe of characters, DC determined three main categories to which each character belongs. The groups are:
- Teams
- Villians
- āItās Complicatedā
Most of the time, itās obvious where the teams stand. A team is a group of either superheroes or villains who come together to work toward a common goal. For a team like Justice League, the common goal is making sure the world doesnāt disintegrate while some of the fiercest adversaries are brought down.
The villains are, well, villains. Though they all come from different backgrounds and have different stories, they all have one goal in common: bring down the superheroes.
And then, thereās this group called āItās Complicated.ā Members of this group just donāt know where they stand. Theyāve fought against the superheroes, and at some point, they fight for good as well. It all depends on, well, it depends on the person, really. Weāll start there.
It's Complicated
Amanda Waller
Ares
Atrocitus
Catwoman
Clayface
Constantine
Deathstroke
El Diablo
Enchantress
Harley Quinn
Lobo
Nereus
Nuidis Vulko
Poison Ivy
Stephen Shin
The Phantom Stranger
You might recognize some of these namesā El Diablo, Harley Quinn, Enchantressā from the popular movie Suicide Squad, and if youāve seen the movie, you know why these characters are on the fence when it comes to superhero or villain status. The same is true for the other characters in this list. Cat Woman and Poison Ivy both had an issue with Batman at one point, and they both helped him protect the city of Gotham at another point. Neither can really decide on a side though. Want to learn more about the others on this list? Check out this site.
Teams
Justice League
The most well-known team in the DC Universe is the Justice League, which is made up of 12 superheroes. Most notable are Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Green Lanternā all of which we introduced to you in our DC Universe 101. There are a number of other superheroes instrumental in the success of the Justice League as well. Aquaman (anyone else ready to see the movie?), Green Lantern, and Cyborg, the half-human, half-machine Vic Stone is literally plugged into every computer in the world and can access any kind of tech thatās available.
Other than the Justice League, there are 7 more teams in the DC Universe:
Suicide Squad
Weāve talked about this team of convict-turned-earth-savers a few times now, but it wouldnāt be right if we didnāt mention them in the teams' section. Theyāre a team, whether they wanted to be or not. They might have all been jailed and forced together to save the world, but they lived up to the task. Members of this group are:
- Amanda Waller
- Deadshot
- Harley Quinn
- Black Manta
- Reverse Flash
- Deathstroke
- Captain Boomerang
- Rick Flag
- Killer Croc
- Katana
- El Diablo
- Joker
Birds of Prey
Sometimes, the world just needs a group of fierce, decisive women to get things done, and thatās where the Birds of Prey come in. The team has been around since the DC Universe debuted a series of comic books focused on the team in 1996. Members of the team morphed and changed depending on the needs of the cosmos. The original members of the team were Oracle, Black Canary, and the Huntress. Batgirl was also a main member of the group at one point as well. Even Poison Ivy makes an appearance from time to time when her skills are needed. The thing with Birds of Prey is that members come and go, making it hard to create a definitive list.
Green Lantern Corps
If thereās one thing weāve learned over time, itās not to judge a superhero by its movie. Green Lantern is a prime example. We know the team is much better than the movie portrayed. The group polices the galaxies, keeping humans and nonhumans alike safe from the dangers that surround them. Members of the group didnāt just join because they could, though. They had to be able to prove their worth by overcoming their greatest internal obstacles. Members (some past, some present) include:
- Hal Jordan
- John Stewart
- Kyle Rayner
- Guy Gardner
- Simon Baz
- Kilowog
- Mogo
Titans
If youāve ever watched Teen Titans Go! then you might be familiar with this group of superheroes. The Teen Titans Go! the television show was geared toward a young audience, but the Titans and all of their adolescent issues are definitely made for more of a mature audience.Ā This group of young proteges knows a thing or two about saving the worldā¦ and about the trials of the teenage years. Members of this team include:
- Beast Boy
- Robin
- Cyborg
- Starfire
- Raven
- Superboy
- Arsenal
- Earth-1
The Watchmen
Havenāt heard of the Watchmen yet? Donāt worry, you will. This is a group of superheroes specifically for adults. The comic books sold over a million copies. There was even a book about The Watchmen, and it made Timeās top 100 Best Novels list.
The 12-issue comic series focused on six key players:
- The Comedian
- Doctor Manhattan
- Nite Owl
- Ozymandias
- Rorschach
- Silk Spectre
In an alternate universe where the likes of American superheroes literally change the trajectory of history, a retired hero is murdered, and these six characters work together to solve the mystery.
The New Gods
So far, all the teams weāve gone over have been seen on the small or the big screen, but not so for The New Gods. This corner of the DC Universe is in comic book form only, so it might be completely unfamiliar to a lot of fans. Not to worry though, this group of literal ānewā gods is one youāll want to get to know. Weāll start with a little necessary backstory:
During Ragnarok, the old deities, the ones that youāve always known thanks to mythology, were destroyed and their world was split in two. The two new planets, New Genesis and Apokolips, which were said to be twin planets, were as different as they come. New Genesis was green and beautifulā full of life and vitality. Apokolips, on the other hand, looked a bit like a literal hell.
As you can imagine, the new gods residing on New Genesis are mostly of superhero status while those on Apokolips are of a villainous nature. On New Genesis, Highfather is the leader, and heās seen as a fair, benevolent god. Highfather and his team live on a hovering city called Supertownā remember, they are actual Godsā because they donāt want to disturb the natural order of New Genesis, and they have some amazing tech. The Mother Box, as DC describes it, is, āa sentient supercomputer with seemingly infinite capabilities, many of which are unknown even to their users. They can function as a weapon, provide information, heal their user and open boom tubes. Crafted out of a mysterious element, theyāre believed to have ties to the natural world and possess a real bond with their user, often self-destructing when their user dies. But among fans, theyāre most known for the series of āpingsā with which they communicate.ā
Pretty awesome, right? The tech doesnāt stop there, but more about the charactersā¦
Thereās Metron, who likes to play Switzerland. If you ask him, heās not a member of the New Genesis gods or the Apokolips gods and will show no allegiance to either. And then thereās Darkside, ruler of Apokolips. Heās a different kind of leader, one that would be considered a villain. His aim is to destroy free will in all the multiverse, and heāll be as ruthless as needed to accomplish the job.
So, is that enough to get you going? Definitely check out The New Gods. Youāre in for a treat.
Villians
Whatās a good superhero story without a proper adversary? The DC Universe is responsible for bringing about some of the most twisted villains with devastating backstories. Joker, in nearly all his incarnations, has an aptitude for the sinister that is unmatched. Bane, one of Batmanās most notable enemies, has a backstory that will leave you confused about your own feelings toward him. As for Supermanās worst enemies, Zod ranks among the top. But again, that backstory! The man lost his entire planetā¦ so we can understand why he'd be a bit upset. And who can forget billionaire bad boy, Lex Luther? Heās given Superman a run for his money.
It seems that all the superheroesā both as individuals and as teamsā always find themselves up against some sort of enemy no matter how many theyāve beaten. Hereās a list of the names youāre sure to run into along the way:
- Anarky
- Anti-Monitor
- Bane
- Bizzaro
- Black Adam
- Black Manta
- Brainiac
- Captain Boomerang
- Captain Cold
- Damien Darkh
- Darkseid
- Deadshot
- Deimos
- Doomsday
- Gorilla Grodd
- Heatwave
- Joker
- Killer Croc
- Killer Frost
- Lex Luthor
- Maxwell Lord
- Mister Freeze
- Ocean Master
- Penguin
- Raās Al Guhl
- Reverse Flash
- Riddler
- Scarecrow
- Sinistro
- Solomon Grundy
- Steppenwolf
- Telos
- Two-Face
- Vandal Savage
- Zod
- Zoom
Ares might not be on this list, but who can forget the epic battle between Diana Prince and the God of War? He might be under the āItās complicatedā list because of his love for the Earth, but he was all villain up against Wonder Woman.
We canāt rattle off a list of villains without mentioning a certain group of supervillains bent on getting rid of superheroes once and for all. Here goes:
H.I.V.E.
Unlike the other groups mentioned, H.I.V.E., or Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination is all about ridding the universe of superheroes. The group, which recruits the likes of scientists and trained professionals like assassins and military forces, is headed by some of the DC Universeās supervillains. Some of its head members throughout the years have been Queen Bee, Darkh, and Damien. The H.I.V.E. seems to have a special interest in eradicating the Titans and regularly works with Titan-specific adversaries to exterminate the crew.
The DC Universe is a twisted, complicated space, and weād have to write a book to explain it all. With characters forming teams, leaving teams, joining other teams, switching sides, dying and coming back, thereās just too much to cover.
Letās not forget the differences between the movies and the comics as well. Luckily, if you want to geek out as much as we do, DC has an entire site dedicated to those who want to learn. We think youāve got a pretty good starting point here, but if a particular group or character really piques your interest, the DC website is definitely worth a glance. Check it out here to answer any and all of your DC Universe questions.
After diving deep into the DC Universe, itās only natural to want to show some love for your favorite characters. Ready to put your superfan status on display? Check out all of our DC gear today!