Nearly everyone has heard of the DC Universe’s biggest names. Superman is virtually universal, and Batman is arguably one of the most popular vigilantes of all time. And who hasn’t 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, we’re 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, we’ve 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
- “It’s Complicated”
Most of the time, it’s 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 doesn’t 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, there’s this group called “It’s Complicated.” Members of this group just don’t know where they stand. They’ve 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. We’ll 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 names— El Diablo, Harley Quinn, Enchantress— from the popular movie Suicide Squad, and if you’ve 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 Lantern— 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 that’s available.
Other than the Justice League, there are 7 more teams in the DC Universe:
Suicide Squad
We’ve talked about this team of convict-turned-earth-savers a few times now, but it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t mention them in the teams' section. They’re 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 that’s 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 there’s one thing we’ve learned over time, it’s 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 didn’t 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 you’ve 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. This group of young proteges knows a thing or two about saving the world… 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
Haven’t heard of the Watchmen yet? Don’t 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 Time’s 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 we’ve 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 “new” gods is one you’ll want to get to know. We’ll start with a little necessary backstory:
During Ragnarok, the old deities, the ones that you’ve 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 beautiful— 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 he’s seen as a fair, benevolent god. Highfather and his team live on a hovering city called Supertown— remember, they are actual Gods— because they don’t want to disturb the natural order of New Genesis, and they have some amazing tech. The Mother Box, as DC describes it, is, “a 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, they’re 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, they’re most known for the series of “pings” with which they communicate.”
Pretty awesome, right? The tech doesn’t stop there, but more about the characters…
There’s Metron, who likes to play Switzerland. If you ask him, he’s not a member of the New Genesis gods or the Apokolips gods and will show no allegiance to either. And then there’s Darkside, ruler of Apokolips. He’s a different kind of leader, one that would be considered a villain. His aim is to destroy free will in all the multiverse, and he’ll be as ruthless as needed to accomplish the job.
So, is that enough to get you going? Definitely check out The New Gods. You’re in for a treat.
Villians
What’s 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 Batman’s most notable enemies, has a backstory that will leave you confused about your own feelings toward him. As for Superman’s worst enemies, Zod ranks among the top. But again, that backstory! The man lost his entire planet… so we can understand why he'd be a bit upset. And who can forget billionaire bad boy, Lex Luther? He’s given Superman a run for his money.
It seems that all the superheroes— both as individuals and as teams— always find themselves up against some sort of enemy no matter how many they’ve beaten. Here’s a list of the names you’re 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
- Ra’s 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 “It’s complicated” list because of his love for the Earth, but he was all villain up against Wonder Woman.
We can’t 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 Universe’s 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 we’d have to write a book to explain it all. With characters forming teams, leaving teams, joining other teams, switching sides, dying and coming back, there’s just too much to cover.
Let’s 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 you’ve 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, it’s 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!