What have Marvel & DC done/created lately?

[sullivan85]

While I love many of the iconic Marvel and DC characters, it struct me this morning that I cannot think of any really big successful characters that either company has come up with in the last 40 years!

Am I wrong here?

I wonder if it has anything to do with increased creator rights over the last 20 years. Maybe they'd rather hire folks to working on the characters they own as opposed to delving into legalities over new characters they create to play in their universe.

[miyamotofreak]

For villains there have been plenty, heroes not so much.

[ConorKilpatrick]

I wonder if it has anything to do with increased creator rights over the last 20 years. Maybe they'd rather hire folks to working on the characters they own as opposed to delving into legalities over new characters they create to play in their universe.

I think it's more to do with the fact that most comic book readers don't seem to want new superheroes. Almost every time Marvel or DC try to put out books featuring new characters they don't sell.

[Mikegraham6]

runaways and young avengers spring to mind right away. The new blue beetle, manhunter and the One Year Later arc of Teen Titans introduced a huge number of new teen heroes, the problem is that the new ones don't really catch on

[ConorKilpatrick]

The new blue beetle...

That's a good question - does someone like the new Blue Beetle or Tim Drake count? It's a tough distinction. On the one hand, Tim Drake is a new and completely different person than Dick Grayson, but on the other, at the end of the day he's still Robin.

[paper]

Do the Runaways count? Echo? Jessica Jones?

Personally I'm a huge fan of The Sentry. :rolleyes:

[Mikegraham6]

That's a good question - does someone like the new Blue Beetle or Tim Drake count? It's a tough distinction. On the one hand, Tim Drake is a new and completely different person than Dick Grayson, but on the other, at the end of the day he's still Robin.

in my opinion, someone like Tim Drake doesn't neccessarily count just because he's basically someone filling the robin mantle, sure the person under the mask is different but the Superhero is essentially the same or really similar.
The Blue Beetle on the other hand seems to be a complete reinvention of the character (from what i've read, and admittedly its not much). This Blue Beetle looks to be completely different from the Ted Kord version, different look, powers and personality, so not only is the secret identity different but the hero as well.

[Mikegraham6]

Personally I'm a huge fan of The Sentry. :rolleyes:

You too!?!?!?!?:D

[davegraham]

You too!?!?!?!?:D

Hey I like the idea of Superman in the Marvel Universe. I don't think anything really good has been done with him as of yet. But I also feel Bendis could do some good stuff with the character. I think Civil War got in the way, but I wouldn't be surprised if he kicked some serious Skrull butt in the next year.

[ConorKilpatrick]

Forty years might be too long of a range, lots of characters have been created since 1967.

The Fourth World characters. Power Man & Iron Fist. The Punisher. Tons and tons of X-Men (including some dude named Wolverine). All of the New Titans. Elektra. Jonah Hex. Conan the Barbarian. Blade. Falcon. Swamp Thing. Animal Man. Venom. John Stewart. Guy Gardner. Kyle Rayner (although I've never heard of this guy, I'm not sure who he is, exactly). Runaways.

This is just off the top of my head.

[Mikegraham6]

Hey I like the idea of Superman in the Marvel Universe. I don't think anything really good has been done with him as of yet. But I also feel Bendis could do some good stuff with the character. I think Civil War got in the way, but I wouldn't be surprised if he kicked some serious Skrull butt in the next year.

after the last issue of Mighty Avengers, they have the potential to really bring his character into the spotlight. I liked the first Sentry mini, but the way he's been used has been so boring. I also don't like the fact that he seems to be the ace in the hole for the whole World War Hulk series

[kwok_talk]

Tons and tons of X-Men (including some dude named Wolverine).

Including one-so called Dazzler. Since she has an Essential book all to herself, she MUST be a super important character creation! ;)

[davegraham]

Some of my favorite Marvel characters, when I started reading, were Darkhawk, Sleepwalker, The Slingers, Phil Urich/Green Goblin, and Kyle Rayner. I actually hated the Avengers, because they stole the New Warriors' thunder after the teens took down Terrax.

However now I buy Avengers, Justice League of America, Iron Man, and Cap. Things like The Hood never show up on my radar. I think I am going to have to make some adjustments.

[sullivan85]

I stand corrected then! There have indeed been many characters created in the last 25 years at Marvel/DC. But how many are popular iconic characters? Have any characters created since the 70s become household names or has that time passed since comics are not as widely distributed anymore?

I'm just saying it's wierd is all...

[Mikegraham6]

But how many are popular iconic characters? Have any characters created since the 70s become household names


definitely not many, and i can't think of any off the top of my head, but i don't think that's really Marvel or DC's fault

[JAFlanagan]

Layla Miller is my favorite new character in the Marvel Universe.

[sullivan85]

definitely not many, and i can't think of any off the top of my head, but i don't think that's really Marvel or DC's fault

Nor do I. But why do you think that is the case?

[JAFlanagan]

One thing that seems to happen now is that they'll take a character who wasn't necessarily doing anything, and giving them new life. Like Iron Fist at Marvel, or Renee Montoya at DC.

I think that's because it's hard to invent all new characters that people are just going to reject almost automatically. Freedom Ring and Gravity come to mind.

But the Runaways is a great example of when it does work. It's just rare, and they better be good.