Some important or memorable DC Comics characters haven’t been under the limelight in recent memory. Whether these characters have been absent for a few years or decades, it’s a shame to see them go, with no clear intention on whether they will be brought back or not. After all, DC Comics is still somewhat recovering from its New 52 reboot, where characters like Wally West’s Flash were gone for years, only to come back and bring along the entire cast of characters from Watchmen with him.

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Whether they be hero or villain, amazing DC Comics characters always deserve well-written dialogue, action, and art, but it seems these characters have seen the sunset, and it’s unclear if they will be used again. Perhaps the likes of the DCU will boost them into popularity like Peacemaker, but fate is ever uncertain for some fan favorite and obscure DC Comics characters.

Updated on June 16, 2024, by Jake Fillery: The extensive list of DC Comics characters grows every year, but with so many characters, it's inevitable that some are left forgotten. Whether these characters have had their adventures ended through their death, or they simply haven't appeared in years, these DC characters seem to have been forgotten. It's not surprising that some lesser-known heroes and villains in DC's roster have been shelved for quite some time. After all, stories are constantly evolving, and when facing off against the likes of Batman and Superman, it's hard to get attention.

10 Doctor Death

Last Seen 10 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Detective Comics #29 (July, 1939)
• Last Appearance: Batman Vol 2 #29 (May, 2014)

One of Batman's earliest villains, Doctor Death would become a reoccurring nuisance in Batman's early years, both in comics and the New 52 reboot with Zero Year. Yet, it seemed that Doctor Death was not supposed to stick around, as in the New 52 reboot, he lasted 4 issues before dying. This character was more horrific in the reboot, as Doctor Karl Helfern would experiment with a bone growth formula to mutate him into a ghastly beast.

It's a shame that such a cool design has now been absent for 10 years, especially when the Batman comics lend themselves to gothic horror, cementing a place for Doctor Death. Hopefully one day this character will return, as even though he technically died, monsters can always come back.

9 Coagula

Last Seen 22 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Doom Patrol Vol 2 #70 (September, 1993)
• Last Appearance: Doom Patrol Vol 3 #9 (August, 2002)

Kate Godwin is a great character that featured as a member of the Doom Patrol. This character had an incredible set of powers, where she could liquefy solid objects and solidify liquids just with a touch of her finger, at will. Kate's superhero antics as Coagula were never featured as part of the Justice League, but its lesser known and equally talented team of Doom Patrol, a team that has had recent fame due to the popular and wacky TV series.

Sadly, Coagula was killed in the same run, but there should be no reason she hasn't come back since this was before the New 52 reboot. What makes Coagula a character deserving of a return is the fact that she is one of DC's earliest trans characters, and adding further representation would always be a joy.

8 Gaggy

Last Seen 14 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Batman #186 (November, 1966)
• Last Appearance: Gotham City Sirens #6 (January, 2010)

Gagsworth A. Gagsworthy is an underling of Joker, a loyal and deprived criminal that will do anything to make his leader smile. It's not exactly true to say that Gaggy's last appearance was Gotham City Sirens, as the character has appeared a few times post-Rebirth. However, the character always features as such a minor cameo that it wouldn't be surprising to see this just be another person that Joker has dubbed as Gaggy due to his need for clownish sidekicks.

The last time Gaggy had any importance in the world of DC was when he tried to kill Harley Quinn for taking his spotlight from the Joker. Since, before Harley was Joker's sidekick, there was Gaggy, all the way back in obscure trivia from 1966. Gaggy has been forgotten by both Joker and DC Comics it seems.

7 Pandora

Last Seen 8 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Flashpoint Vol 2 #5 (October, 2011)
• Last Appearance: DCU: Rebirth #1 (July, 2016)

A more recent character in the DC mythos, Pandora led with intrigue. Each issue that featured Pandora, a mystery would further unravel, yet tighten at the same time. With her past responsibility of opening Pandora's Box making her cursed for all of eternity, there was much potential for what she could do in the DC Universe. However, that was cut short when the architect of the DC reboot killed her.

Pandora is dead, and she has stayed dead, remaining barely even mentioned in future DC comics. Where Pandora's story could have gone after the reveal of Dr. Manhattan, is anyone's guess, for she was cut short of her goals and potential to bring forth the Watchmen.

6 Aztek

Last Seen 24 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Aztek: The Ultimate Man #1 (August, 1996)
• Last Appearance: JLA #41 (May, 2000)

A more lesser known hero, but a hero nonetheless, Aztek was a member of the Justice League who fought for the betterment of Earth. With his snazzy battle suit, Aztek was empowered by occult engineering, allowing him to rely on the collective memories of all those who wore the helmet before him, as well as indulge in other abilities like energy resistance and electric blasts.

Aztek was a promising new hero with a few moral flaws, making him an interesting character that could grow. Yet, his time of only 4 years meant that this couldn't come to fruition, as he sacrificed himself but his time in the Justice League was cut short when he sacrificed himself to help Superman escape from the villainous Mageddon. It's another character who has stayed death, even after DC's reboot.

5 Blackhawk

Last Seen 67 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Military Comics #1 (August, 1941)
• Last Appearance: Blackhawk #107 (December, 1956)

Before DC Comics had the character, Blackhawk was a part of Quality Comics, a publication from 1937 to 1956. Blackhawk was one of the many characters owned by Quality Comics, and they helped to influence the Golden Age of comics. Blackhawk himself is a disambiguous title given to many characters across the DC Universe, but the original and first Blackhawk, the one who fought Nazis during World War 2, has not been seen in decades.

It was only in the past few years that DC announced Steven Spielberg was attached to direct a Blackhawk movie, but with nothing but radio silence on the live-action front, it seems that Blackhawk is set to stay in the obscurity of the Golden Age, especially after being erased from the DC timeline with Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, the recent Dark Crisis event of Rebirth could bring this version back. After all, the Blackhawks are now a title of soldiers following Lady Blackhawk, but no original in sight.

4 Hitman

Last Seen 17 Years Ago

• First Appearance: The Demon Annual Vol 3 #2 (November, 1993)
• Last Appearance: JLA/Hitman Vol 1 #2 (December, 2007)

Hitman is one of the rare characters in DC Comics that has died and stayed dead. The character has been laid to rest thanks to Garth Ennis, and it seems that he won’t be coming back unless the creators themselves decide to do so. There’s a great selection of Hitman comics from DC Comics, and the telepathic assassin may be a killer, but he’s one with such charisma that even he has good standing with the superhero community, to the point where he’s even worked with the Justice League and the titanic Superman.

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Despite the multiverse receiving a reboot and various new timelines, Hitman has not returned, and Tommy Monaghan seems to be a retired character. With a violent charm to his attitude and profession, Hitman has been cast in many opportunities during his time in and out of Gotham City.

3 Mister Bloom

Last Seen 2 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Batman Vol 2 #43 (October, 2015)
• Last Appearance: Task Force Z #12 (November, 2022)

Mister Bloom was a brand-new Batman villain, introduced at a time when Bruce Wayne was no longer Batman, and it was actually James Gordon who held the mantle of the Bat. Mister Bloom was a terrifying villain, and the horror aspects of his villainy were a sight to behold. He was as if Slender Man and Poison Ivy rolled into one entity, yet somehow, even creepier than that.

Despite his strong appearance, Mister Bloom wasn’t seen for years, and the 7-year hiatus from his supposed death was one that people didn’t expect to last, like all comic deaths. Yet, his recent appearances in Task Force Z show that Mister Bloom is indeed dead, and whilst it’s still recent since his last appearance, it’s doubtful that he will return, even after 2 years.

2 Sideways

Last Seen 2 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Sideways #1 (April, 2018)
• Last Appearance: Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (October, 2022)

It’s common for new heroes to fail in a world dominated by the likes of icons such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. It’s a shame, as Sideways had some great youth and optimism to make him a rendition of DC Comics’ own Spider-Man. Yet, Sideways didn’t last long in the DC Universe and has not been heard from since 2019, despite a cameo appearance in the Justice League'sDark Crisis on Infinite Earths.

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Sideways was a fairly cool concept, as this up-and-coming hero was able to create rifts that could have him leap through dimensions with ease. This ability was fairly unique to the hero, allowing him to travel fast and far on Earth through the creation of these portals. His personality was vibrant and fun, but it seemed he was not set to last.

1 Kal-L (Superman of Earth-Two)

Last Seen 9 Years Ago

• First Appearance: Action Comics #1 (June,1938)
• Last Appearance: Convergence: Action Comics #2 (July, 2015)

Nobody could have predicted just how powerful and popular Superman would be back in 1938. Constant story shuffling and introductions of new characters forced Superman to be rebooted into a larger world with other heroes, leaving the original version of Superman, the Golden Age version, reduced to an Earth-Two counterpart. Still with the heroics and wonders of the Golden Age, Kal-L was one of the very best, a pinnacle of superheroes.

Yet, the character has not been used for decades, left behind for new modern and gritty tellings of the Man of Steel. This version of Superman fought for truth, justice, and the American way, and even led the charge against the Anti-Monitor in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Earth-Two Superman used to play a large part in DC Comics, but he has since been laid to rest.

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