In the diverse, often hectic universe of magic, crime, aliens, alternate realities, and more that DC offers fans, there are countless heroes on offer to save the day. Some of DC’s most iconic figures are about as morally pure and noble as a hero can get, boasting great kindness of heart in many stories. A key example is of course DC’s original flagship character, Superman, who, bar his New 52 iteration, is typically portrayed as standing for truth, and justice and protecting the innocent with pride.
​There are, however, some heroes dwelling in the DC Universe who aren’t quite as warmhearted. From morally dubious figures capable of antiheroic actions to cruel, borderline villainous characters who ultimately stand for good, DC is no stranger to morally gray heroes. These heroes have proven more than once that their hearts are often not in the right place and that they’re capable of things even some villains might wince at.
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7 Zatanna Zatara
At a glance, there’s nothing inherently unpleasant about the Justice League’s number one magic practitioner. However, thanks to Brad Meltzer’s highly controversial Identity Crisis story arc, it turns out Zatanna is not only unscrupulous in her peace-keeping methods but more than prepared to alter the minds of her fellow Justice Leaguers.
​After Dr. Light shockingly assaults Elongated Man’s wife Sue Dibny at the JLA satellite headquarters, Zatanna wipes his memory and rewires his personality to become an inept, non-threatening rogue. When Batman opposes the ethical dilemma of Zatanna’s actions, she wipes his mind as well. While there’s a strong argument this was all for the greater good and safety of the League, the complete violation of a fellow hero’s mind remains one of the darkest moments in JLA history. It also painted Zatanna in a grim light.
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6 Jason Todd
​Batman’s most wayward Robin is quite understandably never the same after being murdered by The Joker. For years, fans longed to see him come back in some form. Thanks to everything from Superboy Prime causing time burps to Ra’s Al Ghul’s Lazarus Pits, they got their wish starting in the late noughties.
Bitter and cruel over his ordeal, the older, wiser Jason Todd is the kind of gun-toting vigilante Batman dreads. Despite his hot-headed, often miserable behavior and instabilities, Jason Todd still ultimately stands for justice in his own way. It’s telling that The Joker targets him during Scott Snyder’s Death of the Family arc. It takes Batman and Todd’s nemesis to remind the former Robin he’s still a member of the Bat Family capable of the same level of heroism. Plenty of stories since have played these themes up, making Todd a reluctant hero beneath his hateful, vigilante exterior.
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5 Azrael
​Jean-Paul Valley, Bruce Wayne’s original Batman legacy replacement, can be a paragon of justice and honor. However, his bloodthirsty, psychological instabilities have led him into a variety of unpleasant issues that more traditionally noble heroes would’ve avoided.
​Much of Valley’s issues stem from his upbringing in the extremist Order of St. Dumas, which conditioned him to be an elite but merciless crime fighter. His savagery in battle is effective but costly, often leading to civilian collateral damage. Despite his borderline villainous flaws, Valley is frequently shown to have a sense of honor and respect beneath his explosive gusto. Ultimately, his spin-off series showed him to be a cruel but brave figure, capable of great heroism despite his borderline psychotic leanings.
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4 John Constantine
One of Alan Moore’s greatest contributions to DC, John Constantine has been getting into trouble ever since he first appeared in Swamp Thing. A gifted warlock and intelligent detective for occult cases, Constantine frequently displays a strong sense of humanitarianism. He also finds himself constantly wrapped up in the battle between Heaven and Hell and its impact on Earth.
Despite the heroism he often pulls off, Constantine is typically a highly self-destructive, cynical figure who has led most of his friends, loved ones, and anyone else connected to him to an early grave. While it’s rarely intentional, the level of tragedy he’s endured has turned him into an often detached figure. His emotional detachment, coupled with his wits, makes him adept at extreme con artistry. For all the good he’s done, Constantine remains a dark and troublesome figure in the DC Universe.
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3 Etrigan the Demon
Hailing from the depths of Hell, Etrigan frequently finds himself aligning with the forces of good in the DC Universe. While he often displays great viciousness and a penchant for dark magic, Etrigan’s connection with Camelot knight-turned-modern demonologist Jason Blood keeps him grounded. The pair is bound together thanks to the magic of Merlin, and Blood frequently steers the sinister demon in more noble directions.
​Created by comics legend Jack Kirby, Etrigan initially served as a move into the horror genre for DC. In the years since, he has frequently teamed up with DC’s finest and, despite his aggressive and monstrous nature, is usually depicted as a brave and ultimately trustworthy ally.
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2 Batman
DC’s biggest-selling hero is, in many ways, the peak of human performance in all areas. Trained in seemingly every martial art there is and sporting a genius-level IQ, he tirelessly goes to war with Gotham’s countless criminal entities. While he is undeniably heroic, he’s also secretive, and vicious and is often depicted as caring more about scaring and punishing crooks than he is about helping and uplifting the people of Gotham.
​His extreme and mostly unwarranted distrust of his fellow Justice Leaguers nearly cost them their lives in Mark Waid’s popular Tower of Babel arc. There, Ra’s Al Ghul discovers Batman’s collection of potentially fatal weapons to use on the League’s diverse array of members and puts them to predictably nefarious use. Despite his bravery and commitment to justice, Bruce Wayne has a notable dark side compared to typically lighter DC heroes such as Superman and the Barry Allen and Wally West incarnations of The Flash.
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1 Damian Wayne
Bruce Wayne’s surprise son was a massive deal to comic book readers when Grant Morrison first introduced him in the suitably-titled Batman and Son. Essentially grown and produced to be superhuman by his mother Talia Al Ghul, Damian Wayne exhibits a number of aggressive, psychopathic traits. Unlike the rest of the Bat Family, he’s also perfectly comfortable murdering his foes when it comes to it.
​However, the more time he spends with Batman and co., particularly Dick Grayson, the more viewers get to see the noble side of the dangerous young crime fighter. By the time of his surprise death at the hands of The Heretic, he’s proven himself to be a courageous, more than capable Robin. Ultimately, though, Wayne’s success with the Robin mantle required him to suppress most of his typically murderous urges, making him a heroic but still rather sinister figure.