Teen Titans debuted two and half years before Babs was invented. She’s older than the other sidekicks by a few years and is elected to Congress in 1972. I imagine DC Editorial did not want multiple Bat members on the team. This would be especially true when New Teen Titans took off. Then she’s Oracle for most of the Post-Crisis period.
Barbara Gordon does appear in the comics Teen Titans Go! and Tiny Titans, seemingly as a member.
The original Bat-Girl, Bette Kane, was a member of the Teen Titans West.
Thanks for the chime in, Cap. Most of which I knew, but had long forgotten. You’re probably right about DC wanting to keep the Bat count down on the teams. That, more than anything else makes the most sense. Even as the teams matured out of the teen aspect of their titles. So, I’m willing to accept that recap reasoning, for now. Unless Q comes in with something different, I’ll consider it a closed subject on my end. Thanks again, you’re a valuable resource to our membership!
All right, here are some more pre-historic DC figures for you to round out your list:
Aurakles, the First Super Hero. Genetically manipulated by the New Gods, as first seen in Justice League of America #100. Not entirely dissimilar to Marvel’s Eternals.
Klarn Arg, Immortal Man. Vandal Savage’s oldest nemesis through the ages.
Kong the Untamed, a similar character to Kubert’s Tor who also had little impact outside his own titular 6 issue series, despite a Who’s Who entry and a brief appearance in History of the DC Universe. Created by Jack Oleck and Alfredo Alcala.
Caveman Flash, a prehistoric speedster who made a recent appearance in the current Flash series.
“Caveman” John Grimm, an enemy of Wildcat from Sensation Comics#10
Prehistoric Batman, a body inhabited by Bruce Wayne in Final Crisis and The Return of Bruce Wayne, who also appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Rheelai, a prehistoric shaman who appears in Doug Wheeler’s Swamp Thing, who recognizes Swamp Thing as an Avatar of The Green
Quite a lot! The Legion of Substitute Heroes was introduced in 1963’s Adventure Comics#306, and remained a staple of the setting until the “Zero Hour” Legion reboot in 1994. Here is a selection of stories where you can find them on DCUI.
*As reprinted in Adventure Comics #411
**Superman and the Legion of Substitute Heroes vs. Ambush Bug!
***First Post-Zero Hour reappearance, as Geoff Johns reintroduced the original version of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
****Team-up with the Inferior Five!
*****First Post-Flashpoint appearance
The Legion of Substitute Heroes also appears in the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series – specifically episodes 8 and 9, “Lightning Storm” and “The Substitutes,” as well as an issue of the show’s tie-in comic series, The Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #3.
That actually raises a question in itself: with all of the crossing over DC’s done with Hanna-Barbera’s characters over the years, are there any Hanna-Barbera characters that canonically exist in mainstream continuity now? Does DC have it’s own Scooby Gang or Funky Phantom running around?
Kind of-sort of. The humanoid versions of the Looney Tunes who first appear in Batman/Elmer Fudd continue to play small roles in King’s Batman run thereafter.
Watching the Dead Boy Detectives interact with the Doom Patrol (HBO/Max) on Earth 21, this season, got me thinking again, about the supernatural. Now, each writer comes up with whatever rules he (or she) wants to apply to their characters in any given situation. The same applies to time travel, I get that. If I’m correct, since Rebirth, the DP have been established on Earth Prime (or is that New Earth?). While the DBD are adventuring in the Vertigo Universe. Apparently, a very flexible place for some of it’s DC owned actors.
If DCU characters can interact with those of the Multiverse, why not the DBD? Some characters have done this in the past, without any Earth shaking ramifications. So again, why not the DBD? I’m not lobbying for Vertigo to “join” regular DCU continuity. I get the whole creator owned “thing.” But, as company owned properties, shouldn’t the Spectre, Deadman or JLDark be able to pierce that intra-company veil on occasion?
Now I’m not at all sure about the ideas I’ve just floated. Since I’m still not sure which Earth is which, anymore. Things were a lot simpler after the first Crisis, as I recall. How I do miss those days. In any case, if I’m way off base here, hopefully you’ll put me back on the “Wright” path, good sir.
In trying to track down any Green Lantern: Mosaic tpb collected volumes, I’ve come to the conclusion there aren’t any. Quite surprising really, considering how many other GL story-lines have received the reprint treatment. Given that it was, in a lot of ways, the predecessor of the massive Convergence maxi-series that ran throughout 2015, that’s a real disappointment. Seen by many, as a redemption story for John Stewart’s reckless behavior in the 1988 Cosmic Odyssey mini-series. I have to wonder if DC is ever gonna’ collect it in print. Oh well, in other news (as the evening anchors like to say) …
Any one else taking note of super talented J.K.Simmons, Micheal Keaton and WillemDefoe playing Commissioner Gordon, Batman and Vulko, in the DCEU? While amazingly, also playing Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson, Vulture and the Green Goblin (respectively) over at Sony/Marvel? I mean, how sweet is that! Marvel and DC haven’t crossed over cinematically, as yet. But these actors are certainly adding extra and unexpected value to their screen personas. I for one, am loving it. More please!
I’m afraid that has quite a lot to do with the writer, Wrightline. The period of Green Lantern history which “Mosaic” occupies was largely constructed by Gerard Jones, who has been found guilty and convicted on unspeakable criminal charges. His name has cast a grim shadow over all the books he’s written for, and it’s still too fresh a wound for DC to separate art from artist.
After picking myself up off the floor, I confess (poor choice of words here), to knowing nothing about this criminal activity you speak of. I shall have to look into that, for more clarity on the subject.
Well, since a Green Lantern: Mosaic tpb appears to be unobtainable for the foreseeable future, let me turn my sights to something with better prospects.
In 1964, a beautiful new addition to the DC line-up was introduced in an issue of Hawkman. Her name was Zatanna Zatara. On a search to find her missing father, renowned stage performer and secret crime fighter, known as Zatara, the Magician! Her adventures also brought her into contact with the Elongated Man, Green Lantern and the Atom. Even a somewhat forced tie-in to the Outsider storyline over in Batman, allowed her to interact with the Dynamic Duo. Because of this, she was able to “use” these heroes in the Justice League finale of her quest, in 1967.
I can’t remember if that overall story (DC’s first multi-title crossover?) was ever collected as a tpb or not. Was it? And if so, has any other collection of her stories, likewise been complied? Thanks, Q.
