My 11 year old asked me a question today that made me pause for a moment:
“If Superman didn’t exist, who would be your favorite DC character?”
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I knew it was either Batman or Wonder Woman, but the answer didn’t just slip off my tongue. My answer, eventually, was Diana. Though admittedly I have read more Batman (and have more Batman stuff), I do find myself leaning, ever so slightly, towards her more passionate personality, intriguing powers, and the world of Greek gods that she comes from. That and Batman is everywhere, so it gets tiring sometimes . My daughter was surprised, “Dad, you picked a girl; that’s cool!”. So not only did I learn a little something about myself, I got some bonus daddy points .
Because it was a fun little exercise for me, I thought I’d introduce it here:
Fill in the blanks:
If ____ didn’t exist, my favorite DC character would be ____, because ____.
I honestly don’t think there would’ve been a Super heroes comic had it not been for Superman. So I really can’t say, even Marvel comic owe Superman creators a big thankyou. Superman is really a father of all Super Heroes like George Washington is a father of our country.
Point taken @Reaganfan78. The character definitely ushered in a whole new era of storytelling, and will always be my favorite. The question was more about personal interest/preference though, as opposed to historical significance… in which case “none” is very well a valid answer, even if it doesn’t stoke much further conversation .
If Wonder Woman didn’t exist, my favorite DC character would be Renee Montoya/The Question, because she has sass and heart. She also doesn’t have superpowers, or even endless disposable income like Bruce Wayne. She just has her smarts and tenacity, and even before she became the Question, she was a very compelling character as part of the GCPD (Gotham Central). Also interestingly, one of my favorite stories she’s in is 52, where the Trinity is absent for a year (so in that sense WW “doesn’t exist”).
Renee also struggles with a lot of personal demons that I think make her very relatable - guilt, grief, addiction, and coming to terms with her own sexuality. And the fact that it’s not easy for her, but she still overcomes them, is pretty inspiring.
I like it! I’m very green when it comes the The Question and their various incarnations. Considering Diana is your top choice, The Question wouldn’t have been my first guess.
Thanks. Yeah kids do surprise us with some the stuff they do and say… sometimes even teaching us adults stuff along the way .
Yeah there’s no real connection. I mean, my other favorite character is Steve Trevor, but I thought it would he hard to make an argument for him while assuming Diana didn’t exist.
Then again (kind of in the same vein of what @Reaganfan78 said), I probably would not be reading comics at all if Wonder Woman didn’t exist. So I would never have discovered the Question. But I guess it’s best not to think that deeply about it.
First of all @moro, those “Daddy Points” are very valuable. So congrats on those collectables.
Second of all, I hope you don’t get mad at me, but I’m gonna answer your awesome question, in an “If-Then” statement.
If Superman didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be Batman, because him and Superman are the two DC characters that I read the most of, and they have been my favorites as far back as I could even read. And I’ve always loved the counter effect that he has on Supes. Meaning, when I am in the mood for super-powerful, out of this world-type strength, I read Supes; on the other hand, when I am wanting to read a gritty, street-level type story, I read Batman. Two best Heros ever in my humble opinion.
If Batman didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be Flash, because reading his stories always makes me feel “upbeat” for some reason. Love his abilities and his heart.
If Flash didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be Aquaman, because I love the underwater world-scape of Aquaman’s kingdom. And you can always feel how his heart is always heavy with the burden of trying to keep the peace between his people and the surface world.
If Aquaman didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be tied between Martian Manhunter and Supergirl, because I love their strength and their heart.
If Manhunter or Supergirl didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be tied between Green Lantern and Green Arrow, because I think their abilities are so cool, and they complement each other, just like Superman and Batman. And loved the storyline where they tackled Speedy’s drug addiction.
If Green Arrow or Lantern didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be tied between Nightwing or Red Hood, because I love seeing Nightwing’s acrobatic abilities across rooftops, and Red Hood gets that frustration out.
If Nightwing and Red Hood didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be tied between Swamp Thing or John Constatine, because their mystic powers are so awesome, and I love the dark, gloomy stories.
If Swamp Thing and Constatine didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be tied between Wonder Woman or Batgirl, because they take care of business.
If Wonder Woman and Batgirl didn’t exist…, my favorite DC character would be tied between Cyborg and Shazam, because being able to control the things that Cyborg can control, or have the abilities of Shazam would be so sweet.
Love this thread @moro, and I hope it was ok for me to list a few more “if-thens”.
Also, I treated this more along the lines of my favorite Super Heros, but I noticed that you actually said “Character”… So maybe I need to reply again with my Villian choices as well…hehe. (rubs hands together while evil-laughing…)
If Jason Todd didn’t exist, well… my name would be TheWifeOfTimDrake. Yeah… I technically dated Tim before I fell for Jason, but we don’t talk about that… ever. continues sweeping
Man… this response is like a love letter to DC. It’s awesome, man! Thanks for all the the thoughtfulness you put into it. Interesting that Diana is so low down the list for ya.
Regarding villains, go for it! They never rate high on my list, because… well… villains, but I’d live to read your take on it nonetheless! Would they rank in between the ones you already mentioned… ?
Nice choice! The TV show really made me appreciate The Flash more, to be honest. Before that, I kinda felt like he was a one-trick pony, but that was based on a very limited amount of reading.
So, attack of the former Robins, huh? I have yet to jump on that whole bandwagon. Feels like a whole corner of DC that’s full of drama & history. One monicker, so many characters.
Honestly, after I went back and read my post again, I was surprised she was so low as well. It’s so hard to list, when you have so many greats. I think it actually is based more on how I am feeling that day, on which character I feel like reading…
I’m already working on a villain list…and I am sure that my top villain will not be what most people would choose… so I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks…
Hmmm… If Tim Drake didn’t exist my favorite DC character would be Damian Wayne. If Damian didn’t exist my favorite DC character would be Wally West.
And I am just now realizing my top 3 favorite DC characters are all male… Hmm. Of course there is nothing wrong with that. But still interesting to me.
I’d put Zatanna at fourth, for the record. I’ve been trying to read more of her and her corner of DC lately. I’ve been so tied into the Batfam I need to read other stuff.
Damian grew on me. I didn’t care for him at first but as I kept reading his stories I really starting liking his character. His ‘Robin: Son of Batman’ series really sold me. That and Super Sons.
I know that some of my choices could be considered Anti-Heros instead of villains in some stories, but I’m just placing them in my villain category, well, because I had a late night, and I’m exhausted.
This one’s for my brother @moro.
As far as villains, my favorite villain would have to be Scarecrow. I know he’s not necessarily one of the “A-listers”, but to me, I’ve always loved the spooky, dark, mind-trip of a story that he is associated with. I honestly don’t think he has been properly utilized in the TV Shows and Movies. And come on…someone who can use his foe’s worst fears against them…that’s awesome. Plus, my love of scary movies probably has something to do with it too.
If Scarecrow didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Harley Quinn , because the stories she is usually involved in, are always so wild and crazy. She’s got that “I don’t care” mode locked down. And I love how she’s torn between super hero and villain. She can go from really funny to really scary in a split second…(which might just be the most scary thing about her…).
If Harley didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Deathstroke , because his skills are out of this world, and he’s such a bad@$$. And I’ve always loved his suit.
If Deathstroke didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Riddler , because I love how he is always thinking 10 steps ahead of most other characters, and normally has several different scenarios planned out.
If Riddler didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Joker , because, well, come on…he’s the Joker. His sadistic stories are always a blast, and for some reason, I always tend to think of the SAW movies, when I read his stories.
If Joker didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Clayface , because his abilities to morph and move around so fluidly are phenomenal. And he always pulls on the heart-strings.
If Clayface didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Poison Ivy , because, just like Swamp Thing, being able to control so many living things on this planet would be insane. I think she truly is an extremely powerful villain.
If Poison Ivy didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Cheetah , because her strength and speed always seem to give Diana problems. I love the dynamic between the two.
If Reverse Flash didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Black Adam , because I love his power, and although I’m surprised at how low he is on my list, I would assume that as soon as The Rock’s Black Adam movie is released, then he will probably get bumped up a few places.
If Black Adam didn’t exist…, my favorite DC villain would be Black Manta , because I am a huge Aquaman fanatic, and I think Black Manta is his best enemy. I know Ocean Master and others, give him problems, but I have always loved the stories between him and Black Manta.
@bigblock66, brother you just transformed a very simple idea I had into a very thoughtful exercise. Your two posts, with all the beautiful art shots you picked are a lot of fun to read. There’s been oodles of “favorite characters” posts all over these forums, but none read like yours. Thanks for taking the time, man. You’ve inspired me to steal your format. Just gotta find some quiet time when the girls aren’t arguing right next to me .
. My daughter was surprised, “Dad, you picked a girl; that’s cool!”. So not only did I learn a little something about myself, I got some bonus daddy points 
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