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Greatest 12 Characters of the 1990's

Who is on this list, what this list is about and how they got on the list!

 DCAU the 1990's Greatest
 DCAU the 1990's Greatest
Synopsis 
This is one of a set of lists I made showing a progression of the greatest characters in a heroic style throughout time. Focusing for the most part on one decade at a time. The heroes that we know and love today were inspired by heroes before them. Some are even real people who moved into folklore. Before comics there were pulp magazines. Before that there was dime novels and before that was the penny dreadfuls. There were many others as well like Gothic novels, story papers and yes even a real novel.  
 
The List 
This is a list of the greatest characters to first appear between 1990-1999.   These would be characters who will go on to be the biggest influences in comics either directly or indirectly.  In other words these will become great inspirations to future comic characters and stories. Right now they are in order of year.  

 Hell's Spider-man
 Hell's Spider-man
 
New Stuff 

The 1990's came on the heals of the well loved Watchmen series.  This brought a more violent comic era for good or ill.  The 1990's sported the last huge comic boom.  DC Comics alone saw the death of Superman, Batman break his back, Hal Jordan became a villain, Aquaman lost his hand, Blue Beetle was put into a coma, Booster Gold lost his arm and his power,  Fire lost her power, Ice died and on and on and on.  The 1990's greatest characters were mostly just spin-off characters of more popular ones the preceded him. 
 
Here is the past list 
Greatest 12 Characters  of the 1980's  
 
Here is the next list
Greatest 12 Characters  of the 2000's

List items

  • In 1990 Ghost Rider #1 Dan Ketch took over the mantle of Ghost Rider. He has been one of the greatest characters of Marvel Comics to come out of that decade.

  • In 1991 Deadpool was launched from a cannon of popularity with his first appearance in the New Mutants #98. Deadpool is one of those characters who are both loved and hated by many fans, divides the comic world.

  • Harley Quinn got her first appearance on the cartoon show Batman: the animated series in the episode Joker's Favor in 1992. She was inspired by real life actress Arleen Sorkin who also voiced the character and gave her life. It was her voice talent and the writing of the character that made her one of the greatest characters who came out of her decade.

  • Leave it to the boom of the 1990's to spawn (no pun intended) several new publishers. Image was perhaps the best of these new publishers and their flagship Spawn was one of or perhaps it's greatest characters. His first appearance was in the first issue of his own ongoing series called Spawn in 1992. This series is still going making Spawn one of the very few characters to have his own series lasting around 200 issues. Even "A-List" heroes form DC and Marvel Comics can't even make that claim.

  • In 1993 after the death of Superman a new Superboy emerged in Adventures of Superman #500. For his short career Superboy has been in hundreds of comics. He has even been dead and resurrected. As a result of the era he came from.

  • In 1994 when Hal Jordan was deemed too dull to support his own book Kyle Rayner was created to pick up the slack and a new better chapter in the Green Lantern Corps emerged. His first appearance was in Green Lantern #48. Today Kyle and Hal fans butt heads on who is greater.

  • In 1994 Bart Allen made his debut as Impulse in Flash Comics #92. Apparently there were not enough speedsters in the DC Universe. He was soon given his own series and he has been running with popularity from that point on.

  • In 1994 Jack Knight took up the Starman mantle and became one of the biggest heroes to come out of his decade. His first appearance is in Starman #0.

  • In 1995 Witchblade first appeared in Cyblade / Shi #1. Who would have thought that nearly nude woman would sell comics....Oh, wait.

  • Mercy Graves like the legendary Harley Quinn got their first appearance in the DC Animated Universe in 1996. Her first appearance was in the Superman: Animated Series in the episode A Little Piece of Home.

  • Having only been in existence sense 1996 Linda Danvers has made a tremendous impact on the DC Universe. Only time will tell if her character will stay as influential as it has been. Her first appearance is in Supergirl #1.

  • Starting out in What if...? #105 in 1998 Spider-girl turned a side story into a major production She had appeared in hundreds of comics in that short time and has had several of her own series one lasting over 100 issues on it's own.

8 Comments

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Cole_Mercer

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Wait!!! So Deadpool came out in the 90's?? Wow he's pretty young (longevity wise) compared to wolverine & spidey

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Liberty

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Edited By Liberty
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Liberty

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@rasx: Shadowman would be great.  I think his "staying" power is sadly lost however.
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rasx

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No Valiant characters like X-O Manowar or Shadowman.

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deadpoolrules

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Ah,New Mutants #98,what a masterpiece

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ReVamp

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I was expecting Baney to be here.

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haydenclaireheroes

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Love me some spider-girl. Also loved seeing Superboy, Kid Flash, and Linda Danvers all great heroes that began their journey at this time. Great Work. 

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Wise Son

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I jizzed in my pants, Spawn number #1 character of the 90s. No explanation needed.