DC Comics was the original superhero publisher and has introduced numerous characters to readers. Over the years, we’ve gotten characters young and old, showing that the metahuman game is one for all ages. Aging in the DC Multiverse is weird; some characters age and some don’t. Batman has been 35 for decades. Superman will always be in his early 30s. Barry Allen will seem like a 60-year old and yet is still in his 30s. The characters have to age somewhat, but the most part, they are all in the flower of their life, a place that they will stay forever. Superheroes and supervillains never get a chance to retire, even though there are some heroes and villains out there who should.
Many DC heroes and villains have “retired”, only to end up coming back when readers started to miss them. However, there are some heroes and villains out there who should actually retire. That doesn’t mean they have to leave or anything like that; they can still stay around and hang out, but they don’t need to be in the spotlight anymore. These five DC characters need to retire, taking a well-deserved rest from their battles and letting the next generation take over.
5) Martian Manhunter
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Martian Manhunter has long been underappreciated. The Justice League legend has been fighting evil in a number of guises since the 1950s, using his Green Martian abilities to become one of the most trusted members of the superhero community. He’s become an icon, but if we’re being a hundred percent real, he hasn’t actually been all that important in years. Other than Absolute Martian Manhunter, fans aren’t clamoring for more Martian Manhunter stories (even though they should because he’s awesome).
J’onn J’onnz retiring would be the end of an era for the League, but it’s one that needs to happen. J’onn could take up a role in the Watchtower that didn’t involve being a superhero, still helping his friends without jumping into battle, sort of like what Barry Allen has been doing since Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (I almost put him on the list, but he’s already basically retired). Miss Martian can slot right into his spot on the League and he can still play a role, he just doesn’t need to be a superhero anymore.
4) Vandal Savage
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Vandal Savage has been fighting the heroes since the Golden Age, battling the Justice Society, Justice League, and just about every A or B-list hero you can name. He’s over a hundred thousand years old, granted superhuman physical attributes, super intelligence, immortality, and a healing factor from a radioactive meteor. He’s spent his long life hoarding resources and trying to take over the world and is known for his cunning strategic mind. However, Savage hasn’t really been all that important in a long time (no, becoming GCPD Commissioner isn’t important) and it’s about time to put him to pasture.
The best thing is that DC introduced the perfect person to replace him in the mid ’00s – Scandal Savage. She’s long been a member of the Secret Six, but has rarely branched out. While she’s more an anti-hero than a villain, she could easily step into her father’s role as evil mastermind. She has some of his superhuman attributes and has shown how intelligent she is. Losing Vandal Savage isn’t all that big a deal even if Scandal doesn’t replace him. He’s become surplus to requirements and he might as well retire and give up the ghost regardless of there being a replacement or not.
3) Batman
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Batman is DC’s most popular hero and the chances of Bruce Wayne retiring are nil. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a good idea. The Dark Knight is a character that everyone loves, but everyone but the most diehard Bat-fans have kind of gotten tired of. Bruce Wayne is an amazing character, but he’s been everywhere for so long that a lot of fans actively try to avoid his books. Maybe the best thing to do to him is to let him take a new role in the superhero community. Wayne has been getting ready for the moment he can no longer be Batman for ages, and it’s about time he put those plans into motion.
Dick Grayson was an amazing Batman. Tim Drake could be one and so could Damian. Jason could even do it well. It might be best for the world if Bruce let someone else put on the costume while he worked from the cave, coming up with the plans and acting as the “man in the chair” for whoever he chooses to replace him. It would be a great change for the character and the DC Multiverse because it would change things a lot, but keep them somewhat the same. Plus, he could come out of retirement sometimes for the big stories. It would be a tough sell to get DC to do it and it almost certainly wouldn’t last, but it would be cool.
2) Lex Luthor
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Lex Luthor has changed a lot as a character, especially in the last few years. Since 2022, he’s been an on-again, off-again ally of Superman, to the extent that calling him a villain is false. He’s currently a member of the Justice League, working with Batman to figure out what Darkseid’s next attack will be and how to stop it. Lex is a complex character and he’s showing right now that he can fit into any role in a superhero comic. Personally, I don’t want Lex to retire forever, but I think it’s about time that he retired as a villain.
Superman and Lex have an amazing relationship and it’s one that works ever better when Lex is actually trying to do the right thing. Seeing the two of them put aside the years of enmity to work together is a lot of fun. Luthor as a villain has run its course and its time to give him a new mission. The best thing is that you can still keep Luthor as a morally grey character, just have him actually put the “I could make the world a better place if I didn’t have to deal with Superman” money in his mouth. You can still have him vying with the heroes, he would just not be in the villain game any longer.
1) Hal Jordan
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Hal Jordan is the greatest Green Lantern and has a new level of reach thanks to Lanterns. Hal was long one of the standard-bearers of the DC superhero community, helping found the Justice League and has become one of the leaders of the Green Lantern Corps. He’s a legend in his own time and a great hero. However, as great as he can be, he doesn’t need to be a working Lantern anymore. He’d be much better as a retired officer on Oa, one helping the next generation of Lanterns step up and become as great as he is.
I’ve loved Hal since I saw him on SuperFriends but he sucks the air out of every room he’s in. Kyle Rayner, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz, and Simon Baz should all be more important characters and the main reason they aren’t is because Hal is taking all of the focus. Retiring Hal to Oa would allow him to still be around and show up but would allow the other Lanterns to step up and get the spotlight. Look at Lanterns; we all love Hal, but one of the best parts of the story is passing of the torch. Hal doesn’t need to die in the comics, but he should still retire.
What DC characters to you want to retire? Should I have included Barry instead of J’onn? Sound off in the comment section below.
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