5 DC Characters Who Have Never Been Rebooted

Some are heroes, some are villains; what do they all have in common? They have been left out of the current DC comics timeline, and have never had a reboot. From a hero with the power to control shadows, to a sinister immortal (not Vandal Savage) who has led cults and murdered thousands.

These DC characters have never been rebooted. Although some of them have made appearances as TV series villains, they have been otherwise excluded from the DC continuity. Will we ever see them again? Time will tell, but the truth is, all of these characters are interesting enough to be considered worthy of a reboot treatment.

5 Deathbolt

A Villain With Electrical Powers, And It’s Not Black Adam

First Appearance: All-Star Squadron #21 (May 1983) Creators: Roy Thomas – Jerry Ordway Current Status: DCased

Deathbolt is a recurring villain from the Bronze Age of comics, who appeared as an antagonist to The Flash and Green Arrow. He is not a metahuman, but a normal human who was subjected to brutal experiments related to electricity, and thus he developed electrical powers. Some call Deathbolt DC’s Electro, comparing him to Marvel’s Spider-Man villain.

Though this villain never appeared again, the character was brought to the small screen by actor Doug Jones, who played the role in the CW series Arrow and The Flash. Ultimately, the TV version of Deathbolt dies at the hands of Captain Cold, played by the legendary Wentworth Miller (Prison Break).

4 Obsidian

A Hero Tormented By A Sinister Past, But Who Found True Happiness

First Appearance: All-Star Squadron #25 (September 1983) Creators: Roy Thomas – Jerry Ordway Current Status: Alive

Todd Rice, also known as Obsidian, is a superhero, and one of the founders of Infinity Inc., a group of heroes known to be the minor leagues of the Justice Society of America (or their daycare, depends on who’s asked). As a metahuman, Obsidian has umbrakinetic powers that enable him to control shadows and turn his own physical form incorporeal by merging with the darkness.

Another interesting fact about this hero, who has never received a reboot, is that he is the son of the Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott, and Thorn, a villainess with a split personality. As such, he has inherited some of the characteristics of both of them; namely, his father’s ability to exert his will over reality, and sadly, his mother’s mental illness. This has caused Obsidian to turn to the dark side on more than one occasion, and ultimately leading him to retire. Now he lives a happy life and is married to a lawyer named Damon Matthews.

3 Mutant Leader

One Of Batman’s Most Underrated Villains

First Appearance: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 (1986) Creator: Frank Miller Current Status: Unknown

The Mutant Leader is, as his name implies, the leader of the Mutant Gang that terrorized Gotham from their base of operations at the Municipal Dumpsters on the outskirts of the city. He is not a metahuman, but an altered human who has reshaped his hands into claws and filed his teeth to make them sharper.

He is also a consistent leader, and has shown a great talent for rallying all the misfits and rejected people of Gotham, organizing them into a powerful criminal force with a common goal. Mutant Leader has considerable muscle mass, but he’s also an agile combatant, skilled enough to cause Batman some serious trouble. He appears in the DC animated universe as a villain in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, so we hope to see him in the comics again soon.

2 The Silencer

An Assassin With Tremendously Broken Powers

First Appearance: The Silencer #1 (March 2018) Creators: Dan Abnett – John Romita, Jr. Current Status: Alive

The Silencer is a trained assassin and metahuman, with the ability to create “white zones” where no electronic devices work, or where sound cannot be heard. The Silence Zone activates in a limited radius with her body as the center. She can also cancel particle oscillation, rendering metahuman phase powers (like The Flash or Martial Manhunter’s) useless. She can also focus her powers to cause vertigo, an interference in the hearing system of her rivals.

Her true identity is Honor Guest, and little is known about her origins, but even Ra’s al Ghul noticed her skills, and sent his daughter Talia to turn The Silencer to their side. She also possesses strong acrobatic abilities, unparalleled agility, and several combat skills, which include the use of melee and ranged weapons and martial arts training.

1 Damien Darhk

A Sinister Immortal And Sorcerer, Even Constantine Fears Him

First Appearance: The Titans #1 (March 1999) Creators: Devin Grayson – Mark Buckingham Current Status: DCased

Damien Darhk, also known as Babyface, is a villain who played a major role in the criminal organization H.I.V.E., and was an enemy of the Titans until he was stabbed and left for dead. In a mysterious twist of fate, his blood was mingled with that of Adeline Kane, leader of H.I.V.E., and a human with certain abilities related to self-regeneration. This gave Darhk similar powers, including longevity and the ability to come back from the dead.

Ultimately, Darhk became a powerful sorcerer, so adept in the dark arts that even John Constantine himself dared not to cross him. After his last encounter with the Titans in The Titans #12, Darhk was defeated and killed, presumably for good. Though this character never received an official reboot, he made an appearance in the TV series Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and The Flash, as a recurring villain portrayed by Neal McDonough.