When it comes to all the upcoming superhero movies, there are so many possible characters that you can adapt, from both Marvel and DC comics. But, one thing that has been severely lacking is the amount of amazing Black superhero characters who are in the comics and yet haven’t been adapted to the big screen yet.
While we’ve seen some examples of awesome Black DC superheroes, like Cyborg, in the DCU movies, there are so many fantastic characters who should also get the spotlight that they so rightfully deserve.
John Stewart’s Green Lantern
I think if you’re a fan of DC Comics, you know exactly who this is. John Stewart’s Green Lantern is arguably one of the most popular forms of the famous superhero. While his powers aren’t that much different from the typical Green Lanterns who exist in the DC universe, he’s a landmark hero for many reasons.
His charisma combines with his power to make for some of the best moments of the Green Lantern comic series, which makes him the perfect option for a solo film or even an appearance in a team-up movie. What makes this even suckier is that, apparently, Zack Snyder was planning on having John Stewart’s Green Lantern in his Justice League version, but the hero was unfortunately cut.
HBO Max is coming out with a Green Lantern series, and with that, a lot of other Green Lanterns are bound to pop up, but a part of me hopes that John Stewart gets the love that he deserves.
Black Lightning
This hero, Black Lighting, is otherwise known as Jefferson Pierce, a hero who is able to manipulate the electrical current that surrounds him. As someone who has watched superhero movies since day one, he sounds a lot like Electro from Marvel, which is why it’s even more upsetting that Black Lighting isn’t in the DCU like Electro is with the MCU.
Not only is he a great hero who is driven by his pure need for a better world, but his powers are truly fantastic. There aren’t a lot of people who can survive getting blasted by tons of electricity. While there was an eponymous TV series that eventually joined the Arrowverse on the CW, it was cancelled after Season 4. Now is the time to bring this hero into the DCU. He was the first Black superhero with his own headlining comic for DC - it would be huge for the movies if he’s brought to the big screen.
Vixen
I have to have one for all my ladies. Vixen is a powerful-ass hero. Why? Because she’s basically the queen of all animals. Well, that’s a bit of a stretch - her origin story is that she possesses an artifact that gives her the ability to harness the power of any animal - and when I say any animal, I mean any animal, alive or extinct.
I mean, think about it. You’re in the middle of a battle and she’s able to harness the power of a freaking woolly mammoth. That’s insane. She’s also able to fly like an eagle, and has the strength of a gorilla. Already, she sounds like a crazy, cool superhero. While Vixen has appeared in the Arrowverse on both Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, she needs her own movie - or at the very least, an appearance in the DCU.
In 2020, CBR reported that a possible Vixen project was in the works, but no news has come out since then. Get on it, DC!
Static Shock
Okay, look - I’m a bit biased with this one. I admit it. I grew up watching and loving the Static Shock TV series, so I want this hero to be in the DCU so badly. Static Shock, otherwise known as Virgil Hawkins, has basically the same exact powers as Black Lighting. He's able to harness electricity, except he’s a teenager just trying to take life one day at a time while also attempting to be a superhero.
As a superhero fan, one of my favorite characters is Spider-Man for this exact reason. While Spider-Man: No Way Home broke records and was a great movie, there’s still something I missed about it - the pureness of Peter Parker just trying to be a normal kid - and that’s where Static Shock comes into play. He doesn’t know how to use his powers and barely knows how to function as a teenager in high school which is what makes him so relatable and a must-have for the DCU. Plus, he and Black Lighting together in the same movie would be killer.
There is, apparently, a Static Shock movie in the works, which makes me super excited. My only fear is that it won’t come to fruition, but one can hope. There are so many amazing things to know about this hero, so you better start catching up now before he really blows up.
Jason Rusch's Firestorm
There’s nothing quite like a hero who can literally rearrange molecules, and DC’s version of that is Firestorm - specifically, Jason Rusch’s Firestorm. First appearing in 2004, Rusch’s character came in contact with the Firestorm Matrix after the death of Ronnie Raymond, the former host for Firestorm, and ever since then, he’s been blazing up a storm.
Firestorm has appeared in Legends of Tomorrow and The Flash in the Arrowverse on CW, but it’s not the exact same character from the comicbooks. Instead, that version of Firestorm is a man called Jefferson Jackson - who doesn’t exist in the comics. How cool would it be to literally watch the matter and molecules of objects change during a huge battle? That would be perfect for the big screen, and since he’s sort of already appeared in the Arrowverse, now’s the perfect time to bring him to movie theaters.
Mister Terrific
Last but not least, we have Mister Terrific. No, you’re not reading that wrong. This is not Mr. Fantastic from Marvel, but Mister Terrific, otherwise known as Michael Holt. He is known to be the third-smartest man in the world in the DC Universe, only behind Batman and Lex Luthor, and is an expert fighter, using what he calls “T-Spheres” that help in a variety of ways, from defense to attacks, to everything else in-between.
While he’s probably not as well known as some of his counterparts on this list, Mister Terrific (who also appeared on Arrow, but with his real name being Curtis Holt) would be an excellent addition to the DCU, if not only just to show off his tech abilities and his skills in the lab. He could create some sick stuff for Batman, if given the chance.
There are so many other amazing Black superheroes in DC’s lineup, but these six are some of the first that come to mind and are deserving of their own movie - or, at the very least, an appearance. Whether or not we’ll get that soon, only time will tell, but until then, I’ll be patiently waiting in my seat for that Static Shock trailer, hopefully.
