10 DC Characters Who Are Completely Different From How They First Appeared

Time changes everyone, especially in comics. These 10 DC characters are almost unrecognisable from how they first appeared.

Batman (First Appearance: Detective Comics #27, 1939)

Today’s Batman is the no-kill, no-gun vigilante we all recognise — a shadowy detective who outthinks his enemies. But Golden Age Batman? He had no such rules. In his 1939 debut, Bruce Wayne carried dual pistols, killing criminals without hesitation. He even hung a man from his Batplane in Batman #1. It wasn’t until the early 1940s, under editorial pushback and the need to appeal to younger readers, that Batman’s moral code emerged. Over time, he swapped firearms for gadgets and became the world’s greatest detective instead of a pulp-noir executioner.

Harley Quinn (First Appearance: Batman: Harley Quinn #1, 1999 — comics; Batman: The Animated Series, 1992)

Harley was created as Joker’s sidekick — a tragic jester obsessed with her abusive partner. But after years of being a henchwoman, Harley evolved. Modern iterations in Gotham City Sirens, Harley Quinn solo runs, and Suicide Squad show her leaving the Joker behind. She’s been a therapist, vigilante, and even a multiversal protector. Her character arc — from codependent chaos agent to self-liberated anti-hero — is one of the most significant evolutions in DC history.

Joker (First Appearance: Batman #1, 1940)

Joker debuted as a sadistic murderer — a calculating villain who poisoned his victims with a smile. But the Comics Code Authority in the 1950s forced him into a more comedic role, transforming him into a prankster. Think joy buzzers, squirting flowers, and goofy hijinks. The killer clown wouldn’t return until the 1970s, with Neal Adams and Denny O’Neil’s darker take. Today, he oscillates between chaos incarnate and nihilistic philosopher — a far cry from his early Silver Age slapstick.

Green Arrow (First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73, 1941)

Originally a Batman knockoff with trick arrows, an Arrowcar, and an Arrowcave, Oliver Queen lacked a real identity. That changed in the 1970s thanks to writer Denny O’Neil and artist Neal Adams, who reinvented him as a streetwise, socially conscious crusader. With his goatee and outspoken political views, he became DC’s resident liberal firebrand. His partnership with the conservative Hal Jordan in Green Lantern/Green Arrow created some of the most socially relevant stories of the Bronze Age.

Black Adam (First Appearance: The Marvel Family #1, 1945)

Black Adam started as a one-dimensional villain, essentially “evil Shazam.” But beginning in the 2000s, particularly under Geoff Johns’ pen during JSA and 52, Adam was reimagined as a complex anti-hero. He’s no longer simply evil; now, he’s a ruler protecting his nation of Kahndaq, even if his methods are brutal. His grey morality, tragic past, and defiance of Western-centric superhero ethics have made him one of DC’s most layered characters.

Beast Boy (First Appearance: Doom Patrol #99, 1965)

Garfield Logan began as a lonely, bitter kid grieving his parents’ deaths. Early portrayals in Doom Patrol showed him with serious abandonment issues. But when Marv Wolfman and George Pérez introduced him in The New Teen Titans, his personality did a 180. Now known as the wisecracking, animal-morphing goofball of the team, Beast Boy’s levity hides deeper trauma. His bright, energetic exterior is a far cry from his brooding origins, and that complexity makes him all the more relatable.

Deadshot (First Appearance: Batman #59, 1950)

Floyd Lawton started as a tuxedo-wearing vigilante trying to outshine Batman, complete with a domino mask and top hat. His real turn came in the late ’70s and early ’80s, especially in Suicide Squad by John Ostrander. Reimagined with his trademark wrist-guns and red armour, Deadshot became a nihilistic hitman with a death wish. No longer just another rogue, he’s now one of the DCU’s most dangerous — and morally conflicted — assassins.

Batwoman (First Appearance: Detective Comics #233, 1956)

The Silver Age Batwoman, Kathy Kane, was introduced purely to shut down rumours about Batman’s sexuality. She fought crime with a purse full of lipstick gadgets and served as Batman’s romantic interest. She was phased out, but reimagined decades later as Kate Kane in 52 (2006). This Batwoman is an out lesbian, a military dropout, and a gritty solo vigilante. Her grounded realism, gay identity, and raw combat skills mark a complete reinvention.

Booster Gold (First Appearance: Booster Gold #1, 1986)

Michael Jon Carter was introduced as a glory-hound from the future who used stolen tech to become famous. Fans originally saw him as a joke — an arrogant fame-chaser more concerned with product endorsements than heroism. But writers like Dan Jurgens and Geoff Johns flipped the script. In 52 and Booster Gold (2007), he was revealed as a timeline-protecting secret guardian, pretending to be a fool to work behind the scenes. From self-absorbed showboat to selfless chronal custodian — that’s quite a leap.

Jason Todd (First Appearance: Batman #357, 1983)

Initially a carbon copy of Dick Grayson — another acrobatic orphan from the circus — Jason Todd’s first version was widely panned. Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths, he was retooled as a streetwise delinquent with anger issues and a chip on his shoulder. Fans disliked the new Jason so much that they voted to kill him in Death in the Family (1988). But he returned as the Red Hood — a brutal anti-hero who kills criminals and constantly questions Batman’s morality. Jason’s journey from Robin to Red Hood is one of DC’s darkest and most human transformations.

^{Source: ScreenRant}