The 12 Most Underrated Justice League Members, Ranked

While the Avengers may be the premier team in the Marvel Universe, the DC Universe has the Justice League as its greatest protectors. This team often boasts having the DCU's most iconic heavy hitters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, each with their own dedicated fans. However, across the Justice League's extensive history, there are also superheroes on the team that have long gone overlooked and underappreciated despite their membership. Given the sheer number of heroes that served on the League, this is to be expected, but many figures are more powerful and deserve more love than they usually get.

This oversight can be influenced by the characters' relatively brief time on the Justice League, an underestimation of their abilities, or just wide reader reaction to their inclusion. In some cases, readers may have dismissed the presence of these heroes for not being perceived as Justice League material. Despite being largely written off, these heroes each get their moments to shine and more than earn their respective spots on the team. Here are the 12 most underrated Justice League members ranked based on how underappreciated they are.

Grant Morrison, who wrote some of the key comics behind James Gunn's DC Universe, also had a celebrated run on Justice League, joined by artist Howard Porter. During this time, Morrison,  Mark Millar, and N. Steven Harris launched the comic book series "Aztek, the Ultimate Man" in 1996. Raised by the clandestine Q Society, a child referred to as Uno was trained from an early age to become the champion of the Mesoamerican deity Quezalcoatl. Taking on the moniker Aztek, Uno's abilities are significantly augmented by advanced armor combining magical enchantments with technology fueled by fourth-dimensional energy.

Joining the Justice League in the final issue of his own series, Aztek never quite fit in with the rest of the team on a personal level. This distinction led to Uno quitting the team in "JLA" #15 as he was rocked by the revelation that Lex Luthor financed his superhero origins. However, Aztek rejoined the League by the end of Morrison's run on the title, sacrificing his life to help Superman save the world from the malevolent entity Mageddon. Any hero who steps up when Superman falters on his own, even for just a moment, deserves a spot on this list.

Created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert in 1976's "Ragman" #1, Rory Regan's superhero abilities are fueled by the raw power provided by absorbed souls. Rory wears the Suit of Souls, which is composed of the many souls that previous Ragmen have encountered during their time holding the mantle. This imbues a whole host of magical abilities into Rory when he dons the suit, which Ragman uses to punish the wicked. In addition to operating solo, Ragman joins the Justice League Dark, the supernatural offshoot of the Justice League, in 2018's "Justice League" #18.

Ragman is one of those DC characters that is often underutilized despite the unique nature of his powers and range of abilities at his disposal. That unfortunate distinction carries over to his live-action debut in the Arrowverse, appearing in the weaker seasons of "Arrow." In spite of his relative obscurity, Ragman has a striking visual design and quietly has one of the most impressive power sets on the Justice League Dark. Powered immeasurably by scores of lost souls, Ragman is among the most formidable magical heroes within the DCU.

While the superhero legacy of the Blue Beetle stretches all the way back to comics' Golden Age, it wasn't until the '80s that the hero became part of the DCU. Though audiences are more familiar with the Jaime Reyes version of the character from the fun but rushed "Blue Beetle" superhero movie, Jaime isn't the first Blue Beetle on the Justice League. Jaime's predecessor, Ted Kord, whom the movie strongly teases, was a founding member of the Justice League International in 1987. While this ensemble was the funniest Justice League ever, Ted is a serious hero in his own right, often underestimated by his peers.

Unlike Jaime, who was able to bond with the Blue Beetle scarab and gain its cosmic powers, Ted never connected with the extraterrestrial entity. Instead, Ted trained himself extensively in martial arts and acrobatics, while also possessing a genius-level intellect, which he used to become a tech billionaire. While this may seem like a riff on Batman or Iron Man, Ted's Blue Beetle has proved himself repeatedly to be an effective underdog hero. As much an accomplished hero as he is a source for comic relief, Ted Kord is certainly not one to be counted out.

Created in 1980 by Marv Wolfman and the late George Pérez, Victor Stone is a teenager who was fitted with experimental cybernetic technology following a laboratory accident. Taking on the moniker Cyborg, Vic joined the Teen Titans before eventually becoming a Justice League member in 2010's "Justice League of America" #40. With the New 52 reboot of the DCU, Cyborg was instead positioned as a founding member of the Justice League, using his advanced tech to help the team. Beyond the Titans and Justice League, Cyborg also has a history with the Doom Patrol through the wacky DC Comics show of the same name that began in 2018.

To be clear, the reason that Cyborg is considered an underrated Justice League member isn't because of his powers or his prominence in the DCU. The divisiveness over Cyborg's League affiliation came from trepidation that the New 52 erased his longstanding history with the Teen Titans, given the continuity reboot. However, like many heroes in the DCU, Cyborg is more than capable of being a memorable fixture on more than one team, especially after his classic history was eventually restored. Deserving a spot on the Justice League as much as any of his peers, Cyborg is a DCU staple no matter which team he aligns with at a given moment.

Wonder Woman is far from the only formidable female in the Justice League, nor is Diana Prince the only one who represents a divine pantheon. In 1971, legendary comic book creator Jack Kirby introduced Big Barda to the DCU, with Barda joining the Justice League in 1987's "Justice League International" #7. But whereas Wonder Woman serves as an extension to the classical Greco-Roman deities, Big Barda and her husband, Mister Miracle, are from the New Gods. This techno-futuristic race of demigods blended cosmic with the divine, most notably with the infamous New God supervillain Darkseid, lord of the fiery planet of Apokolips.

Big Barda was trained from an early age by the sadistic Granny Goodness to become one of Darkseid's elite warriors before falling in love with Mister Miracle and abandoning this violent destiny. Even as a hero, Barda is no less formidable a warrior, possessing superhuman abilities, an expertise in hand-to-hand combat, and armed with New God technology. Whenever she stands with the Justice League, she is easily one of the strongest figures in the ensemble, usually leading the charge. An absolute powerhouse that could give virtually any DC hero or villain pause, Big Barda has not lost any of her edge as she works towards her redemption.

Years before Roy Thomas and John Buscema created Vision in 1968, DC introduced its own android superhero with Red Tornado. Created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin in 1960's "Mystery in Space" #61, originally under the name Ulthoon, Red Tornado is an advanced android who longs to become human. He possesses a variety of powers, with the most notable being the ability to control the winds, leading to his superhero moniker. Red Tornado was initially introduced as a villain, something the live-action "Supergirl" series retained, though he would eventually ditch his antagonistic programming.

If Vision can prominently serve on the Avengers without a second thought, so too can Red Tornado serve on the Justice League with the same distinction. On the occasions when he goes rogue, Red Tornado has demonstrated that he's a serious threat worthy of the entire League's attention. Fortunately, his volatile past appears to be behind him, and he's been a valuable ally to the DCU superhero community for years. As an overlooked addition to the Justice League, Red Tornado is a clear reminder that Marvel isn't the only comic book publisher with superhero androids.

Yes, Martian Manhunter has been a DC staple since his debut in 1955, and yes, he was a charter member of the original Justice League. That all said, Martian Manhunter is the founding member of the team who often gets the least amount of attention and respect compared to his peers. Despite his extensive comic book history, there are a lot of people who don't know about Martian Manhunter, even after his prominent roles in the DC Animated Universe and on "Supergirl." More than just being a longstanding fixture on the team, Martian Manhunter is one of the most powerful heroes in the DCU.

Martian Manhunter has superhuman strength, speed, and endurance roughly on par with Wonder Woman and other heavy hitters in the Justice League. Additionally, the Manhunter also possesses telepathy, the ability to shape-shift, and even go invisible and intangible at a moment's notice. If you thought that Superman had a ridiculously extensive power set, Martian Manhunter may have the Man of Steel beat on sheer volume alone. Martian Manhunter is quietly one of the most versatile heroes in the Justice League, and he's more than just an occasional founder of the group.

Every superhero team needs its own magical expert, just like Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange on the Avengers. For the Justice League, that role is often filled by Zatanna, a magician who casts spells by reciting what she wants done backwards. Joining the League in 1981's "Justice League of America" #191, Zatanna has since become a constant presence on the Justice League Dark, befitting her prominence in the DCU's magical community. In addition to her usual spells, she is also highly trained in other forms of magic and paranormal artifacts that augment her abilities.

The level of what Zatanna is able to accomplish through her magic has never quite been clearly defined, but the range of her powers is considerable. Zatanna is capable of wiping her targets' memories, temporarily manipulating the laws of reality, and combating some of the fiercest entities in the DCU. Overuse of her magic does take a visible physical toll on her, but she's repeatedly soldiered through this with a steely endurance. With incantations capable of stopping the rest of the Justice League if given the opportunity, Zatanna is the team's secret supernatural weapon, and she's one DCU superhero deserving of her own movie.

One of the quirkiest heroes in the DCU, Animal Man is more than just a figure capable of drawing from the natural abilities of all sorts of fauna around him. Buddy Baker is connected to a universal lifeforce known as the Red, uniting all life in the universe, including microscopic and extraterrestrial species. Though a committed family man, Baker longed to become a member of the Justice League, which was finally realized when he became a founding member of Justice League Europe. Since then, Animal Man has lent his skills to subsequent iterations of the League, including helping the Justice League International track down a rogue Maxwell Lord.

Animal Man is one of the few DCU characters with the fourth-wall-breaking awareness that he exists within a comic book, going as far as to meet series writer Grant Morrison. Beyond that unique perspective, Buddy is capable of syncing up with otherworldly creatures possessing untold power, making him incredibly versatile. But more than just a drier riff on Aquaman, Buddy Baker's mastery over the Red makes him a literal force to be reckoned with. Yet another character deserving of a DC superhero movie, Animal Man is definitely no one-trick pony.

Humor often works better in pairs, and the greatest comedy duo in the DCU is made up of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. Booster is the public persona of Michael Carter, a disgraced athlete who steals technology from his native 25th century to travel back in time and become a superhero. Shortly after his arrival, Booster Gold joins the Justice League International, where he quickly becomes firm friends with Ted Kord. While initially becoming a superhero for fame and fortune, Booster becomes a more selfless figure, using his tech and knowledge from the future to make the world a better place.

Booster Gold has a solid redemption arc within the DCU superhero community, laying himself on the line repeatedly for the greater good, even if there's no payday involved. All this shouldn't overshadow the fact that, despite being joint comic relief with Blue Beetle, Booster is also a highly competent hero in his own right. In a memorable instance, he not only endured a punch from Doomsday, the monster that killed Superman, but was also the individual to name the creature after the encounter. A hero that has yet to receive his due, Booster Gold is shaping up to be the most exciting part of James Gunn's DC Universe.

Black Canary is another hero with a long history on the Justice League who never quite seems to get the full respect that she deserves. The character is a fixture on both the League and the Birds of Prey, where she utilizes her fighting aptitude and investigative skills to great effect. Dinah Lance also possesses a power known as the Canary Cry, granting her the ability to shriek at sonic levels capable of breaking several types of metal. The Canary Cry is strong enough for Dinah to use it to glide along the ground by screaming downwards.

While Black Canary might not have superhuman strength, she more than makes up for it by standing taller than most of her teammates in battle. As the master of over a dozen martial arts styles, Canary is one of the best hand-to-hand combatants in the DCU, on par with, if not even better than, Batman. Canary's experience and natural leadership skills have led to her being elected as the Justice League's chairwoman, effectively making her the team's field leader. Any hero capable of commanding Superman definitely deserves to be recognized for their superhero qualities, and Black Canary certainly qualifies.

Of all the heroes in the DC Universe, one of the most severely underrated in terms of sheer power and often overlooked is Captain Atom. Originally a Charlton Comics character like Blue Beetle, Atom was acquired by DC in the '80s and joined the Justice League International. Coated in an extraterrestrial metal, American military officer Nathaniel Adam gains a whole host of powers when he transforms into Captain Atom. In the years since the publication of "Watchmen," Atom's powers have grown to resemble Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' omnipotent hero Doctor Manhattan.

Captain Atom is quietly one of the most powerful characters in the DC multiverse, a distinction that's often downplayed or ignored by many comic creators. At full power, Atom can manipulate matter, raw energy, and even time itself, including traveling through history and the multiverse. When Atom's powers temporarily drove him to become a villain, he became a formidable threat to the heroes of multiple timelines, able to face them all down single-handedly. Effectively a cosmic god, Captain Atom is quietly the biggest powerhouse in the DCU and could certainly overpower the combined might of the Justice League if he so chose.

That's not too shabby for a character that most people couldn't even identify in a lineup, much less as a member of the Justice League.