Arrow: The DC Comics Heroes and Villains We'd Like to See

Already one of the more popular supporting characters in Smallville, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow has enjoyed a huge boost in popularity this fall with the debut of his own live-action TV series, Arrow. The show provides a darker look at Oliver Queen and his vigilante alter-ego, but the series hasn't wasted any time in bringing in other familiar DC heroes and villains in just its first few weeks on the air. Already we've seen villains like Deathstroke and China White appear, and Huntress is set to make her debut soon, along with DC characters like Ted Grayson and Count Vertigo. Plus, the show is laying the groundwork for already introduced supporting characters like Black Canary, Speedy, and Merlyn to eventually suit up.

But even with all of these appearances, the show has barely scratched the surface of what's available in DC's lineup. We've picked several heroes and villains we feel would be well-suited for guest roles on Arrow. We didn't necessarily pick the most famous characters. Just as villains like Killer Croc and Clayface would have been a hard sell in Christopher Nolan's Batman films, heroes like Superman and The Flash don't really mesh with the more realistic setting of Arrow. But the following characters all have something to add to Oliver Queen's world.

The Question

In the DC Universe, the only city with an even worse reputation than Gotham or Star City is Hub City. The one hero who stalks these mean streets calls himself the Question. By day, Vic Sage is a crusading TV reporter. By night, he dons his signature faceless mask and beats the criminals of Hub City to a bloody pulp. Sage has shown an interesting character progression over the years. Creator Steve Ditko wrote him as an angry vigilante fueled by the right-and-wrong, black-and-white philosophy of Objectivism. Other writers like Denny O'Neil have since cast Sage as a more peaceful, Zen-influenced hero.

The Question has had frequent encounters with Green Arrow in the comics, and their Odd Couple dynamic in Justice League Unlimited was consistently entertaining. We'd like to see that dynamic return in Arrow. Either the Ditko or the O'Neil interpretation of Sage has potential in forcing Ollie to confront his own methods of crime-fighting and his frequent use of excessive and even lethal force on the job.

Catman

Thomas Blake could be one of those "billionaire vigilantes" Ollie referred to in "Damaged." In the comics, Blake donned the costume of Catman and became a burglar due to equal parts boredom and the fact that he managed to squander most of his fortune during his world travels. Blake hit a low point during the "Archer's Quest" storyline. Obese and washed-up, Blake was tortured for information by Green Arrow and left to wallow in his own misery.

But the character hit a new peak of popularity after joining the dysfunctional band of assassins known as the Secret Six. Blake returned to Africa and lived among a pride of lions until his body and mind were honed to perfection. Now he's established himself as one of the premier fighters in the DCU.

We'd like to see that same progression from misguided villain to forgotten loser to powerful anti-hero explored in Arrow. Blake can serve as a recurring foe to Ollie, with each appearance reflecting a new stage in his life.

Cheshire

Fans of DC's TV programming will probably remember Cheshire as a recurring villain in Young Justice. However, we're picturing the more traditional, older version of the character from the comics. Cheshire is very much a femme fatale, and a master of mixing deadly poisons to boot. With her menacing Starling City, Ollie would have his own Poison Ivy.

In the comics, Cheshire has been more a foe to Green Arrow's first sidekick, Roy Harper. She even fathered a child with Roy. She has kind of a habit of doing that (see Catman above). But with Arrow offering a younger, sexier version of Oliver Queen and no Roy Harper in sight, we see no reason why that love/hate relationship can't be transferred to Ollie instead. He can always use another potential love interest besides Laurel.

Azrael

Most of the Batman family would be logical choices to guest star in Arrow, except for one problem. Acknowledging the existence of Batman in this universe means that Ollie is merely a copycat vigilante. He deserves better than that. For now, it's easier to circle the periphery of Gotham and draw in more minor characters like Huntress. Azrael is another Gotham hero who fits that bill.

The original Azrael, Jean Paul Valley, was a holy crusader serving The Sacred Order of St. Dumas. Years of psychological conditioning and brainwashing molded him into their ultimate secret assassin. However, with Batman's help, this Azrael was able to break free of the Order's control and seek his own destiny as hero. The second Azrael, Michael Lane, suffered through his own program of psychological conditioning and eventually donned the Suit of Sorrows,an enchanted suit of armor that enhances the body but damns the soul.

Minus the Suit of Sorrows, either version of Azrael could work in the context of Arrow. He too is a morally conflicted hero whose actions could force Ollie to reconsider his own crime-fighting methods.

Prometheus

Batman may be human, but his endless resources, as well as his talent for out-thinking everyone and having 20 different backup plans for every possible scenario makes him more than qualified to stand alongside the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman in the Justice League. But what if someone with those same skills and resources devoted their live to evil instead of good?

That's more or less the idea behind Prometheus. This anti-Batman spent years training to become the ultimate warrior. He has a secret cache of both conventional and alien weaponry at his disposal, with his primary asset being a helmet that allows him to instantly download the fighting style of anyone in the world. For the purposes of Arrow, the alien weaponry can be discarded, but the idea of an unstoppable foe who knows every move Ollie will make before he does is compelling. And given the more personal rivalry that developed between the two in Justice League: Cry for Justice, Prometheus has now taken his place as a member of Ollie's rogues gallery.

Prometheus' role in Arrow would depend largely on how Deathstroke is handled. The two characters are pretty similar in some ways. But if Deathstroke remains confined to the flashbacks or is eventually written out of the show, Prometheus would be an ideal villain to replace him.

Lady Shiva

If you're a hero in the DC Universe who relies on fighting prowess rather than superhuman powers, it's only a matter of time until you cross paths with Lady Shiva. Shiva considers herself to be the world's greatest fighter. To prove it, she travels the globe and challenges anyone she deems worthy of her attention to a one-on-one duel. Very rarely does she leave the arena as the loser.

Shiva can be friend or foe depending on how the mood strikes her. She has helped train Batman and many of his allies over the years, but her motivations are never altruistic. Shiva could be worked into Arrow either as a mentor figure in Ollie's island flashbacks, a rival in the present day, or some combination of the two.

Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller is no stranger to live action or DC television at this point. This tough, shadowy government figure, often nicknamed "The Wall" by her peers, has appeared in Smallville, Justice League Unlimited, and the Green Lantern movie. She's best known for running the Suicide Squad, a covert team of ex-supervillains who take on dangerous missions in hopes of reducing their prison sentences. But increasingly, Waller has taken on a Nick Fury-like role within the DCU. She has her fingers in many pies and seeks to control the various superhumans and costumed vigilantes running amuck.

Sooner or alter, we'd like to see the Suicide Squad appear in the Arrow universe with Waller at the helm. While the show unfortunately did away with Deadshot after one measly episode, the team as a whole could be a cool thorn in Ollie's side as the show progresses. And should Waller appear, we hope that the producers will make the obvious choice to cast CCH Pounder in the role. Pounder already voiced Waller on Justice League Unlimited, and hers is a rare case where a voice actor is equally well suited to play the character in the flesh.

John Constantine

It's been close to a decade since the Constantine movie debuted, and we're still sore over its poor treatment of John Constantine. Perhaps Arrow can redeem the morally ambiguous magician. Now would be an ideal time, as DC are renewing their focus on Constantine as a member of the wider superhero community and not just his own, seedy little world. Unlike the movie, which cast Constantine as a player in a war between Heaven and Hell, the traditional version of the character dabbles in all manner of sorcery and mythology. He's also British and distinctly modeled after the musician Sting, which Keanu Reeves was clearly not.

For all that Starling City is supposed to be a terrible place to live, we very rarely see that reflected in the show so far. Constantine's arrival in town could help usher in a darker side of the DCU. And while the idea of a spell-caster in this world doesn't really float, Constantine's magic has always been of the more subtle variety. His actions could easily be framed in such a way that viewers are never sure if Constantine is actually casting magic or is just the beneficiary of luck and circumstance.

Nightwing

Before Arrow came about, WB had considered developing a series called The Graysons that would have applied the Smallville formula to Dick Grayson and his family. The network eventually chose to pass on the concept, with some rumors claiming that Christopher Nolan didn't want a TV series that would compete with his Batman films.

But with Nolan's trilogy done and Oliver Queen headlining DC's latest live-action TV venture, perhaps the time is ripe for Dick Grayson to reappear. Again, including Batman himself in the Arrow universe is a tricky proposition. But the entire concept of Nightwing is predicated on the idea of Dick Grayson trying to establish an identity outside the shadow of his former mentor.

We could see Grayson easily fitting into the framework of Arrow, either as a member of Haley's Travelling Circus or a post-Robin version of the character who is simply wandering the country in search of his destiny. His ties to Batman don't need to be mentioned. But conversely, he could mark the start of a larger crossover between the heroes of Starling City and Gotham City.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com