There Are 100s of DC Characters — We'll Be Impressed if You Can Name 40!

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
There Are 100s of DC Characters — We'll Be Impressed if You Can Name 40!
Image: DC Entertainment

About This Quiz

From teams like the Justice League and the Teen Titans to lone wolves throughout Gotham City and Metropolis, the DC Universe has a vast assortment of interesting characters, including both heroes and villains, that draw fans in because of their depth-driven back stories and complicated personalities. Can you identify the many characters scattered throughout the DC world? This quiz gives you a chance to find out.

Though DC Comics was first founded in 1934 as National Allied Publications, many of the most popular characters and stories associated with the publisher wouldn't come out until the end of the decade and the following decades after that, as the DC Universe slowly formed into what it is today. 

Aside from the mainstream DC Universe, the publisher also found success with other worlds like that found in "Watchmen," which has recently taken on a role as an alternate dimension within the bigger DC world. 

Are you ready to see how well you know all of the characters who were created by the artists at DC Comics? From the Golden Age of the company to the recent reboot with the New 52, there are hundreds of characters to remember from the pages of thousands of comic books. 

If you believe you know all of these characters, prove it by getting a superhuman score on this quiz! 

1 Batman
DC Entertainment
The Dark Knight of Gotham City, do you recognize this midnight roof crawler?
Batman
Superman
Green Arrow
Aquaman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Batman has been cleaning up crime throughout Gotham City since 1939, when he was first introduced in "Detective Comics." The character is the alternate persona of Bruce Wayne, a wealthy businessman whose parents were murdered in front of him when he was young.

2 Lois Lane.Screen Shot 2019-03-25 at 9.49.36 PM
DC Entertainment
Can you identify this DC journalist who refuses to sit back and let corruption take over Metropolis?
Harley Quinn
Zatanna
Barbara Gordon
Lois Lane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Led by curiosity and intellect, Lois Lane serves as a high-level reporter in Metropolis for the Daily Planet. Her desire to get the story constantly puts her in harms way, especially when she gets in the middle of an earth-ending disaster.

3 Lex Luthor
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A genius billionaire determined to bring down the Man of Steel, who is this villain?
Deathstroke
Brainiac
Lex Luthor
Ra's al Ghul
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lex Luthor might rely heavily on his large ego, but that doesn't mean his intentions are all bad. In fact, he just wants to save the world. The problem is that he wants to save it from Superman, a powerful alien who other humans see as a hero.

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4 Aquaman
DC Entertainment
Do you know the name of this underwater DC character who famously talks to fish?
Green Lantern
Aquaman
Cyborg
Beast Boy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

King of the Seven Seas, Aquaman sits on the throne of Atlantis, where he rules over the ocean. Though his father was only a lighthouse keeper, Aquaman gained the throne of Atlantis because his mother was an Atlantean queen.

5 Green Arrow
DC Entertainment
This rich kid decided to use his money to fight bad guys. Who is he?
Flash
Nightwing
Captain Marvel
Green Arrow
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Green Arrow was turned into a television series that first aired on the CW in 2012. The story follows Oliver Queen, who becomes Arrow after he returns from being shipwrecked on an island. Well-trained and battle-torn, he's ready to clean up the corruption that has overtaken his city.

6 Nightwing
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What's the name of this former sidekick of Batman's who decided to take on crime without his mentor?
Firestorm
Robin
Nightwing
Flash
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dick Grayson, who eventually becomes Nightwing, grew up in the circus life, where his parents were acrobat performers. His heroic beginnings started when he was taken in and trained by Bruce Wayne after his parents were murdered.

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7 Cyborg
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This half-human, half-machine goes by what superhero name in the DC Universe?
Green Lantern
Cyborg
Beast Boy
Captain Marvel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cyborg once was a normal kid named Victor Stone who was left mutilated after an accident tore apart his body. His father, Dr. Silas Stone, refused to let his son die, though, instead using advanced technology to turn his son into a half human, half machine.

8 Superman
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Often considered a god among humans, do you recognize this DC superhero?
Superman
Captain Marvel
Hawkman
General Zod
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An alien from Krypton, Superman was sent to earth as a child by his birth parents before their home planet was destroyed. The god-like boy was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who taught him to responsibly use his powers.

9 Wonder Woman
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Can you recall the name of this powerful character who hails from the Amazons of Themyscira?
Zatanna
Poison Ivy
Wonder Woman
Lady Siva
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wonder Woman is one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe, who constantly struggles with the power inside of her and her desire to bring peace to the world. If she must fight, however, she fights for truth and justice.

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10 Joker
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This DC villain always brings a smile, along with chaos. Who is he?
Brainiac
Joker
Riddler
Penguin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Joker from "The Dark Knight," played by the late Heath Ledger, portrayed the chaotic nature of the killer clown first created in 1940. With his only end goal being to corrupt Batman, the Joker carries out horrendous acts from murdering a police commissioner to blowing up a hospital.

11 Flash
DC Entertainment
What's the name of this DC character who will outrun just about anyone?
Flash
Captain Marvel
Static
Robin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Holding the title of the Fastest Man Alive, Flash possesses such incredible speed that he can travel through time. The gift has not always been beneficial, as Flash learns that the past is not so easy to change, especially when it comes to the death of his loved ones.

12 Raven
DC Entertainment
Born to a human mother and demon father, this complicated hero goes by what name?
Starfire
Batwoman
Mera
Raven
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Driven by her demonic powers, Raven's greatest threats are her own emotions, which can send her abilities into overdrive. Fearing that her demonic side will be released, Raven regrettably must keep herself from living a normal life.

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13 General Zod
DC Entertainment
Can you identify this villain who escaped Krypton's destruction because he was sent to the Phantom Zone?
Ra's al Ghul
Brainiac
Darkseid
General Zod
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A strategic military leader, General Zod was once in charge of the Kryptonian forces on his home planet before it was destroyed. Right before the destruction of Krypton, Zod led a rebellion to conquer the planet. His plan failed, however, and Zod was sentenced to 40 years in the Phantom Zone.

14 Static
DC Entertainment
Once a normal kid before he was exposed to a mutagen, do you know the name of this DC metahuman?
Firestorm
Rorschach
Static
Hawkman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Static lost his powers prior to the "Flashpoint" story arc, where the DC Universe was significantly altered after Flash messed with the timeline. When DC rebooted with The New 52, Static was given back his powers, where he used them to fight crime across New York.

15 Catwoman
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This crafty thief from the streets of Gotham is a criminal known by what name?
Catwoman
Poison Ivy
Zatanna
Talia al Ghul
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It takes a special villain to flirt and steal a wristwatch in the same conversation, but that's exactly who Catwoman is. Once an orphan who lived on the rougher side of Gotham, Catwoman learned to fend for herself from an early age.

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16 James Gordon
DC Entertainment
The police commissioner of Gotham City and Batman's first ally, what's the name of this character?
Alfred Pennyworth
James Gordon
Harvey Bullock
Lucius Fox
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Supporting Batman through thick and thin, James Gordon hopes to rid Gotham City of the crime that has overtaken the streets. His loyalty to the Dark Knight has not been without its complications, as Batman has a very violent way of dealing with criminals that might be viewed as inhumane.

17 Doomsday
DC Entertainment
This character is known as the one villain who killed Superman. Who is he?
Brick
Doomsday
Darkseid
Deathstroke
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The entire DC Universe mourned the day that Superman died defending the planet from the planet-destroyer Doomsday in "The Death of Superman." Essentially unable to stay dead, Doomsday eventually came back to life after he was strapped to an asteroid and sent into space.

18 Hal Jordan
DC Entertainment
Receiving his power ring from a dying alien, which Green Lantern is this?
Hal Jordan
Alan Scott
Guy Gardner
John Stewart
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hal Jordan was the first human to take on the mantle of the Green Lantern when a ship carrying a dying member of the Green Lantern Corps crashed on earth. The alien's power ring chose Jordan because he easily overcame his fears.

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19 Brainiac
DC Entertainment
Can you identify this super villain who is obsessed with gathering all the knowledge throughout the universe?
Sinestro
Riddler
Darkseid
Brainiac
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An android with advanced intelligence, Brainiac travels the universe looking for cities with vast amounts of knowledge. Once he finds a target, he captures the entire city, drains it of all knowledge, then leaves the city in waste. For him, knowledge is clearly power.

20 Talia al Ghul
DC Entertainment
Do you know this deadly warrior who was a romantic interest of Batman's?
Vixen
Lady Siva
Talia al Ghul
Zatanna
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul have a son named Damian Wayne, who was raised by Talia to be a deadly assassin. She eventually loses control of her son to his father, who teaches him to be more compassionate to others.

21 Firestorm
DC Entertainment
Created when an accident fused two humans into one body, what's the name of this DC character?
Firestorm
Robin
Captain Marvel
Jonah Hex
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though there have been many incarnations of Firestorm, The New 52 introduced him as the combination of the athletic Ronnie Raymond and the bookworm Jason Rusch. Raymond controls the body of the superhero, and Rusch controls the mind.

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22 Riddler
DC Entertainment
Known for playing complex games on his enemies, this villain goes by what name?
Two-Face
Bane
Penguin
Riddler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Riddler is, of course, known for his many riddles. That includes this one: "I have billions of eyes, yet I live in darkness. I have millions of ears, yet only four lobes. I have no muscle, yet I rule two hemispheres. What am I?"

23 Robin
DC Entertainment
Do you remember the superhero name of Batman's boy sidekick?
Beast Boy
Robin
Black Lightning
Captain Atom
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Where Dick Grayson was the first to hold the mantle of Robin and Jason Todd became the most dynamic Boy Wonder when he turned to a life of crime, it was Tim Drake who displayed the greatest detective skills. Drake, who could have easily been dismissed as just another Robin, possessed traits of independence and intelligence, which had not been displayed in combination by the previous Robins.

24 Deathstroke
DC Entertainment
Can you recall the name of this vicious mercenary who became the chief antagonist for the Teen Titans?
Ra's al Ghul
Bane
Deathstroke
Two-Face
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Introduced in 1980, Deathstroke quickly became popular with fans because he was unapologetic about his actions. He didn't care if he did bad things, not because he thought people deserved it, but because he wanted to do them.

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25 Harley Quinn
DC Entertainment
Love led this DC character down the wrong path. Who is she?
Black Canary
Poison Ivy
Harley Quinn
Lady Siva
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

What would you do for love? Well, if you're Harley Quinn, you will do just about anything for your puddin', the Joker. To help her lover, Quinn has both committed crimes and gone to jail.

26 Vixen
DC Entertainment
This hero is out to protect the natural world with the powers of nature. What's her name?
Zatanna
Vixen
Hawkgirl
Starfire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With the speed of a cheetah and the power of an elephant, there is little that Vixen can't do through the powers of her necklace, the Tantu Totem. She obtained the necklace from her uncle, who had previously murdered her father for it.

27 Ra's al Ghul
DC Entertainment
This DC character, who is the leader of the League of Assassins, goes by what name?
Ra's al Ghul
Darkseid
Brick
Penguin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ra's al Ghul has lived for centuries by harnessing the powers of the Lazarus Pits, a pool of water that restores his youth. With centuries of training beneath his belt, few characters in the DC Universe are as skilled at hand-to-hand combat as Ra's.

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28 Captain Marvel
DC Entertainment
A simple word can change a boy into this superhuman hero. Do you know who he is?
Hawkman
Rorschach
Beast Boy
Captain Marvel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Captain Marvel, one of the strongest people in the DC Universe, is actually a small boy named Billy Batson. Batson transforms into the powerful superhero when he uses the word "Shazam," causing a magical lightning bolt to come down and strike him.

29 Poison Ivy
DC Entertainment
Can you identify this villain who is determined to help plants retake the world?
Hawkgirl
Poison Ivy
Huntress
Black Canary
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Poison Ivy's career with plants began when she worked as a botanical biochemist named Pamela Isley, where she eventually took part in experiments that gave her the ability to control plants. She used her new abilities to create a pheromone that allowed her to manipulate humans, forcing them to do as she says.

30 Darkseid.Screen Shot 2019-03-25 at 11.50.18 PM
DC Entertainment
Do you recognize this conqueror who aims to take over the entire universe?
Mr. Freeze
Black Adam
Darkseid
Bane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Darkseid has often served as the main antagonist for the Justice League, with one of his most prevalent storylines being in "Final Crisis." The tyrannical villain was originally introduced as the ruler of Apokolips when he was created during the "Fourth World" storyline.

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31 Starfire
DC Entertainment
This princess was supposed to rule over the planet Tamaran before she was cast out by her sister, forcing her to travel to earth where she became which character?
Mera
Lady Siva
Zatanna
Starfire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After being forced off her home planet of Tamaran, Starfire traveled on a stolen spaceship to earth. Once on earth, she became a member of the Teen Titans after meeting Robin, who she later started a relationship with.

32 Rorschach
DC Entertainment
Known for his inkblot mask, what's the name of this DC character from the graphic novel "Watchmen"?
Rorschach
Doctor Manhattan
The Comedian
Nite Owl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Of the many characters depicted in "Watchmen," Rorschach is the one hero left with a strong moral compass that points to only right and wrong. Refusing to take a job with the government like the other heroes in the story, Rorschach continues to destroy evil wherever it lies.

33 Brick
DC Entertainment
A metahuman with invulnerable skin made of stone, do you know this DC villain?
Brick
Bane
Two-Face
Deadshot
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Brick's story began in 2004 when he was introduced in Green Arrow #40 as a gang leader looking to expand his territory. With invulnerable skin, it didn't take long for his plan to play out, even using an explosive at one point that left him undamaged while killing off other mafia leaders.

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34 Beast Boy
DC Entertainment
With the ability to transform into any animal, what does this hero call himself?
Hawkman
Booster Gold
Beast Boy
Wildcat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Named Garfield Logan at birth, Beast Boy gained his powers while his parents were conducting research in Africa. On the trip, he came down with a rare illness that was known to be lethal to humans, forcing his parents to use an experimental treatment to cure him.

35 Huntress
DC Entertainment
This character has been both a hero and a villain during her time in the DC Universe. What's her name?
Mera
Huntress
Hawkgirl
Lady Siva
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many people have carried the title of Huntress, the second being Helena Wayne, the daughter of Batman and Catwoman. She makes her first appearance in "DC Super Stars" #17 when she is shown in the alternate universe known as Earth-Two.

36 Bane
DC Entertainment
Can you identify this villain who once defeated Batman by breaking his back?
Mr. Freeze
Two-Face
Penguin
Bane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bane's life started in a prison on the island of Santa Prisca, where he was born to a criminal father. He later escaped the prison after he took a steroid called Venom that enhanced his strength substantially, though his time on the island had already made him cruel and hardened.

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37 Black Canary
DC Entertainment
Fighting crime with martial arts and a loud screech, do you recognize this DC character?
Supergirl
Mera
Zatanna
Black Canary
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Known for her Canary Cry, Black Canary was one of the first two members of the Birds of Prey, with the other member being Barbara Gordon. Despite being a member of the Birds of Prey, Canary also worked solo, taking on crime throughout both Gotham City and Star City.

38 Jonah Hex
DC Entertainment
Bound by a code of honor, what does this DC antihero from the wild west call himself?
Jonah Hex
Hawkman
John Constantine
Martian Manhunter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Along with most of the DC Universe, Jonah Hex received a remake in 2011 with The New 52 relaunch. The new story, called "All-Star Western vol. 3," placed Jonah's character more in line with the DC world, even taking him on a trip to Gotham City in the 19th century.

39 Mr. Freeze
DC Entertainment
Who is this DC character who turned to crime so he could help his dying wife?
Penguin
Two-Face
Mr. Freeze
Scarecrow
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

DC Comics is filled with villains who have a tragic past, but Mr. Freeze is right at the top when it comes to being a tormented antagonist. Not only is his wife cryogenically frozen, but an accident has left Freeze in a state where he must keep his body temperature at a certain level.

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40 Mera
DC Entertainment
Known as the Queen of Atlantis, can you recall the name of this defender of the ocean?
Lady Siva
Mera
Zatanna
Hawkgirl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Mera made her debut in "Aquaman" #11, released in 1963, she was shown to be the former Queen of Xebel, another underwater kingdom. She gives away her throne to marry Aquaman, becoming the Queen of Atlantis.

You Got:
/40
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