50 Comic Characters Who Should Never Get A Movie

There is little doubt that this past summer was an absolute golden age for comic book movies. Christopher Nolan concluded his Dark Knight trilogy in grand, stunning fashion, Marvel's biggest superheroes assembled and made serious bank in The Avengers, and the Spider-Man franchise was reborn.

The world is experiencing a comic book movie renaissance but that doesn’t mean that any old good guy will work on the screen. Not all heroes have the widespread recognition, decades of on-page success, or the wealth of great source material that Batman and Spidey do. When there is wiggle room and the need to broaden a character or movie's appeal, producers typically bastardize and put out something that nobody enjoys.

Case in point: Almost two decades ago, Sylvester Stallone tried and failed to launch a Judge Dredd movie franchise with 1995's eponymous dud, which, much to the chagrin of longtime fans, showed Sly's high-profile mug to help sell the movie despite the fact that the hero's face-obscuring helmet never comes off in the comics. This Friday, Dredd, starring Karl Urban as the titular judge, jury, and executioner, explodes into theaters looking to right that wrong. We're happy to report that Dredd hits the mark this time, staying true to the comic's abundant violence and dark humor and his helmet stays put.

It can be done, but sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone. With that in mind, check out 50 Comic Characters Who Should Never Get A Movie.

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Written by Jason Serafino (@serafinoj1)

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First appearance: Web of Spider-Man #118 (1994)

Oh, yes, the ‘90s were bad for Spider-Man, and the low-light of the decade came during the “Clone Saga” when Marvel thought it was necessary to introduce us to the Scarlet Spider. He was a clone of Spider-Man who went under the name Ben Reilly; for a time, Reilly was considered to be the real deal and Peter Parker was the imposter. Thankfully, that all got straightened out and the Scarlet Spider was soon killed off.

It’s hard enough to get Spider-Man right in a movie, but having a clone running around in his own series would just be madness. Fortunately, it's difficult to imagine anyone in Hollywood actually going through with anything as ridiculous as this. Then again, Collin Farrell was once cast as Alexander the Great, so anything is possible.

First appearance: Action Comics #42 (1941)

Vigilante is a character that has been continuously reinvented over the years, but despite DC’s best efforts, he’s never been able to rise about his D-list status. When Vigilante was in his cowboy persona, he was simply too vulnerable and lame to be taken seriously. Later on, when he was updated for the ‘80s, his adventures usually fell woefully flat as he couldn’t compete against the likes of Green Arrow, Nightwing, or Batman, in terms of gritty street justice.

The Dark Knight currently has the market cornered when it comes to masked crime-fighters cleaning up dangerous cities. Chances are, Vigilante wouldn’t do much to threaten Batman's crown. If he can't impress folks in the comics, what hope does he have of doing it in multiplexes?

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #130 (1980)

It's true: Back in the ‘80s, Marvel was grooming Dazzler to be its next hit property. With the ability to convert sound waves into intense beams of light, she was the perfect answer to the disco/new-wave craze that had taken over the minds of the youth. As it turned out, the character wound up fading away just as quickly as those trends did, and Dazzler was soon relegated to the bargain bin.

At one point, there was actually talk of making a Dazzler movie in the early ‘80s, but nothing ever came of it. Apparently, everyone realized what a huge mistake that would be, and that’s exactly why she lands on this list. Remember, disco and quality rarely ever mix.

First appearance: Captain Britain Weekly #1 (1976)

The cinematic exploits of Marvel's patriotic superheroes should begin and end with Captain America. He’s the most recognizable and interesting of the bunch, and even though he does wear the stars and stripes proudly, he’s not a jingoistic piece of propaganda.

It's not that Captain Britain shouldn’t get his own movie simply because he’s not American—he shouldn’t get his own movie because he’s nowhere near as entertaining as Steve Rogers.

Captain Britain is a decent character that leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to classic story-lines and memorable villains. The short-lived Captain Britain and MI: 13 comic series was criminally underrated, but, otherwise, not much about CB seems like a natural fit for the screen. Marvel has made Steve Rogers' fragile psyche just as interesting as his battles as Captain America; unfortunately, Captain Britain just doesn't have that same dynamic.

First appearance: More Fun Comics #55 (1940)

As DC’s resident expert in magic, Doctor Fate has always been the go-to guy for any hero looking for help against supernatural foes. When he's not surrounded by other characters, though, Doctor Fate fails to stand out on his own. With a face covered by his trademark helmet, the character's origins and personality have always been shrouded by mystery; because of that, he wouldn't work on film.

Fate's mystical comic stories have to waste so much time with exposition in order to get readers acclimated to his magical worlds that people's emotional engagements are left by the wayside. And when the main character hides his face behind a bell-shaped mask like that, any personal connection to him is impossible.

First appearance: Graphic Fantasy #1 (1982)

The Savage Dragon is an interesting case. There was a time when you could say that he'd be one of the hottest comic properties worthy of film consideration, but over the years his popularity has waned. Nowadays, Savage Dragon wouldn’t command the talent or budget for a faithful adaptation.

The biggest problem: Hellboy already has the market cornered on big-budget, superhero-themed monster movies, and even Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy fi;lms have had a hard time turning profits at the box office.

There's enough character development and humor in the original stories to sustain a comic book series, but it just seems that, at this point, the Dragon is well beyond his expiration date. Perhaps if someone came along with a great idea to update the property, this opinion could change, but it seems like Hollywood is only sticking to household names lately.

First appearance: Superboy #126 (1976)

We don’t think this is what anybody had in mind when they thought about racial tolerance in comics.

In 1976, DC unveiled Tyroc, one of the company’s first black superheroes. Instead of showing any sort of cultural sensitivity, the creators portrayed the character as a black separatist leader in a futuristic Earth where all African Americans lived on an isolated island. It was really bad stuff. Eventually, Tyroc joined up with the Legion of Superheroes and became a hero in the DC Universe, but no one really cared.

Despite his eventual turn, putting Tyroc’s incredibly controversial story on film seems like a futile mission. DC's writers and editors may have had their hearts in the right place, but trying to show their racial acceptance while making one of their only black characters into a crazed separatist wasn’t a great idea.

First appearance: Ghost Rider #1 (1973)

Marvel has had a great history with occult inspirations and supernatural characters over the years, but Hellstrom certainly isn’t one of them. For a guy who's the literal son of Satan, you'd think that he'd be a badass creature of the night battling against the purveyors of good while feasting on the flesh of the living. Instead, Hellstrom rejects his demonic lineage, dresses up in a cheap cape, and joins the hero sect.

He’s a neutered, mainstream version of a concept that should be so much more. While DC’s Vertigo line did wonders with the agents of Satan in titles like Hellblazer and Sandman, any adventure with Marvel’s Son of Satan just comes across as second rate.

Hell has never been portrayed well on film, and slapping a pentagram on an actor's chest and giving him devil horns in his hair isn't going to solve that problem.

First appearance: WildC.A.T.S #1 (1992)

As a former member of the WildC.A.T.S, and a current occupant of DC’s New 52 universe, Grifter is one of those under-the-radar characters that just can’t seem to catch on as a solo act. It’s a shame, too, because Grifter has a decent look and he’s skilled with a gun. But when it comes down to personality and plots, he just can’t hang with the company’s prime time players.

Grifter is a character of action, and, as a result, it seems like all of the most important storytelling aspects get lost in the shuffle. In a movie, the sad fact is that Grifter would just wind up looking like something out of G.I. Joe rather than The Dark Knight. Maybe in a few years DC will figure him out for the big screen. Or not.

First appearance: Captain America #217 (1978)

There's a small contingent of comic book fans who absolutely love the Marvel Universe's cosmic characters. These heroes ride through the galaxy with alien comrades and battle against intergalactic enemies that don’t just threaten the galaxy as a whole, not just Earth. The only problem is that the stories tend to get bogged down in lifeless alien races and futuristic bureaucracy; often times, the end result is confusion. One of the prime examples is Quasar.

It’s not that Quasar has been involved in bad stories—it’s just that his tales often hinge on the audience’s knowledge of Marvel’s expansive cosmic universe. When put on film, all of these sci-fi heavy plot points might be a bit much for anyone to take in at one time. There are much better, and more relatable, cosmic characters out there, like Nova and the Silver Surfer. Any one of them would be great in movie form.

First appearance: Marvel Zombies #1 (2005)

Are there any two genres more popular than superheroes and zombies at the moment? Probably not. And in 2005, Marvel put them together in a gimmicky miniseries titled Marvel Zombies.

The story deals with a zombie virus spreading and infecting all of the characters in the company. It was a unique combination of horror and heroism that was fun for fans of both genres. But Marvel Zombies really proved to be nothing more than an empty piece of entertainment that added nothing new to either side.

Unfortunately, Hollywood thrives on disposable entertainment, so it's perfectly natural to be nervous that a studio executive is going to accidentally learn about Marvel Zombies and order a film adaptation. The last thing the world needs is for these two overexposed genres to merge into one unstoppable force that would cheapen both sides.

First appearance: Booster Gold #1 (1986)

An egotistical failure from the future, Booster Gold originally traveled back in time to become a celebrity superhero in hopes of getting rich off of his name. But none of that seemed to work out as Booster was constantly tasked with menial hero jobs, and was often ignored by the public at large.

This string of bad luck, coupled with his moral failings, actually made Booster an interesting character on the surface. But people soon realized that underneath the concept existed a dude with little personality and no real supporting cast to back him up.

DC has a hard enough time trying to convince audiences that its characters are worth catching in movie theaters; the last thing the company should do is try to promote a hero that has made a name for himself by being dangerously unqualified for the job in the first place. It's a concept that straddles the line between brilliant and corny, and we're afraid it might lean a little too much towards the latter for moviegoers.

First appearance: The Flash #112 (1960)

Not only does Elongated Man own the distinction of having one of the worst superhero names ever, but in terms of powers, he’s almost a carbon copy of Plastic Man, who DC actually bought the rights to a few years earlier.

With the ability to stretch and shape his body almost limitlessly, the Elongated Man’s powers would definitely be a visual thrill to see in a movie. Yet once he shrinks down to human proportions, his personality is about as dynamic as Hayden Christensen. Unfortunately for the Elongated Man, he’s bookended by two far superior characters with similar powers: Plastic Man and Mister Fantastic. Both of which, sadly, make for better movie candidates.

First appearance: Mystery Men Comics #1 (1939)

Though there have been a few characters under the Blue Beetle moniker over the years, none of them have truly made a case for being able to sustain their own adventures without the help of some of DC’s more popular heroes. The most famous Blue Beetle was a man named Ted Kord, the second person to take on the mantle; as the head of Kord Industries, the Blue Beetle financed his own crime fighting career similar to Bruce Wayne, but with none of the charisma.

Recently, DC brought in Jaime Reyes to become the new Beetle. The character was updated with an alien suit of armor that gave him all sorts of abilities, except the ability to genuinely draw readers into his world. Perhaps with a few more years of exposure and development, this new Blue Beetle will stake his claim as one of DC’s heavy hitters; until then, any move to cinemas would just result in wasted money.

First appearance: Avengers #9 (1964)

Decked out in one of the worst costumes ever conceived, complete with a personality that makes cardboard seem festive, Wonder Man is one of those Marvel characters that always seems to be involved in big story-lines but is usually just tucked away in the background. He started off his career as a villain to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but over time Wonder Man redeemed himself and became a official member of the team. Yet, he has never made an impact.

Wonder Man can be counted as one of the only creations during Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s early tenure on Avengers to not catch on with the public. If Marvel wants to use him as a villain for a future Avengers movie, we would be disappointed, but not devastated; however, if he ever lights up his own marquee, it'll be time to wonder if the House of Ideas has officially run dry.

First appearance: Avengers #47 (1967)

Contrary to popular opinion, being an Avenger doesn’t automatically promote you to the cream of the superhero crop. Look at the Black Knight, for example; despite being a member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for decades, he’s about as vital to the team as the foosball table in the Stark Tower break room.

You'd think that an ancestor of one of King Arthur's most loyal knights would be the embodiment of sword-wielding nobility; unfortunately, he’s nothing more than a stock character that rarely gets any love. Of course, Hollywood power players now see green from anything Avengers-related, but the world can certainly do without Black Knight: An Avengers' Tale.

First appearance: The Rawhide Kid #1 (1955)

Rawhide Kid has been around for decades, but it wasn’t until he starred in his own miniseries under Marvel’s MAX imprint in 2003 that he really gained a level of infamy not often seen in comics.

In the series, Rawhide was depicted as being overtly homosexual; nearly everything about the character was an out-and-out stereotype. Instead of creating a long-lasting role model for gay comic book fans, Marvel turned Rawhide into an effeminate joke of a character that aches every politically correct bone in our body.

That’s not even the worst part, though: The Rawhide Kid was also terribly boring. Underneath the juvenile, and sometimes malicious, jokes, there really wasn’t much other than shock value. In a time when society is still learning to accept everybody’s sexual preferences, a Rawhide Kid movie would just serve to send us back into the Stone Age.

First appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #194 (1979)

It’s not that the Black Cat is a bad character; in fact, she’s quite interesting once you give her a chance. But, unfortunately for Felicia Hardy, The Dark Knight Rises already gave us a convincing take one of the most popular feline femme fatales in all of comics. Next to Catwoman, the Black Cat comes off as pathetic imposter, even though much of Selina Kyle’s modern personality is derived from Hardy. She simply just got beat to the punch.

Unlike Catwoman, though, the Black Cat never really stood out on her own. She always needed characters like Spider-Man or the Avengers there to lend support. So with no memorable conflicts or personal relationships of her own, the Black Cat is probably better off just sticking to illustrated pages.

First appearance: Thor #411 (1989)

As just another vigilante in some fancy armor, Marvel’s Night Thrasher is about as generic as they come. Sure, he’s adept in hand-to-hand combat, and he’s about as agile as any feline out there, but you need more than that to make the jump to film. There's no important story arc to speak of for the character, which would make any potential movie lack the punch that it needs.

Night Thrasher became most notable in the comics as a member of the New Warriors, a team of misfits that couldn’t even lace the Avengers’ boots. Thus, he's the perfect example of a hero who isn't ready for prime time.

First appearance: Doorway to Nightmare #1 (1978)

As the DC Universe’s resident fortune teller, the immortal Madame Xanadu has the ability to see into the future and possesses knowledge of countless magical spells. It’s just a shame that she resembles the shady gypsies that try to rip you off for $10 every time you go to the boardwalk. Watching Madame Xanadu on screen for two hours conducting her spells and talking about otherworldly plot points seems like it would just be a lot of clunky hocus pocus.

With supernatural heroes like Dr. Strange and Deadman left to be adapted into film, it wouldn’t make sense for Madame Xanadu to get her own movie when there are so many other characters that outclass her. And if any of DC’s magical females are going to get their own film, we think Zatanna should be the one, and only, choice.

First appearance: More Fun Comics #51 (1940)

Despite being an all-powerful, omnipresent spirit of vengeance, the Spectre just doesn't have the type of personality that lends itself well to solo adventures. His stories are always overbearingly serious, and he relies a lot on his monotone speech and cryptic dialogue to get his point across. Over the span of a two-hour movie, that might wear a bit thin.

There's always a risk when adapting supernatural characters for the screen because so many of the plots and personalities are completely unrelatable for the audience. Unlike Spider-Man, Batman, and Iron Man, Spectre doesn’t have a whole lot for most people to identify with, let alone a dynamic personality. If he ever somehow made his way to film, it would probably be in the form of a Ghost Rider-esque affair. Take that as a fair warning.

First appearance: X-Men #4 (1964)

He may be Marvel’s answer to the Flash, but the super-fast Quicksilver is nowhere near as memorable as the Scarlet Speedster. As a one-time villain of the X-Men, not to mention a member of the Avengers, Pietro Maximoff is always in the middle of Marvel’s biggest crossover storylines, but he very rarely adds anything to them.

All Quicksilver does is run really fast and stand around with a smug expression on his face. Worst of all, the Ultimate version of the character had an incestuous relationship with his sister, the Scarlet Witch. Try to imagine that ever working on the big screen.

First appearance: Darkhawk #1 (1991)

Through the powers of a mysterious amulet, Chris Powell is able to transport his consciousness into the alien android named Darkhawk. This android body is the perfect vehicle to fight crime and save New York numerous times over. It’s just a shame that the Darkhawk comics were simply horrendous over the years, and it's not a surprise that even hardcore comic fans have very little knowledge of the character.

Lacking any personality or substance, Darkhawk is an uninspired hero who's used to take up space within Marvel’s expansive roster. He’s had a recent renaissance amongst Marvel’s cosmic characters, but unless it's a straight-up War of Kings adaptation, there's no interest in seeing Darkhawk on the silver screen.

First appearance: Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth #1 (1972)

Don’t get us wrong, the original Jack Kirby run on Kamandi is the type of colorful, insane Silver Age comic that stirs up all kinds of warm, nostalgic feelings. But here’s the problem: The book's premise is way too close to that of Planet of the Apes to ever be put on film.

In the book, a young human named Kamandi is one of the last surviving humans in a post-apocalyptic world that highly intelligent animals now rule. With the recent Planet of the Apes cinematic relaunch being such a triumph, a Kamandi movie would just come across as a cheap knockoff, despite the quality of the original stories. DC has a hard enough time getting people interested in its movie properties—the last thing the company needs is to look like it’s already out of ideas.

First appearance: Detective Comics #225 (1955)

During most of his comic book appearances, the Martian Manhunter has been the conscience and soul of the Justice League. Despite being the most alien member of the squad, he has had a history of being the most humane participant amongst a team of demigods. Whenever the character is taken out of the League and put in his own comic series, though, Martian Manhunter always fails. And that's why a solo movie for the Martian just doesn't seem plausible.

It’s obvious that J’onn J’onzz doesn’t have the unique personality of characters like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, but the fact that he also doesn’t really have a compelling cast of villains is what hurts him the most. There are certain popular comic book characters that just can’t make that jump to live-action; we think Martian Manhunter has enough working against him that he would unfortunately fall into that category.

First appearance: Flash Comics #1 (1940)

DC is ripe with comic book relics from the Golden Age that simply haven’t aged well at all. Hawkman is a prime example of that. Though there's nothing inherently wrong with the character, there isn’t anything that pops off of the page as cinematic. There are also so many different versions of the character that it’s almost impossible to trudge through his history without getting a continuity-induced headache.

Hawkman is usually portrayed as either being an alien from Thanagar or the reincarnated spirit of an Egyptian Prince, and both of these versions have some real personality issues. When he’s a member of the Justice League or Justice Society he’s a decent role-player. If put into the spotlight, however, a solo Hawkman might be a tough sell for the mainstream.

First appearance: Ravage 2099 #1 (1992)

Marvel’s 2099 imprint was a mixed bag when it first launched in the early '90s, but despite some mediocre stories and gaudy art, these titles were a nice change of pace from the mainstream offerings from the company. The basic concept was to take existing characters and create titles about futuristic versions of them in an attempt to give fans a fresh take on classic heroes. The only title from this imprint that didn’t have a present-day counterpart was Stan Lee’s Ravage 2099.

Armed to the teeth with bombastic weapons and various super powers, Ravage was supposed to be a cutting-edge hero with a ‘90s attitude; instead, the stories barely held together as this mullet-wearing stock character soon sunk into obscurity. Marvel is on such a role at the movies that it needs to be wary of thinking it can turn anything into gold, no matter how bad the concept is. Just leave this, and the rest of the 2099 universe, on the cutting room floor.

First appearance: The Savage She-Hulk (1980)

It’s no secret that Marvel needs some diversity in its movie universe, especially since it doesn’t look like Scarlett Johansson is going to be in a Black Widow spin-off any time soon. But we wouldn’t be so quick to give She-Hulk her own flick just to pump up the company's estrogen count. Marvel has had a hard enough time trying to get the Hulk right on the screen, so to say that we would be suspicious of yet another gamma-powered hero would be an understatement.

She-Hulk doesn’t necessarily have the best track record in the comic book world either, as her solo titles usually get cancelled within a few years of their launch. And if a character can’t hold down a comic series, we’re not positive that a movie should be a given them. If Marvel really does want to show off some of its fierce females, a Ms. Marvel movie is the way to go.

First appearance: DC Comics Presents #26 (1980)

After years as the star of DC's Teen Titans series, Cyborg was placed on the main Justice League team during the New 52 relaunch. But instead of matching wits and personalities with heavy hitters like Green Lantern, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, Cyborg is often treated as a tech-savvy plot device with the ability to solve many of the teams problems without ever letting us get a glimpse at his real character.

With half of his body adorned with cybernetic technology, Cyborg looks cool as an action figure or under the watchful eye of a talented artist, but he would most likely be half CGI on the big screen, which would obviously be tough to get right. If Warner Bros. really wants to get people excited about its comic book properties, it should stick to relatable characters.

First appearance: Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1 (1978)

Firestorm has perhaps the strangest powers and gimmick of any character on this list; because of that, we can’t see him translating well to film.

Instead of being just one person with a set of super powers, Firestorm is actually two beings combined together to form one hero. He's one part Ronnie Raymond, a normal high school student, but he also has the spirit and voice of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Martin Stein in his head at all times.

Admittedly, Firestorm’s powers are rather unique. He has the ability to take the subatomic structure of matter and transform it into any other object of equal mass. For example he can take lead and turn it into gold, just as long as it equals the same mass. It’s just a shame that he can’t take his multiple personalities and transform them into something more interesting.

First appearance: Showcase #66 (1967)

Every comic featuring B’wana Beast is cause for nausea. This lifetime D-lister has the ability to take two animals and “fuse” them together into one hideous beast that he can control. So, for example, if he needs to stop a crime that is off in the distance, he can combine a German Shepherd and a dung beetle so he can fly to the scene and attack the crooks.

That sounds cool, right? Well, not really, because a dung beetle and German Shepherd would look absolutely horrifying when combined together. Before you get angry because you’re a closet B’wana Beast aficionado, just imagine watching an army of hideous animal fusions on screen being controlled by a dude wearing that costume. No thanks.

First appearance: As James Rhodes, Iron Man #118 (1979); as War Machine, Iron Man #282 (1992)

Remember how excited everyone was when it was revealed that Don Cheadle would play War Machine in Iron Man 2? Well, do you also remember how disappointed everyone became when Cheadle basically drained all of the life out of the movie by being completely outmatched by Robert Downey Jr.?

Now imagine that type of sleepwalking performance by Cheadle for an entire solo movie without the humor and sarcastic one-liners by Downey propping him up. Not only would the movie pale in comparison to the original Iron Man, but it would probably drop below The Incredible Hulk and Captain America: The First Avenger as well.

In terms of appearance and powers, War Machine is just too similar to Iron Man to make for a truly unique story. Plus, the character of James Rhodes does little to stand out on his own. Marvel has been doing a good job with its properties so far, but the company can’t think that every one of its properties is ready for its close up.

First appearance: Huntress #1 (1989)

We have nothing against the Huntress as a character, but she's so overmatched by the other female members of the Batman family, like Batgirl and Catwoman, that it’s almost redundant for her to be introduced to the masses. The only thing that separates her from Batman is her overly-violent philosophy towards fighting crime, but once you look past that, there really isn’t anything cinematic about her adventures.

She serves her role well in the Birds of Prey series and the occasional gust-starring role in a comic, but Batman’s supporting cast simply has no room for her most of the time. Also, any director would need to do a major overhaul to her bizarre costume to make her serviceable for film. Now, if Warner Bros. wants to put the new Batwoman on the screen then we’re all for it. Until then, we don’t need to settle for second best.

First appearance: Brave and the Bold #57 (1965)

With the ability to shape-shift and transform himself into any element found in the human body, Metamorpho should make for the subject of a pretty cool sci-fi flick. That would be the case if not for the fact that he has been so severely underutilized over the years that even the most hardcore of comic book fans would find it hard to muster the motivation to see him up on the screen.

The problem lies here: In recent decades, Metamorpho has merely been a spectator in the DC Universe. Sure, he was part of some Justice League teams and The Outsiders, but so has everyone else in the world of DC, so that’s nothing too impressive to put on your resume. And since DC’s New 52 reboot, Metamorpho has been again pushed to the side in favor of more high-profile characters. It looks like it will be a long time before he’s thrust back in the spotlight and worthy of his own film.

First appearance: Rom #1 (1979)

First conceived as a toy by Parker Brothers, Rom is the purest example of corporate marketing forcing its way into comics. Rom wasn’t the creation of a talented writer, artist, or editor; it was simply the product of committee thinking by a toy company that needed a comic book in order to get fans excited about its product. Though the character has gained a strange cult following in recent years, the original Rom stories were nothing more than a toy commercial put onto the page.

It's similar to the strategy employed with the Transformers series back in the ‘80s, but Rom didn’t catch on to the degree that those did. Basically Rom is nothing more than a lame cyborg with some nifty bells and whistles that attempted to make the toy itself more exciting. Any Rom movie would no doubt be a Transformers clone, and we think you’ll agree that the world doesn’t need any more of those.

First appearance: Marvel Spotlight #32 (1977)

If Marvel really wants to confuse thousands of moviegoers all at once, it should definitely launch a Spider-Woman movie. On the surface, Jessica Drew sounds like the long-lost cousin of the Wall Crawler, but in all actuality she has very little to do with Peter Parker. She was simply created and trademarked by Marvel so that no other company could.

It's not that she's a boring character, it's just that for movie audiences, the idea of Spider-Woman would probably just come across as silly. Much like we said about the She-Hulk earlier, it's hard enough to get their male counterparts right, and if Marvel tries to introduce their female equivalents it would probably just turn people off.

First appearance: The Sentry #1 (2000)

In an attempt to differentiate the Sentry from the other godly heroes in comics, Marvel decided to give him real world mental problems to deal with like schizophrenia and drug addiction. But instead of that making him an interesting character, the Sentry turned into a whiny sob story that was more of a burden than a blessing. Writers have spent so much time exploring his emotional distress that the character has become completely unenjoyable.

He may be uber powerful, but the Sentry strikes us as a character that no one knows what to do with in a story. And if we don’t want to deal with him on the page, we’re sure he won’t be any better on the screen.

First appearance: The X-Men #10 (1965)

Liberally borrowing his backstory from characters like Tarzan and Tor, Ka-Zar is Marvel’s resident feral superhero. After a sabertooth cat named Zabu raised him in the Savage Land, Ka-Zar shed his English nobility and got in touch with his primal side by bulking up and parading around in a pair of skimpy jungle shorts. He’s the peak of human conditioning, but all of the strength, speed, and endurance in the world can’t make Ka-Zar exciting.

He’s been a part of some decent comics in the past, but we just can’t see the concept translating to screen. First off, he would have to be half naked the whole time while fighting off poachers and fur traders. And the main supporting character would probably be Zabu, who is just a big temperamental cat. We’re not riveted by that concept.

First appearance: More Fun Comics #101 (1945)

If Hollywood can’t get Superman right, why would we think that they would do Superboy any justice? Whether they go for the young Clark Kent version, or the current Kent/Lex Luthor clone hybrid version, it doesn’t matter because we don't think either would be done justice. No one wants to see a pre-pubescent demigod finding out about his powers and going through a series of clichéd growing pains for two hours, and that’s exactly what this movie would wind up being.

The problem with Superboy is that no matter how long the character has been around, he’s still just the warm-up act to big blue himself. When it comes to saving the world from monsters, alien threats, and sadistic bald businessmen, DC should just leave it to the adults.

First appearance: Justice League of America Annual #2 (1984)

Back when comic book companies could present characters as thinly-veiled racial stereotypes without attracting the ire of the mainstream press, DC created Vibe, a Hispanic superhero with the ability to manipulate sonic vibrations. Oh, he’s also a break-dancer, if that type of thing is still cool. Over the years, as most heroes updated their costumes to adapt with the times, Vibe is still seen rocking the open-chest vest, black spandex pants, and Cyndi Lauper sunglasses.

If Warner Brothers and DC are serious about launching their comic properties into film, the name Vibe should never be uttered during an executive meeting. However, if the studio wants to cook the books, a la The Producers, then perhaps a big budget Vibe flick is the way to go.

First appearance: Prez: First Teen President #1 (1973)

We all have that one embarrassing moment in our life that we would like to forget, and we’re pretty sure for DC that moment would be when it gave the green light to Prez: First Teenage President. Well, we’re not that charitable, so we’re bringing it back for this list in all of its nonsensical glory.

In order to capture the imagination of the burgeoning youth culture that had come to prominence during the Vietnam years, this book focused on a constitutional amendment that allowed a young man named Prez Rickford to become president. That’s right, his name was legally Prez and he fought legless vampires in the White House.

This type of batshittery might have passed as entertainment in the '70s, but we’re positive nowadays this would just serve to confuse people. Also, no one wants to go to the movies to watch a teenage president make the country better than any real-life president in the past two decades has been able to.

First appearance: Hulk #1 (2008)

When the Red Hulk first debuted at Marvel in 2008, he was seen as nothing more than a silly gimmick designed to create a temporary stir amongst comic book fans. It’s four years later and the character still hasn’t shed that image of being a product of committee thinking. Despite Jeff Parker's solid run on Red Hulk's solo book, this character hasn't yet captured the imagination of most comic fans.

It seems like the Red Hulk—or “Rulk,” as he’s often called—is gaining momentum among the company’s higher-ups as a truly marketable character. Unfortunately, we have a bad feeling that a sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk will feature Rulk in all of his pointless glory. Worse yet, he could even spin-off into his own film.

First appearance: Whiz Comics #2 (1940)

With all of the strength of Superman, Shazam—or Captain Marvel as he has been known—has always been a favorite among comic book fans, but he's relatively unknown amongst the masses. The interesting twist to the character is that in his civilian life he's a young boy named Billy Baston, but he gets turned into a powerful superhero when he utters the magical word “Shazam.”

That worked back in the ‘40s, but DC has been having trouble revitalizing the character in recent decades, and we’re sure it would be even harder for modern movie fans to latch onto him. In this world that is obsessed with grim and gritty heroes, Captain Marvel would seem outdated. Maybe if the company finds a direction for a modern Shazam that works in the comics then this movie would be a success. But until then, just leave it alone.

First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #266 (1990)

There is a section of the comic book community that, for reasons that still boggle our minds, is completely obsessed with Gambit. The card-charging, trench-coat-wearing, Louisiana guttersnipe has gathered a cult following over the years, despite never actually doing anything in the books. All he does is speak with a funny accent and dress in one of the worst costumes in all of comics.

Outside of that, Gambit is about as clichéd and dull a character as you can imagine. Yet there is always a pining for him to hit the big screen, especially ever since Taylor Kitsch, the master of the box-office bomb, played him briefly in X-Men Origins: Wolverine a few years back. If his small part in that is any indication, a solo Gambit movie would make us actually miss those made-for-TV Swamp Thing movies.

First appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #299 (1988)

Every time we hear people talk about how much they want to see a Venom solo film, we get Vietnam type flashbacks of the terrible Venom: Lethal Protector miniseries that Marvel put out during the '90s. In this series, the House of Ideas tried to establish the character as a jovial anti-hero so it could make him more marketable to the masses. What we got instead was a severely neutered version of a once-vile villain that forever stained his legacy.

Venom is an alien menace fueled by hate and an occasional craving for human brains, and why someone would ever want to turn him into yet another superhero is beyond our comprehension. And after we saw Topher Grace rock some frosted tips to play the character in Spider-Man 3, we’re not sure bringing him back to theaters as a villain again is a great idea either.

First appearance: Tales to Astonish #27 (1962)

We know the wheels are already in motion on this one, but we simply don’t understand why Ant-Man is such a high priority for Marvel. Other than the times that he slapped around his wife, he hasn’t really much outside of the Avengers to attract our interest.

The gist of the story is that scientist Hank Pym discovers these “Pym Particles” that allow him to change his size from microscopic to gargantuan with little effort. He also has the ability to control an army of ants with his helmet should he catch a super villain trying to enjoy a picnic.

As a member of a larger team Pym is great. He adds much to the overall dynamic of the group, and his unpredictable temperament is always good for a laugh. But left on his own, we can’t see him getting the job done.

First appearance: Detective Comics #38 (1940)

No one wants to see Scottie Pippen play basketball without Michael Jordan, no one wants to listen to Yoko Ono without John Lennon, and no one should want to see a Robin movie that doesn't star Batman. That’s why we were so relieved when Joseph Gordon-Levitt distanced himself from endorsing a sequel to The Dark Knight Rises where he would don the green booty shorts and domino mask of the Boy Wonder.

In the comic book world, Robin often had his own solo title, but other than a few decent runs, most of these issues just made us realize how much we missed Batman. We saw Chris O’Donnell already play him in both Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, neither of which filled us with confidence that the character could go up on the screen alone.

And that’s the thing: In a world where we have great Batman movies, why would we need a film solely for his sidekick? We’ll stick with the real deal for now.

First appearance: Watchmen #1 (1986)

When Zack Snyder’s Watchmen came out in 2009, it was extremely divisive among fans of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ original comic. But no matter what you thought of the movie, you can’t deny that it was a labor of love for the director, cast, and everyone else involved in the creative process.

That being said, we would be absolutely incensed if DC/Warner Brothers decided to produce any spin-off movies based on the characters. This would be nothing more than a desperate cash-grab from a company that should always be trying to come up with new and exciting ideas for film.

We’re fully aware that DC has been putting out spin-off comic series in its “Before Watchmen” event, and so far those have exceeded our expectations. But no movie would be able to turn all of those separate miniseries into a single story. Instead it would likely be an original sequel/prequel that some work-for-hire screenwriter came up with after seeing Watchmen on TNT late one night. And while it would be fun to see Alan Moore rage-out over a Watchmen sequel, we think Rorschach, Nite Owl, Doctor Manhattan, and the others should just be left alone.

First appearance: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (1963)

Although he’s already appeared in nearly every Marvel Studios film so far, we think Nick Fury should stay as far away from his own solo movie as possible. Really, when you think about it, the dude doesn’t do much when he’s on screen anyway. Fury has acted as nothing more than a one-eyed plot device or deus ex machina in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and The Avengers so far, and Marvel has done very little to show that he's anything more than just Sam Jackson in a trench coat.

Plus, Marvel already tried to put Nick Fury in the spotlight in the made-for-TV movie, Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. And if David Hasselhoff can’t make you look cool, we doubt anyone can. Frankly, the studio should just stick with Fury as a supporting character and leave that spin-off talk in the boardroom.

First appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (1941)

Aquaman is perhaps the most perplexing character to ever grace the four-sided-panel world of comic books. He is one of the prominent mascots for DC, yet he has never had a loyal fanbase, and his solo comic titles are always on the verge on cancellation. As the King of Atlantis, Aquaman should be a certified stud, but the combination of his cookie-cutter personality and his glam-rock costume has relegated him to a permanent member of the B-list.

Think about it: What powers does Aquaman have? He’s kind of strong, but not as strong as Superman. He has some cool weapons, but they're not half as cool as Batman's. Most notably he has the ability to control marine life with his mind. That means if you’re battling him under water he can call in dozens of sharks and whales to rip you apart. If you’re on land, he might be able to get a child’s goldfish to give you a dirty look.

We’re fearful of the day when we see Aquaman in theaters commanding an army of CGI clownfish and carp to take down the Black Manta. We’d rather watch a retrospective on the career of Uwe Boll.