DC Characters Who Should Get An Arrowverse Series After Stephen Amell’s ‘Arrow’

Arrowverse Arrow Stephen Amell DC Comics The CW

With how often shows get cancelled, it’s strange at times to believe that Arrow has been on the air since 2012. Stephen Amell’s DC series helped kick off what we now know as the Arrowverse, which encompasses The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, the upcoming Batwoman series, and the CW Seed Vixen series. With Black Lightning characters set to appear in the upcoming “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, we’ve got a real smorgasbord of DC characters set to appear together soon.

But some things must come to an end. With the CW, that almost seems impossible, but as you know by now, Stephen Amell’s Arrow will be the first of the Arrowverse DC shows to come to an end with its upcoming eighth season. In effect, the series that helped kick off this shared DC universe will bow out ahead of the other series that it helped create. Think about it: if Stephen Amell’s Arrow had flopped right out of the gate and no one bought Stephen Amell as the Green Arrow, would we have even met Barry Allen in Arrow’s second season?

Would there even be a motivation to create a Supergirl series, despite it taking place on a different Earth than the other Arrowverse series? I say this all to say that, regardless of your opinion of it, the success of Stephen Amell’s Arrow, coupled with Stephen Amell’s leading performance, helped spawn other live-action DC series on The CW and create a world not unlike what we see on the big screen with the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the DC Extended Universe.

With that said, the end of Stephen Amell’s Arrow will leave a void on the Arrowverse. Other series could fill that gap, but let’s have some fun. Beyond the heroes we’ve seen on the various DC series, there have been references to other characters. You know, like The Flash mentioning that a test pilot at Ferris Air disappeared, Kara saying that her cousin knows a vigilante who is into gadgets, Rip Hunter talking about seeing men of steel die and dark knights fall.

The list goes on and on, and between films and TV shows, comic fans are quick to pick up on references to other characters. For this conversation, we’re going to go through a list of potential DC characters and teams that could lead their own Arrowverse series once Arrow ends and Stephen Amell and company head elsewhere. The criteria here is going to be a bit strange, I must admit.

I’d like to start off with characters who are already established or who have been referenced, but realistically have enough of a somewhat interesting history in DC Comics to carry their own Arrowverse series. They don’t have to be mentioned on Stephen Amell’s Arrow specifically, but across any of the established CW shows in this shared universe. Then we’ll delve into characters who haven’t been seen or referenced.

I also want to avoid characters who have prominent roles in other current live-action DC shows, so don’t expect to see someone like Nightwing here. Again, it’s entirely possible that none of this could come to fruition, so once more, this is just for fun.

1) Vixen

Arrowverse Arrow Vixen DC Comics

First off, Vixen. This one is a no-brainer. Actress Megalyn Echikunwoke previously spoke with CBR and expressed interest in her own DC series. “But wait a second,” you might be saying “Vixen already has her own series.” Sure, an animated web-series that does, in fact, take place within the Arrowverse where she’s interacted with Grant Gustin’s Flash and Stephen Amell’s Green Arrow. But without doing any research, I would venture that not as many people who tune into the live-action shows saw or even know about the web series.

With that said, a live-action Vixen series would be a good way to continue her story arc and see what Mari’s been up to in Detroit since we last saw her in the fourth season of Arrow. It’s been established that Mari has a working relationship with members of both Grant Gustin’s Flash and Stephen Amell’s Green Arrow, and the events of the Vixen series were also referenced on Legends of Tomorrow, so the DC hero’s world is well-integrated into the live-action side of things.

Giving Mari her own live-action series builds out another corner of the Arrowverse and would allow Mari to serve as an ally to the other DC heroes. More than that, while animation does provide some liberties compared to live-action, it works the other way around as well, if James Bamford’s fight choreography on Stephen Amell’s Arrow is any indication.

There is one giant caveat, though: the timeline. No, not because of Barry Allen, but because of the Legends of Tomorrow. Due to them altering the timeline, both Mari and Kuasa share the Anansi Totem and mantle of Vixen. So with that change to the timeline, does this mean that Mari never came to Detroit? If so, that would pretty much wipe the Vixen animated series from continuity, but whose to say that you couldn’t tell a Vixen series set in Zambesi?

Even if, in the new timeline, Mari never met the likes of Stephen Amell’s Oliver and Grant Gustin’s Barry, she’d at least have a passing knowledge of the Legends, who could easily bring her up to speed. As a certain Merc with the Mouth once said, timelines are confusing. Still, the fact that Vixen has an established history within the Arrowverse and its characters makes her an ideal candidate to carry her own series, timelines be damned.

2) Green Lantern

Arrow Arrowverse DC Comics Green Lantern

Whether it”s the recent John Stewart nod during “Elseworlds” or the various references on both Stephen Amell’s Arrow and The Flash, Green Lantern is a hero who seems ready to make his Arrowverse debut. This could be tricky since you don’t want to run out the effects budget with a Green Lantern series, but there are ways around that. After all, you get Supergirl flying around and The Flash running at top speed every week, so Green Lantern shouldn’t be a huge issue.

Now there are various ways to integrate Green Lantern into the Arrowverse. For one, you could make a Lantern a supporting character within a group like the Legends of Tomorrow and then spin-off into a Green Lantern-specific series. You could start with Hal Jordan being that missing test pilot we heard of on The Flash and begin the story that way. Or, like Ruby Rose’s first appearance as Batwoman, start off with the Lanterns fully established on Sector 2814.

We don’t have to limit ourselves to Hal Jordan or John Stewart, either. Take Guy Gardner, for example. Sure, nobody likes the guy, but he’s got a friendship with Barry Allen in the comics. The Legends is already full of a ragtag team of misfits and screw-ups, so what’s one more? A Lantern would boost the grou’s power set in a team that includes John Constantine… and should’ve still included Wally West, but that’s a different story.

Let’s face it: between the time-traveling Legends and Supergirl’s occasional trips into space, we’ve gotten more and more cosmic elements in the Arrowverse. With the Green Lantern Corps or even the Guardians of the Universe, the DCCW could capitalize on more cosmic threats and storylines.

Sure, Krypton is entirely cosmic and takes place entirely in space, but that tells its own story within its own universe separate from the Arrowverse. Or at least it did. Thanks, SyFy…

But with Green Lantern in the Arrowverse, you can explore those intergalactic threats otherwise saved for the Kryptonians or other superpowered beings in the DC Universe. If you want a fish-out-of-water character, why not Kyle Rayner? He started off as a comic book artist, so maybe after he receives his ring from the Guardians, he takes up the Green Lantern mantle, but is also inspired by the Arrowverse heroes he’s heard of, but never met.

In the same way that Barry Allen sought out the advice of Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen after he received his superspeed, perhaps Kyle Rayner could get advice from Barry or maybe even Kara — assuming all Earths join together after Crisis on Infinite Earths. Either way, space looks to be the way to go in the Arrowverse, based on what we’ve seen. Green Lantern is someone fans have ached to see and the Arrowverse has had no shortage of references. Time for a Lantern to answer the call.

That being said, there are other ways to introduce other, earlier versions of Green Lantern. More on that in a bit.

3) Ted Kord

Arrow Arrowverse DC Comics Blue Beetle

Now Ted Kord is a challenge because of those wrangling issues involving multiple versions of characters. There’s supposed to be a Blue Beetle film set within the DC Extended Universe, but no telling yet when we’ll get more news on that. But then, we’ve had Superman, Flash, and Katana on the big and small screen at the same time, so let’s just say that Blue Beetle is fair game for the Arrowverse.

If you recall, Brandon Routh was going to play Ted Kord before being cast as Ray Palmer instead. So for a moment, it did seem that Kord was fair game. Ted Kord was mentioned way back in the first season of Stephen Amell’s Arrow and there have been various appearances of Kord Industries since then. At this point, let’s assume that he’s already the proficient industrialist we know him as.

Kord Industries could easily work as a competitor to S.T.A.R. Labs or you could use his origin as a student of Dan Garrett, but there’s a link you can make to another established hero. On Earth-38. Supergirl has few heroes anyway, so what if Ted Kord originated on Supergirl’s world? Like Central City, Earth-38 could have its own Kord Industries and Kord himself could be put in competition with Maxwell Lord.

It’d be a way to finally bring Peter Facinelli back into the Supergirl fold — his presence is sorely missed — and you could set up the confrontation that leads to Lord shooting Kord. Just have a fate other than death and don’t have it be an “Infinite Crisis” sort of event. Either way, with Stephen Amell’s Arrow ending soon, the Arrowverse will be minus one billionaire playboy, and with Ray Palmer off with the Legends, Kord could fill that void.

4) Birds of Prey

Arrow Arrowverse Birds of Prey DC Comics

Funny that I’m suggesting Birds of Prey right after recent reports that Katie Cassidy suggested a Birds of Prey show to The CW. With Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) set to hit theaters next year, the team will have much more name recognition with the general audience. Given that the Arrowverse already has the likes of Black Canary, Black Siren, White Canary, and Huntress, there’s no shortage of team members.

Admittedly, we haven’t seen Jessica De Gouw’s Huntress since the “Birds of Prey”-titled episode of Stephen Amell’s Arrow. That’s another candidate to join the team. Sara may be busy with leading the Legends, but at the very least, you can have Earth-2 Laurel, Dinah Drake, and Huntress kicking ass out there. Plus, Oliver mentioned in Season 4 that he was going to give Felicity the nickname “Oracle,” but it’s taken.

With Batwoman on the way, chances are we could build out members of the Batfamily that we haven’t already seen on programs like Titans. If the “Oracle” name-drop wasn’t just an Easter Egg, then perhaps there is a Barbara Gordon out there. Granted, Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen probably wouldn’t believe it since “Elseworlds” established that he believes Batman is an urban legend, but let’s assume that the Arrowverse has a Barbara Gordon already at work.

Since Huntress has probably escaped from prison at this point and since her character is often associated with Batman’s world, maybe she’s been causing havoc over in Gotham City. That would at least explain why we’ve heard very little of her since then since the Arrowverse heroes didn’t even travel to Gotham until “Elseworlds.” With Bruce Wayne gone, it’s not impossible that Kate Kane would have encountered Huntress if she ventured to Gotham at some point.

Plus, once Stephen Amell’s Arrow ends, you have an opportunity to relocate the cast of characters. Depending on where the story takes them, I think a Birds of Prey show could allow the likes of Laurel, Dinah, and Helena to relocate to Gotham City, thus building out Batwoman’s corner of the Arrowverse at the same time.

5) The Justice Society of America

Arrowverse Arrow Justice Society of America DC Comics

By the time the Stargirl series hits DC Universe, this could become a moot point, but right now, let’s talk about the Justice Society of America. Having received a two-hour episode on Smallville and some prominence in the second season of Legends of Tomorrow, the Justice Society has received some live-action love, but could always use more.

When we saw them in Legends, the only JSA members we got were Hourman, Vixen, Obsidian, Commander Steel, Dr. Mid-Nite, and, of course, Stargirl. A Justice Society series set before their encounter with the Legends could explore superheroes prior to modern times. More than that, why not expand the roster?

Going back to Green Lantern, a JSA series would be a good excuse to bring in Alan Scott. Maybe Jay Garrick? Dr. Fate? An alternate version of Hawkman from the one we’ve already seen in the Arrowverse? Also, this is a personal thing, but I love a good period piece. Think about the journey through time we took during the opening credits of Watchmen, but just develop an entire series like that with the Justice Society kicking ass from week to week.

These characters don’t have the same sort of power set as the Legends, so it’s not like we’d be watching two Arrowverse team-up shows with members having the same abilities. More than that, unlike the Legends, the Justice Society members wouldn’t be brought in from another show. You could slowly bring the team together by focusing on each individual member first, or have them start out as an established team, akin to the first X-Men film.

Again, if Stargirl ends up building out its own Justice Society, this won’t matter, but I say if you’ve got the precursor to the Justice League existing in your shared universe, why not further build out on that concept?

6) The Legion of Super-Heroes

Arrow Arrowverse DC Comics Legion of Super-Heroes

Now before moving onto wishful thinking, let’s jump over to Earth-38 and talk about another team: the Legion of Super-Heroes. Last we saw Mon-El on Supergirl, he and Winn had left the present day to head into the future and join the Legion. A Legion of Super-Heroes series, like Green Lantern, could explore the cosmic side of the Arrowverse. Plus, for Supergirl fans, it’d be a chance to catch up and see what Winn and Mon-El have been up to since leaving the series.

Superboy is already going to be a big part of Titans Season two, after also being a main character in Young Justice, so why not bring in Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman to help out the Legion? Clearly Supergirl and J’onn have things covered on Earth-38. While a Superman Arrowverse series isn’t in the cards, there shouldn’t be anything precluding the Man of Steel from making the occasional appearance on a Legion of Superheroes show.

Again, Supergirl’s world has very few superheroes in it. Setting a Legion of Super-Heroes in the future wouldn’t exactly link the Legion back up to Kara from week to week, but imagine the sort of threats they could face in the future. Much like Green Lantern, you could tell a superhero space opera set within the Arrowverse. At the same time, I imagine time travel wouldn’t be much of an issue in the future. So whose to say they couldn’t show up in the present again?

Now let’s have a bit of fun and speculate on characters we haven’t seen yet, but either would be fun to see or could realistically handle an Arrowverse series.

7) Zatanna

Arrow Arrowverse DC Comics Zatanna

First, Zatanna. Now before you ask why I’m not picking Constantine, I think he fits comfortably on the team in Legends of Tomorrow. Could Constantine pick up from where his NBC series left off? Sure, but right now, I’d prefer him to remain on the Waverider for the foreseeable future.

Season four of Stephen Amell’s Arrow introduced the Arrowverse to magic and how it can be used against its heroes. Constantine’s presence on both Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow furthers the usage of magic within this universe, but we have very few magical heroes. With Constantine, as of now, with the Legends, bringing in one of his romantic interests would keep that magic line going.

Like Stephen Amell’s Arrow, a Zatanna series could begin with her already established as a hero, but then weave in flashbacks about her search to locate her father. You can bring in Zatara that way and, now that we’ve got Batwoman and Gotham City, it can be established that Zatanna’s father knew Bruce Wayne. That would connect Zatanna to a new Arrowverse series and Bruce Wayne could just be kept off-screen for the most part, similar to how he was in the first season of Titans.

Not that a Zatanna series has to be based on her relationship to other heroes. But since we’re talking about new characters, it’s different than Barry Allen going to Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen for advice in the pilot for The Flash. There, we at least knew Barry at that point. By comparison, Zatanna is a fish out of water and giving her a connection to established Arrowverse characters like Constantine or Hawkman and Hawkgirl instantly connects her to the larger world.

8) Static Shock

Arrow Arrowvserse DC Comics Static Shock

Hear me out. Jefferson Pierce and his daughters all having lightning-based powers on Black Lightning might make a Static Shock series seem redundant. However, with citizens becoming metahumans and experimented on within Jefferson Pierce’s world, would it be too much of a stretch that one of those people could be Virgil Hawkins himself?

After all, Virgil isn’t born with his electromagnetic abilities, so there’s always a possibility to have the Pierce family perhaps rescue and train a young Virgil. Maybe they can help him develop his powers until he’s capable enough to fight on his own. In this scenario, Virgil could start off similar to Jefferson’s daughters in that he doesn’t know how control his abilities. This would make him reckless in battle. But over time, that can be fixed.

You could develop a relationship here in the same way that Jefferson took Virgil under his wing in Young Justice. Just to build out to Virgil’s world, have Rick Stone be a student at Garfield High School, but don’t reveal yet that he was also experimented on and developed powers. His ability to invent and create would soon culminate in him taking on the “Gear” persona.

The Arrowverse heroes are only as strong as their supporting teams, and pairing Virgil and Rick would give us a good team-up story to follow. Sure, they’d have Jefferson, but I believe that in order to make a Static series work, you need to eventually have Virgil and Rick decide that they can handle themselves.

But they can always rely on Jefferson for help in need be in the same way that Static Shock had occasional crossovers with the Justice League in the DC Animated Universe. Once more, going back to Crisis, if the universes do indeed merge, then that’s a whole new world for Virgil and Rick to explore. Imagine the sort of tech that Gear could help create for Team Flash or what’s left of Team Arrow, for example.

9) The Question

Arrow Arrowverse DC Comics The Question

To be honest, the more I think about a live-action take on The Question, the more I think he’d be better suited to the likes of DC Universe or HBO Max. Then again, Hub City has been referenced multiple times in both Stephen Amell’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. So at the very least, we have Vic Sage’s city of origin.

In a way, you could make an Arrowverse series on The Question akin to a Batman series in that we’ve got a character who is more of a detective and investigator than a spandex-wearing hero. In fact, since The Question often operates outside of the law, this could put him in direct conflict with the rest of the Arrowverse’s heroes in the same way that Frank Castle and Matt Murdock did on Netflix’s Daredevil series.

Plus, I think it’d be interesting to see how The Question’s “face” could be translated to live-action. The first thing that comes to mind is doing something similar to what we saw with Rorschach in the Watchmen film, but obviously we’re talking a big budget movie versus a television show. There won’t be as much freedom here.

Also, just going back to that shared universe question, there have been many instances when The Question has teamed up with Huntress. Perhaps in her time off-screen, Helena cultivated a relationship with Vic Sage. There’d be no need for her to bring it up unless relevant, so perhaps in one instance, the heroes need the help of a detective. With no Batman around, it’s time to pay a visit to Hub City.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure we’ll see plenty of detective work in the Batwoman series, but again, we’re now talking about characters we’d like to see. Between his detective skills and fighting abilities, the time is right to bring The Question into the Arrowverse.

10) Midnighter

Arrow Arrowverse Midnighter DC Comics

Now this one’s just wishful thinking. Finally, we have Midnighter, and this is going to be the tricky one. Not that the Arrowverse has any aversion to killing. Heck, Oliver Queen’s body count is one of the best parts of Stephen Amell’s Arrow. Why do you think they had him put killing back on the table in Season Five?

But back to the character in question, in order to bring in Midnighter, you would at least have to hint at or set up The Authority as well. Since Midnighter has had interactions with Dick Grayson, it’s fair to say that he could be on Batwoman’s radar. Gotham City already has vigilantes that operate outside the law, so Midnighter going one step further and killing his foes would make him quite the challenge for the Arrowverse heroes.

Again, like The Punisher, though, he’s not a villain. Flashbacks could help show his background and history with Apollo and bring us up to speed on Midnighter’s ability to predict the outcome of any battle. Picture how formidable Midnighter could be against Barry Allen’s speed if he can just anticipate how he’ll move.

As light-hearted as the Arrowverse is, I believe a Midnighter series would explore a darker side and bring us back to the tone we saw in the first two seasons of Stephen Amell’s Arrow. You have a hero who also works outside the law, but who crosses the line that the likes of Batman and company wouldn’t cross. But like The Question, I wonder if Midnighter would work better on a network besides The CW. Do the heroes of the Arrowverse consider Midnighter a friend or foe? We’d have to wait and see.

So what do you think of these choices? Do any of these characters, established or otherwise, have a shot at carrying their own Arrowverse series? Any picks you don’t like? Also, what DC Comics character would you want to receive a live-action CW series when Stephen Amell and the Arrow series bow out? Should Oliver survive, would you want to see Stephen Amell pop up in future episodes of Arrowverse shows? Be sure to let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for upcoming news on the future of the Arrowverse!

Omari Daniels

Omari Daniels

Guy mostly into journalism and interested in geek culture. So...why not write about it? Get the best of both worlds that way.