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Top 10 Strangest DC Superheroes

Top 10 Strangest DC Superheroes
VOICE OVER: Callum Janes WRITTEN BY: Nancy Roberge-Renaud
These heroes are just plain weird. For this list, we'll be looking at some of the lesser-known, downright bizarre DC Comics superheroes. Our countdown includes Detective Chimp, Mogo the Living Planet, Negative Man, and more!

Top 10 Strangest DC Superheroes


Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Strangest DC Superheroes.

For this list, we’ll be looking at some of the lesser known, downright bizarre DC Comics superheroes.

Who’s your favorite DC weirdo? Let us know in the comments!


#10: Detective Chimp


Originally a circus act, Detective Chimp (or Bobo T. Chimpanzee) was transformed into an intellectual being upon his encounter with the Fountain of Youth. Following the death of his owner Fred Thorpe, poor Chimpy had to find a way to make ends meet. So, he became a detective, complete with a Sherlock-esque penchant for tobacco and alcohol. Though you may not have heard of the primate, he has been around the DC Comics world since 1952, with his debut appearance in “Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog”. His superpowers are essentially his intellectual prowess and immortality. So, basically, Sherlock Holmes, but he’s a chimp and can’t die.



#9: Matter-Eater Lad


In 1962, DC Comics introduced a superhero in “Adventure Comics'' that we would all know and love for decades. Yes, that’s right, it’s Matter-Eater Lad. Wait, you haven’t heard of him? Take a wild guess as to what his superpower is. Why, he eats matter, of course! Tenzil Kem, from the planet Bismoll, has the ability to eat anything. We can’t help but wonder if the name of his planet has something to do with a certain pink liquid digestive aid… If the superhuman digestion isn’t enough, he can always use his super-tech sunglasses, which have multiple functions, including a lie detector. If anything, however, he can always eat his enemies.



#8: Deadman


DC seems to have a thing for very literal superhero names. Deadman is… well, he’s a dead man. Formerly named Boston Brand, he was a trapeze artist in the circus after running away from a troubled home. He met his untimely death at the hands of an assassin, who shot him down during his trapeze act. Holy coincidence, Batman! But we digress. His spirit remains to bring justice to whomever may need it. There’s a catch, though. He’s a ghost, so he can’t really interact with anything alive. He can enter the bodies of mortals and control them in a sort of possession. He became a member of Justice League Dark, fighting alongside John Constantine and Zatanna, among other weirdos.



#7: The Creeper


This isn’t the type of creeper you may be imagining. DC’s the Creeper hasn’t met Chris Hansen. He has a few different origin stories, something not unheard of in the world of comics. In his original incarnation in 1968, he was the result of a science experiment. The story has been revised several times since. Either way, he possesses the body of Jack Ryder, a talk show host and journalist in Gotham. He’s quite powerful; he can fly, control minds, has superhuman strength and the ability to possess weaker souls. His Kryptonite is sunlight, so he can only come out at night to fight crime and intimidate his enemies. Oh, and he is pretty creepy in the cartoons.




#6: Mogo the Living Planet


Mogo is a planet. Not to be confused with Marvel’s Ego, DC’s “living planet” character is actually just a planet, portraying itself occasionally through holograms. Mogo is also a Green Lantern (which at this point seemingly can be anything, it seems even a small pox virus a la Leezle Pon.) The sentient planet is in charge of reassigning the Green Lantern rings of deceased members. It is also an actual planet that does planet things, such as regulate climate for its alien inhabitants, all while watching over them (some creeper vibes right there). When it feels like it, Mogo can rearrange the greenery on itself to form the Green Lantern symbol, which honestly wouldn’t make for a challenging hedge maze.




#5: Animal Man


Another example of lazy titles, Animal Man was first introduced in a 1965 issue of “Strange Adventures”. Due to some accidental radiation exposure from a crashed alien spaceship, actor and stuntman Bernhard Baker was imbued with the powers to use the abilities of any animal, as well as communicate with animals, mimic their cries and emit force blasts for some reason. He can also control animals by entering their minds. Honestly, it’s safe to say that Animal Man, no matter how silly his name sounds, is a force to be reckoned with. The possibilities for his powers are basically endless. Oh, and he’s not neutered, he has a family - a wife and two kids.


#4: Flex Mentallo


Bro, do you even lift? Well, Flex Mentallo definitely does, and it pays off in more ways than one. Flex has a superpower known as “Muscle Mystery”. When he flexes his muscles, he can alter reality. Certain muscles can do certain things, such as allow him to survive in the vacuum of space. He also has super strength, durability and stamina. His actual abilities are a little vague, but he can somehow affect the physics of things - for example, he once briefly turned the Pentagon into a circle. How did he get his powers? Why, a man with a TV for a head gave him a coupon to get a book called “Muscle Mystery for You.” He read it, and poof… physics-defying physique.


#3: Ambush Bug


Irwin Schwab, or Ambush Bug is an interestingly confusing character. His past is a little muddled, as he apparently suffers from mental issues, thus making his origin story ambiguous. He claims to have found the Ambush Bug suit after it fell from the planet Schwab (conveniently his last name), along with a sentient argyle sock which became his enemy. You heard right, his archenemy is an evil sock. He mainly teleports as a superpower, and can break the fourth wall, meaning he can read the internal dialogues of other characters. He’s got his issues but generally fights for good. It’s entirely possible he was created by an overworked writer.



#2: Danny the Street


This is another bizarre one. The character was created in 1990, and is a sentient street. No, really, a stretch of road with a consciousness. Apparently, if they were human, they could be likened to a drag queen. Inspiration for the name came from real-life drag performer Danny La Rue. Danny teleports around the world, and can integrate themselves into any geography, providing shelter for the needy among other things. Danny is composed of many macho-type stores (hardware, sports, etc), yet adorned with frilly decor as a way to question heroic masculinity. So, basically, imagine RuPaul if she was a street. Does wearing heels while walking down Danny street cause pain?



Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.


Brother Power the Geek
A Hippie Mannequin Brought to Life by a Bolt of Lightning & Given Superpowers


The Weird
A Former Slave From an Alternate Dimension Who Possessed a Dead Man’s Body on Earth



Red Bee
A Man With the Ability to Control Bees & Knock Out Enemies With a Stinger Gun & Wild Legwear



Arm-Fall-Off Boy
A Lazily-Named Character Who Can Detach His Limbs & Hit Bad Guys With Them



Infectious Lass
A Highly Infectious (Literally) Disease-Spreading Alien Lady



#1: Negative Man


Darn that pesky radiation, always creating superheroes and villains. Larry Trainor was exposed to radiation while test piloting, the result being a heinous disfigurement, and of course, superpowers. He wears bandages to cover his horrid face. He can emit a negatively-charged energy being known as Negative Man who does the fighting for him. This isn’t that great, however, because it leaves his human body weak and vulnerable. It’s also quite dangerous, and he can only release the energy for 60 seconds at a time. Otherwise, he risks death. Marvel nerds know that Doctor Strange gets at least 24 hours out-of-body before any risks. So Negative Man is kind of useless unless the fight is extremely short.
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