If there’s one thing that the DC Universe is known for, it’s the incredible number of sidekicks and young heroes that live in it. Now we all know the A-listers, heroes like Batman’s perennial Dynamic Duo partner Robin, or the Flash’s speedy sidekick Kid Flash. But while those heroes have gotten the lion’s share of attention, they’re far from the only sidekicks in the DCU. Hell, Batman alone has an entire family of junior partners, and not all of them have gotten a chance to be in the spotlight as much as the Boy Wonder has.
Sidekicks can be tricky. If you botch their introduction, they get off on the wrong foot with fans and never really ‘fit’ in canon (as was the case with Bluebird, aka Harper Row). Or, in the case of villainous sidekicks, they never gel with their better half and are lost to the annals of time, like Joker’s old sidekick Gaggy. But just because some sidekicks had a tougher time finding a place in DC history doesn’t mean they weren’t interesting. In fact, read on to discover 5 DC sidekicks that few people ever remember and see why they’re so awesome.
I remember Harper Row’s introduction quite well. She was a minor character introduced in the early days of the New 52 and was even billed as “fan-favorite Harper Row” by DC, even though the hype wasn’t exactly there. However, Harper did prove herself to be an interesting ally to Batman, largely thanks to her knack for electrical engineering, allowing her to innovate a number of surprising gadgets. Harper’s appearances are far and few between now, but despite the rush to make her into Batman’s newest sidekick, Bluebird turned out to be a pretty neat addition to the Bat-Family.
Everyone knows Billy Batson is Captain Marvel (well…I guess just the Captain for now), but for a brief period, the Captain was joined by several lieutenants. The Lieutenant Marvels were a trio of men who shared Billy’s name and later his powers after the Captain used his magic to save their lives. The Lieutenant Marvels are as loyal as they come, fighting alongside the Captain’s other Shazam Family allies, Uncle Dudley and Tawky Tawny. I couldn’t tell you the last time these guys appeared in the main continuity, but something about the Captain having loyal lieutenants just seems cool.
Yes, even villains have sidekicks, and long before Harley Quinn was the Joker’s partner-in-crime, the Clown Prince of Crime had Gaggy. Gaggy was a diminutive criminal who acted as the Joker’s personal jester. However, once Joker began to evolve into his less hokey, more Modern Age self, he left Gaggy behind, along with the rest of the Silver Age shtick. But Gaggy is still fiercely loyal to Joker, and he’s got a lot of tricks up his sleeve (he can even impersonate Joker to a ‘T’). You rarely see him nowadays, but Gaggy was an interesting part of Joker’s past.
So we all know that Nightwing took his name from a Kryptonian legend, right? Well, in Kryptonian lore, Nightwing was joined by Flamebird, an identity adopted by Bette Kane, the cousin to Kate Kane, aka Batwoman. Unfortunately, Nightwing and Flamebird didn’t exactly get along as much as you’d expect. She did get along swimmingly with her cousin, though, who trained Bette to be an even better hero. However, DC has really downplayed Flamebird in the last several years. Hopefully, with a new Batwoman title on the stands, we’ll be seeing more of her soon.
Snapper Carr is about as deep a cut as you can get when it comes to sidekicks. Snapper doesn’t have powers, nor is he affiliated with any hero. But he was around for the Justice League’s first confrontation with Starro, and his assistance actually helped them beat the interstellar conqueror. Known for his iconic snapping gesture and his deep love and knowledge of the Justice League, Snapper has been the League’s unofficial spokesman for years. He’s no Robin, Kid Flash, or even Aqualad, but he’s got a lot of heart and will take any opportunity to sing the League’s praises.
Who’s your favorite little-known DC Comics sidekick? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
