Hooray For Hollywood!
Gopher: “Somebody call for an excavation expert? I’m not in the book, but I’m at yer service!”
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Superheroes have appeared on the silver screen for decades. Big name stars are slotted into the lead roles while new blood gets discovered as supporting characters. But sometimes Hollywood needs an original character. The ones they have don’t fit the story they want to tell. That’s when they create a character who has never been in the comics.
The new characters don’t always become popular, but the best are brought across mediums and find a new home in the comics. So who are the 5 Hollywood heroes leaping into comics? Let’s find out.
Scene Select
#5 Hollywood Hero: X-23
Played By: Dafne Keen, Tara Strong
Wolverine: “I know what happened to you! No one should have to go through that, especially a child.”
X-Men: Evolution “X23” (Season 3, Episode 11)
X-23: “I AM NOT A CHILD!”
Children of superheroes are the easiest original characters to introduce. You just make a younger version of the hero, possibly a different race or gender; maybe from the future. This Hollywood hero gave the X-Men a run for their money.
The Debut: Nick Fury has Wolverine brought in for questioning after a series of break-ins resemble his MO. They discover that HYDRA has cloned Wolverine, creating a teenage girl with his powers. X-23 blamed Logan for her torturous life as a weapon and tried to kill him. Wolverine got through to his daughter and helped her escape from SHIELD and HYDRA.
The Leap: X-23’s creation and training were expanded on, including tender moments with her creator and mother figure, Dr. Kinney. X-23 was forced to kill Dr. Kinney, who named her Laura with her last breath. Laura went on the run, eventually hiding as a teenage sex worker.
She was rescued from that life by little-known team NYX. They pointed her to the X-Men, which she joined following an emotional battle against Wolverine. Laura went on many adventures, learning to be a person instead of a weapon.
The Return to Screens: X-23 cameoed in a few X-Men cartoons. A mute incarnation played a recurring role in Wolverine and the X-Men. X-23 entered the spotlight in 2017’s Logan and recently returned in Deadpool and Wolverine.
Want more on X-23? We cover her backstory here.
#4 Jimmy Olsen
Played By: Jack Larson, Marc McClure, Mechad Brooks, Ishmael Sahid
Jimmy: [smug] “You liiiike her.”
My Adventures With Superman “Adventures of a Normal Man” (Season 1, Episode 1)
Clark: “No! What? I mean, I-I admire Ms. Lane.”
Jimmy: “Yeah, you do.”
Clark: “As professionals, Jimmy. Professionals.”
Jimmy: [grins] “Well c’mon, Kansas! Take a risk! What’s the worst that could happen?”
Original characters change more frequently than other heroes. Their roles evolve as they fall in and out of fashion. This Hollywood hero is Superman’s ultimate odd jobs man.
The Debut: Jimmy Olsen was a photographer at the Daily Planet. He was a sounding board for Clark Kent’s attempts to woo Lois Lane. Jimmy was often captured by criminals, earning the nickname Superman’s Pal for how often he had to be saved.
The Leap: Jimmy continued being Superman’s pal and Clark’s wingman. He also got caught up in zany antics, often gaining superpowers or being transformed. These misadventures complicated Jimmy’s pursuit of Lois’ sister, Lucy Lane.
Jimmy Olsen has struggled since Clark married Lois, depriving him of his primary role in the story. He continues his misadventures, now joined by his reformed supervillain girlfriend, Silver Banshee.
The Return to Screens: Most Superman cartoons have featured Jimmy in different roles. Movies have been less kind, killing him off or keeping him in the background. Jimmy found success as a vigilante in CW’s Supergirl while My Adventures With Superman has him dating her.
Extra! Extra! Read all about Jimmy Olsen in his exclusive backstory!
#3 Hollywood Hero: Batgirl
Played By: Yvvone Craig, Dyna Meyer, Melissa GIlbert
Penguin: “Why you bungling buttinskies! Always sticking your nose in my business! Well this time, I’ll teach you a lesson!”
Batman – Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin” (Season 3, Episode 1)
Batgirl: [bursts through a window] “As long as you’re giving lessons, Penguin, perhaps you’d include Batgirl too!”
Batman, Robin, and Commissioner Gordon: Batgirl?”
The Penguin: “Bats?! I’m surrounded by bats!”
Studios love making female counterparts to famous superheroes. They draw in guys, give women role models, and perform duties that some people would raise a stink over men doing. This Hollywood hero started the legacy of female superheroes.
The Debut: Librarian Barbara Gordon is fixed up on a date with Bruce Wayne. She is kidnapped by the Penguin, who wants to marry her because she is the police commissioner’s daughter and he thinks he won’t be arrested. Alfred rescues Barbara, who suits up as Batgirl to stop the Penguin and join her own rescue mission.
The Leap: Barbara Gordon made a Batgirl outfit for a costume party. She unintentionally foiled a plan by supervillain Killer Moth and helped Batman defeat him. Batgirl became a vigilante, despite Batman and Robin’s sexist leanings.
Batgirl’s career ended when the Joker shot her in the spine, paralyzing her. Barbara adapted by studying computer science and becoming a mission coordinator called Oracle. Barbara also trained two successors as Batgirl: Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown.
The Return to Screens: Batgirl has shown up in most of Batman’s cartoon adaptations and was a main character in Birds of Prey. Movies often screw her over. In Batman: The Killing Joke she was portrayed as useless aside from being a sexual prize for Batman and a one-off villain. A live-action Batgirl movie was shelved by Warner Bros in 2023 for a tax write-off.
#2 Hollywood Hero: Phil Coulson
Played By: Clark Gregg
Pepper: “Agent Coulson, I just wanted to say thanks for all your help.”
Iron Man (2008)
Coulson: “That’s what we do. You’ll be hearing from us.”
Pepper: From the Strategic Homeland…”
Coulson: Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.”
Original characters are almost never the stars. They wait in the wings to help the heroes, offering sage advice or leading the cavalry’s charge. Sometimes, they get to step into the limelight. This Hollywood hero has more screen time than any Avenger.
The Debut: Agent Phil Coulson approaches Tony Stark’s secretary Pepper about a connection between Stark Industries and a terrorist group. They discover that employee Obidiah Stane hired the terrorists to kill Tony and take over the company. Coulson and Pepper help stop Stane’s plot with Iron Man’s help. He promises to keep in touch, revealing himself as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The Leap: Coulson became a major connection between SHIELD and superheroes. He is one of the few agents able to wrangle Deadpool. Coulsin was killed by a HYDRA-controlled Captain America and went to Hell for war crimes. He was resurrected by Mephisto, Marvel’s Satan stand-in, and now works to kill the heroes he once loved.
The Return to Screens: Coulsin returned for Iron Man 2, Thor, and The Avengers before getting his own TV spinoff, Agents of SHIELD. Over seven seasons, Coulson fought evil across the MCU before riding off into the sunset. He retains his liaison duties in the cartoons, once pulling double duty as the principal of Spider-Man’s school.
#1 Harley Quinn
Played By: Arleen Sorkin, Kaley Cuoco, Margot Robbie, Lady Gaga, others
[Harley carries a weakened Superman to safety]
Harley Quinn “Killer’s Block” (Season 4, Episode 10)
Harley: You gonna tell all the hos in the Justice League a normie saved you?
Superman: I always knew you were a hero.
Harley: I’m better than a hero: I’m Harley Fuckin’ Quinn.”
You know an original character is successful when they become their own franchise. Sure, they’ll always be linked to another hero, but they get shows and movies about them. This Hollywood hero is the 90s’ breakout star.
The Debut: Harley Quinn appeared out of nowhere as Joker’s moll. She assisted him on several crimes, occasionally breaking away to team up with her gal pal Poison Ivy. Viewers eventually learned her tragic backstory of being seduced and gaslit into insanity by the Joker.
The Leap: Harley struggled to break from her mad love for the Joker. She eventually succeeded, becoming an independent villain between stints in the Suicide Squad. Harley continued working with Poison Ivy, eventually becoming her girlfriend and a loose ally of the superhero community.
The Return to Screens: Animated or live-action, Harley Quinn is everywhere. She stars in most Suicide Squad flicks and runs the gamut of character alignments in animation. From 2024 alone, Harley Quinn has been a major player in Batman: Caped Crusader, Suicide Squad Isekai, Joker: Folie a Deux, and a fifth season of Harley Quinn. It’s safe to say this Hollywood Hero could use a break. Till then, why not check out her backstory?
Which Hollywood Hero is your favorite? Is there one with better shows? Tell us in the comments.
Jared Bounacos has written for Movie Rewind since 2016.
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