Character with the most incarnations?

[Kid Kyoto]

I was reading a nice "review" of Batman from the year 2039 and its mentions of Robin 10 got me thinking about which 'mantle' has been used the msot times.

We're on green lantern V now
Manhunter VI? higher?
Supergirl VI (pushing it since I'm including 2 one shot supergirls from the 40s and 50s)

Anyone higher?

[Jeff F]

Green Lantern has had over 1000 twice. Don't know if you want to count all of the one's who have ever been.

Flash has 4 possibly 5. (Counting Thwane from Return of BA, or whatever that story was, and depending on who is Flash OYL)

Dr. Fate (Kent, Inza, Hector, just Fate, and Nabu, plus someone OYL)

Cosmic Boy (not really mantle passing, but I think there has been 6 iterations of him)

Brother Blood according to Johns' Titans has had alot of different people claim the name.

There are probably more.

[Kid Kyoto]

Yeah it's hard to count some people like GL or BB. You end up splitting hairs like 'how many earthlings have been GL' but y'all know what I mean.

I wouldn't count reboots/retcons if it was the same guy using the same hero name it's not a mantle passing. There's only been 1 cosmic boy I would say.

[Dr. Killtrocity]

I get what you mean. GL isn't a mantle to pass because there isn't supposed to be one GL, and to the other GL's, they don't call eachother GL, they just call them by their names since they are part of a corps not just a superhero.

[Bicycle-Repairman]

I think Manhunter is the most recycled name in the DC Universe. Characters who have used the name Manhunter include Dan Richards, Paul Kirk and his clones including the evil Manhunter from the Secret Society of Super-Villains and Kirk DePaul from the Power Company, Mark Shaw, Shaw's unnamed predecessor, the fake Manhunter who posed as Shaw and was killed by Eclipso, the evil android Manhunters created by the Guardians of the Universe, Chase Lawler, and Kate Spencer.

[tangentman]

Batman: 4--Bruce Wayne, Jean Paul Valley, Dick Grayson (briefly), Tim Drake (Sins Of Youth).

Black Canary: 2--Dinah Drake, Dinah Lance.

Dr. Mid-Nite--Charles McNider, Beth Chapel (as Dr. Midnight), Pieter Cross.

Flash: 4--Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, that Gardner guy from the future.

Green Arrow: 2--Oliver Queen, Conner Hawke.

Green Lantern (from Earth alone): 6--Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Jenny-Lynn Hayden/Jade (while Kyle was in space).

Hourman: 3--Rex Tyler, Rick Tyler, the android.

Manhunter: 8--Dan Richards, Paul Kirk, evil clone, Kirk DePaul, Mark Shaw, Govt. Impostor of Shaw, Chase Lawler, Kate Spencer.

Robin: 4--Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown.

Supergirl: 4--Matrix, Linda Danvers, Cir-El, Kara Zor-El.

Superman: 3--Clark Kent, Matrix, Conner Kent (SoY).

Wonder Girl: 3--Donna Troy, Cassie Sandsmark, Diana (SoY).

Wonder Woman: 4--Diana, Artemis, Hippolyta, Cassie Sandsmark (Sins Of Youth).


EDIT: Need I REALLY point out the Hawks or Dr. Fate?

[the goddamn batman]

Batman: 4--Jean Paul Valley, Dick Grayson (briefly), Tim Drake (Sins Of Youth).

I don't really think that counts. Subs are not the real deal. The person would need to be the full time character for some long run of issues. Alternate futures, substitutions, and single shot parallel universes would not count in my mind.



Robin: 4--Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown.

See, you left out Carrie Kelly. If she doesn't count...

[tangentman]

Carrie was an AU Robin, so she wouldn't fit the list I put together. I counted heroes who used the mantle in the mainstream, Post-Crisis timeline. If a character substituted in a canon story, I don't see why that character wouldn't be counted in such a list. After all, Kid Kyoto asked about the number of characters who bore the title, not the duration of their careers under the title.

BTW, there were several people who used "Starman" or a variation thereof.

Starman: 10--Ted Knight, Doris Lee, David Knight (early 1950's), Mikaal, Gavyn, David Knight (modern times), Jack Knight, the Justice Legion Starman, Courtney (as "Stargirl"), LoSH's Starboy (next modern "Starman").

[Kid Kyoto]

Carrie was an AU Robin, so she wouldn't fit the list I put together. I counted heroes who used the mantle in the mainstream, Post-Crisis timeline. If a character substituted in a canon story, I don't see why that character wouldn't be counted in such a list. After all, Kid Kyoto asked about the number of characters who bore the title, not the duration of their careers under the title.

BTW, there were several people who used "Starman" or a variation thereof.

Starman: 10--Ted Knight, Doris Lee, David Knight (early 1950's), Mikaal, Gavyn, David Knight (modern times), Jack Knight, the Justice Legion Starman, Courtney (as "Stargirl"), LoSH's Starboy (next modern "Starman").

Starman 10? ug.

Alternate universes and reboots add another layer of complexity to the whole count, I got 5 Supergirls, there was Princess something or another from the 40s, the magic supergirl Jimmy Olsen created with his 3 wishes, Kara Zor-el, Matrix, Cir-El and the current one who is a reboot of Kara, not a seperate character.

But if it was in continuity, whatever continunity was at the time, it should count. So Jean Paul and Dick count as Batmen.

[Groifer]

you can also add The Eradicator, The Cyborg and the kid to the list of Supermen ... wouldn't count Steel because he only really called himself "The Man of Steel" as a sign of respect to Supes

[jimmyboy]

I don't really think that counts. Subs are not the real deal.

Right on. There is ONLY one Batman.

See, you left out Carrie Kelly. If she doesn't count...
She doesn't count. Just like that whole story, while loved by many, doesn't count. In my opinion, of course.

[Hellstormer]

Azrael goes back pretty far as the Avenging Angel, not a hero.

[ducklord]

Starman and Manhunter defintely get points for having a wide *variety* of incarnations, latter-day attempts to tie them all together notwithstanding.

Mike.

[Joker2503]

I don't know if reincarnation counts, but what about Hawkman? There's been quite a few of them.

[Ontir]

Donna Troy's got to be at the top of the list, with the Legion coming fast on her high heels!

[Apathy Boy]

Carrie was an AU Robin, so she wouldn't fit the list I put together. I counted heroes who used the mantle in the mainstream, Post-Crisis timeline. If a character substituted in a canon story, I don't see why that character wouldn't be counted in such a list. After all, Kid Kyoto asked about the number of characters who bore the title, not the duration of their careers under the title.

BTW, there were several people who used "Starman" or a variation thereof.

Starman: 10--Ted Knight, Doris Lee, David Knight (early 1950's), Mikaal, Gavyn, David Knight (modern times), Jack Knight, the Justice Legion Starman, Courtney (as "Stargirl"), LoSH's Starboy (next modern "Starman").You missed Dr. Mid-Nite, who was Starman for the first 11 months of 1951 before David Knight took over, and Will Payton, who was Starman for close to a decade (real time).

I dunno if I'd count Doris Lee, considering she was only in costume for one day.

[Agentum]

And some like Green Arrow really is diffrent persons even if they have the same name, Golden age Ollie is not the Ollie GA that is around now.

Hawkman must have a lot of diffrent takes to? i mean even if the GA one may have the same name as a later one there are not much else to it.

[Tennoarashi]

Tim was never Batman in Sins of Youth. It was Robin and Batboy.

And Cassie still went by Wonder Girl, I believe. We just had the 'Wonder Girls'.

[Hellstormer]

Tim was never Batman in Sins of Youth. It was Robin and Batboy.

And Cassie still went by Wonder Girl, I believe. We just had the 'Wonder Girls'.
Actually Tim dressed up as Batman