Who is that red guy on the cover of Heroes and Villains #1?

[KGS]

The one with the arrow on his head and yellow eyes? He stands to the right of Green Arrow.

I don't actually have the book, I've just seen the cover, and I'm quite a noob when it comes to superhero comics. His appearance is intriguing and I showed the picture to a guy who has read a lot of DC stuff and he can't identify him.

[Beleriphon]

The one with the arrow on his head and yellow eyes? He stands to the right of Green Arrow.

I don't actually have the book, I've just seen the cover, and I'm quite a noob when it comes to superhero comics. His appearance is intriguing and I showed the picture to a guy who has read a lot of DC stuff and he can't identify him.

Looks like Red Tornado to me. He's a robot/air elemental and member of the JSA. I had him as one of those 3.75" action figures in the 80s, you pumped his arms and his legs spun around, compared to Batman where you pumped his legs and his arms had kung-fu actions.

[KGS]

Cool! Thanks. He must be fairly obscure. I've never even heard the name before.

[Monolith]

He's really not that obscure. He's been around since the 1960s. He's even used in the current Young Justice cartoon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miSS1l5ktJg

But if you haven't been reading JSA or some versions of the YJ over the years he's easy to miss.

[Mr Mole]

Cool! Thanks. He must be fairly obscure. I've never even heard the name before.

Ah... Kids these days...

I've run into this more and more as the years go on... What one person considers obscure is what another considers classic... While I'd never thought of Red Tornado as being obscure before, when I look at it objectively, he's one of the lesser known members of the Justice League... Certainly outside of the actual comics, at least (relatively recent episodes of Young Justice notwithstanding)... Way behind Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (take your pick), Flash, Hawkman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, and at least a few others... Probably about on par with Elongated Man, but ahead of Vibe and Gypsy...

[KGS]

Mr Mole: Depends on nationality and how much comics you read

I'm Swedish. You know that guy, Green Lantern? He's practically unknown here. Might've changed these last few years, but I had no idea the character even existed until I started reading some comic book forums.

[Beleriphon]

Probably about on par with Elongated Man, but ahead of Vibe and Gypsy...

Hey now, Ralph is awesome!

[Earth-Two_Kenn]

Yes, Ralph is awesome, so being on Elongated Man's level isn't a bad thing.

However, when you're talking the Justice League... Basically, you've got Superman and Batman
Then you've got Wonder Woman, who DC says is on the the same level as Bruce and Clark, but never quite...
Then there are Flash and Green Lantern, the two most successful of the All-American properties besides Diana
Then there are Hawkman and Atom (the other two revived All-American properties) AND Aquaman and Green Arrow (the two other golden age survivors). Really that's two levels, but the two levels are about parallel.

Then it gets harder... J'onn was a big part of the League in the '60s, but he was gone in the 70s and the beginning of the 80s. Elongated Man was a back-up feature in Flash and then Detective. Black Canary was a JSAer brought into the League. Hawkgirl was Hawkman's partner. Red Tornado and Zatanna were both supporting cast members in the Justice League book for years before they became members. Firestorm (not on the cover of H&V #1) was the last member of the classic League. DC was trying to make him a big star in the 80s.

Also on the cover...
Metamorpho and Adam Strange were both JLA allies who never really joined the classic League.
Plastic Man and Captain Marvel weren't actually League members, but DC pushed them hard in the 70s and 80s, so they were in a lot of advertising with the League members at the time.

[JetstreamGW]

He's really not that obscure. He's been around since the 1960s. He's even used in the current Young Justice cartoon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miSS1l5ktJg

But if you haven't been reading JSA or some versions of the YJ over the years he's easy to miss.

He also had a major storyline in the run of Justice League when Black Canary was chairman.

[ZamuelNow]

Plastic Man and Captain Marvel weren't actually League members...

Plastic Man was actually in the JLA for a few years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

As far as (modern) notoriety, a lot of characters gain or lack it due to television and movies. It would explain why some otherwise "classic" members of the JLA are considered unknowns to a lot of people. A lot of my initial superhero knowledge was due to a lot of Marvel and DCs animation in the early and mid 90s though this eventually led to comic reading and looking at various web resources.

[savijmuhdrox]

wow.

come on people, Red Tornado was in Primal Force!!!!

Didn't everybody read that?

No? oh.. well, you didn't miss anything so don't worry.

[greycrusader]

Hey man...

I loved some of the characters in Primal Force.

Joe Golem especially.

[savijmuhdrox]

Hey man...

I loved some of the characters in Primal Force.

Joe Golem especially.

I think you've got your Golems confused.. wasn't Joe Golem in a story by Mike Mignola (Hellboy).

I didn't think the Golem from Primal Force had a first name...

[blindST]

Roger the Homunculus was Hellboy.

Joe Golem was in Primal Forces.

I believe one wears pants.

[savijmuhdrox]

I didn't mean Roger the Homunculus..

I meant Mike Mignola has a book called "Joe Golem and the Drowning City"

well, that and the fact that i simply don't remember Golem having a first name..

though Comicvine lists him as once asking to be called "Paul" and painting himself flesh colored.. which is so lame i may have purposefully forgotten about it.