Before he died, I would have said Martian Manhunter.

Now I would say it’s the Phantom Stranger or Doctor Fate.

Come to think of it, I think DC does “guest stars” a lot better than Marvel does.

Allen the Alien.

Probably Cameron Chase, currently supporting in Manhunter (when the book is between cancellations). Though Allen the Alien is definately up there on the list…

Oh, and I like what Brubaker’s been doing with Black Tarantula lately – he’s also in the running.

Jason Blood/The Demon

Agent X – would he count?

“Allen the Alien.”

How about “Science Dog”!!!!! gueststarring every 25 issues.

Definitely Chase.
The latter half of her series was my first tentative step into the direct market, I still can’t find the earlier issues anywhere. I nearly exploded when she showed up in Manhunter.

Although I suppose Manhunter herself will count in six month’s time.

The Wolverine.

The Ray. Guy might be the best character nobody’s using.

By far, Steel, aka John Henry Irons.

He has kind of joined the “DC super smart scientist Illuminati” over the past few years, but can still suit up and smash someone with his hammer.

Gotta say Aquaman.

Ice. I was so excited when Gail Simone brought her back, but all she does is pop up for guest appearances in other books; no real home of her own yet.

I’m assuming you’re not counting team-mainstays like Wasp, Nightcrawler, Cyborg, or Alan Scott, so:

Dr. Strange (although I stopped buying New Avengers before secret Invasion, so I don’t know his current status- Skrull? missing? in hiding?)

Dr. Strange, easily. He’s my favorite comic book character but it is impossible for him to hold down a series.

For good reason, too. It takes an exceptionally skilled hand to not drive him around like a walking deus ex machina and to be able to sell him to readers who are used to his appearances being essentially that is going to be tough.

I’d love to see Brian Vaughn take him on again. The Oath was the best depiction of Dr. Strange I’ve read since the early 80′s and I’d love to see him continue along those lines. Unfortunately Loeb has his hooks into the Doctor now so I must console myself with the fact that no one ever remembers the previous change to his status quo when the next writer comes around.

Uatu the Watcher: still the greatest. Unless he doesn’t count as a hero, in which case Lockjaw.

Pre-vampire LOOKER!!!!!

Union Jack

Gravity! I know he’s recent, but I’ve thought he was a great new character since his debut mini, but he’s been horribly abused ever since. He’s a fun, up-beat character who just doesn’t belong in the current Marvel Universe. Imagine the team-up he could have had with Speedball….

Fire, Ice and the Shade.

I’ve long had an irrational fondness for Adam Strange, so I’ll say him, even though his last real appearance was in a terrible miniseries. In theory, he’s still a guest-star, and that’s where most of his best appearances came anyway.

Howard the Duck!

FROG MAN!!! Too stupid to exist, and too awsomely bad (but in a good way) to kill.

Another vote for Dr. Strange.

I have a soft spot for all the 70′s d-list heros & villains. The Headmen from the Defenders, for example, or the original Nova rogue’s gallery.

How about Shamrock. Has she even appeared outside the original Contest of Champions mini? Talk about a blank slate for a skilled writer.

I second The Watcher. The fact that he’s a near-cosmic entity with an unabashed love of humanity, and who always manages to find a way to help despite his oath, always makes me smile. (Too bad this days he’s being used mostly to “prove” a crisis is REALLY grave, even some of dubious cosmic significance.)

oooo!

And Vril Dox!

Machine Man (post Nextwave) and Noh-Varr.

Sure, Doc Strange; I unabashedly agree with Random Stranger here.

Barring that, Longshot, although I hope Peter David keeps him in X-Factor and removes his guest-star status.

Shamrock! The Irish Superheroine! A guest-spot in Captain America! How’d she got on with Union Jack? This has legs.

Frog-Man all the way. And he’s not stupid; in his hey-day, he was more of an everyman than Spidey ever was.

Union Jack, the Shade and Machine man are all great calls. I shall add Deadman.

The Creeper.

Frog-Man & Shamrock – the Green Team. What other green d-listers can we add to the team?

Can’t believe noones said it: Nick Fury!

Oh, and Squirrel Girl

And the cast of Dr. Thirteen

With Squirrel Girl & Team Thirteen (especially Infectious Lass & Traci Thirteen), Dunc just covered roughly half the list I was about to post.

Others –

Black Alice. Valkyrie. Krypto. Volstagg the Voluminous.

The Falcon!!!!

Animal Man, though I hear rumors of him getting another series sometime next year…

Longshot, though he looks to finally be getting his first regular gig in awhile in X-Factor…

Diamondback- don’t really care for the “BAD Girls” team she’s on, but I have a soft spot for her from her appearances in Gruenwald’s Captain America and usually keep an eye out for her when she pops up in Marvel U. titles…

DAZZLER!!- speaking of which, where’s my second Essential volume…

And the Vic Sage Question before he died…

Buddy Baker for DC, and Namor for Marvel.

IIRC – Animal Man simulated the abilities of animals.

All humans are technically animals.

Could he therefore duplicate a certain persons intellect, ingenuity, charisma, etc?

Great choices, all. My two faves, Uatu and Squirrel Girl. No question.

For DC:
- Etrigan the Demon / Jason Blood
or
- Phantom Stranger

(not that I really dive into the DC pool much these days)

For MARVEL:
- Brother Voodoo
&
(as if anyone had to ask)
DOCTOR STRANGE!
(but so few writers know how to properly handle him. It’s sad, really.)

~P~

Swamp Thing for DC, Aaron Stack for Marvel.

Rick Jones for Marvel

Batwoman for DC

For DC, I’d say Animal Man.

For Marvel, yeah, likely Dr. Strange. (Though, if they de-Repentanced Speedball….)

Once the current series is canceled, any and all Blue Beetles.

Although she’s a mainstay in her team title (kind of, sort of) my vote goes to the Black Widow in the Captain America series. She provides such a great balance and foil to the less experienced New Cap, and come on, who doesn’t love a sexy Russian in a black catsuit?

Black Tarantula, easily.

Phantom Stranger…someone needs to re-work him. Isn’t he about the only one that they have left alone?!?

Chase for now… and, yeah, Manhunter unless she shows up as a JSA member.

Steel Spider!

American Eagle!

Jack Flag!

Tabitha Smith!

Elsa Bloodstone!

The Captain!

Man, between Nextwave and Thunderbolts, Ellis proved how completely awesome D-Listers could be.

Machine Man. Come to think of it, all of NextWave really

Zauriel

For as long as I’ve read comics, I’ve gotten jazzed when Nick Fury shows up. Even in that sorry sorry “Secret War”.

Demolition Man, or as more commonly known: D-Man…I have no idea why but I love him. I would love to see him reenter the Marvel universe as more than just the “smelly, homeless quasi-hero”

Monica Rambeau/Photon is another one

for DC I would have to say…Aquaman or possibly Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) if he could actually count as being a “guest star” anymore being as how he’s well, dead. Although he was in Booster Gold.

DC- Zatanna, who I think just plain fares better as a guest star.
Marvel-I second Lockjaw.

Albert and Elsie Dee

Wonder Man, Hawkeye, the Beast…pretty much any 70s Avenger is good with me.

I thought Peter Gillis’ Doc Strange was really, really good. BK Vaughn’s The Oath was good too. Gaiman on Doc Strange would obviously be a dream.

I’ve always wanted to write a Doc Samson series. But the mini was so terrible, it pretty much burned the urge out of me.

Ralph and Sue Dibny.

The Puma is my all-time favorite guest-star. I think he could have a badass series on his own, but I don’t think it’ll necessarily happen anytime soon. Maybe it’ll just have to wait until I’m a superstar writer.

IIRC – Animal Man simulated the abilities of animals.

All humans are technically animals.

Could he therefore duplicate a certain persons intellect, ingenuity, charisma, etc?

There are two definitions of Animal and one of them doesn’t include humans.

Also I think he inherits the general abilities that come with being a particular type animal rather than the particular level of expertise of any given animal – and he’s already got the general abilities of a human

You answered it, Brian. Monica Rambeau

Only one Rick Jones vote? Geeeeezzz

Rick Jones isn’t really a guest star, is he? Usually he’s a regular supporting cast member.

Phantom Stranger was best in a trenchcoat – á la Books of Magic and Trenchcoat Brigade… Don’t like the way he’s gone back to a cape… The trenchcoat made more sense for fitting in as “a stranger”…

Machine Man/Aaron Stack/X-51

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