Overwatch boasts one of the most diverse hero line-ups in gaming, each utilizing their own unique abilities. This diversity has led to comparisons with the two comic book publisher powerhouses, Marvel Comics and DC Comics, as Overwatch heroes often have similar counterparts in one or both of the comic universes. From abilities to personalities, some Overwatch 2 heroes are especially comparable to characters from DC Comics, whether they be heroes or villains.
DC Comics has a much larger line-up of characters, with the most famous being the original members of the Justice League and their villains. As a result, there are any number of minor comparisons that fans could make. From smart and powerful talking gorillas to an unhinged wildcard who enjoys destruction, Overwatch characters have quite a few counterparts in the DC Comics Universe.
Winston and Gorilla Grodd
Winston is a talking gorilla who happens to be one of the smartest characters in Overwatch, using his own inventions to create unique powers for combat. As a tank character, he rushes into battle and diverts damage from his team members while constantly attacking and taking out enemy players. Winston's abilities allow him to get around the map quickly, and he gains a massive power boost by losing control to swat enemies out of the way.
Like Winston, Gorilla Grodd possesses one of the most brilliant minds in DC Comics as a chief villain for The Flash. His advanced intelligence also gives him mind control and telepathy, which he often uses to create an army before searching out the popular speedster. Grodd also possesses superhuman strength and durability, both of which make him a force to be reckoned with and solidify Grodd as one of the most dangerous villains in The Flash rogues' gallery.
Hanzo and Green Arrow
Hanzo is Overwatch’s resident archer who can easily take out multiple enemies in quick succession. He can move around the map with ease, and while his arrows alone do plenty of damage, they also have variants such as Sonic Arrows that highlight enemies through walls. Further, his ability to summon a Spirit Dragon can have devastating effects, as enemies can be taken out by a single Dragonstrike attack from one of Overwatch’s top marksmen.
Green Arrow is one of the most popular superheroes in the DC Universe, and one of the few with no real powers to fall back on. His mastery of the bow allows him to deal fatal blows, but his true strength is his willpower and tactical mind. The vigilante can quickly ascertain the best ways to stop an enemy, has an array of modified arrows, and has agility and stamina that allow Green Arrow to patrol Star City all night long.
Junkrat and The Joker
Junkrat is the wildcard of Overwatch, getting happy every time one of his bombs blows something up. He specializes in holding or assaulting areas, since most of his attacks can deal serious indirect fire damage and his Steel Trap can stop enemies in their tracks. His main ability, the RIP-Tire, is a lethal explosive that can take out multiple enemies almost instantly as Junkrat laughs in the background.
While Junkrat’s love for destruction is used toward heroic aims, DC’s Clown Prince of Crime has no need to protect others. The Joker is arguably the most famous villain in comics, and his broken personality makes him one of the most dangerous. With a ton of horrific gadgets and his infamous Joker Toxin at his disposal, Mr. J continues to plague the city of Gotham during cat-and-mouse encounters with Batman.
Genji and Ra’s al Ghul
Genji is the brother of Hanzo, possessing a similar Spirit Dragon summon that he activates using his sword. He uses shuriken to attack enemies from a distance while closing gaps in order to slice them with his wakizashi. An honorable character who seeks out a worthy challenge, Genji is capable of incredible feats such as deflecting bullets with his sword, moving faster than the eye can see, and even matching Hanzo’s Spirit Dragon summon - one of the most powerful attacks in the Overwatch universe.
Ra’s al Ghul is arguably DC Comics' ultimate assassin, with centuries of martial arts training, a genius-level intellect, and the Lazarus Pit to bring him back from the dead. While he is skilled with nearly every weapon known to man, he opts to use his sword (which can also deflect projectiles). Ra's is the leader of the League of Assassins, and also possesses superhuman strength, speed, agility, and durability, making him a constant threat to the world.
Overwatch’s varied heroes forces fans to change their play style, giving them a variety of options in a single game. No hero in Overwatch is necessarily better than the other, and this is the one big difference it has from DC Comics, where certain characters have a unattainable level of power. While Overwatch cannot compete with DC Comics in terms of its number of characters, the balance between different heroes and the ability for any of them to completely take control of a situation makes the Overwatch universe stand out.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.