Have you ever wondered, “If the gang from "Parks and Recreation" were characters in the DC Comics Universe, who would they be?” No? Oh well, I did and I’ve provided a complete run-down paralleling Pawnee’s finest with the greatest DC Comics characters. May you use this to reminisce on the hilarious days of "Parks and Recreation" and get even more excited for next month’s "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" and the rest of the burgeoning DC Cinematic Universe!
Leslie Knope – Superman
Leslie Knope, like Superman, is a champion for hope and a fierce protector of the innocent. With her relentless lobbying and otherworldly work ethic, she proves to be a worthy parallel to the Man of Steel. Furthermore, if you are a true Parks and Rec fan, you know that while Leslie Knope is the epitome of “Pawnee Proud,” she is not a native of the Indiana town, but rather the since disintegrated town of Eagleton. Similarly, Superman’s birth-planet of Krypton is nothing but a memory to him. However, he loves and defends Earth as if it is his home.
Ron Swanson – Batman
Just like Ron Swanson is the silent guardian of the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana, so too is Batman over his Gotham City. Both Ron and Batman are quiet, brooding, and resourceful men. Both are of a superior intelligence and integrity, and fully adept at striking fear into the hearts of anyone. Just as Batman and Superman butt heads and vie for control over the Justice League, so too do Ron and Leslie, despite their deep friendship. Another parallel to be seen between Ron, the Dark Knight, Leslie and the Man of Steel is that they all help one another with their adversaries. Batman helps Superman fight his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor. Superman helps Batman fight his arch-nemesis, the Joker. In an eerily similar fashion, Ron helps Leslie deal with the conniving Councilman Jeremy Jamm and Leslie has Ron’s back when warding off his maniacal, second ex-wife Tammy II.
Andy Dwyer – The Flash
Always the one to crack a joke or keep the mood light, Andy Dwyer is totally The Flash of the Parks and Rec gang. Despite his obvious hatred for running, Andy is full of energy and enthusiasm that the rest of the crew have a hard time matching. Though Andy, like The Flash, is often discredited as being a dim-witted jokester, he is deceptively insightful and completely loyal to his friends. In the comics, The Flash and Green Lantern have a great friendship based on their light-hearted demeanors and senses of humor. The same can be said for Andy and his co-worker Tom Haverford.
Tom Haverford – Green Lantern
Hot-shot. Self-proclaimed pretty boy. Infatuated with jewelry. Go-getter. All of these phrases apply directly to both Tom Haverford of the Parks and Rec department and Hal Jordan, otherwise known as Green Lantern. Similar to the way Tom treats himself to red carpet insoles for his shoes and cashmere scarves, Green Lantern treats himself, in a way, to his own kind of bling; his power ring. Just like Andy/The Flash, Tom and Green Lantern enjoy cracking wise from time to time, but they still know the value of fighting hard and staying loyal.
Ben Wyatt – Nightwing
Ben’s done a fantastic job of growing up from the shame of his being exiled after his brief stint as boy mayor of his hometown of Partridge, Minnesota. Over the course of the show, he’s grown from filling a sidekick role as a “Boy Wonder” type like Robin, into his own man, in the form of the grown-up Robin: Nightwing. He’s perfectly capable of handling business on his own, but still likes to help out allies like Batman, Superman, and the rest of the Justice League.
April Ludgate – Wonder Woman
Strong brunette with an iron will, deadly glare, and elusive heart of gold. This is April Ludgate and Wonder Woman in a nutshell. Wonder Woman, arguably the best fighter in the DC Comics Universe, is no stranger to making even the baddest dudes wet themselves. April does the exact same thing with her penetrating stare and sheer force of intimidation. That being said, they both retain a quiet, reluctant soft spot for everyone close to them.
Jerry Gergich – Aquaman
Sadly, there always has to be that one friend; the butt of all the jokes. Forgetting for one second that Jason Momoa is about to turn in a completely bad-ass portrayal of Aquaman in the coming years, Aquaman has always been the joke of the Justice League. With the powers of controlling water and talking to sea creatures, he’s often seen as far inferior to the likes of Batman and Superman. Jerry Gergich is absolutely nothing if not the butt of almost every joke on "Parks and Recreation." Always finding a way to mess up a project, fart at the worst time, or spill his food all over him, the rest of the department is always making fun of him. Granted, the League probably wouldn’t make fun of Aquaman to his face, he’s still the laughing stock of a lot of fans. Though he’s somewhat of a pariah in the department, Jerry is utterly adored by his beautiful family, who see him as their king. The same can be said for Aquaman who is, despite the goofiness, is still the King of Atlantis.
Chris Traeger – Cyborg
With aspirations to be the world’s most perfect human, it only makes sense that Chris Traeger would be the cybernetically-enhanced Cyborg. Chris even states in one episode that his “body is like a microchip;” finely tuned and perfect. Chris’ workout regimen and strict diet make him the perfect example of a half-human, half-machine.
Ann Perkins – Lois Lane
Ann Perkins, like Lois Lane, is a beautiful, impassioned, and determined career woman. While Ann splits her time between the Parks department and working as a nurse and Lois is an intrepid, tenacious reporter for the Daily Planet, the two of them are both strong, independent, and in no way quick to assume the “damsel-in-distress” role. Also, the relationship between Ann and Leslie is definitely a platonic version of the relationship between Lois Lane and Superman.
Jeremy Jamm – Lex Luthor
This one is almost too perfect, considering Councilman Jeremy Jamm actually says in one episode that he identifies more with Lex Luthor than any other comic book character. The reason, you ask? Money and power. Councilman Jamm is a greedy businessman who uses his political position to either secure more money for him, ruffle Leslie’s feathers, or in his ideal situation, both. Lex Luthor is the exact same character to Superman. As the ruthless owner of LexCorp. and as a deceitfully charming politician, Lex loves nothing more than money, power, and pissing Superman off.
Tammy II – Joker
Finally, the most dastardly villains of both worlds: Tammy II and the Joker. Tammy II, Ron Swanson’s second ex-wife, never misses a chance to show off just how completely crazy she is. She shows up on a complete whim, gets her jollies from ruining Ron’s life for a little, and then she’s gone again. Joker does the same to Batman, but with far more menacing intent. The term, “complicated relationship” is personified by Tammy and Ron, as well as Joker and Batman. Tammy usually finds some way to screw up Ron each time she comes around, just like the Joker has a horribly permanent psychological affect on Batman.
