The 25 Best DC Comics Of All Time

Image via Getty/Viviane Moos

Most of the time, comic book crossovers are simply a way for publishers to pump some extra money out of fans. They’re usually bloated, highly priced, affairs that depend on cheap publicity stunts to gain attention, as opposed to solid storytelling. 2007’s Sinestro Corps War bucked that trend by featuring killer art and a deep story that actually had a reason for existing.

When Sinestro broke apart from the Green Lantern Corps, he was obsessed with brining his unyielding brand of justice to the universe by any means necessary. And after years of failing on his own, the clever killer from Korugar created his own Yellow Lanterns Corps in order to combat the Green Lanterns. Gone was the moustache-twirling Sinestro of the Silver Age, as this new version of the character was modeled after Adolf Hitler and other historical dictators in order to provide some much needed depth to the story. 

Writer Geoff Johns brought cosmic action back to comics with a plot that was dense enough for hardcore fans, yet relatable to everyone. Once again, DC proved that you don’t need pervasive violence, bloodshed, or rape to bring in readers, only good stories and fantastic art.

Grant Morrison’s most startling issue on Animal Man came just five issues into the series in a story called The Coyote Gospel. In it, Morrison introduced the world to Crafty, a former cartoon character that gets sent to the world of comic books. It turns out that Crafty made a deal with his cartoon world’s “creator” to end the cycle of violence in his world, but the creator forced him to suffer in the world of comics in exchange for the peace of his world.

Morrison made Crafty an allegory for Christ as he was made to suffer in order to bring peace to his people. While most comic fans may not think of religious metaphors when they pick up these books, Morrison put it in anyway and, in turn, crafted one of the most intelligent single issues of a comic book ever.

Feeling that the Green Arrow had grown stale over the years, DC hired writer/artist Mike Grell to reimagine the character in a grittier light, similar to Batman in Batman: Year One. Grell stripped the character of his Silver Age trick arrows (such as the boxing glove arrow and the soda can arrow) and gave Oliver Queen a more realistic costume to fight crime in. The idea was to appeal to fans of the more street-level vigilante books that had been a rousing success in the marketplace.

Grell’s first story on the character, titled The Longbow Hunters, places the Arrow in Seattle, as opposed to the fictitious Star City, as he fights against serial killers, the CIA, and a mysterious assassin named Shado. The Longbow Hunters is an extremely graphic and violent story that not only shows the Green Arrow actually kill his targets, but also features the brutal torture of his girlfriend, The Black Canary. Despite the overwhelming violence, The Longbow Hunters is one of the best reboots ever for a superhero and stands out as being more than a simple “gritty” crime story.

Featuring high-octane superhero action at its finest, Earth 2 pits the Justice League against its twisted counterpart from a parallel Earth, The Crime Syndicate. This team is comprised of evil versions of Justice League stalwarts, such as Batman, Superman, Flash, Wonder Woman, and plenty of others. In addition to some widescreen action, this book also breaks down the logistics of alternate realities.

Writer Grant Morrison explores the very nature of these alternate Earths and explains that good can never truly win on an evil alternate Earth, yet, on the other hand, evil can never win on the Justice League’s Earth. It’s a much headier read than most people might expect, but Earth 2 is a flawless example of a modern superhero story that forces you to think, while satisfying your urges to watch the bad guys get thoroughly pounded.

Incredibly brutal, yet surprisingly moving, Identity Crisis was a seven-part mystery that was written by famed author Brad Meltzer and drawn by Rags Morales in 2004. The story began with the death of Elongated Man's wife, Sue Dibny. This sent shockwaves throughout the superhero community as other characters soon began to get murdered as well, such as longtime Flash villain, Captain Boomerang, and Jack Drake, father of Time Drake, a.k.a. Robin.

Meltzer ties this all together in a gripping story that goes way back to the early career of the Justice League as Batman discovers a long history of deception and brutality that changes the team's dynamic forever. Along the way, there is copious amounts of violence, mind wiping, and, of course, a brutal rape scene, which seems to be obligatory in almost every modern comic nowadays.

Need any more proof that Batman is an unapologetic sociopath? Then look no further than Tower of Babel, a story that reveals that Batman has a collection of files on his computer that describe exactly how to defeat every member of the Justice League. Unfortunately, these files get compromised by the eco-terrorist Ra’s Al Ghul, and he soon begins taking down the Earth’s most powerful heroes one-by-one, thanks to Batman's paranoia.

Written by Mark Waid, this story delves deep into the scarred psyche of the Caped Crusader, but it also shows how prepared Batman is for any eventuality, even if it means betraying his team’s trust in the process. Make no mistake about it, the title says it’s a Justice League story, but Tower of Babel is one of the most comprehensive studies of Batman’s personality to ever be released.

There are currently about a dozen or so retellings of Superman’s origins. Comic books, TV shows, movies, and novels have all tried their hand at reimagining the early days of the Man of Steel, but only one book combines the best of all of them into one concise story: Superman For All Seasons. It’s nostalgic, iconic, and infinitely relatable, as writer Jeph Loeb cherry picked the best of the best from past comics and movies to flawlessly illustrate how Clark Kent became Superman.

Narrated by different members of Superman’s supporting cast (Pa Kent, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, and Lana Lang) For All Seasons attempts to humanize the Man of Steel by presenting him as a simple farmer’s son from Kansas, as opposed to the unstoppable demigod that he had become. And it also doesn't hurt that Tim Sale brings a Norman Rockwell approach to the sweeping cornfields of Kansas.

Using a similar approach to Watchmen, James Robinson’s The Golden Age takes a nostalgic look back at the heroes from the '40s and '50s and gives a somber portrayal of their final days. Drugs, bitter divorces, and nervous breakdowns all play a part in the retirement of some of the Justice Society’s most unflappable heroes, and it’s shocking to see these once upstanding citizens succumb to the same temptations as the rest of us.

Characters such as the Hourman, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, and Starman are all portrayed as woefully human and tragic in this story, but no hero has it worse than the original Green Lantern, who is blacklisted during Joe McCarthy’s Senate hearings. The team eventually has to rally together to take down the threat of the Ultra-Humanite, who is masquerading in the body of former hero, Tex Thompson, a.k.a. The Americommando.

It may sound a little over-the-top, but The Golden Age is a unique blend of politics and superheroes that asks the question: What do these heroes do when their careers are over?

What if baby Kal-El’s rocket missed the Kansas cornfield it was supposed to land in and, instead, crashed in the Soviet Union? This is what Mark Millar asks readers in his Elseworld title, Superman: Red Son. With Superman seated next to Stalin in his inner circle, it is up to Lex Luthor, an American genius, to come up with a way to destroy Stalin’s new “Man of Steel.”

It may be a “What If?” style of story, but Millar’s slanted take on the Superman mythology is so much fun that it supersedes most of the in-continuity Superman tales of the last decade. Red Son also features twisted versions of other DC heroes like Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and Batman, who sports a stylish ushanka in the comic.

Millar presents time and space as very fluid and argues that any slight change in trajectory can forever alter reality. But besides all that metaphysical mumbo-jumbo, it’s just great to see Superman call everyone “comrade.”

Taking place after the events of Batman: Year One, The Long Halloween is a detailed murder mystery written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. Together they wound up creating a complex story rich in great character development and dynamic action perfectly crafted by Sale’s atmospheric sensibilities.

The plot deals with a serial killer that would commit a murder on every holiday. Simply dubbed “Holiday,” this killer is scantly seen, yet has an enormous impact on the plot as the bodies begin to pile up and the stakes begin to rise. Littered with super villains and mobsters, Loeb takes readers into the mind of the Dark Knight and shows his thoughts on the increasingly psychotic maniacs populating Gotham City.

Blending big screen scope with some intimate character relationships, The Long Halloween has the perfect ratio of plot to character to action. Any Batman fan would willingly give up their right arm to read this book, and even the most jaded of comic book fans would be hard pressed to find too many things wrong with The Long Halloween.

After the Wes Craven movie was released and the Swamp Thing comics failed to catch on, DC decided to place a young Alan Moore on the fledgling title, not expecting the book to even last another year. What followed was a groundbreaking run on the book that not only changed the character, but comics themselves.

Alan Moore stripped fans of every preconceived notion that they had for the title, and drastically changed the mythology of Swamp Thing. No longer was he a bland scientist turned monster thanks to a horrific accident; instead, Moore turned Swamp Thing into the physical embodiment of nature and opened the door for more socially conscious stories. And this second installment of Moore's run, appearing in The Saga of Swamp Thing #21, is still one of the first mainstream comics not to be afraid to add beauty and intelligence to the medium. 

As they enter to Fortress of Solitude to give Superman his birthday presents, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Robin find the Man of Steel in a vegetative state with a large alien plant attached to his chest. As they try to remove it, the heroes are surprised by the alien warlord, Mongul, who reveals his plans to kill Superman once and for all. He explains that the plant is called the Black Mercy, a piece of alien vegetation that attaches itself to a victim and creates a dreamlike fantasy world in the person’s head; however, as it creates this psychic Utopia, it also slowly kills its victim.

Written by Alan Moore with art by Dave Gibbons, For The Man Who Has Everything is a brutal, yet poignant, tale that sets out to humanize Superman. Superman is usually presented as unflappable, but this story perfectly illustrates the desire that he has to meet his long dead parents and live a normal life. Never before had any writer attempted to give Superman hopes or dreams. It’s that type of emotional baggage that Moore brings to these characters that makes his writing so much more meaningful than the other comic book talent in the industry.

After Stan Lee took credit for all of his ideas and robbed him of the royalties, Jack Kirby jumped ship to DC Comics and created The New Gods; a sprawling space-opera that took abandoned ideas from his Marvel days and adjusted them for a new mythology. Introducing the world to characters like Darkseid, Highfather, and Orion, The New Gods was a beautifully dynamic book with a ton of action and a complicated character list with more nuances than the Lord of the Rings.

The New Gods was sci-fi storytelling at its best, but Kirby always took great care in making the stories very universal in tone. There are elements from the Bible and Norse mythology present in the series, and some aspects of the story are as deep as any fantasy tale on record.

Kirby’s work on New Gods was spread across multiple books, but DC has collected everything into easy to find collections recently. That’s a good thing because New Gods is a great read for anyone who doubts that comic books have some of the deepest mythology in all of America literature.

In 1989, the Caped Crusader became a household name yet again with the release of Tim Burton's big budget blockbuster Batman. Not wanting to sit idly by and present stories that readers have already seen, DC rode Batman’s wave of momentum and released the groundbreaking long form graphic novel, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.

Written by Grant Morrison and beautifully illustrated by Dave McKean, Arkham Asylum became one of the most successful titles ever at the company and further bridged the gap between comic books and literature. There is never a moment in this book where you feel the creators phoning it in; every panel is rich in detail and story.

Following Batman’s attempt to quell an uprising at Arkham Asylum, he is forced into a game of hide-and-seek by the Joker. Along the way, Batman finds himself exploring the asylum as he delves deeper into the psychotic minds of his adversaries. Morrison also concurrently tells the tale of the asylum’s twisted founder, Amadeus Arkham, which is a Psycho-inspired bit of horror that raises this book above just being a simple Batman story.

It’s sick, twisted, and completely engrossing and beautiful. Arkham Asylum is like taking the express train through the most twisted aspects of Batman’s rogue’s gallery and it’s nearly impossible to ever look at these characters the same way again.

During the '70s, writer Denny O’Neil and artist Neal Adams attempted to add social commentary and political thought into the slumping title Green Lantern. Teaming the right-wing Emerald Warrior up with the liberally minded Green Arrow, O’Neil and Adams had the duo fight more than just costumed psychopaths; they fought social injustice and worldwide cruelty.

Their most famous story was in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85-86, when it was discovered that the Green Arrow’s former ward, Speedy, had become a drug addict. Arrow and Lantern quickly headed off to take down the dealers who provided Speedy with the heroine, but they soon found out that a corrupt CEO was behind the whole drug trade. The story treats the drugs believably, rather than as a plot point, and portrays the addicts as victims as opposed to criminals.

Not only did this story shatter people’s expectations of a superhero tale, but it was actually commended by former New York Mayor, John V Lindsay, for being socially relevant for the youth of America.

After Crisis on Infinite Earths hit the DC Universe in the ‘80s, the company decided to reboot all of its characters in the wake of the event. This was all part of a plan to modernize these decades’ old characters for a more sophisticated and cynical audience. Alongside Batman: Year One and Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals, DC launched Man of Steel, a reimagining of the Superman mythos without all of the Silver Age dead weight.

Written and drawn by Uncanny X-Men veteran John Byrne, The Man of Steel took a more streamlined approach to the character, such as limiting Superman’s power-levels to be more believable, getting rid of the Superboy concept, turning Lex Luthor into a corrupt businessman, and making Clark Kent less “mild-mannered” and more of a full-fledged character.

This “new look” Superman still retained what made the character great, but made it easier for casual fans to stomach some of his more outlandish aspects. It was extremely polarizing at the time, but Man of Steel still happens to be one of the most concise and enjoyable Superman reads ever.

Before Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the Man of Steel, writer Alan Moore and longtime Superman artist Curt Swan decided to give the Silver Age version of the character a proper sendoff. Written as an homage to the wonky tales of the Mort Weisenger-era, this story pulled no punches and appealed to the more nostalgic sensibilities of comic book fans.

This title doesn’t follow a strict continuity, nor has it ever been referenced again, but as far as Moore was concerned, this was the last Superman story ever. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? saw the death of Krypto, Lex Luthor, Lana Lang, Jimmy Olsen, and others. It’s a grandiose curtain call for Superman that was both emotional and adrenaline pounding.

Moore shows yet again just why he’s not simply the most important DC writer in history, but perhaps the most important comic book writer of all time.

What can be said about The Killing Joke that hasn’t already been said over and over? It’s a sadistically brilliant comic with some sharp dialogue and truly uncomfortable moments that would have even the most staunch gore-lover left squirming in their seat. Writer Alan Moore looks at the relationship between the Joker and Batman as more than just a man dressed as a bat throwing punches at a demented clown.

Moore dissects every layer of these two characters and perfectly picks apart their difference as well as their disturbing similarities. Never before had the psyche of the Joker been given as much weight and credence as in this story, but Moore doesn’t just focus on the emotions of the grim harlequin the entire time; instead, he lets the vile actions of the Joker reveal his character.

From shooting and paralyzing Barbara Gordon, to taking nude photos of her writhing in pain, and finally kidnapping her father and forcing him to view these perverse pictures, the Joker has never been shown as maniacal as he is in this book. But it’s not all horror and gore, Moore fills this book with beautiful prose and personality insights, aided by some nightmarish art by Brian Bolland. The Killing Joke perfectly blends comic book action and over-the-top violence, but grounds everything in an engrossing plot all at the same time.

Not many people may be aware of this, but at one point The New Teen Titans was one of the most successful books at DC, and the most memorable story in the entire series was The Judas Contract. Written by Marv Wolfman, the story was filled with everything a comic book fan could ever hope for: action, intrigue, betrayal, and, of course, statutory rape.

With Deathstroke, a.k.a. the Terminator, picking off the Titans one-by-one, Nightwing knew that there was more behind the attacks than meets the eye. When Deathstroke’s ex-wife visits Dick Grayson and confirms these suspicions, he is shocked to learn that a fellow Titan named Terra had helped Deathstroke unleash his attack. It is also revealed that the 16-year-old Terra was getting down and dirty with the middle-aged, and completely loony, Deathstroke.

This was a deeply personal story that changed these naive characters forever and showed them the ugly side of crime-fighting. These types of events simply didn’t happen in comics at the time, but Wolfman shrugged at the norm and brought sleazy storytelling to the mainstream.

Darwyn Cooke’s magnum opus over at DC, titled The New Frontier, was an ode to the comics of the '30s and '40s, and also detailed the birth of the Silver Age of comics in the '60s. Revolving around a group of heroes that would eventually comprise the Justice League, Cooke pitted the DC icons against a living island that sought to destroy the Earth.

The island was really just a plot device; the story was actually about how heroes like the Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman joined forces and how they overcame their personality clashes to put peace and justice ahead of personal beef. New Frontier relies heavily on nostalgia, but Cooke also makes it easy for rookie comic book readers to pick up and enjoy. Along the way, there are super powered brawls galore and a whole lot of brightly colored action, but New Frontier never lets the eye-candy undermine the intricate plot or fleshed out characterizations of the DC Universe.

New Frontier is a lot more fun than your average comic, but it also provides a level of sophistication in both the writing and art that few books can honestly live up to. It’s unfortunate that most writers and artists believe that grim and gritty stories are the way to go, because what Cooke did with the light tone of New Frontier is head and shoulders above almost anything that the industry has to offer.

In the near future, the DC Universe is a much scarier place. The line between hero and villain has become increasingly blurred as new generations of vigilantes are using extreme means to fight crime, and the human population is stuck in the middle of a bloody war. Humanity’s last hope is for Superman, now self-exiled to the Fortress of Solitude, to come out of retirement and teach these young heroes what it means to be an icon.

Featuring an incredibly bleak plot by Mark Waid, Kingdom Come’s most prominent feature is the beautifully painted artwork by Alex Ross. He crafts the heroes of the DC Universe as infinitely iconic and powerful, while still retaining his storytelling abilities. His art isn’t just flashy; it also perfectly complements Waid’s plot.

Kingdom Come can be seen simply as a big budget action book, but it’s also a critique on the comic book industry in general, which was focusing on violent vigilantes at the time. Waid counteracted this trend by creating an epic where Superman schools the young generation and shows the world what a hero really should be.

Much like DC is doing this September with its companywide relaunch, Crisis on Infinite Earths was an attempt to streamline continuity and make books easier to pick up for novice comic book fans. The story focused on a being named the Anti-Monitor who wanted to destroy all of the multiple realities of the DC Universe.

The 12-issue mega event saw the death of Supergirl, the Flash, the Superman of Earth-One, and countless others, but, of course, the heroes won in the end. However, DC’s continuity was never the same. All of the characters received updates and reboots, and most of the mythology was drastically overhauled. This book led to new origins such as Man of Steel, Batman: Year One, and others.

While the story, written by Marv Wolfman and meticulously drawn by George Perez, was monumental for longtime fans of comics, new fans shouldn’t rush to pick it up. It’s an incredibly dense and somewhat confusing read that can even leave longtime comic book fans scratching their heads. But if you’re feeling up to the challenge, then pick it up and immerse yourself in the infinitely detailed mythology of the DC Universe.

In 1987, DC entrusted Frank Miller to retell the origin of the Caped Crusader in a stripped-down fashion, complete with corrupt cops and a veritable supporting cast of pimps and hookers. The result was Batman: Year One, written by Miller and illustrated to noir perfection by Dave Mazzucchelli.

The story depicts the first year in Gotham for Commissioner Gordon and the return of Bruce Wayne after years of exile. Miller paints Gordon as an honest cop who sees his personal life spiral out of control after being introduced to the seedy underbelly of Gotham; meanwhile, Wayne returns from years of training overseas in order to combat the corruption and violence that has overtaken his city. Together they form one of the strongest bonds in comic book history by complimenting each other’s strengths and ignoring each other's weaknesses.

Miller went to great lengths to portray Batman’s world in an incredibly realistic way by taking out all of the character’s sci-fi gadgets and over-the-top villains. Instead, he left readers with an obsessed man in Spandex systematically taking down the mob, but he did it in a thrilling way that let readers in on the psychology behind the mask. And when you throw in Mazzucchelli’s near-perfect art, Year One remains not only one of the best Batman stories of all time, but one of the best comics as well.

We have to admit it: Not many great superhero comics have come out in the last decade. Marvel has had some middling success with the Ultimate Universe and Civil War, and DC created a minor stir with Infinite Crisis and 52, but nothing has really compared to the creative smorgasbord that was the ‘80s. However, in 2005, Grant Morrison yet again revitalized the comic book industry with his love letter to the Silver Age, All Star Superman.

All Star revolves around Superman dealing with his own mortality and how he slowly prepares the people in his life, along with the rest of his world, for his death. Along the way, Supes fights against Bizarro, creates a micro-Earth, cures countless diseases, reignites the Sun, and gets busy with Lois Lane, all without scuffing up his costume.

Focusing on the timeless elements that made the Man of Steel popular in the first place, All Star doesn’t just reboot the character or pit Superman against some mindless alien; instead, the book transcends superhero comics and delivers whimsical sci-fi/fantasy along with ultra-nuanced art by Frank Quitely. There is also an incredible amount of heart in this book that would bring some mist to even the most jaded eye.

This is a book that somehow presents a completely fresh take on a 60-plus-year-old character and reminds people how good comics should be.

There isn’t a comic book fan alive that hasn’t at least heard of The Dark Knight Returns. Frank Miller’s dystopian view of the future of the DC Universe revolutionized the industry and, up until now, there still hasn’t been a mainstream superhero story that has surpassed it. Published in 1986, Miller loads this book with political commentary and social criticisms, all while depicting Batman as an aging vigilante with a demeanor that makes Dirty Harry look like Pat Boone.

After Bruce Wayne returns to being Batman at the beginning of the story, he is soon confronted by classic villains such as Two-Face and the Joker, as well as new threats, like a murderous Mutant gang and the Man of Steel himself. Miller’s intentionally crude and rough illustrations complement the whole tone of the story perfectly as his Batman is built more like a refrigerator than a sleek gymnast.

Along with other Caped Crusader stories by Denny O’Neil and Steve Englehart, The Dark Knight Returns is one of the books that gave Batman his balls back by making him a brash, foul-mouthed brute who doesn’t take it easy on criminals. He even puts the boots to Superman when he has to. Not only did Miller change the character of Batman forever, but he also irreversibly changed the medium as a whole.

In a world where superheroes are on the side of every lunchbox and companies are more concerned with maintaining the status-quo than producing actual art, The Dark Knight Returns still stands as an absolute gem in the industry and solidified DC as a much more creative and daring company than its distinguished competitors.