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What are the best DC Comics of all time?
Despite being rivals in the industry both Marvel Comics and DC Comics are just two pieces in a pod. Marvel may have more popularity on the big screen with the MCU, but DC has animated movies down to a science. When it comes to comics though, it can go either way and all boils down to personal preference. For now, though, we would like to focus our attention on the DC side of things. There are plenty of amazing DC comics to read and superheroes to know about. With that said, we would like to present to you our list of some of the best DC comics of all time. Have a look below and start reading. Tell us what you thought and which one was your favorite!
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: Year One served as the definitive origin story for the Caped Crusader. This comic book chronicles a future where Batman has retired. With Gotham plunged into chaos and violence, Bruce Wayne must yet again put on the cowl to save his city. It's one of the best DC comics of all time that any Batman fan should read.
Crisis On Infinite Earths
It can be argued that Crisis on Infinite Earths could be considered as one of the best DC comics of all time due in no small part to its scale. It took an impossibly large number of superheroes and built a cohesive story around them. This is across multiple dimensions and realities involved. Take that, The Infinity Gauntlet.
The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
The Teen Titans was the answer by DC to Marvel's X-Men, the most popular comic book in the 80s. For this, DC hired Marv Wolfman and George Perez, two of the best creators of the time for a new series that became one of the most popular comics of DC. The JudasContract saga was a game changer that broughth us the retirement of Kid Flash and Robin and the birth of Nightwing.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison and illustrator Dave Mackean is an interesting reflection about madness and the boundaries between superheroes and supervillains. Batman is forced to enter Arkham Asylum when the inmates take control of the sanitarium and want Batman to be exchanged with the innocent workers and doctors. There, he must face his inner demons while fighting Joker, The Penguin and other supervillains.
Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters
Green Arrow or Oliver Queen, leaves Star City and moves to Seattle to start a new life with Dinah Lance, but unexpectedly appears Shado a mysterious archer making him back to superhero life. This comic by Mike Grell sets a new standard for the green archer of DC, making Green Arrow a comic with a mature and adult component.
Superman: The Man of Steel
Superman: The Man of Steel was the treatment that John Byrne gave to the iconic character when he left Marvel to join DC. In this remarkable saga, Byrne explores the relationship between Superman and Lois, Superman and Luthor, Superman and Batman, with a modern and adult touch, while fighting and confronting menaces like Brainiac, Bizarro and Magpie.
Animal Man: The Coyote Gospel
Animal Man was the first work of a young Grant Morrison for DC. The character was hidden among the DC characters from the past and Morrison bring him back to live with a new identity and background, but what made this comic popular was the saga about the Coyote called The Coyote Gospel, in which Morrison explores the boundaries of fictions, creations, spiritual enlightenment and God.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the film Batman v. Superman was inspired by The Dark Knight Returns? This four-issue comic book was published by DC Comics in 1986 and written by Frank Miller. Miller penned other popular comic books, such as 300 and Sin City, which were also adapted in films. However, The Dark Knight Returns remains as one of his best and most acclaimed works. You can often find this comic book included in many lists of best DC graphic novels. So, even if you're not a huge Batman fan, The Dark Knight Returns is still a worthwhile read.
Batman has an eclectic collection of rogues, such as The Penguin, Catwoman, Riddler, and Poison Ivy, to name a few. You can often see him battling classic villains in other DC comics online. But in The Dark Knight Returns, you can witness Batman confronting not only his worst enemies like The Joker and Two-Face but also new threats like the Mutant Gang, as well as the Man of Steel himself. With a compelling story and unique take on the Caped Crusader, it's no wonder why The Dark Knight Returns maintains its status as one of the best DC comics of all time.
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46 comments
- #1September 29, 2017"With DC Comics having a huge and storied history, it can definitely be difficult to choose the best comic they've ever released. However, JLA: The Tower of Babel is my favorite. The JLA series as a whole is outstanding, but the plot of The Tower of Babel really stands out. All of the heroes feel like their truest selves here. Plus, Mark Waid is one of my favorite CB artists today--his art has nods to both the modern style and the past/traditional, and it's awesome. I'd highly recommend this comic to any DC fans as the best."
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JLA: The Tower of Babel - #2September 29, 2017"Naaahhh. I love DC Comics and am a fan of the genre, definitely, but this particular one left me cold. Worse than that actually, it irritated me to no end. It might be the goofy bad guys which seem to be so similar in their outlandishness. It might also be the lack of originality and fantasy of the whole endeavor. I felt this one had been totally phoned in - and it was really disappointing. Read only if you are a hardcore Batman type of person, otherwise, spare yourself the boredom."
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Batman and the Outsiders - #3May 7, 2018"I am not knowledgeable about comics so it is hard for me to give an authoritative answer; however, I imagine that a far more iconic superhero would be the best solution, not Batgirl. Maybe this has the best writing or something, I don't know, but it doesn't have that many reviews and I imagine Batman or some other DC superhero (I don't know which ones are DC so I can't say) would be a far better solution."
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Batgirl Vol. 1: Silent Knight - #4January 14, 2017"Red Son is a fantastic and unusual comic. An alternative reality in which Superman landed in the Soviet Union, there is no "truth, justice, and the American way" in this series. Instead, Superman becomes a symbol and a hero of the Soviet Union, and conflicts with American heroes in response. This is a unique and fascinating look into history and culture, and is a must-read for any comic fan."
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Superman: Red Son - #5March 25, 2017"This hit is a little too specific for me. I'm looking for the best DC Comics of all time, and I got a solution to go to one specific issue of Green Arrow, which is not what I would expect to be the "BEST" of DC Comics. I would be more interested in a review or collection of DC Comics, or at least one of their more well known and beloved characters like Batman or Justice League."
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Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters - #6May 2, 2018"Most DC comics that are very popular and the very bests are the more grounded and dark ones to be honest with you, this does not seem to be very dark and grounded, but as a huge DC fan, I always prefer DC characters than Marvel if you want to compare it but that is just me. I would still say this is not one of the best of all time since most Batman comics are the best ones."
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Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Vol. 3 - #7March 12, 2017"I couldn't have been happier when I received Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow! This was a book I was dying to get and finally placed the order. I have been anxious to not only read all the different stories but also this final adventure that the book is about. Although this is not the best DC comic of all time, it sure is close!"
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Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow - #8April 13, 2017"Comic books are my life! DC comics are by far my favorite, in particular their Batman series. I loved the Batman movie trilogy and wanted to find the inspiration for them. After a long search I found the Batman: The Dark Knight Returns comic and was blown away. This comic is so good! If you have not read this comic you are truly missing out."
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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - #9September 29, 2017"I decided to purchase this as I was interested in some comic books. I am glad I did because this was a very satisfying read. For the most part, the price of this comic was very worth it, and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Alan Moore's other work. We also really see the Joker in a way quite like we've never seen before."
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Batman: The Killing Joke - #10September 29, 2017"Not necessarily one of the best DC comics of all time, but is a storyline that will interest fans of Superman, obviously one of DC's most popular characters, as it follows a journey that is a throw-back to other Superman stories involving a collection of other familiar faces. Yet another origin story albeit a well-done one."
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All-Star Superman - #11February 3, 2017"I know I'm in the minority here, but I'm getting burnt out on the cliche return from the dead storyline in popular comics. This has been going on since I was a kid, and as an adult many of these books feel like a money grab. I was always more of a Marvel fan, but they are probably even more guilty of this practice than DC."
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The Flash: Rebirth - #12June 12, 2017"I tried to like this but the whole premise was very cheesy. If you are old enough to remember the Ill fated series "manimal" from the 80's, you would have an idea of how this comic will turn out before even reading it. I live to give every superhero comic a chance, but i had a hard time finishing this one."
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Animal Man: The Coyote Gospel - #13May 13, 2018"I'm a huge fan of DC comics and I knew that I had to give Detective Comics (1937-2011) #752 a read after reading the previous comic in the series. This specific comic has some very interesting event's take place that change the DC universe for good. I found the illustrations to be exceptional as always as well."
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Detective Comics (1937-2011) #752 - #14September 29, 2017"As a huge DC Fan I was recently looking for a great read and found Wonder Woman: Eyes of the Gorgon. It absolutely did not dissapoint! It shows an interesting aspect of Wonder Woman's story that often times is not shown mainstream so I would highly recommend it for any DC fan who has not seen it as of yet."
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Wonder Woman: Eyes of the Gorgon - #15May 6, 2018"This comic doesn't have that many reviews and it's been out for almost two years so to call this the "best" seems to be a stretch. However it is a DC comic and the few reviews it does have claim it's at least average, if not better than, so it might not belong on a "best" list but is definitely a DC comic."
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Prez - #16May 7, 2018"Wonder Woman is one of the best known (and best liked) DC characters. Especially after the popularity of the recent movie, I'm glad to see her character coming back into the mainstream. This issue was part of DC's relaunch of their franchises, and it was one of the best results of the New 52 plan."
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Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Vol. 1 - #17May 14, 2018"Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle (2015) #1 is a great DC comic for fans and new people. It is one of the best ones they have ever produced. It stands up to the bigger DC properties while featuring two characters in Nightwing and Oracle who rarely get much love in the universe. Easily recommended."
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Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle (2015) #1 - #18May 11, 2018"If you follow superheroes then JLA (Book 5): Justice for All is perfect for you. It included all of the the usual suspects you ould expect to have like Superman and Batman. Read about they overcome the sinister evil forces in our society. The classic superhero vs evil story is brought to life"
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JLA (Book 5): Justice for All - #19September 29, 2017"This comic book is definitely one of the best. It has awesome illustrations, a really great story that follows the Dark Knight Returns, and is a New York Times bestseller for a reason. If you're a comic book fan, or even just a Batman fan, this is a comic book you need to see."
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Batman: Year One - #20February 5, 2017"This is a crossover event done right and what all DC comics should strive to be when they want to do a big event. It's both a great starting point for anyone interested in diving deep into the DC universe or a classic must-read for anyone who considers themselves a fan."
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Crisis On Infinite Earths - #21August 1, 2017"Check out The Swamp Thing by Alan Moore. It is a very good read and I think you will highly enjoy it. I have read it in the past and I liked it, plus I like a lot of DC comics too, so if you are like me then I bet you will enjoy this one too. Check it out."
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The Swamp Thing - #22January 16, 2017"Definitely one of the darker takes on Superman, if you're looking for a heroic take on the character, don't get this tale. It's not "mature", it's dark for the sake of being dark. Superman was always a tale of heroism and bravery. Now it's just violent."
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Superman: The Man of Steel - #23November 18, 2017"Identity Crisis is the short run series written by the popular author Brad Meltzer. After the murder of one of their own spouses, the Justice League joins together to find the killer. Check out this series to see what happens during their search."
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Identity Crisis - #24May 7, 2018"The best DC Comics af all time include "Batgirl: Stephanie Brown Vol. 1", which was published August 22, 2017. Boasting an average customer rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 5 Amazon reviews, I would strongly recommend this comic."
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Batgirl: Stephanie Brown Vol. 1 - #25March 26, 2017"This is a great new twist on DC comics. It pits classic characters against a new breed of heroes. The writing is good and the story pulls you in. I still root for the classic heroes, but you don't know who will win in this struggle."
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Kingdom Come - #26April 22, 2018"Superman: Earth One is a comic book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It was originally published in 2010. This comic was illustrated by Shane Davis and Ardian Syaf and features the great Superman."
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Superman: Earth One - #27May 14, 2018"Birds of Prey Vol. 1: Trouble in Mind (The New 52) is a Sequential Art, DC Comics written by Duane Swierczynski and illustrated by Jesus Saiz, Javier Pina. It was published September 18, 2012 by DC Comics."
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Birds of Prey Vol. 1: Trouble in Mind (The New 52) - #28September 29, 2017"I was looking for a new comic book series and a friend told me about The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. I read through the first couple of chapters and decided that I would not be finishing this one."
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The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract - #29February 16, 2017"This is a really good graphic novel that mixes some awesome things. The story itself is great, but the artwork is very unique as well. It also offers lots of reading compared to other graphic novels."
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Batman: Arkham Asylum - #30May 9, 2018"A nice addition to the Birds of Prey series. Some of the storylines can get a bit convoluted, but overall I would recommend this book to others. The characters are fun and exciting to read about."
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Black Canary/Oracle/ Huntress: Birds of Prey - #31May 15, 2018"JSA: Black Reign is one of the best worth-reading thick books. My son read it over and over and couldn't get tired of it. It's one of those books that live in one's mind even when they grow old."
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JSA: Black Reign - #32May 8, 2018"I wouldn't coin this as one of the best DC comics of all time, but it's always interesting seeing Barb in a new series, and I have to say I liked this one. Looking forward to getting the rest."
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Batgirl And The Birds Of Prey Vol. 1: Who Is Oracle? (Rebirth) - #33May 8, 2018"Underworld Unleashed is a fictional comic book created by Scott Peterson and Mark Ward. The story involves a entity named Neron who collect souls from worldly villains who wants power."
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Underworld Unleashed - #34September 29, 2017"There is a lot of plot in this single novel. This was recommended to me by a friend and I have not been able to put it down since I picked it up. Very very intriguing and suspenseful."
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Green Lantern: The Siniestro Corps War - #35May 5, 2018"Ah, no. In order to throw this up there, you have to get rid of Superman, Sinestro, Batman, etc. This isn't even in the same conversation. Step aside BoP, you are an amateur."
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Birds of Prey Vol. 1: Endrun - #36May 12, 2018"This volume has kept me interested in the Batgirl saga. I will more than likely continue the series as it comes out. I'm a big fan of the illustrator, fantastic art."
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Batgirl Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection (The New 52) - #37May 9, 2018"This is one of the best DC comics of all time, a throwback to the golden era of comic books! It is illustrated by the legendary Jeff Johnson and Shawn Martinbrough."
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Detective Comics (1937-2011) #751 - #38May 16, 2018"Power of Shazam was one of the best DC comics of all times. My dad loves reading comics, and he said this one was great. He has kept this one in the package."
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Power of Shazam - #39May 10, 2018"DC Comics has created another great read! I read a little bit of this with a friend and like it enough to buy my own copy. I would by it again and again ."
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JSA: Stealing Thunder - Book 05 (JSA (Justice Society of America) - #40May 14, 2018"Batman: Poison Ivy is a comic series featuring the popular character, Poison Ivy. It's a great choice for fans of the character."
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Batman: Poison Ivy - #41March 20, 2017"The Flash is a real classic and one of the best. It was easy to read and really easy to enjoy. I highly recommend it!"
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The Flash: The Return of Barry Allen - #42October 17, 2017"These comics are the best. They are set in the future. It is quite a shock. Wonderful read for sure."
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The Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga - #43April 14, 2018"Can't go wrong with anything Batman! Looks like a true collectors item."
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Batman: Earth One - #44May 17, 2018"Amazing images! Amazing story line. Marvel comics have done it again."
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Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder - #45May 1, 2018"This comic book must be enjoyed by the children."
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World Without a Superman - #46April 22, 2018"a classic comic and a classic villain"
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Superman: Brainiac
| Rank | Answers | Type | Votes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batman: Year One | Books | 50 | Paid |
| 2 | Batman: The Dark Knight Returns | Books | 48 | Paid |
| 3 | Kingdom Come | Books | 48 | Paid |
| 4 | All-Star Superman | Books | 46 | Paid |
| 5 | Crisis On Infinite Earths | Books | 38 | Paid |
| 6 | Batman: The Killing Joke | Books | 37 | Paid |
| 7 | JLA: The Tower of Babel | Books | 30 | Paid |
| 8 | The Flash: The Return of Barry Allen | Books | 28 | Paid |
| 9 | Batman and the Outsiders | Books | 28 | Paid |
| 10 | Wonder Woman: Eyes of the Gorgon | Books | 28 | Paid |