WHAT ARE THE BEST DC COMICS?

DC created the modern superhero comic, debuting foundational characters and teams like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, the Justice Society, and so many more. For over eighty years, DC has been redefining what the superhero comic can be, as well as branching out to horror and indie-style creator-owned works with the Vertigo imprint of the '90s and 2000s.

For fans of DC, there's an endless library of amazing series to choose from, but some comics stand out above all the rest. These are the books that every fan of comics should read — the books that changed the industry forever.

Updated on December 28th, 2023 by David Harth: December is the month for gifts and giving, and DC has taken that to heart. The month gives fans of the publisher some wonderful books, including the beginning of a new event, some stellar tie-ins, and the brilliant ongoings the publisher has been putting out lately. DC has had a great 2023, and this month closes out the year beautifully.

Beast World Pits The DC Universe Against A Unique Threat

DC's event comics often change the status quo, but since Dark Crisis On Infinity Earths, that's changed. Lazarus Planet and Knight Terrors have both been lower key events, and have been better for them. November saw another event begin: Titans: Beast World. The book begins with the Necrostar coming to Earth, a Star Conqueror like monster that causes the Titans to do something no one imagined possible - Beast Boy using his powers to become a Starro and fight against the world destroying monster.

Garro is able to win, but the Necrostar's death causes Beast Boy to lose control. Garro's star spores blanket the world and begin to transform people into animals. This book is quite different than anyone expected and is a lot of fun. It's pure DC superhero action with an interesting premise.

Titans: Beast World Tour: Central City Is An Entertaining Tie-In

DC's events have been putting out amazing tie-ins since Dark Knights: Metal. 2023 saw Lazarus Planet and Knight Terrors both went in different directions with their tie-ins, and Titans: Beast World is also doing something differently. While there are several ongoing books getting actual tie-ins, there are also the Tour books, each one taking place in a different DC city. The first one is the Central City addition, which focuses on Barry Allen, Jai and Irey West, Animal Man's daughter Maxine, Avery Ho, Wallace West, Pied Piper, and Circuit Breaker.

This tie-in issue is so much fun, much like the main book. The one-shot focuses on the other Flash family members as they battle the transformed world. There are some amazing stories in this book, as each chapter comes together, culminating in an epic team-up. If the rest of Beast World Tour comics are likes this one, this is going to be an amazing event.

Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Is Christmas Awesomeness

Santa Claus has a pretty interesting history in comics. Over at Marvel, there's a joke that Santa Claus is a mutant. At DC, Santa Claus has showed up in multiple books over the years, and there really isn't any "canon" lore to old Saint Nick in the DC Multiverse, as many creators have put their own shine on Claus at DC.

2023 featured another Santa Claus story and since this is the modern era of DC Comics, Santa Claus teams up with Batman. Obviously. This story involves the Dark Knight and Kris Kringle working together. Parker and Bandini make a wonderful team, and the covers by Dan Mora are amazing. This is plain old Christmas fun, and anyone who wants an enjoyable read should check this one out.

Action Comics 2023 Annual #1 Ends A Beloved Superman Run

Superman has been going through a renaissance for the last few years and it can be traced to writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson taking over Action Comics and Superman. Johnson would continue to write Action Comics when Superman was canceled in favor of a Jon Kent book. Johnson took Action Comics to Warworld for "Warworld Saga," a sprawling epic that saw Superman and the Authority taking on Mongul.

Johnson made Action Comics a must-read book, and anchored the book since issue 1050, when it became something of a Superman anthology book. His latest story has dealt with Metropolis rebelling against the aliens of Warworld that Superman brought to the city through a group called Blue Earth, whose leader is an alternate Earth daughter of Batman from the Batman/Superman Authority special. This annual closes out that story and Johnson's run. It's an end of an era in Superman comics, but this issue delivers.

Amazons Attack Redeems An Infamous Title

The name Amazons Attack! has a very bad legacy in DC history. The original Amazons Attack! was a place holder event between Infinite Crisis and Final Crisis that was built up by Countdown To Final Crisis, another legendarily poor comic. With Wonder Woman getting an A-list reboot in late 2023, fans were mystified when a new Amazons Attack was announced. DC was trying to give Wonder Woman a huge push, so reminding readers of a story that is considered among the worst of the '00s was an interesting choice.

It turned out to be a brilliant choice. Wonder Woman set up a conflict, and this book played on it. Any time Nubia gets a spotlight is a good thing, and this book is excellent. The Wonder Woman side of DC doesn't get much love and when it does, it's not always great. However, 2023 has changed that. This book is on its third issue in December, but it's worth hunting down the other two issues and checking it out.

The Speed Force Stars Two Fan Favorite Flash Family Members

The Flash has been going through something of a renaissance since the 2021 return of Wally West to the mantle of the Flash. Barry Allen had his fans, but Wally coming back energized readers and invigorated the franchise. The Flash has consistently been one of the best DC books coming out and fans want more Flash goodness, especially from the Flash Family. The Flash Family is a beloved group, and The Speed Force focuses on two favorites.

Avery Ho has been the Flash in several books, but hasn't really gotten a lot of focus recently. Wallace West's Kid Flash has gotten more and more popular over the years. Putting these two characters together is a great idea, and this book delivers. More speedsters are better than less speedsters, and this book is definitely one that fans will enjoy.

Batman: Off-World Brings A Former Marvel Writer To DC

Jason Aaron came to prominence writing the DC/Vertigo comic Scalped, but he didn't become a superstar until he went to Marvel, writing Wolverine, Wolverine and The X-Men, Doctor Strange, The Mighty Thor, and Avengers. Aaron's time at Marvel is over and the writer has moved over to DC. Like many other new to DC creators, Jason Aaron is starting out with Batman, kicking off his return with Batman: Off-World #1.

Jason Aaron teams with artist Doug Mahnke, a longtime DC artist who has worked on the publisher's best characters, for a story that takes Batman, well, off-world. DC is giving this book a full court press and there's a good reason for that: it's excellent. Aaron and Mahnke are the perfect team to take Batman to space, and this book delivers.

Justice League Vs. Godzilla Vs. Kong Is Superhero/Kaiju Madness

Godzilla and King Kong have had some pretty great movies in recent years and are back in the public conscious like they haven't been in a long time. Godzilla and King Kong are no strangers to comics, but they've rarely gotten to fight against the greatest heroes of all time. Justice League Vs. Godzilla Vs. King Kong changes that. This series gives exactly what the title says it does: a battle between the Justice League, Godzilla, and King Kong.

The Justice League is the perfect team to challenge the greatest monsters in cinematic history. This book isn't meant to change the world or anything like that. It's just a big fun fight comic pitting the Justice League against Godzilla and King Kong. That's a recipe for a great comic right there, and this book delivers exactly the epic it promises.

The Outsiders Return For A Series That Is Unlike Any Other Volume Of The Series

Planetary is a beloved Wildstorm series that began before the turn of the century and starred a group of archeologists that investigated the most bizarre stories possible, unearthing the secrets of the 20th century. The book ended and is one of the few successful comics to stay gone. However, the idea behind the book — a group of people digging into the past of their world to reveal all the hidden secrets — is too good to leave in the past.

That's where The Outsiders comes in. Historically, the Outsiders is a team related to Batman. This version of the Outsiders stars Batwoman and Luke Fox, two characters related to the Batman mythos, as well as the mysterious Drummer, a character with the same name as a member of the cast of Planetary. Together, these three combine their forces to search out the secrets of the world and are pulled into something much bigger than they ever realized. This book has that Planetary flavor that readers have missed, and the creative team — Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, the writing team known as Hivemind, and Robert Carey — are the perfect team for this book.

Power Girl Is Back In Her Own Series

Lazarus Planet changed Power Girl, as the Lazarus rains gave her new telepathic powers. She teamed up with former Teen Titan Omen and broke through the blocks in her own mind, battling Johnny Sorrow. Fans loved this return of the character, and now the writer of the Action Comics shorts, Leah Williams, gets to put Power Girl back on top in Power Girl, with artist Eduardo Pansica.

Power Girl's first issue was amazing. It revealed Power Girl's new status quo. She's exploring her new powers, living in her new identity of Paige Stetler, and encountering something she never thought she would - another refugee of Earth-2's Krypton. However, this refugee is nothing Power Girl or anyone else expected. This book has the goods and everyone needs to check it out.

Fire & Ice: Welcome To Smallville Is A Welcome Return

Dawn Of DC is doing a lot to remind people about the greatness of the DC Multiverse. There are so many brilliant characters that DC has been under-serving, and Dawn Of DC is giving them a chance to shine. Fire and Ice are two such character. Members of the Justice League International, they've always been an entertaining duo. Fire & Ice: Welcome To Smallville, by writer Joanne Starer and artist Natacha Bustos, brings them back and sends them to an unexpected place - Smallville.

Fire & Ice: Welcome To Smallville is a laugh a minute. For fans of the JLI, this is a return to form for two characters who haven't had much chance to shine on their own. This series is the DC deep dive that proves just how great the publisher is, and it's a book perfect for every DC fan.

Wesley Dodds: The Sandman Is Golden Age Goodness

Wesley Dodds is the Golden Age Sandman, which hasn't exactly made him that popular. The character had a comeback in the '90s, in the Vertigo book Sandman Mystery Theater, a darker take on the Golden Age hero most inspired by pulp comics. Knight Terrors brought the character back, and DC struck while the iron was hot, delivering Wesley Dodds: The Sandman.

Written by Robert Venditi with art by Riley Rossmo, Wesley Dodds: The Sandman captures the detective flavor of the old books. The first issue involves Wesley trying to figure out how to use his sleeping gas to stop war, but things spin out of control quickly when his house is bombed. This intriguing book captures Dodds' spirit very well.

Jay Garrick: The Flash Opens Up A New Chapter In His Life

The New Golden Age and Stargirl: The Lost Children revealed the existence of the Boom, the lost daughter of Jay and Joan Garrick. Jay is the first Flash from the Golden Age, and has long been considered like a father and grandfather to several generations of heroes. Jay and Joan always regretted that they never had children, but they were forced to forget about the Boom. Now she's back in Jay Garrick: The Flash, by writer Jeremy Adams and artist Diego Olortegui, putting the Garricks together.

Jeremy Adams brought Wally West back to prominence, so he knows how to write a Flash story. Jay is a fan-favorite, and many DC fans have wanted a book from him for a while. Jay Garrick: The Flash has a lot of fan love working for it, and it delivers on every page.

Alan Scott: Green Lantern Brings The Classic Hero To Life Again

Alan Scott is the first Green Lantern. A Justice Society founder, the character has over eighty years of history, although some of that was spent in limbo in the late '40s and '50s. Alan Scott became one of the more popular characters and was an anchor of JSA and Justice Society Of America in the '00s. The New 52 rewrote him as gay, and since then, the character has had a bit of renaissance. Now there's more interest than ever in this new version.

Alan Scott: Green Lantern, by writer Tim Sheridan and artist Cian Tormey, plays off The New Golden Age, bringing in his Soviet counterpart, the Red Lantern. This book is intriguing, especially since readers haven't gotten a lot of time with Alan since his return. Alan Scott is a great character and hasn't had a solo series in decades, making Alan Scott: Green Lantern a real treat.

Wonder Woman Gets An A-List Team

Wonder Woman is a DC legend, but her book has rarely been pushed as an A-list title. That doesn't mean it hasn't had some great runs, but Wonder Woman rarely gets the A-list creators that a Batman or a Superman book get. September changes all of that, as writer Tom King and artist Daniel Sampere take over Wonder Woman. The first issue is straight up amazing.

When an Amazon kills a bar full of men, the US government goes after all the Amazons in the country, placing Sgt. Steele in charge of the op. It's an amazing set-up, and the issue delivers with the action and the intrigue. Sampere's art is beautiful, and King is on fire with this one. The last page even introduces a new enemy for Wonder Woman that looks to change the game. This book is near perfect and everyone should pick it up.

The Flash Takes Things In A New Direction

Wally West is the best Flash. His return in 2021 brought The Flash to the next level. It became the best pure superhero book on the market, starring Wally, his wife Linda, and two kids Irey and Jai. The book proved that readers enjoy comics about heroes with a family and was a big success for DC.

The Flash returns with a new creative team — writer Si Spurrier and artist Mike Deodato Jr — and a new direction. From what has been released about the book, the new team is taking things in a more horror oriented direction. That is unique for the Flash, but readers have learned to trust Spurrier with anything. Deodato is a legendary artist and hasn't worked at DC in years. No one ever expected him to draw the Flash, but looking at what he's done so far, this book is going to look fantastic.

Birds of Prey Brings Back The Classic Team

The Birds of Prey debuted in the late '90s, teaming up Oracle and Black Canary in a series of one-shots. Each one sold better than the last and eventually they got an ongoing series of their own. The Birds of Prey became a staple of DC Comics, with Huntress joining the team as well. Birds of Prey proved to be DC's premiere female superhero team and gained a rather large following. However, the comic industry is fickle and eventually the Birds of Prey ran out of steam.

Birds of Prey, by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Leonardo Romero, introduces a new version of the team. Comprising Black Canary, Big Barda, Cassandra Cain, Harley Quinn, and Zealot, this team brings together some fan favorite superheroines for some hard-hitting fun. Thompson is fresh off a landmark run on Captain Marvel, so the Birds are in good hands with her and Romero.

Batman: Gargoyle Of Gotham Is Black Label Awesomeness

There's a joke among DC fans that the Black Label should be called the "Batman Label." This is an exaggeration. The Black Label has produced many amazing comics that don't star Batman, like Aquaman: Andromeda, Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor, and the masterpiece known as Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons. However, there are many Batman Black Label stories, mostly because every creator wants to work on Batman.

Writer/artist Rafael Grampa is no stranger to the Dark Knight, but he's never got a chance to write Batman. Batman: Gargoyle Of Gotham changes all of that. A reimagining of the Batman mythos, this book looks to be fantastic. Alternate takes on Batman are always amazing, so this is definitely a book fans should check out.

Green Lantern: War Journal Gives Readers A New John Stewart Tale

John Stewart is an icon. The Green Lantern legend has his share of fans, and has become a top Lantern in the DC Universe. John had a back-up in Green Lantern, that featured him on Earth with his mother. Meanwhile, in another universe, the Revenant Queen was waging an apocalyptic war on the Green Lanterns. A young Lantern from that universe knows that the Multiverse only has one hope to defeat her and her army: John Stewart.

Written by Philip Kennedy Johnson with art by Montos, this back-up is getting the full book treatment in Green Lantern: War Journal. Stewart was supposed to get his own book a few months ago. Fans were disappointed when he only got a back-up, so this series coming out is a cause for celebration. The team is great, the plot is cool, and John Stewart is an amazing hero.

Superman: The Last Days Of Lex Luthor Teams Up The Two Enemies

Lex Luthor is Superman's greatest foe, but that doesn't mean he won't ask the Man of Steel to save his life. That's the long and short of Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor, by writer Mark Waid and artists Bryan Hitch and Kevin Nowlan. The three issue oversized Black Label book features Superman teaming up with Lex Luthor, but there's more at stake than just the life of Metropolis's most dangerous man.

There's something remarkably Silver Age about Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor, which fits because Mark Waid is writing it. Waid and Hitch haven't worked together in years, but the first issue proves they haven't missed a step. It's an amazing comic, and Kevin Nowlan's inks make the art all the better. Not every artist uses an inker these days, so Hitch choosing Nowlan means a lot. Nowlan brings a bit of his own style to the art, while perfectly brings out Hitch's genius.

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