Deduction/Spy Comics on DC Universe

General Discussion Comic Books
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I am loving the rebirth comics and have enjoyed all the content in DC Universe.

However I would love to find a few comics that get into maybe a more crime/deduction/spy style theme. I love a good thriller, and love when I see Batman or another hero deduce a well thought out plan… or even something similar to Sherlock.

Obviously I love Nightwing and Detective comics, but I am looking to see if there are any hidden gems here you all can suggest!

Thanks!!!

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I don’t know about deduction but check out Gotham Central for crime drama and Grayson for spy thriller.

Oh, and I haven’t checked if it’s on here, but Checkmate, the series from the '80’s was all about spy stuff, too. Probably more accessible than Grayson.

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Grayson, Checkmate, Chase, Global Frequency, and Suicide Squad (the Ostrander one) are the ones that come to my mind. All of those are amazing. I know you want them on DCU, but if you’re cool with indie/Vertigo books, might I also recommend The Losers (the Diggle one), Queen & Country, Copra, and Velvet?

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Checkmate '88 (I want to call it Checkm88 for short, but that would be confusing) is definitely a really fun read on the spy end. I’ll also second the '86 Ostrander/Yale Suicide Squad and Chase.

For something more mystery/detective-oriented, I’m fond of Batman: The Long Halloween. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight is a series that had wildly varying quality (the creative team rotated out every story arc) but a lot of it was more down-to-earth crime/detective stories.

The Question ('86) might also be up your alley. And… Maybe Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters? I’m not a huge fan, but a lot of people like it and it’s a mix of mystery and espionage thriller, so it hits all the points you mentioned.

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If we’re going outside DC, I need to point to 100 Bullets. Great crime drama.

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I remember reading 100 Bullets, amazing!

So these are great recommendations, and as I was looking on DC universe they had a new question answered in the Ask section:

“I have really been enjoying the gritty realism of Gotham Central. Can you recommend any titles/runs that take this police-procedural, more realistic approach to story-telling. Thanks!” -Joe Vignati

Ah, Gotham Central. DC’s own Law and Order . There’s nothing entirely like it in the history of the DC Universe, and no better key to the mind of Renee Montoya, successor to The Question. But if you’re looking for something with the same grounded, less Super heroic feel, here are a few titles which may be for you:

  • *[Batman: Bullock’s Law] A one shot look into the procedure of everyone’s favorite Bat-skeptic, questionably crooked cop.

  • *[Batman: Gordon’s Law] A miniseries focusing on Commissioner Gordon himself, forced to take to the field when he can trust no one else in investigating corruption in his own police force.

  • *[Batman: Turning Points]
    A series focusing on the integral history of Batman’s friendship with Gordon.

  • *[Global Frequency]
    Warren Ellis’ episodic series about a network of 1,001 everyday people acting as agents for a world protecting spy group.

  • *[Gotham Academy]
    A student’s eye view on the goings-on of Gotham City.

  • [ Hitman ]
    Another alternate ground view take on life in Gotham, from the eyes of its lowest lowlives.

  • *[Human Target]
    Meet Christopher Chance, the man who keeps you alive by drawing your enemies into the open and taking them out.

  • *[Jonah Hex]
    Not your typical everyday life comic, but one that rarely verges on supernatural – only the hard cruelty of life in the Old West. Expect self-contained stories with a slow burn through-narrative.

  • [ Nathaniel Dusk ]
    A [pair]of throwback series in the ‘80s to detective noir staples in the 1930s.

  • [ The Question ]
    Stars a masked hero, but the problems he faces in a city that makes Gotham look good are often all too real. A fine companion to Gotham Central .

  • *[Sleeper]
    A WildStorm spy thriller by Gotham Central co-writer Ed Brubaker.

  • [ World of Metropolis ]
    A 4 issue series about life in the city of Superman.

Oh, and make sure to keep your eyes out for Lois Lane , a current limited series by *Gotham Central’s Greg Rucka!

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Thanks to everyone for their recommendations. I’ll go hermit crab and enjoy the stuff now, haha

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Checkmate, “Checkm88” is on here! Thanks!

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