What Are Your Top 10 Favorite DC Comics Series/Miniseries?

General Discussion Comic Books
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Hey everyone! I was on @capo-mage’s “Just Gorgeous” thread, when @capo-mage brought up top 10 comics, and it made me think. I’ll put my top 10 favorite dc comic series/miniseries with what I’d rate it. I hope you all do the same too! I’m excited to see your favorites!

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  1. The Dark Knight Returns

  2. JSA

  3. The Dark Knight III Master Race

  4. Justice Society of America.

  5. Hawkman Vol 5

  6. Green Lantern Vol 4

  7. Justice League of America (2013)

  8. Hawkman Volume 4

  9. Kingdom Come

  10. Detective Comics

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  1. The New Teen Titans (Wolfman/Perez) 10/10
  2. The Sandman (Neil Gaiman) 10/10
  3. Crisis on Infinite Earths 9.5/10
  4. Infinity, Inc. (80s series) 9.5/10
  5. All Star Squadron 9.5/10
  6. Super Sons 9.5/10
  7. Animal Man (Grant Morrison) 9.5/10
  8. Kingdom Come 9.5/10
  9. The Man of Steel (John Byrne) 9.5/10
  10. Injustice 9.5/10

As you can see, most of my top 10 are older comics, probably because I am old.

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I have a clear Top 4, but not too sure beyond that.

  1. Kingdom Come
  2. The New Frontier
  3. Batman: The Long Halloween
  4. Superman Smashes the Klan
  5. Crisis on Infinite Earths
  6. Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth
  7. All Star Superman
  8. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Saga
  9. Super Sons: When I Grow Up
  10. Superman For All Seasons
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I’ll have to keep editing/ adding as I think on it? As I said in the conversation that u mentioned above. Idk what my top 10 even is, but I know Camelot 3000 is in it. So…no order whatsoever & I’ll be back as I decide which ones make the cut lol.

1.Camelot 3000.
2. Teen Titans.
3. Justice League Dark.
4. LOSH.
5. Aquaman.
6. Infinity Inc. 84’.
7. Wonder Woman.
8. Batman.
9. JSA (specifically Johns’ run, but all).
10. Green Lantern.

This was the hardest top 10 yet for me. I tried to think of comics with blanket coverage of all my favorite characters.
Actually, I just thought of 2 more that I’d put on that list above a few on there. B.O.P., & Suicide Squad specifically John Ostrander’s run. I mean, The Flash…Waids run, Johns’ run, altogether. Plus Madame Xanadu & Omega Men, 2 of the most underrated comics ever imho -but the multiple Eisner awards Xanadu earned would support that statement lol. I truly don’t think I’ll ever be able to compact a top 10 list iml? There’s so many more it kills me to edge out. But, I’ll go with these, then update/change if/when I go…oh yeah, that’s gotta be on there. Probably do that multiple times. Crossovers would be even harder- & don’t do it @Jurisdiction …I see the wheels turning already. Don’t u dare create that post :joy:…it’s probably coming huh? I “would” just create it myself, & stay out of the conversation. But, I’ve got plenty on here. So if u really wanna, maybe a nod my way? Your choice. But, I will not put my brain thru that :laughing: I’d be here until the site closed debating on what the next justifiable one should be :joy:…& back already. Jack Kirby’s 4th World…DUH!!! See, this is why I knew this would be a b@#&= Lol. They’ll constantly be pouring in, I’m sure of it.

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1.) The Sandman
2.) Preacher
3.) The Invisibles (yes, Vertigo got a lot of my money back in the day)
4.) Batman: The Long Halloween
5.) Superman: A Man for All Seasons
6.) Man of Steel
7.) Watchmen
8.) The Other History of the DC Universe
9.) Captain Atom: Armageddon
10.) The Shadow (Denny O’Neil and Michael Kaluta)

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Disclaimer: I’m a Grant Morrison fanboy, so there was a danger that this list would become just a Morrison list. That’s boring, so, to prevent that, I limited myself to 1 pick per writer. That being said, I love and highly rate the following Grant Morrison series’: Doom Patrol, The Invisibles, Animal Man, their run on Action Comics, Seven Soldiers, Final Crisis, Multiversity, Wonder Woman Earth One, and everything they did with Batman. Also, big shout-out to Kamandi which got edged out by another Jack Kirby epic. Now, on to the list:

  1. All Star Superman- 10/10
  2. Mort Weisinger era Superman (which covers A LOT of comics, so, to narrow it down a bit, let’s say Superman Vol.1 #123-186)- 9.5/10
  3. Watchmen- 9.5/10
  4. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World- 9.5/10
  5. Kingdom Come- 9/10
  6. Neil Gaiman’s Sandman- 9/10
  7. William Moulton Martson’s Wonder Woman- 8.5/10
  8. Peter Milligan’s Shade, the Changing Man- 8.5/10
  9. All-Star Squadron- 8/10
  10. Paul Levitz’s Legion of Superheroes- 8/10

The ratings and order of that list are kind of arbitrary, though, and could change over time and depending on how I’m feeling.

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I am not going to rate them, as I am very bad at that sort of thing! It was pretty hard for me to choose only 10 anyway.

  1. Detective Comics no. 469-476 (Steve Englehart)
  2. Sandman (Neil Gaiman)
  3. Watchmen
  4. The Dark Knight Returns
  5. Green Lantern no. 76-89 (Dennis O’Neil/Neal Adams)
  6. Crisis on Infinite Earths
  7. Hellblazer no. 41-46, "Dangerous Habits by Garth Ennis
  8. The Shadow (Dennis O’Neil/Michael Kaluta)
  9. The Long Halloween
  10. All-Star Comics no. 3-57
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My Top 10 (I made this version about 1 year ago, about 4-6 months after I started reading comics)
  1. Convergence - 7.25 ★

In the Convergence event, several heroes from all the planets and eras of DC Comics are captured and trapped on one abandoned, sentient planet. The planet is called a convergence point – a place outside of space and time. To save their own planet and plane of reality, the heroes of each place and time are forced to fight each other.

In theory, this comic event sounds very creative and intriguing. However, the first few issues in the event are very slow-paced and almost cliche. All of the characters are lesser-known versions of themselves (for example, Val-Zod is Superman, instead of Clark Kent), but they all act the same as they normally would, making the series predictable and slightly boring. That being said, the art in the series is absolutely awe-inducing. The visuals are presented to the readers in a way that makes them feel like they are truly in the comics. Additionally, the storyline becomes very captivating after the first few issues of the series. Basically, although the first few issues could be better, Convergence is still one of the best comic events to ever be made.

  1. Sixpack & Dogwelder: Hard Travelin’ Heroz - 7.5 ★

In Sixpack & Dogwelder: Hard Travelin’ Heroz, the members of the superhero team, called Section Eight, join forces with John Constantine to help save the world and break Dogwelder’s curse. Throughout the series, the heroes have to overcome several gruelling challenges to help Dogwelder put an end to the curse that’s been inflicted upon him.

Sixpack & Dogwelder: Hard Travelin’ Heroz has an amazing storyline and breathtaking artwork. As always, Section Eight functions in their hilarious, parodistic way. However, in this iteration of them, the heroes in Section Eight are also very emotional at all the right times. The character development throughout the series is done perfectly and all the characters work together extraordinarily. That being said, the title of this series is very misleading. The story uses Sixpack more as a secondary character than a main hero. Additionally, the story follows all of Section Eight, not just Dogwelder. Despite the deceitful title, the story is exceptional and deserves the number nine spot on this list.

  1. Ambush Bug: Year None - 7.75 ★

Ambush Bug: Year None is a series in which a DC superheroine, Jonni DC, is killed. It becomes Ambush Bug’s job to find the killer and stop him/her. Throughout the series, Ambush Bug has to overcome several funny, difficult, and bizarre tasks.

The storyline and artwork in Ambush Bug: Year None is extraordinary. The characters are portrayed spectacularly, and it feels as if the readers are actually experiencing the story first-hand. However, the issues can get very confusing because of how disorganised the plot is. There are some side-plots that are just randomly thrown in each comic. Additionally, the writers completely skip over Issue #6 (it doesn’t exist, it just becomes Issue #7). That being said, the positives of the series heavily outweigh the negatives, placing Ambush Bug: Year None in the number eight spot on this list.

  1. Batwing - 8 ★
    In Batwing, the new hero in the international superhero group, Batman Incorporated, becomes the Batman of Africa, under the alias “Batwing”. Throughout the series, Batwing has to team up with several heroes — like Nightwing, Batman, Robin, and more — to overcome several challenges including family problems, dangerous and new supervillains, and the past trauma of Batwingʼs life.
    Batwing is an amazing story with great art and a great storyline. The description and colors keeps the readers engaged in the story and always wanting more. However, in the middle of the series, the authors abruptly change the identity of Batwing from David Zavimbe to Luke Fox. The switch is fairly confusing and doesnʼt make much sense. Additionally, after the switch, David Zavimbe is never seen or heard of again in the comics, essentially making the first sixteen issues of the series irrelevant. That being said, Batwing is an extraordinary series that deserves the number seven spot on this list.
  2. Plunge - 8 ★
    In Plunge, a military submarine emitted a distress signal twenty years after it supposedly crashed and sank. A government agent and a small group of sailors were tasked with rescuing the crew. However, when they arrived at the coordinates in which the signal came from, the crew found that the island was overrun by murderous aliens. It soon becomes the crewʼs sole mission not to save the survivors, but to save themselves instead.
    The art and storyline of Plunge is amazing. Every page is full of color and description that truly brings out the mood of the series. The concept of Plunge is very unique and there arenʼt any other comics like it. That being said, it doesnʼt feel like a DC comic and, compared to other series, is very out of place. Overall, despite the outlandish nature of the series, Plunge is outstanding and definitely deserves the number six spot on this list.
  3. Red Hood: The Lost Days - 8 ★

In Red Hood: The Lost Days, the six months of Jason Todd’s “death” and resurrection are explained for the first time. The readers are finally told how the Red Hood came to be.

Red Hood’s training, origin, and feelings are displayed in an original and astonishing way, that makes the readers sympathise and experience Jason Todd’s transformation into Red Hood. The art is very good, despite the dark shades of colors. The issues are very dark, but in a way that intrigues the readers and makes them root for Red Hood even though he’s not a good person at the time of the story. Overall, this story is extraordinary and deserves to be in the top five of this list.

  1. Let Them Live: Tales from the DC Vault - 9 ★

Let Them Live: Tales from the DC Vault is a comic miniseries in which rejected stories from DC Comics are finally released to the public. In each issue, the janitor of the DC Vault, Ambush Bug, tells each story to the readers. The stories consist of characters and groups such as Batman, Nightwing, Titans, Kid Flash, Green Arrow, and more.

All of the stories told are extremely captivating and, despite never being published, feel completely real. Ambush Bug is hilarious in each edition and he never fails to make the series unique and fun. Therefore, this series easily takes the number four spot on this list.

  1. Injustice: Gods Among Us - 9 ★

Throughout the history of DC Comics, there have been several alternate Earths that make up, what is now called, the Multiverse. Injustice: Gods Among Us takes place on one of these alternate Earths. On this Earth, Superman has become a supervillain instead of a superhero. He forms an alternate Justice League called The Regime, which almost every “superhero” has joined. The Regime is a “One-Earth Government” (meaning they rule over the entire world) and although they stop criminals, they take lethal, unethical actions to do so. It quickly becomes clear that it is up to Batman, Huntress, Catwoman, and Oracle to put an end to the violence and death brought upon the world by the very people who have sworn to protect it.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is an extraordinary series that shows the readers exactly what it’s like to be a normal person living amongst gods. It perfectly balances the brutal nature of superheroism and the horrifying thoughts and emotions that are present in battle. The conflict between the Insurgency and the Regime is portrayed perfectly, yet it still shows the emotions from the past relationships between the members of the Justice League. Because of the spectacular storyline, art, and the plot itself, Injustice: Gods Among Us deserves the number three spot on this list.

  1. Hitman - 9.5 ★

Tommy Monaghan, a hitman in Gotham City, is put into several life-threatening situations on a regular basis. He has to kill several different entities - like demons, aliens, and superhumans - either to receive money to make a living or to save himself and his friends.

The Hitman series is remarkable and deserves at least 9 out of 10 stars. The characters, cameos and action throughout the series keeps the reader excited and wanting more. Tommy’s trials and tribulations with his enemies, the community and his wingman, Natt the Hat are both comedic and suspenseful. Additionally, the story is well-written and illustrated perfectly. Therefore, I think the Hitman series is one of the best comics in the DC universe.

  1. Superman Smashes the Klan - 10 ★

Superman Smashes the Klan is a series based off of one of the plots in the 1940s radio show, The Adventures of Superman, in which a racist group, The Klan of the Fiery Cross, tries to make America “100% American.” In their eyes, immigrants and their descendants arenʼt truly American. The klanʼs violent and unethical actions quickly capture Supermanʼs attention. It quickly becomes clear that it’s up to Superman and his newfound friends to put an end to the evil group.
The storyline and art in Superman Smashes the Klan is out of this world. It also introduces several new characters that improve the story significantly. However, none of that is what truly makes the series so amazing. Superman Smashes the Klan addresses real, important problems that are going on right now. They talk about racial injustice, exclusion, and discrimination. All of these hate crimes are still being committed today, and this story shows just how awful and unfair it is to judge people by their looks, beliefs and ethnicity. Between the importance of the story and the excellent writing and art, Superman Smashes the Klan easily takes the spot as the best DC comic series that Iʼve ever read and might even be the best DC comic series to ever be made.

My Top 10 (Now)
  1. Batwing - 8 ★

Batwing is an amazing story with great art and a great storyline. The description and colors keeps the readers engaged in the story and always wanting more. However, in the middle of the series, the authors abruptly change the identity of Batwing from David Zavimbe to Luke Fox. The switch is fairly confusing and doesnʼt make much sense. Additionally, after the switch, David Zavimbe is never seen or heard of again in the comics, essentially making the first sixteen issues of the series irrelevant. That being said, Batwing is an extraordinary series that deserves the number ten spot on this list.

  1. Injustice: Gods Among Us - 8.25 ★

Injustice: Gods Among Us is an extraordinary series that shows the readers exactly what it’s like to be a normal person living amongst gods. It perfectly balances the brutal nature of superheroism and the horrifying thoughts and emotions that are present in battle. The conflict between the Insurgency and the Regime is portrayed perfectly, yet it still shows the emotions from the past relationships between the members of the Justice League. Because of the spectacular storyline, art, and the plot itself, Injustice: Gods Among Us deserves the number nine spot on this list.

  1. Sleeper: Season 1 - 8.5 ★

I loved the spy factor of the series. It was almost like a superhero-007 type thing. I loved the relationship between Holden and Miss Misery. The rivalry between Holden and Peter Grimm was perfect IMO. The internal struggle Holden faced was exquisite. Holden’s powers were so cool! However, the flashbacks felt unnecessary, and I really hated Veronica.

  1. Fables - 8.75 ★

I absolutely adored the modern take on fairy-tale characters. The relationships, rivalries, conflicts, and emotion in Fables is priceless. The villains were great, and the plot flowed perfectly.

  1. Impulse - 8.9 ★

I loved this. Bart has been and always will be my favorite speedster. His humor is almost identical to mine and seeing him mature was so much fun. I loved the emotional scenes between Bart and Max, and Bart and Carol. This would’ve been a lot higher if it wasn’t for Bart’s mom, and the fact that Preston and Rolly took up way too much space in the comics for side characters. I also didn’t love the ending.

  1. Hourman (1999) - 9 ★

Matthew Tyler has become my favorite Hourman. I loved how OP he was in this series. The humor, emotion, and realism of finding yourself made me fall in love with this series. I would’ve put it higher, but the ending wasn’t good IMO.

  1. Sideways - 9.3 ★

It was a very fun, lighthearted series that I binge-read in like 2 days. I loved the humor, emotion, and relatability in it.

  1. Just Imagine - 9.5 ★

Ok, ok. I know this is a storyline, technically, but it’s too good to ignore! Stan Lee’s only DC storyline is extraordinary. It brings back a feeling of inspiration and hope that superheroes were created to spread. We got to see actual civilians’ reactions, including a cop and random people on the streets. We saw new versions of some of DC’s most iconic characters. Basically, it’s a masterpiece in itself.

  1. Hitman - 9.7 ★

Tommy Monaghan, a hitman in Gotham City, is put into several life-threatening situations on a regular basis. He has to kill several different entities - like demons, aliens, and superhumans - either to receive money to make a living or to save himself and his friends.

The Hitman series is remarkable and deserves at least 9 out of 10 stars. The characters, cameos and action throughout the series keeps the reader excited and wanting more. Tommy’s trials and tribulations with his enemies, the community and his wingman, Natt the Hat are both comedic and suspenseful. Additionally, the story is well-written and illustrated perfectly. Therefore, I think the Hitman series is one of the best comics in the DC universe.

  1. Superman Smashes the Klan - 10 ★

Superman Smashes the Klan is a series based off of one of the plots in the 1940s radio show, The Adventures of Superman, in which a racist group, The Klan of the Fiery Cross, tries to make America “100% American.” In their eyes, immigrants and their descendants arenʼt truly American. The klanʼs violent and unethical actions quickly capture Supermanʼs attention. It quickly becomes clear that it’s up to Superman and his newfound friends to put an end to the evil group.
The storyline and art in Superman Smashes the Klan is out of this world. It also introduces several new characters that improve the story significantly. However, none of that is what truly makes the series so amazing. Superman Smashes the Klan addresses real, important problems that are going on right now. They talk about racial injustice, exclusion, and discrimination. All of these hate crimes are still being committed today, and this story shows just how awful and unfair it is to judge people by their looks, beliefs and ethnicity. Between the importance of the story and the excellent writing and art, Superman Smashes the Klan easily takes the spot as the best DC comic series that Iʼve ever read and might even be the best DC comic series to ever be made.

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Interesting picks! Hitman and Impulse are good shouts!

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Thanks @TheCosmicMoth!

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Everyone’s picks are amazing! I’m so glad to see everyone so passionate about their favorites!

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I didn’t realize you also asked about ratings. Everything on my list is a 10/10, except for Kingdom Come which is a 12/10 and Jack Kirby’s Fourth World and Kamandi which are both 9/10s. (The reason the two 9/10s are higher than a couple of 10/10s is that they both are large runs that are going to have a few issues that aren’t as amazing as others, yet the two runs also consistently supply excellent stuff.)

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Great question, @Jurisdiction! And although I believe we’ve had multiple threads dedicated to this very topic, it sucks me in every time. It’s fun to reassess which are your actual favorites versus which were fleeting interests and check out other DCUer’s favorites too!

My Top 10 Favorite DC Comics Series:
*all linked to read here on the DCU (if available)

:00_dc_1940: Batman and Robin (The New 52) :hearts:

:00_dc_1940: Deathstroke: The Terminator

:00_dc_1940: Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth
*I didn’t realize until after I wrote my list that there were so many other Kamandi lovers out there! It was so rare to one comic store owner that when I asked him if he had any Kamandi issues in stock, he came out from behind the counter and hugged me!

:00_dc_1940: Batman: The Many Deaths of The Batman (#434 - #437)
*An unsung hero, the first issue has literally not a single line of dialogue and is expertly illustrated!

:00_dc_1940: Damian: Son of Batman

:00_dc_1940: Batman: The Cult

:00_dc_1940: Batman: The Dark Prince Charming

:00_dc_1940: Batman: Nightwalker
*An unforgettable story of a young Bruce Wayne, this YA graphic novel contains lots of fun Easter Eggs and impeccable art.

:00_dc_1940: Future State: Dark Detective
*A mini-series that ended way too soon! I was so eager to see how Batman was planning to get out of the unique circumstances in future Gotham!

:00_dc_1940: Batman: One Dark Knight
*I have this hardback on pre-order but it has already made a big impression!

:00_dc_1940: Batman (The New 52)

My qualifiers are:

  • I remember the details intimately (in spite of reading tons of other comics)

  • The story touched me in some way

  • I could snap my fingers and be happily back in that world again

  • I own it (a.k.a. I couldn’t live without it in my collection, where I can revisit any time!)

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My top 10 lists for anything are always in flux, so offhand, I’d say these are my top 10 favorites ATM:

  1. Superman/Batman
  2. Divine Right: The Adventures of Max Faraday
  3. The Adventures of Superman
  4. New Gods v1
  5. The Authority v1
  6. Planetary
  7. Crisis on Infinite Earths
  8. Teen Titans (2003)
  9. Robin v1
  10. The Untold Legend of The Batman
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This is an incredibly tough question, and my answers may change tomorrow, but this is how I feel today.

  1. The Sandman (1988)
  2. The Question (1986)
  3. Watchmen
  4. Saga of the Swamp Thing
  5. Planetary
  6. 52
  7. DC: The New Frontier
  8. Jonah Hex (2006)
  9. Superman Smashes the Klan
  10. Blue Beetle (2006)
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I know I’ve done this elsewhere, this is the current list. Got some recent additions.

  1. Watchmen
  2. The Authority
  3. Dark Knight Returns
  4. Preacher
  5. Point Blank
  6. Planetary
  7. Identity Crisis
  8. Fables
  9. Global Frequency
  10. Wildstorm: World’s End
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I dig all of Kirby’s 70s work in general

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  1. Kingdom Come
  2. Mort Weisinger Era Superman
  3. DC: New Frontier
  4. Watchmen
  5. Golden Age
  6. Waid’s Flash
  7. JLA by Fox, Englehart, Morrison or Waid
  8. Englehart/ Rogers Detective Comics and Dark Detective
  9. All-Star Superman
  10. Millar’s Superman Adventures
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I’m counting Vertigo as DC too, because technically it kind of is…

  1. THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE

  2. PRINCE OF CATS – It was originally at Vertigo, but the writer and artist, Ronald Wimberly, took it to Image Comics.

  3. THE NEXT BATMAN: SECOND SON – I make allowances for what I thought was less than stellar art because it was a weekly digital series, but storywise, this is among my favorite DC series ever. I thought it was near perfect from start to finish.

  4. BATMAN: THE IMPOSTER – it’s the perfect Batman comic to me.

  5. LUNA PARK

  6. THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE

  7. GCPD: THE BLUE WALL – It’s like GOTHAM CENTRAL, only better.

  8. THE RIDDLER: YEAR ONE – I really liked The Batman, and this is a direct tie-in to it; and a tie-in that’s actually very good.

  9. DETECTIVE COMICS – The Ram V and Rafael Albuquerque run.

  10. GOTHAM CENTRAL

EDIT:

Oh, and I’d rate these all a 10 out of 10. :smiling_face:

Also, I’m constantly updating my list because there’s so much new stuff coming out that like.

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