TOP TEN DC SUPER HEROES
In light of the new DC Comics film SUICIDE SQUAD coming out in theaters this week, I thought we'd take a look at my personal favorite DC super heroes!
DISCLAIMER:
This is a list of my personal favorites and it may be a little odd by traditional DC top ten lists. As many of you may know the bulk of my comic book expertise lies with MARVEL COMICS (and even within Marvel my expertise is pretty specific). But you don't get into comic books without sampling a little bit of everything. Still, my amount of DC knowledge is quite small compared to my Marvel acumen.
So, without further adieu...
#11
THE DEMON
As always here is the bonus eleventh place! My love of this character has come relatively recently and I'll admit I haven't read much. But what I have read has been great. Etrigan the Demon possesses many elements that call to me similarly to my Marvel favorites like Ghost Rider and Hulk. Etrigan is a monstrous demon sharing a dual existence with the human Jason Blood. Jason transforms into Etrigan to fight the forces of darkness. To anybody who knows me, this is my type of character.
I was first introduced to Etrigan in an episode of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and more recently when the character guest starred in a few issues of GREEN ARROW by Kevin Smith and Phil Hester. Ever since I first saw Etrigan I had made a mental note about him. While reading Green Arrow I found myself wanting to follow Etrigan instead of Green Arrow. Needless to say, given the opportunity I'll be digging more into Etrigan's story in the near future.
#10
DEATHSTROKE
I first noticed the character on the TEEN TITANS cartoon of all places. He was a villain in that show and one helluva character. Whenever he shows up in the comics too is always a treat and makes for an exciting read. His character design is wicked cool too.
#9
JONAH HEX
Let's keep going with the anti-hero types, shall we? Perhaps the only western hero of any relevance today, Jonah Hex embodies everything I love about western movies and gunslingers. He has the temperament of the nameless spaghetti western protagonists with a little bit of Twilight Zone weird and supernatural thrown into the mix. Seriously, what's not to like? Hex is a unique combination of elements that work for me.
I was first introduced to Jonah Hex in a few episodes of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and then I was fortunate enough to read some of his comic books like TWO GUN MOJO. He really is an awesome character the likes of which few represent today. I was one of the few who went to the movie opening night. That film is an unfortunate mess, unfortunate because it has so many elements that should've made it great (Josh Brolin being the biggest). Regardless of the film disappointments, I still enjoy this character.
#8
HARLEY QUINN
As you may have guessed, much of my initial education of the world of DC comics originated with DC television shows like BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and here's another one. Introduced in the classic cartoon originally as a sidekick and sometimes a foil to the Joker, Harley Quinn has since become a popular character in her own right. Watching the animated series I always had the feeling that she wasn't totally bad but that she just fell in love with the wrong guy.
It wasn't until reading the DC New 52 SUICIDE SQUAD book by Adam Glass that she really jumped out at me and came to life. That was also when I started seeing her as an anti-hero and not a villain sidekick. And also that she could star in and carry a whole story all by herself. I really do enjoy DC's anti-hero characters (obviously) and Harley is easily my favorite of that group.
#7
GREEN LANTERN
To be totally honest, I never thought much about Green Lantern. I didn't dislike him but I just didn't know or care to know much about him... except in jokes about the color yellow. It wasn't until my buddy Chad started reading Green Lantern books heavily and praising them highly that I started taking notice. So I started reading a few and boy am I glad I did.
My love for this character comes solely from the writings of Geoff Johns and the epic stories building up to and through the event called BLACKEST NIGHT. Easily the best DC universal event story I've ever read and Hal Jordan is leading the charge. I can't speak highly enough about Blackest Night and it is the reason Hal makes this list. That and I like the color green.
#6
STARFIRE
Of all the characters in the DC universe the Teen Titans or simply the Titans are perhaps my favorite ensemble. Kori a.k.a. Starfire is a warrior to be reckoned with. She can fly, has super strength, invulnerability, and can shoot energy blasts from her hands. Of all the members of the Titans she's the power hitter on the team. She also has a sort of "fish out of water" personality which makes her unique and fun to read.
I first was introduced to Starfire on the Teen Titans cartoon in which I thought she was a fun character. Then reading Teen Titans by Geoff Johns and later on in Titans and Red Hood & the Outlaws she became a character I looked forward to reading with each subsequent issue. She's such a powerful character though that sometimes she seems wasted on Earth. I'd love to see her in an outer space epic Guardians of the Galaxy style.
#5
SWAMP THING
I am a fan of monsters (shocker, I know). I love a good anti-hero (as evidenced above). Monsters make some of the best anti-heroes and Swamp Thing is one of the best of both. I first encountered Swamp Thing like many of the others, not through comic books but through the old live action television show starring Dick Durock and then I was one of the few who watched the animated series.
Sadly I haven't read much of his comic books. The comic book I did read that blew my mind and secured him a position on this list was the Swamp Thing title that began with the New 52 written by Scott Snyder with amazing art by Yanick Paquette. That story arc was one of the best DC stories I've read and revitalized the character in my eyes. I still like the old television show too.
#4
SUPERBOY
Of all the "Supers" in the family none have endeared to me more than Conner Kent a.k.a. Superboy. Again, it was Geoff Johns' Teen Titans where I really came to know this character. My buddy, Chris, spoke so highly of Conner that he bought me my very first issue of Teen Titans to show me how great Conner was. Issue 26 from September 2005. And you know what? Chris was absolutely right. Conner is awesome.
A clone made from the DNA of Superman and Lex Luthor, Conner lived his life asking himself, "What would Superman do?" Little did Conner know that when he was created in Project Cadmus that Lex Luthor implanted a mental suggestion trigger. When a particular phrase was said to him Conner would enter a robotic state in which anyone and anything in his path would be destroyed. Interesting, no?
Those issues of Teen Titans written by Geoff Johns are fantastic. Conner's depiction in the animated series YOUNG JUSTICE is amazing too.
#3
NIGHTWING
I never cared much for him as Robin, but when Dick Grayson became Nightwing and a hero in his own right was when I really started taking notice. Protector of the city of Bludhaven and leader of the Teen Titans, Nightwing is a better acrobat and martial artist than his mentor. When Batman died there was no better choice than Nightwing to don the cape and cowl.
After the BATMAN R.I.P. story arc Nightwing took over as Batman in some of my favorite stories featuring the character. Of course there were the various Titans books he was involved in which were fun. My favorite depictions of him as Robin are without question from the original Teen Titans cartoon and Young Justice animated series.
Nightwing is more than just a sidekick/Batman-lite.
#2
RAVEN
Of all the Titans my absolute favorite is Raven. Daughter to a human mother and a nigh omnipotent demon named Trigon, Raven is a character constantly at war with herself. Possessing vast demonic powers and a destiny to bring about the end of the world, Raven was raised in an alternate dimension called Azarath where she was taught to control her powers and resist her demonic impulses.
By now it's obvious, I like characters with a hint of darkness. Raven's demonic heritage provides plenty of fodder for interesting stories and is what makes her a compelling character. Resisting her darkside while at the same time using its power to help fight evil is a character trait I find incredibly interesting.
I first came to know the character through (you guessed it) the original Teen Titans cartoon. Her characterization in that show is what made me a fan of hers. She has a three part story where she confronts her father, Trigon, which is my favorite arc in the show. I don't like seeing her go evil but watching her come close and resisting always makes for an exciting story.
By now it's obvious, I like characters with a hint of darkness. Raven's demonic heritage provides plenty of fodder for interesting stories and is what makes her a compelling character. Resisting her darkside while at the same time using its power to help fight evil is a character trait I find incredibly interesting.
I first came to know the character through (you guessed it) the original Teen Titans cartoon. Her characterization in that show is what made me a fan of hers. She has a three part story where she confronts her father, Trigon, which is my favorite arc in the show. I don't like seeing her go evil but watching her come close and resisting always makes for an exciting story.
#1
BATMAN
Who else would it be?
No explanation needed either.
Batman is awesome. It helps that DC always gives him some of the best writers and artists in the business. Any other character out there (Marvel and DC alike) is hit or miss with the creative talents. But Batman is the most consistently awesome character that I've read.
There you have it, folks! The most off-beat DC Top Ten List ever! No lie, these are the ten (eleven) DC heroes I find the most compelling and fascinating.
Hope you enjoyed the list!
Please list your own top ten DC super heroes in the comments below!
And for more Top Ten Lists check out the lists below!
This is a wonderful list. Having Superboy on it just warms my heart.
ReplyDeleteThank you! You helped shape this list in many ways, my good friend.
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