Summary
The 1990s are known for many things when it comes to comics, from edgy stories to shocking events, butDC Comicsmanaged to maintain great consistency throughout the years. These years do contain some of the more absurd series and concepts, but also delivered character-defining moments and epic events. Although the decade hasn’t been remembered well by many readers, others point to it for housing some of the best.
Although DC had a number of great parallel imprints housing fantastic stories, such asSandmanandPreacher, those stand out independently of the core universe. For those stories centered around the core heroes and villains of the DCU, they helped the ’90s stand out for the company – even if the decade wasn’t kind to other publishers. From Elseworlds tales to action-packed events, this era of DC continues to be underrated.
10Knightfall
Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Alan Grant, Graham Nolan, Jim Aparo and Norm Breyfogle
InVengeance of Bane, DC introduced readers to the latest Batman villain, a prisoner given superhuman strength by a serum called venom. Driven by envy and resentment towards the Caped Crusader, who he deemed unworthy of his position, Bane set off for Gotham. In Knightfall, his plan comes to fruition when he stages a breakout of Arkham Asylum, forcing the city’s protector to exhaust himself by rounding them all up. With his strength fading, Bruce is powerless when Bane strikes, breaking his back.
“Knightfall” is a good representation of how the ’90s were a decade of change, defeat and renewal for many heroes, with Batman making his comeback in “Knightsend.“The original nineteen-issue event is a great tour of Gotham’s villains and a look at how far The Dark Knight will go to protect his city.
9The Return of the JSA
James Robinson, David S. Goyer, Stephen Sadowski and Michael Bair
Once DC’s sole superhero team during the Golden Age, the JSA were absent from the publisher’s main continuity for decades. That changed after Crisis On Infinite Earths (Marv Wolfman & George Perez). While the team had a couple of limited series in the aftermath of that event, it wasn’t until 1999 that they finally made their true comeback – and did so in spectacular fashion.
The first issues of the renewedJSAseries follows the reconstitution of the team, now composed of heroes both old and new. After the murder of Wesley Dodds Sandman, the heroes set out to discover what happened, fighting the Dark Lord Mordru along the way.As a reintroduction to a classic team for a new generation, the first five issues did an excellent job of setting up an element of mystery and Golden Age-inspired action.
Justice Society vs. the Legion: DC’s Future Is About to Change Forever with War Between 2 Iconic Teams
Two of DC’s biggest teams, the Justice Society and the Legion of Super-Heroes, are set to throwdown in a battle for the future of the DC Universe.
8Crisis Times Five
Grant Morrison, Howard Porter and John Dell
As the first major crossover between the JSA and JLA since the former’s return, Crisis Times Five doesn’t disappoint. The story follows the League as they’re caught up in a war with Fifth Dimensional Djinn, while also facing a coup attempt against the team by Triumph. With Spectre imprisoned, Shazam and Green Lantern trapped in the Fifth Dimension and the team in crisis, the story very nearly concluded with a total defeat.
“Crisis Times Five” is impressive for many reasons, but the balancing of several major plot threads all at once elevates it to one of its decade’s best JLA tales.Featuring a fun exploration of the politics of the Fifth Dimension, coupled with the League staving off a coup and an interdimensional war, the story is the perfect way of honoring the classic crossovers between the JLA and JSA.
7Power of Shazam!
Jerry Ordway
Following DC’s official acquisition of Shazam, Jerry Ordway started the hero out with a clean slate in1994’sPower of Shazam!. The graphic novel opens with the murder of Batson’s parents at the hands of Black Adam, later exploring how Billy first encountered the Wizard and gained his powers. After foiling a scheme hatched between Adam and Sivana, the hero battles his magical enemy in an epic brawl.
Power of Shazam!was designed to set up the ongoing series of the same name, and it excelled in that mission.Not only did the story forge a deeper, more dramatic rivalry between the Captain and Black Adam, it also gave the hero the mission of finding his sister and set up Sivana’s motivations against the hero.
6Batman/Hellboy/Starman
Mike Mignola and James Robinson
Batman has a long history of fun crossover stories, often capitalizing on successful properties and elevating others. In 1999, he teamed up with ’90s newcomers Hellboy and Jack Knight, the latest Starman. The story begins when Dark Horse’s demonic detective makes his way to Gotham, where he’s pursuing a band of supernatural Nazis. When they kidnap the original Starman, Ted Knight, Jack joins forces with the detectives to get him back.
Batman/Hellboy/Starmanblends standard super heroics with Lovecraftian terror, as the heroes discover the Nazis mean to summon an ancient, cosmic entity.At just two issues, the story is short and sweet, and does a good job of not letting Batman dominate the story, instead following the other heroes in the second issue. The story blends adventure, science fiction and cosmic horror to form a story perfect for the 1990s.
After 54 Years, DC Permanently Upgrades an Iconic Gotham Villain, Making Him Way More Dangerous
Batman has finally brought his terrifying ‘opposite’ Man-Bat to justice, but a new change in Kirk Langstrom hints at a dark future to come.
5Batman/Dracula: Red Rain
Doug Moench, Kelley Jones and Malcolm Jones III
Batman/Dracula: Red Raintakes place on an alternate Earth where, after discovering an infestation of murderous vampires preying on Gotham’s homeless,Batman reluctantly becomes one himself. Intent on using his supernatural strength to defeat the Prince of Darkness, the now-literal creature of the night is forced to control his thirst for blood long enough to beat his foe.
Batman’s fight with Dracula is, thematically speaking, as good as it gets, with two creatures of the night going toe-to-toe in a fight for blood.The first in an Elseworlds trilogy,Red Rainremains the best of the three stories, as it follows the Dark Knight in his psychological descent into bloodlust – one that leaves him unrecognizable.
4The Death of Superman
Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Brett Breeding, Karl Kesel, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Tom Grummett, Rick Burchett, Denis Rodier and Doug Hazlewood
One of the things the ’90s are most well-known for is the never-ending trope of killing off major heroes – and nowhere was this done better than the “Death of Superman” event. The story follows the arrival of the Kryptonian monster Doomsday to Earth, promptly tearing a path of devastation towards the Man of Steel, leaving innocent victims in his wake. When he finally arrives, it forces a lethal confrontation with the hero, who proves ultimately outmatched by the terror.
“The Death of Superman” and the stories encompassed within, such as “Return of Superman,” remains a key moment in Kal-El’s history.Not only did the story show how valiant the Man of Tomorrow can be in battle, it also explored how the city of Metropolis would respond to the loss of their protector, and what he means to them.Concluding with the team-up between a resurgent Superman and Steel, it features some of the best art of the decade.
3Rock of Ages
Grant Morrison and Howard Porter
“JLA: Rock of Ages” follows Wally West, Kyle Rayner and Aquaman as they’re led to a parallel timeline by Metron. The New God of Knowledge drops them in a world dominated by Darkseid, who has used the Anti-Life Equation to conquer Earth’s will. They meet up with dark, jaded Leaguers, who lead an underground resistance against the tyrant, and fight for freedom.
“Rock of Ages” was something of a glimpse into what would later becomeFinal Crisis(Grant Morrison & JG Jones), and follows the heroes as they navigate a hopeless dystopia.Despite appearances from Batman – masterfully disguised as Desaad – the story is a good look at the JLA members who often lose the spotlight to the Trinity.
Wonder Woman is Bringing The Most Underrated Justice League Team Back Together
Wonder Woman’s new team debuts just in time for the mayhem of DC’s blockbuster event, Absolute Power, but how will they fare without their powers?
2Batman: The Long Halloween
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’sBatman: the Long Halloweenfollows the Caped Crusader as he investigates a string of murders in Gotham. Each killing takes place on a public holiday, earning the serial killer the nickname of Holiday, as he targets people involved in the city’s organized crime. Working alongside Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent, the hero faces off with the mob, the serial killer and his classic rogues gallery.
The Long Halloween, despite being almost thirty years old, has remained one of the best detective-oriented Batman stories in the hero’s history.This is partially due to how it avoids the trope of having the killer revealed to be a recurring villain, instead developing a crime thriller story as the backdrop and motivator.
1Kingdom Come
Mark Waid & Alex Ross
Kingdom Cometakes place in a violent futureof the DCU, where a new generation of brash antiheroes run amok against increasingly extreme villains. When a confrontation between meta humans results in a catastrophic explosion, a retired Clark Kent steps back into his role as Superman. As the hero reconstitutes the Justice League, he gives other heroes an ultimatum: get on his side or face incarceration. As Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom plots, it builds to the ultimate civil war between the heroes – before Marvel got there.
Ultimately, Kingdom Come served as a rebuke of the grim and gritty nature of ’90s comics, pushing back against the idea that violent antiheroes were the future – or that Golden Age heroes were obsolete.In this sense, the series was a ringing success, and it heralded the end of the extreme nature of ’90s comics, leading DC into a brighter, more optimistic 21st century.
