DC Comics has populated their universe with dozens upon dozens of detectives. It makes sense. After all, DC stands for Detective Comics, the comic series that put them on the map. They got started making noir stories, and never really let go of their mystery focused origins. A good mystery and the efforts to solve it remain at the heart of much of what DC publishes.
They’ve created some of the greatest detectives ever put to fiction, and it’s finally time to lay down who’s the best of the best. From magic-users to the World’s Greatest Detective himself, DC has no shortage of excellent detectives populating the universe. It’s bad for bad guys, but great for readers. So with that, let’s dive into who the top ten best detectives in all of DC are. You might just be surprised who comes out top…
10. John Constantine
DC’s Hellblazer certainly looks the part of the classic detective, with the dusty trenchcoat and a cigarette sticking out of his mouth. Although I wouldn’t necessarily call John to solve a normal murder case, his detective skills related to the occult are unmatched. He has more knowledge about dark magic than just about anyone, and always knows how to anticipate the worst parts of the human soul. John earns tenth place on this list because his skills are definitely undeniable, and while he’s one of the first choices for magic-related crimes, the others on this list all stand a head above him and everyone else in the real world in terms of skill.
9. Hawkman
Most people know Hawkman best for his innumerable lives and willingness to bludgeon his enemies until they’re a part of the environment. However, what many people don’t often give the bird-themed hero credit for is his analytical mind and literal centuries of experience. Even before he reawakened the memories of his past, Carter Hall was a world renowned archeologist who managed to track down artifacts no one else was even willing to believe existed. He has lived hundreds of lives, and in almost every one he’s served as some kind of hero that solved crimes in some capacity. This experience on top of his great skills are not to be underestimated, so he more than earns his spot on this list.
8. The Flash
Specifically the speedster detective here is Barry Allen. Even before he was struck by the lightning that granted him his powers, Barry was an accomplished forensic scientist for the Central City police. His deductive skills only got exponentially better when he gained the ability to think faster than light. Barry can see the world in an entirely unique way, even from other speedsters, because he is constantly breaking down everything he sees into evidence. Barry always tries to make things make sense, and is first and foremost a scientist who has questions he needs answered. He’s repeatedly teamed up with other detective heroes when the time calls for a special perspective, but everyone else on this list might just be able to solve crimes a little faster than one of the fastest men alive.
7. Slam Bradley
Slam Bradley is perhaps the definitive detective of the DC Universe. He made his first appearance in the very first issue of Detective Comics, and was a longtime staple before Batman overtook the title. Slam is the only one on this list that is well and truly a normal person, with no superhero abilities or origins at all. He is a normal detective, and yet he is still able to stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best otherworldly detectives in the multiverse. Slam has teamed up with Batman plenty of times over the years, with most of Slam’s modern day origins painting him as a former Gotham City police officer, and showed his great skill in Detective Comics #1000, where it was revealed that Slam and many of the others on this list are a part of a secret Guild of the greatest detectives of all. The only way to join is to follow the seemingly impossible clues all the way to its headquarters, and Slam was the only non-hero there. I think that speaks for itself.
6. Martian Manhunter
J’onn J’onzz has been a detective ever since he was accidentally shunted to earth as a result of a would-be teleportation device. He quickly blended into his new life, taking on the guise of a detective and solving all manner of crimes from the mundane, to supernatural, to the extraterrestrial. He lets people know what he’s here to do from the start, since manhunter is an old-timey phrase to mean detective. Beyond working with the Justice League and solving crimes as secret identity John Jones, the Manhunter has dozens of other identities all over the world, all of which share his fascination with solving crime. Martian Manhunter’s telepathy gives him a definite edge in uncovering secrets, but trust me, his skills are the real deal with or without powers.
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5. Elongated Man
With the last five on this list, we enter the real cream of the crop in terms of skills, talent, and ability. Ralph Dibny first appeared as a side character for the Flash, but staked his claim as a fantastic detective when he helped the Scarlet Speedster with crimes even he couldn’t solve on his own. Elongated Man may be best known for being a discount Plastic Man, but he deserves way more respect. He’s compared to the Dark Knight in terms of skill in just about every appearance he makes, and has one distinct advantage over everyone else here. Due to the strange nature of his powers enhancing his senses, Ralph can quite literally smell when things aren’t what they should be. The man can sniff out clues like a bloodhound, both figuratively and literally.
4. The Question
The Question is an identity shared between Vic Sage and Renee Montoya, and honestly both deserve this spot on the list. It’s cheating a little bit, but it’s impossible to pick one over the other, so just imagine the one you like better. Both have the credentials to show exactly how good at detective work they are. In Batman: Urban Legends #14, Vic asked for Batman’s assistance in investigating a case centered around Wayne Enterprises, only for it to be revealed that Vic had deduced Bruce Wayne was Batman, and involved him in the case in order to prove it. Renee showed her skills best in the “Gotham Nocturne” storyline, uncovering evidence to incriminate the villains of the story that thought they had long buried anything that could possibly come back to bite them. The Question is one of the most determined characters when a mystery is presented, stopping at nothing to uncover the truth when it’s being teased by clues. If you can’t call Batman, the Question is definitely one of the best other options.
3. Tim Drake
Tim is often regarded as the smartest of all of Batman’s sidekicks. The Robins all have their distinct niches, with Nightwing being the leader who is trusted most, Red Hood being the angry rebellious one, and so on. Tim’s is being the best detective out of any of them, and it’s not even close, which is an insane thing to say when the Bat Family is his competition. He managed to deduce Batman and Robin’s secret identities when he was just a little kid after he witnessed Dick Grayson perform a near-impossible flip, and managed to follow the Dynamic Duo around and secretly snap pictures for evidence without ever even being suspected. During the time when Bruce was thought to be dead following the events of Final Crisis, Tim’s Red Robin solo book even referred to him as “currently the World’s Greatest Detective,” showing how he had filled Batman’s role in his absence. Batman himself states that Tim will one day become the best detective alive, but I don’t think he’s quite reached his full potential yet. He will definitely be the best someday, but I still think the others on this list just beat him out in experience.
2. Batman
Yes, I know. One of Batman’s many epithets is the World’s Greatest Detective, and I’ve measured most of the other entries on this list in their relation to him to justify their placements. Batman has solved more crimes than anyone else here, and likely more than a lot of the other entries combined. He’s solved seemingly impossible crimes, and is always the first person someone in the DC Universe calls when they need help solving a mystery.
When there was a murder on Mount Olympus that the gods couldn’t solve, Wonder Woman called Batman. When there were multiple unrelated Holiday Killers in Batman: The Long Halloween and its sequels, Batman eventually uncovered them all. Batman is the literal lead in Detective Comics, which I think speaks for itself. There is no mystery that the Dark Knight can’t solve, period. However, even with all that said, I’m only giving him second place. Honestly, I even think that might be contentious, and he could switch places with anyone in the five through two slots on this list. Batman isn’t dangerous because he’s the best at any one thing, but because he’s in the top five best at just about everything. But even giving Bruce the benefit of the doubt, I still think on his best day there’s one person who stands above as the definitive best detective in the DC Universe.
1. Detective Chimp
Detective Chimp, Bobo T. Chimpanzee, is the best detective in the DC Universe, and I can prove it. Time and again, Bobo is called when crap has hit the fans and a mystery needs to be solved. When Wonder Woman needed someone to find evidence to convict the secret King of America the Sovereign, she called the Chimp. In the Injustice: Gods Among Us comics when John Constantine said he needed to recruit the world’s greatest detective, he went to the Chimp. When Batman is stumped on a case in Detective Comics #845, who does he reach out to for help? The Chimp. But beyond all of these feats and showcases of his skills, I know Detective Chimp is the best detective in DC because DC has said so themselves. When DC released The Detective Chimp Casebook in 2023, a collection of his best Silver Age stories, they specifically called Detective Chimp the DC Universe’s greatest detective! That, my dear readers, says all it needs to.
So there we have it, the top ten best detectives in the DC Universe. Now, I won’t pretend that this list is perfect, so if you think I left off someone important or the positions need to be shuffled around, let us know in the comments below! Either way, one thing we can all agree on is that DC is filled to the brim with incredible detectives, and watching them solve a good mystery is one of the absolute best things to read about.
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