The ’00s were an amazing time for DC fans. DC Comics had weathered the ’90s quite well, as the publisher concentrated more on writing great stories than gimmick covers and A-list artists (there was some of that, but there was also a lot of just plain old good comics). The ’00s saw DC in their best position in ages; the publisher had amazing writers and artists who all loved DC Comics, and that led to some brilliant stories. These creators went out of their way to recreate the DC Multiverse of old, and while an argument can be made that they bungled the whole thing badly, driving away readers by taking away the post-Crisis ideas that they loved the most, which led to the New 52, there are some brilliant DC Comics from this decade.
The ’00s were the last time until recently that DC had a chance to dethrone Marvel. ’00s Marvel gets a lot of love, but a lot of people forget that DC was matching them blow for blow, giving readers some amazing stories that would definitely age very well. It’s honestly kind of hard to narrow down what the best stories of the decade are — it’s one of my favorite eras of DC and I love all of it, even the bad stuff. This list isn’t going to include any Vertigo books, that will be a separate list at some point, just mainline DC stuff. These 10 ’00s DC stories are the best of the best, brilliant comics that will make anyone love DC.
10) Wonder Woman (Vol. 2) #195-226
There are a lot of great runs of Wonder Woman in the ’00s (you should also read Phil Jimenez’s run, and basically all of Wonder Woman (Vol. 3), which includes runs by Allan Heisenberg, Jodi Picoult, and Gail Simone), but the one that everyone thinks of as the best is Greg Rucka’s run, with J.G. Jones covers, and regular artists Drew Johnson, Shane Davis, and Rags Morales. This series is amazing, as Rucka makes Wonder Woman into an ambassador for Themyscira, has her write a book, and pits her against numerous threats. I could tell you to read one story, but Rucka’s run is the kind of run where you will want to keep reading to see how it all shakes out. Rucka creates a great supporting cast for Wonder Woman, and works a lot with the idea of Wonder Woman as a warrior for peace. This is peak Wonder Woman, and it deserves its flowers as one of the best DC comics of all time.
9) DC Universe: Last Will and Testament #1
Brad Meltzer is one of the best DC writers of the ’00s. Now, a lot of people will hate on the novelist for Identity Crisis, and that’s vaild, but all of his other works at DC are amazing (I would also recommend his run on Justice League of America and the Green Arrow story “The Archer’s Quest.”) DC Universe: Last Will and Testament #1 is a one-shot tie-in to Final Crisis. With the world ending again, Geo-Force decides to go after the man who destroyed his sister Terra — Deathstroke. He asks Black Lightning for help and advice, and what follows is a meditation on pain and vengeance. This story is amazing, but not very well known, and it definitely deserves its place among the best DC stories ever. A major factor in why the book is so good is the fact that artist Adam Kubert was inked by his father, DC legend Joe Kubert, giving readers some sensational imagery. This is an amazing little comic, one that will have you reaching for the tissues by the end. It’s usually collected in the bigger, more expensive Final Crisis collections, but you should definitely hunt down a copy of the original issue.
8) “Blitz”
Geoff Johns had several high profile runs on multiple DC books in the ’00s, but The Flash was one of the books that helped him come to prominence. Johns just got Wally West and reinvigorated the Rogues for the 21st century. You should definitely read Johns’s entire run on The Flash, but if you want a snapshot of what made it so amazing, the best place to “Blitz.” “Blitz” ran through The Flash (Vol. 2) #197-200 and introduced readers to Wally’s version of the Reverse Flash, Zoom. Zoom is faster than Wally, because his powers are time based and not Speed Force based, and Wally has to dig deep in order to defeat this powerful new foe. This story is everything great about Johns’s Flash run boiled down — a great hero facing off against his most powerful foe, having to battle his own fear. This is peak Flash, and the art by Scott Kolins really capture the kinetic nature of the Flash, giving readers an amazing story that will grab you and never let go.
7) “Last Son of Krypton”
There are some amazing Superman stories from the ’00s. DC put some great creators on Superman’s books, and we got a lot of best of all time Superman stories. One of the best runs from this era was Geoff Johns’s Action Comics, and yes, you should definitely read the whole run. However, the best story in this run is the one that kicked it off — “Last Son,” by Johns, Superman: The Movie director Richard Donner, and Adam Kubert. When a mysterious young Kryptonian boy crash lands on Earth, Superman steps up to raise him, while dealing with attacks from Lex Luthor and Bizarro. However, it was all a ruse, as the child was only sent to Earth to allow General Zod, Ursa, and Non to break out of the Phantom Zone. What follows is the best Superman vs. Zod story ever. Johns, Donner, and Kubert are a perfect team on the Man of Steel, giving readers a story that’s familiar, but unique. A highlight of the story is Kubert’s art. He really pulled out all of the stops for this story (it was heavily delayed when it was being published because of Kubert taking his time to get the art right), and you will marvel at nearly every panel of the book. This is pitch perfect Superman.
6) JSA/Justice Society of America
JSA/Justice Society of America are the best team books ever, and that’s why I’m including both of them in their entirety. JSA began in 1999, but most of its run took place in the ’00s. JSA/Justice Society of America was written Geoff Johns, David S. Goyer, and James Robinson, with many, many artists, like Stephen Sadowski, Leonard Kirk, Rags Morales, Dale Eaglesham, and Don Kramer. These two series focus on the Justice Society, and are full of brilliant characterization and excellent action. These two series are completely and totally amazing, and they are two books that will draw readers in and never let them go. These series’ helped make a generation of DC fans into lovers of the JSA, and there aren’t enough good things in the world to say about it.
5) 52
52 was a massive accomplishment, a weekly series that told the story of the year after Infinite Crisis. The book was masterminded by writers Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, and Greg Rucka, with Keith Giffen handling layouts and a veritable army of artists keeping the book on the schedule. 52 followed Booster Gold, the Question, Renee Montoya, Animal Man, Starfire, Black Adam, Steel, Ralph Dibny, Will Magnus, Lobo, and many more as they deal with a threat that threatens to swallow the Earth. 52 is amazing from start to finish, a multi-layered story that takes readers all over the place before giving them an ending that pays off all of the book’s many, many plotlines. 52 is basically perfect DC, giving readers the kind of story you can only get the publisher.
4) New Frontier
New Frontier, by writer/artist Darwyn Cooke, is an amazing book, a book that shows everyone what creators could do with the ideas and characters of DC’s Silver Age. New Frontier shows readers the dawning of the superhero community, and stars all of DC’s greatest characters — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, and many more. As these heroes get their bearings in the new post-WWII world, a threat approaches that promises to destroy everything they’re working to build. New Frontier is a masterpiece, from start to finish. It’s a new look at one of the most important periods in superhero history, taking the cheesiness of Silver Age DC and injecting it with a modern sensibility. New Frontier is the kind of book that can make anyone a DC fan, and if you haven’t read it, you need to get on that stat.
3) Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a sensational comic. The epic story by Geoff Johns, Phil Jimenez, George Perez, Jerry Ordway, and Ivan Reis is a perfect DC story, as the fractured heroes of the Earth have to deal with the Society, the villains of DC working together, and two manipulators behind the scene, working to build the perfect Earth at any cost. Meant to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis was meticulously built over the span of years, creating a story that delivers in every way imaginable. Infinite Crisis brought back the best ideas of Silver/Bronze Age DC, and there are some amazing moments in this book that you’ll never forget. It reinvigorated DC after the successes of the early ’00s, and even though DC fumbled the ball with the DC Multiverse that Infinite Crisis built, it’s still a brilliant comic and perfect superhero epic.
2) Final Crisis
Final Crisis is the quintessential superhero epic. This is writer Grant Morrison’s superhero magnum opus, as the scribe gives readers the perfect ending for the DC Multiverse. While DC obviously went on after this story, this is the ultimate superhero story. Morrison, working with artists J.G. Jones and Doug Mahnke, gave readers the best Darkseid story since Jack Kirby, as the God of Evil enacts a plan that will allow him to use the Anti-Life Equation to conquer all of creation. Final Crisis is a very complicated story, and there are plenty of fans who can’t really get their head around it. However, it’s a layered masterpiece of storytelling, with twists and turns that will blow your mind. The book also has a meta aspect to it, as Morrison had a lot to say about the relationship between editors and creators. It’s a story that works on multiple levels, showing why DC has the greatest superheroes of all time.
1) All-Star Superman
All-Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, is considered by some to be the greatest superhero comic of all time. It’s earned that appellation, as this Superman epic finds a way to tell a truly timeless Superman story, one that basically takes ideas from every era of the character. We all know the story of All-Star Superman by now, as Superman faces his mortality for the first time because of a plan by Lex Luthor, as the Man of Steel does everything he can to put his affairs in order and leave the world a better place than when he found it. What follows is a story that is nothing less than perfect. This is superheroes done right, with Morrison finding the essence of Superman and presenting it to readers. Quitely’s art is amazing. A lot of people don’t like his style, but look at his character acting, the body language, and the perfect visual storytelling of every page of this book. All-Star Superman is a masterwork, and nothing else has matched it since.
What are your favorite DC comics of the ’00s? Sound off in the comments below.
The post 10 Best DC Stories of the 00s appeared first on ComicBook.com.
