The Big Five: DC Comics Recommendations

[Doctor Know]

If you could recommend only five runs for a character, which would you choose?

I was organizing my collection, and I had thought about which 5 runs of a character I would recommend to someone if they asked me. I was looking at my Wonder Woman titles and in two boxes I had Perez, Messner-Loebs, Jimenez, Rucka's first run, Simone, Azzerello and Rucka's second run for WW. Seven distinct runs, but if given the choice of only recommending 5, which would I choose?

Tougher question: For things like Teen Titans and Legion of Super-Heroes; could I recommend anything outside of New Teen Titans and Levitz's run on the Legion. Compared to filling out a list for Batman and Superman, that is easy-breezy compared to a lot of other long running DC titles.

Take some time and list your top 5 solo character and ensemble runs you feel present the best representation of the respective character.



Platinum Points to anyone who can list 5 Hawkman/Hawkgirl runs that are worthy and not a colossal waste of effort.

[Riv86672]

These are the DP runs I like the most in the order I like the most and would recommend…:

Doom Patrol (1989) 19-87 (Morrison/Pollack)

Doom Patrol (2009) #1-22 by (Keith Giffen)

Doom Patrol (1987) #1-18 (Paul Kupperberg)

Doom Patrol in My Greatest Adventure (1964) #80-121

Doom Patrol (2004) #1-18 (John Byrne)

[lalalei2001]

For Aquaman, i'd go his Adventure Comics run, his 1962 series, his 1986 series, his 1989 series, and his 1991 series.

[j9ac9k]

Personally, I think I'd be hard-pressed to think of more than a handful of characters that's had 5 truly exceptional runs. (I love Hal, but I don't think even he's had 5) A DC character is lucky to have 2, imo.

[Riv86672]

Personally, I think I'd be hard-pressed to think of more than a handful of characters that's had 5 truly exceptional runs. (I love Hal, but I don't think even he's had 5) A DC character is lucky to have 2, imo.

^^^I was thinking the same thing, really.

[Gaius]

Wonder Woman:

-Marston/Hummel
-Perez
-Rucka
-Simone
-Rucka 2.0

[Psy-lock]

Hawkman:

-Gardner Fox
-Tony Isabella
-Timothy Truman/John Ostrander
-Geoff Johns
-Robert Venditti

Wonder Woman:

-Marston/Hummel
-Perez
-Rucka
-Simone
-Rucka 2.0

Same

[Doctor Know]

Personally, I think I'd be hard-pressed to think of more than a handful of characters that's had 5 truly exceptional runs. (I love Hal, but I don't think even he's had 5) A DC character is lucky to have 2, imo.

^^^I was thinking the same thing, really.

I feel the same way. That's part of why I made this thread.

We could choose to lighten the load and just count Hal among the GL runs. He'd make up the bulk of recommendation, I think.

1. Geoff Johns 2005 Rebirth to Flashpoint 2011
2. Geoff Johns New 52 2011 - 2013
3. Ron Marz with Kyle Rayner 1994-2000
4.Peter Tomasi's Green Lantern Corps 2011-2013
5. Robert Venditti's Hal Jordan and the GL Corps 2016-2018. I feel this title was much better than Venditti's New 52/DCYou run, after Geoff Johns left. Hal is in the title, but John plays a big part and has lots of appearances.


If I were to look at the Flash. I don't think I could get 5 for just Barry or Wally.

1. Wally: Mark Waid Flash vol 2 #62-129 and #142-163.
2. Wally: Geoff Johns Flash vol 2 #164-225
3. Barry: Franics Manapul New 52 #1-25
4. Barry: Joshua Williamson Rebirth 2016-2020
5. ?

In the absence of a solid answer, I'd put the CW show in the #5 slot. However, if there is something else that is equally worthy. I'd be up for accepting it.

[Twice-named]

I feel the same way. That's part of why I made this thread.

We could choose to lighten the load and just count Hal among the GL runs. He'd make up the bulk of recommendation, I think.

1. Geoff Johns 2005 Rebirth to Flashpoint 2011
2. Geoff Johns New 52 2011 - 2013
3. Ron Marz with Kyle Rayner 1994-2000
4.Peter Tomasi's Green Lantern Corps 2011-2013
5. Robert Venditti's Hal Jordan and the GL Corps 2016-2018. I feel this title was much better than Venditti's New 52/DCYou run, after Geoff Johns left. Hal is in the title, but John plays a big part and has lots of appearances.


If I were to look at the Flash. I don't think I could get 5 for just Barry or Wally.

1. Wally: Mark Waid Flash vol 2 #62-129 and #142-163.
2. Wally: Geoff Johns Flash vol 2 #164-225
3. Barry: Franics Manapul New 52 #1-25
4. Barry: Joshua Williamson Rebirth 2016-2020
5. ?

In the absence of a solid answer, I'd put the CW show in the #5 slot. However, if there is something else that is equally worthy. I'd be up for accepting it.

What about Cary Bates for Barry and William Messner-Loebs for Wally?

[Mai Zen]

Idk if mini or team up could be called as it, but well:

Zatanna:
1. Zatanna 2010 series
2. Zatanna Come Together
3. Seven Soldiers: Zatanna
4 Justice League Dark Rebirth plus the Future State JLD
5. Zatanna Search and Justice League of America Vol. 1 from issue 161-257 (Well she not appeared on each issue but she got a character arc there), then Zatanna Special by Gray Morrow. DC could make an omnibus about Zatanna pre Crisis easily with her back up issues on Supergirl and World Finest

[Doctor Know]

What about Cary Bates for Barry and William Messner-Loebs for Wally?

I haven't read Messner-Loeb's run. I have his Flash omnibus that's releasing later year. I've heard good things.

For Cary Bates, I've only read his later stuff. When things started to get stale. Which happens to all long runs authors on a specific title. Grunewald on Captain America, Wolfman on New Teen Titans, Slott on Spider-Man, Bendis on Avengers etc.

However, I'm open to exploring his run for the top 5 spot. Anyone who vouches for it, I'll trust their judgement.

Idk if mini or team up could be called as it, but well:

Zatanna:
1. Zatanna 2010 series
2. Zatanna Come Together
3. Seven Soldiers: Zatanna
4 Justice League Dark Rebirth plus the Future State JLD
5. Zatanna Search and Justice League of America Vol. 1 from issue 161-257 (Well she not appeared on each issue but she got a character arc there), then Zatanna Special by Gray Morrow. DC could make an omnibus about Zatanna pre Crisis easily with her back up issues on Supergirl and World Finest

That's a good list. Add up minis to get to solid picture of the character.
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Big Five Justice League:
1. Justice League of America - Gerry Conway (The Satellite Years)

2. Justice League International - DeMatteis and Giffen

3. JLA - Morrison #1-41 + Waid #43-60 + Kelly #61-90 - These could be 3 separate runs, but I'll add them together here to give more runs spots.

4. JSA - Johns and Goyer - Cheating here a little, but the commitment Johns and Goyer made to revive the JSA in the 21st century shouldn't be ignored. JSA likely saw revival because of how successful it's companion title JLA was doing at the time.

5. Justice League Rebirth #1-43 Hitch and Priest

[Doctor Know]

Help me Fill In The Blanks.

Big Five Teen Titans and Big Five Legion of Superheroes


TT.
1. New Teen Titans
2. Titans vol 1: 1999-2003
3. Young Justice 1997-2003 - Cheating here but since this cast becomes the next era of Titans directly after their book ends. Feels fine.
4. Geoff Johns' 2003 Titans. Issues 1-50.
5. ?


Legion of Super-Heroes
1. Levitz and Giffen era 1979-1989
2. Five Years Later - Convoluted as things got towards the end. You have to admire the commitment to keep trying. Sandwiched between two events you largely have nothing to do with (COIE and Zero Hour) would wreck anyone's mojo.
3. Reboot Legion by Waid and Tom McGraw
4. Legion Lost by Dan Abnett
5. ?