I know that it wasn't always the best period, but for me "my" DCU is the one from Green Lanter Rebirth/Infinite Crisis to Batman Vs Robin. Hal Jordan back as Green Lantern under Johns, Morrison on Batman, Giffen and Rogers on Blue Beetle, Buisek on Superman, Rucka developing Renee Montoya as the Question, Johns on Booster Gold, 52.... There was a vividity there, to each of the characters that was attracting my interest. I didn't just love reading about these people, I knew what their worlds smelt like - there was a real, tangibly defined "ethos" to a lot of those titles that was deeply attractive. Clear, defined, "this is what this character is and this is what they do" storytelling.

It all went a little wooly for me around Final Crisis, and a number of those titles/characters either faded away or got caught at the bottom of a well of their own continuity. But we got Dick Grayson as Batman out of it, so I'll take it!