What're DC's best pre-crisis runs and stories?

[BagelMan]

A little context: I was born in 89, and even then, I didn't really get into comics until 2006. My access to older comics has always been stuff like Chronicles and Showcase Presents, which left me with an impression that DC's "middle years" were largely a goofy mess. (I remember being especially amused by the original Barry Allen stuff, where he could be stopped in his tracks with gold wires and sodium capsules >_>)

For that reason, I rarely pay much attention to anything of DC's before COIE. Not out of malice, I just never thought there'd be anything that would interest me.

But it's recently come to my attention that some of Batman's best stuff was going on a decade before COIE, so it made me curious as to what else I've been missing out on.

So anyone familiar with pre-crisis, what are some of the best runs and stories from back then? Are they collected anywhere?

Thanks in advance!

[colonyofcells]

My favorite pre crisis jla stories are jla 139 to 146, 149 to 150, written by Steve Englehart.
http://www.comics.org/series/1449/covers/?page=3

[kingaliencracker]

Denny O'Neil's Batman run
Wolfman/Perez Teen Titans
Levitz/Giffen Legion of Super Heroes

[Prisoner 6655321]

The first thing that comes to mind for me is Kirby's Fourth World.

[Air Wave]

I'd say there's a pretty significant difference between the Silver and Bronze Age stuff. While still Code-approved the BA stuff was way more "grown-up" in my opinion.

[Air Wave]

And one of my favorites as a kid was the run in Detective Comics collected here:

http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Strange.../dp/1563895005

It's out of print now and therefore pretty expensive but I understand it's collected elsewhere--I just don't remember where that is.

[DrNewGod]

Denny O'Neil's Batman run
Wolfman/Perez Teen Titans
Levitz/Giffen Legion of Super Heroes

I'd second these recommendations, but add three more. (as others have said) All-Star Squadron was wonderful, if maybe a bit too nostalgic about WWII. I'd also suggest All-Star Comics #58-72, it's very Silver Age, but a fun picture of what happened next. Finally, the first couple of years of Infinity, Inc. were pretty good.

[LifeIsILL]

Aquaman starting from #35, this is when the comic becomes almost too serious and does away with the silly silver age stuff. Nothing but grief and death every issue it seems.

Batman Nocturna Saga, not sure when it starts or ends but one of the best Batman runs out there.

[Falcon16]

SILVER AGE SUPERMAN

and I guess Tales of the New Teen Titans #1 solely for it being the origin of this Cyborg meme face:
Screen Shot 2019-06-08 at 8.45.29 AM.jpg

[Anthony Shaw]

Batman Nocturna Saga, not sure when it starts or ends but one of the best Batman runs out there.

I thought about tracking that run of stories, plus the return of Hugo Strange after the great Strange Apparitions story.

[NeathBlue]

My favorite pre crisis jla stories are jla 139 to 146, 149 to 150, written by Steve Englehart.
http://www.comics.org/series/1449/covers/?page=3

I agree though I'd extend it from 138 as that and 139 were a two part story through to 157 which was the last of the giant issues.
Green Lantern - Green Arrow fro 90- 122 was a nice run.
All Star Comics 58-74 and then Adventure Comics Dollar Comics 459-466
All Star Squadron
Batman and Detective Comics
Brave and Bold (there's a good omnibus out later this year)
DC Comics Presents
Legion of Super-Heroes
Flash... Though by around 1981 they were starting to struggle to put together really good storylines.

[Jim Kelly]

A big difference between then and now is that writers back then had little expectation of having their work collected in a trade paperback. So there was no such thing as writing for the trade.

There were the limited series--NATHANIEL DUSK was four issues, RONIN was six issues, CAMELOT 3000 was twelve issues--but the regular comics were unlimtied, other than by cancellation. THRILLER could have kept going, but it was cancelled after only twelve issues--maybe it would've done better if it was advertised as a twelve issue maxi-series. LOIS LANE was a two issue limited series that came out after Crisis, but was set before the new continuity came into effect--it should have been four issues, but instead was put out as two double-size issues.

In the regular runs, a multi-part story went on as long as the editor and writer decided the story required. There was no padding*--except when the dreaded deadline doom struck and they either had to fill the issue with a reprint or an inventory story.

In fact, I don't think writing for the trade became a big thing until the late '90s. A lot of post-Crisis extended storylines don't neatly divide into five or six issues to fit the standard TPB format.

*edit: Oh yeah and with the much maligned Trial of THE FLASH. Cary Bates was asked to pad out that story so it would end in time for issue 350 and for CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS No. 8. Even so, Bates padded the run with lots of other stories besides just the trial, so I think its ill reputation is undeserved.

[Air Wave]

Brave and Bold (there's a good omnibus out later this year)

I was going to suggest this. I'm looking forward to it.

http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Brave-B...bronze+omnibus

[NeathBlue]

I was going to suggest this. I'm looking forward to it.

http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Brave-B...bronze+omnibus

Me too, I've preordered it with Amazons price guarantee and it's come down a bit in price

[Doctor Know]

What would be some good Superman stories Pre-Crisis?
I've read the Superman/Sand(Super)man story, but short of Siegel and Shuster's Golden Age stories, I don't know anything reputable worth reading. My main exposure from Pre-Crisis era for Supes is JLA.