Top Stories/Runs that must be read (Pre-New 52)

[Forever Knight]

I have officially completed the entire New 52. Just reading Morrison's Batman run which ties into New 52's Batman Inc & Batman & Robin. But yeah, after 3 years I've finally completed New 52 in it's entirety.

So now I ask... what Pre-Flashpoint DC stories/runs are a must read for the following characters:
Superman, Batman, Green Lantern (Pre-2005 Rebirth), The Flash, Justice League/JLA, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Suicide Squad, Aquaman, Teen Titans, Legion of Super-Heroes, Constantine, Nightwing, Animal Man, Swamp Thing

[Caivu]

HUsh and No Man's Land are great Batman stories. Actually, NML is really a bunch of stories in one giant crossover event, but there's a lot of great stuff in there for a many Gotham-centric characters.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

JLA: Joe Kelley's run for me is a must. Grant Morrison also did some great things on that title. Check out the Griffen/DeMatteis run from the 80s to boot.

Teen Titans: Wolfman and Perez's NTT run, for starters. Later on, check into Geoff Johns's run on the title. I did like Devin Grayson's Titans run too.

Batman: Year One, Long Halloween, Dark Victory are three must reads to really get a grip on Batman's beginnings and to me are pretty definitive of the character.

Superman: Death of Superman. People will say its gimmicky, but its still a thrilling read. Action #775 is without a doubt one of my favorite Superman stories and what's great is that its all one issue, but never feels rushed.

[JackDaw]

I have officially completed the entire New 52. Just reading Morrison's Batman run which ties into New 52's Batman Inc & Batman & Robin. But yeah, after 3 years I've finally completed New 52 in it's entirety.

So now I ask... what Pre-Flashpoint DC stories/runs are a must read for the following characters:
Superman, Batman, Green Lantern (Pre-2005 Rebirth), The Flash, Justice League/JLA, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Suicide Squad, Aquaman, Teen Titans, Legion of Super-Heroes, Constantine, Nightwing, Animal Man, Swamp Thing

The entire John Ostrander original Suicide Squad run is one of the top DC long runs ever. Similarly the entire Alan Moore Swamp Thing run (and actually the Swamp Thing run that immediately preceded the Alan Moore run is pretty good.)

Nothing is a "must read"...of course...but those two are as good as it gets in mainstream super hero comics.

[Rod G]

I suppose a lot of stuff before 2001 is fine.

[Forever Knight]

What about pre-Rebirth Green Lantern?

[Atlanta96]

I'd say pretty much anything Bat Family related written by Chuck Dixon is worth checking out. I'm also a fan of the weekly series Trinity, which is an interesting breakdown of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman as characters. In a few months the first volume of Mark Waids Flash run will be released, which from what I've read is amazing.

[kingaliencracker]

These to me are the definitive runs of post-Crisis/pre-Flashpoint DC Characters:

JLA by Grant Morrison and Mark Waid
Batman by Chuck Dixon and Greg Rucka
Green Lantern by Gerard Jones
Superman by Dan Jurgens/Roger Stern
Flash by Mark Waid
Wonder Woman by George Perez
Justice League International by Keith Giffen/J.M. DeMatteis
Green Arrow by Mike Grell
Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman/George Perez (also to find the best Deathstroke stories)
JSA by David Goyer/James Robinson/Geoff Johns
Suicide Squad by John Ostrander
Aquaman by Peter David
Legion of Super Heroes by Keith Giffen
Hellblazer by Alan Moore
Saga of Swamp Thing by Alan Moore
Animal Man by Grant Morrison
Nightwing by Chuck Dixon

[joybeans]

I have officially completed the entire New 52. Just reading Morrison's Batman run which ties into New 52's Batman Inc & Batman & Robin. But yeah, after 3 years I've finally completed New 52 in it's entirety.

So now I ask... what Pre-Flashpoint DC stories/runs are a must read for the following characters:
Superman, Batman, Green Lantern (Pre-2005 Rebirth), The Flash, Justice League/JLA, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Suicide Squad, Aquaman, Teen Titans, Legion of Super-Heroes, Constantine, Nightwing, Animal Man, Swamp Thing

Superman: Birthright
Superman: For All Seasons
Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: The Black Mirror
Grant Morrison's Batman run
The Flash by Mark Waid, Grant Morrison/Mark Millar, Geoff Johns
The Flash: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues
JLA by Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, Joe Kelly
Green Arrow: Year One
Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters
Green Arrow by Kevin Smith
Green Arrow: The Archer's Quest
Suicide Squad by John Ostrander
The New Teen Titans
Teen Titans by Geoff Johns
John Constantine, Hellblazer (reprints)
Batgirl/Robin: Year One
Nightwing by Chuck Dixon
Animal Man by Grant Morrison
Saga of the Swamp Thing

[Lee Stone]

Pre-1987:
New Teen Titans starting with #1 of first series. Splits into two titles in 1984.
Legion of Super-Heroes starting with the Great Darkness Saga. Splits into two titles in 1984.
Swamp Thing starting with #20.

1987-1992:
Pretty much everything. Start with Man of Steel, Legends, Batman: Year One and Perez Wonder Woman and go from there.

1993-later:
Vertigo, especially the first year.
DnA's Legion.
Rann/Thanagar War.
Seven Soldiers of Victory.

[missingmarch]

These to me are the definitive runs of post-Crisis/pre-Flashpoint DC Characters:

JLA by Grant Morrison and Mark Waid
Batman by Chuck Dixon and Greg Rucka
Green Lantern by Gerard Jones
Superman by Dan Jurgens/Roger Stern
Flash by Mark Waid
Wonder Woman by George Perez
Justice League International by Keith Giffen/J.M. DeMatteis
Green Arrow by Mike Grell
Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman/George Perez (also to find the best Deathstroke stories)
JSA by David Goyer/James Robinson/Geoff Johns
Suicide Squad by John Ostrander
Aquaman by Peter David
Legion of Super Heroes by Keith Giffen
Hellblazer by Alan Moore
Saga of Swamp Thing by Alan Moore
Animal Man by Grant Morrison
Nightwing by Chuck Dixon

Moore never wrote Hellblazer. Every author that did, though, was miles above everything on your list (save works by Moore and Morrison), so let's just say that Hellblazer is what you should be reading.

[nx01a]

JLA by Grant Morrison & Howard Porter
JSA by David Goyer & James Robinson & Stephen Sadowski
Saga of Swamp Thing by Alan Moore & Totleben/Bissette
Animal Man by Grant Morrison & Chaz Truog

[kingaliencracker]

Moore never wrote Hellblazer. Every author that did, though, was miles above everything on your list (save works by Moore and Morrison), so let's just say that Hellblazer is what you should be reading.

Ugh. I meant Garth Ennis there, not Alan Moore.

[AJpyro]

Thanks for the recs guys.

Also seconding Alan Moore Swamp thing and Morrison stories. They're just so out there and awesome.

[hsalf]

Some other runs not mentioned:

Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight (and the rest of Marz's run)
Legion of Superheroes: 90s Post Zero Hour leading into DnAs later run
Flash: Messener-Loeb run
L.E.G.I.O.N 89
Doom Patrol: Grant Morrison
Superman: Byrne all the way up to Trial of Superman
Hawkworld: LS and regular series
Batman: Year One all the way to Morrison
All Star Squadron( along with Infinity Inc. and Young All-Stars if you want it all)
Superman/Batman: Loeb and others
Wonder Woman: Ruka