10 Best DC Comic Stories That Defined The 2000s

First established as National Publications in the 1930s, DC Comics has accumulated an impressive history of comic book stories, thanks to characters like Batman and Superman. Every decade has brought its own unique style to the industry, and nowhere has that been as true as for DC. Where some decades were marked by grim and gritty tales, others were more experimental. When it comes to the 2000s, DC underwent a period of optimism, revivals, epic sagas and fan-favorite creative teams.

Where the 2000s were viewed by some as a slump for Marvel Comics, DC’s books from the era have been looked back on almost unanimously as one of the publisher’s best eras. Although the company had its share of misses and forgotten stories, few decades in comic history have been as memorable as DC’s winning streak at the start of the 21st century. Many of these stories remain some of the company’s best-sellers even today.

10 Final Crisis

Grant Morrison and JG Jones

As the conclusion to Grant Morrison’s tenure on the Justice League, Final Crisis sees the future glimpsed in “Rock of Ages” come to fruition. The event follows Darkseid’s conquest of Earth after finally acquiring the Anti-Life Equation. With control over free will of half the planet, as well as the monstrous mutation of characters like Wonder Woman, the evil New God is forced to contend with the remaining JLA members.

Final Crisis remains one of the most epic Justice League stories in DC history, replete with an army of Supermen as Kal-El explores the multiverse to build his army. Notable for key moments like the apparent death of Batman after he shoots Darkseid, the story serves as the end of an era for the team, and a must-read story as the Avengers Endgame of the DCU.

9 Stealing Thunder

David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns, Leonard Kirk, Keith Giffen, Keith Champagne and Al Milgrom

The return of the Justice Society of America to their own series made for one of the highlights of the post-Crisis era at DC, and nowhere was the team used to greater effect than in “Stealing Thunder.” The story follows members of the team as they find themselves in a timeline where the Ultra-Humanite has taken over the world, using mind control to turn the JLA into his own gestapo. In response, heroes like Shazam, Jakeem Thunder, Hourman and Wildcat fight for freedom.

“Stealing Thunder” remains one of the JSA’s all-time greatest stories, while building up one of DC’s first ever super villains in arguably his greatest scheme. Not only does the story showcase the powers and personalities of the JSA members in their struggle, it also shows them achieving the seemingly impossible in defeating evil versions of characters like Superman.

8 Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness

The relaunch of the 2003 Superman/Batman series, an update of the classic World’s Finest title, also happens to be the run’s best story. Set in a near future where Lex Luthor becomes President of the United States, the story casts Batman and Superman as outlaws to the villain’s government. When a Kryptonite meteor is spotted on a collision course with Earth, the rogue heroes try and stop it — forcing a confrontation with Luthor and his team of meta humans.

“Public Enemies” isn’t just a brilliant look at the friendship between Batman and Superman, it even stands out as a surprisingly great Captain Atom story as it challenges the idea of loyalty to one’s nation. The six-issue story features Ed McGuinness at the top of his career, and remains one of the greatest World’s Finest stories of the 21st century, thanks to its blend of political thriller with fast-paced action.

7 Batman: Hush

Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee

“Batman: Hush” follows The Dark Knight as he attempts to solve the mystery behind a hidden killer in Gotham, one identified as Hush. With an old friend in town, the hero begins his investigation, one that almost claims his life. At the same time, he builds his relationship with Catwoman, something that becomes more complicated as the story progresses.

While “Hush” does feature one of Batman’s most compelling mysteries to date, the over-arching story is almost incidental to what the story actually achieves: a tour of the Caped Crusader’s world. The twelve-issue story highlights almost all the hero’s core villains, explores his relationships and even touches on his friendship with Superman. In Jeph Loeb’s script, readers have a great detective story, but it’s Jim Lee’s brilliant art that truly elevates the tale.

6 Batman: The Man Who Laughs

Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke

Batman: The Man Who Laughs is a modernization of the first meeting between the Caped Crusader and the Joker, as originally told in Bill Finger and Bob Kane’s Batman #1. Here, the Clown Prince of Crime wages war on Gotham’s elite, including the targeting of Bruce Wayne himself. This sends the hero on an investigation into the origins of the villain, one that ties back to Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke.

Batman: The Man Who Laughs is best thought of as a sequel to “Year One,” one that tells readers the origin of the rivalry between Bat and Clown. The graphic novel delivers readers a gripping murder mystery, one that successfully builds up Joker as Gotham City’s most terrifying mastermind.

5 Green Lantern: Rebirth

Geoff Johns and Ethan van Sciver

During the iconic “Death of Superman” event, Coast City was destroyed, sending Hal Jordan spiraling into villainy as he murdered Lanterns and Guardians alike for refusing him the ability to resurrect the dead. In Green Lantern Rebirth, Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver were tasked with bringing back the maverick Green Lantern in a way that could absolve him of his past deeds. The story follows the coming of a villain named Parallax, the embodiment of fear in the DCU, and Hal’s resurrection thanks to the Spectre.

Green Lantern Rebirth jump-started the popularity of the GLC at DC, and paved the way for almost a decade of Hal Jordan becoming the best-selling hero after Batman. The series set out to redeem the classic Lantern and it was a ringing success. The story also revisited Jordan’s greatest friendships and his romance with Carol Ferris, paving the way for the title’s best decade of stories in the publisher’s history.

4 “Tower of Babel”

Mark Waid, Howard Porter and Drew Geraci

“Tower of Babel” follows the Justice League as they come under attack from Ra’s al Ghul, who has stolen Batman’s secret contingency plans against the heroes to incapacitate them. From demoralizing Hal Jordan to shooting Superman with a Kryptonite bullet, the heroes come as close to a true defeat as ever, and Batman is forced to rally his friends to defeat his nemesis.

“Tower of Babel’s” significance continues to resonate into modern DC stories, having established Batman’s deep-rooted paranoia and how it clashes with even his closest friends. The series also remains one of the most impressive feats of a villain against the League, one that came close to breaking the heroes both physically and psychologically.

3 Blackest Night

Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Olclair Albert

Building from a short story by Alan Moore in the pages of Green Lantern, the Blackest Night event follows the arrival of the super villain Nekron, leader of the undead Black Lantern Corps. In effect, the character is DC’s answer to the Grim Reaper, and his arrival causes the transformation of key superheroes into zombie-like evil versions of themselves. Blending cosmic horror with action and exploring some fan-favorite friendships, the event helped to cap off a brilliant decade for Green Lantern.

Blackest Night capitalized on the ringing success of the Green Lantern comics of the 2000s, exploring a zombie-like apocalypse that Hal Jordan faces head on. With a shrinking number of allies at his side, the Corpsman takes the fight to Nekron, as readers are shown a fun exploration of one of the darkest pieces of DC lore to date.

2 DC: The New Frontier

Darwyn Cooke

Set during the 1950s, DC: The New Frontier follows the discovery of an ancient being, the Center, revealed to have been Dinosaur Island all along. Now intent on ridding the world of humanity, the creature makes its way towards the United States. At the same time, the origins of Silver Age heroes are shown to readers, from Martian Manhunter being transported to Earth to Hal Jordan becoming the Green Lantern. Everything culminates in the alliance between meta humans and the US military to defend against the Center.

The New Frontier was created to retell the origin story of the Justice League while also paying homage to the company’s Golden Age heroes. The miniseries honors everyone from the Challengers of the Unknown to the Martian Manhunter, turning in a brilliant JLA story that isn’t dominated by Batman and Superman. With elements of Lovecraftian horror and deep character studies of heroes like Hal Jordan, the miniseries is one of the best windows into classic DC adventures.

1 All-Star Superman

Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely

In 2005, DC unveiled their All-Star line of comics, a collection of self-contained limited series designed to serve as the definitive take on the company’s biggest heroes. While Frank Miller and Jim Lee’s All-Star Batman disappointed readers, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely had considerably more success with the Man of Steel. In All-Star Superman, the pair explore Clark Kent’s final days as he learns that he’s slowly dying from over-exposure to the Sun. He sets out to build a legacy for humanity, undertaking the Twelve Labors of Superman for the betterment of others.

Setting aside what All-Star Superman represents for the Man of Steel himself, the series embodies the best of what a superhero is; someone with an unrelenting dedication to doing the right thing. The story explores the endless compassion of Superman, his love for Lois and an understanding that extends even to his worst enemies. Made memorable by Frank Quitely’s exceptional art, the series is arguably the greatest comic book to come out of the comic book industry in its decade.