DC is one of the most important comic book publishers in history, helping to drive the comic book industry forward in many ways. A slew of famous early comics have come from DC and while they haven’t been the sales leader for long, the comic book industry in America would be unrecognizable without the publisher. DC has survived for over eighty years and during that time produced some of the greatest comic book stories of all time.
Over the years, some DC comics have had a bigger effect on the company than others. These stories have changed how DC is perceived by fans and how it tells their stories, for better and sometimes for worse.
ten The Sandman Made Vertigo A Juggernaut And The Comics Proved Could Be Literature
by Neil Gaiman The sand man is one of the most beloved stories in comics. Working with artists like Sam Keith, Mike Dringenberg, Colleen Doran, Jill Thompson, Michael Zulli, P. Craig Russel and others, Gaiman has written fiction that stands the test of time and helped make Vertigo footprint one of the hottest in the world. the comic book industry.
Beyond that, The sand man picked up where earlier DC works by Alan Moore and others left off, cementing the idea that comics were literature. It was the only comic to win a World Fantasy Award, and its aesthetic has inspired many comics, in DC and beyond.
9 The Dark Knight Returns Remade Society’s Greatest Character and Changed His Course Forever
The return of the dark knight, by writer/artist Frank Miller, is a seminal work that changed DC forever. Batman has long been one of the most popular pop cultural creations and TDKR completely changed the public’s perception of him. Gone is the slightly campy Batman of olden times; Miller channeled the O’Neil/Adams and Englehart/Rogers Batman filtered through his own noir aesthetic.
TDKR’s Batman became the go-to portrayal, and the title’s maturity and grit permeated throughout DC’s line of books. DC started publishing more mature books, more complex books with sharper content.
8 DC Rebirth #1 ended DC 52’s new run and revamped
The New 52 quickly became a controversial topic for DC fans. Although it started out pretty well, things quickly went downhill, but it took DC five years to turn things around. This remedy was DC Rebirth #1, by writer Geoff Johns and artists Phil Jimenez, Gary Frank, Ivan Reis and Ethan Van Sciver. The story ended the New 52 and set new storylines in motion.
While it could be argued that the overarching story it was setting up – Doctor Manhattan’s manipulation of the DC Universe – failed, the book still ended the New 52 and set a new course. for DC. This course produced fan-favorite comic book series and helped make the company a contender again.
7 Watchmen brought an unparalleled level of artistry to comics
watchmen is a masterpiece. Writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons’ seminal work are widely regarded as the greatest comic book of all time, and DC has spent years building on its success in a variety of ways, some good and some bad. others less good. The impact of watchmen is multi-faceted, but one huge thing he did for DC is he changed the way comics were viewed.
Moore and Gibbons elevated sequential storytelling to an art form with watchmen and top DC creators took that to heart. watchmen showed that comics could be art like never before, and its success paved the way for a series of DC books that pushed the boundaries of comics.
6 Flashpoint started the new 52
DC is known for its continuity reboots, some of which have been far more successful than others. Breaking point, by writer Geoff Johns and artist Andy Kubert, is an odd beast in this pantheon of stories. It brought massive changes to DC with the New 52 and did exactly what it was supposed to do in the beginning, driving DC to its best sellers in years.
That sheen eventually faded, though, and it’s put Flash point inheritance in question. The story itself is good as long as you don’t overthink it, but there’s no denying how much it changed the way legions of fans watched DC for years to come.
5 JLA #1 Revitalized Interest in DC’s Greatest Team
Grant Morrison became one of the most important Justice League writers and it all started with JLA #1. Joined by artist Howard Porter, Morrison took a back-to-basics approach to making Justice League popular again after years of fan apathy. JLA was a huge success, not only making the team even bigger, but leading to the return of DC’s best team concepts.
JLA leads to JSA and young righteousness, each supporting an important pillar of the DC Universe. The book opened the floodgates and turned an entire generation of readers into massive DC fans. It showcased the publisher’s greatest heroes in their greatest adventures, showing everyone just how great DC could be.
4 Saga Of The Swamp Thing #21 Was Alan Moore’s Big Breakthrough In American Comics
Alan Moore is one of DC’s most influential writers, even though he hasn’t written for them in decades. His first complete work for the publisher was Swamp Thing Saga #21, with artists Simon Bissette and Jon Totleben, a comic that would change DC forever. Moore’s mature horror styles struck a chord with audiences and led to an unprecedented period of growth for DC and the comics.
Moore’s success on Swamp Thing Saga led to the British invasion of DC, as the company brought in more talent from the UK. This led to books like The sand man, the animal man, and Doom Patrol, which led to vertigo. Moore and his influence changed DC forever.
3 Infinite Crisis brought the Silver Age back to the modern world
Infinite Crisis is one of DC’s biggest event books. Written by Geoff Johns with illustrations by Phil Jimenez, George Perez, Ivan Reid and Jerry Ordway, the book followed Crisis on Infinite Earths and in many ways was the exact opposite of its predecessor. Yes COIE aimed to end the Silver Age and bring DC into modern times, THIS brought the Silver Age back to modern DC.
Infinite Crisis brought back many retcons from COIE, revisiting many plot points but with a modern twist. It’s a big book of events, full of bombast and as epic as it gets. It depicted DC merging its past and present, heralding a new day for the publisher.
2 Showcase #4 Begins the Silver Age
The Silver Age of comics led to the modern comic book industry as fans know it, and it all started with Showcase #4, by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. This is the comic book credited with starting the Silver Age, introducing fan-favorite Flash Barry Allen. It was the start of DC using its past to build its future and brought roaring superheroes back to the comics.
Showcase The success of #4 led to new characters like Hal Jordan, Ray Palmer, Katar, and Shayera Hol, and others taking on the old mantle of the Golden Age. This led to the debut of the Justice League of America, the Teen Titans, and ushered in the biggest boom period in DC history.
1 Crisis On Infinite Earths Ended The Silver Age And Codified The Book Of Modern Events
Crisis on Infinite Earths is one of the greatest event books ever made. Written by Marv Wolfman with illustrations by George Perez, Crisis ended the DC Multiverse, Supergirl and Barry Allen, killing the three greatest symbols of DC’s Silver Age. Throughout the book’s slogan, worlds lived, worlds died, and nothing was ever the same.
Crisis drew a line between DC’s past and future. It not only changed the heroes and their stories, but also how they were viewed. It also paved the way for every event book that followed, codifying the narration of events in a way that influences DC and Marvel.
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