Many of the characters published by DC Comics are seen as more traditional or even lighthearted heroes. For this reason, the shared DC Universe is similarly treated as less serious and more optimistic than worlds such as the Marvel Universe. Nevertheless, several DC stories are incredibly bleak, with some having heartbreaking conclusions.
Some of these works are seen as “Elseworlds” titles that take place in dark futures and alternate timelines. Others are – or at least were – canon to the mainstream DC timeline. Regardless of when and where they take place, these classic comic books offer stories in which the heroes ultimately don’t win at the end of the day.
10
The Atlantis Chronicles Was a Tragic Beginning for Aquaman
By Peter David, Esceban Maroco, Eric Kachelhofer and Gaspar Saladino
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While most fans know that Aquaman can breathe underwater and talk to fish, there’s so much more to his incredible abilities that make him a threat.
The Atlantis Chronicles was essentially the chronological beginning of writer Peter David’s iconic run on Aquaman, though it begins far before the future King of the Seven Seas was born. Following two brothers and their descendants from the fall of Atlantis to the present day, it was an epic, sprawling fantasy tale worthy of the underwater hero. While the final panel showed him (as an infant) carelessly riding a dolphin, it wasn’t a truly happy ending.
- Set in the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, The Atlantis Chronicles used Aquaman’s fully-Atlantean origin
The Atlantis Chronicles ends with many of the original Atlanteans as outcasts from their kingdom, with the baby Aquaman himself one of their number due to the “curse of Kordax.” Atlantis has descended into a form of religious zealotry that one of its founders had fought against, and it’s clear that the kingdom is headed toward turmoil. While Aquaman’s return as an adult would ultimately redeem the kingdom, the ending of The Atlantis Chronicles ends on a bittersweet swim.
9
Infinite Crisis Was a Pyrrhic Victory
By Geoff Johns, Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis and Jerry Ordway
Infinite Crisis was the sequel to the iconic Crisis on Infinite Earths, and it undid some of what that story established. Most notably, it brought back the multiverse and several other concepts that were prevalent in the Silver Age of Comics at DC. Despite drawing elements from this more innocent era, the story itself was fairly dark and brutal.
- Infinite Crisis was also preceded by Countdown, where the Ted Kord Blue Beetle met a grisly death
The climax of Infinite Crisis is notorious for a massacre of former members of the Teen Titans, with these heroes easily and violently murdered by Superboy-Prime. They aren’t the evil Superman’s only victims, with the Conner Kent Superboy and even the Golden Age Kal-L Superman dying in battle against him. The story ends with a tease that he’ll be back, signaling that the “bad ol’ days” were far from over.
8
The Best Alan Moore Superman Story Killed the Silver Age
By Alan Moore, Curt Swan, George Pérez and Kurt Schaffenberger
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Fans of the Triangle Era enjoyed a new level of interconnected storytelling while the modern era saw unforgettable growth for Superman and his family.
Alan Moore wrote Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, which signified some of the themes seen in his iconic book Watchmen and other deconstructions of superheroes. In many ways, it’s a farewell to the Silver Age of Comics, celebrating that era of Superman’s history before Crisis started things over. At the same time, it’s also a harsh goodbye that seems just a bit cynical.
- Alan Moore is also known for another iconic Superman story, For the Man Who Has Everything
It ends with Superman’s greatest enemies killed, but allies such as Krypto the Superdog meet the same fate. Conversely, Superman himself removes his powers forever by way of gold kryptonite, ending his heroic career on a low note. In his new guise of Jordan Elliot, he even remarks how much the world doesn’t need Superman anymore, which is a rather dark theme to end on.
7
Watchmen Was the Ultimate In Superhero Cynicism
By Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
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Watchmen influenced several similarly dark comic books, with some books perfectly using these themes to tell incredible stories of their own.
Watchmen might seem strange to associate with DC Comics, but it was published by the company. This connection is even more obvious after the release of Doomsday Clock. Long before this sequel, however, Watchmen set the comic book industry on fire due to its dark, gritty and utterly joyless tone that completely pulled the bottom out of the superhero genre.
- Doomsday Clock and the Watchmen TV series offered different follow-ups to the original story
Watchmen ends with Ozymandias having pulled off his mission for world peace, albeit at the expense of the lives of millions. Even though peace now exists, it’s only on a tenuous basis, and the existence of Rorschach’s journal threatens to expose everything. It’s the type of ending that’s perfect for the bleak book, but as exhilarating as it is, it’s far from hopeful.
Watchmen
In the classic comic series that has spawned multiple retellings, The Watchmen follows a murder mystery investigation that uncover a conspiracy that calls into question the meaning of heroes.
- Writer
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Alan Moore
- Penciler
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Dave Gibbons
- Colorist
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John Higgins
- Publisher
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DC Comics
- Publisher(s)
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DC
- Artist
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Dave Gibbons
6
The Judas Contract Was the Teen Titans’ Equivalent to The Dark Phoenix Saga
By Marv Wolfman and George Pérez
“The Judas Contract” is one of the most iconic and well-known DC storylines, and for good reason. It features the “New Teen Titans” facing their recent foe, Deathstroke the Terminator. Unfortunately, he’s joined by one of the Titans, revealing a superheroic ally to have been a mole all along.
- Terra in the 2003 Teen Titans cartoon was changed to be a far more tragic and sympathetic character
“The Judas Contract” ends with Terra dying after betraying the Titans. This act cements her as a truly evil person despite her youth. Worst of all, the usually jovial Beast Boy (who had grown close to Terra) was heartbroken over her defection and ultimate fate. Thus, the fallout dramatically impacted the team as a whole and him in particular.
5
Death in the Family Was the Death of DC’s Innocence
By Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo
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Batman faced dark torment in The Cult, supernatural horror in Dark Knight, Dark City, and lost a partner in the iconic Death in the Family storyline.
The Jason Todd version of Robin was fairly unpopular in the late 1980s, with DC eventually choosing to kill him off. This resulted from a vote that fans decided, with the second take on the Boy Wonder destined to die. This happened at the hands of The Joker, with the Clown Prince of Crime having far more than a mere crème pie in his hand.
- In the late pre-Crisis era, Jason Todd was more of a Dick Grayson clone than the hard-edged hero he became
Batman: A Death in the Family has The Joker tricking Jason Todd into trying to reunite with his mother, to brutal effect. From there, the villain brutally beats him with a crowbar before the sidekick dies in an explosion. The story ends with Batman finding his former ward and realizing how much he had failed him.
4
The Killing Joke Was the Ultimate In Nihilism
By Alan Moore and Brian Bolland
Batman: The Killing Joke was another dark and brooding Batman classic, with the story’s tone and art signifying the manner in which the characters’ stories were told from then on. It was, in many ways, the ultimate fruition of Batman and The Joker’s relationship, with both testing each other’s morality and beliefs. To do so, however, it plunged the Dark Knight and his allies into their darkest night ever.
- The Killing Joke was adapted into an animated movie and inspired elements of both The Dark Knight and Joker
The most pivotal moment in The Killing Joke was when The Joker shot and paralyzed Barbara Gordon. a.k.a. Batgirl. Even though this act didn’t make Batman kill him, it was truly a battle of wills between them. From then until 2011, Barbara was portrayed as wheelchair-bound, forever carrying the legacy of the Joker’s most harrowing act.
The Killing Joke
The Killing Joke is one of the definitive Batman comics for good reason. Not only is Alan Moore’s script inventive and layered, but it set the precedent for Batman comics to come over the next couple of decades. The Killing Joke is foundations of what Batman is today, and it is still one of the best Batman comics to have ever been written.
The comic serves as an origin for everyone’s favorite killer clown, the Joker. Moore also wanted the comic to serve as a mirror reflecting Batman and the Joker’s similarities and differences. The modern timeline follows the Joker as he tries to drive Jim Gordon insane, proving that one bad day is all it takes to turn you mad. There is also a flashback story that follows a failed comedian and the one bad day that turned him into the Joker.
The comic is a story of its time, especially in the way it utilizes and represents women. However, there are so many layers to this comic that is well-worth the read. Moore’s script combined with the artwork of Brian Bolland makes for an unsettling and engrossing story, and the final moment is heavy and haunting.
The Killing Joke is the gold standard of Batman comics that all others are compared to. That’s why it remains one of the best stories in the Batman universe even today.
- Genre
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Graphic novel
- Number of Pages
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96
- Publication Date
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198800-00
- Publisher
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DC Comics
3
The Hiketeia Was a Somber Wonder Woman Story
By Greg Rucka and J.G. Jones
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Supergirl and Wonder Woman are both incredible heroes, but there are other powerful and dedicated heroines that defend the DC Universe just as much.
Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia is considered one of the Amazing Amazon’s best books. Though it doesn’t feature much superhero action or fights against foes such as The Cheetah or Ares, it’s still a must-read for fans of the character. Sadly, it ends on a downer, with even the mighty Diana of Themyscira unable to truly save the day.
- The Hiketeia preceded writer Greg Rucka’s first full run on the monthly Wonder Woman comic book
The Hiketeia ends with Danielle, a woman who had made herself into Wonder Woman’s charge to escape the fallout of her self-defense actions, ending her suffering in another way. This comes after Wonder Woman has to step outright on Batman to get him to leave the two women alone. Ultimately, the Amazon fails to protect her charge, showing that even the most powerful superheroes don’t always succeed.
2
Heroes in Crisis Ruined One of DC’s Greatest Heroes
By Tom King and Clay Mann
Heroes in Crisis was a controversial story from 2018 to 2019. The general premise involved a “murder mystery” amid a therapy environment for superheroes. While many were fine with this basic idea, the execution left much to be desired. After all, when the story wasn’t unnecessarily propping up the villainous Harley Quinn as some sort of all-powerful saint, it was completely destroying the beloved Wally West version of The Flash.
- With Heroes in Crisis now essentially non-canon, Wally West is also the main Flash again in DC Comics
Heroes in Crisis revealed that Wally West, in a fit of grief, accidentally killed several heroes, including fellow Titan Arsenal. It ended with Harley kicking him and his life utterly ruined, which flew in the face of the regained hope for the fan-favorite after the start of DC Rebirth. It’s a hard story for longtime DC fans to read, and it’s no wonder it’s essentially been entirely retconned in subsequent comic books due to some of The Flash’s greatest foes.
1
The Dark Knight Returns Was the Death of the World’s Finest
By Frank Miller and Klaus Janson
The Dark Knight Returns is one of the most iconic Batman stories of all time, as well as one of the grungiest. Set in a dark future where Bruce Wayne is an old loner, it satirized the government and pop culture in the 1980s. It also ended the iconic friendship between Superman and Batman, which had been a staple of DC Comics since the early days of the Silver Age.
- Elements of The Dark Knight Returns were used in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
The harsh book ends with Batman beating Superman, who’s weakened by kryptonite. This loss made Batman the top dog of DC and irrevocably impacted Superman’s popularity. Worst of all, it made such animosity between the two the norm while having Batman “die” without his most recognizable allies at his side.
The Dark Knight Returns
Alongside The Killing Joke, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns is one of the most influential Batman comics of all time. It was one of the comics that turned the character away from the camp of the 1960s and 70s and kicked off the dark and gritty stories that would proliferate the comics industry. However, even retrospectively the comic is still incredible. It lacks a cohesive story structure, but its depiction of older and jaded Batman makes for some great meta analysis, and Miller’s iconic artwork is still something to behold.
The Dark Knight Returns follows Batman as he returns to vigilante work. However, in his fifties and out of form, he quickly starts to doubt his ability to overcome the problems facing Gotham. In particular, he is motivated to deal with crimes of a gang calling themselves the Mutants. From there, the arc becomes episodic with Batman facing multiple foes (old and new). It all culminates in a final battle with Superman – which largely became the influence for the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
If you’re looking for one of the foundational stories of modern Batman, The Dark Knight Returns is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s dark, moody, introspective, and packed with action. It’s still one of the best Batman comics around.
- Genre
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Graphic novel
- Number of Pages
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224
- Publication Date
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198600-00
- Publisher
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DC Comics
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