The biggest DC superheroes have claimed the spotlight in legendary ongoing series to non-canon prestige graphic novels. ButtheElseworldsimprintmeans a long line of all-star creative teams have been able to go even further than regular stories, casting heroes into past and future settings, as well as blending them with classical literature.
The Elseworlds imprint delivered readers some of the company’s best stories, with the likes ofKingdom Comestill being iconic today. These juggernauts overshadow the rest, so for readers who want to get deeper intothe best worlds of DC’s Elseworlds comics, these stories are just as worth reading asGotham by GaslightorThe Doom That Came To Gotham.
10Elseworld’s Finest
John Francis Moore, Kieron Dwyer and Hilary Barta
Elseworld’s Finestreimagines Batman and Superman as early 20th century costumed heroes in the vein ofPlatinum Age pulpy vigilantes. The story follows this alternate take on the World’s Finest as they meet for the first time in their superhero personas, while getting caught up in a hunt for a powerful artifact, the Godstone, and the Lost City of Argos. Here, Luthor is reimagined as a turn-of-the-century Russian inventor and pirate, while Ra’s al Ghul is closer to his classic depiction, as the two compete for power.
A love letter to pre-superhero pulp magazines,Elseworld’s Finestreimagines the Caped Crusader and Man of Steel as more exaggerated versions of themselves: Batman through a more dark fantasy-inspired lens and Superman a more deified, albeit subdued, science fiction superhero. For readers who want to see Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent cast in a classic adventure, this miniseries is the best there is.
9Planetary/JLA: Terra Occulta
Warren Ellis and Jerry Ordway
One of the best comics to come from the 1990s wasPlanetary, a series that’s effectively one big pastiche of pop culture icons, from Doc Savage to Godzilla. The series revolves around Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent and Diana Prince, who target the leaders of the Planetary agency to bring them to justice for their role in controlling the world from the shadows.
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Planetary/JLAmakes for a seamless blending of two brilliant franchises, giving DC’s Trinity a fun makeover as they set out to rid the world of its secret conspirator puppet masters.The story makes for a great science fiction conspiracy thriller, one that sees the heroes triumph over their dystopian overlords – while delivering its share of tragedy.
8Superman: War of the Worlds
Roy Thomas and Michael Lark
Some of thebest uses of DC’s Elseworlds imprintsaw the placement of key heroes into works of classical literature, such asDraculaandJekyll & Hyde. Among the best of these wasSuperman: War of the Worlds, which reimagined the Man of Steel in his Golden Age setting defending the world from the Martian invaders of HG Wells' novel.
Superman: War of the Worldsis everything an Elseworlds tale should be, exploring how a classic story would have ended differently with the Man of Steel getting involved.With the hero at his lower Golden Age power levels, the story has real stakes, and sees Clark Kent give his all in defending the world from invasion.
7The Golden Age
James Robinson, Paul Smith and Richard Ory
The Golden Agefollows classic DC heroes in the aftermath of World War II, exploring their activities during the age of McCarthyism in the 1950s. The story reveals a grand conspiracy involving the Ultra-Humanite and Adolf Hitler himself, pitting the most valiant heroes of the era against evil villains posing as revered heroes.
The Golden Ageborrows elements of stories likeWatchmen, exploring political intrigue and the nature of what it means to be a superhero in a changing world.However, with Moore and Gibbons' iconic story understandably stealing the spotlight for its genre, this miniseries didn’t retain that same evergreen status – despite it being just as great a story, one key to DC’s Golden Age heroes.
6JSA: The Liberty File
Dan Jolley, Tony Harris and Ray Snyder
JSA: The Liberty Filereimagines DC’s Golden Age in a cloak and dagger-style tale of espionage. It follows a trinity of heroes, the Bat, Clock and Owl (Batman, Hourman and Doctor Mid-Nite) as they hunt for a smuggler, Jack the Grin (Joker), to uncover key German secrets. Their mission leads to the revelation of the Nazi discovery of their own Ubermensch: Superman.
The Liberty Filedelivers readers a great alternate take on DC’s Golden Age, reimagining key characterslike Batman and Jokeralongside the JSA.Along with its sequel, this two-issue miniseries is perfect for readers who enjoy espionage-themed war stories, as well as a masterful reinterpretation of the Justice Society.
5Deathstroke: Journey’s End
Marv Wolfman, Ed Benes, Rus Sever, Terry Beatty, Bob Smith and Mike Deodato Jr
Deathstroke: Journey’s Endfollows Slade Wilsonin the aftermath of a nuclear war that has caused the extinction of the human race – with the sole exception of the immortal mercenary. Now, the Earth’s surface is populated by the Genetix, a race of mutants created by scientists, the Terminator fights his way through the streets, eventually leading a band of humans against their overlords.
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Deathstroke: Journey’s Endblends elements of Richard Matheson’sI Am Legendwith stories like Escape From New York, casting Slade as a lone gunman trying to hunt the world’s new monstrous inhabitants.Whether for fans of dystopian science fiction or hard-boiled action, this Deathstroke tale is one of Elseworlds' best stories.
4Batman/Lobo
Alan Grant, Simon Bisley and Nathan Eyring
Batman has been forced to take on some of the most chaotic and violent villains in DC, but few compare to his battle againstspace-based bounty hunter Lobo. The story follows a competition between Joker and Ventriloquist for control of Gotham, with the latter turning to the Main Man to get rid of his rival. In response, the Clown Prince of Crime himself hires Lobo to kill Batman, with the victor determining the killer clown’s fate.
Batman/Lobois an overly-macho, hilarious brawl between two complete opposite characters: the orderly and methodical Batman against the chaotic, ultraviolent bastiche.While true Elseworlds fans continue to praise the story, it’s been forgotten to many mainstream readers, something not uncommon for painted art comics of its era.
3Castle of the Bat
Jack C. Harris and Bo Hampton
Castle of the Batbrings readers an18th century version of Bruce Wayne, one haunted by the murder of his father. In an effort to set things right, Wayne throws himself into biochemistry, specifically as it pertains to bats, and begins his horrifying experiment to resurrect Thomas Wayne. Naturally, this results in the young scientist inadvertently unleashing a monstrous Man-Bat upon the world.
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As one of the most immersive Elseworlds books when it comes to art,Castle of the Batperfectly encapsulates the eerie tone of its setting and inspiration.For readers who want to experience a truly unnerving horror story, it doesn’t get much better than this tale, and Bo Hampton’s painted art sets it apart from the average comic.
2A Fistful of Bastiches
Alan Grant, Christian Alamy, Sergio Aragones, Martin Emond, Carlos Ezquerra, Val Semeiks, John Ridgway, Barry Kitson, Ray McCarthy, Frank Gomez, Kieron Dwyer, John Dell, Peter Gross, Wayne Faucher, Dave Johnson, Chris Alexander, Dusty Abell, Pablo Raimondi and Gabriel Morrissette
To say that Lobo is one of DC’s most over-the-top characters would severelyundersell the Main Manand his outrageous space adventures. InA Fistful of Bastiches, the antihero is reimagined as a Spaghetti Western bounty hunter – among other identities – as an all-star creative team explores the Bastiche in a slew of Western parodies.
“A Fistful of Bastiches” is a must-have annual issue that delivers some of Lobo’s best tales, blending elements of Sergio Leone’s “Dollars Trilogy” withLooney Tunes-inspired action.The comic honors everything that makes the Main Man one of DC’s most entertaining antiheroes, while giving people who enjoy Westerns an over-the-top love-letter to the genre.
1Justice Riders
Chuck Dixon, JH Williams III, Mick Gray and John Van Fleet
Set in the Wild West,Justice Ridersfollows variousJLA heroes reimagined as gunfighter vigilantes, who fight to bring justice to the American frontier. The story primarily revolves around a band of heroic lawmen and gunfighters in the West who set out to confront the alliance between a murderous Felix Faust and ruthless baron, Maxwell Lord. When they realize the villains are planning to use a devastating war machine, differences are set aside to bring them down.
Justice Ridersstands out as a fantastic Western comic book, casting figures like Wonder Woman and Blue Beetle as classic gunslinger-inspired heroes.The true appeal of the story is seeing the Justice League dynamic reimagined through Western archetypes, from an outlaw Wally West and Pinkerton agent Guy Gardner to a Marshal Wonder Woman and steampunk inventor Ted Kord.
