Splash Page Soliloquies: Top DC Superheroes by Philip Grippi

Gather around, nerds. It’s time for an arbitrary list ranking my most favorite things because we live on Covid Earth and what else are we going to do. Over the next few weeks I endeavor to discuss my favorite superheroes, because that’s what I’m about. But for the purpose of covering as many of favorites as possible, I will be divvying up the list into 3 categories. First up, heroes and heroines original to the dc universe! Perhaps the pioneers of the trappings and tropes most commonly associated with the genre, DC trucks along 80+ years strong with a massive library of heroes, villains and unique locations. LET US BEGIN.

#10

Stargirl & STRIPE, art by Alex Ross

I’m cheating twofold with this one, which is why I place it at #10. First off, I’ve never actually read any stargirl comics. My exposure to her and step-dad/sidekick STRIPE are purely from tv shows: notably the delightful TV show that premiered on DC Universe, then moved over to the CW during its second season. Secondly, I’m doubling up on a spot with two characters. Yes, it’s cheating and I don’t know that character as well as I should, but it’s my website and I do what I want. Created in 1999 as a tribute to Geoff Johns sister after her tragic passing in a place crash, Courtney Whitmore discovers that her stepdad Pat Duggan is the former sidekick to a long time classic hero starman. Drenched in lore from the massive history of the golden age of dc heroes, the young but newly minted Stargirl, with her mech enhanced stepdad supervising, resurrects the legacy of the Justice society of America to combat crime and evil within the sleepy hamlet of Blue Valley. At least that’s what I’ve gleaned from the show and passing knowledge of the character from research. Courtney is passionate, headstrong and a bit naive. That said she embodies all the most heroic qualities you’d want in a young hero without a single hint of cynicism or forced gloom. She’s a hopefully ray light as wields the cosmic staff against such villains like the Injustice Society and the Lovecraftian embodiment of moral corruption: Eclipso. Pat himself provides a wholesome, caring father figure who nurtures and supports his adopted daughters ambitions, while also leaving retirement behind to take to field himself so as to ensure her safety. Also seen in various tv iterations like Justice League Unlimited (where she shares a catty but playfully competitive relationship with supergirl), Legends of Tomorrow as well as the epic JSA two part event Absolute Justice in season 8 of Smallville. Evocative of the golden days of heroism as personified by Christopher Reeve in Superman, it is truly a heartwarming and triumphant dynamic that Stargirl & STRIPE share, and it is that dynamic that earns them a spot on this list (and is also the reason I couldn’t bear to part them, even in reference).

#9

Zatanna, art by Stéphane Roux

The creation of Garnder Fox and Murphy Anderson (but perfected, I feel, by the influences of Bruce Timm and especially Paul Dini), Zatanna is the lovely, mysterious mistress of magic within the DC universe. Daughter of stage magician and sorcerer superhero Giovanni Zatara and clad in fishnets and a top hat, Zatanna takes to the stage with theatrically and flourish. She fights demons and bank robbers alike but is always done in time for her next show. Distinguishable for casting spells by speaking backward, she’s a fun, often witty character and occasional love interest to Batman or even John Constantine. A Member of the Justice League Dark (magically inclined super team with a admittedly stupid name), often where there’s a magical threat, Zatanna is not far behind weave a spell with her own special flair.

#8

Black Canary, art by Annie Wu

Much Stargirl, Black Canary/ Dinah Laurel lance is the successor to a superhero legacy dating back to the golden age of the JSA. Daughter of the original Black Canary Dinah Drake, Dinah Laurel Lance inherits both her mother’s mantle as well as a supersonic scream dubbed the canary cry (the origins of which have varied over the decades). Dating back to 1947, Black Canary was created by Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino to supplement the narrative shortcomings surrounding the character Johnny Thunder. She caught on like wildfire and has been mainstay among various teams like the Birds of Prey, JSA and even the Justice league, while also carrying. Few ongoing comic runs and minis. On top of her canary cry, she’s a master of various fighting styles, gymnastics and can rock it atop a Harley Davidson. Usually a mainstay of either Gotham City or Star City, she’s fought mobsters, thieves and even rolled with a touring rock band and saved the universe from Living sound wave alien things. She’s also notable for her partnerships (both professional and romantic) with the Green Arrow. Black Canary has headlined the feminist Blockbuster Birds of Prey & the Fabtabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (played beautifully by Jurnee Smollet, who is returning for a recently announced Spin off film from Misha Green on HBOMax), as well as various tv appearances in shows like Birds of Prey, Justice league unlimited, batman: Brave & the Bold and the 8 year running CW hit show Arrow. In summation, I just think she’s neat.

#7

Plastic-man, art by Kyle Baker

Created in the Golden age (noticing a pattern?) by Jack Cole, Plastic-man answers the question: what if mister fantastic had a sense of humor? Stretchy, silly and incorrigibly irreverent, the former career safecracker turned redeemed superhero can flex and bend into any conceivable shape and form, wisecracking all the way. This superhero-gone-loony toons has been on the justice league, the freedom fighters, and fought along side Batman in his long, obscure career. Aside from a few animated appearances, he has yet to appear in live action (though there were rumblings of a gender swapped film buzzing about the Warner Brothers lot last year), and he long overdue. Tremendously entertaining with fun, creative powers and a personality that fits them like a rubber glove. If you can find them I definitely recommend checking out the Kyle Baker series and Gail Simone’s mini from 2018. He’s just a blast whenever he pops up. Check him out my dudes.

#6

Mister Miracle, art by Jack Kirby

The theatrical flair of Houdini with an epic space opera Origin story: Scott Free has an intricate background that rivals Tolkien’s Middle Earth Mythos. Conceived by The King himself: Jack Kirby, this chapter of the Fourth World Saga saw this visitor from stars wow spectators as the successor to mysterious legacy of the escape artist Mister Miracle (originally worn by Thaddeus Brown). But his journey goes back far beyond that. The son of the New God Highfather, he was traded for the son of the demonic overlord Darkseid in a bid for peace between between the warring realms of New Genesis and Apokolips. Darkseid’s progeny was raised as the prince of New Genesis and loved by High Father, growing into the noble warrior prince Orion. However Highfather’s biological son was conversely taken to the torturous X-pits of Apokolips, to be raised by Darkseid’s general: the deliciously creepy and surreal aesthetic paradox that is Granny Goodness. All he knew was the elaborate deathtraps he was forced to escape each and every day, forging him into the crafty swashbuckling master of escapism and sleight-of-hand he is today. He eventually escapes and wins the heart of a protest of Granny Goodness’: Big Barda. On earth they join the superhero community and it’s all history from there. I know, it’s a lot, but it is awesome. He’s such a wildly imaginative and densely plotted character, it amazes me that we haven’t gotten a movie or even a show out of this character yet. Trust me, I was mad as hell when Ava DuVernay’s New Gods film got canned. Also apparently there was a 90’s animated film designed by Mike Mignola that almost got made once upon a time? Gods in New Genesis, why does the universe hate good things?

#5

Black Lightning

A powerhouse relic of the 70’s blaxploitation era and conceived by Tony Isabell & Tony Van Eeden, Jefferson Pierce was born with the meta human ability to generate, absorb and control electricity. Combined with keen fighting prowess, he takes to streets of the Metropolis Ghetto known as Suicide Slum to exact brutal justice on the vicious gang dubbed the 100 (led by the albino Crime lord and Black Lightning’s nemesis: Tobias Whale). But what makes Pierce/ Black Lightning distinctive among superheroes is his day job. By day he molds minds as a school teacher and eventually a high school principle. Black Lightning does what he does not out of some vague sense of duty or vengeance, but because he grew up a black kid in a similar ghetto, and knows the hard choices (or lack thereof)that other kids like him are faced with growing up forgotten by the country’s upper brass. He wants to enact real social change in his home neighborhood and save the children from corrupt influences like the 100 and the systemic racism that created them. All this makes for a poignant, powerful hero to follow through his crusade through crime ridden streets of lower metropolis. He’s a family man with a wife and 2 meta humans daughters who grow up to become heroes themselves. Bolstered by A sizable role in later seasons of young justice and a whole CW series devoted him and the mythology built around him and his career as member of the outsiders, Black Lightning SHOULD be a staple of the DC universe (and a founding member of the Justice League if I had my druthers).

#4

Dream/Morpheus/ The sandman, art by Sam Keith

Not necessarily a hero (though certainly heroic when it suits him), the living embodiment of the abstract fundamental force of dream has journeyed through our world for millions of years. Devoted to his function as the purveyor of dreams and warden to nightmares, he rules over his domain known as The Dreaming, occasionally crossing paths his fellow sibling: other various fundamental abstractions like Death, Delirium, Desire and destruction. Together they form The Endless. Our journey with Dream begins as he captured during a ritual by a cultist called the Daemon King seeking immortality (who had actually sought to capture Dream’s sister death, but botched the spell). After decades of captivity, he escapes and must gather his scattered relics of power while bringing order to The Dreaming and restoring balance to the world left in chaos in his absence. Dream was conceived by the literary genius of my personal favorite author: Neil Gaiman. He’s a beautiful merging of Gaiman’s mastery of transcendent myth, folklore and the similarly ethereal with that of the superhero shenanigans of the DC universe. For example, it is discovered during Dreams journey to recover his lost relics that his dream stone fell into possession of the Justice League villain Doctor Destiny, which is where he drew his powers over the human subconscious. He also crosses paths other DC classic characters like the grifting sorcerer John Constantine, and inspires the JSA member Wesley Dodds to take on the moniker of sandman. Part sweeping fantasy epic, psychological thriller and thoughtful meditation on the purpose of dreams and stories among the human experience, Neil Gaiman’s sandman is a must read for fans of the genre.

#3

Nightwing, art by Bruno Redondo

Nightwing is just so damn cool, ok? He’s the best possible outcome from experiencing the murder of your entire family and getting drafted into a brooding, wrathful vigilante’s child army. Beginning as the High flying trapeze gymnast Dick Grayson of the flying Graysons, fast forward one horrific mob hit later and he’s Robin, the Boy Wonder. But what happens when Robin the boy wonder grows up and becomes his own man with his own identity and goals? You get nightwing, a eternally youthful and caring Swashbuckler who takes to the streets of Bludhaven to combat gang violence, costumed villainy and police corruption. By day he helps the downtrodden and disenfranchised through volunteer work. He’s the perfect merging of Batman’s skills and prowess with Superman’s hopeful yearning to good for good’s sake. He’s got a great, simple bit iconic costume design that makes for an epic silhouette. He’s fun, he’s charming, he’s awesome and I love him.

#2

Swamp Thing, art by Stephen Bissette

Anybody knows me well knows one thing for certain: I love monsters. Godzilla, King Kong, Frankenstein and the Creature from the black lagoon. I love them all. There’s such a great allegorical power that resonates within their twisted, hulking frames. And one monster I absolutely adore is DC’s resident guardian of the green…Len Wein’s 70’s creation, Swamp Thing. He’s just awesome. Whether you want a sci fi B 50’s style mad scientist turned monster story, or the metaphysical fantasy of Alan Moore’s run, Swamp Thing has something for everybody. Art that ranges from moody and ghoulish to strikingly Lush brings to life the epic journey through decades of lore that the Swamp Thing undergoes. A contemplative and sensitive being, he wanders the world and surveys humanity in its beauty and horror, taking care to protect the lifeblood of the green earth from the forces that seek to harm it. Equal parts horror and fantasy, horror icon and environmental crusader, either way swamp thing is the thing to be.

#1

Superman, art by David Mack

Probably obvious at this point, but yeah my Numero uno DC superhero is the original: Superman, the man of steel…and tomorrow…last of son of krypton, defender of truth justice and a better tomorrow. All that stuff. Without him we’d have none of the massive narrative epic we’ve bared witness to for the last 80 years. His story is iconic and burned into the pop cultural lexicon. It’s both timeless and eternally socially relevant. He’s the immigrants journey and the biblical quest of Moses, if you’re into that sort of thing. He’s the hope that humanity is worth saving, even in its darkest moments. He’s THE superhero as far as I’m concerned and he will always have a place in the hearts of nerds everywhere, no matter what cynical edgelords and people with no imagination try to lament with their cries of realism and nihilistic misery. He’s possibly The greatest there is, and was a no brainer to me while I curated this list. Hope you enjoyed this odyssey through my brain. Til next time, nerds.