The greatest DC superheroes have claimed the spotlight in legendary ongoing series to non-canon status graphic novels. But the Elseworlds imprint means a lengthy line of all-star inventive groups have been capable to go even additional than regular stories, casting heroes into past and future settings, as good as mixing them with classical literature
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The Elseworlds imprint delivered readers some of the company’s best stories, with the likes of Kingdom Come nonetheless being iconic today. These juggernauts overshadow the rest, so for readers who want to get deeper into the best worlds of DC’s Elseworlds comics, these stories are simply as worthy analyzing as Gotham by Gaslight or The Doom That Came To Gotham
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10 five hundred Elseworld’s Finest five hundred
five hundred John Francis Moore, Kieron Dwyer and Hilary Barta five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
Elseworld’s Finest reimagines Batman and Superman as early twentieth century costumed heroes in the vein of Platinum 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, whereas getting caught up in a hunt for a potent artifact, the Godstone, and the Lost City of Argos. Here, Luthor is reimagined as a turn-of-the-century Russian inventor and pirate, whereas Ra’s al Ghul is nearer to his classic depiction, as the two compete for power
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A love letter to pre-superhero pulp magazines, Elseworld’s Finest reimagines the Caped Crusader and Man of Steel as extra exaggerated versions of themselves: Batman through a extra darkish fantasy-inspired lens and Superman a extra 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
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9 five hundred Planetary/JLA: Terra Occulta five hundred
five hundred Warren Ellis and Jerry Ordway five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
One of the best comics to come from the Nineties was Planetary, a series that’s successfully one huge pastiche of pop tradition icons, from Doc Savage to Godzilla. The series revolves round Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent and Diana Prince, who target the leaders of the Planetary company to convey them to justice for their role in controlling the world from the shadows
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Planetary/JLA makes for a seamless mixing of two brilliant franchises, giving DC’s Trinity a enjoyable 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 — whereas delivering its share of tragedy
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8 five hundred Superman: War of the Worlds five hundred
five hundred Roy Thomas and Michael Lark five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
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Some of the best makes use of of DC’s Elseworlds imprint observed the placement of key heroes into works of classical literature, such as Dracula and Jekyll & Hyde. Among the best of these was Superman: 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
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Superman: War of the Worlds is every little thing an Elseworlds story should be, exploring how a classic story would have ended otherwise with the Man of Steel getting concerned. With the hero at his decrease Golden Age energy levels, the story has real stakes, and sees Clark Kent give his all in defending the world from invasion
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7 five hundred The Golden Age five hundred
five hundred James Robinson, Paul Smith and Richard Ory five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
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The Golden Age follows classic DC heroes in the aftermath of World War II, exploring their activities in the course of 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 period against evil villains posing as revered heroes
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The Golden Age borrows components of stories like Watchmen, exploring political intrigue and the nature of what it means to be a superhero in a altering world. However, with Moore and Gibbons’ iconic story understandably stealing the spotlight for its genre, this miniseries did not retain that similar evergreen status — regardless of it being simply as great a story, one key to DC’s Golden Age heroes
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6 five hundred JSA: The Liberty File five hundred
five hundred Dan Jolley, Tony Harris and Ray Snyder five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
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JSA: The Liberty File reimagines DC’s Golden Age in a cloak and dagger-style story 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
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The Liberty File delivers readers a great alternate take on DC’s Golden Age, reimagining key characters like Batman and Joker alongside the JSA. Along with its sequel, this two-issue miniseries is perfect for readers who get pleasure from espionage-themed warfare stories, as good as a masterful reinterpretation of the Justice Society
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5 five hundred Deathstroke: Journey’s End five hundred
five hundred Marv Wolfman, Ed Benes, Rus Sever, Terry Beatty, Bob Smith and Mike Deodato Jr five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
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Deathstroke: Journey’s Endfollows Slade Wilson in the aftermath of a nuclear warfare that has prompted 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 manner through the streets, ultimately leading a band of humans against their overlords
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Deathstroke: Journey’s End blends components of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend with 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 story is one of Elseworlds’ best stories
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4 five hundred Batman/Lobo five hundred
five hundred Alan Grant, Simon Bisley and Nathan Eyring five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
Batman has been pressured to take on some of the most chaotic and violent villains in DC, but few examine to his battle against space-based bounty hunter Lobo. The story follows a competition between Joker and Ventriloquist for handle 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 figuring out the killer clown’s fate
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Batman/Lobo is an overly-macho, hilarious brawl between two finished reverse characters: the orderly and methodical Batman against the chaotic, ultraviolent bastiche. While true Elseworlds fans continue to compliment the story, it really is been forgotten to many mainstream readers, a specific thing not unusual for painted art comics of its era
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3 five hundred Castle of the Bat five hundred
five hundred Jack C. Harris and Bo Hampton five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
Castle of the Bat brings readers an 18th century version of Bruce Wayne, one haunted by the homicide 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 younger 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 Bat perfectly encapsulates the eerie tone of its setting and inspiration. For readers who want to experience a really unnerving horror story, it does not get much better than this tale, and Bo Hampton’s painted art units it apart from the common comic
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2 five hundred A Fistful of Bastiches five hundred
five hundred 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 five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
To say that Lobo is one of DC’s most over-the-top characters would severely undersell the Main Man and his outrageous area adventures. In A Fistful of Bastiches, the antihero is reimagined as a Spaghetti Western bounty hunter — among different identities — as an all-star inventive team explores the Bastiche in a slew of Western parodies
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“A Fistful of Bastiches” is a must-have annual subject that delivers some of Lobo’s best tales, mixing components of Sergio Leone’s “Dollars Trilogy” with Looney Tunes-inspired action. The comedian honors every little thing that makes the Main Man one of DC’s most entertaining antiheroes, whereas giving individuals who get pleasure from Westerns an over-the-top love-letter to the genre
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1 five hundred Justice Riders five hundred
five hundred Chuck Dixon, JH Williams III, Mick Gray and John Van Fleet five hundred five hundred five hundred five hundred
Set in the Wild West, Justice Riders follows different JLA heroes reimagined as gunfighter vigilantes, who fight to convey justice to the American frontier. The story primarily revolves round 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 warfare machine, differences are set apart to convey them down
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Justice Riders stands out as a brilliant Western comedian 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
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