10 Most Overrated DC Stories That Don’t Hold Up Over Time

For nearly nine decades, DC Comics has been a leading creator of iconic superhero comics. They’ve been instrumental in shaping popular culture, both by defining and then reinventing the conventions of the superhero genre. In my opinion, DC Comics has published some of the most impactful and groundbreaking comics ever made, changing how people experience both superheroes and the comic book format. They elevated comics as an art form, and many exceptional stories bear the DC logo.

Many stories become beloved classics, but revisiting them often shows they don’t live up to our memories. That doesn’t make them *bad*, just not as amazing as we once believed. Here are ten DC stories that fall into that category – re-reading them reveals they’re a bit overrated.

10) The Flash: Rebirth

Barry Allen’s return in *Final Crisis* #2 was a significant event for DC Comics, directly leading to the *The Flash: Rebirth* storyline written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver. *The Flash: Rebirth* largely mirrored the plot of Johns and Van Sciver’s earlier *Green Lantern: Rebirth*, featuring a similar mysterious enemy targeting both friends and foes of the Flash. While it’s a decent story, it doesn’t quite live up to the high expectations of many fans. Furthermore, Van Sciver’s artwork isn’t strong in this instance; his highly detailed style often makes the pages feel cluttered and visually unappealing. If you’re interested in a story from this creative team with “Rebirth” in the title, *Green Lantern: Rebirth* or *DC Rebirth* #1 are much better choices.

9) Dark Knights: Metal

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s *Dark Knights: Metal* was initially a hit with DC fans, though it doesn’t quite reach the level of a truly great story. It features a wild battle against Barbatos, a dark god, and his Dark Knights – twisted versions of Batman from alternate universes who wield the powers of the Justice League – all stemming from the Dark Multiverse. While the story is packed with exciting and chaotic moments, it suffers from some noticeable flaws. The plot feels overly complicated at times, and the main villain, Barbatos, doesn’t have a strong presence. Though the related tie-in stories are excellent, the core *Dark Knights: Metal* narrative hasn’t aged as well as some fans initially believed.

8) Batman: The Killing Joke

While often considered a masterpiece, *Batman: The Killing Joke* doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Though a classic Batman story by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, its impact reveals some flaws. Giving the Joker an origin story actually diminishes his mystique – as *The Dark Knight* film demonstrated, a little mystery makes the character far more compelling. Even Alan Moore regrets the way Barbara Gordon was portrayed in the story, and its relentless darkness feels excessive. Recent reprints have also altered the original coloring, detracting from the beautiful artwork. *Batman: The Killing Joke* remains historically significant, but it’s arguably not as brilliant as its reputation suggests.

7) “The Judas Contract”

“The Judas Contract” is a solid story, but it’s become overhyped over time. It was created during a peak period for the *New Teen Titans* team, with fantastic work from Marv Wolfman and George Perez. While important – it established the origins of both Deathstroke and Nightwing (formerly Dick Grayson) – it’s essentially a typical superhero team narrative. It delivers on everything you’d expect from that genre, but that doesn’t automatically make it one of the all-time greats. What might have been shocking when it first came out has lost its impact, and there are other stories within Wolfman and Perez’s *New Teen Titans* run that are more deserving of recognition.

6) “Hush”

Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s “Hush” feels like a collection of classic Batman tropes. While beautifully illustrated, it retreads familiar ground and doesn’t offer many surprises. The identity of Hush is fairly obvious early on, and beyond the stunning artwork, the story is quite predictable. The ending isn’t particularly satisfying, and later storylines even contradicted it. “Hush” is a great entry point for new Batman fans—they’ll likely enjoy it—but seasoned readers will probably find it doesn’t stand up to other, more complex Batman stories. That said, the art truly is exceptional and represents some of Jim Lee’s finest work.

5) “The Death of Superman”

“The Death of Superman” is a famous and significant story in DC Comics history, but its quality as a standalone narrative is debatable. While the story – created by a team of artists including Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway, and Dan Jurgens – is action-packed and emotionally resonant, it becomes repetitive. Each issue largely follows the same pattern: Superman battles Doomsday, suffers a beating, and then resumes the fight. Despite strong artwork and memorable scenes, the core plot doesn’t offer much beyond what’s presented in the first and final issues. It’s a landmark event, but not necessarily a truly great story on its own.

4) “Court of Owls”

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo created a really enjoyable run with Batman, delivering several fantastic stories. While their first arc, “The Court of Owls,” is often hailed as one of the best, it’s more of a solid Batman story than a truly groundbreaking one. It did successfully add a new element to Batman’s history, but it follows a familiar formula. Snyder and Capullo are a phenomenal duo – stories like “Death in the Family”/Zero Year, “Endgame,” and their Black Label series *Batman: The Last Knight on Earth* are all essential reading. However, “The Court of Owls” feels like a promising start, hinting at the even greater stories they would create together later on. I genuinely enjoy their work and don’t mean to criticize!

3) “Tower of Babel”

Mark Waid’s ‘Tower of Babel’ was his first Justice League story, following the acclaimed run by Morrison and Porter on *JLA*. It’s widely considered a classic, known for how Ra’s al Ghul defeats the League using Batman’s secret emergency protocols. It’s a thrilling read that culminates in a significant shift in the team’s dynamic. However, it also inadvertently established the problematic ‘Batgod’ trope, portraying Batman as an overwhelmingly powerful and always-prepared hero. Many issues that later plagued Batman and Justice League comics can be traced back to this story. While it’s a worthwhile read, there are many other Justice League stories that are arguably better and worth checking out first.

2) Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s New 52 Wonder Woman Run

Okay, so this isn’t just one story arc, it’s the whole run Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang did on Wonder Woman – all 35 issues. Honestly, I think it gets way too much credit. They really tried to revamp Wonder Woman for the New 52, changing her origin to make her Zeus’s daughter, and it was…a choice. They portrayed the Amazons as pirates who, frankly, did some really problematic things to continue their lineage. Beyond that, a lot of the mythology felt like stuff we’d seen before in other Wonder Woman stories. It actually felt like it took away from a lot of the feminist themes that made Wonder Woman so inspiring in the first place. For a while, people thought this run was a groundbreaking new direction, but honestly, there are so many other Wonder Woman stories out there that explore similar ideas and do a much better job.

1) The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller’s *The Dark Knight Returns* is widely considered a landmark Batman story, frequently mentioned alongside classics like *Watchmen* and *Maus*. However, viewed today, it doesn’t quite reach the same level of enduring quality. While often credited with revitalizing darker themes in Batman comics, those themes existed previously. It’s a solid story, but it arguably portrays Batman as authoritarian, and introduced some problematic ideas into the Batman universe. Though fans should experience it, it’s not the groundbreaking, revolutionary work it’s often made out to be.

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2025-10-08 19:06