James Gunn is bringing a lot of his passion for comic books to the new DC Universe. For example, the upcoming Supergirl movie will be based on the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow series by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. His first project for DCU was an adaptation of the classic comic Creature Commandos, and he even started setting up storylines—like the planet Salvation—in the Peacemaker Season 2 finale. His vision for the team dynamic seems to be heavily influenced by the popular Justice League International from DC Comics.
DC Comics has a rich history full of amazing stories. Here are five storylines we’d love to see James Gunn bring to life in the new DC Universe.
5) Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia
The first two Wonder Woman films offered a compelling combination of action and heart. The original beautifully portrayed Diana’s origins during World War II, establishing her as a truly inspiring hero dedicated to saving others. Many consider it the best film in the DC Extended Universe, showcasing Wonder Woman as a more relatable and impactful hero than Batman or Superman. The sequel continued this strong characterization, though it wasn’t quite as impactful. Now, with James Gunn reimagining the DC Universe, the question is: how will Wonder Woman be introduced to this new world?
Greg Rucka’s Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia is a fantastic story that, like the recent Wonder Woman films, highlights the hero’s strong moral code. In it, Wonder Woman protects Danielle, a woman fleeing the police after taking revenge on those who harmed her sister. This leads to a conflict with Batman, who wants to arrest Danielle, but Diana feels obligated to protect her. This story really showcases Wonder Woman’s character and would be a great way for new readers to get to know her.
4) Heroes in Crisis
James Gunn probably couldn’t immediately adapt Heroes in Crisis without some revisions, especially to address a major fan complaint. But as a standalone story, it’s a powerful exploration of trauma, grief, and the challenges superheroes face after years of constant battle and loss.
A recent storyline featured the Flash, Wally West, using time travel to conceal a series of murders – he killed several heroes who were seeking help at a trauma recovery center. While time travel should remain a key element, the creators want to move away from portraying Wally as the villain. James Gunn is known for realistically depicting trauma, and this storyline offers a chance to create a more complex and impactful superhero movie, highlighting the hidden struggles behind the heroic facade.
3) Dark Nights: Metal
Dark Nights: Metal, a four-issue comic book series from DC Comics released in 2021, played a key role in setting up the events of DC Future State. Created by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo, the series features Batman discovering a hidden Dark Multiverse beneath the main DC universe, a realm connected to the various metals he’s encountered throughout his career.
The story introduces Barbatos, a powerful dark god aiming to cover all realities with darkness, forcing Batman to unite with his allies. While recent superhero movies have suffered from audience fatigue with the multiverse concept, the idea of seeing twisted, evil versions of DC’s heroes fight their counterparts is exciting. To enhance the experience, DC released a heavy metal soundtrack alongside the comics, a detail that aligns with James Gunn’s known preference for incorporating music into his projects.
2) Blackest Night
Many fans speculate that James Gunn is planning a ‘Blackest Night’ storyline for the DC Universe. The upcoming ‘Lanterns’ series, scheduled for 2026, could be the first step in setting up this major event. ‘Blackest Night’ famously introduced Black Lanterns – deceased heroes and villains resurrected with dark powers to fight the living.
While not a traditional zombie story, the Black Lanterns function similarly – they’re corrupted, evil versions of familiar characters. This storyline offers James Gunn the opportunity to introduce lesser-known heroes, and it could culminate in the White Lanterns bringing back characters who have died, potentially setting up future storylines within Gunn’s DC Universe movie series.
1) Absolute Power
A great DC Comics storyline could build on something James Gunn has already established in his early work. Both the recent Superman movie and Season 2 of Peacemaker show the government struggling with how to handle superheroes. Frank Grillo’s character, Rick Flag Sr., is motivated by resentment and has already proven untrustworthy, betraying Peacemaker in the Peacemaker finale and then teaming up with Lex Luthor, even though Luthor nearly caused global destruction.
With Amanda Waller facing scrutiny in Senate hearings about the Suicide Squad, the revelation that ARGUS, under her direction, was targeting heroes is particularly troubling. This echoes a plot point from the comic storyline Absolute Power, where Waller manipulated a Justice League member into seemingly betraying Green Arrow. It appears James Gunn is setting up a narrative where the government actively moves against heroes, and Absolute Power would be an ideal story to adapt to showcase this conflict within the DC Universe.
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2026-01-18 21:17