7 Darkest DC Comics of All Time, Ranked

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For years, DC Comics had a reputation for being lighter and more geared towards younger readers compared to Marvel. But starting in the 1980s, that began to shift. Creators started adding more mature themes and depth to the characters and stories, resulting in some truly iconic comics. Writers like Alan Moore and Frank Miller were key to this change, elevating DC’s content and eventually leading to the creation of the Vertigo imprint for adult readers. Even with Vertigo, DC continued to publish darker, more intense stories within its main comic book line. For a period, DC actually surpassed Marvel in the darkness and complexity of its storytelling, taking readers to unexpected and often shocking places within the DC Universe.

Over the past 46 years, DC Comics has consistently pushed boundaries with incredibly dark and complex stories. Some of these stories have become iconic classics, while others gained notoriety for being shockingly different. These seven stories represent DC’s most intense and impactful work, fundamentally changing how fans view the publisher.

7) Injustice: Gods Among Us

As a huge DC fan, I’ve followed the Injustice: Gods Among Us comics closely. The premise is wild – the Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane, and it sends him down a really dark path. What follows is brutal; these comics don’t shy away from killing off major heroes in shocking ways. It’s definitely a divisive series – some people love the high stakes and grim tone, others really dislike how far it goes. But you can’t deny it’s incredibly dark to watch iconic heroes battling each other to the death, and that darkness is a big part of why it’s become so popular with all sorts of comic readers.

6) Justice League: Cry for Justice

The Justice League is DC’s flagship team, but not every story has been a hit with fans. One particularly low point is Justice League: Cry for Justice, a storyline created by James Robinson and artists Mauro Cascioli, Scott Clark, Ardian Sayif, and Ibraim Roberson. It’s considered the team’s darkest and most controversial moment. The story centers around Prometheus launching devastating attacks on American cities, forcing a new Justice League to form. It’s primarily remembered for a shocking and upsetting plot point: the death of Lian Harper, the young daughter of hero Roy Harper. This event sends Roy into a spiral of grief and rage, and many fans feel the story took a needlessly dark turn with little payoff. Overall, it’s a storyline with very few redeeming qualities.

5) Identity Crisis

Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales’ Identity Crisis feels like DC went too far with its grim and gritty approach. The story begins with a murder and quickly reveals disturbing details – including a past sexual assault and the Justice League secretly erasing people’s memories. It escalates with further tragedies, like the deaths of two characters during a fight. Ultimately, the mystery involves shocking revelations about Batman and the true identity of the murderer. While the book has some interesting concepts and excellent artwork, it relies too heavily on shock value and unnecessarily dark themes, damaging a beloved character to serve the plot.

4) “The Judas Contract”

The comic book series The New Teen Titans was a huge success, and it’s particularly remembered for “The Judas Contract,” a story written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by George Perez. This storyline revealed Terra as a traitor, working with Deathstroke to attack the Titans. While the team suffered several defeats, Nightwing managed to survive. The story also explored the heartbreaking backstory of Deathstroke and his son, Jericho, culminating in a final battle where Terra loses control of her powers and tragically dies. It’s a powerful and intensely dramatic story that pushed the boundaries of what was being done in comics at the time.

3) “The Sinestro Corps War”

“The Sinestro Corps War” is considered a landmark story in the Green Lantern mythos. Written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by a team including Dave Gibbons and Ivan Reis, it introduces the Sinestro Corps, a new group of villains who wield the power of fear. They launch a swift and devastating attack on the Green Lanterns, inflicting heavy casualties and quickly escalating the conflict. The story is known for its intense violence, which is amplified when the Guardians of the Universe allow Lanterns to kill their enemies. Though the Sinestro Corps is ultimately defeated, the villains achieve significant gains, setting the stage for future storylines. From beginning to end, it’s a dark, action-packed, and brutal tale.

2) Kingdom Come

Mark Waid and Alex Ross’s Kingdom Come presents a bleak future where Superman’s retirement—caused by public demand for more lethal heroes—leads to a wave of violent new protectors. When a catastrophe strikes, the classic heroes are forced out of retirement, sparking a devastating conflict that threatens global destruction. The story is a commentary on the darker trends in 1990s comics, arguing that they lacked the quality of earlier superhero narratives. Though the ending offers a glimmer of hope, it doesn’t lessen the story’s grim journey, which included the deaths of almost every superhuman.

1) Batman: The Killing Joke

Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s Batman: The Killing Joke is a controversial but influential story. It presents a possible, tragic backstory for the Joker, showing him inflict terrible harm on Barbara and Jim Gordon to prove that anyone can be driven to madness with a single, devastating day. The story is known for its extreme darkness and helped define the grittier tone of Batman comics in the 1990s. While some consider it a masterpiece, others find it problematic, but it remains a complex and unforgettable tale.

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2026-02-19 00:12