12 Best DC Black Label Comics Of All Time, Ranked

With enthusiastic reviews and smashing box office receipts, James Gunn’s “Superman” has revived the DC Universe for a new generation of fans. His colorful, hope-punk take on the Man of Steel seems to have struck a chord with the majority of moviegoers interested in the future of this franchise. That isn’t to say there aren’t those missing the dark, epic melodrama of Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” or the grounded thrills of Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy.

For fans in the latter camp, you’re in luck. In addition to preserving films like Matt Reeves’ distinct “Batman” films in their own Elseworlds continuity, Gunn has also shared that even the movies in his interconnected DC Cinematic Universe will vary wildly in terms of tone and content. There is no better example of how this dynamic will work than the comics themselves, where the mainstream stories of the DC Universe exist alongside the daring, mature, and occasionally canonical stories of DC’s Black Label imprint. The best of DC’s writers and artists use this label to take characters to places readers wouldn’t expect — though the most successful results have proven so impactful, they may well influence how the characters are adapted in Gunn’s DCU.

Writer: Paul Dano

Artist: Stevan Subic

Many of our readers likely consider Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” to be the greatest “Batman” movie of all time due to its unique focus on the psychology and heroism of its titular character (compared to “The Dark Knight,” a film which some argue is stolen by Heath Ledger’s Joker). But while it’s certainly true that Robert Pattinson is given plenty of room to shine in the 2022 feature, there’s just no denying that the movie wouldn’t be as grimly compelling without Paul Dano’s arresting performance as the Riddler. Dano went to great lengths to create this character from the ground up alongside Reeves, the latter of whom was so impressed by the depth and substance of Dano’s work on the character’s history that he urged him to share it with the world.

With the help of DC Comics and artist Stevan Subic (“Batman: Full Moon”), Dano was able to do just that. Once his work on “The Batman” had wrapped up, Dano worked with Subic and the publisher to create “The Riddler: Year One,” a chilling limited series set within Reeves’ “Batman” universe. More than merely presenting the origins of Edward Nashton, Dano empathetically attempts to reason how and why a young person would realistically descend into such darkness. An exploration of isolation, illness, and how a dreadful reality can fuel one man’s delusion, “The Riddler: Year One” is a must read for any fan of “The Batman,” as well as one of the best Riddler comics of all time.

Writer: Kyle Starks

Artist: Steve Pugh

“Superman” may be James Gunn’s most successful creative project for the DC Universe so far, but the Last Son of Krypton doesn’t necessarily seem to be the favorite brain child of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” director. No, that honor likely lies — albeit unexpectedly and inexplicably — with John Cena’s Peacemaker. After debuting in Gunn’s well-received COVID-era effort “The Suicide Squad,” the gunslinger quickly went on to secure his own spin-off series on HBO Max (a vulgar and violent masterpiece that ranks among Gunn’s best work), his survival into the newly rebooted DC Studios continuity, and a brand new comic book limited series heavily inspired by these projects.

Released throughout 2023, “Peacemaker Tries Hard!” is essentially an irreverent, R-rated action comedy set within the mainstream DC Comics continuity. It smartly throws Peacemaker into somewhat novel circumstances by beginning the story with his exit from the Suicide Squad, granting him the opportunity to finally define himself as the superhero he’s always believed himself to be (as opposed to the state-sponsored killing machine he’s always been). As one can surely imagine, the gap between Christopher Smith’s self-perception and his often horrific (and hilarious) actions is wildly entertaining to behold. At the same time, there’s something deeply relatable about his struggle to reshape his superhuman life according to his most human hopes.

Writer: Tom King

Artist: Jorge Fornés

If there’s one comic book writer fans eager for James Gunn’s DC Universe should make themselves aware of, it’s Tom King. After his acclaimed run on Marvel’s “Vision” series (which went on to heavily inspire the miniseries “WandaVision”), King went to work full time at DC, where he quickly became one of the publisher’s most striking voices. This has seemingly earned him a place within Gunn’s creative inner circle — his comic with Bilquis Evely, “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” serves as the core inspiration for DC Studios’ upcoming “Supergirl” film; King himself is currently a writer on the upcoming DC Studios series “Lanterns;” and, most importantly, he personally gave Gunn that whacky work-around for Clark Kent’s glasses.

Kidding aside, that last contribution is actually the key to what makes King such a force as a comic book writer — he knows his s***, and, better yet, knows exactly how and when to use it. This melding of esoteric comic book knowledge and serious, adult narrative craft is showcased in his “Watchmen” standalone sequel comic, “Rorschach.” Set within the continuity of Alan Moore’s seminal 1985 work (and inspired by Damon Lindelof’s take on its future), it follows one of the successors of the Rorschach, Walter Kovacs, exploring themes such as art, political radicalization, and philosophical and moral objectivity. King’s “Rorschach” is arguably the only “Watchmen” spin-off comic with the ideas, style, and bravery to be worthy of its untouchable source material.

Writer / Artist: Rafael Grampá

If you’ve already read “Rorschach” — perhaps drawn to it because you found the psychology of Alan Moore’s hyper violent, deeply disturbed, and constantly internally-monologuing antihero fascinating — then “Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham” should be next on your reading list. A four-issue Elseworlds limited series set on Earth-46, this story explores the darker aspects of the Dark Knight’s psyche, confronting the obvious mental scars inherent within this tragic character rather than handwaving them away with fantastical pseudo-logic like most comics do.

Written and drawn by Rafael Grampá (whose distinct art style is able to render a definitively and necessarily modern world in a way that somehow feels transportive, gothic, and textured), “Gargoyle of Gotham” follows a variant of Bruce Wayne as he struggles with the limits of his alter ego. Gotham City has become overwhelmed by human trafficking, seemingly unstoppable killing sprees, a corrupt and wealthy ruling class, and an apathetic populace of downtrodden citizens waiting to either become victims or be corrupted themselves by the city’s inescapable vices. Thus, on the trail of a haunting original villain named Crytoon, a secret society, and a conspiracy that twists through the halls of Arkham Asylum, Bruce has decided to end his own life to become Batman forever (well, not “Batman Forever,” but, yeah, you know what we mean). Upsetting, graphic, and inventive in thoughtful and insightful ways, “Gargoyle of Gotham” is shaping up to be one of the most memorable alternate takes on Batman yet.

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Leomacs

There are few comic book villains as potentially relatable as the Rogues. Almost always written as villains of the Flash, this band of thieves come from backgrounds of extreme desperation and social failure, and operate within the bounds of a strict code that — at least in their minds — separates them from the truly lawless sociopaths that propagate the criminal community in the DC Universe. They have a unique humanity that, from a certain perspective, could be seen as something of a weakness in a world that requires and indeed rewards a pathological lack of conscience.

This is the dilemma explored by Joshua Williamson and Leomacs’ “Rogues” Black Label series. Set in an alternate future, a decade after the titular team has abandoned their lives of crime in an attempt to find some semblance of peace and stability in their twilight years. Sadly, not even their most earnest attempts at redemption appear to be enough — confessions lead to harsh prison sentences that break their spirits and bodies; on the outside, only social alienation and devastating restitution fees await them. With their backs against the wall and time as their ultimate nemesis, these aged Rogues (Captain Cold, his sisters, the Golden Glider, and Heatwave, among others) come together for one last job™ to restore humanity to what’s left of their lives.

Writer: Ram V

Artist: Christian Ward

Aquaman is a deceptively difficult character to write for. After all, while Superman sits firmly in the world of science fiction, Batman in the world of action and crime thrillers, and Wonder Woman in the world of epic fantasy, where exactly does the King of Atlantis dwell? What subgenre belongs to the submariner?

There isn’t necessarily one answer. However, “Aquaman: Andromeda” makes a compelling argument for its own unsettling blend of high fantasy, science fiction, and, most unexpectedly, cosmic horror. The subtitle refers to the submarine Andromeda, an advanced sea vessel carrying a crew of humans tasked with investigating some unknown deep sea anomaly. This same anomaly calls out to Aquaman himself, beckoning him like some foreboding harbinger of death — and it may well be, as it draws the hero into conflict with his archnemesis Black Manta.

Like “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” director James Wan, creative team Ram V and Christian Ward understand and exploit the similarities between the dreads of space and sea. That ominous vastness, the feeling that the darkness below, above, and all around could contain horrors so alien to us that they may well be real, leaks into each page, as Aquaman plunges toward the depths of a fate too dark to fathom.

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Greg Capullo

It’s kind of undebatable at this point that Scott Snyder is the definitive contemporary voice for Batman. The prolific comic book writer rose to prominence during the New 52 era of DC Comics, during which he and artist Greg Capullo created a new, mainstream version of the Batman that reimagined old concepts and birthed entirely new ones into existence that have since influenced the likes of Matt Reeves’ “The Batman.” Presently, Snyder and Nick Dragotta have set about reimagining Batman once again, though this time in a much more drastic fashion for DC’s new Absolute Universe.

Between these two wildly different takes on the Dark Knight, however, Snyder and Capullo reunited for an even wilder reimagining for the 2019 Black Label miniseries “Batman: Last Knight on Earth.” To describe it as crazy and unpredictable would be an understatement. The story begins with Bruce Wayne waking up in Arkham Asylum as a patient, discovering that his activities as a Caped Crusader were no more than a maladaptive delusion manifested to help him cope with the fact that he murdered his own parents. And if you’re now anticipating the story to be some tight, constrained Elseworlds story that combines “The Dark Knight” with “Shutter Island…” well, you couldn’t be more right or more wrong. There’s no thinking ahead of “Last Knight on Earth,” and any “Batman” fan interested should free themselves of expectations and just enjoy the ride.

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Denys Cowan

Is there any hero more perfect for an age drenched in political anxiety and conspiratorial thinking than the Question? The Silver Age comic book character originally hailing from Charlton Comics (and having inspired the character Rorschach from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ “Watchmen”) has always had something of a cult following in comic shops, never a mainstream A-lister but unmistakable all the same.

With “The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage,” however, DC makes its strongest case yet for the character’s enduring popularity. Jeff Lemire partners with artist Denys Cowan for this Black Label limited series, the latter of whom previously worked with the late writer Dennis O’Neil to bring the Question into the post-“Crisis on Infinite Earths” DC Universe in the late ’80s. They’re a perfect team to take Vic Sage on a journey through mystery, conspiracy, and, oddly, time itself. As the titular character (an unflinchingly honest and “objective” newsman who moonlights as a crimefighter) uncovers a plot to upset the political order of his city, his old mentor Richard Dragon sends his consciousness through history to decipher the ties connecting these crimes to his past.

Writer: Tom King

Artists: Mitch Gerads, Doc Shaner

Though “Vision” was a breakout hit and his run on “Batman” helped define the character’s tone for the Rebirth era of DC Comics, Tom King was truly cemented as one of comics’ contemporary geniuses with “Mister Miracle.” Funny, thought-provoking, and deeply, unexpectedly vulnerable, it’s a modern, peerless masterpiece (that is set to be adapted into an animated TV series for James Gunn’s DC Universe). In many ways, “Strange Adventures” feels like a spiritual successor or perhaps a thematic companion piece. Both stories use the juxtaposition between cosmic mayhem and the mundanity of superhuman life in a world saturated by superheroes (a dynamic beautifully depicted by dual artists Mitch Gerads and Doc Shaner) to explore ideas of grief, regret, desensitization, and the equally and tragically fragile values of truth and humanity.

“Strange Adventures” specifically follows Adam Strange, a human whose adventures in space — namely, his central role in saving the utopia of Rann from barbaric invaders — have turned him into an intergalactic celebrity and war hero. But as he prepares to publish a highly publicized (and highly profitable) personal memoir about this period of his life’s journey, dark questions about his past emerge. With his life in the balance and Batman too personally biased to investigate, Strange’s fate lies with the findings of Michael “Mr. Terrific” Holt (making “Strange Adventures” an especially great read post-James Gunn’s “Superman”), whose investigation could upend everything his identity as a husband, hero, and human.

Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick

Artist: Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, Nicola Scott

As confident as James Gunn is about his future “Wonder Woman” projects, it isn’t hard to imagine that the new DC Cinematic Universe will be headed toward the island of Themyscira very soon. In doing so, he — and those audience members interested in the vast yet largely unexplored history of the Amazons — would do themselves a massive favor by seeking out the epic, graphic tome that is “Wonder Woman Historia.”

Published in three books for DC’s Black Label in the early 2020s, it retells the story of how this race of women warriors first came to be. Kelly Sue DeConnick and a team of artists chart their “history” all the way back to their Ancient Greek origins, threading truth with mythology and several dashes of classic comic book lore to create something that feels as audacious as it is definitive. Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, and Nicola Scott take full advantage of the non-standard page dimensions of the Black Label line, giving the reader countless gorgeously detailed splash pages to lovingly labor over. Coupled with DeConnick’s writing, “Historia” is a cross between comic book epic and ancient myth that defies you not to be utterly entranced.

Writer: John Ridley

Artists: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Andrea Cucchi

Few comics are as powerful or relevant as “The Other History of the DC Universe.” Released during the waning months of the COVID lockdowns, during which Americans were forced to confront the most disturbing points in their own national history, this five-issue limited series used the god-like heroes and villains of the DCU to explore the anxieties, frustrations, and hopes of those whose real history is overwritten for the comfort of the powerful.

Though all issues are written by John Ridley and drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Cucchi, “The Other History of the DC Universe” reads a bit like an anthology, with each issue examining a different character’s backstory at a different moment in history (with Ridley drawing both from their lore and real historical context). It takes readers through the lives of Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning, Bumblebee and Guardian (both starting in the early 1970s), Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana (from the ’80s through the ’90s), the second Question, Renee Montoya (from the ’90s through the 2000s), and Anissa Pierce/Thunder (a story which extends into the early 2010s).

Writer: Tom King

Artist: Greg Smallwood

If there’s a “king” of DC’s Black Label imprint, it’s undoubtedly Tom King. And while “Strange Adventures,” “Rorschach,” and his other Black Label efforts “Batman/Catwoman,” “Danger Street,” and “Jenny Sparks” are all remarkable, we’d argue his crown jewel is “Human Target.”

King partners with artist Greg Smallwood to do what he’s done best with this sort of series — take a forgotten or sidelined character from the wider DC Comics Universe and present them with an earnest integrity earned by smart psychological storytelling and a deft use of DC lore. In this modern masterpiece, King’s target is Chance Crawford, the Human Target — a ’70s noir character who has classically used his knack for disguise and impersonation to be a covert bodyguard for high-profile individuals. When assassins make an attempt on their life, they’re actually tangling with the overprepared and highly-trained Crawford.

But what happens when the man who dies for a living is suddenly faced with the reality of death? That’s where King and Smallwood find their hero, suffering from an unstoppable poison meant for one Lex Luthor. Throughout Crawford’s thrilling, stylish, and twisted investigation, readers will find their imaginations about the DCU amusingly expanded, a feat which, in our opinion, is precisely what an imprint like DC’s Black Label should set out to accomplish.