No matter how you feel about this past year, there’s no arguing that it brought us plenty of exciting, entertaining, and at times, powerfully impactful new work from DC. From the end of a remarkable era of films—featuring the first big screen shared universe in DC’s history—to the dawning of a spectacular new age in comics, it was a great year to be a DC fan. So, as we say goodbye to 2023, we thought we’d share a few of our recent DC favorites. Look for a new DC.com writer’s 2023 Top Three every day this week!
DC brought so many heartfelt moments to the screen in 2023. The end of an era for The Flash! Blue Beetle’s movie debut! The most adorable Lois and Clark ever! But the pages of this year’s comic books held so much to love as well. My 2023 Top Three list covers three wildly different comic series. Each one is packed with their own personality and memorable takes on beloved DC Super Heroes that made me a devoted reader.
Let’s look back through 2023 by flipping through their pages together!
Birds of Prey
As Dinah Lance so eloquently puts it, if you see this team coming at you, you’re going to !@#$ your pants. Black Canary recruits Big Barda, Cassandra Cain, Zealot and Harley Quinn for a personal mission in this in-your-face Birds of Prey series from Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Bastos Romero. They’re on a rescue mission to save Dinah’s sister, Sin. The only problem is…she’s being kept on Themiscyra. Oh, it’s not the island full of Amazons they’re worried about. It’s Wonder Woman.
Thompson and Romero remind readers of just how formidable Wonder Woman is, as the team (which is made of powerhouses itself) is rightfully fearful of forcing a showdown with her. Dinah takes as many precautions as she can, because she knows if you find yourself on the wrong side of the Amazonian princess, you’re in big trouble. Starring in a book with a distinctive art style and some of the smartest dialogue I’ve read in a long time, this new Birds of Prey team is going to become one for the ages. Assuming they survive, of course.
Superman vs. Meshi
This unforgettable manga series from Satoshi Miygawa and Kai Kitago pits the Man of Steel against one of the most difficult decisions he has to make: what should he have for lunch today? Superman vs. Meshi, a delightfully low stakes slice-of-life series, takes Superman to Japan for a tour of the local chain restaurants. From learning how to order, to making it back to the Daily Planet before his lunch break is over, these fun stories prove once again that Superman is an inspiration even when he’s facing the most mundane problems.
Yakitori, beef bowls and tempura are just some of the Japanese staples that Superman tries in his culinary adventures. And I dare you not to smile when Superman basically kidnaps Batman to fly him to Japan for a quiet lunch together. He also orders for Batman, which is the moment I fell in love with this series. Superman vs. Meshi isn’t your typical superhero fare, and that’s what makes it so delicious.
Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, “Phantom Riddles”
There’s one timeless story above all others that I never get tired of reading or seeing, no matter the retelling—when Batman met Superman! World’s Finest, their current team book, finally revealed this year how these two wholesome heroes joined forces. Issues #18 and #19 by Mark Waid and Travis G. Moore, “Phantom Riddles,” is the secret origin of how their worlds collided.
When the Riddler’s latest caper includes a clue written in Kryptonese, it catches Superman’s eye. He visits Commissioner Gordon in Gotham, who gives the Man of Steel a little background info on the rogue. Superman hears Batman eavesdropping nearby—naturally—and the two make their introductions. From there, they go on their first adventure together, complete with strange disappearances, secret identities revealed and trips to the Fortress of Solitude and the Phantom Zone. Just another day for the World’s Finest.
Waid proves time and time again how well he knows both Batman and Superman and how the strengths of each character complement the other to create the perfect team-up. Superman solves a riddle or two himself, and Batman offers to train him in hand-to-hand combat. (Show me that montage, please.) And while this is a standalone story worthy of multiple rereads, this two-issue tale also sets up the antagonist for a new storyline coming to Action Comics in 2024.
What other destined-to-be-favorite tales await us next year? I can’t wait to find out. But to pass the time, I’m going to grab my top three books of 2023 for another reread…
Be sure to read the rest of our 2023 Top Three lists!
Kelly Knox writes about all-ages comics and animation for DC.com and her writing can also be seen on IGN, Nerdist and more. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox to talk superheroes, comics and pop culture.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Kelly Knox and do not necessarily reflect those of DC Entertainment or Warner Bros., nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
