How was your 2024? I spent mine reclaiming Gotham’s underworld, receiving a heart transplant from my father-in-law and working alongside a literal weasel. Okay, those are actually things that happened in my three DC favorites over this past year. But honestly, DC gave me plenty of entertainment to spice up my year. One universe ended, another began, and a crime lord rose. These are my 2024 DC Top Three!
The Penguin
HBO wasn’t the only place you could find the Penguin in 2024.
Oswald Cobblepot has been around since 1941, but Tom King, Rafael de Latorre and Steven Subic’s The Penguin got me to look at the character in a new light. The maxi-series chronicles Oswald’s quest to rebuild his criminal empire. The comic uses an interesting storytelling device, where each scene has one of the characters provide the internal narration. However, we never get any narration from Penguin himself. As a result, we learn so much about Oswald based on how others perceive him, but at the same time, the criminal mastermind remains somewhat of a mystery.
One of the things that blew my mind was how the series retconned the relationship between Batman and Penguin. According to the comic, Oswald long served as a stool pigeon for Batman, helping him take down Gotham’s criminal underworld. In exchange for his cooperation, the Dark Knight allowed Oswald to operate the Iceberg Lounge. Every battle that Batman and the Penguin have had since 1941 was staged in order to throw Gotham’s criminals off their scent.
It's a bold retcon, and one that calls many things into question. But honestly, that’s why I love it. The Penguin was a crime drama told in comic book form, reminding us why Oswald Cobblepot is one of Batman’s worst enemies.
Superman & Lois
The final season of Superman & Lois was something special, but that shouldn’t be surprising. The CW superhero drama has always fired on all cylinders. Each of this year’s ten episodes provided intense emotional drama, unexpected plot twists and exciting action sequences. When your season begins with Superman dying, that immediately sets the tone, letting fans know that anything can happen.
It's no secret that Superman & Lois had to make some compromises to get its final season. While I I’ll admit I had some concerns, the final product is proof that I never had anything to worry about. The quality was better than ever, and the fact that the writers and actors knew that the series was ending allowed them to take some big swings. We saw Sam Lane sacrifice himself to bring back Superman. We saw Clark reveal his identity to the world. And boy, can we talk about the intensity of Michael Cudlitz as Lex Luthor? What a powerful performance.
The final season of Superman & Lois also marked the end of the Arrowverse and the CW’s DC lineup. While Superman & Lois wasn’t set on Earth-Prime, it was still part of the Arrowverse’s extended multiverse. This is a universe that has brought us over a decade of frequently powerful storytelling and awesome memories. Superman & Lois gave DCTV’s CW era a proper final bow, ending this universe on a high note.
Of course, as one universe ends, another begins…
Creature Commandos
Creature Commandos had a lot of expectations to fill and the series has delivered. The currently ongoing Max animated series is the first installment of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, which is something I’m very excited for. After nearly two years of speculation, a lot of eyes were on this project, curious to see what DC Studios has been cooking up. The answer—something that is crazy fun.
As a writer for DC.com, I was given the opportunity to watch season one early, which I did in one sitting. Trust me when I say that at my age, it’s very rare for me to watch anything in one sitting. I won’t spoil what’s ahead, but I was entertained the entire time. Creature Commandos has all the fun of Gunn’s other DC projects, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. But it’s more than just raunchy humor and misfits. The series also has plenty of drama, including some still-to-be-seen character origins that will break your heart.
You will fall in love with each of these characters by the end of the series. Personally, I’ll never grow tired of hearing G.I. Robot talk about killing Nazis, and Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorus is a real delight. With Creature Commandos, it’s clear that the new DC Universe is off to a promising start, which gives me plenty of reasons to be excited for 2025…
Look for more Top Three lists all week right here on DC.com!
Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on X at @TBUJosh.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
