In the 1990s while working at the comic shop, I gravitated toward DC Comics and the independents (Image had just launched in the mother of all initiatives in the industry), and over the years, I’ve had a healthy balance between DC and Marvel. I will say I kept a heavy lean on DC during the New 52 and Rebirth rebrands, so it’s damned difficult to pick my top 5, even if Batman remains my all-time favorite superhero ever and Gail Simone’s reboot of Batgirl brought me back to comics after a five- or six-year layoff. Flash deserves to be here, so do the Green Lanterns Hal Jordan, John Stewart and Kyle Radner, the latter being the bravest thing anyone ever attempted in comics at the time to bring inclusivity as a gay GL. Aquaman’s the bitch of the DCU, but I’ve always loved him. Wish I had him in the top 5. Catwoman, no-brainer. Should’ve been in here. Superman and the JLA. I know, you’re going, c’mon, man! Nightwing. Hardware from DC’s affiliate line of heroes all of color, Milestone Comics.

I’m not going to include the Vertigo comics, which technically falls under the DC umbrella, but anyone who knows this stuff knows Vertigo deserves its own separate canon and break off as horror and mature audience comics. I’m a giant fan of the Vertigo books, but to get to the core of my favorite DC characters, here we go:

One: Batman

Two: Batgirl

3: Wonder Woman

4. Mister Miracle

5. The Spectre