It’s been another great year for DC Comics. The DC All-In effort continued to provide readers with solid main stories, from continuing series like Superman and Justice League Unlimited that build toward the DC KO event, to new series like Sophie Campbell’s Supergirl, Jeremy Adams and John Timms’ Aquaman, and Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez’s Batman, which builds their own corner of the DCU. The Summer of Superman saw the launch of another new super title, Dan Slott and Rafael Albuquerque’s Superman Unlimited, with Mark Waid and Skylar Patridge’s Action Comics exploring the early days of Superboy. The Batman titles continued to offer a wide range of stories set in Gotham, from Damian Wayne’s ever-evolving spotlight on Philip Kennedy Johnson and Javi Fernandez’s Batman and Robin, to Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s return to H2SH in the pages of Batman, to the epic conclusion of Mark Waid and Chris Samney’s instant classic Batman and Robin: Year One.
Challengers to the unknown. Metamorpho, Element Man. Birds of prey. J.S.A. Krypto: The last dog of Krypton. Mr. Terrific: Year 1. A new history of the DC Universe. Titans 2025 Annual. These are just a few of the other major DC books published this past year. Add to that the publisher’s always high-quality Black Label work, and the creative and sales giant that is the Absolute DC line. DC is firing on all cylinders right now, and given some of the things they’ve already announced for 2026, it doesn’t look like they’ll stop anytime soon. Choosing the top releases from all this year was a very difficult task and the best kind of problem.
Without further ado, here are the 10 best DC comics of 2025, in alphabetical order, as selected by The Beat’s DC Round-Up team.
Absolute Batman 2025 Annual #1
Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson, James Hallen, Meredith McClaren
Colorist: Mike Spicer, Dave Stewart, Meredith McLaren
Author: Clayton Cowles and Meredith McLaren
Absolute Batman quickly grew into a maximalist’s dream. After an opening arc that established the character as Gotham’s protector, the series continually upped the ante with an alternate Dark Knight taking on a kaiju-sized monster version of his traditional rogues gallery. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why Absolute Batman 2025 Annual #1’s central story stands out so much. In this issue’s main story, written by Eisner Award-winning writer and artist Daniel Warren Johnson, Bruce Wayne leaves Gotham to retrieve anti-crime supplies and encounters a group of small-town white supremacists terrorizing an immigrant encampment. This is a more focused story than the monthly series, but there’s no shortage of maximalist action as Batman tears apart racist villains, breaking bones and shattering faces. Few artists capture action as viscerally as Johnson and longtime colorist Mike Spicer, and they use all of their talents to create a sequence that shows just how terrifying this version of Batman is. But what really takes this story to the next level is the examination of Batman’s very nature and his tactics. It’s a horrifyingly realistic, deeply cathartic, and deeply moving story. The fact that it comes with two excellent back-up stories by James Hurren, Dave Stewart, and Meredith McClaren is even better. This is one of the best single-issue comics of the year, and a book that all four DC Roundup writers agreed should be included on this list. —Joe Groenenwald
Read Zack’s full review of Absolute Batman 2025 Annual #1 here.
Absolute Martian Manhunter
Writer: Deniz Camp
Artist/Colorist: Javier Rodriguez
Author: Hassan Otuman Elaou
Absolute Martian Manhunter was a truly experimental title at the time of its release. It was something that few expected would become the flagship title of the Absolute Universe. But it quickly became a classic. Writer Deniz Camp had already gained quite a following with his current comic run, but this comic definitely pushed them even higher. Working with artist Javier Rodríguez, they brought to life a story that was as foreign to readers as the main characters, while also providing a design and color palette that many weren’t ready for yet but absolutely loved. The way it tells a story about Martians who exist and don’t exist in the fourth dimension, by setting up a detective who can sense a city tearing his family apart and being forced to confront his inner demons, and turning that struggle into a literal war with the city itself, is nothing short of amazing. Consisting of the first six issues, this is a book that rejects comfort, challenges perception, and proves just how fearless the Absolute Universe can be when it comes to fully tackling the unknown. —Diego Higuera
Read Zack’s full review of Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 here.
absolute wonder woman
Screenplay: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Hayden Sherman, Mattia De Ulis, Matteo Bergera
Colorists: Jordie Bellaire and Mattia De Iulis
Author: Becca Carey
On the other side of the Absolute universe from the last entry is Absolute Wonder Woman. While the rest of the “Absolute” series radically reinvents the title character, Diana, the heart of this series, doesn’t feel all that different from her mainline counterpart, at least in terms of temperament. Because it’s based on Wonder Woman’s familiar characterization, all the new and remixed elements around her feel particularly fresh, including her childhood in Hell, her regular use of magic, and her updated supporting cast and rogues gallery. Kelly Thompson’s sharp script, Hayden Sherman’s masterful visual storytelling, and truly excellent fill-in art from Mattia de Ulis and Matteo Bergera made Absolute Wonder Woman a standout not only within the Absolute Line, but among all of DC’s films over the past year. —Joe Groenenwald
Read Diego’s full review of Absolute Wonder Woman #5, the conclusion of the series’ first arc, here.
Batman: Dark Pattern
Screenplay: Dan Watters
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Author: Frank Cvetkovich
This was probably the most widely praised book of the year, at least by the four writers who contribute to this weekly DC Roundup column. We praised it throughout its 12-issue run, making it feel like a true Batman noir detective comic, told through Hayden Sherman’s bold panels and Triona Farrell’s moody colors. Although it’s limited to a maxi-series format, it’s also a book that made sure each chapter landed on an incredible cliffhanger, making it a must-read book every month. —Zach Quaintance
Read Diego’s full review of Batman: Dark Pattern #12, the final issue in the series, here.
Cheetah and Cheshire rob the Justice League
Screenplay: Greg Rucka
Artist: Nicola Scott
Colorist: Annette Kwok
Author: Troy Petteri
So the title of this book says it all. It’s a villain’s book about heists from the Justice League. And in addition to the two titular leads, it stars a number of other fun villains that readers might not expect. Additionally, we had a great time watching Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott return to their regular collaboration this time around. I hope this is just the beginning of a variety of DC character comics from these two that aren’t ideally possible. —Zach Quaintance
Read Zack’s full review of Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #1 here.
green arrow
Screenplay: Chris Condon
Artist: Montos
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
Author: Hassan Otuman Elaou
After an opening run that took Oliver Queen on a space adventure and bridged the gap between two major event series, the creative team of Chris Condon and Montos stepped in to return Green Arrow to what he does best: street heroism and social commentary. Condon is a writer with a keen ear for dialogue and knows when to step back and let the visuals do the storytelling. Montos was a revelation for the series, as his and colorist Adriano Lucas’ artwork established a strong noir sensibility for GA’s adventures. It’s an absolute crime that such great Big Two comics were canceled due to poor sales. This is future “cult favorite” status. —Joe Groenenwald
You can read Matt’s full review of Green Arrow #31, the final issue of the series, here.
new gods
Writer: Ram V
Artist: Evan Cagle et al.
Colorist: Francesco Segarra
Author: Tom Napolitano
Author Ram V’s works tend to have a strong sense of melancholy. Because of that, I was hooked on what that experience brought to the beginning of New Gods. Readers watch as the void left by Darkseid’s disappearance announces a star-shaking prophecy. I remember being hooked right away. V When I learned of artist Evan Cagle’s intention to depict a story parallel to Jack Kirby’s creation, his original ideas, and the origins of Orion and Scott Free, who act to save a baby, a “new god” whose fate is directly tied to the destruction of the new god’s life, I was not expecting one of the most deeply written and visually striking reading experiences I have ever had. Featuring multiple guest artists including Jesse Lonergan, Riccardo Federci, Bernard Chan, and Felipe Andrade, it explains the unexplainable. To tell a story that should be completely foreign to us, yet centers around the familiar familial concept of our own humanity. To remind the gods that they are not immune to mortality, sadness, and emotional weakness. That even they have to accept their mistakes and past. Knowing that there will be more new gods in the future, and the new status quo set by Mister Miracle, only leaves us looking forward to more. Rooting sadness and compassion in Infinite People, Ram V, Evan Cagle, and their collaborators deliver a New Gods story that honors Kirby’s legacy while proving that these characters still convey something urgent, human, and devastating. —Diego Higuera
poison ivy
Author: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Marcio Takara
Colorist: Arif Prianto
Author: Hassan Otuman Elaou
How amazing that not only do we have a Poison Ivy title that’s now officially pushing 50 issues, but they’ve pretty much kept a consistent creative team throughout, with only occasional fill-ins. I also feel like we don’t emphasize this enough in the DC roundup, but that’s because it’s completely consistent. This is a book that delivers compelling single issues each month that fit into a larger, compelling story arc. I thought superheroes like this, especially characters who weren’t famous, were a thing of the past. Poison Ivy is so glad I’m wrong. —Zach Quaintance
super girl
Screenplay: Sophie Campbell
Artist: Sophie Campbell et al.
Colorist: Tamra Bombillain and others
Author: Becca Carey
In 2025, DC’s mainline embraces fun, high-octane adventure, and no book embodies that approach more than Sophie Campbell et al.’s Supergirl. The series manages to incorporate the best parts of its Silver Age inspiration: the tone, pace, and density of ideas, but never seems cheesy, dated, or overly nostalgic. The result is a whirlwind of colorful reading that isn’t afraid to tug at your heartstrings, but always makes you feel a little bit super after reading it. —Matt Ledger
Read Matt’s full review of Supergirl #1 here.
Superman: Kryptonite Spectrum
Author: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Good old neon
When I read the first issue of Superman: Spectrum of Kryptonite, I swore I was in for a “timeless, innovative, heartfelt story that’s part sci-fi adventure and part personal reflection.” Although there were high hurdles to clear, Kryptonite Spectrum still exceeded my expectations. Each issue of this miniseries from the Ice Cream Man creative team was a joy to read, capturing moments when the team pushed themselves one step further. Together, they tell a heartfelt story about Man of Steel, what “home” is, and where it really is. If you missed this in the single issue, be sure to pick up the collected edition when it comes out in April. —Matt Ledger
Read Matt’s full review of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum here.
What do you think about our picks for DC’s best titles of 2025? Write your choices in the comments section. Check out all of DC Round-Up’s 2025 reviews here.
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