Favorite DC Detectives?

[Will.S]

DC is clearly has an abundance of Detectives (hence it's namesake) but I was also wondering which of them are your favorites?

I've become very fond of The Question lately especially the Vic Sage one we all know and love (and I still like Greg's Montoya as the Question). Denny O'Neil wrote a fantastic version that works so well within it's own book and didn't necessarily feel like it was in DC proper outside of a Batman appearance or two. I also loved the way Greg Rucka used Vic and Montoya in 52, sadly it would be Vic's last story but so far I think it's been pretty well passed to Montoya.

The Spirit is also a really good and fun character that has many various types of stories although my exposure is limited to the stuff Darwyn Cooke has been doing in DC. Batman and Ralph are a bit less grounded given their more superhero garbs but I've been more used to Batman as a Detective than Ralph who I only read about in Identity Crisis and 52 (where he showed his great detective chops).

[a-spidey]

That's a pretty easy choice for me ^^
I voted for Batman, he's also my favorite DC character.
I like the stores, when he's more detective than superhero.

[Jack Zodiac]

Well, I don't know if I'd call The Spirit a detective as much as the rest of the guys on that list. More of a bumbling pile of living dumb luck. :p And where's Detective Chimp?!

I voted for Ralph. "Closed door" mysteries are awesome and no one solves crazy little cases like him. Plus, he's got the flair of having a superpower that doesn't really come in that handy for anything involving detective work, it's just part of his character that stands out. Meanwhile, Batman gets further and further away from his detective roots the more he becomes a superhero and central badass figure in the DCU. Dini's done some awesome stuff with him lately, but for the most part he's still "Batman, Justice Leaguer," or "Batman, The Outsider," or "Batgod" or "Batdick."

[Will.S]

Well, I don't know if I'd call The Spirit a detective as much as the rest of the guys on that list. More of a bumbling pile of living dumb luck. :p And where's Detective Chimp?!Argh!

I knew I was missing someone, can someone edit that into the poll?

[chaplainandrews]

Batman.

It is Detective Comics isn't it? I must be out of it, I never knew the the Elongated Man was a detective. I thought he was just a dork, sorry to offend, but really.:o

[stelok]

I'm surprised you haven't listed the Detective Chimp and Martian Manhunter in the poll.

J'onn J'onnz's alter ego John Jones is a detective.

During the Silver Age almost every superhero has some detective skills.

[michaeljsmith]

Unfortunately Batman doesn't display as many of his detective skills in years past but that really does not sell comics. All-in-all though he is the effen man in this department.

[nuclearman]

in order ...
1. Batman
2. Question
3. Spirit

[Ian J.N.]

I'm surprised you haven't listed the Detective Chimp and Martian Manhunter in the poll.

J'onn J'onnz's alter ego John Jones is a detective.

During the Silver Age almost every superhero has some detective skills.
I'd pay fistfuls of cash for a hardboiled "John Jones: Manhunter from Mars" series. In addition to the titular detective, he could be a seedy club owner and a gangland snitch, working the case from multiple angles. That'd be cool.

[Will.S]

Unfortunately Batman doesn't display as many of his detective skills in years past but that really does not sell comics. All-in-all though he is the effen man in this department.Doesn't he and the Riddler do a whole bunch of Detective skills in Dini's Batman?

[Jack Zodiac]

I'd pay fistfuls of cash for a hardboiled "John Jones: Manhunter from Mars" series. In addition to the titular detective, he could be a seedy club owner and a gangland snitch, working the case from multiple angles. That'd be cool.

If you haven't yet, read New Frontier. Without a doubt the best Martian Manhunter written all decade. And the hilarious thing is that Cooke admitted to knowing next to nothing about J'onn before he decided to use him for his project, but then he winds up writing him better than anyone has in years.

Doesn't he and the Riddler do a whole bunch of Detective skills in Dini's Batman?

Yeah, Dini's Batman is truly "The World's Greatest Detective," he just isn't seen as much as the standard "Batass" version.

[BoosterBronze]

I love Batman as "world's greatest detective."

I really dislike Batman as "smartest man in the universe."

[earl]

There are a couple of regular detectives that have been in DC comics over the years. Slam Bradley actually is one of the oldest DC characters, who predates even Batman. Both Bradley and Bard have been used a bit as a side character in some of the Batman family books over the past few years.

Slam Bradley

Jason Bard


I posted it before, but I think there might be some possibilities in having a DC detective agency book. Since Batman is being setup as an Ozymandias type character in the DC Universe where needs to have intelligence and knowledge on things going on, I think it might be work to have a title where Batman/Bruce Wayne puts together a detective agency. I'd have it where the members of the agency, except maybe one person, don't know that Batman/Wayne is bankrolling the business.

It could be a way to try a team title with some characters that have not been able to really hold a solo title. You could also add in the last version of Manhunter as a character that could work in such a book.

[ultramandingo]

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/ultramandingo/HOF-DTCH1.jpg

[michaeljsmith]

Doesn't he and the Riddler do a whole bunch of Detective skills in Dini's Batman?

They have tried to portray that early on with Riddler going straight but I have not seen it in quite some time.

[Laughing Mask]

Detective Chimp.

he got it going on!

[Eumenides]

Elongated Man for me. He's not only a good detective, but he loves mysteries so much his nose even twitches when he finds one. I've always loved this character mark. And he's made a healthy hobby out of it, whereas Batman and most of the others are obsessed borderline psychos who've devoted their lives to it. Not Ralph, he'll just be in a trip with his wife and all of a sudden get involved in something; he solves it and moves on, like a normal human being.

[Nightstar1441]

Question all the way - they way Vic Sage was portrayed by O'Neill was one of my favorite DC runs

[Hulkamaniac]

come on, the answer is obviously Batman. No other "detective" is more prolific in the DC universe than Batman.

[Sanlear]

The Riddler. Is he still a reformed villian?

[Sam Scudder]

Two of the things I really love: Detectives and chimps. Detective Chimp, its brilliant.

[dupersuper]

No Captain Nemo? Jason Baird; Armchair Detective? TV detective? Human Target? Plastic Man? Angel and the Ape? Heck, even Clark and Lois are investigative reporters...

[Will.S]

No Captain Nemo? Jason Baird; Armchair Detective? TV detective? Human Target? Plastic Man? Angel and the Ape? Heck, even Clark and Lois are investigative reporters...
Sorry my well of DC knowledge of Detectives doesn't go that deep.

I think the ones listed do nicely though as the main guys.

[ultramandingo]

.......slam bradley should at least get a vote for "hooking up" ( as the kids say) with catwoman - lets see elongate man try that

[Will.S]

.......slam bradley should at least get a vote for "hooking up" ( as the kids say) with catwoman - lets see elongate man try that
Has that been received well?

It seems like they killed off any future romantic interest with Batman by having Selina have Slam's kid. But then again Bruce hooking back up with her would probably result in Batman training the kid to be a new Robin ;)

[matt levin]

wasn't Nathaniel Dusk a DC detective?
If so, he's got my vote.


Matt

[Sam Scudder]

The true irony of the matter is that after finishing Identity Crisis and 52 I now really want to read some Elongated Man stuff, but it will never happen.