Best Character Stories

[baconbutterburger]

I was originally only looking for the best Atom story, but I think it'd be cool to have a list of stories/runs that define all the characters of the DCU(don't want all origin stories). I'll just get rid of Batman with Year One, since I get the feeling everyone'll post Batman stories.

Just to make it more clear, if there was only one story/run you could read to really see the character in his/ prime, what would it be?

[Flash's Lightning]

I think the Sinestro War really defined the big four Green Lanterns, Kyle, Hal, John, and Guy. If you said you'd read only one Green Lantern story, I'd tell you to read that one.

For Wally West - the one where he races against his "radio friend" from childhood where only one world can survive. He begins to falter, and Jay tells him - the world could have picked anyone, even Superman had offered to race. They turned Superman down...because Wally was the fastest man alive, and it was up to him to make this thing turn out right. And he did. Good stuff there. Terminal Velocity should get honorable mention here.

Linda Park: Flash #100 was one of precious few moments with Linda as not-just-a-side-character. She took on Kobra, showing how friggin' awesome she is.

I guess the Death/Funeral/Return story would be the definitive one for Superman, which is wierd since he appears in the first, not in the second, and only at the end of the third.

[Hawkman]

Even though I prefer the Carter Hall version of the character as he's presently written, my favorite Hawkman story bar none is Tim Truman's 1989 Hawkworld mini-series. It's one of those stories that's overlooked far too often by fans of the medium, and I keep hoping DC will someday give it the Absolute treatment so more people might give it the acknowledgment it deserves.

My only qualm with Hawkworld would be DC's decision to capitalize on it after the fact by launching an ongoing series set in the time line of the day, which in turn was the start of the whole Hawkman continuity mess. But as a standalone story, for me anyway, it's right up with the likes of New Frontier and Kingdom Come.

As far as Carter Hall goes, I'd say it's a toss-up for me between "The Return of Hawkman" arc in JSA, or "Black Reign," which crossed over between Hawkman and JSA. If pressed, I'd probably have to tip my hat to latter.

[Flash's Lightning]

Even though I prefer the Carter Hall version of the character as he's presently written, my favorite Hawkman story bar none is Tim Truman's 1989 Hawkworld mini-series. It's one of those stories that's overlooked far too often by fans of the medium, and I keep hoping DC will someday give it the Absolute treatment so more people might give it the acknowledgment it deserves.

My only qualm with Hawkworld would be DC's decision to capitalize on it after the fact by launching an ongoing series set in the time line of the day, which in turn was the start of the whole Hawkman continuity mess. But as a standalone story, for me anyway, it's right up with the likes of New Frontier and Kingdom Come.

As far as Carter Hall goes, I'd say it's a toss-up for me between "The Return of Hawkman" arc in JSA, or "Black Reign," which crossed over between Hawkman and JSA. If pressed, I'd probably have to tip my hat to latter.

See, this I need. I've never read Hawkman, Hawkworld, Hawkgirl, and I don't know a Hawk God from a Shayera.

Only time I see Hawkman is when he pops into a team book I happen to read, or a crossover. I have no idea where to begin when everyone tells me he's too complicated to even bother with.

[Babylon23]

Green Lantern Rebirth sums up Hal Jordan quite nicely. There's nothing like returning from the dead to remind people what made you such a great character in the first place.

Wonder Woman: I don't think anybody has done a better job of defining Diana than Perez did in his run. The Gods and Mortals and Challenge of the Gods trades really sum Diana up beautifully.