2+ year runs on a single title by a single writer in the past 2 decades?

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

As some may or may not know, I didn't read much DC until 2010. I've picked up TPBs of the big events (52, Crises, etc) of the 2000s and some longer, more recent runs that I've missed and interested me (Morrison's Bats and JLA, Rucka's WW and Checkmate) to "catch up".

But I've recently become interested in other "epic" runs on a single title by a single writer. So I'm wondering what other long (2+ years, multiple arcs) writer runs on a title should I pick up from the 1990s or 2000s? Rucka's Action Comics run was almost 2 years right? I know about Johns' JSA, GL, etc. I know Waid's Flash run and PAD's Aquaman from the 90s.

But I know there's more I just am unaware of. I guess I'm missing Moench's Batman run? Is that worth picking up the entire run? I suppose I can throw in Gotham Central in the mix... Any Teen Titans long writer runs worth reading? WW pre-Rucka/Simone? Supes?

[Desaad]

I take it you'll want traded stuff, yes? Yes.

I'll keep it limited to DCU stuff; Vertigo only as it applies to DCU stuff. We'll be here all night if you want Vertigo.

Morrison's Doom Patrol - Brilliant, erudite examination of the human psyche and human culture. My personal favorite mainstream series of all time.
Morrison's Animal Man - Grant Morrison couches the weird and the heady metaphysical and existential ponderings of a youth in the everyman sensibility of Buddy Baker's relatively happy life.
Moore's Swamp Thing - One of the most sophisticated things ever done in comics; haunting, poetic, it examines the human condition and struggles to reveal some deep human truths.
Ennis' Hitman - The ultimate blue collar morally ambiguous good killer story. Ennis is the master at heart, and no book he's ever written had this much heart, this much humor. Best thing a master at his craft has ever done, a work that takes you through the full gamut of human emotion.
Ostrander's Martian Manhunter - Solid and smart sci fi world and culture building.
Ostrander's Spectre - Exploring the tortured soul of one man, filtered through religion and philosophy.
Simonson's Orion - Truly the best meditation on nature vs nurture, free will vs control, the corruptive and addictive influence of power there has never been, a unique and resonant take on the nature of gods and godhood...
Rucka/Brubaker's Gotham Central - You know what this is.
Brubaker's Catwoman - This, probably, too.
Milligan's Shade the Changing Man (eh, kind of in the DCU, a stretch) - A weird, often uncomfortable trip through one man's completely fractured human psyche as he struggles primarily with issues of identity - asking the primal questions of who is he, who does he want to be, what does he feel, etc. Warning, this one could make you very uncomfortable.
Mark Millar's Superman Adventures (the best long form Superman run in a while, but still highly overrated..just fun, nothing more)
Mark Millar's Swamp Thing (actually excellent)
John Rozum's Xombi (all told I think it's about, what, 28 issues? Milestone is now a part of DC, so technically...) Basically should be read after Morrison's Doom Patrol; almost identical tones.
Gail Simone's Secret Six (Villains United, Secret Six, Secret Six v2) - Just purely brilliant character ensemble work, with a lot of wonderful and powerful action.
Gail Simone's Birds of Prey - The quintessential 'how to write women in comics', one of the few takes on a group of females that has felt honest and legitimate to me.
Kevin Smith's Green Arrow - Fun, bombastic, energetic, very superheroy. Very clever.
DnA's Legion (Legion of the Damned, Legion Lost, Legion Worlds, Legion). Big widescreen sci fi action.
DC's 52 (4 writers, one advisor, two editors, and a host of artists): Like one big novel with 6 seperate plot threads that weave in and out of each other.
Robinson's Starman - Big personal story about the nature of family, obligation, antique collecting, dedicating oneself to science, etc.
Denny O'Neil's Question - Big time mystical kung fu fun.
John Roger's Blue Beetle - The ultimate Spider-Man story, but with more interesting powers and a much stronger supporting cast in every way. Jaime reyes is one of the most vibrant characters we've got.
Greg Rucka's Checkmate - Fun espionage.


If I could only pick five, in no particularly order...

Morrison's Doom Patrol
Morrison's Animal Man
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing
Ennis' Hitman
Simonson's Orion

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Sweet, ty. I got some researching to do. And yeah, I'm wanting trades only.

Quick question, though. You listed some that I had already mentioned, not sure if by accident. So is that list the complete list of what you'd suggest to anyone and some of the ones I had mentioned that you did not are ones you actually wouldn't suggest (Moench's Bats, Waid's Flash, Rucka's Action Comics, John's JSA, etc)?

[Desaad]

'Twas an accident; didn't see 52 and Checkmate, for whatever reason!

That said, I've read some of Moench's Bats and didn't care for it at all. Very rote, mundane stuff.

I've read all of Waid's Flash and...all I can say is that I found it to be almost uniformly mediocre, just okay, occasionally really really hackneyed. Some good stuff, but it never once grabbed me.

Rucka's Action Comics I'd stay away from. It's not a run he's proud of, it has nothing to do with Superman (it focuses on Superman's weirdly aged adopted son, Chris Kent, and Flamebird, and it ties in heavily with the not very good World of New Krypton megastory they had going on at the time)

Johns' JSA I didn't mention because you already mentioned it; that's the best long form thing that he's written, and I highly recommend it.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Rucka's Action Comics I'd stay away from. It's not a run he's proud of, it has nothing to do with Superman (it focuses on Superman's weirdly aged adopted son, Chris Kent, and Flamebird, and it ties in heavily with the not very good World of New Krypton megastory they had going on at the time)

hunh. Interesting. I actually knew it was about Flamebird and Nightwing (right, not Dick Grayson) and that's kind of what piqued my interest in it. And of course I love Rucka and figured it'd be an interesting tale about some obscure characters. But I'll have to check some reviews then, in that case.

Thanks again, and obviously if anyone else has more to add, feel free!

[Prisoner 6655321]

hunh. Interesting. I actually knew it was about Flamebird and Nightwing (right, not Dick Grayson) and that's kind of what piqued my interest in it. And of course I love Rucka and figured it'd be an interesting tale about some obscure characters. But I'll have to check some reviews then, in that case.

Thanks again, and obviously if anyone else has more to add, feel free!

I personally loved the whole new Krypton era. It's not for casual readers I guess, there's a lot to it (you can probably start with John's run on Action and go from there to War of the Supermen) but I think it pays off in spades. When you read the epic from start to finish you've got a whole lot of greatness, everything from Science Police and teenagers from the future to the Phantom Zone and DNAliens.... Jimmy Olson and Lois Lane are even way awesome in it; Superman being Superman but being limited by only being one guy while inspiring a huge and diverse cast to all be heroes. Thinking about it kinda makes me sad thinking about how much the Superman corner of the DCU has lost...

[NexusTenebrare]

I personally loved the whole new Krypton era. It's not for casual readers I guess, there's a lot to it (you can probably start with John's run on Action and go from there to War of the Supermen) but I think it pays off in spades. When you read the epic from start to finish you've got a whole lot of greatness, everything from Science Police and teenagers from the future to the Phantom Zone and DNAliens.... Jimmy Olson and Lois Lane are even way awesome in it; Superman being Superman but being limited by only being one guy while inspiring a huge and diverse cast to all be heroes. Thinking about it kinda makes me sad thinking about how much the Superman corner of the DCU has lost...

Personally I liked the New Krypton thing, but the ending was a mess that made Superman (and for a little bit Superboy) into a hypocit, a traitor and a tyrant.