A lot can happen in a multiverse. Whole worlds begin and end. Histories are created and occasionally erased. Superheroes come and go—and come back again. How can anyone keep track of it all? We don’t see how it’s possible without superpowers, but that’s exactly what Randall Lotowycz, author of The DC Book of Lists, did! He organized over eighty years of the DC multiverse into a set of comprehensive, yet easy to browse, lists. And every single one of them is fascinating.
You’ll reach for it on the shelf when you find yourself wondering about the origin(s) of Donna Troy or when someone asks, “How many Robins have there been?” You’ll find answers to questions you never even knew you had. And since it’s a book of lists, there’s really only one way we could highlight it—with a list! So, here is a list of six can’t-miss lists in The DC Book of Lists.
And, yes, a kiss is on my list. (Sorry, not sorry.)
Best Body Art
You probably know about Aquaman’s inked-on scales and John Constantine’s tattooed mystical symbols. But who else in the DC Universe has a tattoo worth tallying? Here are a few. Jack Knight, AKA Starman, had black and red tattoos on his chest and arms; Green Lantern Simon Baz had “courage” written in Arabic on his forearm. And, of course, there’s El Diablo, whose fire powers came from his demonic tattoos.
Have you ever caught a glimpse of the back tattoo Supergirl got during a stay in Kandor? No? You’ll just have to pick up The DC Book of Lists to see it firsthand.
Cats of the DC Universe
Is there any creature more suited to be a Red Lantern than a cat? (Sorry, Guy Gardner.) But Red Lantern Dex-Starr isn’t the only cat you should know in the DC Universe.
“Streaky!” you might be yelling right now. Good call. But there’s also Damian Wayne’s cat Alfred, Catwoman’s loyal companion Hecate, Cyborg’s sweetie named Smokey, the Justice League’s resident alley cat Stinky…the list goes on. Do you know the name of the magical cat often found curled around Klarion the Witch Boy’s shoulders? Find meow-t in this purr-fect list. (Sorry, but again, not sorry.)
A Running Tally of Superman and the Flash’s Races
When these two superheroes race against each other, we all win.
The Flash and Superman started putting their super speed to the test in 1967, and Lotowycz has tallied the results of every race they’ve run since then. The two heroes occasionally race for fun. Usually, however, there’s a super-villain behind their speedy sprints. Sometimes it’s Superman who’s the victor, sometimes it’s the Flash. Once in a while, they tie. But who’s the overall winner? You’ll have to flip to page 94 as fast as you can to find out.
Types of Kryptonite
The differently hued pieces of the destroyed planet of Krypton each have their own effect on the Kryptonians on Earth. Everyone knows that Green Kryptonite is Superman’s weakness, but what do the other colors of Kryptonite do?
Lotowycz has it all spelled out for you in one handy-dandy list of Kryptonite types. (Memorize this one for your next comic book trivia night.) I’ll let you in on the secret of just three kinds of Kryptonite, but the rest you’ll have to discover in The DC Book of Lists!
- Gold Kryptonite – Annuls Kryptonian powers
- Silver Kryptonite – Hallucinogenic effect
- Red Kryptonite – Unpredictable behavior and transformation
Harley Quinn in Love
The Joker wasn’t the only object of Harley Quinn’s affections. She’s smooched Batman, gone on a date with Bruce Wayne, and tried to make Joker jealous with Tommy Eliott posing as Bruce Wayne. There were also some dates with Deadshot, skinny-dipping with Lobo and a crush on Booster Gold. But who’s keeping track? (Randall Lotowycz is.)
That said, Harley’s relationship with Poison Ivy has blossomed the most over the years, from steadfast friendship to true love. I’m rooting for them.
Green Arrow’s Weirdest Arrows
One of the best lists in the entire book details “Green Arrow’s 50 Most Peculiar Specialty Arrows.” I’m talking much, much weirder than the boxing glove arrow. Lotowycz fired off a ludicrous list of projectiles used by Oliver Queen that you probably won’t believe, including:
- Atomic Warhead Arrow
- Baby-Rattle Arrow
- Mind-Reading Arrow
- Mop Arrow
- Umbrella Arrow
I also have to give the Dummy Cat Arrow, which was exactly what it sounds like, its own shoutout. Want to see what other wild weapons were in Oliver’s arsenal? (Yes, you do.) Pick up The DC Book of Lists!
As you can see, ranging from momentous to minute, the details from the last eight decades of DC history are thoroughly presented in bite-sized lists, perfect for new fans or old. If you like crazy facts, fun figures and the sort of off-the-wall tidbits that have made the DC Universe the colorful place that it is, Randall Lotowycz’s book needs to be on your list—your To Be Read list, that is.
Bring even more DC to your day with these downloadable DC Book of Lists mini-poster and bookmark! To download, just click on the links below.
To download the mini-poster, click here.
To download the bookmark, click here.
The DC Book of Lists is now available in bookstores, libraries and as an e-book.
Kelly Knox writes about all-ages comics and animation for DCComics.com and her writing can also be seen on IGN, Nerdist and more. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox to talk superheroes, comics and pop culture.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Kelly Knox and do not necessarily reflect those of DC Entertainment or Warner Bros.
