No matter how you feel about this past year, there’s no arguing that it brought us plenty of exciting, entertaining, and at times, powerfully impactful new work from DC. From the end of a remarkable era of films—featuring the first big screen shared universe in DC’s history—to the dawning of a spectacular new age in comics, it was a great year to be a DC fan. So, as we say goodbye to 2023, we thought we’d share a few of our recent DC favorites. Look for a new DC.com writer’s 2023 Top Three every day this week!
2023 was a banger year to be a DC fan. I’m still pinching myself over the fact that my favorite vehicle in superhero comics—Blue Beetle’s Bug—made it to the big screen in all of its glory in the Blue Beetle movie. Josh Bertone already wrote about the wonder that is My Adventures with Superman, so I thought I’d focus on my favorite developments in comics from this year. Pinning it down to just three things was enormously difficult, but in the future, when I think about how I’ll talk about what 2023 was like for comics, it’s these that will come to mind first.
Action Comics
If I had to pick a group to be a part of in the DC Universe, it would absolutely be the Super-Family. I mean, look at those jackets designed by Dan Mora! Action Comics by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Rafa Sandoval, Mike Perkins and many more had me running to read each issue to catch up on the latest in the Super-Family each month. Every character is wonderful on their own, but putting them all together is such an uplifting dynamic. Family is such a core element in so many areas of the DC Universe, and it works perfectly for Superman. I’m especially fond of the Super-Twins, Otho-Ra and Osul-Ra. Any time those kids are in danger, I want to jump into the book and protect them myself!
And the villains have never felt more visceral in Action Comics. I’ll always be a ‘90s Superman guy at my core, so I was pleased by how Johnson and Sandoval’s Cyborg Superman felt so gnarly and lethal, stooping to new levels of evil. Plus, I think it’s time we recognize Metallo as one of DC’s greatest villains. Johnson’s take on this other cyborg villain with a kryptonite heart was a gut-wrenching look at how life can rob someone of their humanity. This makes Superman’s ideals and mission all the more urgent. I believe that Superman’s greatest power is his empathy and that was at the core of Action Comics this year.
Circuit-Breaker
Lots of characters were introduced in the Lazarus Planet event earlier this year and Circuit-Breaker stole my heart instantly—and not just because we both have the same first name. A.L. Kaplan, the creator behind Circuit-Breaker, designed one of my favorite superhero looks of all time, with Jules Jourdain’s green cowboy boots, matching green vest, orange bolts and fringes on his sleeves. When Circuit-Breaker was unveiled earlier this year, so many of us were enamored by him because of his unique look alone. What’s not to love about this environmentally-minded cowboy?
Circuit-Breaker also feels like uncharted territory. Not just because he’s DC’s first transmasculine superhero, but because of how mysterious he still is. His command of the Still Force is a fascinating contrast to the Speed Force that we know from the Flash. I can’t think of another character whose powers look as beautiful as Circuit-Breaker’s on the page, and I wonder how other artists besides A.L. Kaplan will represent his abilities. There’s so much more to be discovered about Circuit-Breaker in the DC Universe, and I hope to see much more of this handsome cowboy in 2024!
We Are Legends
We Are Legends is a game-changing new imprint, geared around superheroes of Asian descent. The imprint launched with three miniseries featuring brand-new characters and teams: City Boy by Greg Pak, Minkyu Jung and Sunny Gho, The Vigil by Ram V, Lalit Kumar Sharma and Rain Beredo, and Spirit World by Alyssa Wong and Haining. There’s something for everyone in the three We Are Legends books, with City Boy offering a refreshingly hip look at some of the biggest heroes in the DC Universe. The Vigil is a high-octane action thriller in the vein of a ‘90s Wildstorm comic. And Spirit World brings together magic-users, humor and the team-ups we never knew we needed to see. (I mean, Cassandra Cain AND John Constantine?! Let’s go!)
As an Asian American, I felt a kinship with many of the DC heroes I watched in my favorite animated shows. I actually thought Terry McGinnis from Batman Beyond was a mixed-race Asian American like me. We Are Legends is a win because Asian experiences and perspectives are now taken beyond an allegorical space. They’re at the forefront. I can directly see elements of my own Chinese background in Spirit World, for instance, and laugh knowingly at culturally specific moments. The titular character in City Boy taps into a global, cosmopolitan mindset, with a fabulous sense of style to boot. The Vigil’s morally grey characters are a break from the stifling pressure of having to “represent” instead of imagine. The members of the Vigil don’t have to be “good”—they have to be compelling. And this sets the foundation for a new generation of Asian stories in DC comic books. I look forward to everything to come in 2024!
Be sure to read the rest of our 2023 Top Three lists!
Jules Chin Greene writes about comics for DC.com, and his work can also be found at Nerdist, Popverse and Multiverse of Color. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @JulesChinGreene.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Jules Chin Greene and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
