Fifty years ago, DC was on the front lines of celebrating America’s bicentennial anniversary. Commemorative banners were emblazoned across the headers of covers, and the company marked the momentous year with the very first DC/Marvel crossover in Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, written by the late, great Gerry Conway.

With America’s 250^th anniversary (or semiquincentennial if you like to be fancy), there are fifty years’ worth of additional comics to read and mark the occasion. There’s also a brand-new Superman/Spider-Man crossover, this one written by the equally legendary Mark Waid and a score of talented collaborators. Times have definitely changed, and new challenges continue to test our nation’s commitment to its ideals, but the spirit of patriotism still runs throughout DC’s comics. To celebrate, allow me to highlight five comics that demonstrate our country’s beliefs and the goals that we as a nation seek to aspire to. Here are five star-spangled comics to read for America’s 250^th birthday!
 

“Mystery of the Black Bat!”

2002’s Batman #600 was a historic issue for many reasons. Not only was it a milestone issue for the Caped Crusader, but the main story served as the  bridging chapter between the end of “Bruce Wayne: Murderer?” and the start of  “Bruce Wayne: Fugitive.” Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are at odds in that story to say the least, but one turn of the page later and we find a blast to the past from the same writer, Ed Brubaker, with artwork by artist and Batman: The Brave and the Bold producer James Tucker.

The two men tell a tale evocative of the Silver Age of Batman, complete with Tucker’s affinity for Dick Sprang’s rendition of the character. After hearing reports of a Civil War-era crusader named the Black Bat, Batman and Robin travel back in time to satisfy their curiosity. There, they run into Samuel Braxton, a conductor for the Underground Railroad en route to escort escaped slaves to northern states.  When the Dynamic Duo lend their assistance, Braxton is inspired by their garish costumes and later aids them in a facsimile of their dress, becoming the Black Bat! Whether or not Gotham’s crimefighters changed the past or not, this story inserts costumed heroism into America’s most notable battle for freedom.
 

“America’s Wonder Women of Tomorrow!”

Going back to her 1941 debut, Princess Diana has stood as a beloved embodiment of the capacity for greatness that lies within every woman. Particularly early on, Diana would regularly encourage young girls to never feel that their gender limits them, as she’d continually demonstrate her strength and intelligence while navigating “Man’s World.”

One of the more imaginative examples of this can be seen in 1944’s Wonder Woman #7, where Diana and her mother Queen Hippolyta get a glimpse at the year 3004 and discover an America governed by women. Through a series of surprising events, the next presidential election comes down to a showdown between Diana (with Etta Candy as her running mate) and Steve Trevor, a selected patsy of the purple-shirt “Man’s Party.” (By the way, if you’re wondering how Diana, Steve and Etta are still alive nearly 1,000 years in the future, the answer is Amazonian comic book science.)

An action-packed tale with surprises and humor, “America’s Wonder Women of Tomorrow!” was ahead of its time in presenting a future of women in government and the benefits of a more egalitarian American society.
 

Young Justice #23-25

How great is it that America’s 250^th anniversary is happening during the World Cup? In that spirit, I offer you this underread tale in which former Young Justice member Cissie King-Jones, a.k.a. Arrowette, is enlisted in “The Summer Games” as a part of Team USA, competing in Australia. It all kicks off in 2000’s Young Justice #23.

Having left Young Justice and given up adventuring, Cissie seeks to prove her archery mettle on a cleaner, less violent platform. Of course, the fact that she’s no longer a YJ member doesn’t prevent Cissie from sharing the news with her former teammates and best friends, who all gladly travel down under to cheer her on! It’s a good thing, too, as the criminal country of Zandia has a team of supervillains competing in the games as well. Over the course of three issues, the YJ gang must contend with Monsieur Mallah, the Brain and the evil archer Merlyn. How does everything work out? Does Cissie claim the gold? You’ll have to read the story to find out!
 

“What So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way?”

The history of America is like the history of most countries in the world, laden with difficult times and violent periods that challenge our ideals. Sometimes, those ideals seem out of date, unfit to meet the needs and demands of our times. In comics, this trend has been reflected through stories in which classic superheroes have questioned their continued effectiveness and relevance.

The most direct example of this can be found in 2001’s seminal Action Comics #775 by writer Joe Kelly and artists Lee Bermejo and Doug Mahnke. In this issue, Superman is challenged by a violent new super-team called the Elite, led by telepath Manchester Black. The Elite make news around the globe by killing alien threats, causing mass destruction in the process and showing little interest in setting examples for the world to follow. As public sentiment begins to turn in favor of this new approach to superheroism, a showdown between the Elite and Superman becomes inevitable.

In a battle broadcast worldwide, the Elite seem to have destroyed the Man of Steel for good, only to have their cynical worldview challenged in real time by someone they never thought would share their beliefs. For those who haven’t yet read it, I won’t spoil the rest of the story. However, 25 years later, the single-issue “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way?” remains as powerful and relevant as ever—a definitive argument that the American ideals of empathy, forgiveness and redemption never go out of fashion.
 

DC: The New Frontier

Arguably the late, great Darwyn Cooke’s most essential comic, 2004’s DC: The New Frontier paints a picture of how mid-20^th century American history could have unfolded if DC Super Heroes were real. Offering an unflinching acknowledgement of America’s underlying struggle for freedom and equality, while also celebrating the greatness of American accomplishments and the sacrifices they required, The New Frontier is, above all else, a tribute to the nation’s capacity to dream.

Cooke imaginatively uses characters such as Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, John Henry Irons, Superman and Wonder Woman to give perspective on the role that American structures of power and authority have played over the years and the way their shortcomings have failed us. Yet, it does this while maintaining a deep-rooted belief in our ability to come together as one nation to face new threats and challenges. It recognizes that a core truth of the United States is that it’s at its best when it’s fighting to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Of all the comics on this list, few fit the vibes of an Independence Day cookout as closely as The New Frontier. And yet, I suspect that fewer will also remain with you for longer after you put the book down.

Donovan Morgan Grant writes about comics, graphic novels and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @donomark and X at @donoDMG1.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Donovan Morgan Grant 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.