15 Most Jaw-Dropping Twists in DCU Comics History
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It’s amazing that “superhero fatigue,” has taken hold in Hollywood. There are so many untapped stories in comic book canon that are ripe for film adaptation. Moreover, these stories are just waiting for non-comic book readers to discover.
Did you know that Superman once became a fascist and took over the world? Or that Green Lantern once went insane and betrayed his allies? Do you know that Superman renounced his American citizenship in the current DC Comics canon?
Here are the 15 most jaw-dropping twists in DCU comics history.
1. Sobek the Talking Crocodile Betrays Osiris
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52 was a 2006 weekly comics series. It featured storylines that would affect near-term DC comics storylines. Amon Tomaz is a child from Kahndaq, Black Adam’s brother-in-law, and destined to become the hero Osiris in the comic books. (Bodhi Sabongui portrayed Amon in 2022’s Black Adam)
Amon befriended a talking crocodile, Sobek, who became a trusted friend. Sobek was really a genetically modified monster deceptively toying with the naive Amon. After months of deceptive play-acting, Sobek suddenly bit Amon in half and partially consumed half of the boy’s body. Black Adam discovered Amon’s remains later.
2. The Joker Was a Normal Man Driven to the Edge
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Batman: The Killing Joke is a 1988 graphic novel. It contains one of the most definitive origins in comics history, Joker’s origin. The Joker was not a guy who decided to become evil for its own sake. He was a failed family man, a loser, and an inept comedian who became the Joker after experiencing, “one bad day.” This graphic novel posits that if the Joker were not driven to his breaking point, then perhaps the Joker persona would never have manifested.
3. Green Lantern Goes Insane and Kills His Allies
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DC editors retired Hal Jordan as Green Lantern in DC Comics to make way for a new one and chose the most dramatic way to do it. In 1994’s “Emerald Twilight,” in Green Lantern #48 – #50, Jordan goes insane after his home city, Coast City is destroyed. 7 million people perish. Jordan, now half-crazed in grief, uses his Green Lantern powers to try to resurrect his city and people, which is a forbidden act.
Jordan changes his name to Parallax and kills several other Green Lanterns and steals their rings to get more power. Jordan is finally stopped by Kyle Rayner, his new replacement. Emerald Twilight became one of the most scandalous stories in comics history and fans revolted. It was revealed years later that Jordan was possessed by a space entity, was never insane or homicidal, and was reinstated into the Green Lantern Corps.
4. Joker Paralyzes Batgirl
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One of the most tragic scenes in comics history occurred in Batman: The Killing Joke. Non-comic book readers may know about the character Barbara Gordon, also known as Oracle, who is a wheelchair-bound data specialist for Batman. Barbara operated as Batgirl before she was shot and paralyzed by the Joker.
The Joker tortured and humiliated Barbara to psychologically torment her father, Commissioner Gordon. After recovering, Barbara became the Oracle to aid vigilantes. Barbara was depicted as the paraplegic Oracle for over 23 years before DC Comics made her able-bodied and able to walk again.
5. Joker Tortures Jim Gordon
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One of the most horrifying scenes in Batman: The Killing Joke is Joker’s sadistic and cruel attempt to drive Jim Gordon insane. After Joker shot and paralyzed Gordon’s daughter, Barbara, the Joker stripped her and took lurid and humiliating pictures of her as she lay in agony. Joker then kidnapped and beat Gordon, chained him, and forced him to look at photographs of his injured daughter. Joker wanted to prove that it just takes, “One bad day,” for someone to become as irrevocably insane as himself.
6. Superman Renounces His U.S. Citizenship
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The Kents adopted baby Kal-El after he was found as the last baby survivor of his doomed world, Krypton. Kal-El was renamed “Clark Kent.” and grew up as a human in Kansas. In 2011, that changed. In Action Comics #900, Superman renounced his American citizenship publicly and swore to dedicate his heroics to benefit the world, not one country. It’s one of the most polarizing moments in comics history and caused an online uproar amongst the fandom of the era.
7. Superman Gets a New Motto
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Superman used to fight for “Truth, Justice, and the American Way,” as a superhero. After publicly renouncing his American citizenship to become a proactive global superhero, the character needed an updated motto. Superman now fights for, “Truth, Justice, and a Better Tomorrow.” This development is one of the most significant in comics history as it made Superman a global character, not an American one.
8. Batman and Joker Share a Laugh
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Batman: The Killing Joke is infamous for having several moments that altered comics history. It established that Batman and Joker are two sides of the same coin. Batman’s “One bad day,” set him on the path of vigilantism, but if not for his character, he might have turned to the path of crime. At the end of the story, Batman catches the Joker and sincerely offers to help him. The Joker politely declines.
Joker tells Batman a joke about two men escaping an asylum. Only one escapes, but the punchline is that both are crazy and the one who escaped is “One bad day,” away from returning. Batman and Joker share a laugh. Many fans believe the joke symbolizes the relationship between the two.
9. Major Force Slaughters Green Lantern’s Girlfriend
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In 1994’s Green Lantern #54, supervillain Major Force was tasked by an alien society, the Quorum Organization, with stealing the ring of the new Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner. Major Force starts out by killing Rayner’s girlfriend, Alex DeWitt, in his apartment and stuffing her corpse inside a refrigerator. Rayner found her remains later in horror. Critics of the era thought it was one of the biggest and most cynical shock value stunts in comics history.
Noted comics writer Gail Simone launched her career and coined the term “fridging,” with her 1999 blog, “Women in Refrigerators.” Simone criticized the trope of disposable female characters being killed solely to motivate male characters.
10. Joker Wears His Skinned Face as a Mask
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In 2011’s Detective Comics #1, the Joker gets thrown into Arkham Asylum on purpose. He tasks fellow villain, Dollmaker, with cutting Joker’s face off. The Joker then grotesquely wears his own skinned face like a mask as a symbol of his worsening psychosis. His skin-face mask is also a criticism of Batman, whom the Joker believes is nothing without his mask since to Batman, Bruce Wayne is the true mask. (Joker knows Batman’s true identity) Joker disfiguring his own face worse than before is one of the most disturbing scenes in comics history.
11. The Three Jokers
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During 2015’s Darkseid War, Batman sat in a cosmic chair that would answer any question truthfully. Batman asks for the identity of the Joker and learns that there are three Jokers, not one. The “Criminal,” is the OG Joker who cloned the other two. The “Clown,” is the goofy Joker of the Silver Age of comics, and the “Comedian, is the most modern variant of the Joker. While this story is one of the most shocking ideas in DC Comics history, there is now only one Joker again, the Comedian. This idea has been largely forgotten.
12. The Justice League Mind Wipes Batman
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2004’s Identity Crisis is one of the most controversial series in DC Comics history. The Elongated Man’s wife, Sue Dibny, is attacked and sexually assaulted by supervillain Dr. Light at the Justice League’s orbiting satellite headquarters. The Justice League interrupt the assault. Sorceress Zatanna initiates a spell that makes Sue forget the assault. Zatanna mindwipes Dr. Light, essentially lobotomizing him.
An enraged Batman disagrees. He believes Dr. Light should be brought to justice for his crimes. The Justice League has Zatanna mindwipe Batman’s memory of the incident too. Zatanna’s actions would have future repercussions when Batman later regained his memories.
13. Nightwing Gets Amnesia
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In 2018’s Batman #55, KGBeast shot Nightwing in the head with a grazing shot. (Dick Grayson was Batman’s first Robin but now operates as the vigilante Nightwing) Grayson survived, developed amnesia, and started calling himself, “Ric Grayson.” Grayson quit vigilantism, became a cab driver, and lived a normal life. Comic book fans considered it one of the most uninspired stunts in comics history. The Dick Grayson/Nightwing persona was restored sometime later.
14. Titans Replace the Justice League
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Following the 2022 DC Comics event Dark Crisis, the Justice League disbanded due to the emotional severity of the conflict. The Titans, featuring Nightwing, Cyborg, Starfire, Flash, Beast Boy, Raven, and Donna Troy, have been the premiere superhero team in DC Comics since 2023, not the Justice League. This storyline is currently ongoing. It will take time to fully gauge fanbase reactions to the Justice League being replaced, if even temporarily.
15. Joker Dupes Superman Into Killing Lois
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Injustice: Gods Among Us is a 2013 comic series based on the popular video game. In an alternate reality, the Joker kidnaps a pregnant Lois Lane and syncs a timer connected to Lois’ heartbeat to a nuclear bomb. Superman, exposed to an aerosolized hybrid of kryptonite and Scarecrow’s fear toxin gas, thinks he has been ambushed by the monster Doomsday. Superman kills Doomsday only to realize with shock and horror that it was Lois all along.
As Lois dies, a nuclear bomb detonates in Metropolis, leveling the city. Superman kills the Joker and becomes a fascist determined to keep the world safe by imposing his will. Superman’s actions create factions between heroes and villains globally. This story is one of the most beloved alternate universe DC stories in comics history.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
