8 Great DC Comics Storylines The DCU Shouldn't Be Afraid To Adapt Again

May 26, 2024, 1 p.m.

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8 Great DC Comics Storylines The DCU Shouldn't Be Afraid To Adapt Again

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Summary DCU should consider re-adapting iconic stories like The Dark Knight Returns for a fresh take on classic characters.

The introduction of Kordax from Atlantis Chronicles could add a new dimension to Aquaman's cinematic universe.

Flashpoint, a potential game-changer for the DCU, may offer a way to consolidate multiple continuities into a cohesive narrative.

The new DC Universe has plenty of comics to choose from for its movie adaptations, but shouldn't be overly afraid to re-read the same stories that have already been adapted. James Gunn's Superman will officially usher in a new cinematic continuity for DC Comics, bringing with it a waterfall of potential for a brand-new take on the classic comic characters brought to the screen once more. It may be easy for the burgeoning franchise to look exclusively to new stories, hoping to differentiate itself from the DCEU.

The upcoming films of the DCU shouldn't be afraid to give another try at adapting the company's most famous stories, however. When looking at the larger catalog of the best stories DC Comics has to offer, most of them have already been adapted in some form or another. Whether it's a clumsy loose adaptation from the DCEU's controversial filmography to a strictly animated version with a more niche target audience, the DCU shouldn't be afraid to tackle the same stories other DC movies have already gotten use out of.

8 The Dark Knight Returns

One of the most iconic Batman stories for good reason

The DCU could be the first to directly adapt the entire comic from start to finish.

Penned by comic book legend Frank Miller, The Dark Knight Returns is one of the single most critically-acclaimed pieces of Batman media for a good reason. Starring an older, more cynical Bruce Wayne, the comic is something of an elseworlds story that features Batman alongside an original female Robin coming out of retirement to fight crime in a dystopian future Gotham, despite the best efforts of the Gotham PD and even the military. Between the iconic visuals and the though-provoking story, The Dark Knight Returns is still ripe for the picking.

Perhaps the single most adapted superhero story ever, The Dark Knight Returns has been cited as an inspiration from a horde of Batman movie directors. Elements of Miller's work have made their way into Batman Forever, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight Rises, and the Gotham Knights TV series, not to mention a slew of direct animated adaptations in places like The New Batman Adventures. For all the times various creatives have cherry picked certain parts of the story, the DCU could be the first to directly adapt the entire comic from start to finish.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 Director Jay Oliva Release Date August 21, 2012 Cast Peter Weller , Ariel Winter , David Selby , Wade Williams , Carlos Alazraqui , Dee Bradley Baker Runtime 76minutes

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7 Atlantis Chronicles

Introduced one of Aquaman's greatest villains

The DCEU finally came to an end with the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023, a strange character to end the franchise's ten-year cinematic run on. While Black Manta has always been Aquaman's most iconic villain, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom introduced general audiences to Kordax, the ancient undead necromancer and outcast Atlantean royal that returns to become one of Arthur Curry's most significant threats. Kordax first appeared in Atlantis Chronicles #4, one of the seafaring hero's strongest books.

Despite how impactful Kordax is as an Aquaman villain, the Jason Momoa vehicle largely regulated him as a vague, distant corrupting influence so that returning villains Ocean Master and Black Manta could further shine. It would be amazing to see the bizarre undersea world of DC's Atlantis rendered with DCU creative director James Gunn's signature flair, and Atlantis Chronicles #4 could be a fantastic place to start. Rather than tread water with an Aquaman origin story, coming out of the gate with a fully-realized and terrifying Kordax might be the DCU's best play for Aquaman.

6 Flashpoint

A daring crossover that re-branded DC Comics in-universe

Around the early 2010s, DC Comics decided they wanted to inject stagnating sales with a fresh start, ideating on the New 52 reboot. While the New 52 has since come and gone, the meta-narrative of the Flashpoint crossover was a genius way to wrap up loose ends and clarify the position of every character going into a universe reset. Putting the Scarlet Speedster at the center of the action, Flashpoint has since been loosely adapted in the CW's Arrowverse, as well as in DCEU's The Flash and the animated Justice League film, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.

Considering the DCEU had just attempted their own version of Flashpoint in 2023's The Flash to the sound of mixed reviews, the DCU would be wise to let the idea cool for a brief moment. Still, when the time comes to rectify the DCU or even end it, it would be hard to ask for a better cosmic-level event to do so than the iconic crossover comic. Flashpoint may even be a great excuse to absorb the likes of Matt Reeves' The Batman into the narrative of the DCU, consolidating the many lingering continuities into a single neat package.

The Flash Cast Rick Cosnett , jesse l martin , Candice Patton , Tom Cavanagh , Grant Gustin , Danielle Panabaker Release Date October 7, 2014 Seasons 9 Showrunner Eric Wallace

5 Batman: Year One

The most revered Batman origin

Another all-time great Batman story written by Frank Miller, Batman: Year One is a fantastic entry point into the psyche of Bruce Wayne for dedicated comic readers and those more unfamiliar with the character alike. Though parts of the story have influenced nearly every Batman film that depicts the Dark Knight's origin, the book is particularly present in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, the DCAMU's Batman: Year One, and the DCAU's Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. The story was also almost directly adapted by Darren Aronofsky, but development was scrapped in the wake of Batman & Robin's failure.

The first standalone Batman movie of the DCU, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, has already been confirmed to not be an origin story, instead focusing on Batman working side by side with other heroes. Still, there's nothing to say that the DCU couldn't treat audiences to a prequel origin story of its Batman should the upcoming Caped Crusader entry be well-received. It's worth noting that the DCEU already tried introducing audiences to a Batman sans origin story, and may have suffered for it.

Batman: Year One Director Sam Liu , Lauren Montgomery Release Date October 18, 2011 Cast Bryan Cranston , Ben McKenzie , Eliza Dushku , Jon Polito , Alex Rocco , Katee Sackhoff Runtime 64 minutes

4 Crisis On Infinite Earths

Could be the DCU's Avengers: Endgame

By far the most prominent DC Comics crossover event prior to Flashpoint, and perhaps even past it, Crisis on Infinite Earths is one of the company's most ambitious stories ever. Taking place at the intersection of nearly every named character in DC's grand mythology, the story revolves around the Anti-Monitor's quest to destroy all life, resulting in yet another reboot for DC's continuity. Most recently, the comic has been adapted by the Tomorrowverse's trilogy of films, but has been toyed with in the CW's Arrowverse, as well.

Crisis on Infinite Earths relies heavily on some of the more far-out and metaphysical characters in DC's cosmic scope of beings. This is a space that DCU creative director James Gunn excels in as evidenced by the cosmic entities present in both the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and The Suicide Squad, Gunn unafraid to present characters that may be goofy or unrelatable on a surface level as dynamic threats worthy of consideration. The DCU's take on the Crisis could be the payoff to multiple films of setup, just as the Infinity Saga was to the MCU.

Related One Major Justice League Character Was Never Meant To Exist There have been countless Justice League members over the years, but during one Crisis it was revealed one member should never have existed.

3 Batman: The Long Halloween

A chilling Batman story that deserves a live-aciton adaptation

Perhaps one of the darkest stories on the table for the burgeoning cinematic universe

Not an origin story or a dramatic reconfiguration of Batman's character, Batman: The Long Halloween is a solid book written by Jeph Loeb that reads like a police procedural, giving Batman actual detective work to do as he investigates a series of holiday-themed murders. Batman: The Long Halloween was adapted in a straightforward manner by the Tomorrowverse animated duology of the same name, which proved the potential of the comic once and for all. Nolan's trilogy and Matt Reeves' The Batman also cite Batman: The Long Halloween as inspirations, albeit more tonally than anything else.

Even if the DCU is understandably uninterested in replicating Bruce Wayne's origin story once again, Batman: The Long Halloween is perfect for an engaging solo Batman film. Reeves and Nolan may have been able to replicate the gritty tone of the book, perhaps picking and choosing certain narrative elements, but the DCU could win over audiences quickly with a straightforward adaptation. Perhaps one of the darkest stories on the table for the burgeoning cinematic universe to seek inspiration from, the story would be a true spectacle if adapted closely with a blockbuster budget.

2 The Death Of Superman

Was fumbled by the DCEU and animated movies

The Death of Superman is an infamous comic featuring the Man of Steel whose title says it all, introducing Doomsday as one of Superman's most powerful enemies and the first one to finally get the better of him. While Superman's death may have been impermanent, the shock and awe of this story still made it a veritable event. The concept was poorly squeezed into the last third of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and has been the basis of two of Superman's many animated films, to varying degrees of success.

If given room to breathe as a singular film on its own, an adaptation of The Death of Superman could easily be the greatest Superman adaptation ever made. In truth, the DCU would need to wait a few films before pulling this card, lest they fall under the same fire as the DCEU for jumping the gun on the story for Henry Cavill's second movie appearance as Superman. But with enough reverence, The Death of Superman could leave a devastating impact on audiences while setting up another fantastic comic adaptation.

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1 Reign Of The Supermen

Could pick up after Superman's death

One of the least famous of the great DC comics to be adapted, Reign of the Supermen was a 90s comic that picked up where the dramatic events of The Death of Superman left off, with multiple Man of Steel replacements flying in to throw their cape into the ring as Clark Kent's replacement. Thus far, Reign of the Supermen has only been adapted by a single animated film of the same name that released in 2019, though the character Steel, a.k.a. John Henry Irons, did get a live-action movie helmed by Shaquille O'Neal in the abysmal Steel.

Reign of the Supermen could allow James Gunn to put his signature talent with ensemble casts into a Superman story, with Steel, Cyborg Superman, Superboy and Last Son of Krypton all bouncing off one another in amusing ways. Additionally, if following a Death of Superman film, it could usher in the triumphant return of Clark Kent himself, exemplifying why his personality is so important to be at the helm of Kyrptonian powers. This revival could be an easy slam-dunk revival moment for the DCU, similar to the portal scene in Avengers: Endgame.