DC is one of the oldest comic publishers in America. They've put out some of the greatest comics of all time and their characters are some of the greatest ever created. For decades, these characters have entertained the masses in comics, TV shows, movies, and video games. Using comics as inspiration, DC has created a wonderful universe that is rewarding for new readers to explore.
While many of the stories feel perfect for the characters in them, it doesn't always work that way. Over the years, there have been many stories that would be so much better if other characters played bigger roles in them.
10 Flashpoint Would Have Worked Better If Flash Wasn't The Main Character
Flashpoint, by writer Geoff Johns and artist Andy Kubert, is a weird story because readers are basically following the villain. The entire story is the Flash's fault, yet it's kept secret from readers until the end. Barry, though, knows the whole time which sort of makes his heroism disingenuous. The odd thing is the perfect main character was right there: Cyborg.
Cyborg easily could have remembered the world before because of the nature of his computer-enhanced mind and then looked for the only person who he knew could travel in time, Barry Allen. This takes away readers following the story's villain and does a lot more to set up Cyborg's importance in the DCU for his eventual role in the Justice League.
9 Superman: Truth Is A Much Better Story With Batman As The Main Character
Superman: Truth, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Ivan Reis, had Superman reveal his secret identity to the world. It's a good story but Superman revealing his identity is kind of toothless. If anyone goes after his loved ones, he can be there in a heartbeat. So, while it makes sense that Superman wanted the truth out there, it would be better with a character with something to lose.
Batman is that character. Having him reveal his identity to Gotham would have made more sense because his whole life has been about protecting Gotham as Batman and helping the city as Bruce Wayne. Beyond that, he has fewer people to look out for and would have a harder time doing so if they were attacked.
8 Blackest Night Has A Sinestro Problem
Blackest Night, by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ivan Reis, had the heroes of the DC Universe face off against the undead hordes of the Black Lanterns. The multiple Lantern Corps and their leaders all played an important part but one thing has always been weird and that's Sinestro becoming the first White Lantern. Why would a life entity choose someone like him?
Sinestro is a terrible person. He's a fascist who believes in the power of fear and is a mass murderer, which makes it bizarre that a life entity chose him. If a member of his Corps had to be the one chosen and not someone like Superman, who was right there, it would have been better if it was Amon Sur, the son of Abin Sur, who could have had a cool redemption arc.
7 Event Leviathan Would Have Worked Better With Someone Besides Mark Shaw As Head Of Leviathan
Event Leviathan, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev, revealed the identity of the leader of the Leviathan organization, former Manhunter Mark Shaw. This was an out-of-left-field choice, one that a lot of readers didn't like. There were simply better choices available to use.
The two best would have been the Question, who has always been something of a hardliner and knows a lot about the heroes, or another Manhunter, Kate Spencer. It would have been more effective, since both of these characters were trying to help the heroes figure it out. It's often better to have the villain be someone the heroes trust.
6 Having Batman Be The One To Decimate The Hyperclan In JLA: New World Order Wasn't Needed
JLA: New World Order, by writer Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter, brought the League back to prominence in grand fashion. Pitting them against new heroes the Hyperclan, it was discovered that the Hyperclan were White Martians all along, with Batman taking them down while Martian Manhunter pretended to be on their side.
The thing about it is that giving Batman more cool moments is not needed. It would have been better just to have Martian Manhunter be the one who did all of that. Batman had solo books to be the hero in whereas MM only had JLA. Having him be the one to completely save the day would have been better.
5 Heroes In Crisis Should Have Had A Different Murderer
Heroes In Crisis gets a bad rep but it was better than it gets credit for. Written by Tom King with art by Clay Mann and Mitch Gerads, the central murder mystery turned a lot of fans off when it was revealed that Wally West was the murderer. It was a strange choice and the story would be better with anyone else as the murderer.
Wally West was built up to be the return of hope to the DC Universe in DC: Rebirth #1 and then nothing was done with it. To make him a murderer was a terrible choice and literally anyone else would have been better.
4 Watchmen Shouldn't Have Focused So Much On Rorscach
Watchmen, by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, is a classic but one of the biggest problems with it is people's interpretations. So many people get the wrong idea from it, as they think that Rorschach is the hero of the piece. He's the tireless one spurring everyone to action but he's also terrible.
Moore did his level best to make people realize this but so many took the wrong thing from the book. Putting Night Owl and Silk Spectre more out front as the main characters would have been a better idea, as Rorschach worship has led the entire comic industry down some dark roads.
3 Identity Crisis Should Have Killed Someone Else
Identity Crisis has a tarnished legacy because of its terrible treatment of Sue Dibny. The thing is the book didn't have to kill her, since Elongated Man was barely important to the story. Writer Brad Meltzer and artist Rags Morales could have gone another way, instead focusing on Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor.
Killing Steve Trevor wouldn't have been a problem because no one was using him anyway. The mindwipes still could have happened but Wonder Woman being the one to leave when they mindwiped Doctor Light after he broke onto the Watchtower would have eliminated the problems of the story.
2 Having Someone Else Get Shot By KGBeast Would Have Saved Readers The Ric Grayson Story
Nightwing is one of DC's most beloved characters, so having him shot and basically becoming a different character was a bad idea. No one liked the Ric Grayson stories and fans rejoiced when the whole thing ended. If someone in Batman's life had to get shot like that, a better choice would have been Red Hood.
People like Red Hood but not like they do Nightwing. Having him change into a different person would have been a good idea as it would have explored a different kind of Jason Todd. People love Dick Grayson and they didn't want Ric.
1 The Killing Joke Didn't Need To Brutalize Barbara Gordon
The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore and artist Brian Bolland, is a classic but it hasn't aged well. The choice to paralyze Barbara Gordon has had repercussions that were unseen at the time and Moore himself has gone on record saying he'd change it if he could. The funny thing is there was a better choice right there the whole time.
Having Joker shoot Jim Gordon instead of Barbara and then try to drive Barbara mad would have been better. As far as Joker knew, Barbara was a normal person. Trying to prove his bad day thesis with her would have been more meaningful, whereas Gordon as a cop would have been easier to get to snap.
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