Top 10 Greatest DC Superhero Teams
#10: The Outsiders
Batman’s relationship with the Justice League can be rocky at times, something that led him to form this team when his ties to the League were pushed to the breaking point. Fed up with the JLA’s refusal to bypass bureaucratic red tape and lack of focus on street-level crime fighting, the Caped Crusader walked out on Superman and company to form this team along with heroes like Black Lightning, Katana, and others. The group’s gone through a number of iterations since then, but they’ve always maintained a reputation for playing by their own rules and going to whatever lengths necessary to see justice done.
#9: The Birds of Prey
After being shot and paralyzed by The Joker in “The Killing Joke,” Barbara Gordon, the first Batgirl, didn’t retire from crime fighting. While she did hang up the cape and cowl, she stayed in the game by using her hacking and intelligence-gathering skills to help Batman and others under the codename Oracle. She remained a steadfast member of Batman’s circle of allies but also formed this group with the help of Black Canary. One of the most prominent all-female groups in comics, the team has included notable heroines like The Huntress and is best remembered for its time under writer extraordinaire Gail Simone.
#8: Justice League International
Following the massive, continuity shattering “Crisis on Infinite Earths” storyline, as well as the “Legends” story, the classic Justice League, was disbanded, and a new generation of heroes stepped in to fill the gap. Formed by millionaire businessman Maxwell Lord, this new League included heroes from across the DC Universe and had chapters and embassies all over the world. This group is fondly remembered for the more comedic spin put on its adventures by the creative team of Keith Giffen and J.M DeMatteis, whose approach balanced old-school superhero action with lighthearted moments of comedy, particularly when it came to the duo of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold.
#7: The Doom Patrol
While they aren’t as well-known as many of their contemporaries, this team is one of the best that DC has to offer when it comes to showing the less glamorous side of superhumanity. A group of mismatched loners and outsiders often saddled with superpowers that are as much a blessing as a curse, this group’s adventures explore the darker and weirder side of DC since their introduction, but especially once Grant Morrison got his twisted hands on the series. Team members like Robotman and Negative Man also frequently find themselves battling feelings of extreme self-doubt and inner turmoil, as their powers leave them ostracized from the rest of humanity. Being a superhero isn’t all smiles and sunshine, and this team is living proof.
#6: Justice League Dark
Though the regular Justice League can always be counted on to combat supervillains, alien invasions and other everyday threats in the DC Universe, they’re a bit less well-equipped when it comes to paranormal threats. After all, super-strength and Batarangs aren’t much good against ghosts, spirits and other intangible enemies. That’s why this is the team to call when the things that go bump in the night start bumping a little too hard. Including paranormal heavy hitters like Zatanna, Doctor Fate, John Constantine and even Frankenstein, this group is all about battling the paranormal, be it vampires, evil warlocks and whatever else is lurking in the shadows.
#5: The Green Lantern Corps
A massive, galaxy-wide police force with members recruited from every sector of known space, there are few other forces in the galaxy with as much power and authority as this group. Created by a race that calls themselves the Guardians of the Universe, members of this elite force are chosen for their ability to overcome great fear and granted a power ring that allows them to channel the emerald energy of pure willpower. The ring allows the user to fly, fire beams of energy and create constructs of any conceivable shape or use so long as the user’s willpower is up to the task and their ring is charged with energy.
#4: The Bat-Family
While it may not be a “team” in the strictest sense of the word, few other groups in the DC Universe can match this team’s tenacity, versatility, and bond. Though he often plays the brooding loner, Batman has an extended roster of friends, family members and allies who are always willing to have his back, including Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood and the various characters to don the mantle of Robin. In every way that counts, they’re a family, an extremely tight-knit group who’ve endured countless tragedies and hardships but always make it through together. They may not always get along, but they’re in it together till the bitter end.
#3: The Justice Society of America
The very first team of superheroes to ever appear in comics, this group began when Silver Age heroes like the original Flash and Green Lantern teamed up with other costumed mystery men like The Sandman and Hawkman to face threats greater than any of them could fight alone. The team’s history is too long and storied to recount here, but they’ve been a mainstay of the DC Universe for decades and still represent the “Old Guard” of heroes to a generation of readers. Whether they’re mentoring new recruits like Stargirl or defending the Earth from every threat imaginable, these heroes never falter in their dedication to peace and justice.
#2: The Teen Titans
This now-legendary team began when the teen sidekicks of heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman banded together to have their own adventures, and they’ve since grown to become one of the most respected teams in the DC Universe. Now including heroes like Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven, the group’s adventures over the years have taken them from victory to tragedy and back again, and pitted them against deadly enemies like Deathstroke and Trigon. But despite having to juggle the pressures of being superheroes with the angst and uncertainty of growing up, they’ve always been able to overcome whatever life throws at them, and in this case, that’s a lot.
#1: The Justice League
Other teams have been around longer and may have even staked their roster with more powerful members, but when it comes to protecting the peace and safety of the DC Universe, this team has always been on the front lines. And if you think they’re not up to the task, just look at their lineup: Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash, anyone who’s anyone has spent some time on this group’s roster. In the nearly 6 six decades since their inception in March of 1960, they’ve been unyielding in their defense of all things good, and have saved the DCU as we know it more times than we can count.