10 Most Gruesome Moments In DC History
Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase 'face off'.
The relationship between DC and gore is a complicated one. Much like Marvel, the California-based publishing house was restricted for a long time in terms of what kind of violence they could show in comics, as the Comics Code Authority prohibited 'excessive' violence, hugely limiting the level of bloodshed DC were able to include in their work back during the Silver and Bronze Age of comics.
But the minute the company was no longer restricted by these requirements, it's clear they decided to make up for lost time by making some of the grossest and most gruesome moments ever committed to the inked page - resulting in some of their most celebrated comics of all time.
Indeed, this is a good portion of why DC has a reputation for being the 'darker' company, as they appear to have a greater willingness to continually include violence, gore, and brutal injuries in every available corner of their comics.
And with dismemberment, torn out hearts, and surgically removed faces being very much the norm for DC, it goes without saying that they've come a long way since their censored days, much to the dark delight of countless comic fans.
11. Honourable Mention: All Of Injustice
In order to avoid muddying the waters of DC's history, this list avoids using spin-off series and their gory contents, as they don't quite pack the same punch without the characters having the potential to die or be maimed 'for real'.
That said, any list talking about gruesome and brutal moments in DC comic history has to at least allude to Injustice, in honour of the wall-to-wall bloodbath that it provides.
With the series containing the brutal murders of the Joker, Shazam, Green Arrow, Nightwing, and countless others, there's very few issues of the now colossal series that don't contain some kind of mutilation or murder of a beloved DC character. And justifiably, this is what makes Injustice so damn good - as when you want a punchy, bloody spot of entertainment, you know where to go.
Although it's the single comic least likely to ever be considered canon, should you desire all your recommended daily bloodshed in one sitting, Injustice is the place to get it from.