10 DC Comics Stories That Changed Everything

There was a steep decline in the popularity of superheroes who weren't Batman and Superman following WWII, leaving most people to view them as a passing fad. Not only that but the industry itself was struggling after the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency held congressional hearings focusing on comics as a cause of deviancy.

During the hearings, expert witness and by all accounts super fun guy Dr. Fredric Wertham said Batman and Robin was “a wish dream of two homosexuals living together" and called Superman a fascist... It was a different time.

The industry was forced to regulate itself by establishing the Comics Code Authority which severely limited writers freedom by restricting the use of adult themes and stories. The tone of comics were forced to change, becoming more lighthearted and family friendly and all of DC's horror and mystery books were cancelled.

In an attempt to revitalize the superhero genre, DC editor Julius Schwartz ordered a story featuring a re-imagined Flash with a new identity and costume be penned. This Flash was Barry Allen, the one most people identify with the persona. He actually adopts the persona of the Flash after reading about his exploits in comics. Flash was meta before meta was a thing.

The Flash story was a surprise hit and its success paved the way for reboots of some of DC's other formerly popular characters. Soon following were stories introducing the modern Green Lantern, Atom, and Hawkman. Barry Allen's origin is traditionally designated as the dawn of the Silver Age of Comics.