The Web Haunt of Ryan K Lindsay

I’ve been working out my Top DC and Marvel characters to vote in the CSBG poll. I understand these lists often only reflect any given moment in time, and often I’ll forget someone and only remember too late, but it’s still fiun to see who rates high right now.

To compile the DC list, I had to really take my time. No one quickly rose to the top. Well, no one from the DCU proper appeared on my list instantly. The rules state we can use Vertigo/WildStorm/etc characters and so they populated the list quickly and easily. I now understand why I don’t buy a lot of DC, I just don’t dig on the characters that much in general, or specifically.

This is my top 10 list of DC characters:

10. Damian Wayne

When used well, I really love Damian Wayne on the page. He can completely make a comic for me because he’s fun and mildly annoying but there’s definitely more below the surface. He’s not the one trick pony people write him off as. He reminds me of Emma Frost in some very superficial ways. I like that. I didn’t realise people out there hated him – I think he’s fun.

9. Grifter

Grifter is one of those guilty pleasures who’s this dumb action antihero character but he’s just too cool to not enjoy. I am ridiculously looking forward to Nathan Edmondson taking over the character come September. I’m hoping for a whole stack of fun because that’s what Grifter should be. Action and plenty of quality posturing.

8. Skinner Sweet

Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque have created a true American icon in this character. He’s just so raw, he does not care, and he stirs a story around like no one else. You put this guy on the page and you don’t know what you’re going to get. He is just one reason that American Vampire is such a brilliant book.

7. Swamp Thing

For a character that shouldn’t actually work, on so many levels, I actually care for this guy. Maybe it’s the visual, maybe it’s the horror element, maybe it’s the pain…I don’t know but it’s most likely all those things mixed up together. Swamp Thing just always strikes me as this very sad character and that works on the page very well for him…it.

6. Miss Misery

Just a nasty chick. Such an evil power, and such painful rejection behind it, make Miss Misery one of the standout concepts in Sleeper. Some might see her as a bad chick cliche but I see her as just that little bit more. She’s a character study first and a great one for juxtaposition in Sleeper. She earns a spot on this list completely.

5. Bruce Wayne

About the only DCU proper superhero I care for. I like the hairy chested version the most but I like his versatility most. Batman, and Bruce Wayne, function in any genre. That’s a strength to have. I coudn’t imagine Superman working in a noir tale. Batman is a force of nature and a man to be admired.

4. Dash Bad Horse

Dash is such a flawed man and so he matches Scalped perfectly and holds my attention at all times. There are no certainties in his character arc and that’s a powerful strength to hold over the audience. A man of violence with such pining love within him, he doesn’t even know himself. An amazing creation by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera.

3. Matty Roth

The biggest reason I love DMZ is because of the growth of Matty Roth. He is the reason I keep coming back. He is the reason I care. And I love that he is so fallible and must learn the hard way sometimes. He feels like any everyman and makes some very everyman decisions in the line of fire. You have to connect with this guy.

2. Holden Carver

He is the ultimate super-noir antagonist. Sleeper is all about him and he carries 24 issues sublimely. You care for him and you want him to survive but you understand why and how he goes wrong from time to time. You understand his faults and the temptations. Holden Carver is a man, a real man, and comics actually have so few of those.

1. Yorick Brown

This guy equals with my top Marvel character as my favourite character of all time. Brian K Vaughan made a lead character who I empathise with, laugh with, and cry with over the course of years worth of material. Yorick is the sort of lead character I’d love to be because I feel so close already. He is the character I want to read about for the rest of my life. Yorick is perfect.

These are my DC Top 10, what are yours?

Posted on August 2nd, 2011 by ryan
Filed under: comics