A character arc is when a character undergoes events or circumstances that change them into a new version of themselves, either emotionally or spiritually. In the world of superhero comic books, character arcs are constant, given that the easiest way to connect the audience to a character is to show them evolving in the framework of the story’s themes. However, since comic books are eternal stories and characters must almost always be recognizable, they reset to a status quo more often than not. Characters certainly develop and change with the times, but they also have a baseline they can’t stray too far away from. More often than not, minor changes or arcs are reset between runs or volumes.
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That is not to say that character arcs never stick. Especially when they are well-received, new directions and arcs for characters may transcend their original storyline and become the new standard. Even if they don’t, arcs being temporary does not negate the impact and importance they had in the first place. Today, we’re going to celebrate five of the best character arcs that DC has given us in the last ten years. These are changes made and arcs the characters completed that left us all wanting more and them being better than ever. With all that said, let’s rank some of DC’s best recent arcs.
5) John Jones
The main star of Absolute Martian Manhunter’s story might not be done yet, but even now, his arc is clearly set up to be one of the best in DC. John Jones started as an FBI agent who distanced himself from his family, dealing with a terrifying mix of shame, despair, and fear of losing his mind. Through connecting with the Martian, he learned to open himself a bit more. This story has always been about learning to tear down walls to let people see the real you and overcoming despair with love. John has grown steadily, over time, but he stumbles and struggles in very realistic ways. He’s a man who has a lot to learn, but by the end, he’ll be a much better person for it.
4) Nightwing
Nightwing’s arc hasn’t been what changed about him, but rather his place in the world. Dick always stood at the cusp of breaking through to be his own A-List hero on the same level as Batman or Superman, and he finally did during Tom Taylor’s acclaimed run on Nightwing (2016). Through this, Nightwing took his first steps towards bigger and better things. When the Justice League disbanded, the Titans took over as the main heroes, with Nightwing as their head. It’s always been said that Nightwing would lead the superhero community one day, but now he’s actually doing that, having led everyone through Dark Crisis and Absolute Power when nobody else could. Nightwing embraced the leadership role he was always heading towards after decades of buildup.
3) Doomsday
When he first debuted, Doomsday was a plot device to kill Superman. He was empty and characterless, to put it mildly, being about as deep as a puddle on a summer’s day. That all changed when it was revealed that Superman’s longtime enemy, the Time Trapper, was actually Doomsday from the far future. Doomsday’s origin was entirely rewritten, reimagining him as the ultimate weapon to stop Darkseid and save Superman, not kill him. Doomsday went from a nothingburger to one of the best reinventions DC has done in decades, which more than earns him a spot on this list for creativity alone.
2) Damian Wayne
Damian has changed a lot in the last ten years. In 2016, he was an immature jerk, fast on his way to the character-assassination return to murder, but over the last decade, he’s evolved into something much more. Robin (2021) detailed Damian’s journey to define what being Robin meant for him, what he wanted to embrace from both of his lineages, and what was solely his own. After finally learning to ask for help, he returned to Gotham and started a new journey of reconnecting with his father. Now, Damian is a much more mature and level-headed character. Instead of being a brat, he’s content with his life and knows who he is, no longer chasing a destiny someone else laid out for him.
1) Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime used to be a pretty hated character, which made sense, given that, most of the time, he was a mean-spirited commentary on the worst aspects of comic book fans. That all changed in Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin, where one of the vilest Supermen of all was redeemed and became a hero once again through the power of Krypto’s eternal faith in Superman. He fought to save the multiverse, and just when it seemed like he had died, he came right back with his new outlook on life. Now, he’s fighting to redeem himself by saving the multiverse he once tried to destroy.
What makes Superboy-Prime’s return to heroism so fantastic is that it didn’t throw away what made his character special. He’s still a fourth-wall-breaking jerk who talks like every comic book fan, but now, instead of the joke being pointed and mean, it’s like we’re all laughing together. Superboy-Prime has become a good fanboy, and he’s even kept all of his Silver Age nonsense level of powers, which is just incredible. All he needed to do was be a hero, and all his worst traits became his best.
Which DC character do you think has been through the greatest character arc in the last decade? Leave a Comment below and join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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Courtesy of Bones Film
