Okay, so we had the Top 100 Comic Book Runs List. I even went a little further, and showed you the NEXT fifty-six runs on the list. But what about those runs that were less supported? THEY have their fans, too, right? So each weekday (so long as I have pieces to run), I'm going to take a look at some runs who did not make the top 158, but were still quite loved by readers out there!

Enjoy!

Mark Gruenwald and Paul Ryan's D.P. 7 - 27 points (2 first place votes)



D.P. 7 #1-32, plus an Annual

D.P. 7 stood for "Displaced Paranormals" and, well, the seven stars of the comic.

The seven were disparate folks who all suddenly gained super powers then went on the run to evade an evil group of people looking to control the new super folks.



Written by Gruenwald and drawn by Ryan, the series was like their previous work, Squadron Supreme, in the sense that it really spotlighted characterization.

These were normal people caught up in a fantastic world - it really WAS like a precursor to Heroes.



Here is Thenodrin on why it was his top pick...

When I voted, I almost tried to vote for Jim Shooter's New Universe. After all, the New U was his baby. Just ask him.

But, really, I was reading the rest of the Universe titles so that I could keep up with the setting. And, I was mainly interested in the setting because of DP7. The other titles were really just another super hero universe. Aside from the rather unique concepts (such as what might be the first some-assembly-required superhero, Psi-Hawk) there was really nothing all that different about the New U to separate it from Marvel or DC.

Except for DP7. This was, to my experience, the first super hero title that wasn't about super heroes. It was about people who happened to have powers. Sometimes the powers caused problems (such as the opening story arc), sometimes they had their own problems (Lander's unrequited love for Stephanie), but the overall title was about people, not about super heroes.

It was the logical conclusion of what Spider-Man started. Spider-Man was about Peter Parker's problems just as much as it was about Spider-Man's. But, DP7 didn't have super villian problems, didn't really have super heroes, either. This book was about Randy, David, Lenore, Stephanie, Jeff, Charly, and Scuzz's problems.

It was, really, a concept long before its time. One that I, personally, thought would work on a mass appeal. One that I see in the TV show, Heroes.

Thanks, Theno!

Remember, if you wish to write up a piece for your top pick that did not make the top 158, just send me your bit at bcronin@comicbookresources.com!