When super-heroes and super-villains duke it out on the battlefield, expect nothing less than epic as we count down the top 10 most brutal fights to ever take place in DC Comics. Sometimes, the good guys and the bad guys will go to extraordinary lengths to get what they truly want. Something is hanging in the balance, perhaps the whole world is at stake, that will cause the protagonist to risk everything they believe in. Just when the stakes are raised to a breaking point, a pivotal decision has to be made in order to bring down the antagonist once and for all.
How many times have we all rooted for the hero, whether its Superman or Batman, to save the day? How many times did we really think the bad guy, like Bane or the Joker, wasn't going to escape from this final round? These fight scenarios take the reader to where they expect before the plot twist finally pulls the rug out right from under them. While serving the story for the most part, the denouement was all leading up to surprising conclusion or to a sudden cliffhanger that changes everything.
10 Batman #81
In the pages of "City of Bane," Thomas Wayne, the Flashpoint version of the Dark Knight, points his gun at Damian Wayne's head. Just when he is about to pull the trigger, Thomas is surprisingly cornered by Huntress, Batgirl, The Signal, Orphan, Batwoman, and Red Robin.
They all want to get their hands on Thomas, who's responsible for the death of Alfred Pennyworth. Just when it seems like our superhero team has the upper-hand, Thomas fights back and shows no mercy. Though Thomas is all bloody, he forced them all to scream in defeat.
9 Superman #5
The Hellbat suit was originally created in case of an extreme emergency. Batman would need armor to protect himself from large-scale punishment if he had to take on a few rounds against Darkseid.
Lois Lane, the wife of Superman, ended up using the Hellbat suit when she saw her son, Jonathan Kent, in danger. In order to save Jonathan, Lois put the suit on to take down The Eradicator, who was intent on killing her child. Lois was not holding back as she delivered punch after punch at the Eradicator's shocked face.
8 Justice League #11
During the New 52 era, David Graves was cleverly trying to get the Justice League to turn against each other and the public to start hating the superhero team. After Graves threatened the life of Tracey, Steve Trevor's sister, Wonder Woman was definitely going to make Graves pay.
Refusing to stand back, Wonder Woman had to go through her own teammates in order to get to Graves. After breaking out of Green Lantern's cage, Wonder Woman punches Hal Jordan aside and then knocks down Superman. Wonder Woman's brawl caused the frightened public to loathe her.
7 Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad
During the Rebirth era, the Justice League unexpectedly discovered the existence of Amanda Waller's covert team of super-villains known as Task Force X. The Justice League and Suicide Squad reluctantly wound up working together to prevent Eclipso's masterplan for world domination.
With the sun blocked away and Eclipso's eternal darkness spreading, Batman and Killer Frost were the last ones standing during the intense battle. Both teams gave up their life energy to Killer Frost so that she could blast away at Eclipso and put an end to his deadly spell.
6 Throne of Atlantis
During the New 52 era, a missile malfunction from the Navy unexpectedly causes the wrath of Ocean Master, the new king of Atlantis. As a war has been declared against the surface world, the Justice League attempts to intervene but are captured by Ocean Master's growing army.
Cyborg realizes he needs reinforcements and recruits Green Arrow, Zatanna, Black Lightning, and Vixen to defeat Ocean Master. In an all-out battle, illustrated in a two-page spread, Aquaman fights for the throne against Ocean Master as the Justice League tackles the unstoppable Atlantean army.
5 Superman Unchained
The Man of Steel had to face a super-villain, known as W.R.A.I.T.H. (William Rudolph's Ace In The Hole), created by General Lane and his Anti-Superman army. W.R.A.I.T.H. was programmed to take down Superman, because one day the Man of Steel will cross the line and the government will have to remove him as a political threat.
In their epic battle, W.R.A.I.T.H. gets a few punches in before Superman sends him straight to the moon. The two continue their intense fighting underneath the Earth's surface, while standing in a pool of hot lava.
4 DCeased
In the first issue of DCeased, a mysterious techno-virus has been released from Cyborg's body. The deadly virus from the Anti-Life Equation starts turning people into bloodthirsty zombies, and you would think Batman would be the first person to survive in the zombie apocalypse.
In order to save Alfred, Batman has to take down the undead team-up of Nightwing and Red Robin. His own adopted children start eating him as a zombified Tim Drake takes a big bite out of Batman's wrist. The Dark Knight is no more after the undead Dick Grayson rips out his neck.
3 3. Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Two #23
Reeling from the death of Green Arrow, aka Oliver Queen, Black Canary wants to be the one who takes down Evil Superman. After using her sonic cry, Black Canary fires a Kryptonite bullet from her gun. She wants to end his life. Wounded from the Kryptonite bullet, Superman fires his heat vision straight through her abdomen, leaving her mortally wounded.
Black Canary gets the last laugh though, because she recorded their brutal fight through her contact lenses. The whole world has been watching their hero turn into a tyrannical warlord.
2 Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth
In "Drowned Earth" the ancient gods of the oceans are taking out their revenge on Earth with a massive flood. During the epic battle between Black Manta and Aquaman, Lex Luthor decides to make a crucial move for the Legion of Doom.
Because Lex refused to teleport him out, Black Manta takes a beating from Aquaman. Though Black Manta is down, the Death Kraken is still on its way and the Justice League cannot stop the vicious monster. Aquaman then flies into the Death Kraken's mouth and sacrifices himself to save the world.
1 1. Dark Knights: Metal
As Barbatos, the Bat-God, plans to destroy all of creation, Batman and the Joker, the clown prince of crime, are working together to take down the Batman Who Laughs. While Batman and Joker are teaming against the Batman Who Laughs, the Justice League is racing against the clock to pull Earth out of the Dark Multiverse.
While the Justice League defeats the rest of the Dark Knights, Hawkgirl manages to put down Barbatos. With Barbatos chained up by Tenth Metal, he is forced to watch the creation of new worlds as the World Forge burns bright.