In 2020, DC Comics entered its Infinite Frontier era, starting with Future State and Dark Knights: Death Metal. Lasting from 2020 to 2023, Infinite Frontier saw the return of some fan-favorite titles and creative teams. The three-year era led to some of the best modern comic runs in print, some of which were labeled instant classics. The era has its critics but it was stuffed to the gills with great stories.

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Infinite Frontier received a mixed reception from fans and critics alike for a number of reasons. The era explored a range of creators, tones and styles, with everything from action and science fiction to books that touch on superheroic slice-of-life. With Dawn of DC set to head in a new direction, it's worth taking a look at the Infinite Frontier comics that made the era worth reading.

10 Nightwing Brought Slice-Of-Life To The DCU

Nightwing enraged in DC Comics

Although Nightwing isn't every DC fan's cup of tea, Tom Taylor's run as the book's writer filled a niche in the market that satisfied many fans. The series brings a decompressed take on the former Robin as he patrols the streets of Bludhaven and battles his foes.

In this story, Nightwing's life changes when he comes into control of part of the Wayne fortune, which he uses to improve others' lives. The slice-of-life superhero comic has earned a strong following from readers for its more wholesome and lighthearted take on an established character, and the DC Universe.

9 Deathstroke Inc. Returned DC's Master Assassin's Antihero Status

Deathstroke unsheathing his sword in DC Comics

Christopher Priest's Deathstroke was one of DC's better Rebirth titles. The run showed how well the antihero works in his own book. In 2021, Josh Williamson returned Slade Wilson to print, this time leading a small team of characters in a covert mission.

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Deathstroke Inc. was an action-packed title that finished off with its "Deathstroke: Year Once" arc, giving the antihero a new compelling origin. The action-heavy book took Slade Wilson on missions with TRUST to battle the worst supervillains in the DCU. It reminded fans that, while Deathstroke's a solid villain, he's a better antihero.

8 Suicide Squad Included All-Out War With Earth-3

A ragged Nightwing battles Talon and Owlman in DC Comics

Suicide Squad returned to shelves in 2021, with a new roster that included Conner Kent, Peacemaker, Bloodsport and Talon. The new iteration of Task Force X went on a number of secret missions for Amanda Waller, including battles with heroes and a journey into the multiverse.

Suicide Squad's high point arrived in a crossover with Crime Syndicate and Titans Academy comics, where the heroic villains went to war with Earth-3. The series had one of the book's best rosters, most explosive arcs, and one of its most unusual and enjoyable endings.

7 The Infinite Frontier Trilogy Was Underrated

Superman leads the Justice League into combat against the Dark Multiverse in DC Comics

The Infinite Frontier trilogy is made up of Infinite Frontier, Justice League Incarnate and Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths. Combined, it tells a long saga that determined the future fate of the DCU, spanning dozens of heroes and multiple Earths.

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Infinite Frontier and Justice League Incarnate focused on the multiversal team of heroes that includes Calvin Ellis Superman, Dinocop, Flashpoint Batman, and Doctor Multiverse. The saga ended with the legacy heroes of the DCU facing down the Great Darkness to save the Multiverse. It wasn't always well-received but fans are learning to appreciate DC's most epic tales.

6 Jeremy Adams' Flash Won Over New Flash Fans

The Flash's Rogues in DC Comics

Flash enjoyed one of the strongest runs spinning out of Rebirth, written by Josh Williamson. When DC transitioned into Infinite Frontier, it was searching for new talent to lead the book. They landed former Supernatural screenwriter Jeremy Adams, who has proved himself as a comics scriptwriter, too.

The Adams run on Flash received an amazingly quick bump in popularity in a short period of time. The series combined classic Flash stories with new spins on its characters, as well as numerous, well-received cameos of heroes and villains. Looking for new blood didn't always benefit Infinite Frontier, but Adams' Flash was a huge success.

5 Ram V's Swamp Thing Took The Character Back To His Horror Roots

The Superman/Swamp Thing Hybrid Hero in DC Comics

Ram V's Swamp Thing introduced a new Swamp Thing, Levi Kamei, whose journey as the Protector of the Green was dedicated to exploring horror. The new Swamp Thing faced threats ranging from the Suicide Squad to alien creatures and the Green itself.

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Ram V is especially strong as a cosmic horror writer, marrying the subgenre to Swamp Thing's aesthetic handily. Combined with Mark Perkins' excellent art, The Swamp Thing represents one of the greatest contemporary horror/superhero comics.

4 Geoff Thorne's Green Lantern Elevated John Stewart To Godhood

Green Lantern John Stewart in DC Comics

Green Lantern has been one of DC's strongest performers since Geoff Johns' masterful run on the title in 2005. After a number of series since Rebirth, Geoff Thorne was put on the title in 2021. Although he was only given twelve issues, he told an excellent sci-fi mystery story.

This incarnation of Green Lantern started with a shocking attack on the GLC home world of Oa, leaving the Lanterns across the universe without functioning rings. As they came together to solve the attack, John Stewart had to fight for survival, only to be led to a new and unexpected destiny.

3 Chip Zdarsky's Batman Had One Of The Title's Strongest Starts

Batman shrouded in darkness in DC Comics

Chip Zdarsky has proven himself an excellent writer, excelling in stories about street-level heroes like Daredevil. After his excellent Marvel run on the hero, his move to Batman made sense and, with Jorge Jimenez's return to the title, fans recognized the book had the perfect creative team.

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Zdarsky's Batman kicked off with a number of great callbacks, particularly referencing the Tower of Babel storyline and Grant Morrison's Batman Inc./Batman RIP run. The series included some excellent fan service for Batman fans and took them on an intensely nostalgic action journey.

2 World's Finest Reignited Comics' Greatest Friendship

Batman and Superman talk about fatherhood in DC Comics

Mark Waid's return to DC and team-up with Dan Mora led to one of DC's best modern series, World's Finest. Taking place a few years before the current DC continuity, it focuses on Batman's and Superman's battles with a new villain, the demon Nehza, recruiting other heroes in an effort to protect the world.

World's Finest led its fans in unexpected directions and explored the earlier years of Batman and Superman's friendship. The series has a classic feel and does a great job of tying the current DCU to continuity from Waid's heyday at the company. A combination of nostalgia and modern storytelling, World's Finest is a triumphant team-up comic.

1 Phillip Kennedy Johnson's Action Comics Embraced One Of The Best Superman Stories Ever Told

Superman fights for his life in the Warworld arena in DC Comics.

One of DC's best new writers, Phillip Kennedy Johnson teamed up with Ricardo Federici, Daniel Sampere and more to tell his "Warworld Saga" in Action Comics. Following an attack on Earth by the despot Mongul, Superman and the Authority traveled to Warworld to depose the tyrant.

However, the "Warworld Saga" is hardly an uncomplicated victory for the heroes. Superman was ailing and the group was taken prisoner by Mongul. Already an epic modern classic, fans appreciate this unique Action Comics run for its blending of action, fantasy and science fiction to tell an epic story of freedom and revolution.

NEXT: 10 Worst Things About DC's Infinite Frontier