Comics writer James Tynion IV will end his run on the DC Comics title, Batman, with issue #117. After 28 issues, the changes he has made include new characters like Punchline and Clownhunter. Meanwhile, his predecessor Tom King completed a 90 issue run on the same title.
But King’s run is not the longest time a writer has spent on a single comic book character or title. But King’s run does rank among the longest of the writers at DC Comics. In fact, the number of writers to spend the longest time on a DC character’s title is limited to a rare few.
11 Geoff Johns Brings Back Hal Jordan And The Green Lanterns
Geoff Johns wrote just under 100 issues of Green Lantern. It starts with Green Lantern: Rebirth #1-6 which Johns used to bring back Hal Jordan. This was after Jordan had become the evil Parallax following the Death of Superman. Johns used Rebirth to explain how Jordan was possessed by the embodiment of fear who is also called Parallax.
Volume four of the Green Lantern title followed with issues #1-67. Jordan, and fellow lanterns John Stewart and Kyle Raynor were central figures. Volume five soon followed and included another 21 issues. Those three arcs bring Johns’ total to 94 issues.
10 Geoff Johns Writes JSA And Justice Society Of America
Johns’ work on Green Lantern was not his only long-term investment. He also made a lengthy run on JSA and then Justice Society of America for a combined 98 issues. Johns started on JSA with issue #6 and continued to issue 77 with a final contribution on number 81.
Justice Society of America offered a fresh take on the original justice team. From issue #1 to #26 Johns told new tales of the exploits of the squad founded by Dr. Midnight. And diehard fans might want to include the 24 issues of Hawkman which followed in that same conversation.
9 Mark Waid’s Marathon Run On The Flash
Mark Waid wrote The Flash for nine years. He only took one thirteen-issue break. He kicked off the second volume of Wally West when he took the reigns of issue #62. Waid began with the seminal Year One: Born to Run.
The storyline retold Wally West’s origin as the Kid Flash. It was a time of struggle and heartache when the speed powers of Kid Flash were killing him. Waid then told the further adventures of West’s role as the successor of his mentor Barry Allen. When Waid penned his last story in issue #162 he finished with a grand total of 87 issues.
8 Chuck Dixon’s Acrobatic Run on Nightwing
Chuck Dixon crafted 76 issues of Nightwing when he took over the series in 1996. Unlike Titans, Nightwing was a solo series that focused on the adult career of Batman’s first Robin. Nightwing became a police officer and called the city of Blüdhaven his foster home.
Dixon wrote issues one through 70 of Nightwing before stepping away. Thirty issues later he returned and wrote issues 101 through 106. He would finish with issue #1,000,000 and issue 1/2.
7 Chuck Dixon’s Longer Run On Robin
Dixon might have made a substantial contribution to Dick Grayson’s career after Robin. But it was his time working on the book Robin where Dixon wrote the longest. It all started with issues #1 through #100.
Then he stepped away. When Dixon returned he scripted issues 170 through 174 before he then added #1,000,000. With annual issues #2-6 added to the mix, Dixon’s total tallies 109.
6 Gail Simone Took Flight With Birds Of Prey
Gail Simone rose to prominence by challenging the stereotypes of women in comics. When she began her first run on Birds of Prey with issue #56 a team of female characters found their voices. She wrote uninterrupted through issue #90.
Following a two-issue break, Simone returned for issues 92 through 108. Simone then wrote her second volume of Birds of Prey that began with issue #1 and continued to #13. Together, that’s a total of 65 issues.
5 Marv Wolfman Wrote And Shaped The Teen Titans
Marv Wolfman wrote Teen Titans through a series of name changes. It started in 1980 with The New Teen Titans #1. Forty issues later the name changed to Tales of the Teen Titans for issues #41 through 58. Then came a short event in the form of Tales of the Teen Titans #1-4.
Next, came The New Teen Titans which was volume 2 of the team’s saga. That title lasted from issues #1 through 49. The title changed to The New Titans. After thirty-six continuous issues, Wolfman took a one-issue break, wrote issues 88-93 before a four-issue break then through issues #97-130.
4 Alan Moore Redefined The Swamp Thing
Alan Moore took the helm of The Saga of Swamp Thing in 1984. He joined a stellar cast of comic creators including Stephen R. Bissette, Shawn McManus, Rick Veitch, Stan Woch, John Totleben and so many more. After an initial arc from issues #20-27, Moore followed with an uninterrupted string of stories from issue #28 to issue #61.
Moore did not write issue #62 but returned to script issues #63 and 64. Moore then left the title and soon would leave DC Comics for good.
3 Paul Levitz Took To The Stars With The Legion Of Superheroes
Paul Levitz took his first try at Legion of Super-Heroes in 1981. Starting with a two-issue on #281 and #282, Levitz returned two issues later to write #284-313 and the first three Annuals. In 1984, the series launched its third volume with issues #1-63 and four more Annuals.
Levitz returned to write a backup story in #100 of volume four. Then, in 2010 Levitz took the helm of the sixth volume of the Legion and wrote issues #1-16. He wrote the 23 issues for volume 7 and then the six-issue mini-series Legion: Secret Origin.
2 Tom King Wrote Batman The Longest Love Letter
Tom King called his run on Batman a love letter to the character and its legacy. King took over during volume 3 on issue #7. where he collaborated with Mikel Janin, David Finch, and Riley Rossmo. King would go on to work with Mitch Gerards, Jason Fabok, and Clay Mann through issue #78. By the time Batman reached issue number 50, King had worked with Joëlle Jones, Travis Moore, and Tony Daniel.
Batman would soon include Lee Weeks, Matt Wagner, and Jorge Fornés on the final run that ended with issue #84. Add on the Rebirth single issue written with Scott Snyder and King wrote 85 issues of Batman.
1 Dennis O’Neil Wrote And Drew Detective Comics And Batman
Dennis “Denny” O’Neil’s contribution to Batman is hard for most writers to compare themselves against and it is not just the volume of stories he wrote. O’Neil began writing with Detective Comics #395 in 1969. He wrote 37 issues of the Dark Knight during that time. But he was also writing for the Batman comic from issue #224 in 1970.
That means an additional 33 issues for a grand total of 70. But, O’Neil was also an artist who often wrote and drew his Batman stories. O’Neil’s participation is twice that of most writers who do not usually draw the books they write.
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