DC Comics is one of the best fictional universes in print, thanks to its deep exploration of multiple genres throughout its history. The franchise has everything from western gunslinger heroes to occult detectives and even gods. However, one of the genres that has been key to DC since the beginning is science fiction. Sci-fi has always been a strong foundation for comic books.
Science fiction gives explanations to many of the more fantastical stories in the DCU. As a result of this, plenty of the publisher's most well-known heroes have roots in science fiction, especially those created between the 50s and 70s, the height of comic book sci-fi. The genre exerts a great influence over comics, and some of the best DC comics had distinct sci-fi tones.
10 Kamandi
After DC failed to gain the rights to publish Planet of the Apes comics, the company turned to Jack Kirby to create something of the same premise. That book was Kamandi. Set in the far future, it takes place in the aftermath of the Great Disaster, a cataclysmic event that wiped out much of humanity.
Kamandi is the last boy on Earth and travels around the new world, occupied by various humanoid animals, such as the Tiger Empire and Leopard pirates. Joined by his friends, he has seen many classic sci-fi adventures, such as meeting cosmic adventurers and fighting mutated insects.
9 Adam Strange
Adam Strange was created during the height of DC's venture into science fiction, which lasted from the mid-fifties to the sixties. The character took cues from Flash Gordon and John Carter in a very similar premise of an Earth man transported to another planet, which he protects.
Adam Strange is the hero of Rann, where he is transported by the mysterious Zeta Beams. There, he uses his jet pack and fighting skills to battle the forces of villains like Kanjar Ro. The space adventurer, created by Julius Schwartz and Murphy Anderson, plays a vital role in the Rann/Thanagar war.
8 Tom Strong
Created by Alan Moore to be a classic pulp callback for America's Best Comics, Tom Strong has been a part of DC since the late 2000s. He made his entry into the DCU during 2018's The Terrifics (by Jeff Lemire and Dale Eaglesham), where he aided the team through the multiverse.
Tom Strong has clear inspiration from the likes of Flash Gordon and Doc Savage, and his stories often include sci-fi tropes such as time travel and alternate dimensions. For fans who love science fiction but want a break from traditional superheroes, Strong is the answer.
7 Challengers Of The Unknown
Created by Jack Kirby, the Challengers of the Unknown are a group of sci-fi adventurers, each of whom has his own skills. Made up of Ace Morgan, Red Ryan, Rocky Davis and Prof Haley, the team united under a shared experience in a plane crash, which they survived together.
The Challengers of the Unknown share much in concept with the Fantastic Four, with a very similar dynamic of a group of science-based heroes exploring the unknown. The team is a classic throwback to 50s science fiction comics, right down to the futuristic jumpsuits and clashes with sea monsters.
6 Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter - also known as J'onn J'onzz - is one of the last surviving Martians in the galaxy, as well as a founding member of the Justice League. The shape-shifting hero was brought to Earth by mistake, when a scientist experimented with a teleportation device.
Martian Manhunter is special in the DCU because he chooses to be seen as an alien, despite having the ability to take any form he chooses. His telepathy makes him one of the most empathetic heroes in the universe, despite also being one of the more tragic and solitary ones.
5 The Atom
The Atom has always been underrated and underused by DC, often relying on team books to have a moment in the sun. The hero is one of the most science-based characters in the DCU, and uses a knowledge of physics to shrink down his form and explore the Microverse.
The Atom's adventures typically take place at the microscopic level, where he encounters a variety of creatures and civilizations. Whether its Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi's lives as scientists or their encounters with the subatomic world for research and exploration, Atom is a sci-fi character.
4 Swamp Thing
A combination of classic science fiction and supernatural horror, Swamp Thing was created when Alec Holland fell into a swamp with his bio-restorative formula. After suffering burns, the mystical swamp interacted with the serum and created the moss-encrusted hero.
Swamp Thing's story has ebbed and flowed between science fiction and horror. His original Len Wein series was an ode to 1950s and 60s science fiction, replete with the likes of time travel, hyper-intelligent worm monsters and even a run-in with an alien.
3 Mister Terrific
Mister Terrific is the epitome of the scientist superhero, and has taken many inspirations from Marvel's Mister Fantastic. Michael Holt is both a scientist and inventor, and uses his T-spheres, as well as an array of other gadgets and tech, to fight villainy.
Mister Terrific is one of the three smartest - and most tragic - men in the DCU, and his team-up comic, The Terrifics, sent him on an odyssey through the multiverse. There, the hero made good use of his scientific skills in navigating the great unknown.
2 Green Lantern
Hal Jordan's Green Lantern helped usher in the Silver Age of comics. The maverick space cop, Hal is part of an expansive corps of protectors, each one assigned to their own sector. The job entails run-ins with aliens, battles with enemy corps and saving planets.
Green Lantern is responsible for a vast sector of space, and his duty has him investigating crime with a sci-fi twist. Heroes like Hal Jordan and Kilowog have been almost single-handedly responsible for expanding the cosmic side of the DCU, including crossovers with New Gods.
1 Superman
Despite not being a space-faring hero like Green Lantern or having an alien appearance like Martian Manhunter, Superman is every bit as much a science fiction character. Sent to Earth from the dying planet Krypton, the Kents raised Clark Kent as a human and shaped his morality.
Superman is the strongest superhero in the DCU, thanks to his Kryptonian biology enhanced by Earth's yellow sun. The hero has faced down villainous robots, alien warlords, tech-powered businessmen and monsters created through scientific experimentation.