Top 5 Fridays: Top 5 Best Fathers In DC Comics

So how this normally works is that I use things going on in DC Comics during the week to put together a Top 5 list, but when that doesn't happen I sometimes use things going on in my own day to day life.  This week we're getting the latter, because every year at this time I go up to the Poconos to put flowers on my father's grave on the anniversary of his death.  Now don't worry I'm not going to sit here and get my sad sackiness all over you, but I would like to take the time to talk about the best fathers in DC Comics.  You know the ones that were there for our heroes, and nurtured them to become and maintain their hope inspiring selves.  Now my father might not of been as great as any of these characters, but I do remember he
introduced me, and nurtured my love for horror flicks, and comics books, that I still love today.  So let's take a look at Weird Science's Top 5 Best Fathers In DC Comics, and I know that Father's Day was last weekend but look at the list and think about all the things that your father, step father, foster father, pretty much anyone who treated you like a son or daughter and loved you for you, did to make your life better, or at least more tolerable.  Okay on to the list.


#5.  Alfred Pennyworth

Looking at fathers how could we leave out the surrogate father of Bruce Wayne?  Without Alfred we'd probably not have Batman, now I'm not saying that Bruce wouldn't have gone on his crusade without this character, but he definitely would of bled to death if good 'ol Alfred wasn't around.  Now not only was this character there for a traumatized Bruce Wayne when his parents were brutally taken away from him, but he was also like a surrogate-surrogate father to Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne.  Alfred is the glue that holds the Bat Family together, and is certainly one of the best fathers in the DC Comics Universe.  Now that being said, I guess I have to address the elephant in the room.  Recently in Batman Eternal we've been introduced to a character named Julia Pennyworth, who apparently is Alfred's daughter that he hasn't seen in twenty years.  Now that's a bit of problem, especially with him being on a list of best fathers.  But at this point we really don't know the motivations behind our favorite butler for not being in his daughters life, but if a good reason for him metaphorically going out for a pack of smokes isn't given, then I guess we have to reevaluate his being on this list, it's already affected his placement on it.  But until then celebrate Alfred for all he's done for the Wayne Family, and the horde of Robins that have graced the halls of Wayne Manor over the years.


#4.  Giovanni Zatara

The father of Zatanna might not have been the best father right off the bat depending on what continuity you're reading, but I'm talking about the one where after Zatanna's mother died at birth, he became an alcoholic to deal with the grief of losing his wife.  But that was then, the after is even more fucked up.  A curse was put on Zatara that would end up killing him and his daughter Zatanna if they were to ever see one another.  This began his quest to find a way to have the curse lifted so he could be reunited with his little girl.  Zatara manages to have the curse broken and finally begins to have a real relationship with his daughter.  This would be short lived though because showing his ultimate devotion to his daughter Zatara channels energy that would of killed her into himself.  Zatara proves himself to be on this list with his sacrifice for his child, as the energies burned him up, and cast him to hell.  Poor poor Zatara.



#3.  S.T.R.I.P.E., Pat Dugan

Not only is Pat Dugan a good father, but he's also a good step father.  In original DC continuity Pat's wife left him to raise his son Michael on his own, and later when he re-married, his step daughter Courtney being the "You're not my real daddy" brat that she was decided to go rummaging through Pat's things and found the Star Spangled Kid's old uniform and donned this get up to piss him off.  But being the good dad that he is, he didn't fly off the handle.  No he decided that if Courtney was going to go down this path he better be there to help and protect her along the way.  So Pat built some sweet mecha armor, and became the sidekick to another young hero.  There you go good father, step father, and I almost forgot about being a father figure to Sylvester Pemberton.  I really don't think there is anything negative to be said about Pat "He's a damn fine guy" Dugan.  Hopefully now that Stargirl is kicking all sorts of ass in the New 52, Pat will be back in action as well.  Need more mechas in my life.



#2.  Wally West

Okay now we're talking about a real dad right here.  Check this, Wally's twins died during pregnancy because of a sonic blast created by Reverse Flash.  So what does Wally do?  He later goes back in time with Reverse Flash and gets him to take the brunt of his own sonic blast, saving his unborn children in the process.  BROUGHT HIS CHILDREN BACK TO LIFE.  That's a father right there.  Later when Superboy Prime was creating havoc during Infinite Crisis Wally sacrificed himself to stop the rogue Superboy, and even though it didn't last, he made sure to go back and get his family before disappearing from this universe.  So you have a superhero father who like a lot of them is willing to sacrifice himself, but decides to bring his family with him so that they can all be together.  Come on, that is awesome.  So being a speedster who has children and then exposes them to the speed force, of course his children have powers.  Before this Scarlet Speedster is kicked out of continuity by the New 52, he does the whole dad thing and teaches his twins how to use and be responsible speedsters themselves.  It's strange but online if you say anything against the new bi-racial Wally West it always comes down to accusations of racism, but I'm just saying I miss my Wally West.  Hopefully this new one will be able to fill the shoes of this fan favorite hero.


#1.  Jonathon Kent

Come on you had to see this one coming.  There is no other father in the history of comics that can compare to the man that raised our symbol of hope.  While on a previous list I besmirched the good name of Jonathan Kent because of the way he was portrayed in Man of Steel, but he is undoubtedly the reason why this man from Krypton hasn't destroyed us all.  We've seen the Elseworld's where someone else found little Kal-El and the awfulness that became of the Man of Tomorrow.  Also you'll notice how I've put the picture of John Schneider next to the character he played in Smallville.  That's because for any person who has ever played the part of Jonathan Kent and in my opinion anyone who will in the future, he's my Jonathan Kent.  He played the part so well, and from his performance I can totally see Clark becoming the hero he'll be in the future because of the teaching that he laid down.  So whether you hate or love Smallville you need to understand that his is the definitive Jonathan Kent.  UNDERSTAND IT!  Not much else to say about the man who raised and taught Superman right from wrong.  Really that's all you need to know.

Like I said in the beginning make sure you appreciate the things that your fathers do for you.  I hope you enjoyed this list, and like usual if you have any characters that you think I dropped the ball on here, let me know.  I'm not going to change anything, but I enjoy the banter.  I hope you all have a excellent week, and I'll see you in seven with the next list.  Boosh!