Bat-Free DC Polls

lots of people like the bats. lots of people also want to see characters other than the bats have a decent chance to win a dc poll.

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Welcome to Bat-Free DC Polls!

It's fun to vote in polls. What's less fun is to have the same handful of characters win each poll from popularity bias. The purpose of this blog is as such to eliminate (some) of that bias by excluding Gotham-centric characters as an option altogether. Some characters will still naturally have a leg-up on their competitors since polls are, by their very nature, a popularity contest, but at least your favorite will have a higher chance at earning their deserved spot on the podium.

Useful Links:

FAQ

Submission Guidelines

Forms for Tournament Ideas + Nominations for Polls:

Tournament Ideas

Current Tournaments:

Favorite Character Death

Best Teams

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Favorite Character Death: Semi-Finals

Billy Batson

Victor Sage

Voting ended onJul 6

Propaganda:

Billy Batson:

Fucker gets killed or brutalized in every Elseworlds and in HIS OWN MOVIES he can’t stay alive for SHIT

Superman lasting his eyes out is such a disrespect but honestly, solid visual and encapsulation of “Yeah, he’s off the deep end”

Victor Sage:

a meaningful and well-written passing of the mantle

Incredible story throughout 52 of his mentorship of Renee Montoya as he dies of lung cancer. It's both a perfect cap to his story and a perfect introduction of the new Question.

Where to find them?

Billy Batson:

Shazam N52 since that’s the comics the movies went off of

Injustice

Victor Sage:

The Question (1987)

52 (2006)

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Favorite Character Death: Semi-Finals

Barry Allen

Donna Troy

Voting ended onJul 6

Propaganda:

Barry Allen:

look i know this is moderately controversial but!! i really enjoy wally complexes okay. and i think it was really cool when he was dead the flash v2 wise!! THEE heroic death also!!!

Barry's death is one of if not THE most iconic, defining and meaningful character deaths in the history of DC comics, affecting every corner of the DC universe and lasting for over two decades.

Where to find them?

Barry Allen:

look i know this is moderately controversial but!! i really enjoy wally complexes okay. and i think it was really cool when he was dead the flash v2 wise!! THEE heroic death also!!!

Crisis On Infinite Earths #8

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Congratulations to the winners of the "Best Yuri Couple" tournament: Beatriz da Costa and Tora Olafsdotter! The runners-up are Wonder Woman and Zatanna Zatara, and the third place winners are Donna Troy and Koriand'r.

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Team: Round Two

Secret Six

Birds of Prey

Voting ended onJul 1

Propaganda:

Secret Six:

Everyone is queer. Most dysfunctional family. Loser villains band together and occasionally do good. Everyone has a shitty dad.

they are awesome. scandal savage is there.

Birds of Prey:

Nothing says best team like being a four person polycule (Helezindinahbabs)

Where to find them?

Secret Six:

Villains United

Gail Simone's Secret Six 2006, 2008

Birds of Prey:

Birds of Prey 1998 #57-127

Birds of Prey 2010

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Team: Round Two

Doom Patrol

Justice League International

Voting ended onJul 1

Propaganda:

Doom Patrol:

THE WORLD'S WEIRDEST SUPERHEROES!! fucked up found family who desperately try to understand each other because no one else does. what if home is other people. people who are also messed up, who are monsters, who are outcasts, who have made mistakes. people just like and so unlike you. they all work so hard to get better together. it's beautiful.

Justice League International:

No one is doing it like them! (And that might be for the best.) They live together, they have rivalries with other super teams, they have complicated dating lives, they're best frenemies with half their coworkers, they get into silly situations involving beauty pageants or fake casinos, and sometimes G'Nort is there! Oh, and also sometimes they fight supervillains!

Where to find them?

Doom Patrol:

Doom Patrol (1987)

Doom Patrol (2009)

Doom Patrol (2016)

Justice League International:

Justice League International (1987)

Justice League Quarterly

Justice League America (1989)

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Team: Round Two

Fab Five Titans

New Teen Titans

Voting ended onJul 1

Propaganda:

Fab Five Titans:

The fab five have been the best of friends since the 60s and are all the closer for it. Between every member is so much trust and loyalty, and stemming from this one group has spawned entirely new generations of genuine friendships. Every incarnation of the Teen Titans started with these five and there has been no love lost. One of my favorite things about this group is how every dynamic is special because they all mean something a little different to each other. I'm seriously invested in every single friendship in the group, and they've pretty much all stayed consistently great over the past 60 years. This team is also special for being one of the first teams in comic book history whose members got to experience childhood together, and as sidekicks they were all also experiencing individuality together for the first time via newfound freedom and teenage rebellion. Also they're just… Really adorable. This is the group that came up with nicknames for each other and wore matching team sweaters and had sleepovers and tried to bail each other out of being grounded (all of those really happened!!)

Where to find them?

Fab Five Titans:

Teen Titans (1966)

Teen Titans Year One

World's Finest Teen Titans

Brave and the Bold #10

Titans Annual #1 (2025)

New Teen Titans

Titans (1999)

Titans Secret Files #2

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Team: Round Two

Young Justice

The Rogues

Voting ended onJul 1

Propaganda:

Young Justice:

truly the team of all time. they fake killing a teammate. they break into a government facility. it's implied they caused mr. mxyzptlk to leave academia. they play baseball in space for the fate of the planet. they blow up mount rushmore. they watch santa clause die in front of them via meteor, and are three months late doing christmas. half of their team is no longer alive/active. none of them age correctly. the show named after them has basically nothing to do with them. they've all been pretty much shunned by editorial and they are great.

The things they do can only be described as shenanigans. The world is on fire and they are busy being silly.

fun and angst forever!!!

The Rogues:

We don't get a lot of villain teams with a code of conduct, but The Rogues are exactly that! Captain Cold's rules for The Rogues may vary, but he strictly enforces the main ones: No killing except in self defense or for revenge, DEFINITELY no killing a cape (you want the entire Justice League after us!?), no drugs (you need a clear head), and it's all about the score. They also sometimes act like a Union for villains…they even require paid health insurance if hired by other villains!

Where to find them?

Young Justice:

Young Justice (1998)

The Rogues:

The Flash

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Favorite Character Death: Round Two

Victor Sage

Sylvester Pemberton

Voting ended onJun 29

Propaganda:

Victor Sage:

a meaningful and well-written passing of the mantle

Incredible story throughout 52 of his mentorship of Renee Montoya as he dies of lung cancer. It's both a perfect cap to his story and a perfect introduction of the new Question.

Sylvester Pemberton:

How can a murder with this many people involved be so sad? Justice for Bones and Grundy. Johns had Sylvester say "Beware my Killer" about Grundy but Grundy was MANIPULATED into doing that. It destroys Infinity Inc. forever. Every single Infinity Inc. fan hates reading the last three issues because it's just so upsetting.

Where to find them?

Victor Sage:

The Question (1987)

52 (2006)

Sylvester Pemberton:

Infinity Inc.#51-53

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Favorite Character Death: Round Two

Billy Batson

Casey Brinke

Voting ended onJun 29

Propaganda:

Billy Batson:

Fucker gets killed or brutalized in every Elseworlds and in HIS OWN MOVIES he can’t stay alive for SHIT

Superman lasting his eyes out is such a disrespect but honestly, solid visual and encapsulation of “Yeah, he’s off the deep end”

Where to find them?

Billy Batson:

Shazam N52 since that’s the comics the movies went off of

Injustice

Casey Brinke:

Doom Patrol (2016)

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Favorite Character Death: Round Two

Donna Troy

Kara Zor-El

Voting ended onJun 23

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Favorite Character Death: Round Two

Barry Allen

Joey Wilson

Voting ended onJun 29

Propaganda:

Barry Allen:

look i know this is moderately controversial but!! i really enjoy wally complexes okay. and i think it was really cool when he was dead the flash v2 wise!! THEE heroic death also!!!

Barry's death is one of if not THE most iconic, defining and meaningful character deaths in the history of DC comics, affecting every corner of the DC universe and lasting for over two decades.

Where to find them?

Barry Allen:

look i know this is moderately controversial but!! i really enjoy wally complexes okay. and i think it was really cool when he was dead the flash v2 wise!! THEE heroic death also!!!

Crisis On Infinite Earths #8

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Yuri Couple: Third Place Winner

Cheetah / Wonder Woman

Donna Troy / Koriand'r

Voting ended onJun 26

Propaganda:

Cheetah / Wonder Woman:

They're doomed friends to enemies. They're what everyone wants Batjokes to be. They're "I love you and though I know I can't save you, I will try anyways". 

MY TRAGIC FRIENDS (lovers) TO ENEMIES.....

Where to find them?

Cheetah / Wonder Woman:

Wonder Woman (1986)

Wonder Woman (2006)

Wonder Woman (2016)

Donna Troy / Koriand'r:

New Teen Titans

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Yuri Couple: Finals

Beatriz da Costa / Tora Olafsdotter

Wonder Woman / Zatanna Zatara

Voting ended onJun 26

Propaganda:

Wonder Woman / Zatanna Zatara:

Zatanna's occupation and powers are all about deception, and Diana’s are the exact opposite because she's all about truth. They have that cool tone vs warm tone thing going on, despite them both being very light characters. Zatanna is very showy and elegant on the outside but I feel like she has a lot of little inside insecurities. Meanwhile Diana is so reassuring and kind and warm that she'd be able to put all of Zatanna's worries to rest. She's been a source of comfort for Zatanna since she joined the league, always there and steady. Also there's this kind of womanly solidarity about them that they share with the other female members on the league. Diana advocated Zatanna joining the league because there weren't many women. And Diana welcomed Zatanna with open arms. And their trope is literally the warrior of peace and the benevolent enchantress, how cool is that!?

gay witches

Where to find them?

Wonder Woman / Zatanna Zatara:

Justice League Dark

Absolute Wonder Woman

The Brave and the Bold #33

Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace #15

Beatriz da Costa / Tora Olafsdotter:

Fire and Ice: when hell freezes over and welcome to smallville

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Team: Round One

Birds of Prey

John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad

Voting ended onJun 24

Propaganda:

Birds of Prey:

Nothing says best team like being a four person polycule (Helezindinahbabs)

John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad:

Half the team voluntarily signed up for the "you're not likely to make it out alive team". They're all coworkers 1 drink away from fucking each other (even Waller). They have a team therapist. Oh did I mention the pie yet?

Where to find them?

Birds of Prey:

Birds of Prey 1998 #57-127

Birds of Prey 2010

John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad:

Legends 1986

Suicide Squad 1987

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Team: Round One

Justice League International

Judd Winick's Outsiders

Voting ended onJun 24

Propaganda:

Justice League International:

No one is doing it like them! (And that might be for the best.) They live together, they have rivalries with other super teams, they have complicated dating lives, they're best frenemies with half their coworkers, they get into silly situations involving beauty pageants or fake casinos, and sometimes G'Nort is there! Oh, and also sometimes they fight supervillains!

Judd Winick's Outsiders:

Canon lesbian and her bisexual girlfriend. Dysfunctional and created in order to keep Dick Grayson company. Owen Mercer is there. They're all a bit messy.

Where to find them?

Justice League International:

Justice League International (1987)

Justice League Quarterly

Justice League America (1989)

Judd Winick's Outsiders:

Outsiders 2003

[bat-free-dcpolls]

Best Team: Round One

The Rogues

Teen Titans (2003)

Voting ended onJun 24

Propaganda:

The Rogues:

We don't get a lot of villain teams with a code of conduct, but The Rogues are exactly that! Captain Cold's rules for The Rogues may vary, but he strictly enforces the main ones: No killing except in self defense or for revenge, DEFINITELY no killing a cape (you want the entire Justice League after us!?), no drugs (you need a clear head), and it's all about the score. They also sometimes act like a Union for villains…they even require paid health insurance if hired by other villains!

Teen Titans (2003):

yes they sucked and yes they were written by johns but like my godddd vote this for the lesbian drama. please.

Where to find them?

The Rogues:

The Flash

Teen Titans (2003):

Teen Titans (2003)