The DC Universe is filled with characters from a wide variety of backgrounds. Every character has their own story to tell of how they got where they are today but one thing that might be overlooked is who raised them. DC has no shortage of iconic fathers in its comic book history.
Some of these dads are loving fathers who only want the best for their kids, while some want nothing to do with them. It's interesting to see how some legendary DC characters have been shaped by their fathers and how others have been left totally scarred by them.
8 Trigon
Trigon is the infamous father of the popular Teen Titans character Raven. Raven is known for her dark magic, brooding personality, and tragic backstory, which is all thanks to her father, Trigon: the leader of the DC Universe's version of the underworld.
Raven's mother is a human who was killed by Trigon for trying to escape him. Raven herself was also forced to remain by his side for years until she was eventually able to escape. Trigon's only reason for creating Raven was so he could have a way to portal to other worlds and take over. Certainly one of the worst dads a hero could ask for.
7 Deathstroke
Deathstroke is famous for being DC's legendary assassin and one of Batman's deadliest foes, but some might not know that he's also a father. Unfortunately for his offspring, he doesn't take his fatherly duties anywhere near as seriously as he does his job.
His son Grant was killed from trying too hard to be like his father and Deathstroke showed no signs of remorse. He was forced to murder his other son Joseph after he became possessed by Trigon. Lastly, he drove his daughter to insanity by making her drink a potion. Maybe it's best that most people don't know Deathstroke is a dad.
6 Lex Luthor
Yet another contender for worst father of all time is Superman's arch nemesis Lex Luthor. Lex is so obsessed with Superman that he once combined his DNA with his own to make a clone. The child proved to not be as powerful as Superman, so Lex simply disowned him.
Luckily this child went on to become Connor Kent aka Superboy and proved to be just as noble and heroic as the man of steel. It's probably a good thing that Lex disowned him, as had he not done so, Connor would have probably grown up to be just like Luthor instead.
5 Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne was proof that the rich and powerful can be loving and selfless. Thomas was a great man who used his money and influence to not only help the people of Gotham but also his son Bruce. Even though Thomas died when Bruce was just a young boy, he was still able to teach Bruce many important lessons about life.
Bruce wouldn't be the man he is today without his father's teachings and every night he's reminded of that when he puts on that cape and cowl. Thomas was a beacon of hope for Gotham just like his son turned out to be.
4 Jonathan Kent
Just like Thomas Wayne, Jonathan Kent is responsible for raising one of the most important heroes in the DC Universe. Jonathan's whole life changed forever when that spaceship crashed into his and his wife's farm. When he saw little baby Kal-El he was given a choice: to take this child in as his own or leave that responsibility to someone else.
Thankfully, he chose to raise Superman to become one of the most humble, optimistic, and noble characters in all of fiction. Jonathan was the perfect parent and role model for Clark and allowed him to learn what a good man truly is.
3 Jim Gordon
Jim Gordon is most famous for being the honest commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department but he's also a devoted father. Of course, his daughter Barbara went on to follow in his footsteps and fight crime as Batgirl and later as Oracle.
While Jim remains in the dark for most stories involving Batgirl, there's no doubt he would be proud of her accomplishments. Jim isn't just a loving father, he's also a genuinely good person who once comforted a young boy whose parents were killed right in front of him.
2 Superman
Superman hasn't been a father for long in the comics but he's already shown himself to be a great one. His son Jonathan is proving to be a formidable hero and is quickly learning the ways of his father.
Like his biological father Jor-El and his adopted dad John, Superman is a compassionate, loving, and responsible father. His son has a lot to live up to, but Superman never puts too much pressure on him and makes sure that he's always taken care of. Hopefully, Clark decides to have a few more children in the future.
1 Batman
Batman has been a father figure to many different people in his life. He's shaped young boys like Dick Grayson and Tim Drake into strong and respectable men. He's also faced plenty of hardships as a father too though, such as getting Jason Todd killed at a young age: something that he never forgave himself for.
His biological son Damien is quite a handful and sometimes strays far from his father's righteous teachings. Either way, Batman has shown that he tries really hard as a father and strives to give these boys someone that they can look up to and aspire to be more like.