With most of them having PG-13 ratings and aisles of toys marketed to young children, films like James Gunn's "Superman" have helped fuel the popular — and perhaps true — perception that DC Comics are primarily meant to entertain and inspire younger audiences. Maybe these bright, colorful characters are best used in stories that all ages can enjoy, as their source material was for decades — at least, until the censors backed off and comics started to get really dark.

Especially if you read a major event from the post-"Crisis on Infinite Earths" era, you'll discover a darker DC Universe than you might recognize from popular media — not even the films of Zack Snyder can compare to the political angst of "The Dark Knight Returns" or "Watchmen," the aggressive violence of "A Death in the Fami

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