DC vs. Vampires, the fan-favorite Elseworlds saga that unleashed a vampiric Armageddon upon DC's beloved heroes and villains, left nothing but a trail of blood-soaked carnage, and the shattered remnants of morals and alliances alike in its wake. Now, with the thrilling announcement of the series' continuation in DC vs. Vampires: World War V, fans are sinking their teeth into the excitement, bloodthirsty for more undead mayhem.
Both the human and vampire factions in DC vs. Vampires have stacked up quite the body count, boasting a collection of jaw-dropping, brutal, and most of all gory takedowns. The series presents a lot of carnage to endure – below is a list presenting the top ten kills from the series, ranked from least to the most gory.
10 Jayna Makes An Unforgettable Entrance
Among its many pleasant, and unpleasant, surprises, DC vs. Vampires featured a remarkable display of lethal prowess from the Wonder Twin, Jayna. Jayna, using her newfound ability to take on the form of a water tiger, burst her way out of an unnamed vampiric Atlantean's chest in order to save a power-depleted Supergirl. This power was a recent addition to Jayna's formidable repertoire. Initially, her abilities were confined to the transformation into various animal forms, but a pivotal shift occurred when her brother Zan met his demise. In his tragic passing, Jayna inherited his power of water manipulation, merging it with her shape-shifting capabilities to create awe-inspiring and deadly 'water beasts.'
9 Nightwing Helps Red Robin Clear His Head
While it may not be the goriest kill to take place during this Elseworlds series, Nightwing's brutal act of crushing Red Robin's head undeniably earns its spot on this list. Some fans have even coined the vigilante's death as the 'watermelon' scene, due to the macabre resemblance between Tim's head and a squished watermelon. Red Robin's unfortunate end came at the merciless hands, or rather foot, of Dick Grayson, after the latter shockingly revealed himself as a vampire by ripping out Batman's heart, spawning a fight between the remaining members of the Bat-Family and the two vampires present, Nightwing and Wonder Woman.
8 Green Lantern And Anton Arcane Share A Spine-Tingling Moment
Anton Arcane's death at the hands of Green Lantern was quick, but far from gentle. Arcane, a formidable dark magic wielder, was deemed a substantial threat to the vampire regime. This led Hal to seek him out and employ a gruesome technique; the vampiric Lantern utilized his power to create an energy construct resembling a hand, physically removing Arcane's spine from his body. Hal's role as one of Vampire King Dick Grayson's trusted lieutenants was consistently marked by the elimination of potential threats to the vampire regime. This act was not an isolated inciden,t but part of a series of deadly assignments that established Hal's position as an enforcer of the sinister authority that Dick represented.
7 Booster Gold Gives Atomic Knight An Explosive Headache
Despite bleeding out on the floor of a ‘human blood farm’ after receiving what would have been a fatal blow, Booster Goal still managed to execute one of the series' most epic and brutal vampire take-downs. The hero is well known for his force field generation powers, and while this ability is usually used for protection and offensive measures, the vampire apocalypse gave Booster the push he needed to get a little more creative with his force fields. In a display of absolute carnage, Booster Gold took out Atomic Knight by creating a force field within the vampire's skull, causing his head to implode in a display that was as gross as it was epic.
6 Superman Plays Laser Tag With Booster Gold
The main storyline of DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War came to its dramatic conclusion in a spectacular showdown that prominently featured Superman. This intense battle resulted in the tragic demise of multiple heroes, with Booster Gold among the fallen. Although the hero managed to endure against Superman longer than most could dream, Booster's valiant resistance ended as Superman unleashed a blinding burst of his laser vision, cleaving the hero in two. The kill-shot happened so fast that Booster didn’t even register what had happened, until his top half began to slide away from his bottom half. The image was nothing short of stomach-turning, and a horrific end to the Supernova Waverider.
5 Nightwing Breaks Batman's Heart
The moment Nightwing ripped out Batman's heart is undoubtedly one of the most iconically grotesque and widely discussed scenes in DC vs. Vampires, and it deserves every bit of attention it garners. This scene wasn't just the tragic death of a hero; it marked the demise of one of DC's most legendary partnerships, destroying decades of character-building and learned truths in a single, heartbreaking blow. This scene is particularly unique because the brutality extends beyond the physical act of removing Bruce's heart from his chest. It was the profound betrayal and audacious nature of Dick Grayson committing such an unspeakable act that left fans both stunned and mesmerized.
4 Poison Ivy Prunes Some Weeds
In All-Out War, Poison Ivy managed to make vampirism undeniably alluring. In a display of unparalleled carnage, she extended her vines toward a group of vampires, forcibly driving the vines down their throats, siphoning their blood, and ultimately imploding them from the inside out. Moreover, Ivy's sinister presence lingered as she infested the city with blood-red vines, undoubtedly in pursuit of more blood. Her uniqueness lies in her apparent indifference to the vampire hierarchy, rendering her a truly exceptional free agent, and one of the few genuinely neutral parties in the ongoing war. Fans are undoubtedly eager to witness Ivy's potential reappearance in DC vs. Vampires: World War V.
3 Swamp Thing & Green Arrow Help Hawkman Branch Out
The death of Hawkman stands out as one of the most visually striking demises depicted in DC vs. Vampires. In this memorable scene, Green Arrow and Swamp Thing found themselves pitted against Hawkman, leading to a confrontation that hinged on Green Arrow's ingenuity and Swamp Thing's extraordinary powers. In the midst of battle, Oliver strategically filled Hawkman with arrows. This tactic initially seemed nothing more than a mere annoyance to the former Justice League member. However, these arrows were deadlier than they appeared to be; they are made from Swamp Thing himself. Swamp Thing's connection to the Green allowed the arrows to transform, branching out and crucifying Hawkman in a spectacular and brutal demise.
2 Wonder Woman & Shazam Play Tug of War With Superboy
Despite Superboy only showing up in a single panel during the entirety of DC vs. Vampires' run, he still managed to claim one of the top spots for most gruesome deaths, an honor that he no doubt would have passed on. In a horrific display, Shazam and Wonder Woman physically pulled Superboy apart, splitting him from the center, in a display that makes drawing and quartering look tame. The panel is part of a montage that depicts Vampire King Dick Grayson’s regime of vampires causing chaos and death around the world. However, Superboy’s death stands out above the rest, in a display that would no doubt make even the most hardened readers squeamish.
1 Green Lantern Makes A Wonder Twin Smoothie
The award for "Goriest Kill" in DC vs. Vampires undeniably goes to Green Lantern. Hal orchestrated a nightmarish demise for the unfortunate Wonder Twin, Zan, utilizing his power ring to craft an energy construct in the shape of a blender, whereupon he mercilessly blended Zan to a grim pulp. What followed was even more gag-inducing, as Green Lantern then proceeded to drink his Wonder Twin smoothie, offering a disturbing assessment of its freshness. Hal Jordan, in his vampire form, was an absolute menace, and it was with a collective sigh of relief, from the few remaining heroes in Elseworlds' DC vs. Vampires when the Lantern himself was dispatched.