Throughout 2025, heroic teams in comic books have shone brightly. The best of them have protected their communities, stopped alien invasions, and sacrificed themselves in a moment of heroism. That said, the villains have been incredible at being terrible. More than ever, comic book fans are seeing evil rule the world (sort of like in the real world), and it’s made comics more interesting.
It's the end of the year, so it's that time for a ranking list (or many of them!), and we have decided to take this opportunity to revisit the best teams in comic books in 2025. Some of the groups on this list will shock you, while others are kind of obvious. Let’s start with a surprise addition.
20. Absolute Rogues
Members: Captain Cold, Golden Glider, Captain Boomerang, and Weather Wizard
DC's Absolute Rogues team could be even better than the original Rogues. They look cooler, clearly want to be on the side of good (except Trickster), and their tech has been upgraded. And, as great as Wally West has been, the Rogues have been the stars of this series.
19. Thundercats
Members: Lion-O, Cheetara, Panthro, Tygra, Calica, WilyKit, and WilyKat
The Thundercats have been stuck on a new planet while being outnumbered by various enemies. As if that wasn’t bad enough, their leader disappeared out of nowhere. Despite all of that, the Thundercats have managed to do more than survive. They're beginning to take what they’ve been given and get even better. It shows how good they are as a team and family.
18. The Midnight Mission
Members: Moon Knight, Reese, Soldier, Tigra, Hunter's Moon, House of Shadows, and 8-Ball
Heroes who stay close to the streets have a special place in my heart, and in 2025, no one did that better than the Midnight Mission. They survived various events, including Doctor Doom’s reign and stopping an Asgardian god from selling drugs to the community. They even had a hand in curing the addiction. To top it all off, they're making a star out of Reese Williams.
17. Birds of Prey
Members: Barbara Gordon, Black Canary, Huntress, Big Barda
There isn’t a more fun and versatile team on this list. On top of having an answer for almost every situation, Barbara Gordon is there to organize everyone and put them in places to succeed. And within those moments, each of them learns something from the others. This makes them better after each mission, and it shows.
Oh, plus there's Big Barda, who is a god and struts her stuff.,
16. The Planeteers
Members: Kwame, Wheeler, Linka, Gi, and Ma-Ti
If you had told me before that the Planeteers would have made the top 20 teams in any year, I may not have believed you. Yet, here we are. In fact, they would have been higher if it hadn't been for the phenomenal 2025 that the other teams have had.
The Planeteers came together in a short amount of time, but that didn’t stop them from achieving greatness. They learned each other’s personalities and adapted to their powers quickly. They also saved people better than some veteran heroes. I can’t wait to see what they do in 2026.
15. The Opposition
Members: Forge, Wolverine, One, Sabretooth (Deseased: Abigail Brand, Angel, Archangel, Beast, Chyornaya Vdova, Gambit, Guardian, Iceman, Marrow, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Gregor Smerdyakov, Sprite)
The mutants on this roster were saving lives even though every rescue mission meant death. Sadly, death was their fate. In the end, the people who oppressed them found a way to take them out. Hopefully, Wolverine will avenge them.
14. Ultimate X-Men
Members: Armor, Maystorm, Mori, Natsu Tsukishima, Nico Minoru, Futaba, Psylocke
The difference between these X-Men and the ones from Earth-616 is that the latter had a mentor. These kids were feared and hated, with no one to trust but each other. Regardless of their struggles, these brave teenagers fought for each other and protested for mutant rights when Japan's ruler, Shiro Yoshida (who’s also a mutant), started the Mutant Registration Act. This makes them the boldest team in the Ultimate Universe.
13. Team Ghost
Members: Space Ghost, Jan, and Jace
Space Ghost, Jan, and Jace are regular people who are taking on the biggest threats in the universe. Among those things are stopping extinction-level events and defeating deadly alien cults. This happens all while they are learning to grow as a family. It doesn’t seem like much compared to the other teams, but don’t forget that two of the three members are kids, and they’re always a big part of the victories.
12. Titans
Members: Donna Troy, Nightwing, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, Arsenal, Raven
It may not seem like it, but the Titans had a heck of a year, and defeating Deathstroke and his superteam isn’t even at the top of the list. What they’re doing with the evacuation of Earth is incredible (read DC KO for that story). If organizing and protecting billions of people across the galaxy doesn’t make you a top 20 team, what does?
11. Lazarus Corp
Members: Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, Brainiac, Christopher Smith, the Peacemakers
The Lazarus Corp has a chokehold on most of the world, and it appears like they’ll never loosen it. They are currently waging a war against Superman that’s so intense that Kal-El hasn’t been able to sleep. Even after this is over, Lazarus Corp will remain on top.
Brainiac’s influence must also be mentioned. Without his science, Ra’s al Ghul isn’t the superpower he is, nor does he have the weapons to fight Superman.
10. Decepticons
Members: Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, and various others
The Decepticons wreaked havoc across the West Coast of America and couldn’t be stopped. The Autobots, as well as the military, were badly beaten and forced to keep retreating. This is all while there were two factions of Decepticons battling internally.
Yeah, they had a pretty dominant year.
9. Yautja
Members: Various Predators and Kraven the Hunter
The Yautja’s accomplishments can’t be overlooked. With the help of Kraven the Hunter, they killed Thor, the Hulk, three of the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and more. It doesn’t matter that this happened in an alternate reality. It still occurred somewhere.
The Yautja also made their presence felt on the big and small screens once again throughout 2025 with Predator: Badlands and Disney Plus movie Predator: Killer of Killers entertaining us all this year.
8. Autobots
Members: Optimus Prime, Wheeljack, Beachcomber, and various others
Yes, the Decepticons put a beating on the Autobots and the humans, but the heroes never quit or gave up on their morals. They stayed true to their beliefs, took the pain and damage that came with it, and won the day. Plus, they end up having the backing and help of some people in the U.S. Military. They had more heart in this series than most teams have in their entire existence.
7. Fantastic Four
Members: Sue Storm, Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm, Alicia Masters, Valeria Richards, Franklin Richards, N'kalla, and Jo-Venn
Ryan North’s Fantastic Four was a reminder that the “4” in their name is more ceremonial than literal because the entire family has saved the day. I think there was even an issue when their dog helped. And that’s the beauty of this team. Everyone chips in during their adventures that go from traveling the multiverse to stopping a skull from vomiting blood forever.
6. The Green Lantern Corps
Members: Various members from across the universe
It’s nothing new for the Green Lantern Corps to save the universe, but this was special. After Jon Stewart repowered the Emotional Spectrum, Hal Jordan, Star Sapphire, Sinestro, Sojourner Mullein, Guy Gardner, and Kilowog came in and defeated Starbreaker and his emotional energy vampires. Without this win the universe would have been void of emotions.
5. The X-Men
Members: Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, the Outliers, Cyclops, Magik, Juggernaut, Magneto, Kitty Pryde, Emma, Frost…you get the idea
The Uncanny X-Men did two things that seemed impossible. First, they stopped a dead army from returning to the land of the living and killing mutants. Second, and maybe more impressive, they’ve changed the way people look at mutants. In both New Orleans and Brazil, people are seeing them as cool heroes.
Cyclops’ team is doing their best to change the minds of people in Alaska. It may not be working as well as he hoped, but he and his team keep trying. Within his attempts, the X-Men have helped prevent plenty of deaths and saved mutant lives.
In Exceptional X-Men, Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, and Iceman are training the most enthusiastic mutants ever. They’re eager to help each other be better, become a family, and grow as a family. It’s a beautiful story that I hope you’re reading.
4. Ultimate Universe: The Maker's Council
Members: Captain Britain, Black King, Hulk, Khonshu, Ra, Piotr Rasputin, Illyana Rasputin, Silver Samurai, Sun Emperor, and Viper
For over a year, the Ultimate Universe’s world leaders have maintained their evil grip over the world despite Maker (their ruler) being gone. Sure, they’ve taken some defeats, but they're still in charge. Some of them have even improved. The only reason they aren’t higher on the list is that the losses they have taken were due to their arrogance.
3. Ultimates
Members: Iron Lad, America Chavez, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hank Pym, Hawkeye (Charli Ramsey), Janet Van Dyne, Luke Cage, Lejori Joena Zakaria, and everyone fighting back.
It’s hard to think of a superhero team that has done more with less. The Ultimates aren’t just the best superhero team on this list. They’ve been so inspiring that they’ve motivated people worldwide. And it’s not just in the fictional world of comics. The message of writer Deniz Camp is so powerful that real-life people are making shirts and more to spread the word to fix the world.
2. Omega Legion
Members: Various versions of the League of Heroes who turned evil.
This team has traveled throughout the multiverse, killing versions of themselves and making it look easy. Not even the combined might of Superman and Superboy-Prime could beat them. And, what’s scarier, there’s no end in sight for them. I doubt they'll stop even after the DC K.O. tournament. They’re true believers in Darkseid, and that kind of loyalty doesn’t just disappear.
1. Absolute Justice League
Members: Elenore Thawne, Hector Hammond, Ra's al Ghul, Veronica Cale, and Joker
There’s no other way to put it, the Absolute Justice League rules the world uncontested. And unlike some other despots in comic books, they do it from behind the curtain like the Wizard of Oz. They may not have a tight grip on things forever, but, for now, no other team on this list has the wealth, power, and influence that this deplorabe Justice League has.
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