Well you can also consider other non-DirectX API's aswell. DirectX is one one of the ones that are 'industry standard'. There is OpenGL and SDL aswell. Both are quite capable of writting very professionally made 2D games. (LOTS of others for sound too)

My best recommendation, trial and error or testing them out. Try one then try another. See what tickles your fancy. Which performs better for your development style and which is more capable for what you want to do? Consider all of this and find out for yourself. Getting right down to it, thats how everybody else did it at one point or another.