My question this week is, what is the best comic book story ever written and why?
By story I mean a single storyline, it doesn't have to be confined to a single issue or even a single comic, but it must be a resolved storyline (e.g. The Dark Knight Returns). I'm being vague here because it'll be interesting to see what you guys come up with.
Personally I'd nominate V For Vendetta, because Alan Moore is a genius and I'm biased for V over Watchmen (the more acknowledged of his two great masterpieces) because it's set in Britain so I relate to it better. The best thing about both these stories is that they have so many layers, an inbuilt depth that can only be created by great authors. Both are political and violent but under the surface there is a heart, a hope that the human race is capable of better.
That's my (surprisingly short) say, so now you guys can have yours.
One of my personal favorites has always been Jim Starlin’s 70’s run with Adam Warlock. It started in Strange Tales #178, ran thru Warlock #9-!5, and ended in Avenger Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. Marvel reprinted it a couple times, so you don’t have to hunt down the original issues. Anyway, the story introduces The Magus, Gamora and Pip The Troll, and also begins Warlock’s relationship with Thanos. Really great stuff if you’re into Marvel’s Cosmic side.
I”m going out on a limb and stretching the definition of story a little. Ok, a LOT. I give you Sandman. All 75 issues. It encompasses every adjective you want to throw at it, big and small, but in all it tells the story of the character, from the “beginning” to the end. It gives you the idea of the minutiae the king of dreams would have to deal with and the huge magnificent and wonderful thing his domain is. I think it has something for everyone. It is dark at times, but also wonderfully imaginative and funny. The only caveat is that it is not meant for children. It is graphical at times and deals with issues that you may not want to expose a child to. That being said, I absolutely love this series. Highly recommend.
Hope I didn’t go too outside your idea of a story. 😉
@Dan- Good to see some Warlock love, he’s a massively under-appriciated character.
@Worf- I would certainly accept the Sandman series as one long story. I was tempted to put it myself. Neil Gaiman is almost as much of a genius as Alan Moore and Sandman is his masterpiece, plus he introduced one of my favourite comic book characters in Death.
Hmmm… Kraven’s Last Hunt because it really gets into the psyche of an aging super-villain. By the end of the story, you have a very different view of a villain’s raison d’être. Even if you don’t like Spider-Man, check it out.
A close second is Epic Comic’s Marshal Law Takes Manhattan. It’s parodies are brutal but hilarious. Marshal Law is a sort of American-style Judge Dredd. The backdrop of the story is that the US government destroyed all of the superheroes then created new ones to boost morale during an unpopular war. However, the side-effects of their procedures turn the heroes into psychos. Marshal Law’s job is to hunt them.
I still consider myself a noob when it comes to comics. I haven’t read that many books or series, but I love Bone by Jeff Smith. In some ways it reminds me of both Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, but it has more humor than either of these. It’s not just a comic, but a whole universe to get lost in. The story is both hilarious and terrifying, and the artwork is fabulous.
I’m locking myself in the bomb shelter, and you can’t make me come out until this is over.
phoenix saga? the first of those big cosmic xmen tales. the first time wolverine really opens a can of wupass.
watchmen: do i need to say why?
all-star superman: hands down the best superman comic ever.
maus: ’nuff said
seven soldiers of victory: really original.
sandman: best. comic. ever.
The New Teen Titans – The Judas Contract
Great art, great writing and one spectacular ending!
Cheers!
I’m torn Watchmen or Sandman. Sandman or Watchmen. It’s still one of those two.
Sorry, Myro, you’re wrong… 😉
It’s Chris Claremont’s “God Loves, Man Kills”! {Okay, I *might* go for “Days of Future Past”}
YOu beat me to it 🙂