Even a cursory look into the most acclaimed stories starring Batman will reveal that Batman: The Long Halloween from Loeb and Sale ranks among the very best. With the story taking place over an entire calendar year (to begin with), the case gives a different impression to Bruce Wayne's standard crime-by-crime rhythm, not to mention multiple twists and turns taking place throughout his investigation
The television adaptation may have made The Walking Dead a household name, but the comic book series was in a league of its own before the first episode was ever filmed. A singular exploration of the human drama (and horror) at the heart of our obsession with zombies, the series' shocking ending only cemented its place in comic book history
His work with Batman and Daredevil is typically first to come to mind as writer and artist Frank Miller's best comics, but he's also written some classic non-superhero stories. One of the genre's best black-and-white comics, Dark Horse's Sin City is an acclaimed neo-noir story set in a bleak, authoritarian-run town in the United States.
As one of the comic book industry's "big two" publishers, DC Comics is primarily known for its superheroes. However, their Vertigo imprint of comics spawned some timeless non-superhero classics. Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's Preacher was one such cult-hit, with the story centered around a grim supernatural/religious disaster plaguing a small Texas town.
Expanding to the greater Justice League, Kingdom Come is a landmark comic in DC's pantheon of stories. This alternate-canon comic was a sort of meta deconstruction of "superheroes" as a concept. Veteran writer Mark Waid and iconic artist Alex Ross put together a miniseries that detailed the fall in prominence of the outdated "traditional" heroes and the rise of dangerous copycats.
Origin stories can occasionally feel like a dime a dozen and have understandably worn out fans' patience over the years. However, Miller and David Mazzucchelli's Year One is among the most definitive comic book origins. The late Dennis O'Neil started Batman's exceptional noir reinvention, and Year One was one of the comics that brought this evolution to a crescendo.
With history settled on Hal Jordan's descent into villainy as one of the most shocking villain twists in modern comics, Geoff Johns took it upon himself to restore Hal's glory, and change the course of the DC Universe in the process.
It's hard to discuss Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow without immediately taking note of the breathtaking artwork, delivering jaw-dropping visuals from literally the first cover art and preview pages. The work of artist Bilquis Evely and colorist Matheus Lopes doesn't disappoint in the story itself, taking its heroine across the DC Universe, through countless cosmic backdrops, fantastical worlds, and stunning future-classic-poster art.
The fall of the 'Unworthy' Thor was one bombshell after another, first finding the Odinson unable to life Mjolnir, and soon revealing an unknown woman who had been called to replace him. Eventually the truth came out, and Jane Foster claiming Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor sent shockwaves through the comic book world. But fans weren't ready for the heartbreaking story Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman still had left to tell.
Alan Moore's most iconic comic stories may feature DC's superheroes, but V for Vendetta was another DC Vertigo comic that went in an excitingly different direction. It's a dark political-dystopia story, where a fictional political party has successfully converted the United Kingdom into a gruesome neo-fascist police state.