8 Legendary Comic Book Stories You Should Discover Now
Image courtesy FB/KK.
I’m an old-school comic book collector and I’m amazed by the new school of fans. Most modern comic book fans don’t read comic books. Modern comic fans love the films, TV shows, cartoons, video games or even the novelizations of their favorite comic book characters or teams.
Legendary Comic Book Stories
Your favorite comic book media exists because of decades-old comic books and storylines. Because of that fact you’re missing out if you don’t know about these legendary storylines.
The comics on this list have already inspired some of your favorite films or they might do so soon.
1. Sinestro Corps War (2007)
(Image courtesy FB/D. Mitchell)
Hal Jordan, the Silver Age Green Lantern, became the insane and murderous villain Parallax in 1994. This creative decision roiled the comic book fanbase. Jordan was re-established as Hal Jordan in the 2004 comic Green Lantern: Rebirth.
The 2007 comic Sinestro War redefined Sinestro as the premier Green Lantern villain. Sinestro forged his own power ring and amassed a fear-inducing corps of his own. The post-credits scene of 2011’s Green Lantern, featuring Mark Strong as Sinestro, hinted at a Sinestro Corps War-inspired sequel that never happened.
Get the 448-page omnibus Absolute Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps hardcover for $125 now at Amazon.
2. Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985)
(Image courtesy FB/Cr Tez)
One of the biggest complaints from casual comic book readers is the overwhelming amount of history they feel they need to catch up on to become true fans. While it’s tempting to chalk this up to laziness, given how often this concern is raised, there’s some truth to it.
Marvel and DC’s comic book canon spans nearly a century. Concepts like multiverses, alternate versions of characters, and other complex storytelling tropes can make keeping up with comic book lore feel like a chore—even for dedicated fans.
Crisis on Infinite Earths is particularly notable for its dramatic stakes, including the deaths of major heroes, both mainline and alternate versions, who sacrifice themselves to save reality. The Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, and Supergirl meet their end in this series in truly memorable fashion.
This 12-issue event streamlined DC’s convoluted multiverse, collapsing various timelines into a single, more cohesive universe. The influence of this approach remains strong, with Marvel and other publishers continuing to follow a similar model today.
Get the 364-page hardcover for $33.92 at Amazon now.
3. The Infinity Gauntlet (1991)
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The MCU, as we know it, wouldn’t exist without this iconic comic book series. In it, Thanos becomes infatuated with the cosmic embodiment of Death—depicted as a female figure with a skull for a face. Rather than wooing her with flowers, he gathers six Infinity Gems, places them into the Infinity Gauntlet, and uses their combined power to instantly wipe out half of the universe’s population.
The early MCU’s Infinity Saga drew heavy creative inspiration from this storyline, shaping one of the most memorable arcs in cinematic history.
Buy this 256-page paperback for $20.58 at Amazon now.
4. Infinite Crisis (2005)
(Image courtesy FB/L.E.)
You might notice a pattern here—comic book storylines often revolve around tropes, maintaining the status quo, experimenting with it, and then ultimately resetting it. While Crisis on Infinite Earths revolutionized the way DC streamlined its multiverse, the company has had to revisit and redo similar events every decade or so.
In Infinite Crisis, two supervillains who had escaped to a pocket universe during the original 1985 Crisis return, unleashing chaos upon DC’s heroes once again.
Get the 1,363-page omnibus for $99 at Amazon.
5. All-Star Superman (2005)
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Many comic book fans argue that Superman is boring because of his overwhelming power. After all, he’s strong enough to sneeze in space and extinguish the sun. The biggest criticism of the character is that his stories often lack stakes or real tension.
All-Star Superman redefined that perception for a new generation. In this storyline, Superman is dying and sets out to complete a series of final tasks—helping humanity and cementing his legacy as Earth’s greatest protector.
You can get this 328-page hardcover for $60.28 at Amazon now.
6. Final Crisis Omnibus (2008)
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Darkseid is an ancient and malevolent villain driven by his obsession with unlocking the Anti-Life Equation—a cosmic formula that would grant him absolute control over every being across the multiverse, erasing free will entirely.
In this story, Darkseid finally achieves his goal, and the DC heroes must fight back against overwhelming odds, facing devastating losses in their struggle to reclaim freedom.
Get the 1,512-page omnibus hardcover for $102.41 at Amazon now.
7. X-Men Mutant Massacre Omnibus (1986)
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Hopefully, the MCU will adapt this storyline once mutants are officially introduced. The Mutant Massacre, Marvel’s first large-scale crossover event in 1986, set the stage for future comic book crossovers—for better or worse. Some fans see it as a groundbreaking story, while others view it as the beginning of the modern, cash-grab crossover era.
In this classic storyline, the ruthless Marauders invade Manhattan’s underground tunnels to exterminate the Morlocks—a community of mutants who live in hiding. The X-Men and their allies rush to stop the slaughter, leading to one of the most brutal battles in mutant history.
Get this 954-page omnibus for only $82.94 at Amazon now.
8. Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths (2022)
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This was the most recent Crisis event at DC, and it had a lasting impact on the comic book landscape. In this storyline, the original Justice League members sacrificed their lives to protect the universe from Darkseid.
With the Justice League gone, Nightwing and the Titans stepped up as DC’s premier superhero team, taking center stage in the aftermath of the event.
Get the 290-page hardcover for $14.24 at Amazon now.
Why You Must Read These Comic Book Stories
One of my biggest pet peeves is comic book fans who don’t actually read comic books. It feels like an entire history of creative storytelling is being overlooked and forgotten.
Many people complain about superhero fatigue at the box office or the long wait between movies and TV projects. The truth is, while comic book media is based on decades-old stories, its adaptations are limited in scope.
Comic books, on the other hand, have been around for generations, with thousands of storylines waiting to be explored. That might seem overwhelming, but the best way to start is simple—ask a comic book fan for recommendations or just dive in.
There’s no need to wait for the next movie, show, or video game. The stories that inspire them are already at your fingertips, just waiting to be discovered.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
