Based on a survey of readers of Comic Book Resources, here are the top five favorite comic book storylines of all time, in ascending order.
5 The Dark Knight Returns. Written and penciled by Frank Miller, inked by Klaus Janson. When this four-book series begins, it has been ten years since Batman retired and Gotham City has become a much worse place, with violence flooding the streets. Batman is compelled to return, but as soon as he does, so too does his Rogues (as Miller makes the suggestion that perhaps it is Batman who draws people like Joker to Gotham City). Complete with a new female Robin, Batman takes a different approach to helping Gotham, by attempting to assimilate the gangs of Gotham rather than destroying them. This brings Batman into conflict with his old friend Superman, in a memorable final conflict between the two heroes.
4 “Batman: Year One.” Written by Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzucchelli. In this four-issue story in the Batman series, Miller and Mazzucchelli redefine the origins of Batman. The story cleverly mixes Bruce Wayne telling his side of the story versus the version reported by Gotham’s new police captain, James Gordon. The strong story and the striking artwork heavily inspired Christopher Nolan’s current Batman films.
3 “Born Again.” Written by Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzucchelli. This six-issue storyline in the ongoing Daredevil series unfolds as Matt “Daredevil” Murdock’s former lover Karen Page is now a drug addict. In desperate need for a fix, she reveals Murdock’s true identity to fuel her drug addiction. The information makes its way to Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime and a recurring enemy of Daredevil, who goes on to systematically destroy Murdock’s life (getting him disbarred, freezing his assets, and blowing up his home among these actions). With his life in ruins, Murdock manages to slowly build it back up (to be “born again”). In the process, he helps redeem Karen Page’s life, as well, while turning the tables on Fisk. Mazzucchelli was already impressing readers as the regular artist on Daredevil when Miller returned to the title, and they both delivered one of the most defining storylines in Marvel history.
2 “The Dark Phoenix Saga.” Written by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, penciled by John Byrne and inked by Terry Austin. In this epic saga, Jean Grey of the X-Men had been reborn as the powerful new hero known as the Phoenix. As time went by, though, the maxim “all power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” became quite true as Jean’s powers reached a cosmic level and her mind was warped into a new, malevolent entity known as the Dark Phoenix. Her teammates on the X-Men are forced to fight against her, during which they seemingly cure her of her affliction. But her powers are still present, and stronger than ever, leading a number of alien races to form a coalition to eliminate Phoenix for fear of her universe-destroying powers. While her teammates defend her, Jean realizes that the alien coalition is right—her power is truly dangerous—and she ends her own life for the good of the universe. She dies as she lived: a true hero.
1 Watchmen. Written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons. This twelve-issue series changed comic books dramatically, as it showed the sophistication that could be achieved from the medium. Moore and Gibbons fill the series with depth and nuance, showing the devolution of superheroes until we get to the world where heroes can no longer be trusted, leading to the question used in promos for the series—“Who watches the Watchmen?”