I have always personally been of the mindset that DC has Marvel beat when it comes to actual comic books and graphic novels. Sure, Marvel is leaps and bounds ahead of DC in most other avenues of entertainment in the present day, but the rival entertainment titan has always charmed me more when it comes to written and illustrated work. But this doesn’t mean that Marvel lacks must-read options, as frankly there are several great stories worth checking out, regardless of whether you’re an avid reader or simply new to all things comics. If that latter person sounds like you, these 10 picks are also great stories to enjoy without feeling like you need to have been following Marvel and its frankly confusing storylines for the past almost 90 years. In no particular order, let’s start with a timeless classic.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
After the collapse of 20th Century’s X-Men theatrical efforts, the mutants have lacked on the big screen while the Avengers thrived. Frankly, it’s been a one-sided affair. In the world of comics, this couldn’t be any more inaccurate as X-Men have been a staple and leading theme in Marvel’s portfolio. Perhaps their best story is the time-travelling X-Men: Days of Future Past, which sees an adult Kitty Pryde sending her conscience back in time into her teenage self, in an effort of preventing a future where humanity has almost collapsed and mutants have long been hunted and persecuted by deadly Sentinel robots. The early 2010s film was also pretty fantastic, but this comic has been a must-read for over 40 years.
Thor: The God Butcher
As a relatively young person, I’ve always found older comic books a little more complex to read due to their smaller and less clear font. It’s because of this I often choose to recommend some newer stories to those less familiar with comics as they are simply easier to enjoy and still present great storylines. One such example of this is Thor: The God Butcher, a tale that sees the God of Thunder facing off with an immortal serial killer hellbent on ridding the universe of the divine. This tale is brutal and violent and sees Asgard’s strongest warrior pushed to the limit, failing countless times, and even scared out his skin while facing the instantly memorable Gorr the God Butcher.
This is an ad:
Marvels
This is one of the more unique Marvel stories as instead of honing in on one hero, or a collection of heroes, it instead tells a tale from the perspective of a photographic journalist that documents some of the most iconic and memorable events in Marvel history. Through the eyes of Phil Sheldon, we get to see some of our favourite characters in a way that we’ve never seen them before, be it in the late 1930s, the 1960s, or the 1970s. If you’re tired of always watching Marvel’s heroes defy the odds and seem almost indefatigable in action, this unique perspective will keep you entertained without a doubt.
This is an ad:
Captain America: Winter Soldier
Many attribute The Winter Soldier to be one of the best Marvel films, and that’s in part due to its source material, the excellent Captain America story that weaves a tale of intrigue and espionage under a Cold War-styled background. It depicts how former Howling Commando and Cap’s best friend Bucky Barnes returns to the fold in the present day as a lethal assassin twisted by the KGB to enact their will without question. The story follows Cap as he attempts to free and save Bucky, all while discovering secrets that were never meant to see the light of day. This is one of the best spy-like stories in comics altogether and a must-read for Marvel fans.
Wolverine: Old Man Logan
There are frankly a lot of excellent Wolverine comics to pick up and indulge in, be it Weapon X, Origin, the simply titled Wolverine, and so forth, but a great option that presents a very unique story is Old Man Logan. This is set in an apocalyptic future where following most of humanity’s greatest heroes being long murdered by teams of villains, the United States has been split into territories commanded by The Hulk Family, Dr. Doom, Kingpin, and Red Skull. Here, we find a defeated Logan who has turned to living a quiet life with his family, only for this to be thrown into disarray when the Hulks come looking for their rent, thus requiring him to undertake a mission to pay the bills. This story is a fantastic post-apocalyptic tale that is ruthless, brutal, and the complete epitome of what the Wolverine stands for.
Civil War
If you follow the MCU, you’ll be familiar with this narrative thread too, as Civil War is the story of how Captain America and Iron Man found themselves at each other’s throats and fighting for their own beliefs, while countless other heroes and teams either sided with one or the other, went their own way, or remained as a neutral spectator. It’s a fascinating tale that weaves political turmoil and the challenges of brotherhood and sets the stage for a Marvel universe that has become shattered and at war. This is one of the best ensemble cast Marvel comics you can pick up today.
Daredevil: Born Again
I’ve always found that DC’s greatest strength was its villains and its generally more down-to-earth stories that don’t always have to worry about multiverses and time-travel. It’s likely because of this that Daredevil: Born Again stands out as such an excellent read, a story that engages the reader thanks to its more rooted theme. This story follows Matt Murdock’s visually-impaired hero as he faces his toughest challenge yet, after Karen Page reveals his identity to the world, leading long-time nemesis Kingpin to attempt to destroy Daredevil at every conceivable level of his existence. It is worth saying, if you’d rather watch this story than read it, the upcoming Disney+ series seems to be based on this comic, although we would recommend checking out both, because why not…?
The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk
If you had to choose one character that has probably not been treated in the right way in the MCU, it would likely be The Incredible Hulk. The destructive force of nature is a beloved staple in comics but a fraction of that these days on the big screen, which is a shame because it likely means we won’t be seeing a proper Planet Hulk adaptation anytime soon. This story is basically a revenge tale that sees The Hulk looking to take action against the Avengers who sent him away to the distant planet of Sakaar. On this cosmic world, The Hulk must battle to stay alive and stake his dominion on this cruel world, all to plot a trip back to his home to strike back at the ‘heroes’ who betrayed him.
Annihilation
If you enjoy cosmic stories that stretch into the stars, then Annihilation is definitely worth a look. This run features a slate of the sci-fi characters that make up Marvel’s ranks and sees them dealing with destructive villains that want nothing more than to bring the universe to its knees. It’s a serious ensemble story that features not just the Guardians of the Galaxy, but also Thanos, the Skrulls, Galactus, the Silver Surfer, Nova, Ronan the Accuser, and more. Essentially, if you enjoyed James Gunn’s galactic adventures, you’ll appreciate this more serious and brutal space story too.
Star Wars: Darth Vader
We won’t lie, Star Wars has been a bit… meh as of late, but this comic will help you remember just why you can’t stop yourself from venturing into a galaxy far, far away. Darth Vader hones in on the galaxy’s most feared and iconic villain and portrays him as the ruthless and merciless imperial enforcer he truly is. This comic never pulls its punches, never fails to entertain, and also manages to show a more adult and mature take on Star Wars, something that the latest movies and shows have failed desperately to achieve. And if you were looking for a bit of variety, it’s not a Marvel superhero comic either!
If you have felt a little let down by the MCU as of late, why not try a different type of superhero storytelling? Read More