15 Comic Books And Graphic Novels That Will Make You Want To Read Again

    Next time you're at the bookstore, you should see if you can find these titles.

    Anthony Orlando
    by Anthony Orlando

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    Comic books and graphic novels have grown more and more popular in recent years.

    Warner Bros. / Via media.giphy.com

    With publishers like Marvel and DC adapting their stories into multiple films and shows each year, public interest in their vast literary library has skyrocketed. You might have trouble figuring out the right place to start reading, so to help you out, here's a list of 15 Comic Books/Graphic You Should Definitely Read.

    15. Infinity Gauntlet

    Marvel Studios / Via YouTube

    This was the story that turned the Marvel Universe on its head. When the evil Titan Thanos uses the Infinity Stones to wipe out half of all life in the universe, Adam Warlock and the Silver Surfer lead the Avengers and multiple cosmic deities in an attempt to take him down. For those of you who loved Infinity War and Endgame, you should absolutely take a look at the story that served as the inspiration.

    14. Spider-Man: The Night Gwen Stacy Died

    screenshot of spiderman holding gwen while crying
    Sony / Via YouTube

    After the Green Goblin kidnaps Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man confronts him at the George Washington Bridge. Though he saved Gwen from falling, he is horrified to see that the woman he loved was still dead. This moment brought the web-slinger to his lowest point as he hunts down the Goblin in a furious quest for vengeance. While the trend of "fridging" female characters in comics is now considered offensive, this storyline still had a massive impact on the comic book industry, putting an end to the Silver Age of Comics and ushering in the dark and gritty Bronze Age.

    13. The Galactus Trilogy

    screenshot of Galactus from the animated Galactus trilogy
    Marvel Entertainment / Via youtube.com

    This classic comic storyline depicts the Fantastic Four when they encounter the Silver Surfer, who arrives on Earth to herald the coming of his master, Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. As the team tries to stop the all-powerful planet-eater, the Silver Surfer rediscovers his humanity and ultimately joins the fight against his almighty lord. Galactus was an inspired creation that went against the typical model for supervillains at the time, as he was a godlike entity whose survivalist intentions went beyond good and evil. As a result, he and the Silver Surfer immediately became fan-favorites, and their first story set a new standard for superhero comic books.

    12. All-Star Superman

    Superman flying beneath the sun in "All-Star Superman"
    Warner Bros. / Via youtube.com

    Grant Morrison's stand-alone comic follows Superman as he slowly dies from a deadly dose of solar radiation. With the clock winding down to his untimely death, Supes tries to make peace with his adoptive world and help it as much as he can. Widely considered one of the best Superman stories ever, this heartwarming comic presents the Man of Steel at his best as he tries to make the most of his last days alive by helping people, just as he always has. He even got Lex Luthor to see the light in a rather beautiful way.

    11. Spider-Man: Kraven's Last Hunt

    screenshot of the animated Kraven
    20th Studios / Via YouTube

    During the dark comic book craze of the '80s, Marvel released an incredibly dark tale about our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. After Kraven the Hunter defeats and buries the web-slinger alive, the villain dons a copy of Spider-Man's suit and fights crime to prove that he is better than him. Blending this narrative with William Blake's "The Tyger," this arc explores Spider-Man's character and other people's perceptions of him, showing that no one can truly replicate who he is. This story also showed us that a silly villain like Kraven could be taken seriously. Especially at the end.

    10. Kingdom Come

    screenshot image of superman
    The CW

    In this Elseworlds story by the legendary Alex Ross, the Justice League has long been retired, and a new generation of irresponsible metahumans have begun to do battle. While Superman recreates the Justice League to stop these new superhumans, Batman and his own team fight against the Man of Steel's forceful methods, which include imprisoning all his captured vigilantes in a superhuman Gulag. With Lex Luthor conspiring from the shadows and a superhuman war on the rise, this story is basically Batman v. Superman and Civil War rolled into one. And with Ross's gorgeous visuals mixed with Biblical storytelling, Kingdom Come is a superhero epic that has to be experienced.

    9. The Walking Dead

    title image of the walking dead
    AMC

    The Walking Dead follows Kentucky deputy Rick Grimes as he wakes up from a coma in a world ravaged by a zombie apocalypse and fights to survive with a handful of survivors. Robert Kirkman's comic series has achieved widespread critical acclaim, and thanks to the TV series based on it, The Walking Dead has become one of the most popular horror franchises in history. So if you're a fan of scary stories and are looking for a new fright, you should take a look at this modern zombie classic.

    8. Batman: The Killing Joke

    Warner Bros. / Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

    This is arguably one of the most controversial comic books in history. After the Joker breaks out of Arkham Asylum, he kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and shoots his daughter, Barbara, to prove that it only takes "one bad day" to drive someone insane. This story has had a massive influence on Batman comics, presenting the quintessential origin story of the Joker and an in-depth analysis of the minds of both him and Batman. While some aspects of the story haven't aged well, especially its treatment of Barbara Gordon, it is still a riveting and thought-provoking tale about two of the greatest rivals in all of pop culture.

    7. The Sandman

    image of the sandman
    Netflix / Via youtube.com

    In this dark fantasy by literary icon Neil Gaiman, the titular Sandman (also known as Morpheus/Dream) seeks to rebuild his kingdom after escaping from his decades-long occult prison. With The Sandman considered one of the greatest graphic novels ever, this unique fantasy has won multiple awards and has had a massive influence on both its genre and comics, in general. And you should definitely catch up on this acclaimed series now that a Netflix series is on the way.

    6. V for Vendetta

    Warner Bros. / DC / Via youtube.com

    Remember, remember, the fifth of November. Another hit from writer Alan Moore, this graphic novel takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where the United Kingdom is a police state ruled by the fascist Norsefire party. Donning the now-iconic Guy Fawkes mask, the mysterious vigilante V begins an anarchist revolution against his country's oppressors in a story that still feels relevant today.

    5. Batman: Year One

    Batman crouching down as a swarm of bats fly into the room with him in "Batman: Year One"
    Warner Bros. / Via youtube.com

    As the title implies, this comic follows Bruce Wayne during his first year fighting crime as Batman, eventually confronting Gotham's corrupt authorities and the Falcone crime family. Not only that, but we also see the origins of Catwoman and Commissioner Gordon as they react to Batman's appearance and try to find their place in their crime-ridden city. Along with the story's realistic tone and noir aesthetic, Year One has repeatedly served as the basis for numerous portrayals of Batman's origins and the city he fights for.

    4. X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga

    Jean Grey in the animated version of x-men the dark phoenix
    20th Television / Via YouTube

    In this landmark comic storyline, the X-Men must face their greatest enemy: one of their own. After nearly surviving a mission in outer space, Jean Grey's exposure to a solar flare unlocks an all-powerful force within her that turns her into the corrupted Dark Phoenix. Shocking, poignant, and compelling, this cosmic epic has had a lasting impact on both the X-Men and comic books as a whole. It's just a shame Hollywood still hasn't made a successful movie based on it.

    3. Maus

    A copy of the book, "Maus," on a wooden table
    Maro Siranosian / AFP / Via Getty Images

    One of the "Big Three" graphic novels that dominated the '80s, Maus is a nonfiction tale about the author interviewing his father about his experiences as a Holocaust survivor. Despite its status as a true story, the novel presents each ethnicity as a different kind of animal in an allegorical critique on ideas of racial division. While it has garnered controversy over the years, particularly for its subject matter and how certain races were depicted, this Pulitzer Prize-winning story has still been repeatedly lauded as one of the best and most revolutionary comics of all time.

    2. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

    Warner Bros. Animation / Via youtube.com

    Considered to be Frank Miller's magnum opus, this graphic novel follows a middle-aged Bruce Wayne when he comes out of retirement fighting crime as the Batman, eventually facing off against Two-Face, the Joker, the US government, and even Superman. The art style is hard to look at, but the story itself was a massive return to form for Batman, as it led to more mature stories following the Caped Crusader and all other superheroes.

    1. Watchmen

    close up of a yellow smiley face pin with blood on it
    Warner Bros. / Via youtube.com

    Like The Dark Knight Returns, this story by Alan Moore revolutionized superhero comics in the '80s. This series is set in a world where masked vigilantes had a massive impact on American history. With the world on the brink of nuclear war, the detective Rorschach reunites with his former colleagues when he uncovers an enormous conspiracy after one of their fellow superheroes is murdered. Filled with unique storytelling, striking symbolism, and political commentary, Watchmen is a bleak but profound deconstruction of the superhero genre that will have your eyes glued to the page until the bitter end.

    Do you agree with this list? Were there any other comic books/graphic novels that I missed? Please let me know in the comments section below.