Best Story Ever (Stuff the ballot box now!)

[BigSoph]

What do you think are the best 3 super-hero comic stories ever. These are stories within a series or a limited series

This should be based primarily on writing, with art being a bonus point only.

Here is mine

1. JLA/JSA: Virtue & Vice
The greatest heroes of two generations, great villains (Johnny Sorrow and Despero) and a fantastic final panel
2. Watchmen
Although a little dated, it still is a great story
3. Dark Knight Returns
The return sequence was the best, with the storm breaking over Gotham paralleling the rise of the Bat within Wayne

Non-super-hero would add in V for Vendetta, Age of Bronze - A Thousand Ships and The Origin of the Saint of Killers (Preacher)

[Yeti]

1 Age Of Apocolypse
2. Ultimates: Homeland Security (When it finally finishes, so far it has been a great, great story)
3. The End
4. Kingdom Come

I can only go with what I have read, and I am not a huge extensive collector, although I am getting there....

[BigSoph]

Slight change in my vote:

Remove Watchmen and replace with Kingdom Come (Don't know what I was thinking there)

Very close also rans are The Golden Age, The Great Darkness Saga and Longbow Hunters

[Speedy]

Tough question. Here are my three:
1) The Dark Knight Returns - I agree that the First chapter is the best with Bruce Wayne taking up the mantle of the Batman in the midst of the horrific crime wave in Gotham.
2) Hulk - Future Imperfect - Peter David writing with George Perez art. Great story - pick it up if you haven't read it.
3) Kingdom Come - Mark Waid and Alex Ross.

[Lightshear]

This is actually pretty easy...

1) The Sandman; Neil Gaiman --it's the maxi-est maxi-series ever! I consider it all one long tale.
2) Preacher; Garth Ennis --see above.
3) The Golden Age; James Robinson --just a perfect GA story; it has everything you want.

Honorable Mentions:
*) Kindgom Come; Mark Waid --For all the reasons you all know already.
*) Starman; James Robinson --It bogs down a bit when Jack heads to space, so it isn't quite as pitch-perfect issue to issue as Sandman or Preacher was.
*)Bendis' Daredevil --The greatest DD story ever told is being told RIGHT NOW! Bendis managed to do what nobody could for over a decade - write a masterpiece DD story that isn't by Frank Miller.
*) Sin City: The Big Fat Kill; Frank Miller --My fave of the SC series, and a terrific crime tale.
*) Hellboy: Pancakes; Mike Mignola --Greatest. Hellboy. Story. Every. Pamcakes. "Hey! I Love 'em!"

[oogie56]

This is really tough, BigSoph. I'm going to go a little different as everything metioned is great. Mine are-

1. Unity-a great crossover story from Valiant. Not easy to get now, but it was a great read.

2. Siege Perilous(Uncanny X Men 248-255?)-Storm dies, Havok thinks its his fault, Psylocke convinces Havok, Dazzler, Colossus, and herself into the Seige Perilous, where they all forget all the everything they knew. Wolvie get crusified on an X by the Reavers.

3.Scion-the first arc, issues 1-7 I think, were great. It was the main series that got me into Crossgen, and I am sorry to see it go.

[kon-el]

5 - Future Imperfect (GREAT storyline, One of the best artists, nuff said)

4 - Golden Age (COME ON did you really think he was hitler?!?)

3 - Dark Knight Returns (It was a close one between this and)

2 - Kingdom Come

1 - Watchmen (the best comic in the world!!!!)

[Howard d. duck]

1.Kingdom come (This book is a really good I love it and I'd make mine marvel any day, and it doesn't dissapoint unless you hate happy endings)
2.Marvels(An intresting view on the Marvel Universe, especially when Galactus comes to Earth)
3.Fantastic 4: Unthinkable(this story totally changed my view on Dr.Doom)/Ultimates(It is in my opinion the best current series on the market period the only problem is I SHOULD BE ULTIMATE CAPTIAN AMERICA!!!!)

[ASpaceBoyDream]

We're doing "best," right, not personal favorites? OK, then I'd say...

1. The Dark Knight Returns - Dark, gritty, funny as hell. Honorable mention for Daredevil: Born Again, also written by Frank Miller.

2. Watchmen - Yeah, pretty controversial choices, I know.

3. Earth X - Underrated tale of man's autonomy in the face of a divine plan.

For non-super hero comics, I'd probably choose Stuck Rubber Baby, From Hell, and Maus. (I've wanted to post a "What Do You Think are the Best Non-Super Hero Comics?" thread for a while, but I'm too scared of being labeled a pretentious jackass.)

[skywarp]

i have to agree with

watchmen
dark knight returns
and
kingdom come

and have to add

silver surfer the herald ordeal
and i'm disgusted that no one mentioned
the infinity gauntlet (with thanos quest)

[wiskel]

1. Batman, Knightfall, the entire story start to finish. One of the few stories where I really couldn't wait for the next issue.

2. Avengers, the Masters of Evil taking over the mansion. to me this is the best example of how to make the bad guys scary.

3. Spider-man, death of Gwen Stacey.

[Llark]

Dark Knight Returns
Kingdom come
Tower of Babel

[waaagh1]

1. JLA Earth2
2. JSA Black Reign
3. Watchmen
4. Kindom Come
5. JLA/JSA Virture and Vice

[Rokk_Krinn]

Dang, Lightshear beat me to my #1 answer of Sandman. Like him and many other readers of the series, I consider it one giant story (yes, you could argue that about any series but really it's different with Sandman).

Other DC stories:
*Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga
*Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits
*Starman: Grand Guignol
*Dr. Mid-Nite limited series

[sundown12]

1) Preacher
2) Unthinkable-FF
3) Watchmen

[Masada]

Justice League of America #200

Favorite comic ish of all time

[DareDevil_13]

1) Watchmen- COMPLETELY changed the way superheores were viewed.
2) Kingdom Come- It's amazing that Mark Waid can create a story on par with Alex Ross' art.
3) Dark Knight Returns- put a great spin on Bats/Supes dynamic.
4) Earth X- another great Mark Waid piece. Loved the way it showed that nobody is bound by fate.

[supermangl1]

1. Kingdom Come, for me the best comic story ever written, and possibly never to be topped.

2. JLA/JSA Virtue and vice

3. Action Comics #775 - the definative story on Superman.

p.s. I can't stand the Watchman, I read it in one sitting and felt like I watched the movies Seven, Road to Predition, every Hellraiser, and Candyman straight through two times each. That depressing.

[Lightshear]

GAH! I can't believe I forgot Mark Waid's "Unthinkable!" His FF stories are the best I've ever read. Bear in mind that I'm not exactly a FF connoisseur, but of the things I've seen, Waid most eloquently taps into the entirity of the FF dynamic, and Unthinkable is a jewel in his crown. I love that guy! That I forgot this story is...well...unthinkable! :eek: