15 DC Comics Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die
2. Kingdom Come
If Watchmen was a deconstruction of classic superheros, then Kingdom Come was a reconstruction of them.
Mark Waid paints a bleak picture of the future of the DC Universe, most of the old heroes have retired and have been replaced by violent vigilantes who fight for the sake of fighting and don't care who gets hurt in the process. When one such fight leaves Kansas a nuclear wasteland, an embittered Superman gathers a team of older heroes to seize power for themselves, opposed by Batman and his team of Outsiders.
It's a clear criticism of comics in the 90's (and to an extent today), filled with angry, gun-toting protagonists and lacking the nobility and heroism that define classic heroes. However, this criticism is backed up by a blockbuster of a story, filled with twists and references to DC lore and illustrated by the lavish watercolour art of Alex Ross. Battles rage across richly detailed double page spreads, packed with cameos from DC's past and new characters brimming with personality.
Despite its cynicism, Kingdom Come ultimately points a way forward for the future of comics, a middle ground where stories can be crafted from the darkness and grittiness of the present day while still keeping the heart and charm of heroes of the past.