15 DC Comics Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die
13. Legion Of Super Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga
A lot of newer fans probably aren't familiar with the Legion of Super Heroes. DC's team of 30th Century crime fighters have struggled to hold an audience for a while now and seemed consigned to the waste bin until the recent DC Rebirth.
Part of the problem could be how far removed they are from the main DC Universe; the far future setting leaves little room for crossovers or involvement in big company wide events so the Legion has always maintained a low profile. It's probably no surprise then that one of their best stories is one that ties the Legion to their 20th Century predecessors.
In The Great Darkness Saga, Darkseid is reborn in the 30th Century and the Legionnaires must race around the galaxy trying to stop him and his superpowered army from conquering the universe. It's a story that brings out the best in both the Legion of Superheroes and Darkseid. It's a sweeping epic that deftly mixes frantic large scale battles with the soap-opera of inter-team dramas and manages to make use of nearly all of The Legion's gigantic roster and their allies (sadly no Matter-Eater Lad though). Darkseid isn't just a threat, he's a nightmare, an ultimate evil of almost Elder God proportions.
The Great Darkness Saga is a perfect example of why the Legion need to be revived, no other comic can offer cosmic drama on such a dizzying scale.