After Crisis on Infinite Earths hit the DC Universe in the ‘80s, the company decided to reboot all of its characters in the wake of the event. This was all part of a plan to modernize these decades’ old characters for a more sophisticated and cynical audience. Alongside Batman: Year One and Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals, DC launched Man of Steel, a reimagining of the Superman mythos without all of the Silver Age dead weight.

Written and drawn by Uncanny X-Men veteran John Byrne, The Man of Steel took a more streamlined approach to the character, such as limiting Superman’s power-levels to be more believable, getting rid of the Superboy concept, turning Lex Luthor into a corrupt businessman, and making Clark Kent less “mild-mannered” and more of a full fledged character.

This “new look” Superman still retained what made the character great, but made it easier for casual fans to stomach some of his more outlandish aspects. It was extremely polarizing at the time, but Man of Steel still happens to be one of the most concise and enjoyable Superman reads ever.

Before Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the Man of Steel, writer Alan Moore and longtime Superman artist Curt Swan decided to give the Silver Age version of the character a proper sendoff. Written as an homage to the wonky tales of the Mort Weisenger-era, this story pulled no punches and appealed to the more nostalgic sensibilities of comic book fans.

This title doesn’t follow a strict continuity, nor has it ever been referenced again, but as far as Moore was concerned, this was the last Superman story ever. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? saw the death of Krypto, Lex Luthor, Lana Lang, Jimmy Olsen, and others. It’s a grandiose curtain call for Superman that was both emotional and adrenaline pounding.

Moore shows yet again just why he’s not simply the most important DC writer in history, but perhaps the most important comic book writer of all time.

What can be said about The Killing Joke that hasn’t already been said over and over? It’s a sadistically brilliant comic with some sharp dialogue and truly uncomfortable moments that would have even the most staunch gore-lover left squirming in their seat. Writer Alan Moore looks at the relationship between the Joker and Batman as more than just a man dressed as a bat throwing punches at a demented clown.

Moore dissects every layer of these two characters and perfectly picks apart their difference as well as their disturbing similarities. Never before had the psyche of the Joker been given as much weight and credence as in this story, but Moore doesn’t just focus on the emotions of the grim harlequin the entire time; instead, he lets the vile actions of the Joker reveal his character.

From shooting and paralyzing Barbara Gordon, to taking nude photos of her writhing in pain, and finally kidnapping her father and forcing him to view these perverse pictures, the Joker has never been shown as maniacal as he is in this book. But it’s not all horror and gore, Moore fills this book with beautiful prose and personality insights, aided by some nightmarish art by Brian Bolland. The Killing Joke perfectly blends comic book action and over-the-top violence, but grounds everything in an engrossing plot all at the same time.

Not many people may be aware of this, but at one point The New Teen Titans was one of the most successful books at DC, and the most memorable story in the entire series was The Judas Contract. Written by Marv Wolfman, the story was filled with everything a comic book fan could ever hope for: action, intrigue, betrayal, and, of course, statutory rape.

With Deathstroke, a.k.a. the Terminator, picking off the Titans one-by-one, Nightwing knew that there was more behind the attacks than meets the eye. When Deathstroke’s ex-wife visits Dick Grayson and confirms these suspicions, he is shocked to learn that a fellow Titan named Terra had helped Deathstroke unleash his attack. It is also revealed that the 16-year-old Terra was getting down and dirty with the middle-aged, and completely loony, Deathstroke.

This was a deeply personal story that changed these naive characters forever and showed them the ugly side of crime-fighting.These types of events simply didn’t happen in comics at the time, but Wolfman shrugged at the norm and brought sleazy storytelling to the mainstream.

Darwyn Cooke’s magnum opus over at DC, titled The New Frontier, was an ode to the comics of the '30s and '40s, and also detailed the birth of the Silver Age of comics in the '60s. Revolving around a group of heroes that would eventually comprise the Justice League, Cooke pitted the DC icons against a living island that sought to destroy the Earth.

The island was really just a plot device; the story was actually about how heroes like the Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman joined forces and how they overcame their personality clashes to put peace and justice ahead of personal beef. New Frontier relies heavily on nostalgia, but Cooke also makes it easy for rookie comic book readers to pick up and enjoy. Along the way, there are super powered brawls galore and a whole lot of brightly colored action, but New Frontiernever lets the eye-candy undermine the intricate plot or fleshed out characterizations of the DC Universe.

New Frontier is a lot more fun than your average comic, but it also provides a level of sophistication in both the writing and art that few books can honestly live up to. It’s unfortunate that most writers and artists believe that grim and gritty stories are they way to go, because what Cooke did with the light tone of New Frontier is head and shoulders above almost anything that the industry has to offer.

In the near future, the DC Universe is a much scarier place. The line between hero and villain has become increasingly blurred as new generations of vigilantes are using extreme means to fight crime, and the human population is stuck in the middle of a bloody war. Humanity’s last hope is for Superman, now self-exiled to the Fortress of Solitude, to come out of retirement and teach these young heroes what it means to be an icon.

Featuring an incredibly bleak plot by Mark Waid, Kingdom Come’s most prominent feature is the beautifully painted artwork by Alex Ross. He crafts the heroes of the DC Universe as infinitely iconic and powerful, while still retaining his storytelling abilities. His art isn’t just flashy; it also perfectly compliments Waid’s plot.

Kingdom Come can be seen simply as a big budget action book, but it’s also a critique on the comic book industry in general, which was focusing on violent vigilantes at the time. Waid counteracted this trend by creating an epic where Superman schools the young generation and shows the world what a hero really should be.

Much like DC is doing this September with its companywide relaunch, Crisis on Infinite Earths was an attempt to streamline continuity and make books easier to pick up for novice comic book fans. The story focused on a being named the Anti-Monitor who wanted to destroy all of the multiple realities of the DC Universe.

The 12-issue mega event saw the death of Supergirl, the Flash, the Superman of Earth-One, and countless others, but, of course, the heroes won in the end. However, DC’s continuity was never the same. All of the characters received updates and reboots, and most of the mythology was drastically overhauled. This book led to new origins such as Man of Steel, Batman: Year One, and others.

While the story, written by Marv Wolfman and meticulously drawn by George Perez, was monumental for longtime fans of comics, new fans shouldn’t rush to pick it up. It’s an incredibly dense and somewhat confusing read that can even leave longtime comic book fans scratching their heads. But if you’re feeling up to the challenge, then pick it up and immerse yourself in the infinitely detailed mythology of the DC Universe.

In 1987, DC entrusted Frank Miller to retell the origin of the Caped Crusader in a stripped down fashion, complete with corrupt cops and a veritable supporting cast of pimps and hookers. The result was Batman: Year One, written by Miller and illustrated to noir perfection by Dave Mazzucchelli.

The story depicts the first year in Gotham for Commissioner Gordon and the return of Bruce Wayne after years of exile. Miller paints Gordon as an honest cop who sees his personal life spiral out of control after being introduced to the seedy underbelly of Gotham; meanwhile, Wayne returns from years of training overseas in order to combat the corruption and violence that has overtaken his city. Together they form one of the strongest bonds in comic book history by complimenting each other’s strengths and ignoring each other's weaknesses.

Miller went to great lengths to portray Batman’s world in an incredibly realistic way by taking out all of the character’s sci-fi gadgets and over-the-top villains. Instead he left readers with an obsessed man in Spandex systematically taking down the mob, but he did it in a thrilling way that let readers in on the psychology behind the mask. And when you throw in Mazzucchelli’s near-perfect art, Year One remains not only one of the best Batman stories of all time, but one of the best comics as well.

We have to admit it: Not many great superhero comics have come out in the last decade. Marvel has had some middling success with the Ultimate Universe and Civil War, and DC created a minor stir with Infinite Crisis and 52, but nothing has really compared to the creative smorgasbord that was the ‘80s. However, in 2005, Grant Morrison yet again revitalized the comic book industry with his love letter to the Silver Age, All Star Superman.

All Star revolves around Superman dealing with his own mortality and how he slowly prepares the people in his life, along with the rest of his world, for his death. Along the way, Supes fights against Bizarro, creates a micro-Earth, cures countless diseases, reignites the Sun, and gets busy with Lois Lane, all without scuffing up his costume.

Focusing on the timeless elements that made the Man of Steel popular in the first place, All Star doesn’t just reboot the character or pit Superman against some mindless alien; instead, the book transcends superhero comics and delivers whimsical sci-fi/fantasy along with ultra-nuanced art by Frank Quitely. There is also an incredible amount of heart in this book that would bring some mist to even the most jaded eye.

This is a book that somehow presents a completely fresh take on a 60-plus-year-old character and reminds people how good comics should be.

There isn’t a comic book fan alive that hasn’t at least heard of The Dark Knight Returns. Frank Miller’s dystopian view of the future of the DC Universe revolutionized the industry and, up until now, there still hasn’t been a mainstream superhero story that has surpassed it. Published in 1986, Miller loads this book with political commentary and social criticisms, all while depicting Batman as an aging vigilante with a demeanor that makes Dirty Harry look like Pat Boone.

After Bruce Wayne returns to being Batman at the beginning of the story, he is soon confronted by classic villains such as Two-Face and the Joker, as well as new threats, like a murderous Mutant gang and the Man of Steel himself. Miller’s intentionally crude and rough illustrations complement the whole tone of the story perfectly as his Batman is built more like a refrigerator than a sleek gymnast.

Along with other Caped Crusader stories by Denny O’Neil and Steve Englehart, The Dark Knight Returns is one of the books that gave Batman his balls back by making him a brash, foul-mouthed brute who doesn’t take it easy on criminals. He even puts the boots to Superman when he has to. Not only did Miller change the character of Batman forever, but he also irreversibly changed the medium as a whole.

In a world where superheroes are on the side of every lunchbox and companies are more concerned with maintaining the status-quo than producing actual art, The Dark Knight Returns still stands as an absolute gem in the industry and solidified DC as a much more creative and daring company than its distinguished competitors.