Event comics are a contentious subject in comic fandom. Some fans enjoy them immensely and others think that using multiple books for event crossovers puts unique plots on hold for a story that usually only has a short-term impact. Of the Big Two, DC and its events have a little of a better reputation. The best DC events have actual consequences that last for years and can make a difference to the entire comic (and time) line.
There are lots of great DC stories, but some events are more widely known than others. There are a good number of underrated event books that deserve a second chance.
10 Zero Hour Is A Lot Better Than It Gets Credit For
Writer/artist Dan Jurgens’ Zero Hour was a 1994 event book meant to solve some of the lingering continuity problems from Crisis On Infinite Earths. However, even at the time, the book wasn’t exactly beloved and its impact in the DC Universe was negligible beyond some new characters that were introduced and the return of Parallax.
However, going back and reading it reveals that it is a much better story than it gets credit for. Some of it, of course, plays on the continuity of its time, but it’s still a fun story that goes a long way toward supporting the argument that Dan Jurgens is one of the most underrated creators of the ’90s.
9 Armageddon 2001 Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
DC has some great alternate universe storylines but some don’t have a good reputation. One of those was Armageddon 2001, which spread through the 1991 DC annuals and a two-issue mini-series by writers Archie Goodwin and Denny O’Neil and artist Dan Jurgens. In the story, a time traveler named Waverider was trying to figure out who the Monarch, an all-powerful future despot, was in the present and how to stop him.
The identity of Monarch got leaked to fans and the creators had to scramble to change things. This gave it the bad reputation that haunts it to this day but if one removes it from all of that- it’s a fascinating alternate universe story.
8 Final Night Is Forgotten But Doesn’t Deserve To Be
Final Night, by writer Karl Kessel and artist Stuart Immonen, is a deeply interesting story. A Sun-Eater destroys the Sun and the heroes of Earth have to figure out a way to deal with the problem before all life on the planet ends. It’s a unique premise but it didn’t push convention far beyond the redemption and death of Hal Jordan.
Looking at it now, it’s a fundamentally DC event- the greatest and most powerful heroes trying to figure out a way to solve a problem using something besides violence while also keeping the innocent alive. It’s a much better story than it gets credit for and doesn’t deserve to be as forgotten as it is.
7 Forever Evil Gets Tarred By The New 52 Brush
Forever Evil, by writer Geoff Johns and artist David Finch, saw the New 52 version of the Crime Syndicate, an evil alternate Justice League that has been through many iterations, defeat the Justice League and set out to take over the Earth. The only ones that were able to stop them were a team of villains led by Lex Luthor.
The set-up is good and the premise is interesting but for a lot of fans, the New 52 and its continuity is best forgotten. This does the story a grave disservice. It’s a fun, action-packed story that left little impact on continuity but is worth a read regardless.
6 Countdown To Final Crisis Is Not As Bad As Its Reputation Makes It Out To Be
After the success of 52, DC jumped right back into the weekly series game with Countdown, soon to be called Countdown To Final Crisis. Overseen by Paul Dini, the series was more editorially controlled by Dan DiDio than its weekly predecessor and was meant to countdown to Final Crisis but didn’t deliver. The problem came in due to the fact that writer Grant Morrison and DiDio had very different views on the upcoming event and how to set it up.
Basically, CTFC didn’t do a good job of building up Final Crisis but taken on its own merits- it’s a decent story. It isn’t perfect but there’s a lot of interesting plot points going on and it’s definitely worth a second look.
5 Day Of Judgment’s Impact Has Been Lessened But It’s Still A Fun Read
Day Of Judgment, by writer Geoff Johns and artist Matthew Dow Smith, is another event that sort of disappeared from the public consciousness despite being a good story. The rogue angel Asmodeus gets control of the Spectre and attacks the Earth, with only the magical heroes of the DC Universe able to stand against him. The book ended with a new magic-using team, the Sentinels of Magic, appearing and Hal Jordan becoming the Spectre.
The Sentinels of Magic fizzled out completely and Hal Jordan’s Spectre might not have been the best path for the character, but this is still a good story, even if it doesn’t really impact continuity anymore.
4 Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day Began A New Era Of Teen Titans
Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day, by writer Judd Winick and artist Ale Garza, is one of those stories that was important in its day but has been relegated to the dust bin of history. Pitting the combined forces of the Titans, the original Teen Titans all grown up, and Young Justice, the new sidekicks of the ’90s and ’00s, against a rogue Superman robot, this story stands the test of time.
It led to new iterations of the Teen Titans and the Outsiders and highlights some of the best heroes of its day. While it doesn’t matter to the continuity anymore, it’s still a great read full of cool art, great characterization, and hard-hitting action scenes.
3 DC One Million Highlighted One Of DC’s Best Alternate Futures
DC One Million, by writer Grant Morrison and artist Val Semeiks, saw the heroes of the 853rd century come back in time to bring the JLA to the future for the return of the Prime Superman but the present and future are endangered by the machinations of Vandal Savage and Solaris the Tyrant Sun. Taking place in both its own mini and crossover issues, it’s a way better event than it gets credit for.
Everything about this story was interesting, from the main series to the tie-ins. In fact, it has some of the best tie-in issues around and its premise, birthed by Morrison’s fertile imagination, is almost too good.
2 Cosmic Odyssey Has Gotten Overshadowed And Doesn’t Deserve It
Cosmic Odyssey, by writer Jim Starlin and artist Mike Mignola, sees the heroes of the Earth and New Genesis forced to team up with Darkseid when his machinations cause the Anti-Life Equation (one of the most powerful forces in the universe) to gain sentience. It’s an action-packed epic that has been unfairly overshadowed over the years.
Starlin is a master of cosmic storytelling, having created the best Marvel cosmic characters since Jack Kirby. Mignola’s art fits the story perfectly and the combination of the two creators gives readers a great story that lives up to its grandiose name.
1 Final Crisis Is A Diamond In The Rough
Final Crisis, by writer Grant Morrison and artists JG Jones, Carlos Pacheco, and Doug Mahnke, is Morrison’s DC opus. The day evil won, it sees Darkseid and his forces secretly invade and conquer the Earth before their inevitable deaths, trying to drag the Multiverse down with them. Meanwhile, a sinister force waits in the wings, ready to devour whoever is left.
Full of Morrison’s signature complex narratives, Final Crisis is unfairly maligned. The art is amazing throughout, the plot isn’t as complicated as people think, and it’s an interesting story that shows just how great the heroes of the DC Universe can be.
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