Stories That Hit You Unexpectedly., Issues that hit you when you don't expect them to. Options

[David O'Leary]

I want to ask others what stories they have read down through the years where once the issue is finished you just sit back and go - wow. Wasn't expecting that. Stories that just stick in the mind long after you have read them. Two examples I will give is Spectacular Spider-Man #14 and Amazing Spider-Man #575. It is just coincidence that both of these are Spidey books but if you have read them you know what I mean when I say they are two outstanding examples of the emotional punch a book can give. So come on people, give us an example of what books have had this kind of impact on you.

[ChuckMoore]

The destruction of the Earth in Keith Giffen's "five year later" Legion of Super-Heroes storyline!

I'm going to do a bit of pining away for a bygone era and borrow a bit from some things I've written previously on this topic, but to this day I still miss the Keith Giffen Legion of Super-Heroes storyline. Everyone has that one thing they want to see return that know they can never have (or probably will never have).

My favorite Legion era (man there have been several) was the run that took place "five years later" by Keith Giffen. I liked the darker, more serious Legion of the early 90's. The way the story built to the destruction of earth has stuck with me over the years as one of the more entertaining reads. When Giffen works to do a serious story laced with a little humor (aka NOT Ambush Bug, Video Jack, etc.), for me it's a treat to read.

That Legion/Giffen run is honestly one of my most enjoyable comic memories. I've always purchased a fair amount of titles in any give month so I'm usually reading quite a bit behind the more traditional monthly readers. I kind of package my reading into story arcs (unless I'm working toward a review). That said, it was on a winter holiday just like the one recently past that I sat down and read about 30 or so issues of Legion in one long blissful run. That read remains one of my enduring favorite times reading comics. The plot challenged me and even as a long time Legion reader, I had to drop back once in a while to figure out who was who, but that didn't bother me. I liked the fact that the Legion change was sudden and distinctive (which is funny because I HATED when it happened again a year or two ago). I guess it was the fact that everything was still in continuity that made a difference. Back then I really liked that they began referring to each other by their real names rather than code names. It felt as if they had evolved, matured and I was being rewarded as long time reader. That had a big impact on me as a reader.

Many complain about Giffen's art style during that run. I actually really liked that art, but I certainly understand how many could take issue with it. The change in the title did, at the time, seem to come out of left field. You had to really know the characters and there was a lot of story forced into each page. I would love to see more books like this.

[David O'Leary]

Chuck, that was really interesting. I have never read alot of the Legion and what you describe seems exactly what I was talking about. But you mentioned it yourself, that if you don't know the characters you won't get the same impact and unfortunately that is why I won't get the same feeling you did if I ever get to read it. But great example though.

[G-Man]

I've always found that Daredevil was pretty good at giving me stories that I never really expected....but loved after everything was said and done.

No matter who the writer was.

Daily Bugle reporter Ben Ulrich learning that Daredevil was really Matt Murdock (back when it really mattered) at the end of Daredevil #163....written by the late, great Roger McKenzie.



Bullseye killing Elektra in Daredevil #181....I thought Bullseye would be the one who would get whacked. Written by Frank Miller....



..Daredevil playing Russian Roulette with Bullseye while Bullseye was in a body cast. Daredevil #191. Also written by Miller again.



Heather Glenn commits suicide. Daredevil #220 written by Denny O'Neil.



Karen Page sells the mob Daredevil's secret identity for heroin. Daredevil #227.



And Daredevil's mother revealed. Daredevil #229. Both books written by Frank Miller.



Karen Page killed by Bullseye. Daredevil (vol.2) #5 by Kevin Smith.



Mysterio commits suicide. Daredevil (vol.2) #7...again by Smith.



Hector Ayala...the original White Tiger shot to death on the court house stairs....Daredevil (vol.2) #40. Writtten by Brian Michael Bendis.....but with a really lame cover for a book that strong.



And the revelation of the fate of the blind man that Matt lost his eye sight saving in Daredevil: Father #6. Written by Joe Quesada. Yeah....I liked it.

[David O'Leary]

G-Man, most of them I have read and its true how the details of the issue just jump to the forefront of your mind when they are mentioned. Great issues.

[Quato]

Nothing tops the Death of Gwen Stacy. It upset me as an early teen and I'm still bothered about it over 30 years later. To me the book was never the same. The balance was lost. To me. the books mentioned above lack any respect for the characters and it's a strong turn off when I read a comic. I liked Miller Daredevil issues, but when I saw Elektra die, I just felt that all the investment of emotion in the character was a waste of my time. I buy superhero comics because they have an ingrained hope of a better way, a moral attitude... essentially right defeating wrong. While that might be a narrow expectation I have, the world is filled with losers and it's filled with misery. I don't need to pick up a comic book if that is what entertains me. We have so many anti-heroes in print and in movies and it disappoints me greatly. I go see movies where the star is getting his butt kicked for ninety minutes then gets lucky at the end and comes through. A hero is not a hero because of luck. A hero is a hero because that is who and what they are. They have fortitude. It is their destiny. Flavor it up however you like when writing, but for me to be interested-- I don't want to read about losers.

Q

[AaronSmith]

The Fantastic Four issue by John Byrne with the little boy who idolizes the Human Torch and sets himself on fire. That was the first comic story that I can recall really packing a punch like that.


Something else that deserves mention. I began reading X-Men about 70 issues after the famous Dark Phoenix saga. I was fully aware of what the story was about, and I knew damn well that Jean Grey would return long after her "death." But when the Classic X-Men series reprinted the Dark Phoenix issues and I finally read them for the first time, even knowing what would happen they still hit very hard and were very memorable. Now that's good writing!

[David O'Leary]

The Fantastic Four issue by John Byrne with the little boy who idolizes the Human Torch and sets himself on fire. That was the first comic story that I can recall really packing a punch like that.

Jesus, I never heard of that story. When was it?

[AaronSmith]

Jesus, I never heard of that story. When was it?

That was Fantastic Four 285 (December 1985)

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[David O'Leary]

That was Fantastic Four 285 (December 1985)

That looks like it could be really good. Thanks for putting that one up. I must try and find it.

[G-Man]

A very good story. Byrne's run on the FF was top notch ...and this story was one of the many highlights. I also thought the story where Sue lost the second baby was very good and hit pretty hard as well.

[David O'Leary]

I want to highlight the recent issue of ASM in the Shed storyline. When we saw The Lizard succumb to his alter ego and eat his son it was something that I never expected to see in a Spider-Man book. I was talking to a mate recently about this and we were saying that our memories of Spider-Man growing up were like that of the A-Team TV show. What I mean about that is you never saw someone get killed but you saw plenty of explosions but rarely saw collatorial damage. In the last four issue of ASM there have been three deaths. The first being Connor's kid and that was shocking.