Marvel has made superheroes more popular than ever in the 21st century, showing more casual superhero fans why the Marvel Universe is so great. Marvel has printed all kind of comics over the decades, and one of the most interesting formats is the maxiseries. These stories are 10 to 12-issue stories (although one on this list is more than 12), longer than a miniseries, allowing creators to really dig into the characters and the universe. It’s not used as often as it used to be, but the maxiseries has become a very important part of the history of the Marvel Universe, with some of the best stories ever being told in this format.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Marvel maxiseries have taken readers to different worlds, and some of them have fleshed out the most important characters in the House of Ideas’ history. These tales have been able to fight their way to the top of the heap, showing readers that sometimes, bigger is better. These ten Marvel maxiseries are the best out there, stories that have given readers amazing experiences.
10) The Twelve
The Marvel Universe is much bigger than most fans imagine, especially when it comes to the Golden Age of Comics. Everyone knows Captain America, Bucky, Namor, and the original Human Torch, but there are plenty of amazing Marvel heroes of the ’40s that were forgotten. The Twelve, a 12-issue maxiseries by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston, follows a dozen heroes who disappeared in the last days of WWII after they are found in the present day. While having to deal with the changes to the world, they also find themselves the targets of a murderer, one who ends up being the last person anyone suspected. This book is sensational, with Straczynski bringing these forgotten heroes to the modern world flawlessly. Weston’s pencils are perfect for the story, really bringing the whole thing to life. It doesn’t get the credit it deserves, but The Twelve is fantastic.
9) The Vision
The Vision, by Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta, was one of the biggest surprises of the ’10s, a series that has gone down as one of the best of the 21st century. The 12-issue series sees the Vision create his own family and try to live a “normal life”. However, a murder changes all of that, as Vision learns the secrets of his new family and has to wrestle with he who is as well. The Vision is basically a horror series, playing off the inhuman nature of the Vision and his family. King and Walta light it up with every page, giving readers surprise after surprise. This story will shock you, and it’s a story that many fans would consider perfect in every way.
8) The Punisher (Vol. 5)
The Punisher became one of the most popular Marvel heroes of the ’80s, but the ’90s saw the character lose a lot of readers, his stories becoming cliche and boring. The anti-hero was given a Marvel Knights miniseries that tried to make him a demon-killing supernatural hero and fans rebelled, leading to The Punisher (Vol. 5) #1-12, titled “Welcome Back, Frank”, by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. This story took the Punisher back to basics, a massively entertaining romp from two of the best creators in the industry in the year 2000. The Punisher’s battle against the Gnucci family is intense and has numerous moments that will burn their way into your brain. “Welcome Back, Frank” kicked off a new era of the Punisher and still stands up all these years later.
7) Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, was the first 12-issue event book in the history of the comic industry. The series brought together the greatest heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe, in a contest to earn the ultimate prize from the One From Beyond. This story changed the way event comics worked for years, and is full of awesome moments, from Spider-Man taking the X-Men by himself to Hulk lifting a mountain to the first appearance of Spider-Man’s symbiote to Doom tasting godhood for the first time. It’s a story that has a great legacy, and some of the coolest moments of ’80s Marvel. It’s written in a rather old school way, but it’s charming, and Zeck’s art is gorgeous.
6) Black Bolt
Black Bolt is a beloved character, but he hasn’t had a lot of chances at solo success. 2017 saw the character finally get a solo book, during the disastrous Inhumans push of the late ’10s. The 12-issue series, by Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward, saw the Inhumans leader awaken in a cosmic prison with no powers and have to figure out how to survive. Ahmed was in rare form here (mostly because everything he’s written after the book hasn’t been exactly great), really digging into the silent monarch. Ward’s art is amazing throughout, selling the script for more than it would otherwise be worth. The book won an Eisner for Best New Series or One-Shot, and deserves more praise than it gets.
5) The Sentry (Vol. 1)
The Sentry is one of the coolest comics ever, as much because of the way it was announced as by how great it is (and it is great). The 10-issue series from Paul Jenkins, Jae Lee, Phil Winslade, Bill Sienkiewicz, Rick Leonardi, and Mark Texeira was announced as being a just found Silver Age Marvel character created by Stan Lee that never saw the light of day and no one could remember. This wasn’t true, but it fit the book’s story. Robert Reynolds, a man with numerous mental issues, starts having memories of a life as a superhero and manifests powers. The book unravels the mysteries of Robert’s life, leading to a game-changing revelation that makes it all make sense. This 26-year old series is amazing, even if you weren’t there in the year 2000 to see the cool trick Marvel pulled on readers.
4) The Inhumans (Vol. 2)
The 1998 introduction of the Marvel Knights line gave readers some brilliant stories, including a maxiseries starring the Inhumans. The Inhumans (Vol. 2) #1-12, by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, follows the Royal Family as they deal with a threat to Attilan, one which could pull the rest of the world into a war against the superpowered nation. This is the Inhumans in the best possible way, showing off why the characters are some of the coolest ever. It set the standards for what an Inhumans story could be, with Jenkins and Lee giving fans an amazing chapter in the group’s history.
3) Avengers Forever (Vol. 1)
Avengers Forever (Vol. 1), by Kurt Busiek, Roger Stern, and Carlos Pacheco, took place in the late ’90s Avengers renaissance. The story saw Wasp, Giant-Man and Rick Jones being forced to team up with the villains Libra, the Supreme Intelligence, and Kang along with a group of Avengers from the past and the future in order to save humanity from the judgment of Those Who Remain. This story is an Avengers history lesson, one that smooths out some of the thorniest moments in the team’s history, whle also giving readers a brilliant, action-packed story to boot. It’s an amazing Avengers tale from some of the best to ever do it, and it is perfect for any Avengers fan, from those who know everything about the group to those who are newbies.
2) Earth X
Earth X is a slice of alternate Marvel perfection. The 14-issue series by Jim Krueger, Alex Ross, and John Paul Leon came about because Wizard magazine asked Ross to give the Kingdom Come treatment to the Marvel Universe for an insert with their monthly offerings. Marvel saw how popular that was and decided to make it into a series. In a future where everyone mysteriously gained superpowers, the Inhumans return to Earth to unravel the secrets of humanity and things go wild. This story is a love letter to Silver Age Marvel, each issue kicking off by telling the origin of a different Marvel character. It’s new reader friendly, but is also perfect for fans who know the stories of the characters and just want a great alternate universe yarn. It’s a masterpiece that doesn’t get nearly the credit it deserves.
1) Squadron Supreme
Squadron Supreme, by Mark Gruenwalk, Bob Hall, Paul Ryan, and John Buscema, is one of Marvel’s best kept secrets. This story follows the alternate reality Justice League pastiche as they decide that the only way to save the world is to conquer it, creating a benevolent fascist society. But not every member of the team is into this, leading to one of the greatest superhero fights ever. This story deserves its place alongside books like Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and Maus as one of the books that matured the comedy industry. It’s a sensational story, and if you haven’t read it, you need to. This is a best of all time story.
What’s your favorite Marvel maxiseries? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Valve -
Toei Animation
