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Comeback stories are big events nowadays. It’s gotten to the point where they’ve become rather cliche, but there are some out there that will knock your socks off even years after they came out. These are the ten best superhero comeback comics, bringing back numerous amazing characters.
10) The Immortal Hulk
The Immortal Hulk is the greatest Hulk story ever, 50 issues of perfection from writer Al Ewing, regular artist Joe Bennett, and various fill-in artists. It was so great that when Bennett snuck anti-Semitic imagery into the comic, Marvel let him stay on as artist until it ended (this is one hundred perfect true, by the way). The Hulk had died in Civil War II. His body was used as a weapon in “Avengers: No Surrender” and Secret Empire, and The Immortal Hulk would see him come back and learn the truth about his origin, sending him down paths he’s never been before and giving readers an amazing superhero horror comic. It’s a landmark Marvel series, and remains one of the finest comebacks ever.
9) Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a slice of ’00s DC perfection. The sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Geoff Johns, Phil Jimenez, George Perez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, brought back four of the greatest heroes in DC history, the people who defeated the Anti-Monitor. Earth-Two Superman and Lois Lane, Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three, and Superboy-Prime came back to fix the universe, leading to the discovery of one of the biggest schemes ever. Only Lois and Superman stayed on the side of angels, and before the end, they would both die trying to stop Luthor and Prime. It’s one of the best event comics ever, and the perfect way to bring back some of comics’ greatest heroes.
8) Infinity Gauntlet
Infinity Gauntlet is Marvel’s most famous event, thanks to the role it played in the MCU (and a few MCU fans probably even read it!). Jim Starlin, George Perez, and Ron Lim gave readers big-time Marvel madness in the best way, and the book brought back three linchpins of ’70s cosmic Marvel: Adam Warlock, Gamora, and Pip the Troll. This comic is electric, and it showed off why Adam, Gamora, and Pip were such great characters. What makes it work so well as a comeback comic is the way it sells just how important and awesome these characters are, preparing at least two of them for future stardom (sorry, Pip, but I still love you!).
7) “Reign of the Supermen”
“The Death of Superman” is an integral part of DC history. It was one of the most important, bestselling stories of the ’90s, and would lead into “Reign of the Supermen”. This story introduced four new Supermen — Cyborg Superman, Superboy, Steel, and the Eradicator — and led to the return of the Man of Steel when Cyborg Superman was revealed to be his old enemy Hank Henshaw, who had allied with Mongul. When the dust settled, Coast City was gone but Superman was back. This story ran through Action Comics, Adventures of Superman, Superman: Man of Steel, and Superman, and is peak Triangle Era awesomeness.
6) Infamous Iron Man
Doctor Doom is considered by many to be Marvel’s greatest villain. Fans love him because he’s such a complex character, and that was on display in Secret Wars. That story saw him save the multiverse as God Emperor Doom and ended with his power taken by Reed Richards in order to reconstruct the multiverse the way it should be. He left his old enemy with a parting gift, fixing his face, and that led to Infamous Iron Man, from Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. This 12-issue series saw him pay homage to the fallen Tony Stark by becoming Iron Man, trying to be a hero and getting pulled into an old conflict. This is an amazing snapshot of Doom after godhood changed him, an amazing reintroduction to Marvel’s most beloved villain, except this time as a hero.
