Daredevil: “The Devil in Cell Block D” by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark
This is one of the definitive “superheroes in jail” stories. Matt Murdock has been outed as Daredevil by the FBI on very flimsy evidence. Sure they’re right, but they can’t prove they’re right. But in the meantime, Matt is placed in prison, along with dozens and dozens of guys he put in there. At first everyone wants the glory of being the man who shanked the devil, but before long it becomes a showdown between Matt, Bullseye, Kingpin, Turk, Punisher, and some other scary dudes. Matt has to defend himself without letting the feds prove that he can defend himself. The best “Daredevil” stories put their hero in a no-win scenario, and this is the most desperate things have ever been for the Man Without Fear.
Deadpool: “Deadpool: Dead Presidents” by Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan and Tony Moore
A good Deadpool story has gotta be funny, and Gerry Duggan’s first arc with the character is one of the funniest. A necromancer has made zombies of all the dead US presidents, and if Captain America is seen returning them to the ground, well, that’d just be embarrassing. So they hire the Merc With the Mouth who teams up with the ghost of Ben Franklin (not a zombie or a president) and they get to killing American icons. It’s got the irreverence you’d hope from a Wade Wilson story, and aren’t you curious to see if he can come up with 39 unique ways to murder presidents?
Doctor Strange: “Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment” by Roger Stern and Mike Mignola
This is one of the most classic comics of all time. Doctor Doom meets Doctor Strange and the two of them realize they sort of respect each other. Then Doom tells strange about his plan to face down the devil and liberate his mother’s soul from Hell. Strange isn’t about to let his new friend face down such impossible odds alone, so the two of them get ready to sling spells, back to back, on a suicide mission that would get Commander Shepard to hesitate. Besides being wonderfully written, this comic also features the art of a very young and early in his career Mike Mignola, who would go on to create “Hellboy.”
Drax the Destroyer: “Annihilation” by Keith Giffen et al.
Before “Annihilation,” Drax was sort of just space-Hulk. Big, strong, green, and kind of dumb and mad. Then, he crash landed in Coot’s Bluff, Alaska, and changed. He got a sidekick and he became the literal minded warrior we all grew to love. He even started mentoring younger heroes during the Annihilation War, which is to this day one of the most epic stories Marvel has ever published. During this war, Drax fights alongside Gamora, who becomes his sworn battle companion, and Star-Lord who he… learns to tolerate. A prelude to the Guardians of the Galaxy, and a great revamped origin for the Destroyer.
Elektra: “Elektra: Bloodlines” by Haden Blackman and Mike del Mundo
The problem with assassin characters like Elektra is that their villains tend to be down to Earth. There are lots of comics about Elektra fighting mobsters and drug dealers and human traffickers. There are not a lot of comics where Elektra is hired by a woman who dresses like a 1930s flapper to kill a mystic powered assassin named Cape Crow. This story is a winner because it shows how weird the world of super assassins for hire must be on a planet with magic hammers and robot men. Read this and you will understand why Elektra justifies charging top dollar. The gorgeous art by Mike del Mundo is just icing on the cake.
Elsa Bloodstone: “Marvel Zombies: Battleworld” by Si Spurrier and Kev Walker
The continuity surrounding this story is crazy to explain, but none of it is as important as its enjoyment. Everything you need to know about Elsa Bloodstone you will learn from this comic. She was trained by her brutal and immortal father Ulysses Bloodstone, to be the world’s greatest monster hunter. Her brother Cullen survived the training, but was forever trained by his encounter with an otherworldly beast. Now Elsa is wandering the Deadlands, a horrific realm populated by robots, bug creatures, zombified Marvel heroes, and darker things. She’s looking for her brother, she’s got a boomstick, and she’s gonna kick serious ass while talking in a British accent.
Continue on to the next page to see more of our favorite comics from the characters of MUA3…