Storm: “X-Men: Lifedeath” by Chris Claremont and Barry Windsor Smith
In the 80s, Storm went through some major life changes. She lost her powers when she was blasted with an experimental device, invented by fellow mutant Forge. Despondent and unaware of Forge’s role in her depowering, she turns to him for help and comfort. Stripped of her powers and her role on the X-Men, Storm is reduced to her bare essence, and it turns out that’s still pretty great. This is an emotional, tragic romance that is nothing you’d expect. If you think Storm has cool powers but don’t fully understand her character, this is the comic that will set you straight.
Thor: “The God Butcher” by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic
When the Odinson was young, he was assaulted by a terrible being, Gor the God-Butcher. In the present day, the God-Butcher has returned with one mission: to kill every being that claims divinity. And in the far future, an elderly Thor watches over a barren Earth, a world abandoned by gods. Each of these three Thors needs to fight like Hel if they hope to survive. While lacking a lot of the classic characters you’d expect from a Thor comic, “God Butcher” establishes an unforgettable villain who shakes the God of Thunder to his core. And the final showdown is one of the best fights in comic history.
Venom: “Circle of Four” by Rick Remender and Lee Garbett
This one is a bit of a cheat. Though Eddie Brock is the original and most famous Venom host, this story stars Peter Parker’s high school bully Flash Thompson as Agent Venom. In “Circle of Four,” Flash has gone rogue, and he ends up in Las Vegas just as demons begin to invade. This forces him to team up with X-23 (the daughter of Wolverine), the Red Hulk, and two Ghost Riders. It’s a great superhero story, and one that proved that Venom could go toe-to-toe with the most outlandish and powerful forces of the Marvel universe. But despite the wide scope, it never loses sight of the central conflict: the Venom symbiote makes you powerful, but it also makes you a monster. The powers are addictive, and Flash struggles to be a hero when all he really wants to do is eat brains.
Wasp: “Avengers” #273-277 ‘Under Siege’ by Roger Stern and John Buscema
Janet Van Dyne is a classic Avenger who named the team, and led it on multiple occasions. This is one of the most classic Avengers stories and also one of the darkest. Captain America’s foe Baron Zemo has led the Masters of Evil straight into Avenger’s Mansion and locked it down. His plan is simply to humiliate and emotionally destroy the heroes who are always such a thorn in his side. The team needs leadership if they are going to come out of this alive, and Wasp is more than up for the task, even though she’s never been in graver danger.
Wolverine: “Weapon X” by Barry Windsor Smith
Nowadays, most people know things about Wolverine. He was part of the Weapon X program for example, and his real name is James Howlett. He’s hundreds of years old, and he’s been brainwashed multiple times. When “Weapon X” came out, a lot was hinted but little was known. This was the first origin story for Wolverine, and true to form, it’s trippy and dreamlike. Barry Windsor Smith is one of the greatest comics artists of all time, and in this story more than any other, he lets loose and tells a story like only he can.
