While going to the Comic Shop to start collecting "Skaar, son of Hulk", I stumbled upon Marvel: 1602, and loved it! I'm a big fan of both Neil Gaiman and colonial history, and this was fantastic(k) !
Somehow, that series led me to start collecting DC's Elseworlds...
Civil War: Atticus Kent as Superman in "Nation Divided" was intriguing, but "Batman: the Blue, the Grey, and the Bat" was by far my favorite Civil War story. Needed more characters from the Batman canon, but Wild Bill and Mark Twain hanging out with Mark Twain was good stuff!
Superman: Kal -- Superman landing in pre-Camelot England, is really, really great -- this one should have been a series!
And Batman: Leatherwing (a pirate tale) is interesting as well...
Anyone else have any favorite alterate histories?
Back when I was in third grade there was an Defenders series that took place back during WW2, I think. It was a long time ago, but Johnny Torch was one of 'em. Great stuff.
The new 1602 alt history comic you mention sounds intriguing.
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Find _Gotham By Gaslight_. Not necessarily the greatest story in the world, but it's solid early art by Mike Mignola. Superman: Red Son is a hoot- what would have happened if the rocket carrying the infant Kal-El had crashed into Soviet Russia rather than Kansas. You can never go wrong with any of the League of Extraordinary Gentleman books (unless you try dumbing them down into a mediocre movie so that the general public can "get it"). And to give James Robinson a chance here to redeem himself (he wrote the screenplay for the LoEG movie), try _The Golden Age_, a look at an alternate history version of the McCarthy era in the DC Universe.
yeah; I too like the defender comics; do they still make What If comics; I read a lot of those and they are all alternate stuff.
yeah; I too like the defender comics; do they still make What If comics; I read a lot of those and they are all alternate stuff.
Once in a while Marvel churns out a What If? for one of their major storylines. The "Enemy of the State" storyline wasn't bad, nor was Avengers Disassembled. Still haven't grabbed the Annihilation What If? though I hear it's pretty good as well. For some reason I didn't care for the World War Hulk What If?
yeah; I too like the defender comics; do they still make What If comics; I read a lot of those and they are all alternate stuff.
That's funny, I was going to mention the What If? comics! I loved those.
Try out the Secret History. I think its Arcadia Press.
Jade, I'm not sure, but those Defenders you were talking about, I think it was the Invaders. I think the Sub Mariner kinda might've confused it.
The first Marvel Comics #1 had an android "Human Torch." Part of the war comics of the golden age.
I think you're absolutely right! (bows before the sensei) I had a lot of Defenders and Invaders back then. I used to make trades with other kids and I always came out so ahead on the deals, on accident.
Didn't know that about MC1. Very cool.
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DC's Kingdom Come was very kick ass, made me cry at a couple of points. But James Robinson's "JSA: Liberty Files" and "JSA: The Unholy Three" are probably my favorite. Excellent reimagining of the WWII era DC universe. I cannot recommend the series enough!
2 Marvel Comics 2-shots stand out in my mind, as well. "The Last Avenger's Story" just rocked and showed what a bastard Kang could be, especially when he worked with Ultron, and "Ruins"... the photo negative of "Marvels" with the very worst happening in the Marvel world.
DC's Kingdom Come was very kick ass, made me cry at a couple of points.
Kingdom Come was freaky-good. Captain Marvel was a tragic figure, and that made him all the scarier when going toe to toe with Superman. Ross' art certainly helped with me liking KC. I still like "Days of Future Past" from The Uncanny X-Men.
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DC's Kingdom Come was very kick ass, made me cry at a couple of points.Kingdom Come was freaky-good. Captain Marvel was a tragic figure, and that made him all the scarier when going toe to toe with Superman. Ross' art certainly helped with me liking KC. I still like "Days of Future Past" from The Uncanny X-Men.
Yeah! Kingdom Come was great! I loved that book, the level everyone else always raises The Watchmen to, that's how I see Kingdom Come.
Age of Apocalypse!
The X-characters were very cool in that reality.
I have always read Exiles as well so theres a million alternate Marvel Universes that are cool in that series (or used to be before it went pants).
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As other Elseworlds I'd recommend Gotham by Gaslight and Justice Riders.
For pure alternate history I'd say have a look at Arrowsmith By Busiek and Pacheco (which deals with a world war fought using magic alongside conventional weaponry) and Five Fists of Science by Matt Fraction (which looks at the secret plans of the good friends, Mark Twain and Nikolai Tesla).
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As previously mentioned: Gotham by Gaslight is awesome. Kingdom Come kicks ass (I've even got my copies autographed by Mark Waid). Marvel's old "What If.." series was great. One of my favorites was when Wolverine killed Dracula and became Lord of Vampires. Days of Future Past and Age of Apocalypse were also great.
And I can't believe no one has mentioned Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - classic!
Another Batman story - Red Rain. I was never a big fan of Kelly Jones art, but the story made up for it.
Also, Batman: Digital Justice - A really cool story, I think it was also one of the first graphic novels to be done entirely with computers.
Days of future past. Though that was an alternate future not history.
I loved the artwork for Darwyn Cooke's The New Frontier, but the story was a bit of a letdown. Had some good moments and great potential, but ultimately unsatisfying.