For modern audiences, unforgettable comic book moments now happen in billion-dollar comic book films. Tony Stark’s death in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame or the three Spider-Men appearing in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home are just two examples of modern, unforgettable comic book moments.
However, the best comic book moments happen in the comic books. These decades-old, shocking, tragic, and unforgettable comic book moments are the inspiration for modern comic book films. Here are 12 that you should consider reading right now. Instead of waiting years for comic book films that disappoint you, you should be winning these stories.
1. The Death of Gwen Stacey
In The Amazing Spider-Man #121 from 1973, the Green Goblin throws Peter Parker’s first love, Gwen Stacy, off a high bridge. Spider-Man catches her with his webbing at the very last moment. However, either the shock of the fall or bodily stress after being caught at terminal velocity kills her.
This was one of the most shocking comic book moments of that era. Comic book heroes did not usually deal with death, grief, and similar real-world issues in such a shocking way then. Gwen Stacy would stay dead in the comic books in 2014 when the variant Spider-Gwen made her debut. The events of that 1973 story still influence Spider-Man stories to this day.
This comic is the inspiration for the third act in 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys is a 160-page paperback that collects the epic storyline. It collects The Amazing Spider-Man #88-92 and 121-122, which feature the deaths of police Captain Stacy and his daughter, Gwen. Buy it for $30 on Amazon now.
2. The Shocking Final Page Reveal in Thunderbolts #1
In 1996, the Avengers and Fantastic Four were dead after the “Onslaught” event. A new team of superheroes, the Thunderbolts, led by Citizen V, appears to fill the void and gain public trust. On the final page reveal of 1997’s Thunderbolts #1, readers learn that Citizen V was Baron Zemo and all of the Thunderbolts were the Masters of Evil in disguise.
It may sound tame now, but in the pre-Internet era of 1997, this was one of the most shocking and mind-blowing comic book moments of the era.
3. The Scarlet Witch Goes Insane and Attacks the Avengers
In Avengers issues #500 through #503 from 2004, several Avengers are killed by an unknown villain. As the dread intensifies, Dr. Strange appears to inform the team that the Scarlet Witch lost touch with reality and is the culprit.
After accepting that her children, a by-product of magic, were never real and her true love, Vision, an android incapable of true human love, Wanda goes insane. She also loses control of her chaos magic. This story is the source plot for 2021’s WandaVision, 2022’s Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the upcoming VisionQuest series.
4. Negan Savagely Introduces Lucille to Glenn
The genius of The Walking Dead TV series is that it offers fan service to die-hard comic book fans and non-comic book-reading fans alike. The show knew how to draw inspiration from the horror comic book and make new characters and plots in a way that would satisfy both demographics. This tactic would work for a long time before the show’s popularity began to wane.
One of the most unforgettable comic book moments ever would occur in 2012’s The Walking Dead #100. This issue introduces Negan, his barbed-wire bat Lucille, and features the brutal death of Glenn. It would inspire the 2016 episode of the show, “Last Day on Earth,” which made Negan and Lucille household names.
5. The Death of Jean Grey
In Uncanny X-Men #137 from 1980, Jean Grey has been possessed by the power of the Phoenix Force, an omnipotent celestial entity. As the Dark Phoenix, Jean destroys an alien solar system. She slowly gives in to the temptations of evil impulses.
To save her fellow X-Men and the world, Jean seemingly ends her life and simultaneously the Phoenix Force. Jean would stay dead for a few years at a time, but would come back intermittently. Shocking comic book moments like this would later inspire multiple X-Men franchise films.
6. Bane Breaks Batman’s Back
In comic books, creators will often sideline main characters to switch up storylines and introduce new characters. One of the most unforgettable comic book moments began in Batman #497 in 1993 from the Knightfall storyline.
The villain Bane breaks Batman’s back and makes him disabled for some time. Dick Grayson and Azrael assume the Batman identity for some time afterward. This comic is the loose inspiration for 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.
7. Spider-Man’s Black Suit Is a Sentient Alien That Tries to Permanently Bond With Him
Spider-Man getting a new costume temporarily is commonplace today. You must remember that in the 1980s, superheroes switching up their costumes was a groundbreaking new concept.
In the 1984 comic book series Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars, Spider-Man and other heroes are banished to an alien planet to fight. After a battle, Spider-Man uses an alien device to fix his torn costume. However, a black-colored goo flows from the device and covers him in a new costume.
In The Amazing Spider-Man #258 of the same year, Spider-Man visits Mr. Fantastic and asks him to examine his costume. Peter is horrified to learn that it is a sentient alien symbiote.
Peter has to struggle to remove it, since the more he wears it, the more it bonds with him. After separating himself, the symbiote would later bond with Eddie Brock and become Venom.
8. Ozymandias’ Attack on New York City
In 1987’s Watchmen #11 and #12, Ozymandias reveals one of the most unforgettable comic book moments ever to readers. In the world of the Watchmen, nuclear war is imminent, superheroes are real, and the world can end at any moment. Rorschach and Nite Owl confront Ozymandias at his South Pole base, suspecting him of murder and conspiracy.
Ozymandias tells them that he teleported a psychic monster into New York City. He killed millions to fool the world into uniting against a phony alien attack. The heroes are too late to stop it.
Plus, if they did reveal Ozymandias’ plot, they would again plunge the world back into chaos. Ozymadias’ perfect evil plan needed the sacrifice of millions of lives to succeed.
9. Karen Page Reveals Daredevil’s Secret Identity to The Kingpin
In the 1980s, superheroes having secret identities were becoming less plausible. In the 1986 “Born Again” storyline, Daredevil’s true identity, Matt Murdock, is exposed. The Kingpin uses this info to psychologically torment Murdock and systematically destroy his life.
It is one of the most shocking comic book moments because it is revealed in Daredevil #227 that Murdock’s former love, Karen Page, has become destitute. Karen sells Matt’s secret identity to the Kingpin to score drugs.
10. The Masters of Evil Infiltrate and Destroy Avengers Mansion
It’s unfathomable that this story, one of the most shocking comic book moments in Avengers history, was never used in a live-action film. In Avengers #273 – #277 from 1987, the Avengers are brutally beaten and psychologically tormented in a surprise attack on their headquarters by Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil. Hercules is beaten into a coma.
Jarvis, an elderly human butler in the comics, is savagely beaten in front of a tied-up and helpless Captain America. Captain America’s irreplaceable heirlooms are destroyed. Avenger’s Mansion is almost destroyed.
This comic came out at the dawn of the Modern Age of Comics. The Avengers would learn that villains would never fight fair. The Masters of Evil were cruel and disrespectful in their attack on Avengers Mansion. Jarvis would carry PTSD from his beating for a long time. This story also showed that not even heroes can win all the time.
11. Sue Storm’s Miscarriage
The Fantastic Four are cosmic adventurers who explore space and other dimensions. Sue Storm and Reed Richards conceived a second child while they were in the Negative Zone, an antimatter-based parallel dimension.
The energies and radiation from this dimension would adversely complicate Sue’s pregnancy. On the last page of Fantastic Four #227 from 1984, a doctor solemnly tells Reed that Sue lost the baby. It was one of the most shocking comic book moments of the era.
12. Magneto Rips the Adamantium from Wolverine’s Skeleton
In X-Men #25 from 1993, Wolverine had the adamantium coating on his skeleton savagely ripped from it in a battle with Magneto. It was one of the most shocking comic book moments of the time. It may sound tame now, but it was a jaw-dropping event in 1993.
After the event, it was revealed that Wolverine had bone claws, a retcon that helped to redefine his origin. Years later, Wolverine’s real name, James Howlett, was revealed in the 2001 miniseries Origin.
There Are Too Many Unforgettable Comic Book Moments to Count
Comic books had been considered children’s entertainment until recent decades, especially with the rise of the MCU. However, the medium has been telling mature stories since the 1960s that could resonate with adults. More adults were reading comic books than kids after the Great Depression.
Check out some of the stories on this list. They can act as gateways to other stories. There are just too many unforgettable comic book moments in history to count, and they are waiting to be discovered by you.
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