While superheroes like DC's main roster, the Vertigo imprint was pumping out cutting-edge comics with a flair for Sci-Fi, fantasy, and horror. Often featuring some of the best writers and artists in the business, Vertigo pushed the limits of what was possible in mainstream comics.
From cult classics like Swamp Thing, Vertigo comics had more hits than misses in their lineup. Even though there are so many great books to choose from, fans on the site Ranker took to the web and voted for their favorite Vertigo comics.
Scalped (2007-2012)
Vertigo allowed its writers to deal with darker topics than the main DC roster could, and that freedom was used to perfection in the series Scalped. Set in the modern-day on a Native American reservation in South Dakota, the story follows the people of the reservation as they deal with crime, poverty, and the preservation of their culture.
The book shines because it blends its political message with a healthy dose of Neo-Western aesthetics and noir influences. Not concerned with fantasy or superheroes, Scalped is a raw look at the real-life struggles of the indigenous communities of North America, and it broadened the possibilities of stories told about those communities.
DMZ (2005-2012)
Not quite envisioning the rosiest future for the U.S, DMZ embodied the idea that history often repeats itself. The story is centered on Manhattan shortly where a new Civil War has turned the massive island into a demilitarized zone.
One of Vertigo's most bleak creations, DMZ is rife with political unrest and a general unease about government in general. Similar to books like The Walking Dead, DMZ establishes its world and tells unique stories within it. With conflict rising during the war, the small squabbles are put under a microscope and the book has an overall tense feeling.
Death: The Time Of Your Life (1996)
The Sandman also had its fair share of spinoffs over the years. Death: The Time of Your Life was a short series set within the universe of The Sandman. When a singer-songwriter's son dies suddenly, she makes a pact with death to spend a little bit more time with him.
With Sandman being one of Gaiman's best projects, it was only natural for the offshoots to also capture some of his creative genii. Drawing from classical horror stories as inspiration, The Time of Your Life is a grim look at parenthood and every human's natural fear of death.
Death: The High Cost Of Living (1993)
With the success of the main series of The Sandman, Neil Gaiman's creative energy was put towards offshoot stories within the same universe. Death: The High Cost of Living follows Death as it spends its one day on earth as a physical being. Personified by a young goth girl, Death spends the day with a suicidal man and helps him find a reason to live.
Horrific and yet darkly comedic at the same time, The High Cost of Living is one of the strangest interpretations of the Death mythos. Always being one to establish his mythology, Gaiman's universe is dictated by a unique set of rules that is fascinating to learn about throughout the comic. Though it is a dark story, it also has a bleakly humorous punchline.
Fables (2002-Present)
Showing just how creative the comic book medium could be, Fables utilized classic fairy tale characters and weaved them into a compelling narrative. In a world where fairy tale and folklore characters are real, the group is known as "fables" from their community away from regular humans.
Even though the "fables" live away from modern society, it is fascinating to see them deal with societal problems that plague all people. Socio-political conflicts arise, and they are made all the more interesting by the fact that they involve folklore. Limited only by the depths of their imaginations, the creators of the book have taken full advantage of the fairy tale possibilities that they introduced into the story.
Y: The Last Man (2002-2008)
Though it flopped in its short-lived stint on television, the comic book Y: The Last Man was one of Vertigo's best stories. When every living thing that possesses a Y chromosome dies on planet earth, society is plunged into chaos and the only surviving male is hunted by different groups who want him for their purposes.
The comic established its world and contained many details that were only apparent to adamant readers. By eliminating males from the equation, Y explored a unique way for society to fall apart. Though things predictably fall into chaos, a sudden reduction in the population also presents its challenges.
Preacher (1995-2000)
Blending elements of horror, action, and fantasy, Preacher pulled no punches with its satirical view of religion. Jesse Custer is a preacher in a small Texas town who gets possessed by a being that is the result of an unauthorized coupling between an angel and a demon. When God leaves heaven in disgust, Custer searches the country for the deity on the lam.
With a wealth of interesting characters, the book was never short on exciting and original moments. It featured its unique tone that bordered on gallows-style humor at all times. Even outside of the sillier moments, the action is enough to keep regular comic readers invested as the creators make their humorous points about religion and society.
Hellblazer (1988-2013)
While most Vertigo comics were self-contained, Hellblazer's lead character John Constantine has made many crossover appearances in the DC universe. The book exists in a world where the forces of magic do battle behind-the-scenes of normal life and follows an occult detective named Constantine.
The strength of the book was its main character, and his cynical view of the world colors the book as a whole. Created by writer writing from some of Marvel and DC's greatest authors.
Saga Of The Swamp Thing (1982-1996)
Though the series ran before and after his tenure in the book, Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing is generally considered the best period for the character. The Saga of the Swamp Thing follows DC's legendary swamp monster as he grapples with the cosmic implications of his new form, and begins making with the universe at large.
Transforming the character from a goofy monster into a bonafide existential force, Moore's unique writing was unlike anything readers had seen before in comics. Speaking through the character, Moore delivered some of the Swamp Thing's best quotes with his heavy pen, and he expanded the universe that he existed in to include the rest of the DC mythos.
The Sandman (1989-1996)
Generally considered to be Neil Gaiman's magnum opus, The Sandman is one of the most original stories ever committed to the comic book medium. The series follows Dream, the living personification of dreams, who exists in multiple realms and encounters other mythological beings while attempting to atone for his past sins.
As the book progressed, it began to introduce additional fantastical elements until it began to blend elements of horror and dark fantasy. Eschewing the usual superhero format, The Sandman was untethered from the usual strictures of the comic book art form. What resulted was a unique fantasy story that spawned its universe that has been explored in additional series and one-offs.
