Supergirl (1984) wasn’t just trying to follow in the footsteps of Superman: The Movie—it was trying to expand that world in a way that centered a different kind of hero. And while the execution didn’t land for everyone at the time, what the film attempted deserves far more credit than it has historically received.

Mark Waid and Alex Ross’s Kingdom Come (1996) is one of the rare graphic novels that transcends genre. It is a warning wrapped in beauty. A scripture of superheroes. A meditation on justice, mercy, pride, faith, and humanity’s never-ending war between hope and despair.