Alex Ross Marvel Comics

[Su Mcdowall]

Thesuperhero genre on-screen is getting more exposure than ever and with more down the line with DC's Black Adam on the way and Marvel currently airing She-Hulk. But as far as the source material is concerned, Alex Ross is credited with much of the genre's iconography. Whether audiences know his name or not, his brand of artistic style is instantly recognizable.

His blending of photorealism with 1950s-esque aesthetics is practically a Ross trademark, and it's complemented some milestone comics across DC and Marvel. Redditors chimed in about their favorite Ross works, with Kingdom Come and Marvels expectedly getting shoutouts.

Like what Dini did for the Caped Crusader with Ross on War on Crime, Peace on Earth is often looked back on as one of the most indicative comics for Superman's character. As with the rest of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes anthology, Peace on Earth is a short but effective one-shot comic that highlights the best traits of the Man of Tomorrow's character.

RELATED: 8 Villains Redditors Want To See In Daredevil Born AgainSuperman witnesses the plight of starvation on people all over the earth and feels compelled to ask the United Nations to help him end world hunger, but surprisingly faces backlash for his efforts. Peace on Earth is an excellent comic that shows how Superman is a shining example of what humanity should strive to collectively become, and Redditor madlipps noted that while they love all of Alex Ross' work, they affectionately dubbed Kingdom Come and Superman: Peace on Earth as "the bee's knees."

Also known for his praised run on Daredevil with Marvel Comics (among other things), writer Mark Waid and Alex Ross put together one of the most iconic Justice League story arcs in DC's history. It's a landmark title alongside the likes of Crisis on Infinite Earths, with many fans like Redditor Clintak citing Kingdom Come as their top Alex Ross comic.

After something compels Superman to hang up the cape, years go by as a new and disillusioned League runs as rampant as the villains they fight. It leads to a generational battle between the old guard and the new over reclaiming what it means to be a superhero. Ross' photorealistic and painting-like art always stuns in a grandiose way. However, seeing his illustrations being used across a myriad of DC's pantheon is a special kind of spectacle.

He's arguably more well-known for his work with DC Comics, but his art in the Kurt Busiek-written Marvels is a true celebration of the comic book publisher's rich history, and Redditor Detective_Robot listed it as their favorite work. This limited series serves as a reimagining of several iconic stories chronicling many of Marvel's greatest heroes and villains.

Taking place from 1939 to 1974, Marvels goes through the history and origins of characters like Captain America, The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and more along with some of their most iconic moments through the perspective of a photojournalist. Ross's paintings are beautifully picturesque and are even more satisfying as a nostalgic look throughout the medium's history.

Another acclaimed Justice League story arc, Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithwaite's Justice limited series is regarded as a modern classic for the iconic superhero team. The major reasons why this series is so fondly remembered by veteran comic book and DC fans is how it feels like such a classic Justice League story and how it's such a loving homage to the '70s/'80s Super Friends animated series.

It was touted as a "full-on superhero war," as it pits the Justice League against the Legion of Doom in a pure comic book-styled story. The team has had many beloved storylines in the comics, but Redditor alonewolf1071 said that "Justice is still my favorite Justice League story."

Pairing him up with an artist like Alex Ross is a match made in heaven for the superhero genre, as his vintage art style complements this true-to-character story strikingly. It's a compelling one-shot that hones in on Batman as a symbol of hope and redemption for Gotham City, what he can do in and out of the suit, and ensure that those less privileged than him don't suffer a similar fate amid a "war" that won't truly end.

The Justice League comprises some of DC Comics' best superheroes, and the aptly titled The World's Greatest Super-Heroes (co-written by the aforementioned Dini and Ross and illustrated by the latter) is an ode to that. It's something of a technicality, though, as The World's Greatest Super-Heroes is an anthology of Ross and Dini's past works -- including Batman: War on Crime, and Superman: Peace of Earth.

Nonetheless, fans like Redditor Navstar86 list it as some of their favorite Ross works. Having these comics and more (like Wonder Woman and Shazam) recontextualized into a single package is what gives these stories a "greatest hits" feel to them and testaments to these heroes' beloved mythologies.

Taking place in a dystopian Earth-9997, Black Bolt releases the Terrigen Mists hoping that turning humanity into Inhumans would prevent his people's persecution. This results in everyday humans gaining metahuman powers, with Earth X showing how heroes like Spider-Man and Captain America would navigate a society where their powers are everyday occurrences.

It would've been shocking if the duo didn't complete the revered DC Trinity with Wonder Woman. As another part of the collected World's Greatest Super-Heroes anthology, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth follows the titular Princess of Themyscira as she seeks to look beyond Paradise Island to bring her good-natured goals to the rest of the world.

But, similar to Superman's case, she receives pushback as well as outright rejection. On top of Ross's standout artwork, Redditor NaveHarder praised Dini's writing in Spirit of Truth for how it "showcased Diana struggling with finding [the] humanity within a political world."

Alex Ross's work has certainly done wonders for the Justice League, as he and Dini also put together JLA: Liberty and Justice. These short comics proved to be strong suits for the duo and Redditor PANPIZZAisawesome praised the one-shot, appreciating that "everyone gets a chance to shine," and how "Alex Ross's art combined with Paul Dini's writing is a killer combo."

Liberty and Justice's story revolves around a virus posing a threat to the League and the entire world, with the people of earth becoming disillusioned with the heroes. But it remarkably culminates in a story that shows how everyday citizens and the League themselves draw inspiration from each other.

These one-shots have done an excellent job at accentuating these heroes' strongest qualities as members of the greater DC universe, and Power of Hope is a wonderful showcase of how Billy Batson -- despite his grown alter ego -- can use his child-at-heart to remain grounded and relatable.

Nelson Alexander Ross is an American comic book writer/artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries Marvels, on which he collaborated with writer Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics. He went to creates the DC Elseworlds series Kingdom Come with writer Mark Waid. alexrossart.com

All Images & Characters contained within this site are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

No portion of this web site, including the images contained herein, may be reproduced without the express written permission of the appropriate copyright & trademark holder.

3a8082e126