6. Watchmen

Watchmen is an acclaimed graphic novel set in New York City. It is important to note that there is no superhero group called “the Watchmen” here. Instead it is a term that comes from graffiti drawn on the pages and references throughout the novel (the most famous, “Who watches the Watchmen?”). Set in the city, it follows a group of friends who used to fight crime together, some with powers, some brilliant, some just rich and very muscular as they try to find the person murdering their former superhero friends. They ultimately uncover a plot to destroy the world and race to stop it before it’s too late.

Created by Alan Moore and David Gibbons in 1985, the comic holds the title of one of the greatest comics of all time, including a spot on TIME’s Top 100 Novels published since 1923, and one of TIME’s Top 10 Graphic Novels along with Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. A seminal work, Watchmen questions the idea of the superhero as a public and moral figure and gives a whole new meaning to the superhero genre.