Kingdom Come is one of the most significant comic book stories in DC's history, as well as being one of the best works of Mark Waid & Alex Ross's careers. The Elseworlds miniseries is set in a distant future where the iconic heroes of the DCU have retired, died or moved on, and the world is besieged by reckless younger heroes. The state of the world requires the return of a retired Clark Kent to the role of Superman.
Kingdom Come remains a must-read for true DCU fans, and works as the definitive future story of the DC heroes, despite being an Elseworlds tale. It follows Superman as he re-forms the Justice League to take control of the new heroes and deal with those unwilling to work for peace. Of all the Elseworlds comics, the miniseries remains one of the most impactful, as well as being a truly great piece of writing and art.
8 A Battle Between Superman And Shazam Is Always A Must-See
One of the high points of Kingdom Come was the inevitable showdown between Superman and Captain Marvel/Shazam that had been building. With Billy Batson under the control of brain worms, he had been conditioned by the super villains to be their weapon against the league.
After an assault on the Legion of Doom (rebranded the MLF), Shazam went to the battlefield to fight Superman. DC has a history of brawls between Superman and Shazam, enough to fill a collected graphic novel. These fights are always a crowd-pleaser.
7 Kingdom Come Superman Should Make A Comeback
Although many newer fans of DC may not be aware of it, there was a time when Kingdom Come Superman made an entrance into the DCU. He arrived in series like 2003's Superman/Batman as well as playing a role in the Justice Society of America "Thy Kingdom Come" event.
Having Kingdom Come Superman in the DCU allowed a sequel to play out, as well as keeping the iconic design in the universe. Fans have shown that they like this interpretation and design of Superman - even if it doesn't stick around for good.
6 DC Fans Enjoy A Good Future Story
Kingdom Come, like many Elseworlds stories in DC, takes place in a distant future where many of Earth's heroes have gone into retirement. The world as it was left became something of a dystopia, with different factions of reckless heroes and villains fighting for control.
Stories that shed light on the possible future of the DCU are important, and can give fans a conclusion without having to end the line or change continuity. The main comics can continue as long as fans want them, and readers have an idea of how their stories can end.
5 The Tour Of The DCU And Its Heroes Lets Smaller Characters Shine
The DCU is incredibly wide and expansive - more so than its current publishing schedule suggests. The universe includes many teams seldom featured, like the Creature Commandos and Challengers Unknown. In Kingdom Come, characters rarely featured got a moment in the sun.
The DCU also includes entire worlds and heroic tales often neglected. The likes of Adam Strange or more of the New Gods stories are always worth exploring. In the 1990s when Kingdom Come was published, some of the heroes featured had been obscure.
4 The Human Perspective In Kingdom Come Is Key
One of the ongoing themes in Kingdom Come is the futility and helplessness felt by regular humans in the midst of the meta human fights. However, the story maintains a feeling of hope and optimism when Superman re-enters the fray to save people from the dangerous younger heroes.
The story holds the human perspective as key, and takes a man, Norman McCay, on a journey through the events with help from Spectre. The DCU has often contrasted the perspectives of the regular human inhabitants against the powerful, cosmic heroes. That's key to the universe's appeal.
3 All Out War Would Be Better Than The MCU's Civil War
The climax of Kingdom Come pits the older heroes of the DCU against the younger, edgier ones as well as super villains. This culminates in a world-shattering battle between the two sides when imprisoned characters staged a breakout - with help from the aged Legion of Doom.
Fans showed with the success of Marvel's Civil War that they enjoy seeing heroes go head-to-head from time to time. The DCU has no shortage of tensions and differences between its heroes, so bringing something like it to print would be great.
2 Fans Love The Friendship Between DC's Trinity
One of the DCU's most cherished friendships is that of the trinity: Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Three of the universe's oldest heroes, as well as its flagship trio of heroes, the Trinity's relationship and rekindling of their friendship was one of Kingdom Come's best features.
Currently, the DCU has been rather weak on this aspect, with no Justice League book in print and the last Trinity series ending in 2018. Considering the importance of the trio and how starved of Trinity content the fans have been, now is the perfect time to bring them together again.
1 Coming Out Of Retirement Has Always Been A Great Trope
A number of DC stories have focused on the trope of an older superhero coming out of retirement. The trope was perfected in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Numerous stories across publishers have shown consistent fan love for the seasoned, semi-retired hero.
Modern series like Old Man Logan and Batman: Last Knight on Earth continue to prove the trope's strength and the desire of fans to read them. While the idea shouldn't be used too often, every prominent hero of the DCU deserves a definitive last hurrah tale by a great creative team.