10 Comics to Read If You Miss Those Snyderverse Feelings

Those who enjoy Zack Snyder’s DC movies have plenty of comic book storylines that offer a similar style. Discussing films like *Man of Steel*, *Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice*, and *Zack Snyder’s Justice League* always sparks debate, especially considering the difficulties surrounding the original *Justice League* and the eventual release of the Snyder Cut. Fans are still hoping to see Snyder’s complete vision-a five-movie story arc ending with *Justice League 3*-brought to life. However, with James Gunn and DC Studios now leading a new DC Universe, it’s unlikely Snyder’s planned conclusion will happen.

James Gunn’s recent friendly photo with Zack Snyder, and the enthusiastic reaction it received, proves that fans aren’t letting the Snyderverse go. This passion is also evident in the popular DC Comics stories that inspired Snyder’s films – stories that share a similar epic scope, striking imagery, and mythic style. For fans of Snyder’s DC movies and what could have been, here are 10 essential DC Comics stories to explore, offering the same grand scale and powerful storytelling.

1) The Dark Knight Returns

As a huge fan, it’s clear Zack Snyder absolutely loves Frank Miller’s work, especially *The Dark Knight Returns*. That comic is a classic – it imagines Batman coming back after years of retirement to fight both the government and Superman in a really dark, gritty future. It was a major inspiration for his *Batman v Superman* movie, and honestly, Ben Affleck *nailed* that older, tougher version of Batman that Miller created. Snyder’s even talked about wanting to make a straight-up adaptation of *The Dark Knight Returns*, and I totally get why! It’s a fantastic story on its own, but for anyone who loved *Batman v Superman*, revisiting it is a must.

2) The Death of Superman

Just as *The Dark Knight Returns* heavily influenced *Batman v Superman*, the comic book story *The Death of Superman* provided the other major inspiration. This story introduced Doomsday, a powerful creature who defeats DC’s heroes one by one until only Superman remains. Superman ultimately sacrifices himself to stop Doomsday. While Superman later returned in *Reign of the Supermen*, director Zack Snyder adapted both his death and resurrection in *Batman v Superman* and *Zack Snyder’s Justice League*. This storyline was a surprising turn for Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Superman following *Man of Steel*, and fans interested in the source material should definitely read *The Death of Superman*.

3) Final Crisis

Stories featuring Darkseid as the villain are always massive events, and Grant Morrison’s *Final Crisis* is no exception. This comic focuses on Darkseid’s newest plan to take over everything, with the Justice League and other DC heroes fighting a huge battle to stop him. With its compelling story and fantastic art, *Final Crisis* is a must-read for any DC fan, especially those who enjoy Zack Snyder’s work. It also seems to have heavily influenced Snyder’s plans for future *Justice League* movies. Snyder has mentioned that *Justice League 2* and *Justice League 3* drew a lot of inspiration from *Final Crisis*, even including the planned heroic sacrifice of Ben Affleck’s Batman. For fans of Snyder’s vision for the *Justice League* sequels, *Final Crisis* is a great place to see those ideas come to life in comic book form.

4) Justice League – New 52

The Justice League has a famously complex history, and one of the best versions of its beginning is the story that launched DC’s New 52 comic book series. In this version, the villain Darkseid is plotting to take over Earth, and the initial members of the Justice League meet and team up to stop him. This New 52 origin story heavily influenced the film *Zack Snyder’s Justice League*, especially by establishing Cyborg as one of the League’s very first members. The New 52 Justice League story is a fantastic read on its own and provides a key foundation for understanding *Zack Snyder’s Justice League*.

5) Batman: Knightfall

Batman has battled many powerful foes, but none quite like Bane, the villain best known for physically and mentally defeating the hero in the “Knightfall” storyline. The iconic image of Bane breaking Batman’s back, and the story itself, heavily influenced Christopher Nolan’s film *The Dark Knight Rises*. Fans of Zack Snyder’s films will also find connections to Ben Affleck’s planned solo Batman movie (which would have been set between the *Justice League* films). Although Deathstroke was intended as the villain in Affleck’s story, details revealed about Slade Wilson’s plan to break Batman both physically and mentally suggest Affleck drew inspiration from “Knightfall.” This makes the story particularly interesting for Snyderverse fans and worth revisiting.

6) Daredevil – Born Again

It might seem strange to suggest Marvel fans check out a Daredevil story to get a feel similar to Zack Snyder’s DC movies, but the details of Ben Affleck’s planned Batman film show a clear connection. Frank Miller’s *Born Again* focuses on Daredevil’s epic battle with Kingpin, who systematically ruins Daredevil’s life, leaving him with nothing but an even stronger resolve. This story closely mirrors the conflict Ben Affleck envisioned for Batman and Deathstroke, as described by Joe Manganiello: Slade Wilson would seek revenge on Bruce Wayne by destroying his wealth and harming those he loves, ultimately pushing Batman to a final confrontation, aided by Batgirl. Essentially, Affleck appears to have based his Batman vs. Deathstroke movie on *Born Again*, simply swapping Daredevil for Batman, making Miller’s Daredevil story the closest we’ll get to seeing Affleck’s vision on screen.

7) Wonder Woman – Gods and Mortals

The 2017 film *Wonder Woman* launched Gal Gadot’s character, Diana, on a large-scale journey from her home on Themyscira into the world of men, where she attempted to end the fighting in World War I. Though Wonder Woman has always been depicted as a powerful demi-god and Amazonian warrior, the comic book story *Gods and Mortals* is particularly important for establishing her detailed backstory, connecting her to both Greek mythology and Amazonian traditions. While the film isn’t a direct retelling of that comic, it clearly draws inspiration from it, providing a strong mythological foundation for Wonder Woman within the DC Extended Universe and enhancing the epic scope of her mission. This makes *Gods and Mortals* a worthwhile read for fans of the Snyderverse.

8) Superman: Earth One

It’s disappointing that DC’s Earth One alternate universe didn’t reach its full potential, much like the unfinished story of the Snyderverse. However, the Earth One stories that *were* released were consistently excellent. A standout is *Superman: Earth One*, which reimagines Clark Kent as a young man trying to stay hidden until a massive alien invasion forces him to become Superman. Zack Snyder’s *Man of Steel* draws heavily from this story – it’s almost a direct adaptation. Both major plot points (Superman being called to action by invading aliens) and small details (Jonathan Kent taking a piece of Clark’s ship to a scientist) from *Earth One* appear in *Man of Steel*, making the comic a must-read for fans of Snyder’s films.

9) DC’s Absolute Universe

Zack Snyder is famous for taking superheroes apart and exploring deep questions about their nature. Interestingly, another creator named Scott Snyder does something similar with DC Comics’ Absolute Universe. This isn’t the main DC storyline, but a completely rebuilt version born from the energy of the villain Darkseid. It reimagines every hero and villain with brand new, often surprising, backstories, offering fresh, more mature takes on characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. The Absolute Universe has become a huge hit, and because Scott Snyder’s approach is similar in its themes and ideas to Zack Snyder’s work, fans of Zack Snyder’s films will likely find a lot to enjoy in this expansive new DC world.

10) Justice League: The Darkseid War

Darkseid isn’t the only incredibly powerful villain in DC Comics; the Anti-Monitor is equally dangerous. Both clash with Earth’s heroes in the storyline *Justice League: The Darkseid War*. This story focuses on the Justice League’s struggle to stop Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor from taking over all of reality, and it cleverly uses DC’s history of reboots as a key part of the plot and the villains’ motivations. *The Darkseid War* combines a huge, universe-threatening conflict with impressive art, and it depicts a massive battle with Darkseid that’s similar to what director Zack Snyder planned for *Justice League 3*. Although Snyder hasn’t directly said the comic influenced his sequel plans, fans of his vision should revisit *The Darkseid War* to get a sense of the epic scale he was aiming for in the *Justice League* films.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/snyderverse-different-abandoned-franchises/embed/#

2025-09-15 16:13