_Kingdom Come_, Mark Waid and Alex Ross
When people say stupid things like "Comics aren't literature," we point them at _Sandman_ and advise them to come back in 10 volumes to thank us. And when people say "Comics aren't art," you should point them at _Kingdom Come_ and expect an apology after they stop drooling. It's beautiful. It also tells a pretty good story about the end of an era of superheroes. (Though, frankly, I prefer the idea that Superman becomes a fascist and Wonder Woman confronts him. Different story.)
The Wikipedia entry says pretty much everything else that needs to be said: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Come_(comic)
When people say stupid things like "Comics aren't literature," we point them at _Sandman_ and advise them to come back in 10 volumes to thank us. And when people say "Comics aren't art," you should point them at _Kingdom Come_ and expect an apology after they stop drooling. It's beautiful. It also tells a pretty good story about the end of an era of superheroes. (Though, frankly, I prefer the idea that Superman becomes a fascist and Wonder Woman confronts him. Different story.)
The Wikipedia entry says pretty much everything else that needs to be said: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Come_(comic)