Comics have had possibly the most lucrative few years, haven't they? They not only managed to stick around for decades and live through some of history's darkest times, but they've also had a pretty large influence on today's culture. And right now, they're dominating the film industry. Audiences everywhere flocked to see a guy dressed as a bat pummel the crap out of some dude who wears his underwear outside his pants. All joking aside, these movies have fans more excited than ever for their hero's next adventure. But here's the best part: you don't have to wait. Comic books have been around for so long that they're readily available at comic shops, or even online, right now. Rather than wait for the next movie to come out, you can just purchase the books you want and get to it right away. So, I've compiled a list of 10 comic book stories that everyone should read to get pumped for more comic movies. Keep in mind, these aren't sorted as the worst to best, or even which ones I think are better. These are all stories I personally enjoy and hope others do too.

SPOILER WARNING: This list will be covering some stories of events in films soon to come, so if you don't want to be spoiled, skip over the title as best you can. You've been warned.

10.) "Marvel Civil War"

How could I not include this story? As a brief plot summary, a team of superheroes accidentally levels an entire neighborhood in Connecticut. This causes civilians to mistrust superheroes and demand something be done about them. Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man, strikes a deal with the President of the United States and drafts a Superhero Registration Act that would force all people who wear a costume and fight crime to essentially reveal their identities to the world.

This was one of the biggest and most popular storylines in Marvel's publication. Much like the movie that's coming out soon, it was also one of the most divisive amongst the fans. When it was released, you were either with the likes of Captain America, the X-Men, and the Punisher, or you were with Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, and Spiderman. Plus, this was one of the biggest comic stories ever told. Literally the entire Marvel universe was involved. Heroes, villains, anti-heroes, everyone was there. Lots of huge moments happened, including the death of Captain America himself. This isn't even going into how a lot of the characters change sides nor the side plots, including Wolverine getting vengeance for the kids that died in the incident that started the whole thing.

Considering how close the movie is to release and how much they've already changed, if you want to see a more in-depth story then pick this one up. Do it fast if you want a hard copy though because it'll probably sell out very fast. As a part of comic history, this one is worth checking out.

9.) "The Killing Joke"

Do you remember "The Dark Knight"? Do you remember just how dark and actually scary the Joker was? Well, I like to think this story arc was where Heath Ledger got the inspiration for it. As a contrast to other Batman stories, the Dark Knight himself isn't even the actual focus of the story. In this, we see one of the darkest tales ever told, including one of the most famous. Joker kidnaps Commissioner Gordon, paralyzes his daughter and puts him through the worst night of his life by showing him the pictures of her in pain. This is all done to prove Joker's point that even the sanest person can go crazy after having "just one bad day." Though he fails, this was one of his most elaborate, and overall disturbing, plots he's ever done.

This is an absolutely iconic Batman story. This came out in a time when people thought comics were just meant for kids, and if your kids were reading this then I think some serious nightmares would ensue. One of the other great things about this story is that it really shows just how insane Joker is. We see a tragic backstory for him, depicting him having a wife and even a child on the way, only to have them be taken away in a freak accident. We see this back story and even sympathize with him because it's genuinely sad, which he immediately nullifies with one sentence. As Batman is chasing him down, Joker says he remembers his past "sometimes one way, sometimes another," then correctly guesses why Batman became who he is now.

Any seasoned comic fan will tell you that this was the Batman story that set the bar for all others. As much as I can recommend this story, I can't warn you enough, this goes into some uncomfortable territory. It's as equally a great read as it is hard to finish.

8.) "Powerless Superman"

What if Superman lost his powers? I don't mean a few of them, I mean all of them. This plot, while not as well received as others, is one that I actually enjoy a lot. Then again, I don't exactly like Superman, so go figure. In a fight against a villain, Superman uses a new power that turns him into a solar bomb by blasting out all of the solar energy he takes in. The only downside is that it leaves him powerless for the next 24 hours. The villain, Hodor Root, absorbs all of the energy and leaves the man of steel powerless indefinitely. The question quickly changes from how will Superman get his powers back to how can he even fight crime.

The main reason I recommend this story so much is because it makes whatever Superman is fighting an actual threat. This is one of those story arcs in which a normal person, without any form of help via a suit or kryptonite, is able to pose enough of a threat for Supes. We also see the consequences of his identity being revealed. In an attempt to stop a blackmailing of Clark Kent, Lois Lane reveals to the world that he is Superman. Now that people know this, they see him as a threat if he so much as enters their city. He even gets into a fight with Batman because he's seen as such a liability. It also develops Superman as a character, showing that he has the heart and spirit of a true hero and wants nothing more than to help people.

While not as popular as other stories, this was one of the most interesting ones by far and one I enjoyed a lot. It really does add to the fact that Superman is much more than just some strong guy with flight and a multitude of other powers. Plus it has him as a professional wrestler and eating tacos, both of which I find hilarious.

7.) "Superior Spider-Man"

This one requires a little bit of backstory so I'll cover it really quickly. Doctor Octavius, better known as Doctor Octopus, managed to switch bodies with Peter Parker and Peter dies. However, Peter somehow manages to pass his consciousness to his body. To get revenge, Octavius decides that he is going to be the story's namesake: the Superior Spider-man.

"Superior Spider-Man" is the story of Doc Oc's time as our friendly neighborhood web slinger. The big difference between the two of them is that Oc isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, going as far as to blind the Vulture. He even begins to live Parker's life by having him go back to college for his doctorate and establishes a romance with his tutor. However, after Green Goblin puts a child in harms way, Peter's conscience finally breaks through to Octavius. It was after this that Octavius realizes he can't be the best and uses a machine to put Parker back in control to save the day once again.

This is possibly one of my favorite stories in the Marvel universe. I always remember this one because it's the story that got me into comic books in the first place. Yes, I had the help of films like "Iron Man" to establish a desire for it, but it was only after this story that I realized how much I really enjoyed them. This had done something I hardly thought about until the newest Spider-man, Miles Morales, was introduced which was make a conceptually different Spiderman. Oc as Spidey was something I liked because he took the role way more serious than Peter did, even going as far as to quit the Avengers and publicly execute a criminal. Octavius was ruthless, and he knew that. But this is what makes me like it more: he realized that just being ruthless or calculating wasn't what makes a hero, it's something you need the heart for. It's not often we see a story where a hero says "I made a mistake" and fixes it. As Parker gets his body back, Octavius apologizes and tells him that he's the better fit for the role before sacrificing himself so Peter can take over. It's actually really enjoyable and serves as a great "what if" scenario. This one is still relatively new, so I'm sure you can find it if you look hard enough.

6.) "Injustice"

To answer your questions, yes this is the same Injustice as the video game. However, while the game simply says what happened to cause the events, this story actually shows all of them. It's still ongoing too, so it's easily available. For the summary, we're only going to briefly cover what happens in the beginning that sets off the whole story.

Superman is shown asking Batman to be his child's godfather. Batman accepts and the two go on with their crime fighting days, further proving this is one of the best bromances to ever grace comics. However, the next day while trying to thwart the Joker, Superman is manipulated into thinking Lois Lane is Doomsday and kills her by accident. Enraged, Superman goes to where they're holding Joker and delivers a healthy dose of death to the clown prince of crime. Thus begins the rule of Superman, who soon begins to stop all forms of war and crime in the world so he can make it safer. During this, Batman sees the oppression Superman is causing on the average civilian and begins to form a resistance in order to overthrow who he once called a friend.

This is DC's equivalent to "Civil War," and they don't waste any time raising the stakes. A lot of people die in this story, including Nightwing, who used to be Robin until Batman had a son. They even wipe out the Green Lantern Corps and its guardians, who are powerful enough to stop the destruction of planets. The only downside I give to this story is that it's very one-sided; Superman is essentially the villain as the comic goes on, but his transformation is remarkable to see. His attachment to humanity was all but severed when his wife dies, so he just simply becomes ruthless because it works. He even joins Sinestro and becomes a Yellow Lantern, who is powered by fear. You are meant to side with Batman as the story continues but the beginning has the right amount of sympathy for both sides. Superman just wants to make everything safe so that he can honor Lois while Batman just wants his friend back and to assure that people have nothing to fear.

Like I said before, this story is ongoing and will most likely finish in May of this year. If you want to get caught up and finish a good story, this would be a great one to pick up online.

5.) "Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe"

This is somewhat of a dark storyline, so I won't cover the plot in as much detail because it gets pretty graphic. It's exactly as the name says: Deadpool, everyone's favorite "merc with a mouth," kills every major character in the Marvel universe. For those of you wondering who he is, Wade Wilson was a mercenary that joined the Weapon X Program, the same program that gave Wolverine his adamantium skeleton. Wade, who begins to go by Deadpool, gets a similar healing factor, but his time in the program drove him to what seems like insanity. You see, Deadpool is aware that he's a fictional character and addresses the audience on a regular basis. To other characters, however, he just seemed crazy. This comic begins with one simple question: what if the X-Men tried to help him? What if they had him institutionalized?

One of Marvel's most popular characters managed to do what seemed impossible in this arc. There are plenty of heroes and villains that have some form of invulnerability or healing factor, but Deadpool is able to wipe out everyone. It's actually kind of terrifying at the end because we see Deadpool break free from comics and into the real world. You read that right, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall so hard that he actually makes it into the Marvel office, where his story is being written. And he still acknowledges the reader, telling them not to worry and that he'll be there soon. And in more comics afterward, he goes throughout history to get rid of literature's most famous characters until he's thwarted by Sherlock Holmes.

This is one of those stories that will really stick with you because of its scope. Really think about it for a second; one person single-handedly erases all of the most famous characters from Marvel and classic literature. That's not something that should be an easy feat to pull. Yet somehow, Deadpool does it. If you're looking for another pretty gritty read, with some comedy sprinkled in, this is a great choice, and the fight scenes are cool as well. Just be sure to lock your doors in case his promise is true.

4.) "Deadpool: Dead Presidents"

This story... How do I even start with this one? Captain America is caught beating a zombified version of former president Truman that was summoned by a strangely patriotic necromancer. This, of course, reaches the news and S.H.I.E.L.D decides they can't have someone who fights for everything America beating the tar out of the former leaders of America. After having a run in with a zombie version of Franklin D. Roosevelt, S.H.I.E.L.D decides that Deadpool is the man for the job because of two big reasons:

1.) This is Deadpool, and people wouldn't be surprised if he was just killing people, zombie or not.

2.) As an agent named Preston puts it, he's "the scumbag we need."

This goes without saying, but this comic is just the right amount of insanity to be a Deadpool storyline. How much more absurd can you get? You have the most insane character in all of Marvel going up against the undead versions of our former presidents. It's probably one of the most humorous things I've ever seen, not only because of the circumstance but because of just how well Wade takes it all. He goes up against almost everyone, from Taft to Lincoln, and even finds an ally in Ben Franklin. And then there's Teddy Roosevelt. Everything he does is a joy to see. The first time we see him, Roosevelt gets into a fist fight with a bear at the zoo. It's absolutely hilarious just to experience.

This is the most fun anyone can have with a comic. It's a fun time to just sit down and laugh at. It's worth a read if you want to see Deadpool fully in his element.

3.) "Batman: The Court of Owls"

Bruce Wayne knows all of Gotham. His family has had a hand in it for generations, even going as far as renovating it on a regular basis. So what happens when he has to fight someone that knows more about Gotham than him?

While Bruce is having a meeting with a friend trying to be elected mayor, an assassin dressed like an owl breaks into the building, and tells him that the Court of Owls wants him dead. The two fight and fall out of the building, but both survive. Bruce survived by grabbing a gargoyle and the assassin survived by landing on his face in the street. Yes, the assassin survives a fall and landing like that and then steals the ambulance meant to pick him up. Batman then investigates this mysterious organization and discovers that they may be responsible for his great grandfather's death. Can Batman beat this new group? Are they even real? And, more importantly, where are they?

In all of Batman's stories, he's always known what he's going up against, what their plans were, and how to take them on. This is one of the few instances where he knows none of those things. This is also an equally rare moment where the villain almost kills Batman, and they don't do it in an active way. The Court simply kidnaps Batman, puts him in a place called the Labyrinth, and deprives him of sleep, water, and food. He stayed in there for seven days, slowly losing his grip on reality. The only reason the Court gets physical with him is when they come to the conclusion that they want the Dark Knight as their trophy. This was something I had never imagined would happen to Bats, and it was gripping when it did. Naturally, like most stories, he comes out on top and beats the bad guy.

It's refreshing to see a plot line where someone who is supposed to be the world's greatest detective is outsmarted. This is a great story not because Batman is almost beaten because someone is stronger, but because they're smarter than him. It's for this reason that I really like this story, and highly recommend it.

2.) "The Death of Superman"

If you have a background in comics, you probably already know this story. Even if you don't, you've probably heard of it. This is even in "Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice," so it should be decently clear what happens here. In this story, a new threat, who goes by Doomsday, appears seemingly out of nowhere. He begins destroying everything on Earth. His goal: find someone who can put up a fight and destroy them. He sees an ad for a professional wrestling match in Metropolis and begins smashing his way there in hopes that he'll find his challenge once he arrives. On his way there, he runs into Superman. Finally, Doomsday will get the fight he's been looking for. The two powerhouses of the DC universe clash for the first time.

This was the story to follow in the 90's. After all, how could Superman die? That's just not possible. It couldn't be, could it? Well, it happened; Superman does die in this story. This was many people's childhood hero, one of the most beloved characters of his time. And just like that, he was gone. This would later birth other Supermen to take his place, such as Cyborg Superman and one who would go on to be called Steel. Eventually, Superman would be brought back in later editions, though without most of his powers. Also, he used a giant gun. I wish I was making that up because his return comic is a little less than stellar.

If you ask me, aside from Killing Joke, I think this is the best story DC has ever done because it showed that even Superman, for a time, had his limits. It also birthed one of my favorite comic book villains of all time. Much like Civil War, this is a huge piece of comic history. This was when the seemingly impossible was possible, and to me that's what this comic represents. It's why it's remembered so vividly to this day. I recommend it so much because of its overall importance and the implications that come with it. Even someone as powerful as Superman has his limits. He has his breaking points. In this comic, it truly shows just how human he can really be.

1.) "The Death of Wolverine"

Wolverine is one of Marvel's most famous characters. He's been a part of a lot of big teams, including both the Avengers and the X-Men. He's been in almost every major event in Marvel comics, even fought against some serious competition like the Hulk. And now, with this story written just two years ago, it's time for him to finally be laid to rest.

We see Wolverine speaking with Mr. Fantastic, who tells him that after some exposure to a virus, his healing factor is officially gone. Since that was what had been keeping him alive for an extremely long time, Fantastic informs him that the radiation Wolverine absorbed in Nagasaki during World War II will eventually begin to kill him. He offers to restore his healing factor, but Wolverine declines after he hears that it'll take time. Wolverine tells Mr. Fantastic that somehow, someway, someone will catch wind of this. Once they do, they'll come to kill or collect him. He begins to live constantly on the run from his attackers, barely outrunning death numerous times. Finally, however, after being encased in molten adamantium and stopping a resurrection of the Weapon X Program, Wolverine accepts his fate as it hardens around him.

Much like "The Death of Superman," this was a big deal. When Marvel announced Wolverine was to die, a large number of people were in shock. The thing I think a lot of people don't like about this story is how the loss of his healing factor came to be and I somewhat agree. If it was taken away from him, for example, by using one of the Infinity Stones, maybe people would be more okay with it. However, this is something that doesn't bother me as much. We see that Wolverine has taken a lot of time throughout this story to really wonder what he wants to do with his mortality. And he tells Kitty Pryde that, more than anything, he wants to grow old; he wants to stop being Wolverine and start being Logan again. He wants to live a life away from everything he's done, and that's admirable. We've always seen a hero ask for a day off, but it's somewhat rare we see a hero be thankful for losing their power and wanting to be normal. And that's what makes Logan's tragedy all the more meaningful: we know that he's not going to get what he wants, that he has to sacrifice himself for the greater good. But, after thinking about his past, Logan accepts his death and lets it come. As such, it is in this moment, and all the other slower moments like this, that make me recommend this story. When it's just Wolverine talking to his peers, his friends, we relate to him. He shows off the part of him that doesn't want to have powers, the part of him that just wants to be average and normal. We see a bit of ourselves in him. For the first time, this big, intimidating brute seems much closer to us than we could have imagined. Along with some pretty amazing fights that the character is known for, this is certainly worth your time.

So, there you have it. If these comics don't get you more excited for comic book movies, I don't know what will. With how long the spectrum is for both DC's and Marvel's film releases, I can safely say we'll be enjoying these characters, and many more, for a long time.