5 Best Single Issues of All Time (That Were Published in This Decade)

5. BATMAN #12
by Scott Snyder, James Tynion, Becky Cloonan, and Andy Clarke
A fairly new addition to the comics world (it came out just a few weeks ago), Batman #12 is a great standalone story that perfectly captures the world of Gotham through a civilian's eyes. That civilian, is Harper Row, a girl who works at Gotham's electric grid who tries to defend her gay brother from local thugs who beat him up just because of his sexual orientation. It's heart warming and fun, and an interesting take on Gotham, especially since it isn't through Batman's eyes.

4. DAREDEVIL #7
by Mark Waid and Paolo Rivera
Another heart warming tale for our list. This tale shows Matt, the secret identity of the series titular character, being a hero without his costume. He shows this by saving a class of kids after their school bus crashes in the middle of nowhere... on a winter night. Plus, I want his "I'm Not Daredevil" sweater.

3. BATMAN AND ROBIN #16
by Grant Morrison, Cameron Stewart, Chris Burnham, and Frazer Irving
This was the one issue where everything started coming together. In terms of storytelling, this was ground breaking. Everything Grant Morrison set up in the previous 3 years of his Batman run all revealed it self, including the return of Bruce Wayne, Doctor Hurt's true nature, and the origin of Batman Inc. Plus, it even set up future plot points for the next two years to come.

2. ANIMAL MAN #5
by Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman, and Jeff Huet
This issue was just one big "Oh sh!t!" moment. You know, in horror movies when the sh!t hits the fan, this is all this issue is. It was just straight up intense, and this is one of the few times I've ever read a book where I doubted the main character's survival. It is creepy, intense, disgusting, hilarious (at times), and amazing.

1. ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER MAN #160
by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley
If I had to choose the most heartbreaking book I've ever read, I'd have to choose between Old Yeller, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #160. I mean, the title of the arc spoiled it. I knew it was coming. I just had no idea it would be so heartbreaking. The execution, and buildup is perfect, and though the payoff is lacking, Aunt May's reaction is gut wrenching, and Pete's last words will pull on the hearstrings of, not just Spidey fans, but anyone who knows a thing about comics in general.