The pinnacle of action-animation. Batman: The Animated Series set a standard that many action titles are still trying to live up to.

Justice League continues the legacy started by Batman: The Animated Series by introducing Wonder Woman, a new Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and the Martian Manhunter to the DCAU.

A story that reintroduced the character dynamics of Batman and Superman, the heroes find themselves as enemies of the United States of America courtesy of President Lex Luthor. This story lays down the gauntlet for Infinite Crisis in a big way.

The world needs a Superman now more than ever, but does Superman need the world? Thus is the question posed by Kingdom Come. Created, plotted, and painted by Alex Ross and written by Mark Waid, this tale shows a possible future when a new era of heroes take matters and justice in their own hands which leads to a battle that could spell the end of the world. Powerful story.

Though Tarantino introduced Reservoir Dogs to the world, it was Pulp Fiction that introduced the world to Tarantino. This is a near-perfect film with strong characters, great dialogue, and a great story.

A more recent film is a perfect example of creating a character with moral ambiguity. The nameless protagonist wants to get out of the drug business, but in order to get out, he has to do one more mission. He's a bad guy, but you can't help but to root for him to succeed.

Bryan Singer's X-Men movies personify what can these heroes could be under the right direction. Watch the first two movies and then watch the third. Though it has its moments (including the final battle scenes), The Last Stand shows how good and bad character direction is used in a story.

Robert Rodriguez perfectly translated Frank Miller's iconic noir series into a brilliant masterpiece of a movie. Color theory, characterization, and moral ambiguity help strengthen the plot and film in general. Why the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences snubbed the film is beyond me.

One of the greatest sci-fi series ever created, it's also one of the best-written series of all time. Great character dynamics, and scenes of moral ambiguity help this series make an impact on viewers years after its premature cancellation.

Think of this title as a extension to the Marvel Way.

Alan Moore is one of the most imaginative minds in comics, reinventing comics in every title he works on. If you want to listen to anybody, listen to the advice he'll give you.

DK Publishing printed this guide to the modern DC Universe featuring nearly every character, alien race, team, and business. A good guide to understanding how to build your own comic universe.

Scott McCloud is a fan of comics and realizes what makes comics successful. He wrote several books tackling the subject (Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics). Now, he gets into the creation of comics itself in this tome.

Here's some software to help you bring it all together if you want to make comics.