Power Trip in JSA Classified, hands down. That was the storyline that got me hooked on DC, made me a huge Power Girl fan, and moved Amanda Conners and Geoff Johns towards the top of my favorite comic creators list. Overall it was a fantastic story that had a lot of good character insight in addition to some great action scenes and a much-needed continuity fix.

 

Just off the top of my head, I'd say the most recent Punisher story arc, The Slavers. Brutal, stomach-churning and absolutely brilliant. To quote someone from Newsarama:

"This past Punisher story line has made me feel ignorant to a major problem, and has made me feel like the world is a little bit worse than I thought. Powerful work Mr. Ennis."

 

The whole 40 issue-or-so stretch where Daredevil is outed in the tabloids. If you want to lock it down to just one TPB, though, I'd have to vote for "OUT." The whole concept and execution of a superhero like Daredevil losing his secret identity (despite constant denials) and continuing down a broken, maddening road is by FAR my favorite story arc of the past few years.

And if you haven't read "OUT"? Just go buy it now. Even if you're not a Daredevil fan. It's a damn fine TPB.

 

All 66 issues of "Preacher" by Garth Ennis' and Steve Dillon.

High marks also go to Warren Ellis' "Transmetropolitan" and "Invisibles" by Grant Morrisson, the story that inspired the Waschowski brothers to turn into rip off artists by making "The Matrix".

 

I dont know about best, but I enjoyed the first six issues of the ultimates probably more than any comic I have read. Any punisher stuff with ennis and dillon was also a lot of fun.

 

The 1st Arc of Astonishing X-Men
The entire Ultimate Spider-Man series
Ultra
Sentinal (1st miniseries)
Hard Time (Both season 1 and what's out of season 2)
Green Lantern: Rebirth
and for shits and giggles: Marvel Zombies.

 

Good question,
From Marvel
I see Ultimate six as a Ult. Spider-man arc so i guess ill go with that, the Hollywood arc which spoofed the movie Spiderman 2, the 1st ultimates arc and the first ultimates 2 arc.

From DC
JSA Classified Power Trip
Day Of Vengence incuding its tie in with reguler JSA

From Vertigo
Lucifer: devil in the gateway,The windowless rooms, children and monsters, purgatorio, the mansions of silence, brothers in arms, exodus including the widow story i guess the whole damn run the book has some of the most powerful dialogue I have ever read in a comic book and its witty

Spoilers a hoy

Lucifer: and what do you say ms. presto?
Jill Presto: well... just speaking for myself and im going out on a limb here, I'd like to say your an arrogant, ungreatful, son of a bitch on a permanent power trip
Luci: Ha! excellent accurate on all counts. but don't push your luck. my good humor could evaporate any moment now

After a bunch of different types of immortals show up at the lux, lucifer's night club/pano bar/house turned stronghold
Lucifer: I dont recall inviting any of you. i made my house without doors for a reason.
im in the early stages of a complex project. you've probably got an irrestible collection of pleas and offers but im really not interested
Pharmond(former pantheon god who now deals in supernatural traveling and stuff): Actually lord lucifer what I have is information, to which I might add, there is no price attached.
St. Micheal The Arch Angel: For my part i believe I was invited. but it may be that this is an inconvenient time.

After all manner of beings are invited to luci's universe.

Lucifer: you've looked for a new world and now you have found it. a word of warning. My hand is outstretched above you in a literal not metaphorical sense,

There are certain things I will not tolerate. don't bring the habit of worship here with you. graven images anthropomorphized abstactions, cosmic principles; they're all equally unacceptable.

Those of you who are hiding behind human seemings you can keep them... but remember that i see through your faces. I know exactly what you are. If you set up churches or call your selves gods i'll destroy you

Thats all. I dont believe in doves or covenants. your know you've displeased me... when the sky turns black.

Random chick 1 (RC1): I had a vision, man I saw a fucking angel standing in the sun!
Young clergyman (YCM who is wearing franciscan-ish monk gear): we all did and we all heard what he said. the habit of worship... (drops cross and starts disrobing)
Random dude:I guess thats it, then. were free.
RC1:i wonder which angel he is.
YCM: given his views on religon...(everone ditches their religous paraphenalia)
YCM(now naked): I would say its pretty obvious.

 

I'd say from marvel the first arc of astonishing x-men, mother russia from punisher (not that the slavers wasnt bad but mother russia flowed better to me). And I'd also have to say amazing spider-man with the first apperance of morlun. It's what got me back into comics and it was a good story.

For DC I'd say the entire red hood thing, yeah they are bringing back jason todd but its been a very good story and the black mask has fast become one of my favorite batman villians. As well as Identidy crisis it was a good who dun it. I got some others but gotta wait and see how they play out before saying

 

a cookie for you dear sir.

but id even extend ennis good run from the start of the max run, thru the series where microchip was reintroduced, the irish mob run and the secret service deat. nick fury run.

ennis had been a tear with series. its low key, but excellent drama w/o resorting to chip thrill and such. a bit heavy, not for everyone, but its great to give you a different perspective in the world we live in.

 

I still stick with Gold Digger's Oblivion and Black Gate. The culmination of several years of comics. It's one hell of a story with a great ending.

 

For me, I would say its been the "Ultimates" - especially the one vs the Hulk. A close second would be DW's transformers...IMO, things were starting to pick-up until it got cancelled...