The American

Mark Verheiden’s darkly satirical miniseries for Dark Horse, launched in 1988, reimagines the American Dream through the lens of a jaded superhero. With art by Cara Sherman-Tereno and Chris Warner, the single-issue story follows a hero haunted by the compromises and commercialism of his own legacy. A pointed, self-contained critique of the genre, it remains a cult touchstone for its unflinching look at the cost of wearing a cape.