The Secret Service: Kingsman

Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn co-wrote this 2014 Marvel miniseries, which served as the original comic-book blueprint for the Kingsman film franchise. Illustrated by Dave Gibbons, the story reimagines the spy genre with a gritty, modern sensibility, following a working-class recruit into a secret, independent intelligence organization. Its sleek, violent reinvention of classic espionage tropes made it a standout in Millar's creator-owned catalog.