X-Men: Rise of Apocalypse

A single-issue Marvel Comics special from 1998, X-Men: Rise of Apocalypse offers a focused, self-contained origin story for the ancient mutant villain Apocalypse. Written by Terry Kavanagh with art by Adam Pollina, this one-shot explores the character's transformation from a struggling ancient Egyptian slave into the immortal, power-obsessed mutant known as the First Horseman. It matters as a definitive, standalone look at Apocalypse's early life, establishing the core mythos that would later be expanded upon in major X-Men storylines.