Astro City: Metrobook 1

A creator owned project that focuses on what makes superhero stories great

This collection brings together 18 issues of Kurt Busiek's groundbreaking 90s love letter to superhero stories that remains just as poignant today as it did then.
While Busiek does pursue traditional story arcs, the early issues are bottle episodes aimed at introducing you to the Astro City universe and making clear what the author loves about comics. Thinly veiled stand-ins for major DC and Marvel characters allows Busiek to explore them in ways that their publishers could not or would not at the time.
In the hands of an author with a shakier grasp of what makes heroes and villains compelling to readers, this could easily become cynical or lazy, but Busiek's love of the medium is clear and his stories helps readers think about well-worn characters in new and interesting ways.
While similar projects have been done since, Astro City is one of those few books written as a commentary that manages to tell stories be just as compelling as the stories it's commenting on. Give it a shot if you have enjoyed Marvel and DC comics in the past and this might give you a fresh appreciation of old favorites.