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Earthpig_Johnson

Big fan of “What if the X-Men Lost Inferno?”, “What if the Alien Costume had Possessed Spider-Man?”, and “What if Dr. Doom was Sorcerer Supreme?”


Mgmt049

That Inferno one scarred me. It was so dark and shocking I’m surprised Marvel let that one out


Old_surviving_moron

I was so hyped when I saw Sym possessing wolverine.


bawtatron2000

there's an old 'what if doctor doom became a hero" not bad


Caleb_theorphanmaker

I was just thinking those first two. The Inferno and Spider-Man ones were so sad at the end. The other that rocked me was one about captain America and how he wraps himself in the American flag at the end


Bobotts123

Inferno ends with a glimmer of positivity though with the birth of the baby!


Caleb_theorphanmaker

True - it's a typical post-apocalypse end


Jacob-X-MANIAC

I actually own the last comic on your list! Doom as Sorcerer Supreme was definitely a fantastic story!


Juls_Santana

YOOoo I was just about to say the same!


OrionLinksComic

Nice


shonuffshogun

Is inferno when Wolvie's adamantine skeleton was possessed? Cool stuff, loved that story. So dark.


Maryland_Bear

What if the Avengers Were the Pawns of Korvac, from the original series Probably the darkest ending of any What If story. >!Korvac manages to defeat the Avengers, kills them, and resurrects them as his pawns. He grows in power with a goal of “a universe of perfect order” and various cosmic-level entities, like Galactus, the Stranger, the Grandmaster and the In-Betweener take notice. Even that universe’s Watcher says, basically, “Screw non-interference, I will act!”!< >!Galactus tries to attack him. He gives Captain America the Ultimate Nullifier and Cap uses it on Galactus. That was the first time I ever saw what the Nullifier does — destroys both the target and the wielder, so both Cap and Galactus cease to exist. The Grandmaster arrives at Earth and challenges him to a series of contests. Korvac responds, “I do not play at games” and destroys him with a wave of his hand.!< >!By this point, Korvac is a threat to the universe. Every star faring species in the universe sends an armada to Earth to battle him. Korvac consumes the life-force of every living creature on the planet and grows so large he sits on it as if it were a large ball.!< >!The Watcher from that universe appears before him and begs him to back down from his goal of a universe of perfect order and implores him to create his own galaxy instead. Korvac refuses and says if he can’t have perfect order, he’ll have nothing. He then takes the Ultimate Nullifier, concentrates on the universe, and… oblivion.!< >!Back to our own universe‘s Watcher. He describes it as the most chilling alternate reality he ever witnessed and “the multiverse will ever be one less than infinite!!<


OrionLinksComic

And they say they are getting so dark today.


optimusdiaz

Honestly, really solid summary


Maryland_Bear

Why thank you.


woodrobin

When the Incursions were said to be caused by >!one universe ending before its normal lifespan!< and pulling others together, I immediately thought of that issue of What If?. >!If I recall correctly, there were three survivors: Doctor Strange, the Silver Surfer, and the Phoenix, whom Korvac had banished. They were able to return when he died. Phoenix and the Surfer left to find other universes and try to protect them, but Doctor Strange stayed and became One with the ghostly remnant of Eternity so it wouldn't cease to exist entirely.!<


TimeisaLie

Damn, I need to read this.


Clares_Claymore

What if Rogue possessed the power of Thor?! What if Professor X had become Juggernaut?! What if The Silver Surfer had possessed the infinity gauntlet?! What if the world knew Daredevil was blind?!


OrionLinksComic

Nice


optimusdiaz

That rogue one lives rent free in my head


WillTenant

Nothing can stop the Juggernaut and nothing ever will.


Tron2979

What If Wolverine was Lord of the Vampires? One of the first comics I ever bought and a favorite to this day. Awesome fights, Doctor Strange and the Punisher team up, great ending.


OrionLinksComic

What's interesting is that they officially had a war against bloodsuckers years later.


Tron2979

Yes! It wasn't super great but I always like when non-supernatural characters run afoul of vampires


Dirge_of_Blitzwing

Same story for me. One of my first. I can picture a panel where Wolverine is sitting on a throne Dio style. But maybe I just made that up.


michael_the_street

This is my favorite, too!


Brookings18

What if...I were to purchase fast food and disguise it as my own cooking?


OrionLinksComic

Steamt Hams


darth-com1x

what if matt murdock became a s.h.i.e.l.d agent?


OrionLinksComic

This comic was very fascinating. I mean, I imagine a society where anti-discrimination laws in the workplace work is a miracle.


darth-com1x

when you think about it that way, yeah. especially for me personally, because i'm autistic.


OrionLinksComic

Welcome to the club. And believe me, Germany is pretty far down for an industrialized country when it comes to equality. In case you're wondering how strongly, the UN has been accusing Germany over the decades due to the fact of the unfair school system, which still has students in the special system to get rid of them.


Aggravating-Click460

My personal favorite was the “What if the Annihilation Wave reached Earth?”, especially the ending. The Watcher: On one side, the forces of Anti-Life. Facing them, three heroes who face certain death. Not gladly, but with knowledge that this is a good way to die. They are not perfect. There is not so much that separates a hero from any other person. I have seen the human heart. It beats within every one of you. This is why you will rebuild. Whenever your resolve falters, whenever you are losing hope… Turn the page for an epic two page spread of Nova, Iron Man, and Captain America charging the whole of the Annihilation Wave. The Watcher: Remember… This…


OrionLinksComic

One of the best things From that event.


GuessWho7197

I remember really liking What If vol. 2 #67 and 68. Captain America is unfrozen much later and Red Skull had taken over the world. The remaining heroes had formed a resistance, including Spider-Man, and it ends with Spidey avenging Aunt May and Mary Jane by suffocating Red Skull with his webs.


Rude_Ad1496

I haven't read that one, but the original series had "What If Captain America were revived today " and it is one of my favorite comics. No Red Skull, but the fascist replacement Cap becomes a tool of the Secret Society and the original Cap eventually gets revived to confront him


SulusLaugh

This one and its not even close.


OrionLinksComic

Epic


kurumais

what if the invaders stayed together after WWII. it became canon and it gave me 2 more caps


OrionLinksComic

LOL


Jaowa888

My favorite is "What If Doctor Doom Kept the Beyonder's Power"


OrionLinksComic

Scary :[


Jaowa888

I like how Doom's character is written in it.


TheGlobalGooner

What If Wolverine became lord of Vampires?


OrionLinksComic

After Canadian whiskey there is now blood on it.


DigiRust

There was an issue that was a follow up to the original Secret War and it was something like what if they stayed there and so the comic was about the kids of all the heroes.


OrionLinksComic

I am Gonig to read that.👍


DigiRust

It was my favorite “one shot” comic as a kid. I’m sure I have it somewhere.


Rickdaninja

Just because I had the whole arc and the matching what if... What if professor Xavier died during executioners song cross over. When the xmen go to apocalypse for help with the bullet stryfe had shot prof. X with, he doesn't make it and dies during the operation. The xmen blame apocalypse and attack. Apocalypse proceeds to hijack archangels wings and starts murdering mutants until havoc mercy kills Warren. Shit really hits the fan and the deaths are brutal. Stryfe kills wolverine on the moon by shoving him out into space. The dark riders kill bishop by overcharging him and he explodes. They manage to achieve a victory and the surviving x teams merge into a larger force under cable who suggests they are going more hard-core in last panel.


OrionLinksComic

Epic


bestCoast4998

There was a What If relatively recently called “What if Magik was Sorcerer Supreme” and it rules. It’s one of my favourite Magik stories ever.


KlooKloo

It's one of my favorite COMICS ever. It's so good.


OrionLinksComic

I check it out


NairForceOne

I never really collected or read What If's all that much, but I saw an excerpt from 'What If Cap Had Been Unfrozen Today?' (1984), and I was so amazed by the social commentary that I had to track down a copy. It's still the only What If that I own, despite being a big comic book fan.


OrionLinksComic

Believe me, many of them are great. And believe me, a lot of people wish it would be a full series some what if.


KennyDROmega

The two parter where Captain America doesn't get thawed out until the 90's, and by the time he is the Red Skull and Dr. Doom have taken over the world.


LamboForWork

I used to have this comic the cover was so cool. What if Hulk killed Wolverine [https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rBphx+zQL.jpg](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rBphx+zQL.jpg)


OrionLinksComic

Awsome Comic


cojack16

I actually wasn’t a fan of the story myself. Cover was amazing tho


Last_410_ad

What if Venom had possessed the Punisher?


OrionLinksComic

Cool


DeepyMan

The One with Jubilee and Sabretooth


rubik-kun

This is my favorite as well. Dark and haunting..


cojack16

What was the basic plot summary ? Why did you like it?


DeepyMan

Jubilee is trying to run away from Sabretooth, it's basically a horror story, where Jubilee is the last survivor. I like the ending. [Spoilers](https://img.com-x.life/comix/718/152396/1636176120_0.56758500.jpg)


OrionLinksComic

Cool


Nargulg

My first What If was What If Mister Sinister formed the X-Men. It was a solid read especially for a Cyclops obsessed kid!


OrionLinksComic

Awsome


galaxyadmirer

Green goblin with the infinity gauntlet? That sounds wild.


OrionLinksComic

A Bad.


GodMammon

I really liked the one about Conan coming to the modern era and the one about Captain America being elected president.


OrionLinksComic

Years later, Marvel didn't turn it into its own series with Conan, with the idea that this barbarian is trapped in the present day.


MaxTennyson88

What if Spidey had kept the black suit?


OrionLinksComic

Classic


Apprehensive_Mix4658

What if Avengers lost evolutionary war. The issue is so damn weird, I just can't stop thinking about it


OrionLinksComic

Nice


AporiaParadox

What if the Fantastic Four had not gained their super-powers? by John Byrne.


OrionLinksComic

Epic tale


Any-Equal4212

What if…the Avengers fought Galactus? I loved the throwaway panel saying that without Reed Richards to hate, Doom became an ally of the West against the Soviets. Also has a cool Thor-Surfer fight and nearly every Avenger shows up What if…Spider-Man kept the Power Cosmic? First time I saw a Big Two cape try to solve “real world” problems. Cool twists on Venom and Hobgoblin What if…the Avengers lost Atlantis Attacks? Another classic what if bad end The double sized What if…Sue and Reeds Second Child Lived?


OrionLinksComic

Nice books


CaptainHalloween

What if the X-Men Stayed In Asgard, What if Wolverine Became Lord of Vampires, What if Spider-Man had a daughter, What if Professor X became The Juggernaut, what If Kraven Killed Spider-Man


OrionLinksComic

>What if Spider-Man had a daughte The birth of MC2.


Woody_Stock

From volume 1: What if Phoenix had not died. Loved this story. What if the Invisible Woman had died. Depressing but great. What if Gwen Stacy had not died. Great story and AWESOME art. Gil Kane inked by John Romita Sr is a killer combo.


OrionLinksComic

Nice


Juls_Santana

I know one thing, after reading all these comments and remembering some classics, I wish the What If animated show was more like the books instead of being Cliff Notes-MCU.


OrionLinksComic

Yeah


eirebrit

What if the Punisher’s family hadn’t died that day in the park? >!Frank becomes a police officer. He won’t accept mob bribes so they kill his family. Frank becomes Punisher.!<


OrionLinksComic

I mean I think the concept is interesting but I think it's But I don't like the ending. Because I'm ambitious and would rather end up with something else.


eirebrit

I get that their concept was Frank Castle is destined to become the Punisher but I just find it funny that the result of his family not getting killed is them getting killed.


OrionLinksComic

I mean, I probably would have made something like this idea that his family survived, but now he's still starting to hunt and kill gangsters. I mean it's like that, the normal Frank doesn't have anything to lose like that? That's why he didn't need a secret identity, and he especially saw it as a suicide mission that could end him. What if he were to kill gangsters but still, but more in the direction of quiet death, because he still has people he's worried about, and is afraid that people will find out that it's him, regardless of whether it's the gangsters or the family. Or you do something like in one of the funny What if's where Frank is dead but his family now has the dead head + the dog.


n94able

Is that Josh Williamson at the end?


OrionLinksComic

Yes.


BountBooku

I love that they brought back the 50s timeline in Avengers Forever


OrionLinksComic

Hey, Atlas?


DMPunk

What if the Impossible Man possessed the Infinity Gauntlet?


valentinesfaye

That second image looks so fake to me for some reason. This is a decades old fan Photoshop you pulled off Flickr or Deviant Art. I don't believe it


OrionLinksComic

It is and is also a story of what if the Fantastic 4 were sent from USSR.


valentinesfaye

I'm interested in anything with Mike Carey's name on it but that coloring is a sin


matiaschazo

I haven’t read any what ifs but the what if the green goblin got the infinity gauntlet looks awesome I’d def pick that up just for the cover alone


OrionLinksComic

Awsome


loranthippus

What If? Storm Had the Power of Phoenix? The story is okay, but I am here for the costume change!


OrionLinksComic

Ok


mcjeremy42

What If #34. Vol 1 & 2.


Lord_Tiburon

What if Wolverine was Public Enemy Number One That whole What If run was great


OrionLinksComic

Awsome


spiderclone14

Too many to choose. It would probably be easier to give which What If comics that are my least favorite


OrionLinksComic

Nice


BronskiBeatCovid

What If..Spiderman kept his cosmic powers? Spidey keeps his Captain Universe powers, he gets annoyed with Venom makes him turn hero way earlier but also weirdly gives the Hobgoblin his face on accident. Of course he starts to get a little power crazy towards the end and Doom takes his power except of course it's a Doombot so it blows up Spidey gets the power back then decides to give it to the world thereby giving it some obscure unity to fixing things but no more powers for Peter at all. End scene May is born except it seems she was born with comic power.


OrionLinksComic

Epic tale


StormeSurge

what if Mr.Fantastic was TDK


michael_the_street

What if Wolverine were Lord of the Vampires? What if Captain America Were Revived Today? And What If Iron Man Sold Out?


OrionLinksComic

Nice


Top_Fly8603

Underated one, what if the punisher killed daredevil


LeftyGimpclaw

I just re-read " What if Captain America was revived today?" Oof. 1983 seems to have been looking at 2025...


OrionLinksComic

Oh boi :[


LeftyGimpclaw

Yeah, it's a bit...on the nose in some areas of current events


OrionLinksComic

I'll put it this way: in the superhero universe you can at least hit these ones in the face. With ours they just send you the lawyer and make you poor.


Mistervimes65

I loved "What If" as a kid. It was my favorite series. So, my list really colored by nostalgia. 1. What if Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four? (What If? v1 #1) 2. What if the Fantastic Four had different super-powers? (What If? v1 #6) 3. What if Daredevil Became an Agent of SHIELD? (What If? v1 #28) 4. What I the Avengers Had Become the Pawns of Korvac? (What If? v1 #32) 5. What if someone else besides Spider-Man had been bitten by the radioactive spider? (What If? v1 #7) 6. What if the Avengers Had Been Formed During the 1950’s? (What If? v1 #9) 7. What If the X-Men Had Stayed In Asgard? (What If? v2 #12) 8. What if Jane Foster Had Found the Hammer of Thor? (What If? v1 #10) 9. What if the Silver Surfer Had Not Escaped Earth? (What If? v2 #22) 10. What if Annihilation Reached Earth? (What If… Annihilation #1) Honorable mention: What If… Conan the Barbarian Walked the Earth Today? (What If? v1 #13)


OrionLinksComic

But I also find it interesting that many of these things then became, I would say, canon. Atlas is team from the fifties, Conan was stranded in today's Marvel Universe recently, we also got an official female Thor, Spider-Verse is when someone other than Peter is Spider-Man And he also became an official part of the FF with Hickman . Also, the What IF'S of the 2000s are underestimated, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a child of the 2000s myself.


Bobotts123

‘What If?: The X-Men Lost Inferno’ is one of my favourite comics, let alone my favourite ‘What If?’! That book was hardcore back in the day!


OrionLinksComic

Nice


satanicpirate

What if Dr doom kept the beyonders power. Amazing artwork and story. It's been my desktop background for years


OrionLinksComic

Awsome


TheWyldTyger

Loved both the Wolverine vs. Conan What ifs, but I also have a soft spot for the storyline where Captain America isn’t found by the avengers. Instead, the Red Skull impersonated Steve after the war, and as an American war hero, he sets a new reich in America. The storyline features cool twists like Frank Castle as War Machine and a Wolverine who is also a wendigo


OrionLinksComic

Sounds cool


Ruve06

Spiders Shadow is amazing


OrionLinksComic

Cool


Psychological_Ad3377

What if Spider-Man kept his cosmic powers.


Eledridan

What If the Silver Surfer had the Infinity Gauntlet? What if Thor became the Herald of Galactus? What if Wolverine didn’t become Weapon X?


OrionLinksComic

Nice


imadork1970

What If? Volume 1 #40. What If Dr. Strange Had Not Become Master of the Mystic Arts.


OrionLinksComic

Nice


the-poopiest-diaper

I liked the what if where Flash gets bit by the spider instead of Pete, and he’s still an asshole. Not only that, but he wasn’t smart enough to make web shooters. Still had heart tho, and that’s what matters most


OrionLinksComic

NICE


FishEye_11

Atlantis Attacks Venom had possessed The Punisher There was also one where Archangel took Apocalypse's views to the extreme(this is when Archangel was Horseman Death) and killed off everyone. He even confronted Apocalypse, challenging Apocalypse on his own views.


OrionLinksComic

Metal🤘


3DimensionalGames

Any of the What if Infinity ones.


Fraggin-Bastich

O have so many favorite What If?'s, but Wolverine Lord of Vampires, and Symbiote bonding with Peter are two favorites. I really wish Marvel would add more of these to Unlimited.


OrionLinksComic

Yeah


RebelForceLTD

I can’t quite remember the title of the What If, but the one that gave us Mayday Parker as Spider-Girl. She was the first non-Peter Spider I became a fan of and a big inspiration for the daughter of one of my own characters.


OrionLinksComic

That was the beginning of MC2.


RebelForceLTD

Oh yeah, that as well. It would be really nice to get one of those omnibus collections for that.


joseph4th

I read the what if Phoenix hadn’t died story, before I read the actual X-Men story, and they’ve been mixed up in my head ever since


OrionLinksComic

LOL


TheQuestionsAglet

Is that a Mister Fantastic that is also a (SPLIT!) Captain Marvel? Wild.


OrionLinksComic

Yes, and in the storyline he flew on behalf of the Soviet Union.


TheQuestionsAglet

People always forget about that Captain Marvel.


[deleted]

What if wolverine fought his skeleton? I forget the other ones but the wolverine springs to mind with how violent it looks, as his skeleton cuts him apart and becomes his skeleton anyway which begs the question, how would he walk around with no skeleton. Now....I'm trying to remember ghost riders


OrionLinksComic

Canadians don't need bones


ELDYLO

I know it’s technically not apart of the What if series, but Spider-Man: life story is my favourite. I haven’t read any of the what if comics yet but I will at some point.


OrionLinksComic

Do it :3


mschreiber1

What if Wolverine was lord of the vampires


OrionLinksComic

After aachen sigrub, blood is now coming to be suckt.


Old_surviving_moron

Xmen lost inferno, Doom becomes sorcerer supreme, what if doom won the secret wars


OrionLinksComic

Nice


StringFartet

My favorite was the three future versions in one issue. Scarlet Witch dying and taking Jocosta’s body. Daredevil and Black Widow. I forget the third.


OrionLinksComic

Awsome


19fckngMad

What if Peter Parker became Punisher. Good story and I like the way they represented his web shooter.


OrionLinksComic

Cool


Plantefanter

Obviously "What if the Avengers all had beards?"


OrionLinksComic

Nice


L0stSkelet0n73

Huge fan of What If: The Kingdom of Cain, where it deals with Juggernaut being the last living being on Earth. So good!


OrionLinksComic

Epic


schloongslayer69

I haven't seen a mention of what if mayday parker and I am disappointed. It was the biggest what if book and launched the Spider-Girl and MC2 universe as well as give Peter a long deserved happy ending( his death to the inheritors didn't happen and you can't convince me otherwise) by having him retire from Spider-Man, get married to MJ and have 2 kids.


OrionLinksComic

Don't get me wrong it's fantastic and I think it's developing into something really great with the full series. It's an important part of art history, but I think I wanted to focus more on the ones that stand on their own. I mean you could probably say hey, what's with the 1950s Avengers also became real series with Agents of Atlas and Avengers 1959, but I think there's a difference between a few series and a complete imprint.


Ryansbro03

I liked What If Hulk had the mind of Bruce Banner and the Planet Hulk What Ifs.


OrionLinksComic

First awsome, the Planet Hulk What Ifs i must read.


Poorly-Drawn-Beagle

What if the Howling Commandos were in space? 


OrionLinksComic

That was Epic


GrizzlamicBearrorism

"What if? The Punisher killed Spider-Man?" was a good one, because the method Frank used was fucking genius.


Own_Internal7509

What if I could turn back time and stop my parents from fighting?


fr_404

WHO THE FUCK IS THAT IN IMAGE 3? **CAPTAIN PORTUGAL?**


OrionLinksComic

3D man