Staff
Ranked
Issues
#1
Superman, Champion of the Oppressed
Apr 18, 1938
1
The undisputed #1; without it, the superhero genre might not exist.
#27
The Bat-Man / Speed Saunders / Buck Marshall / Spy / The Crimson Avenger / Bruce Nelson / The Mysterious Fu Manchu! / Cosmo, The Phantom of Disguise / Plain Clothes Pete / Slam Bradley
Mar 30, 1939
2
Defined the template for the 'mystery' superhero and urban vigilante.
#15
Spider-Man!; The Bell Ringer; The Man in the Mummy Case; There are Martians Among Us
Jun 05, 1962
★ 4.0
3
Introduced the most successful and profitable IP in comic history.
#1
The Fantastic Four!
Aug 08, 1961
4
The foundation of the modern Marvel Universe and the Marvel Method.
#4
Showcase
Oct 24, 2012
5
The spark that saved the industry from the post-war slump by starting the Silver Age.
#1
X-Men
Jul 02, 1963
6
Birthed a franchise that became a metaphor for civil rights and social change.
#12
Final Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985)
Nov 28, 1985
7
The first time a major publisher successfully cleaned its entire continuity.
#1
Days Gone Bye, Pt. 1
Oct 08, 2003
★ 5.0
8
Proved that an indie black-and-white comic could out-sell the Big Two.
#1
Issue #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984)
9
The greatest indie success story, from small press to global media giant.
#1
At Midnight, All The Agents...
Aug 31, 1986
★ 5.0
10
Began the deconstructionist movement that changed comics for adults forever.
#1
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Trade Paperback, 1986)
Feb 25, 1986
11
Redefined Batman and darker storytelling for the modern age.
#1
Issue #1
Aug 31, 1939
12
The starting point for the company that would eventually rule the box office.
#1
Deadly Genesis
Apr 01, 1975
13
Revived a dying brand by introducing an international, diverse cast.
#1
Chapter One
Mar 14, 2012
★ 5.0
14
Proved that creator-owned sci-fi could reach a massive, mainstream audience.
#121
The Night Gwen Stacy Died
Apr 01, 1973
15
The first time a major supporting character was permanently killed off.
#76
No Evil Shall Escape My Sight!
Feb 24, 1970
17
Introduced hard-hitting social relevance to mainstream superhero comics.
#1
Sleep of the Just
Nov 29, 1988
★ 4.5
18
Established comics as high literature and paved the way for Vertigo.
#123
Flash of Two Worlds!
Sep 30, 1961
19
The birth of the multiverse, the most important trope in modern DC/Marvel.
#181
And Now...The Wolverine!
Jul 30, 1974
20
The first full appearance of Wolverine, Marvel's most popular X-man.
#1
My Father Bleeds History
Maus: A Survivor's Tale (Hardcover, 1986)
Jan 01, 1986
21
The only graphic novel to win a Pulitzer, proving the medium's artistic weight.
#1
The Legend of the Batman: Who He Is and How He Came To Be; The Joker
Apr 25, 1940
22
Gave the medium its greatest villain, the Joker, and established a solo mythos.
#98
The Beginning of the End Part One
Apr 21, 1991
23
Introduced the character that would dominate 21st-century meta-humor.
#2
Gwen Stacy: Spider-Woman
Sep 17, 2014
24
Launched a character that redefined modern comic marketing and spinoffs.
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