The most popular article at the When It Was Cool website is the 100 Greatest Comic Books and Graphic Novels of All Time. That article remains very popular. However, that article is the culmination of dozens of other websites, magazines, and newsletter opinions about the best and greatest comic books of all time. This article, however, is made up of my personal favorite comic book issues of all time.
I was born in 1971 and comic books were an important and prominent part of pop culture. I learned to read from comic books. I would get a comic book off the spinner rack at the grocery store, bring it home, and my mom would help me with words I didn’t know. By the time I entered first grade, I could already read fluently thanks to Spider-Man, The Hulk, Superman, and other comic book heroes.
These 100 comic books are not, in any way, the greatest comic books of all time. In fact, some aren’t very good at all. Some take place in the middle of a storyline, some are an otherwise forgettable series, but all of them spoke to me in some way and stuck in my memory. These are the comic books, random though they may be, that made me a comic book collector and fan for almost 50 years. I hope you might find a gem or two among them as well. I have re-read every single one of these comics prior to putting them on the list and had a great time doing it. It resurrected my love of comic books again.
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These are not ranked in any particular order, though I have tried to list the more impactful and memorable comics toward the top the list.
For those of you who would like to listen to an audio version of this article, check out our 100 Favorite Comic Books of When It Was Cool Podcast Special!
Kingdom Come issue 1 (1996) (DC Comics)
I was hooked from page one of Kingdom Come, an Elseworlds comic book series from DC Comics published in 1996. Kingdom Come remains my all time favorite comic book. The painted art by Alex Ross is beautiful, the narrative is literally biblical, and the battle is epic. In a not to distant future the children and grandchildren of the superheroes of old have basically taken over earth endangering normal humans. Their battles become wanton and devoid of any justice. Fighting for the sake of fighting. Then a tragic accident born out of recklessness kills over a million people in mid-America and finally, at long last, Superman is provoked into returning from a self imposed exile to join the legendary heroes of old in establishing order… but there are major roadblocks along the way including Lex Luthor and his surprising guard dog- Captain Marvel! An incredible and epic story.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 7 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
I had started collecting G.I. Joe action figures a year earlier and had most of the original straight-arm G.I. Joe action figures. However, it wasn’t until issue 7 in 1983 that I began reading the comic book. It wasn’t because I didn’t like it, it was because this was literally the first G.I. Joe comic book I ever saw on the spinner rack. Apparently, the grocery store where I always bought comics had either sold out of the first six issues before I got there or never carried them to begin with. So, I already knew all of these characters (except the Oktober Guard) before I picked up this issue. From here out I never missed another issue of G.I. Joe. I really loved how dangerous they presented Cobra and Cobra Commander in these early issues. Cobra Commander became somewhat of a buffoon later on but in these early issues of G.I. Joe he was nobody to mess with.
Karnak issue 1 (2015) (Marvel Comics)
I love this comic book. The Karnak mini-series from Marvel Comics in 2015 is everything I want in a comic book- a philosophical bad ass being a bad ass and spouting philosophy. The Inhuman Karnak reimagined as this High Priest of wisdom and martial arts is exactly what I want out of a comic book. The book is witty and sarcastic and, as the issues progress, very violent. Over the last five years I have found myself returning to Karnak: The Flaw in All Things many times and contemplating it over and over. Seeing the flaw in all things might be Karnak’s superpower but this comic, in my opinion, is flawless.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 19 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
By this point, I had read the Marvel Comics run of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book for a whole year (I started with issue 7). This was the culmination of that first year and a comic book that I don’t think gets nearly enough credit. It is the crescendo of that year that culminates in a battle between Cobra and G.I. Joe forces at The Pit compound of G.I. Joe. Cobra believes they destroy G.I. Joe’s base during this attack but, in actuality, The Pit is below the surface not on top of it. But, more importantly than that, we got some real casualties of war as three major characters are killed - General Flagg, Dr. Venom, and Kwinn. This issue would have ramifications throughout the comic book series lasting even until this day.
Vision issue 1 (2016) (Marvel Comics)
I love this comic book so much. Vision is an unsettling and uncomfortable exploration about what it means to be human, to be flawed, and how mistakes compound one on top of the other. From the very first issue of Vision we see the dominoes begin to fall and the situation only gets worse as the series progresses. Vision is hard to stick into a single category. Yes, it is a superhero comic featuring Vision of the Avengers. But it is also part thriller, part science fiction, and part horror story quite frankly. You also feel an empathy for the Vision’s family as they find out all too well what it means to be human. A fascinating exploration of the human condition.
Infinity Gauntlet issue 1 (1991) (Marvel Comics)
The over arching story of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet that most know from the Marvel Cinematic Universe was originally told in various mini-series in the late 1980s into the early 1990s. The most significant of which was Infinity Gauntlet. There are major differences so, if you liked the Thanos themed MCU movies, then you will likely enjoy these as well. The cast of characters are a little different, Silver Surfer and Adam Warlock play major roles for example, and the infamous “Snap” occurs at the beginning of the story rather than near the end.
Marvel Superhero Secret Wars issue 1 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
As a kid I absolutely loved Secret Wars, one of the earliest mini-series/event/cross-overs in Marvel comics. This was a battle royal- a huge group of heroes verses a huge group of villains with a mysterious god-like being presiding over it. We are introduced, for the first time, to the Beyonder, a mega-powerful cosmic being who has rounded up a large selection of Earth’s good guys and bad guys to fight. Even the mighty Galactus is thrown in to shake things up! This comic book series had everything a kid (well, I was 13 when this came out) could want: Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four (most of them), Galactus, Dr. Doom, Magneto, the Wrecker and the Wrecking Crew, Ultron, and more! Secret Wars also famously introduces Spider-Man’s black costume into the Marvel Universe. A fun, easy to follow, free-for-all! No less than three issues of Marvel Superhero Secret Wars made my 100 favorite comic books of all time list!
Star Wars issue 1 (1977) (Marvel Comics)
Every friend I knew had Star Wars issue 1. The first six issues of the original Marvel Comics run of Star Wars adapted the first Star Wars movie. However, the character models used weren’t exactly on point yet so you get some interesting, slightly different, versions of the iconic Star Wars characters (most notably Chewbacca and Darth Vader. Also, Luke looks considerably older). Another great treat in this original adaptation of Star Wars is that it was taken from an earlier script so, while all the movie dialog is intact, there are several cut scenes that didn’t make the Star Wars (A New Hope) movie. That means, even though these comic books are over 40 years old there are still some new gems to discover inside!
Southern Bastards issue 1 (2014) (Image Comics)
I live very near where this Jason Aaron 2014 comic book is set. The roadside signs, the design of the town, all of it is familiar to me. All of it including the evil underworld you aren’t supposed to speak of. I know these characters. Maybe not specifically or personally but I know their archetypes. I hated Southern Bastards before I ever read it. Another comic book hating on the south, another comic book telling only the bad parts of the story… until I read it. I was hooked with Southern Bastards issue 1 because it was all very accurate. Yes, it’s a story about the worst of it but it’s a story told about things that needed told against the backdrop of southern BBQ, football, and Roll, Tide, Roll. Southern Bastards isn’t for the sensitive nor the faint of heart but, neither is life.
Fantastic Four issue 571 (2009) (Marvel Comics)
No one in the modern era of comic books has ever understood the Fantastic Four the way Jonathan Hickman did during his legendary run on the title. There are many incredible issues during this era of Fantastic Four and the entire run needs to be read to fully grasp it’s epicness. Fantastic Four issue 571 stands out to me in particular because, for one thing, there is a dead Galactus on the cover. But beyond that we learn more about the Council of the Reeds where alternate universe Reed Richards (plural) run around with Infinity Gauntlets solving the problems of the multiverse. There is “The Farm” and “The Hole” and much more. The last page, however, introduces the Celestials into the story and I’m always up for a good Celestial story.
New Avengers issue 1 (2004) (Marvel Comics)
I grew up reading the team books like The Avengers, The Defenders, and Justice League of America so I have a soft spot in my heart for team books. Team books give you an opportunity to read about characters you might not normally buy a solo issue of. New Avengers from Marvel Comics in 2004 is a great team up book featuring Spider-Man, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Captain America, Spider-Woman, and more and features one of the biggest jail breaks in comic book history. How can this rag-tag team of Avengers fight the bulk of the super human population? New Avengers was an action packed and fun superhero adventure story.
Immortal Hulk issue 1 (2018) (Marvel Comics)
So good. So very, very good. The tired old Incredible Hulk. He’s been around since the 1960s. He’s been a lonely solitary wanderer. He’s been part of the Avengers. He’s been part of the Defenders. He fought in Secret Wars and battled for the Infinity Gauntlet. He’s been smart, dumb, somewhere in-between, dumb again, smart again, grey, and on and on. What could possibly be done with the Incredible Hulk? Make him a horror comic character. The Incredible Hulk reborn as something out of a 1930s horror movie works so very well. While the Immortal Hulk comic book series is coming to an end later in 2020, the entire run bares reading and appreciating for the masterwork that it is.
Annihilation issue 1 (2006) (Marvel Comics)
I have long been a fan of the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe and in 2006 Annihilation and it’s various spin-off series brought this cast of characters back to the front of the Marvel Universe. It gave us the beginnings of the modern version of the Guardians of the Galaxy including the redesigned Drax. Richard Rider returned as Nova and this time in a more grand cosmic role. And, after a long absence, the Silver Surfer returned. If you have never read the Annihilation series of comics and graphic novels then you owe it to yourself as much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films are based on ideas sown originally in the Annihilation event.
Injustice: Gods Among Us Issue 1 (2013) (DC Comics)
This DC comic book series is based on a video game but that has nothing to do with my story. I have never played, nor even seen the video game but the Injustice: Gods Among Us comic book series is one of the most insane things I have ever read. This is a complete Elseworlds style story not in anyway attached to the main DC Universe. That is a good thing because when it comes these characters there are no rules and it is amazing. The Joker and Harley Quinn show up in Metropolis and kidnap Lois Lane who is pregnant with Superman’s child. The Joker then uses the Scarecrow’s fear gas mixed with Kryptonite to make Superman believe he is being attacked by Doomsday. Superman attacks Doomsday and flies him into the atmosphere and apparently kills him… except it’s a hallucination. He actually killed Lois and his unborn son… oh, yeah… and The Joker set a trigger rigged to Lois’ heartbeat which, when it stopped, sets off a nuclear warhead in the middle of Metropolis. And that’s not even the craziest thing that happens in the series. Have I got your attention?
ROM Annual 2 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
I love this comic book. If I had to recommend only one issue of a ROM comic book to read it would be ROM Annual 2. This features ROM leading other Space Knights into battle with his enemies the Dire Wraiths on their home world of Wraith World. ROM loses his mind and has to be talked down by his Space Knight army. ROM Annual 2 introduces us to some cool new Space Knights other than ROM including: Plor the Pulsar, Tarm the Seeker, Unam the Unseen, Vola the Trapper, Raak the Breaker, and Skera the Scanner. Awesome names. Each Space Knight seems to have a specialty power as well. This comic book is a lot of fun and after re-reading it I found that it held up exceptionally well. I miss the glory days of ROM.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 10 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
Up until this point, the stories in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book by Marvel Comics had been one-shot stories (with the exception of issues 6 and 7). What we would come to know as true G.I. Joe continuous continuity would start taking shape in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 10. In this issue we find out about the Cobra town of Springfield where Cobra owned and ran the town, based their equipment, and plotted their takeover of the world. We found out that the citizens of Springfield were largely all Cobra sympathizers but there are at least a few dissenters. We meet one in this issue, Billy, who would ultimately turn out to be Cobra Commander’s son. We also get introduced to Dr. Venom’s Brain Wave Scanner which would be a continuing story element throughout the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series. We even (sort of) see Snake Eyes without his mask (it is blacked out) but learn small elements of his history such as his parents and sister being killed in a car accident and Snake Eyes being disfigured in a helicopter accident.
Immortal Iron Fist issue 1 (2006) (Marvel Comics)
I have always loved Iron Fist, at least the idea and concept of Iron Fist. Growing up in the 1970s, Kung-Fu theater and martial arts movies were all the rage. I was a giant Bruce Lee fan. I often enjoyed Power Man & Iron Fist when they were popular in the 1970s into the 1980s but I never really thought anyone truly “got” Iron First, especially in his various solo and limited series comics. Then, in 2006, Immortal Iron Fist 1 hit the stands and changed everything. Tying Danny Rand not only to the established Iron Fist mythology, but expanding on that and making him a legacy character. This remains my favorite take on Iron Fist and whenever I think about the “back story” or saga of Iron Fist this is the first thing I think of. Never before and never since has Iron Fist been written and understood so well.
Tomb of Dracula issue 1 (1972) (Marvel Comics)
It was a reprint of Tomb of Dracula issue 1 from Marvel Comics in 1972 that I vividly remember. I began picking up Tomb of Dracula off of the spinner rack sometime around issue 40-something and loved it. I was a huge fan of the Universal Monsters so Dracula was right up my alley. Halloween was a very big deal in the 1970s. Tomb of Dracula was such a dark series, I remember my very religious parents found an issue of it among my collection and forbid me from reading it due to it’s heavy occult overtones. It did not work. I remember sitting up late an night under the covers of my bed reading Tomb of Dracula and being scared out of my wits. I still love it to this very day! I have previously written about Tomb of Dracula here at When It Was Cool - Check it out.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight issue 1 (1989) (Marvel Comics)
As stated other places in this article, I am a Moon Knight fan. I never saw him as Marvel’s value brand version of Batman nor did I ever see him as an excuse to write about poorly thought out mental illness stories. I saw Moon Knight as a Marvel superhero, a street level defender with multiple identities to help him infiltrated high society (Steven Grant), the streets (Jake Lockley), and the military soldiers of fortune (Marc Spector). After an aborted second Moon Knight: Fist of Khonsu series which leaned heavily on his Egyptian roots, the third series: Marc Spector: Moon Knight placed him solidly back among the Marvel superheroes. Issue one reintroduces us to his arch-rival- Bushman and is a good starting point for the series.
Action Comics issue 500 (1979) (DC Comics)
I absolutely loved Action Comics issue 500 from 1979 when I was a kid. It was one of those comic books that over explained everything. Action Comics issue 500 told Superman’s origin in minute detail and comic-splained everything from the indestructibility of Superman’s clothing (Ma and Pa Kent actually exploded dynamite underneath the blue fabric to test it) to how Clark Kent made his eyeglasses and why they don’t melt from his heat vision (made from the glass of his Kryptonian rocketship). By way of a tour of a new Superman museum, you find out about Superman’s arch rivals, his past as Superboy, and even a great show and tell involving Kryptonite.
Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars issue 4 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
Three separate issues of the 1984 Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars comic book series made this list. There was a huge battle between the superheros and the super villains in this issue and the vastly powerful Molecule Man dropped and entire mountain range “bigger than the Andes” on top of most of the group of heroes. I remember my friends at school being particularly impressed that they were so deep underground that Thor’s hammer strikes sounded like “taps”. Reed Richards had to make the Hulk angry in order to keep him enraged enough to hold up the mountain while he rigged Iron Man’s armor (with the help of components from Spider-Man’s web shooters) to blast their way out. A fun issue!
Star Wars Vader Down issue 1 (2016) (Marvel Comics)
In my opinion, the modern Marvel run of Star Wars comic books has been hit and miss. I have largely enjoyed the main Star Wars title itself but the best of the best have been the Darth Vader comic series. Marvel has now gone through multiple volumes of Darth Vader comics and I have enjoyed each of them. Vader Down is a 2016 one shot which ties into the main series where Darth Vader’s tie fighter has been shot down by rebels and he is now surrounded… by hundreds of them. Now, I must state the obvious, Darth Vader in the Marvel comics series is vastly more powerful than the movie version but just roll with it I guess. This is bad ass Darth Vader at his best.
G.I. Joe: Order of Battle issue 2 (1987) (Marvel Comics)
What’s so special about issue 2 of G.I. Joe: Order of Battle from 1987? First of all, the Order of Battle mini-series was basically the G.I. Joe version of the Handbook of the Marvel Universe which made it cool to begin with. Secondly, and most importantly, when I came to school in 1987 several of my other comic book reader friends immediately came up to me and said, “Guess who has joined G.I. Joe?” I first guessed several Cobra members (I secretly hoped for Firefly) but they said, no, it was someone from outside of comic books! I said, “Sgt. Slaughter! I already knew that!”. No, but he has an entry in this issue also. The answer shocked me- Rocky Balboa! How great is that?!? I was a huge fan of Rocky III… but alas, it was not to be. There were plans for Rocky to show up in the action figure line but that figure ultimately became Big Boa when the two sides couldn’t make a deal. In issue 3 of G.I. Joe: Order of Battle a retraction was printed. Ah, but for a moment, Rocky Balboa was in G.I. Joe.
Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars issue 8 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
This is the issue where Spider-Man gets the famous black costume which ultimately turns out to be Venom. There is a lot going on in this issue. The Wasp, believed to be dead, comes back to life. There is tension mounting between the Avengers and the X-Men. Colossus seems to be off trying to pick up a girlfriend rather than winning the war, and much more. Many of the heroes costumes get damaged in the battle but they find a device inside their base that repairs them but Spider-Man finds out his contains a little something extra. The black Spider-Man outfit became very popular in the mid-1980s and (literally) spawned the popular character Venom as well. An important and fun Marvel comics issue.
G.I. Joe: Cobra issue 1 (2009) (IDW Comics)
The G.I. Joe: Cobra comic book series in 2009 was truly the best thing IDW ever did with the G.I. Joe comic book property. G.I. Joe: Cobra came out of nowhere featuring Chuckles, of all people, in the lead role as he has gone deep undercover into the world of Cobra along with his partner Jinx. The twists and turns of G.I. Joe: Cobra are simply amazing and this series keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is truly one of the best written military based comic books of the last 25 years.
Identity Crisis issue 7 (2004) (DC Comics)
One of the saddest comic book issues I have ever read. The entire Identity Crisis mini-series from DC Comics in 2004 is really under rated. It is human drama and character development at it’s finest. There are secrets revealed that have major ramifications to Batman, Green Arrow, The Atom, and others. The main plot, however, surrounds the brutal murder of Ralph Dibney’s wife Sue. The final issue of Identity Crisis, issue 7, at last reveals who the murderer really is and ends with one of the most heart breaking scenes ever put down on paper in a comic book.
52 issue 3 (2006) (DC Comics)
52 was an ambitious weekly series by DC Comics setting the stage for a major shake-up inside the DC comic book universe. The story switched focus to a number of super heroes and villains including Booster Gold, The Question, Elongated Man, and many others. One of the major players in the sage is Black Adam from the Captain Marvel/Shazam group of characters. Black Adam has always had the potential to be, essentially, a bad guy version of Superman. Still, like Doctor Doom in Marvel Comics, Black Adam is fiercely protective and largely benevolent to the people of the country he rules and, in the case of Black Adam, that country is Kahndaq, a fictional nation located near Egypt. Throughout this series we see just how big a bad ass Black Adam is. This issue bears that out in a very bloody way and the picture above isn’t even the most gruesome thing Black Adam does in 52 issue 3!
Marvel 2 in 1 issue 54 (1979) (Marvel Comics)
I don’t remember why I chose Marvel 2 in 1 issue 54 off of the spinner rack in 1979. I mean, I was eight years old so I was barely literate at that point so who knows? It was probably because The Thing from the Fantastic Four was fighting a very scary looking cyborg- Deathlok. Despite Deathlok being one of the worst written characters in Marvel comics since then, I always liked the character design. Deathlok is sort of what you would get if you crossed Frankenstein with the Six Million Dollar Man. Re-reading this issue it was forgettable and the story is all over the place. This is the second part of a storyline so, as an eight year old, I some how missed part one. Also, they managed to fit Quasar into this issue and the last several pages seem to have nothing to do with the rest of the issue. Never-the-less, The Thing crushes both of Deathlok’s hands and, as a kid, I thought that was really cool.
Detective Comics Issue 230 (1956) (DC Comics)
Detective Comics issue 230 came out in 1956, 15 years before I was born, but I read it reprinted in a DC Digest when I was a kid sometime in the 1970s. I remember it being one of the earliest comic books I owned. By the time I read it I’m sure I was already watching The Super Friends on TV every Saturday and had probably been exposed to the 1966 Batman TV series. This is a silver age story of Batman and Robin battling the Mad Hatter. I loved the fact that the Mad Hatter had this hat collection of many famous hats. As a kid you love that sort of stuff especially since he had them all labeled and organized. The grand prize, of course, was the cowl of the Batman… which he managed to obtain and lose multiple times during the issue. A fun, silly, silver age story that has stuck in my memory for over 40 years.
Alpha Flight Issue 9 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
John Byrne is the artist that I totally associate with Alpha Flight by Marvel Comics. In 1984 this issue hit the spinner rack and it was the first Alpha Flight issue I had ever bought. I purchased it solely on the strength of “Wow, it looks like Sasquatch is going to fight The Thing!”. The cover certainly teased that but inside a deeper mystery unfolded. A murder mystery where The Thing was apparently beamed to a science lab in Canada and then people around his unconscious body start mysteriously dying, one of which is burned to death. It looks like the Fantastic Four is killing people and one of the scientist at the base happens to be Alpha Flight member Sasquatch. It turns out that it wasn’t the Fantastic Four but rather the Super Skrull which was also cool. This is the first really in-depth story about the Super Skrull I had ever read. I then started reading Alpha Flight pretty regularly and those first 50 or so issues remain among my favorite comic books ever.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 21 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
I have previously covered this issue of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero in our popular 100 Greatest Comics Books and Graphic Novels of All Time list but it also makes my personal favorites list too. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 21 is famously known as the “Silent Issue” but is actually titled “Silent Interlude”, famous because the issue has no word balloons or dialog. The story is told only in pictures and it is, hands down, the best example of storytelling art ever in a comic book. Silent Interlude has been paid homage to many times over the years but never has it been as masterfully done as the original which features the G.I. Joe equivalent of Star Wars’ famous, “No, I’m your father…” scene where, by way of matching tattoos, we discover there is a relationship between G.I. Joe fan favorite Snake Eyes and Cobra ninja Storm Shadow.
ROM issue 1 (1979) (Marvel Comics)
Looking over this list, clearly I am a fan of licensed comic books invading the Marvel Universe. In late 1979 an otherwise forgettable toy property by Parker Brothers hit toy shelves- ROM. ROM the toy, a largely unarticulated plastic robot toy with interchangeable accessories was a big flop. The licensed character by Marvel Comics, however, had a memorable multi-year run in his own series and made numerous cross-overs into the wider Marvel Universe. ROM was a great character design. His story of being a Space Knight from the planet of Galador where other Space Knights also battled the feared Dire Wraiths was a really good story. It’s too bad Marvel could never reclaim the ROM license. But I had multiple copies of ROM issue 1 over the years and, even re-reading it again for this article, it still stands up as a fun spaceman comes to Earth adventure.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 14 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
Issue 14 of Marvel Comic’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero introduces us to one of the most popular characters in G.I. Joe continuity- Destro! The details about Destro given in issue 14 are largely changed over the run of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series but Destro’s design and his relationship with the Baroness are central to the story. There seems to be some dark secret Destro is now hiding and implies that the “Destro” name is a new identity for him. That would never be followed up on and the name “Destro” would ultimately become just his family surname. Elsewhere in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 14 we get an interesting story that is taking place underneath a river in a sunken bunker where Dr. Venom, Snake Eyes, and Quinn are trapped. A lot happens in issue 14 and much G.I. Joe lore is established here.
Handbook of the Marvel Universe issues 13 & 14 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
I’ve included these two entries together as they were released back to back in 1983. I loved The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and so did all my friends. We brought these issues to school and compared notes. These basic one page biographies filled in so much information that we needed about our favorite Marvel superhero characters and introduced us to some cool new ones. My favorite two issues out of this series were the Books of the Dead and Inactive. I knew some superheros had died over the years and I had caught glimpses of these in flashbacks but these two issues told us all about who they were and why they died! Such a fun concept and a great jumping on point. Today, readers have the Marvel Encyclopedia which is also a great resource.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue 26 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
Another G.I. Joe comic book makes the list but that should come as no surprise. Between the G.I. Joe action figures, the G.I. Joe cartoons, and the G.I. Joe comic books, this Hasbro property shaped my childhood in many ways. Issue 26 of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero written by Larry Hama finally starts exploring the back story of Snake Eyes. We meet the Soft Master, the Hard Master, and learn who Storm Shadow really is. We learn about the assassination of the Hard Master and who was blamed for it. This is the issue that lays down most of the complex history of Snake Eyes.
Red Tornado issue 1 (2009) (DC Comics)
I’ve loved the Red Tornado ever since I was a young kid seeing him in the pages of Justice League of America in the 1970s. He should have been on the Super Friends cartoon series but was replaced by original series character Samurai. I know, there are a lot of similarities between he and Marvel Comic’s Vision, but I just love the fact there is a robot out there that can spin like a tornado, as inefficient as that may sound for a superhero. In this 2009 mini-series we discover that Red Tornado has siblings and not all of them have the same heroic outlook he does.
Shazam: Power of Hope (2000) (DC Comics)
How many times have you heard this? It’s really hard to write Superman. His power level is too high making it hard to tell stories about him. Audiences today want dark and complicated characters. I suggest those people should read Shazam: Power of Hope from DC Comics to see how to write a honorable and good super hero. Captain Marvel (Shazam) has a power set virtually equal to Superman. He is also stereotyped as even more “simplistic” and “outdated” than Superman. So why is it hard to hold back tears when reading Shazam: Power of Hope? Why does this graphic novel make you want to be a better person? Why then is this graphic novel the embodiment of what it means to be a super hero? I suggest for those who have lost hope in heroes should read this comic.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight issue 26 (1991) (Marvel Comics)
This is the first issue of the Scarlet Redemption story line which dives into the religious background of Moon Knight. Beginning in Marc Spector: Moon Knight issue 26, we learn that Moon Knight is Jewish and this story tells about his battle with his religious upbringing all while battling another religious themed villain Stained Glass Scarlet. A complex and interesting storyline.
Iron Man issue 126 (1979) (Marvel Comics)
I didn’t read Iron Man regularly when I was a kid. I had only a limited amount of allowance or money I earned from mowing our yard and those close to us. Instead, I usually opted to get the most superhero bang for my buck. Instead of buying The Incredible Hulk, Dr. Strange, and Silver Surfer, I would buy The Defenders. Instead of buying Superman, Batman, The Flash, and Green Lantern, I would buy Justice League. I really liked Iron Man but I would only get to read about him in the pages of The Avengers or in a book he was crossing over into. For some reason I ended up with a copy of Iron Man issue 126. It was probably because it had a cool cover of Iron Man and his armor. Inside, I will never forget a panel that stuck with me into adulthood. A malfunctioning repulsor ray blasting through the body of a diplomat. It was shocking and made an impression on me. Only after re-reading it as an adult did I realize that this introduced Justin Hammer into the story was part of the legendary ”Demon in a Bottle” storyline. Even as a kid I knew this was more than just an average comic book.
Captain America issue 1 (2005) (Marvel Comics)
Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America is a thing of beauty. I have read Captain America comic books on and off my entire life and, honestly, the Ed Brubaker run on Captain America is my favorite. Every issue seems to end on a cliff hanger and each issue gets deeper and deeper into mystery, espionage, and intrigue. Issue one begins with the Red Skull apparently having a master plan to finally bring an end to Captain America… but then in a shocking scene on the last page, we find out that something very different is in play.
Godzilla Issue 23 (1979) (Marvel Comics)
As a kid I was a big fan of the Toho Godzilla movies. Every week I was scoured TV Guide to see if any were playing and would often sit up late at night to catch one. When Godzilla was licensed by Marvel Comics I was obviously excited. However, the stories lacked something. The basic story was that Godzilla wandered out of the Pacific Ocean and began a march across America while being chased by SHIELD, ultimately, ending up in New York. It sounds much better than it was. However, when Godzilla finally arrived in New York he was faced by a defense force of The Fantastic Four and The Avengers. Godzilla verses The Fantastic Four and The Avengers, you say? You now have my attention. That battle took place in Godzilla issue 23, the penultimate edition of Godzilla’s run in Marvel Comics. As a eight year old kid it didn’t get any better than this!
The Defenders issue 70 (1979) (Marvel Comics)
I was eight years old when this comic book hit the stands. Looking back, there is absolutely nothing special about this issue at all. The Defenders, made up at this point of Nighthawk, The Hulk, Valkyrie, and Hellcat, were fighting a Z-list villain called Lunatik. I didn’t know the word “Lunatik” (obviously a misspelling of Lunatic) so my mother explained it to me. Apparently, eight year old me liked the twist ending where multiple Lunatiks had been captured by the Defenders when yet another person steps forward claiming to be the Lunatik. I was drawn to team-up books like The Defenders, The Avengers, and the Justice League because I had limited allowance money and instead of paying 35 cents per comic for a Hulk comic, a Batman comic, a Superman comic, etc, I would buy the team-up books instead which featured multiple characters. More bang for the buck.
Alpha Flight issue 12 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
Having only recently had I fell in love with Alpha Flight and John Byrne (see issue 9 listed above) in 1984 when I saw this cover on the spinner rack at the grocery store. A comic book literally promising the death of a major character on the cover! This was an obvious must have. I had just started learning these characters and I couldn’t imagine which of the members of Alpha Flight would get killed in this issue. I certainly didn’t expect it to be the leader of the group The Guardian! Well, as comic book deaths go, this one stuck for a little while until Marvel comics inevitably brought him back. Still, I didn’t know that at the time and it was a major shock to see the gruesome way that The Guardian died in the issue… and right in front of his wife no less!
G.I. Joe issue 1 (2001) Image/Devil’s Due Press
After being in a G.I. Joe drought for years, G.I. Joe and the Larry Hama cast of characters returned to comic shops in 2001, coming out literally immediately after the horrific events of 9/11. It was cathartic, in a way, to have these old familiar friends back fighting terrorist, even in the fictional sense. One thing a lot of people have forgotten is that this run of G.I. Joe was actually very, very good. In fact, I prefer the DDP continuity over most of what the current license holder- IDW, have done with the comic. The series picks up the adventures of the G.I. Joe team about seven years after it was disbanded in the pages of Marvel Comics. Snake Eyes, Duke, Scarlett, Roadblock, and all the other great G.I. Joe characters were brought back in this super fun series.
Secret Avengers issue 1 (2010) (Marvel Comics)
As explained earlier, I love team books. Secret Avengers from Marvel Comics in 2010 has a very old school Defenders vibe to it. A group of heroes with very little in common has been picked by the former Captain America Steve Rogers to take part in undercover missions. Part superhero story and part spy adventure, Secret Avengers features an eclectic group of heroes including Moon Knight, The Beast, War Machine, Ant Man, Nova, Black Widow, Valkyrie, and others. In Secret Avengers issue 1, a mystery unfolds not just on Earth but on Mars as well which leads to a rescue mission for Nova. Yes, Moon Knight and Ant Man are on Mars.
Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction issue 1 (1997) (Dark Horse Comics)
Anytime you have Boba Fett verses Boba Fett you have my undivided fanboy attention. Star Wars has done this a few times over the years. In the original Marvel Comics run we had a Boba Fett impostor show up, I’m sure we will have some Mandalorian verses Mandalorian action in the Disney Plus series as well. But here, in the pages of Dark Horse Comics we have a straight up Boba Fett impersonator- Jodo Kast. After Boba Fett was presumed eaten during the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Jodo Kast, in his Mandalorian armor, attempts the fill the void… and if he’s mistaken for Boba Fett then all the better. That works out pretty good until it doesn’t.
G.I. Joe: America’s Elite issue 25 (2007) (DDP Comics)
As Devil’s Due Publishing began to wrap up their license for the G.I. Joe franchise that would ultimately pass along to IDW, they launched a final epic storyline in the pages of G.I. Joe: America’s Elite - World War III. This was a tremendous swan song to G.I. Joe under this license bringing back virtually every obscure G.I. Joe and Cobra operative. Many often overlooked characters, at last, got some resolution to their story. This storyline was basically a love letter to the G.I. Joe franchise and is well worth your time to read. If your favorite action figure got short-changed over the years they probably got at least a moment in the sun during this series.
The Incredible Hulk issue 300 (1984) (Marvel Comics)
The Incredible Hulk issue 300 was a fun comic released in 1984. It was everything a 13 year old kid could want. It was a giant sized issue which featured an unfiltered, uninhibited Hulk fighting a solid selection of Marvel heroes. There was no trace of Bruce Banner left in the Hulk so the Hulk was pure rage and destroying the city. Daredevil saved a kid from his rampage, Hulk caught Iron Fist’s full on iron fist punch and stopped it in mid-air. Hulk threw Luke Cage through several buildings. Spider-Man in his new black outfit showed up to save some civilians. Then the Avengers arrived to battled Hulk and there is a great scene where the Hulk grabs an adamantium statue of himself to wield against Thor. I have no idea why they would waste rare and valuable adamantium in making a statue to the Hulk, but who cares, because we get to see what happens when the unstoppable object (Thor’s hammer) meets the immovable force (an adamantium statue of the Hulk). Dr. Strange then arrives with a solution to the Hulk problem. Still a fun read 35 years later.
Darkhawk Issue 1 (1991) (Marvel Comics)
By March 1991 I had already been reading and collecting comics for about 15 years. I graduated high school in 1989 and had fallen out of collecting comic books for a while but comic book collecting was on fire in the early 1990s and everyone was buying, selling, and trading them. Marvel tried to launch some new characters during this time and one of those was Darkhawk. Darkhawk was pushed as a sort of new Spider-Man. A new hero for the 1990s. Christopher Powell (the alter-ego of Darkhawk) was a young adult about my age who I could relate to. The first issue is excellent with Christopher discovering a mystery surround his policeman father (is he crooked?) and finding a mysterious amulet that transforms him into the really cool looking Darkhawk. Unfortunately, the story got convoluted and unnecessarily complicated as it went along and Darkhawk ended up being a C level character. But many of us from the early 1990s still have a soft spot in our hearts and a “what could have been” for Darkhawk.
Star Wars issue 68 (1982) (Marvel Comics)
Star Wars issue 68 was the first comic book released by Marvel Comics following the events in the movie Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. I remember seeing this on the spinner rack and being a big Boba Fett fan (who wasn’t following Empire Strikes Back?) and inside it appears he was unmasked! I rushed home to read the comic book only to find out that this wasn’t Boba Fett but, instead, another character in Mandalorian armor named Fenn Shysa. The issue also followed up on Dengar, another bounty hunter, and much more! The adventure continued in Star Wars issue 68.
Amazing Spider-Man issue 354 (1991) (Marvel Comics)
A big team up storyline called “Round Robin: The Sidekicks Revenge” actually began in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man one issue earlier. Amazing Spider-Man issue 354 was, for whatever reason, the first issue of this storyline I picked up. This featured several “up and coming” comic book stars of the era included Night Thrasher of New Warriors fame which I was kind of into at the time (why did he never become a bigger star?), Darkhawk, and my personal favorite- Moon Knight. Others including Nova, The Punisher, and Ghost Rider dropped into this multi-issue crossover. It was almost like a mini-event set within the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. I really liked Spider-Man mentoring Darkhawk. Too bad Darkhawk never caught on to a greater degree.
Marvel 2 in 1 Issue 99 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
Apparently, I liked The Thing a lot more than I remembered since he’s on this list multiple times. This team-up issue also featured a character I thought was very cool, though he was a licensed character and that turned out to be problematic later- ROM! ROM was a toy made by Parker Brothers and licensed to Marvel for his own comic book. The comic book and character had a much longer shelf life in the comics than the toy did. The problem was, that once that deal expired, Marvel could no longer use ROM in it’s comics and ROM had crossed over into multiple books including Power Man and Iron Fist, Marvel 2 in 1, and others. This prevents these issues from being reprinted, sadly. After re-reading this issue it didn’t hold up as well as I remembered. The story was disjointed but had a few cool scenes including ROM turning The Thing back into his human form… temporarily.
Strange Tales issue 157 (1967) (Marvel Comics)
As stated in other entries on our 100 Favorite Comics of All Time List, I love the big cosmic powered beings of the Marvel Universe. Among those colossal cosmic entities, one of my favorites is the Living Tribunal. Consisting of three faces which float disembodied over his gigantic body, the Living Tribunal is often represented as the most powerful being in the entire Marvel Universe standing even above Eternity. The first appearance of the Living Tribunal is in issue 157 of Strange Tales and drawn by Herb Trimpe it is truly amazing as Dr. Strange becomes the first person in the Marvel Universe to meet him.
Ghost Rider Issue 1 (1990) (Marvel Comics)
Ghost Rider is one of my favorite character designs. In the 1970s I usually ran across Ghost Rider (at that time the Johnny Blaze version) as a guest star in some other book. Obviously, a kid is going to love a motorcycle riding superhero with a flaming skull for a head. Ghost Rider faded out in popularity during the 1980s with the era of Evel Knievel being over, but Ghost Rider made a return in 1990 in a new series which introduced a new host for the Spirit of Vengeance- Danny Ketch. The 1990 series was plagued with a lot of the same problems that haunted many 1990s comic books, but Ghost Rider started off strong and even introduced the “Penance Stare” into Ghost Rider’s power set which became the superpower he was most associated with. Ghost Rider became wildly popular in the 1990s, crossing over into may different books. Issue 1 introduces us to Danny Ketch as he and his sister explore a cemetery but are accosted by gangsters (and ninja’s of course) and Ketch finds a mystical motorcycle that transforms him into the Spirit of Vengeance! A fun story and was hooked for most of the 1990s run.
Ghost Rider issue 15 (1991) (Marvel Comics)
Sometimes it was a single panel inside a comic book that made me a fan or that stuck with me for years. By 1991 I had been reading and collecting comics for almost 20 years but had only recently began getting really serious about them again. Volume two of Ghost Rider from Marvel Comics had drawn me back in with a new host for Ghost Rider- Danny Ketch. Recently in the series, the original host for Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, had returned to investigate this apparent return of the demon who once possessed him. That, in and of itself, had kept me interested in the series. But issue 15 had an awesome gimmick cover. Now, I know, gimmick covers eventually became an overused gimmick and have grown to be a symbol of flash-above-substance nature of 1990s comic books, however, issue 15 is a beautiful glow-in-the-dark cover of Ghost Rider’s head and looked fantastic in the dark. Was it worth the $1.75 cover price in 1991? Yeah, in my opinion, it kind of was.
Marvel Family issue 1 (1945) (Fawcett Comics)
Obviously, 1945 was way before I was born. World War 2 was ending and the Marvel Family was about to be introduced to one of their biggest rivals- Black Adam. I am a big fan of Black Adam and strangely enough, this was his one and only appearance in the golden age of comics! That’s right, Black Adam was only in one golden age Shazam comic book, it wasn’t until the 1970s that Black Adam would be brought back to become the main rival for Captain Marvel. Needless to say, I read this issue in reprints and the back story of Black Adam has been retold multiple times over the years. It’s still fun to look back at this golden age classic and see how Black Adam was represented the very first time he showed up to face Captain Marvel.
Spawn issue 1 (1992) (Image Comics)
The early Image comic books changed the face of the comic book industry in the early 1990s. Looking back, the work quality was all over the board. Some of what we comic book fans fell all over ourselves for when Image launched doesn’t hold up so well now. I would argue that Spawn, especially the early issues, are still really good comic books. Todd McFarlane created and drew Spawn early on and, after re-reading issue 1 from 1992 I have to admit… it’s kind of epic. The story feels big, Spawn feels mysterious, and the artwork is very cinematic. Spawn issue 1 is a good horror movie come to life. We learn just enough about Spawn to make you anxious for issue 2 to find out more. While I fell out of love with a lot of the early Image stuff, Spawn still resonates strongly and I really enjoyed going back and reading Spawn issue 1 again.
Punisher: War Journal issue 1 (1988) (Marvel Comics)
The Punisher was read hot by the time his second on-going series was released in 1988. The Punisher had already starred in a super popular mini-series followed by his own ongoing series. The Punisher become such a hot commodity that he needed a second ongoing series to keep up with demand and Punisher: War Journal was launched in 1988 (and a third series, Punisher War Zone was launched later). Punisher War Journal issue one told the story of The Punisher testing out new equipment and introducing us to his cast of characters all while showing his origin in flashbacks. It wasn’t the best comic by any stretch but for those of us in the late 1980s who couldn’t get enough Punisher, it was a really cool comic to have.
Punisher: War Zone issue 1 (1992) (Marvel Comics)
By 1992 The Punisher was one of the hottest characters in all of the Marvel Universe. The era of the anti-hero was in full swing and The Punisher lead the way headlining no less than three books at one point along with a slew of guest appearances. The third monthly Punisher title following The Punisher and Punisher War Journal was Punisher: War Zone. Unfortunately, there are only so many Punisher stories one can tell. The Punisher isn’t so complex a character that he can support three books at once. Issue one also had a gimmick die-cut cover. So why did it make my favorite comic books list? Hey, I was as much on the Punisher bandwagon as anyone circa 1992, but it soon became overkill and within a few months my sugar high of Punisher was starting to turn into a headache… but it was fun for a minute.
Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel issue 1 (2009) (Marvel Comics)
Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel was a Marvel Comics limited series that came out about 10 years too soon. Had the themes of racism in the Marvel Universe came out today it likely would have had a more major impact. Marvel Comics introduced a Superman level powerful superhero into the Marvel Universe… only they did it in the 1960s. So, why does nobody remember this hero? Because he was African-American and the government decided to hide it. The story is powerful and impactful and it’s a shame that Dr. Adam Brashear (the real name of the Blue Marvel) isn’t an A level player in the current Marvel Universe. It’s even more shameful that a collected edition isn’t even in print for this series in 2020. Come on Marvel! What are you doing?
Immortal Weapons: Fat Cobra issue 1 (2009) (Marvel Comics)
As I say elsewhere in this article, my favorite take on Iron Fist is the Immortal Weapon series. Spinning out of that is the Immortal Weapons limited series covering some of the cool and interesting new characters introduced in that comic. The first of which, and my favorite, is the charismatic Fat Cobra. Fat Cobra is arrogant, self absorbed, and colorful. He also has forgotten most of his history and hires a researcher to uncover all he can about it. The results are not what Fat Cobra expected. Immortal Weapons: Fat Cobra is both funny and sad and mostly interesting. A really fun comic book.
Batman Hush Graphic Novel (2002) (DC Comics)
I know, there is surprisingly little Batman on this list. I can’t explain it either. It’s not that I haven’t liked Batman since I was a child, I suppose it’s just that, well, his solo books largely bored me as a kid. I liked Batman better as part of a team up with the Justice League or Superman or something like that. I suppose that opinion subconsciously held over until adulthood. I really liked the Hush storyline a lot, though I didn’t read it in the pages of Batman. It wasn’t until it was collected in a graphic novel that I read the whole thing. Batman Hush is full of guest stars and bad guys. Killer Croc, Superman, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, the Riddler, and others. A really fun and action packed story.
Shazam issue 28 (1977) (DC Comics)
While I love Captain Marvel I must confess that I almost equally love his evil rival Black Adam. Black Adam arrived first appeared outside of the Golden Age of Comics in issue 28 of Shazam in 1977. I didn’t always read Shazam back when I was a kid but I did watch the live action television show and later the animated show. Out of the 1970s relaunch of Shazam by DC Comics I probably owned three or four issues and I am sure glad this was one of them. I love the black costume that Black Adam wears and I love his backstory of being a super powered character from ancient Egypt. I am also very excited for the upcoming Black Adam movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
The Punisher Annual 2 (1989) (Marvel Comics)
I was a big Moon Knight fan during the 1980s and 1990s. The character really lost it’s way over the last twenty years or so, becoming more of an often misguided exploration of mental illness than superhero. But back in 1989 Moon Knight was simply a street level superhero with multiple aliases which helped him investigate crimes. The Punisher, at the same time, was one of the most popular characters in comic books. The Punisher was the anti-hero and that theme resounded in pop culture from about 1988 through the late 1990s. Moon Knight and The Punisher teamed-up in The Punisher Annual 2 to take on Madam Viper and some mutated snake people. The story is actually pretty simplistic and largely forgettable but what I liked about it was that it elevated Moon Knight, who was still largely a C level hero at this point, putting him, at least momentarily, on the same level as the popular Punisher.
Star Wars: Dark Empire issue 1 (1991) (Dark Horse Comics)
In 1991 the world was really, really wanting some new Star Wars content. Unlike in 2020 where there is Star Wars content a-plenty. Dark Horse Comics continued the post-Return of the Jedi story with Dark Empire I & II. And, unlike Disney, they actually gave us what we wanted: the continuing story of Luke Skywalker, Leia, Han Solo, C3PO, R2D2, and Chewbacca. Star Wars Dark Empire chronicled Luke’s struggles against the dark side of the force. I’m not crazy about the sketchy art but seeing Luke Skywalker morph visually almost into Darth Vader was a lot of fun.
Avengers Annual 12 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
My first exposure to the Inhumans probably came in Avengers Annual 12 from 1983. I may have caught glimpses of them previously in the pages of the Fantastic Four but this is the first real Inhumans story I remember reading. As you would expect, we end up with a misunderstanding the Avengers fight the Inhumans. The Avengers at the time were made up of Captain America, Vision, Scarlett Witch, Quicksilver, Star Fox, Wasp, Captain Marvel, and She-Hulk. While I never became a fan of the Inhumans, it was pretty cool seeing the Avengers fight against this super powered group I was only vaguely aware of.
Star Wars: Crimson Empire issue 1 (1997) (Dark Horse Comics)
The original trilogy of Star Wars movies did more to spark my imagination than just about any other pop culture property. I have many favorite characters from those three movies. Among them are the bright red Emperor’s Royal Guard. I had the Kenner action figures and must have imagined a million different scenarios involving these imposing characters when I was a kid. In 1997 Dark Horse Comics, which held the Star Wars comic book license at the time, imagined what happened to the Imperial Guard after the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. I loved every page of the Crimson Empire series.
Warlock and the Infinity Watch issue 11 (1992) (Marvel Comics)
I love giant, epic, cosmic stories. I love the Marvel Comics cosmic entities so much. The Celestials, Galactus, the In-Betweener, and more. During the early 1990s following the events of the Infinity Gauntlet, Adam Warlock spun off into his own solo comic book series again called Warlock and the Infinity Watch where Warlock gathered a sort of proto-Guardians of the Galaxy type group to guard the Infinity Gems. In this issue there is a court argument between Eternity and the Living Tribunal over Warlock’s selection of gem guardians. The Living Tribunal is such an amazing concept, I’d love to have him show up some time in an MCU movie. Warlock and the Infinity Watch issue 11 is fairly simplistic in some ways, Eternity’s case is really pretty nonsensical, but watching these two abstract beings argue semantics is really fun.
He-Man and the Power Sword Mini-Comic (1981) (Mattel)
I loved He-Man and the Masters of the Universe before the Filmation cartoon series got a hold of the property and introduced their continuity. He-Man and the Power Sword was one of the first mini-comics (maybe THE first) and featured the characters of He-Man, Skeletor, Beastman, Man-At-Arms, and the Sorceress before all the silly elements were added. In this continuity, the metal armor He-Man wears gives him super strength and He-Man isn’t Prince Adam, he is a barbarian more akin to Conan. Beastman and Man-At-Arms are drawn based on their earlier concepts. I like this version of He-Man much better. It is raw and imaginative and lacks all the comedy concepts introduced later.
G.I. Joe: Hearts and Minds issue 1 (2010) (IDW Comics)
I largely have not liked the IDW handling of the G.I. Joe comic book licenses. There have been a few exceptions along the way. The early G.I. Joe / Cobra series was excellent but mostly it’s been reboot after reboot after reboot getting progressively worse along the way. However, in 2010 before IDW got lost in so many reboots of G.I. Joe they came out with a limited series called G.I. Joe: Hearts and Minds which looked at the back story of a G.I. Joe and a Cobra member each issue. Some were hits and some were misses but my favorite of the bunch was issue one which looked behind the mind of Major Bludd. Major Bludd is a character whose past wasn’t very fleshed out in the original Marvel series and he was largely a comedic figure in the cartoons. This was a much more serious and dark take on Major Bludd.
WCW: World Championship Wrestling issue 12 (1993) (Marvel Comics)
Pro wrestling was in a historic level slump in the early 1990s and WCW was a distance second to industry leader WWF (WWE). How they even managed to get a comic book licensed for an entire year (12 issues) by Marvel Comics, of all people, is still a mystery to me. But I love pro wrestling. One of my favorite wrestlers from that, or any other era, was Leon White, better known in pro wrestling as Big Van Vader (later shortened to just Vader). He was a dominate wrestler all over the world, not only in the United States but in Japan, Europe, and Mexico as well. In the final issue of WCW: World Championship Wrestling comic book, Big Van Vader invaded WCW managed by legendary champion Harley Race, and proceeded to squash Sting for the title. I have no idea if the WCW comic book was planned out to run longer than this issue because they sure did destroy their top babyface in it. I didn’t care, Big Van Vader was awesome.
Nova issue 24 (1979) (Marvel Comics)
This one was not very good so why did it stick out in my mind? Nova issue 24 was the next to last issue of the first Nova comic book series from Marvel Comics and featured a battle between Nova (Richard Rider) and The Sphinx. Everyone in this comic was, at best, a C-level hero or villain including Nova’s friends Comet and Crime Smasher who were very reminiscent of Red Circle heroes The Comet and The Web. Still, while the story was very pedestrian and meandering, I loved the character designs of all the aforementioned characters. Nova, The Human Rocket’s, design is still one of my favorites and I’m glad he got redemption in more modern times in the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe. Sometimes it’s the simple things like a good looking costume that makes you a fan… modern comic designers please take note… I’m looking at you DC.
Fantastic Four issue 120 (1972) (Marvel Comics)
Fantastic Four issue 120 came out in 1972 which, if you have been following along, means I was only one year old. So, how did this manage to become one of my favorite comic books? Because in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Marvel Comics would sometimes re-issue great storylines in giant over-size treasury edition specials. This is where I first saw Fantastic Four issue 120. I also grew up in a very religious household, so I knew all about religious symbolism and had a soft spot for it. So, when the angel Gabriel himself seems to arrive on earth and blow his trumpet (signalling the end of the world in Biblical lore) you certainly had my attention. As it turns out in the next issue, Gabriel the Air-walker was actually a robot but a herald of Galactus, who has returned. The Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer team up to battle him. A beautifully drawn issue and this storyline still stands out in my memory as one of my all time favorite comic books.
Black Panther issue 1 (1976) (Marvel Comics)
I had never previously read the 1970s Black Panther comic book series from Marvel Comics. I was only aware of Black Panther since about the 1980s whenever he would crossover into the Avengers or something like that. So, I was very surprised when I saw the incredible Jack Kirby artwork for the 1976 Black Panther solo series and that Black Panther’s story, at that point, was that of an adventurer like Indiana Jones rather than the legacy King of the fictional Wakanda nation. Sometimes I like Jack Kirby’s artwork and sometimes I don’t but I absolutely love his take on Black Panther. The characters and scenes are epic and I highly encourage anyone unaware of Black Panther from this era to check it out. It’s the same character just at a different time in his history.
DC Comics Presents issue 50 (1982) (DC Comics)
I have a strange memory about this comic book. I would have been eleven years old when DC Comics Presents issue 50 came out. I remember buying it off of the spinner rack and it’s not a comic book I would have normally bought. In fact, to the best of my memory, it’s the only issue of DC Comics Presents I ever bought as a kid. I remember reading it on the way to my grandfather’s house. When I arrived, my cousin was there and wanted to see it. I let him and remember not really liking this comic book very much. So why, after over 40 years does the memory of it still stick with me? Because of the Atomic Skull. I love the design of the Atomic Skull. As evidenced by Ghost Rider, to a kid a dude with a skull head is awesome. He also had this eye popping green and yellow color scheme. After re-reading it, I discover it is a lame team up between Superman and Clark Kent (they got separated in a really dumb manner) and the Atomic Skull’s powers were pretty underwhelming too. All that aside, this comic book has stuck in my memory because of just how cool the Atomic Skull looks. Too bad they didn’t go with this design in the old Justice League Unlimited animated series. I would have really liked that!
Superman verses Muhammad Ali (1978) (DC Comics)
As a kid in the 1970s everybody knew that the baddest man on the planet was Muhammad Ali. He was larger than life. He was the heavyweight champion of the world. How incredible it was that in the pages of this one shot special drawn by Neil Adams that Muhammad Ali himself would fight Superman in a boxing match. Now, you might be saying to yourself, as literally did every kid in my first grade class, - even Muhammad Ali can not defeat Superman! Well, you’ll just have to read it for yourself but this comic book might have been the apex of 1970s pop culture. It only needed a theme song by The Eagles or a run-in from Evel Knievel or KISS to have blown our little 1970s minds.
Daredevil issue 191 (1983) (Marvel)
This is the infamous “Roulette” issue from February 1983. Daredevil issue 191 is a very heavy comic book for a twelve year old but that’s what I liked about it. There probably should have been a “don’t try this at home” warning or something on it, though I never heard of this issue inspiring anyone to play Russian Roulette. In this issue Daredevil, still distraught over the death of Elektra, visits an incapacitated Bullseye in the hospital. The art is sparse in the hospital scenes with no background. Daredevil has brought a .38 revolver and begins playing Russian Roulette with Bullseye. Daredevil points the gun at his own head first and pulls the trigger… then at Bullseye… all while telling Bullseye a story about a young man who idolized him that ended up seeing him take down his corrupt father and the mental damage it did to the child. On the final page we find out that five empty chambers have been clicked and only one remains… for Bullseye. When Daredevil points the gun for the last trigger pull at the wide-eyed Bullseye we discover, only after Daredevil pulls the trigger, that the gun has no bullets. A heavy story.
Power of Shazam issue 1 (1995) (DC Comics)
As stated before, Captain Marvel (the original) is one of my all time favorite comic book characters… but… seldom has he ever got the treatment I feel his character really deserves. He’s either dumbed down to appeal to the youngest children or an attempt is made to make him edgy, controversial, and cool by writers who don’t get the character or think he’s to simple to appeal to modern audiences. However, in the mid-1990s DC Comics found someone who absolutely understood Captain Marvel- Jerry Ordway. Power of Shazam is, far and away, the definitive Captain Marvel series of the modern era. No Captain Marvel series has even come close to this take on the character in the modern era. Captain Marvel is everything he should be, heroic, moral, and fun. Power of Shazam is a must read.
Legend of the Shield (1991) (Impact Comics)
Having been a fan of the obscure MLJ/Red Circle brand of heroes for sometime, in 1991 they were relaunched on their largest platform yet- Impact Comics, a subsidiary of DC Comics. While not a part of the DC Universe, Impact presented these classic characters to one of the widest audiences they had ever been presented to. There was a big marketing push for the Impact line-up and most of the comic book collectors I knew bought at least the first issues. The Shield had long been my favorite character of the group and I really enjoyed this issue. The Impact line didn’t last very long, none of the MLJ series ever do, but for me, one of it’s few fans, I enjoyed every minute of it.
Magnus: Robot Fighter issue 1 (1991) (Valiant Comics)
In the early 1990s Marvel, DC, and Image Comics had the comic book industry on fire. Comics were nearing a peak in terms of sales and pop culture popularity. Then, along came Valiant Comics who had picked up the licenses for several older properties including Solar, Turok, and Magnus. These characters had been around since the 1960s but Valiant put a fresh coat of paint on them. Valiant Comics were all the rage for a while in the early 1990s and many of their comics were quite good. My favorite, however, was Magnus: Robot Fighter. Set in the year 4000 where mankind is largely served by robots, the robots have began to gain sentience and have started to revolt. Magnus has been trained since he was a child to fight the coming revolution. Trained by the first robot to gain sentience no less- 1A! A fun dystopian story where North America is one giant multi-level city built on top of itself.
Superman - Batman issue 5 (2004) (DC Comics)
I am a big fan of Captain Marvel (the artist now known as Shazam) though this list might not bear that out. I should say, I am a fan of the idea of Captain Marvel/Shazam more than any particular issue. DC Comics, aside from the fantastic Power of Shazam series in the 1990s, has never really had a clue how to use the original Captain Marvel. Yet, he makes an appearance here in issue 5 of the really excellent Superman - Batman series “Public Enemies” in the early 2000s. This issue features a great reveal at the end as we get the impression that the ultimate smiling good guy, Captain Marvel, may have finally had enough of President Lex Luthor only to find out, as Luthor rips away the shirt of Captain Marvel, that it’s actually Superman underneath. A really fun story and these early Superman - Batman issues are really outstanding.
Avengers Annual 10 (1981) (Marvel Comics)
I actually got the 1981 Avengers Annual issue 10 a couple of years after it’s release. For Christmas one year in the early 1980s my parents ordered me a 25 issue grab bag of comic books out of, I kid you not, the Sears Christmas Wish Book. Included in that grab bag was a copy of Avengers Annual 10. As it turns out, this was not a bad deal as Avengers Annual 10 was the first appearance of Rogue which, on eBay, is currently selling around the $50 or higher mark. Good job Sears. I liked this comic book because the story was very dense. It took a long time to read it and was packed with little mysteries. It also featured a cross-over by the X-Men which I did not normally read but I loved the Avengers. Spider-Woman also played a large role in Avengers Annual 10 as well. My favorite thing about it is probably the cover which is one of those great old school “This thing and this thing and that thing happens in this issue!”
Marvel Team-Up 65 (1977) (Marvel Comics)
After re-reading Marvel Team-Up issue 65 published in 1977 by Marvel Comics, I barely remembered it. So why did I remember this comic book from my childhood at all? I think it was the introduction and original design of Captain Britain. Apparently, I wasn’t the only person who liked this as a few years ago Marvel released a four inch Marvel Universe action figure set based on this comic book featuring Spider-Man and Captain Britain in his original costume and a reprint of the comic book. Since then, Captain Britain has changed outfits (I liked the new one too) and has starred in many comic books and is most associated with the Excalibur team.
He-Man Meets Ram Man Masters of the Universe Mini-Comic (1982) (Mattel)
I loved the mini-comics that were included with the Masters of the Universe action figures, especially those that pre-date the cartoon. The Filmation cartoon is what introduced the mainstream continuity for Masters of the Universe such as He-Man is really Prince Adam, King Randor, etc. The early mini-comics were much more related to “Conan the Barbarian as designed by a ten year old”. They were fun and certainly aimed at young boys but very imaginative. In fact, I have often felt that the Masters of the Universe line lost a lot of it’s magic when the cartoon came along. Why this particular comic book? Because I liked Ram Man! Ram Man was a big, dull-witted, brute. I guess I can related to that.
The Mighty Crusaders issue 11 (1985) (Archie Adventure Series Comics)
Known variously throughout their existence (since the Golden Age of comics) as MLJ/Red Circle/Archie/Impact, etc, this set of characters is kind of like Bigfoot to me. Once, ever so often, I’d catch a glimpse of these superheroes who didn’t belong to either DC or Marvel. I had seen pictures of The Shield in comic book buying guides, glimpsed an advertisement for action figures based on these characters, but I never actually saw one of these comic books on a spinner rack. Then, in 1985, I randomly found The Mighty Crusaders issue 11. The Crusaders is essentially the Avengers or Justice League for the MLJ/Red Circle universe. Inside, I finally got to see The Shield in action along with The Web, The Fox, Black Hood, The Comet, and others. The comic book was pretty cheesy and seemed like it was written in the silver age rather than 1985 but at least I finally had an opportunity to sit, read, and study these characters a little more carefully. I still have a soft spot in my heart for The Shield until this very day.
The Eternals issue 7 (1977) (Marvel Comics)
I did not read The Eternals at the time it came out. I don’t recall ever seeing an issue on the newsstand. I came to The Eternals later in life, not because of the members of the Eternals but because of the gigantic Celestials. Any time the Celestials popped up in another Marvel Comic book I was enthralled. These giant god-like beings crossed over into another favorite genre of mine - alternative ancient history and civilizations. When I discovered that the Celestials appeared frequently in the pages of The Eternals I knew I had to read these stories. Imagine my amazement when I found out that the legendary Jack Kirby drew these impressive beings. The Eternals issue 7 focused on the purpose of the Celestials and the fearsome sounding “Fourth Host”. The Eternals issue 7 also tied into ancient Inca culture. This comic book was right up my alley!
Astonishing Tales issue 25 (1974) (Marvel Comics)
I love me some Deathlok… well, except for that 1990s series that wasn’t very good. I don’t know why I even have memories of Astonishing Tales issue 25. I would have only been three years old when it came out so I’m sure I didn’t buy it at the time and this doesn’t seem like a comic book that would be reprinted in the 1970s but, for whatever reason, I remember the origin of Deathlok. I liked Frankenstein and Deathlok was basically a Frankenstein soldier. This is a really cool comic book from the bronze age of comics and it’s stuff like Astonishing Tales issue 25 that made me a fan.
Hero for Hire issue 1 (1972) (Marvel Comics)
This is another issue that I first saw as a reprint somewhere. I absolutely love “Powerman” Luke Cage. He is one of my favorite Marvel Comics heroes. What has happened to Luke Cage? Just a few short years ago he was leading The Avengers, had a hit Netflix series, and seemed to be moving up to becoming an A-Lister? Now, he’s sadly fallen back out of the Marvel top tier of superheros and it’s a shame. Luke Cage has a great history. Hero for Hire issue 1 gives his griping origin. Luke Cage is a man utterly done wrong by society and ends up fighting for the common man. Ultimately, of course, he teams up with Iron Fist and the duo become a very well known tag team in the Marvel Universe. Still, Luke Cage is an incredible hero who has never truly gotten the respect he deserves. It’s time for Marvel to move him pack to the front of the pack again.
Silver Surfer issue 18 (1988) (Marvel Comics)
As you can tell from this list, I love giant cosmic beings fighting it out. Two of those cosmic beings did battle in issue 18 of Silver Surfer’s 1980s series: Galactus and the In-Betweener! Galactus is pretty easy to explain, he is a giant survivor from the universe that existed before the Big Bang and he eats planets. The In-Betweener is a little more esoteric. Chaos and Order exist as beings in the Marvel Universe and their agent is the In-Betweener. Well, somehow or other, the In-Between ran afoul of Galactus and it degenerated into a fist fight. Yes, I know, it sounds dumb and it kind of was but I love big cosmic dudes fighting. Plain and simple.
Fantastic Four Annual 17 (1983) (Marvel Comics)
I don’t know why I loved this issue. I had it as a kid and must have read Fantastic Four Annual 17 dozens of times. It features, maybe the worst John Byrne art ever. I’m sorry, I love John Byrne, especially his work on Alpha Flight but Fantastic Four Annual 17 leaves a lot to be desired. It’s like he purposely made the people’s faces look ugly. Anyway, remember those Skrulls that Reed Richard once talked into turning themselves into cows? Well, leaving no story line untied no matter how ridiculous, those Skrull cows have now come back to haunt the Fantastic Four (who finally show up halfway through the issue.) I have no idea why I loved this as a kid but I still remember every beat of it but, wow, this comic isn’t very good.
Incredible Hulk issue 350 (1988) (Marvel Comics)
The Incredible Hulk and The Thing have fought many times over the course of Marvel Comics history. More often than not, the Hulk is portrayed as the more dominate of the two, while The Thing has a “never say die” Rocky Balboa attitude. In 1988, both The Thing and the Incredible Hulk were going through some changes. The Hulk was now in his grey Joe Fixit persona which is a little smarter but less strong. The Thing, on the other hand, had gone through a transformation where his rocky hide was thicker than ever and he was stronger than ever. So, with these changes, Marvel Comics pitted The Hulk against The Thing yet again in the pages of Incredible Hulk issue 350. May the best man win!
Invaders Annual 1 (1977) (Marvel Comics)
I enjoyed the Invaders comic book series by Marvel when I was a young kid. Once again, it was a team-up book where I could read about multiple superheros for the price of a single comic book. This was a big one! 50 whole cents! But I loved Captain America as a kid and the idea that a Human Torch existed prior to the one in Fantastic Four was amazing to me. The Invaders was set in World War II so these stories weren’t contemporary with what was going on in the Marvel universe at the time so it was like getting a back story. After re-reading Invaders Annual 1 again for the first time in a long time I have to say it is very dense reading but captures pretty well the feeling of a Golden Age comic book.
Amazing Spider-Man issue 29 (1965) (Marvel Comics)
I wasn’t even born when Amazing Spider-Man issue 29 came out in 1965 but I read it as a reprint in Marvel Tales - Spider-Man. I’m not sure why I liked the Scorpion. He was just a cool looking character with a powerful tail that was co-conspired by J. Jonah Jamison to get Spider-Man… only the plan failed and now the Scorpion is out to get Jamison in this issue. I really like the design of the Scorpion and how he is a natural rival to Spider-Man (Scorpion vs Spider). This is a fun issue with a really good hero verses villain battle and J. Jonah Jamison being his hypocritical best.
Power Man & Iron Fist issue 87 (1982) (Marvel Comics)
I got Power Man & Iron Fist issue 87 as part of a grab bag of comics one time. This issue featured Moon Knight. Now, I am a fan of Moon Knight and I am a fan of Power Man & Iron Fist but this issue made Moon Knight look like a complete dork. He literally gets bested by a chubby dude with a crowbar, falls into a water tank, and almost dies. He needs Power Man & Iron Fist to figure out where he is and come and save him. Moon Knight, one of my favorite superheros, does absolutely nothing in this comic book other than get beat up and nearly die. Thank goodness for Luke Cage and Iron Fist. I liked this comic because it featured three people I really liked. I wish I hadn’t re-read it because, wow, Moon Knight comes off bad in this issue.
Justice League of America issue 92 (1971) (DC Comics)
I love Solomon Grundy. I became a fan of Solomon Grundy during his time as part of the Legion of Doom on the old Super Friends Saturday morning cartoon series. I was too young to see this comic book at the time. I found it at a comic book shop later on. One of my favorite things about bronze age comic books are the eye catching “floating head covers”. Put super hero faces all around and action shot and you have my attention. Solomon Grundy didn’t do much on the Super Friends past being a one dimensional heavy so it was pretty cool to see more of his story in the pages of DC Comics.
Marvel Premiere issue 28 (1975) (Marvel Comics)
What’s not to love about a gathering of monsters? I’ve already said elsewhere, I loved the team up books like the Avengers, Defenders, and Justice League the most when I was a kid because I got more heroes for my dollar. Well, that goes double for monsters. I love Godzilla but give me Godzilla verses a BUNCH of monsters and I am in heaven. When Marvel Premiere gave us a whole Legion of Monsters I was understandably thrilled. I was too young to have gotten this off a spinner rack in 1975 but I seem to remember getting this in a batch of comics given to me by an older cousin. After re-reading the story for this article I discovered it didn’t really hold up very well but this was likely the first place I ever saw Morbius plus I got Man-Thing, Ghost Rider, and Werewolf by Night!
From Beyond the Unknown issue 1 (1969) (DC Comics)
I came along a few years too late to have gotten in on the peak of the wild monster and sci-fi comics of the 1950s and 1960s. Somewhere along the way, I acquired a beat up, banged up copy of From Beyond the Unknown issue 1 which came out in late 1969 published by DC Comics. I have forever had the cool “Fantastic Turtle Men of Space” splash stuck in my head. That is literally what I think of anytime I see a cheesy old black and white sci-fi movie. “This movie might have a giant spider but it’s no Fantastic Turtle Men of Space!”. Absolutely love the absurdity of it.
Batman verses Predator issue 1 (1991) (DC Comics & Dark Horse Comics)
This is a comic book right up my alley! I loved the first Predator movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his band of elite military soldiers tracking and being tracked by an extraterrestrial hunter killer, Jesse Ventura doesn’t have time to bleed? That’s the stuff I like right there. So, pit the killing machine that is The Predator against Batman and you have my attention. This match up would be repeated a few more times over the years but I’ll never forget seeing issue one of this in my local comic book shop back in 1991 and being blown away that this was actually a thing that could happen.
Immortal Dr. Fate issue 1 (1985) (DC Comics)
Dr. Fate is one of my favorite character designs. I love the gold and blue color scheme, I love the helmet of Fate, I love the fact that his magic spells are depicted as the Egyptian Ankh symbol. Dr. Fate had long been a staple of the Justice League and, before that back into the golden age of comics, the Justice Society. But he had largely been a background player. In 1985 he had a three issue mini-series titled “The Immortal Dr. Fate”. While I thought the series fell short of what I wanted out of Dr. Fate it is still the closest, in my opinion, DC Comics ever got. A few years ago DC Comics revamped the character and introduced Khalid Ben-Hassin as the new Dr. Fate. The story was actually very good, though I was not a fan of the sketchy art style. I am still longing for a really, really great Dr. Fate solo series.
Street Fighter issue 1 (1993) (Malibu Comics)
I was a big fan of the martial arts video games of the early 1990s. I cut my teeth on Double Dragon back in high school in the 1980s so when Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat came out with their games I played them every chance I could get. I especially liked the Street Fighter characters. Ryu, Sagat, Ken Masters, Bison, and Guile were my favorites. Naturally, anytime any of those characters crossed over into comic books I wanted to check it out. Neither Street Fighter nor Mortal Kombat ever had what I would call a “home run” comic book series but I still remember the Malibu comic company putting out the one I liked best. Also, to further my fandom, both Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter once crossed over into G.I. Joe action figures as well!
Phantom Stranger issue 1 (2012) (DC Comics)
There wasn’t much I liked about the New 52 era of DC Comics. For one thing, Superman inexplicably lost his shorts, but serious, I did like the new Phantom Stranger series. I had never really paid much attention to the Phantom Stranger before this. I knew he had been around a long time but I never read much about him. This is the first series where I really studied the character. The Biblical tie-ins were very interesting since I came from a very strict Christian childhood, so to see that this character had ties to that world fascinated me. I quite enjoyed the first several issues of the Phantom Stranger series and went back and sought out earlier appearances as well.
Iron Man issue 182 (1992) (Marvel Comics)
Iron Man issue 262 is another comic book that upon re-reading wasn’t very good. It had that distinctive 1990s art style (and that is not a compliment) but how can you not love the War Machine armor design? The cover is dominated not only by the beautiful black and silver War Machine armor but the title of the book “Iron Man” is painted over to read “War Machine” as though he had taken over the book and, in a sense, he did. Soon, Marvel would “kill off” Tony Stark (again) for a while and James Rhodes and War Machine would take center stage. Over the years, War Machine has popped up again and again, occasionally getting his own title. I would love, however, to get a War Machine series set in the mainstream Marvel Universe. The design is just too impressive to use so rarely.
Silver Surfer issue 50 (1991) (Marvel Comics)
I hate to admit that I was a sucker for another gimmick cover but in 1991 I was really into the Silver Surfer solo comic book series. The Silver Surfer series featured all these massive cosmic characters and issue 50 was highlighted by a foil embossed cover bringing the Silver Surfer to life in… well… silver. I hate to admit I’m that shallow because Silver Surfer issue 50 really wasn’t very good and it featured my least favorite aspect of Silver Surfer- whiny, self absorbed, Silver Surfer. But, dang that cover looked good in all it’s foil embossed glory.
Incredible Hulk verses Superman (1999) (DC Comics & Marvel Comics)
Company crossovers sound like a good idea. Justice League of America verses The Avengers, Batman and Captain America, etc. They seldom ever live up their hype or potential. In 1999 we got Marvel’s Incredible Hulk verses DC Comics’ Superman and it didn’t live up to the hype either. But still, these are two of my favorite characters and this was a fun enough comic book. The art was Jack Kirby inspired and I thought it worked pretty well here. Again, it’s not what it should have been or could have been but it was fun enough for one day read and you could let your imagination do the rest.
Moon Knight Special 1 (1992) (Marvel Comics)
This is not a good comic book. So why did it make the When It Was Cool 100 favorite comic books of all time list? Well… I was a big Moon Knight fan in 1992 and I bought pretty much everything he was in. When I saw that Moon Knight in his new armor (sorry, I liked the armor phase of Moon Knight) was teaming with Shang-Chi the Master of Kung Fu, I had to have it… and I really wanted to like it. I have read this comic book several times over the years and I’m sorry, it’s just not very good. It’s very silly with no context to the silliness. The tone of this comic doesn’t fit anything that either Moon Knight nor Shang-Chi were doing at the time. But I really want to like it. And I still really like the Moon Knight armor.
Nova issue 1 (1994) (Marvel Comics)
I have to admit, Nova issue 1 is a terrible comic book. So, how did it make my list of my personal favorite comic books of all time? This volume of Nova came out in 1994 and I was getting nostalgic for my childhood. I loved the Nova comic book series in the 1970s when I was a kid, so this marked a return of a character I had not seen much of over the last 20 years. Nova issue 1 had a metallic gold cover, yes, a gimmick cover to boot, but I was excited to see one of my childhood favorites return in his own comic book series. Nova had been part of the New Warriors prior to this but this marked his return in his own solo book. Too bad the story was awful, the art was awful, and Richard Rider (Nova) was an utterly hateable douche. Still, the idea of this comic resonated with me so I hold it up as a guilty pleasure.
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