The Greatest Comic Book Covers of All Time Read online

  Giant-Size Defenders #1 (Jul 74)

  Art by Gil Kane, John Romita, Frank Giacoia, and Mike Esposito

  Almost a year before Giant-Size X-Men #1, Gil Kane had a similar cover design for The Defenders’ first giant-size issue. (Yes, we told you once but now maybe you’d like to compare the images. It’s on page 37.) No reason to avoid using the idea twice, right?

  Giant-Size Defenders #1: One of the all-time great team-book compositions, this time with our Jolly Jade Giant leading the way and breaking the fourth wall.

  — Mark Paniccia

  CBG #1639, March 2008

  WAR! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

  During World War II, comics creators had a challenge besides paper shortages. It was the intersection of the realities of the battlefield and the fantasies of super-heroes. There were tales of combat, but often the focus had to be adapted, as the war effort continued. Airboy and Captain America tackled Nazis, to be sure, but it was after the war that the war genre exploded with exciting, heroic tales of fighting forces. (While some were realistic, many were designed solely to entertain and some were downright silly.)

  Blackhawk #56 (Sep 52)

  Art by Reed Crandall

  The Blackhawk Squadron, an international team of fighting aviators, actually began their adventures before America entered World War II. Eventually, they took on all sorts of menaces in a decades-long version of that conflict. The War Wheel was such a weird and memorable adversary that it returned several times after its debut in this issue.

  Foxhole #1 (Sep 54)

  Art by Jack Kirby

  Artist Jack Kirby saw some of the worst that World War II had to offer in the European theater and brought those memories to his post-war work.

  Star Spangled War Stories #90 (May 60)

  Art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito

  “The War That Time Forgot” was an ongoing theme in DC’s war titles. The science may have been way off, but the action was worth it. How could a story go wrong with tanks and dinosaurs?

  Sgt. Fury #13 (Dec 64)

  Art by Jack Kirby

  Teaming a revived Captain America with Sgt. Fury was a logical move for Marvel nearly two decades after the armed conflict ended. (Historical postscript: When the first proposed cover for this issue was rejected, the artist drew expletives on Cap’s shield on the original art.)

  Warfront #37 (Sep 66)

  Art by Jack Sparling and Wally Wood

  Readers of war comics have seen all sorts of weaponry — from grenades disabling tanks to machine guns taking out dinosaurs — but how about a Marine using sticks of dynamite as a weapon of choice? He was clearly blast-crazy!

  Sgt. Rock #408 (Sep 86)

  Art by Joe Kubert

  Under the hand of editor-writer-artist Joe Kubert, DC’s war titles showed the grittier side of war and urged readers, at one point, to “Make War No More.” This unusual issue’s stunning cover paid tribute to those sentiments while also celebrating the career of DC’s Sheldon Mayer.

  Foxhole #1: This is probably my favorite cover of all time. To me, Kirby’s amazing illustration here stands head and shoulders above his more fantastic “super-hero” art.

  — Billy Tucci

  CBG #1648, December 2008

  ’80S EXCITEMENT

  The Bronze Age (see Page 36) hadn’t yet ended in the early 1980s, when these issues were published. Even so, these were years in which storytelling changes began that still resonate today. [Psst! There’s still heated debate — not only about when the Bronze Age ended, but also about what to call the next Age (or Ages) and when it (or they) began.]

  New Teen Titans #1 (Nov 80)

  Art by George Pérez

  DC provided its answer to Marvel’s revived X-Men with Marv Wolfman and George Pérez’ reimagining of DC’s junior Justice League as a team that could hold its own against its older counterparts. That team is comin’ atcha! (And, yes, it was a “collector’s item issue”!)

  X-Men #141 (Jan 81)

  Art by John Byrne and Terry Austin

  Not content to maintain the status quo, writer Chris Claremont provided readers a peek at a possible future for Marvel’s mutants. John Byrne and Terry Austin’s cover made clear the impact of the apocalyptic tale.

  Wolverine (1st series) #1 (Sep 82)

  Art by Frank Miller

  Logan has always had a bad attitude, but Frank Miller brought it to the fore in the Canadian mutant’s first solo mini-series. Come on! Buy it! You know you want to!

  Thor #337 (Nov 83)

  Art by Walt Simonson

  Alien Beta Ray Bill showed he was worthy of Thor’s hammer with this powerful Walter Simonson cover.

  Batman: The Dark Knight #1 (Mar 86)

  Art by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

  It may say “Returns” on the cover, but the indicia doesn’t contain the word. The cover was so iconic, many other artists have drawn homages to it.

  Watchmen #1 (Sep 86)

  Art by Dave Gibbons

  Dave Gibbons’ powerful first cover for his and Alan Moore’s genre-defining maxi-series turned a familiar popular-culture icon of joy into a symbol of darkness. (The Gibbons image has itself become an icon of social comment.)

  Thor #337: Man, oh man, who wouldn’t want to know who this guy is after seeing this cover?

  — Robert Kirkman

  CBG #1642, June 2008

  LET’S YOU AND HIM FIGHT

  In E.C. Segar’s Thimble Theatre comic strip in the 1930s the J. Wellington Wimpy character sometimes managed to avoid being personally injured by suggesting, “Let’s you and him fight,” when fisticuffs were in the offing. None of the battles on these covers were sparked by that phrase, but they deserve comparison to the best of the spinach-fueled encounters that Wimpy’s buddy Popeye experienced.

  Marvel Mystery Comics #9 (Jul 40)

  Art by Bill Everett and Alex Schomburg

  Two of the titans of Marvel Comics’ predecessor, Timely Comics, came to blows repeatedly in the 1940s, making for spectacular donnybrooks. This example is actually a bit restrained for an Alex Schomburg cover; the artist specialized in packing his images with a plethora of background details.

  Defenders #10 (Nov 73)

  Art by John Romita

  Fans have argued for years about the question: Who’s stronger, The Hulk or Thor? Unfortunately, the matter wasn’t actually settled in the issue — though the cover successfully tantalized readers.

  X-Men #100 (Aug 76)

  Art by Dave Cockrum

  “Let’s you and him fight” is often epitomized by a face-off between two teams — or generations — of heroes. The artist presents an exciting view of the possibilities ahead.

  Justice League of America #137 (Dec 83)

  Art by Ernie Chua

  Who cared how red kryptonite ended up at The Rock of Eternity? This was the battle for which fans had asked for more than 40 years! Woo hoo!

  Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976)

  Art by Carmine Infantino, Ross Andru, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, and Terry Austin

  Pitting their most popular characters against each other was a natural sales blockbuster for DC and Marvel. Talk about fan debates comparing super-heroes!

  Avengers/JLA #2 (2003)

  Art by George Pérez

  An earlier version of this crossover between Marvel and DC had been planned nearly 20 years previously. Fans rejoiced when the patience of artist George Pérez was rewarded when he was finally able to realize his vision with writer Kurt Busiek. It was hero vs. hero vs. hero vs. … Well, you get the idea.

  Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man: Or as I like to call it: The invention of the nerdgasm.

  — Brian Michael Bendis

  CBG #1613, February 2006

  IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN (HULK)

  Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has inspired countless variations on the theme since 1896. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby came up with a comics version in 1962, an
d, in the last half-century, numerous writers and artists have added variations to the basics. The primal nature of the character and his powerful covers have appealed to fans for 50 years.

  Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1 (1968)

  Art by Jim Steranko and Marie Severin

  Artist Jim Steranko captured the power of The Hulk with Ol’ Greenskin’s own logo demonstrating his strength. Marie Severin redrew The Hulk’s face for this memorable image.

  Incredible Hulk #105 (Jul 68)

  Art by Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia

  He was powerful. Heck, he was incredible! And artist Marie Severin made The Hulk’s power clear in this early issue of his ongoing run. (The series picked up the numbering of Marvel’s Tales to Astonish.)

  Incredible Hulk #340 (Feb 88)

  Art by Todd McFarlane

  The green Hulk had taken a breather, so it was up to the less-powerful (but more cunning) gray version of The Hulk to battle Wolverine. (The cover was so dynamic that it was later used in a poster with green Hulk in place of gray.)

  Web of Spider-Man #7 (Oct 85)

  Art by Ron Wilson and Brett Breeding

  Readers were invited to imagine how it would feel to face a fighting-mad Hulk. You have to figure it’s something any sane Wall-Crawler would want to avoid.

  Incredible Hulk #376 (Dec 90)

  Art by Dale Keown and Bob McLeod

  Green vs. Gray was the order of the day, as writer Peter David and artist Dale Keown integrated all aspects of The Hulk and his alter-ego Bruce Banner. Clearly, it was a must-buy issue!

  Hulk #29 (Mar 11)

  Art by Ed McGuinness

  As if green and gray Hulks weren’t enough, how about a red Hulk? Maybe this cover should have been in our “Let’s You and Him Fight” section.

  Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1: The still pose exudes momentum, as Hulk struggles to keep the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  — Mark Paniccia

  CBG #1639, March 2008

  IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN READ YOUR COMICS

  Science-fiction stories were a natural fit for comics. After all, most of the super-hero adventures were science fiction to some extent. From space adventures that began in the pulps and newspapers to cosmic adventures to tales set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away or out where no man has gone before, such comics can be stellar. (Moreover, even spectacular special effects are cheap in comics.)

  Flying Saucers #1 (1950)

  Art by Gene Fawcette

  First coined in the late 1940s, the term “flying saucers” quickly conjured the image of aliens (sometimes “little green men”) bent on invasion. Avon Publications tapped into paranoia with this 1950 one-shot and its provocative cover question. Oooo! What did Professor Lanning know? Find out for a dime!

  Famous Funnies #213 (Sep 54)

  Art by Frank Frazetta

  Frank Frazetta added excitement to reprints of the long-running Buck Rogers newspaper stories with his memorable covers of the mid-1950s. Who — or what — is that shadowy figure menacing Buck and Wilma?

  Mystery in Space #53 (Aug 59)

  Art by Gil Kane and Bernard Sachs

  Adam Strange was a man of two worlds. While his archaeological expeditions on Earth were exciting, it was his galactic gallivanting on Rann that made him a hero to an entire world. Doggone those revolting robots, anyway!

  Silver Surfer #1 (Aug 68)

  Art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott

  Readers had already met the tragic interstellar character who had come as an enemy and remained as an ally. But they hadn’t been told the full tale of his origin — so this was a natural hook to catch Faithful Fans of The Fantastic Four.

  Star Trek #1 (Oct 89)

  Art by Jerome Moore

  All the major players of the original series were recognizable on the cover of the first issue of DC’s second series: a must-buy for fans who wanted to move past the events of Star Trek V: The Undiscovered Country.

  Marvel Special Edition featuring Star Wars #3 (1978)

  Fans of the first Star Wars film (now known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) had multiple comic-book options to read the adaptation. There were the first six issues of the ongoing comic book, two Life magazine-sized volumes with the same material, and this single oversized volume, which collected the whole story and featured the most dynamic cover of all the versions.

  Marvel Special Edition featuring Star Wars #3: George Lucas’ characters and Marvel were a successful match.

  — Tony Isabella

  1000 Comic Books You Must Read, 2009

  ’90S KNOCKOUTS

  The 1990s ushered in an era of new publishers, new printing techniques, and a variety of cover effects (as well as a speculation bubble that burst mid-decade). The principles designed to attract readers were not forgotten, however, as these memorable covers demonstrate.

  Aliens vs. Predator #0 (Jul 90)

  Art by Mike Mignola

  With the licenses for both properties, Dark Horse Comics merged two popular movie franchises years before the studios did so. It was a “must-buy” for any fan of either — as this cover made clear! (And — hey — which would you root for?)

  Magnus Robot Fighter #1 (May 91)

  Art by Art Nichols and Bob Layton

  With its acquisition of a license to publish new adventures of Gold Key’s heroes of the 1960s, Valiant set the bar high with its first issue of Magnus Robot Fighter. It was designed to grab new readers as well as fans of the earlier series.

  Bone #3 (Dec 91)

  Art by Jeff Smith

  The manipulative schemer Phoney Bone couldn’t help but meddle in his cousin Fone Bone’s affairs, even usurping the cover of an early issue. The cover was an attention-grabber for a series destined to be recognized as a classic.

  Spawn #1 (May 92)

  Art by Todd McFarlane

  Todd McFarlane’s Hell-born hero was an early title from Image. Its dynamic art captivated buyers from the very first issue and spawned (sorry!) an animated series, live-action feature, videogames, collectible action figures, and more.

  Preacher #1 (Apr 95)

  Art by Steve Dillon

  Artist Steve Dillon began his and Garth Ennis’ metaphysical adventure series with this compelling image.

  Marvels #1 (Jan 94)

  Art by Alex Ross

  Alex Ross’ re-imagining of The Human Torch’s first appearance in 1939 set the tone for this mini-series. Writer Kurt Busiek and artist Ross worked together to tell the history of the Marvel Universe from the view of news photographer Phil Sheldon. The unusual cover featured an overlay carrying the text so that the art could be viewed on its own.

  Spawn #1: I can’t deny that this was one of the most influential titles on me when it debuted in ’92. I was about 15 and blown away by the art.

  — Josh Blaylock

  CBG #1616, May 2006

  IT’S A TRIBUTE, NOT A SWIPE (PART TWO)

  The cover of Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 may be the most memorable version of covers that are based in part on Michaelangelo’s Pietà, but it wasn’t the first comics cover to feature a dead character in someone’s arms while other characters looked on.

  Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (Oct 85)

  Art by George Pérez

  George Pérez’ art showed clearly that no character was safe, as DC overhauled and simplified its universe after 50 years. But how did Supergirl — whose powers were nearly as infinite as her cousin’s — die? That’s what readers had to find out in this double-sized issue.

  Thor #127 (Apr 66)

  Art by Jack Kirby

  Sure looks as though Thor has gone to Valhalla, doesn’t it? What does Odin have to say about it? Better buy that issue!

  Superman’s Girl Friend Lois Lane #128 (Dec 72)

  Art by Bob Oksner

  Superman just can’t catch a break. Every time he thinks he’s found happiness with Lois, something comes along to mess it up. What now? Hey, just buy the issu
e, already.

  Incredible Hulk #189 (Jul 75)

  Art by Herb Trimpe

  Ol’ Jade Jaws spends less time mourning and more time taking action, when his friend is injured. Fewer tears, more sheer rage. Can The Mole Man and his Moloids help? Holy Moly!

  X-Men #136 (Aug 80)

  Art by John Byrne and Terry Austin

  It was another major turning point. This was clearly a can’t-miss-it issue. X-Men fans had to see what had happened to Jean Grey!

  Supergirl #79 (Apr 03)