Since the 1930s, the American comic book industry, led by Marvel and DC, has become a powerhouse of fiction, becoming a multi-billion dollar property with franchises as diverse as Batman and Superman created. Since its inception, the industry has been shaped, revolutionized, and improved by a number of comics, creative teams, and iconic runs. This can happen for a variety of reasons, from sales advantage to the influence of a new generation of storytellers.
The comic book industry has gone through many different phases and ages, starting with the Golden Age, when superheroes took over the pulp magazines, and leading up to the current Modern Age. Sometimes a comic can have a profound impact without remaining particularly popular, while others maintain mainstream status with new generations. Either way, it's hard to deny the lasting impact of some comics.
10 Secret Wars of Marvel Super Heroes
Jim Shooter, Mike Zeck and John Beatty
Secret Wars of Marvel Super Heroes It follows the epic battle between the heroes and villains of the 616th, as the cosmic entity Beyonder takes them to a distant planet known as Battleworld. Heroes such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine and the Hulk face off against iconic foes such as Doctor Doom, Ultron and Kang the Conqueror in an epic war between good and evil.
Secret Wars often cited as the first true event in comic book history, its story ripples through Marvel continuity for years to come, leading to the creation of Venom, the most famous Spider-Man's black suit. Interestingly, the black suit was actually submitted to Marvel by a reader, making it one of the most successful pieces of fan art in comic book history.
9 The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley
Frank Miller and Klaus Janson in 1986 The Dark Knight Returns took readers to a future Gotham City where Bruce Wayne had retired as Batman. However, as the city experiences an unprecedented crime of violence at the hands of a Mutant gang, the hero returns, calling on the leader of the gang to put an end to their chaos.
The Dark Knight Returns wasn't just a commercial success, it sparked an explosion in prestige format character searches, not to mention a wave of “old man” style comics. Without Miller's work on the character, it's uncertain whether such evergreen stories as “Old Man Logan,” Peter David's “Maestro” Hulk comics, and other classics would exist.
8 Crisis on Infinite Earths
Marv Wolfman and George Perez
In 1986 DC came out Crisis on Infinite Earths with a single mission: to simplify their continuity and offer a clean slate for a new generation of readers. This was accomplished on many fronts, from the return of classic heroes relocated to Earth-2 to the destruction of alternate worlds and the death of major heroes, paving the way for younger successors. By all accounts, the event was a huge success.
The story itself follows the arrival of the Anti-Monitor, a major supervillain who begins to destroy all the universes within the multiverse. In response, the Monitor gathers a team of heroes from different worlds to repel the villains' onslaught and protect as many worlds as they can. Combining multiple ongoing titles, the event made DC the most exciting publisher of the late 80s and even explained the addition of the newly acquired Charlton heroes.
7 Watchmen
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Watchmen takes place in its own continuity and explores the Guardians, a retired team of superheroes. After a former member, a comedian, is murdered in his apartment, masked detective Rorschach takes the case, investigating what happened to his old teammate. As he digs deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a conspiracy with dire consequences and tries to bring the man responsible to justice at all costs. Moore's story, for example, helped popularize the wave of dark stories that followed Speaker, Sandman and Hellblazer.
Watchmen is a significant comic book, not for its characters or even its sales, but for its influence on the industry, whether writers, publishers, or readers. This has prompted a new generation of creative teams to focus more than ever on deconstructing character and genre, exploring what makes a superhero. The influence of Moore's script can be found in the contemporary writing of everyone from Tom King and Christopher Cantwell to Mark Millar and Geoff Jones.
6 X-Men #1
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
The world of Marvel Comics today is defined by focusing on unique superheroes who experience human struggles despite their extraordinary abilities. Although the concept was touched upon in previous Fantastic Four comics, it was through the X-Men that the company defined its basic formula. Through Mutants, a long line of writers, beginning with Stan Lee, were able to explore themes of ostracism, prejudice, and discrimination, even if they became more pronounced in later series.
Uncanny X-Men #1 introduced the world to various iconic Marvel heroes like Beast, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) and Cyclops, not to mention Charles Xavier. Lee and Kirby's collaboration on the series gave Marvel its flagship team-up comic, one that is still a selling point today and far surpasses even the Avengers' comic success.
5 Flash #123
Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson
The Silver Age was heralded by the creation of Barry Allen as the new Flash, and DC effectively removed Jay Garrick from mainstream continuity. This, as well as the creation of Hal Jordan a few years later, was done to attract a new generation of comic readers who wanted more science fiction, action and energetic design. In Flash #123, the company explained that the old heroes were not erased at all, but instead moved to another world, Earth-2, thus creating the first comic book multiverse.
In the year 2024, the use of multiple universes is so common in comics that readers take it for granted, but the concept was previously unavailable to superheroes. Flash #123. Although the scientific theory had been explored years before, the idea's implementation in the DCU proved to be a stroke of genius and would later offer publishers an unprecedented degree of creative freedom. While some may complain that the idea is overused, it's hard to deny that it's a dominant force in modern superhero stories.
4 All Star Comics #3
Gardner Fox, Everett E. Hibbard, Bernard Baily, Ben Flinton, Martin Nodell, Sheldon Moldoff, Sheldon Mayer, and Howard Sherman
In 1941, DC made comic book history with the creation of the industry's first superhero team, the Justice Society of America. In the first team meeting of Spectre, Doctor Fate, Atom, Hawkman, Hourman, Jay Garrick, Alan Scott and Sandman, each member recounts their best adventure. While the story itself was far from revolutionary, the idea of moving towards team dynamics gave DC something unique.
All Star Comics #3 doesn't mark the debut of any characters, but at a time when the industry has always been defined by solo stories, the assembly of a superhero team made a big difference. The story would later set the stage for Fox's creation of Justice League, which even featured updated versions of the classic mantle Green Lantern and Flash. Superhero teams abound in comics today, but they owe everything to the JSA.
3 Detective comics #27
Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Just one year after the success of Superman's debut in Action Comics #1, DC released Detective Comics #27, where the world was introduced to Bruce Wayne: the Bat-Man. In the first story, the character investigates the murder of a chemical magnate, protects the victim's son from illegal imprisonment and finds the real culprits.
As great as Superman is, Batman's unprecedented and unparalleled sales advantage is undeniable as he has become the unofficial flagship character of DC Comics. With enough comic book exposure to make it the second-largest publisher behind Marvel, The Dark Knight helped propel DC to its highest point of sales for many years, while promoting new characters through shared appearances. Defining the street-level vigilante archetype, 'Tec #27's influence can be found in series from Daredevil and the Question to Midnighter and the Punisher.
2 Fantastic Four #1
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
In 1960, Stan Lee was tired of writing the same formulaic stories. As the story goes, he was on the verge of quitting his job at Marvel when his wife, Joan, suggested he write comics the way he wanted. As he explains, if the company hates it and fires him, it won't matter because he's going to quit anyway. Teaming up with Jack Kirby, Lee created The Fantastic Four, a group of otherwise ordinary and relatable characters who form a superhero family.
While many look back X-Men As a turning point in Marvel history, it wouldn't have been possible without their previous successes Fantastic Four. Not only did the comic completely change the landscape of Marvel Comics, it focused on character development, team dynamics, and established the lasting legacy of the Lee/Kirby partnership. Without that debut release, the 616 that readers know and love today simply wouldn't exist. The parallels with Kirby's DC co-creation, Summoners of the Unknowns, which had an undeniable influence on the series, are worth noting.
1 Action comics #1
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
In 1938, longtime creative partners Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster debuted on the main story of Superman. Action comics #1. Before the superhero genre existed and comic books were dominated by detectives and cowboys, their story of an alien hero saving the innocent from injustice was anything but experimental. While the Doctor Occult stories toyed with the idea of the superhero, the modern superhero mythos was born through the Man of Steel.
Action comics #1 follows Superman's origin story from the death of Krypton to his discovery by the Kents as a baby. From a kid learning the limits of his abilities to reporter Clark Kent taking readers through his entire life, almost everything that defines superhero comics today stems from this issue. Famously, the character's future was not certain until the sales figures came in months later, proving the character to be a huge hit. While some people might prefer Batman, Spider-Man, or Wolverine, none of that would have been possible without The Man of Tomorrow being a hit.