There was no way I was going to let this one die. Here's the final list we came up with back in March, 2014. I'd love to see more participants come out for next year's list.


100. All-Star Superman #1-12 (2006-2008)
by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#14 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Aaron King (#55 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"I make fun of Grant Morrison a lot. He's written a lot of nonsensical or abstract Batman stories and I keep trying to see what fans see in his version of Batman, but I guess I don't get it. I don't even really dislike them. His heart is in the right place. But by the end of something like Final Crisis or Batman RIP, I feel like there's something missing. (Often the story.) So I was pleasantly surprised by All-Star Superman. Morrison hits all the right notes without dwelling on all the obvious things one might suspect in a Silver Age Superman homage. I found All-Star Superman to be a delight all the way through. The Frank Quitely art takes a tiny bit of getting used to, but it gives All-Star Superman a unique flavor that helps to elevate it to classic status after only a few years. "



99. Life with Archie #1-12, "Archie Marries Veronica" (2010-2011)
by Paul Kupperberg and Norm Breyfogle

Nominated by: shaxper (#14 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Scott Harris (#31 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"I'm admittedly a fan of the soap opera concept – ongoing intrigue and dramas among a cast of familiar characters, and yet I have little interest in what generally passes for a soap opera because the characterizations are weak, the writing generally terrible, and the outlook jaded and misanthropic. Archie: The Married Life is the first soap opera I've ever seen to fly in the face of that, with great writing, amazing Breyfogle artwork, truly rich and vivid characterizations that flesh out the familiar Archie cast of characters we always thought we know (these characters have true dreams, fears, and convictions now – and they make total sense) and, best of all, the series takes a hard, very real look at what it's like to be a mid-20s adult in the world today, accurately capturing the feelings of the very real challenges faced, and still maintains an unwavering sense of optimism. These are GOOD people, trying to do GOOD things, downtrodden by the evils of the real world and yet giving us the sense that they will prevail in the end. #12 culminates the first major story arc with a major victory for our cast of characters, and it's also Breyfogle's final work on the series. The title remains top quality, but this was the cream of the crop, and while the Archie Marries Betty feature was nearly as strong, Veronica was a more flawed, complicated character that made for a more believable relationship with Archie (Betty is just too darn perfect), and I lost some interest when Betty and Archie became teachers and Kupperberg started trying to sell us on a new generation of Archie characters as their students.

This series is just so striking in characterization, plotting, and art, the situations are ones I can really relate to, and the unflappable sense of realistic (not over-the-top) optimism is truly comforting in a world full of obstacles and anxieties."



98. Dreadstar #1-31 (1982-1987)
by Jim Starlin

Nominated by: icctrombone (#14 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (#28 on his list)

In icctrombone's words:

“Jim Starlin continues his Metamorphosis odyssey In Dreadstar #1 published by Marvel’s Epic line. The lead character, Vanth Dreadstar finds himself caught up in a war between 2 factions and with the help of a fine supporting cast, tries to keep either side from dominating the Universe. Many themes are explored such as : Religious control, Child molestation and mans free will to control his destiny but Starlin adds to his legend with this run.”



94 (tie). Uncle Sam #1-2 (1997)
by Steve Darnall and Alex Ross

Nominated by: Chris N. (#13 on his list)

In Chris N.'s words:

“A somber and ultimately optimistic reflection on American history. Uncle Sam has seen it all and seen it all before. The black people in prisons remind him so much of slavery. Every shot reminds him of every other shot, "when we let terror pull the trigger". It all comes back to Daniel Shays, and the first failure of the American dream. But the American dream is a good dream, and we have kept working at it. And we will continue to do so, but we can't do it alone. As the Communist Bear tells Uncle Sam, "Do you think you're the only symbol who was meant to stand for one thing and was perverted into something else?"'


94 (tie). Elric of Melnibone (1986)
by Roy Thomas and P. Craig Russell

Nominated by: shaxper (#13 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

“Originally published by Pacific Comics in floppy format, this graphic novel by First completely redid the inking over Russell's art, changed the colors, added new panels and pages, and even moved dialogue around to change pacing. In so many respects, this was a superior version of an already incredible saga. Whereas Elric and this creative team have already made my list once (#47) with The Dreaming City, this storyline was a completely different and utterly superior animal. The vivid characterization, as a reluctant, pacifist philosopher king is thrust into a sequence of events where he must make a pact with the devil, the stunning art, the sweeping epic, mythological nature of the series, and the intensely vivid tones and emotional resonance throughout – this saga just floors me. I don't know how to say it better than that. Moorcock did it first; Thomas and Russell made it work on the comic page, and made it more compact, beautiful, and evocative in the process.”


94 (tie). Donjon Zenith #2, "Le Roi de la Bagarre" (1998)
by Joann Sfar and Lewis Trondheim

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#13 on his list)

in Dizzy D's words:

“Again a series that could be on this list in its entirety, but I think this issue neatly sums up what's so great about the Donjon series, switching between absurd (the scene where Herbert finally figures out how to use the feather as a weapon) and serious (the story about Herbert's education or the leadership test the Master gives his students).”


94 (tie). Conan #1-46 (2004-2007)
by Kurt Busiek, Cary Nord and others

Nominated by: MRP (#13 on his list)

in MRP's words:

“Start to finish, Busiek's Conan run is for me the most solid adaptation of Conan in comics and Nord has come closest of all the comics artists to have worked on the character to capture the Frazetta feel that for me defined the character's look and feel. Thomas' run had higher highs than Busiek's, but it also had lower lows as there were a few stinkers along the way. Busiek avoided those lows and produced a consistent and enjoyable run of one of my favorite characters of all time. Another plus is that Busiek avoided the de Camp/Carter accretions to the Conan saga that Thomas incorporated, so for me, the Busiek run feels closer to the Howard roots while the Thomas run feels closer to the de Camp/Carter edited versions of the Ace paperbacks. Not a bad thing per se, but pure REH is better.”



93. The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 and crossovers (1991)
by Jim Starlin and George Perez

Nominated by: Metarog (#13 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Chris N. (from his unranked #91-100 list)

In Metarog's words:

“I probably should have put this about 10 places lower as it does have some flaws I am not crazy about. It does have great Perez art and a few nice twists here and there. The “all hands on deck” scale is what really appeals to me here. All those ultra powerful cosmic entities being defeated was cool too. It does lead to the Infinity Watch which was underrated so there were some nice hits here.”


(Note: There is no #91-92 due to ties at the #90 spot)



90 (tie). Gaspard de La Nuit (1987-1991)
by Stephen Desberg and Johan de Moor

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#12 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

From the first page it's clear that de Moor was working at Herge's studio, but once they get to the faerie lands, his style takes on a medieval quality. It's appearance on this list is pure nostalgia for me, but I've reread it for the list and it holds up very well. It does a bit of funny things with the identity of the main character (like Desberg forgot 2 issues in that Gaspard is not really Gaspard) and the love-hate relationship between Gaspard and the Duke's daughter is pretty common in fiction as well, but it also does a lot of interesting things (Gaspard's mentor on his path to become a hero is not a knight or a wizard, but a perfumist.).



90 (tie). Savage Dragon #1-75 (1993-2000)
by Erik Larson

Nominated by: icctrombone (#12 on his list)

In icctrombone's words:

“Erik Larsen is still going strong with his childhood creation at issue #193 but I will concentrate on the first 75 issues. It’s nice to see a creator stay with his book the entire run and the series has the most surprises that you can imagine. Characters are introduced and killed never to return. And it isn’t till 10 years later that you find out the Dragons origin. This is the only book that I still read where you really don’t know what’s going to happen. As of issue 193, the lead characters son has taken over the title. What other comic can you say has done away with it’s lead? “



90 (tie). Silver Surfer: The Ultimate Cosmic Experience (1978)
by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

Nominated by: shaxper (#12 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

“Stan and Jack's last word on the Silver Silver together before the two parted ways one last time and Stan finally surrendered the character, allowing him to be used by other writers. It was also one of the comic book world's first original graphic novels. Essentially, this is a non-continuity re-imagining of the Surfer's origin, very similar in many respects, but highly different in others. It also works to reconcile the two different characterizations of the Surfer prior to this (Galactus' loyal herald who grows a conscience, and Galactus' unwilling servant who sacrificed himself to save his world). They do a nice job of this.

Beyond that, the story is 100 pages of the Surfer, Galactus, and (new character) Ardina engaging in philosophical debates with themselves and each other before finally arriving at a conclusion that never came in the regular continuity. The endless philosophizing felt tedious after a while in the pages of the first volume of SS, but it works better here, divorced of the need to impose a 20+ page story and conflict on top of it. The characters just go for it, discussing and discussing, and it works for the most part. It's relatively deep, it espouses some original ways of viewing the human race and life in general, Kirby keeps us visually glued throughout, and there are probably only about ten pages where the story seems to drag and become tedious in its moralizing and philosophizing (pp.76-85) before arriving at its unforgettable conclusion.

Speaking of that, the work ends on a note so cosmically tragic, so haunting and unforgettable, that it lingered with me for days, weeks, and even months after reading it. Truly, this was everything the Surfer could and should have been had the dynamic duo of Lee and Kirby stayed together to explore the character more deeply, and had there been no pressure to maintain an ongoing franchise that would never arrive at an unprofitable conclusion.

There's little doubt that the Surfer was Lee's favorite character, and possibly Kirby's, as well. It's therefore not hard to see why this final effort by the two, fully understanding they'd likely never return to work together again, ranks so high on my list.

They gave this one everything.”



89. Astonishing Tales #25-36, starring Deathlok (1974-1976)
by Rich Buckler, Doug Moench, and others

Nominated by: Metarog (#12 on his list)
Tie for this ranking broken by: Scott Harris (#100 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

“Wow, I was eleven or twelve when I first read this series and it just blew my mind at the time. It was violent, crass, and a lot of other stuff my mother told me to avoid but I made sure this was one of the first comics I got off the rack. This was literally ahead of its time as this kind of character had never been seen before in the Marvel Universe. The series did fade a bit towards the end but Buckler did a fine job here overall. This guy was the original Terminator many years before that franchise started.”



88. The Spectre #37-50, "The Haunting of America" (1996-1997)
by John Ostrander & Tom Mandrake (& John Ridgway on 1 issue)

Nominated by: MRP (#12 on his list)
Tie for this ranking broken by: Aaron King (#56 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"I am a sucker for stories dealing with the hidden (occult) history of America and this has all the trappings but also serves to explore the core of who the Corrigan and Spectre are. It is the highlight of the Ostrander run for me, though I could have put the entire run on here, I picked the two arcs that stood out most for me for inclusion. Mandrake is a masterful storyteller and each cover of this series was a unique piece of art and interpretation of the Spectre. Ostrander had a great sense of character and used other characters, Madame Xanadu, Phantom Stranger, and most especially Father Craemer as foils for Corrigan and the Spectre, forcing him to examine his role as the spirit of vengeance and what it meant and what the consequences of his actions were. Just powerful character driven stuff."



87. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (1999-2003)
by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#12 on his list)
Tie for this ranking broken by: Metarog (#30 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"A league of famous fictional Victorians mixes it up with Fu Manchu, Moriarty and the aliens from The War of the Worlds, and along the way they meet Dupin, Moreau and Ishmael. I've read both series repeatedly. Even during the years when I wasn't reading very many comics, I found time to take another look at this about once a year. I guess my favorite aspect is the interactions of the adventurers, such as Hyde's bizarre attachment to Mina. Or the little character moments, such as Griffin mocking the others after he's killed a policeman to get his coat. (And there's the demise of Griffin. I get a little nauseous just thinking about it.) The series has been continued in The Black Dossier and Century, to mixed reviews. I like all of it, especially The Black Dossier."



85 (tie). Box Office Poison (1996-2000)
by Alex Robinson

Nominated by: Scott Harris (#11 on his list)

In Scott Harris's words:

"This was pretty much the ultimate right place, right time story for me. When this came out, I was in my mid-20's, a hopeful writer struggling to make ends meet in a shitty bookstore job. I was also a hardcore comics nerd struggling with the opposite sex. Then I read this series, which focuses on the lives of Sherman and Ed. Sherman is in his mid 20's, a hopeful writer struggling to make ends meet in a shitty bookstore job. Ed is a hardcore comics nerd struggling with the opposite sex. I've never read anything that so exactly spoke to me personally. The thing is, though, it also happens to be really, really good. Comics fans will love Ed's storyline, as he becomes apprentice to an embittered Jack Kirby type Golden Age great who is being dumped on by the modern comics world. The heart of the story, though, is how Ed and Sherman change - or don't change - over the course of the story. I won't say any more, because you should all go read it for yourself, something easy enough to do as the entire series is collected in one volume."



85 (tie). Adèle Blanc-Sec (1976-2007)
by Jacques Tardi

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#11 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"I needed to have some Tardi on this list and his WWI stories are a bit too depressing for me right now, so Adèle it is. A non-sexualized female protagonist in stories set around the 1910/1920s (but avoiding WWI), the stories are unique with a bit of Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie in there, but Tardi's style is his own."



84. Amazing Adventures 18-39 and Marvel Graphic Novel 7, featuring Killraven (1973-1983)
by Don McGregor, P. Craig Russell, and others

Nominated by: Metarog (#11 on his list)
Tie for this ranking broken by: Wildfire2099 (#95 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"I am a sucker for futuristic dystopias so it is no wonder I rank this perhaps a little higher than it merits. This whole series was reviewed by Shaxper last year and for the most part he was on the money. The concepts and potential here are great but the execution was sometimes uneven. It is in some ways a “coming of age” story and in other ways a vector for certain social views. Regardless, I enjoyed this series immensely as the whole is greater than the sum of its parts here."



83. Suicide Squad #1-39, and Annual #1 (1987-1990)
by John Ostrander, Luke McDonnell, and others

Nominated by: VDCNI (#11 on his list)
Tie for this ranking broken by: Aaron King (#49 on his list)

In VDCNI's words:

"I couldn’t decide how to represent this title as though always high quality very few storylines stand out for the crowd so it seemed easier to split between the government period and the freelance which is still to come. Ostrander gave us some of the most damaged but fascinating people in the DC Universe in a pretty dam perfect mix of action and characterisation."



82. Strikeforce: Morituri #1-20 (1986-1988)
by Peter G. Gillis and Brent Anderson

Nominated by: shaxper (#11 on his list)
Tie for this ranking broken by: Scott Harris (#46 on his list), and Wildfire2099 (#45 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"The concept alone is worth noting: a post-apocalyptic world in which the aliens have invaded and humanity's only means of resisting them is a surgical treatment imbuing teens with immense super powers that will kill them within a matter of months (maximum life expectancy is one year). That alone would have made a dire, gritty, and imaginative series worth reading, but Gillis in particular brings so much more to the work with rich, endearing characterizations and a disturbing willingness to totally surprise us, randomly and nonsensically killing off his most endearing, cherished characters on a moment's notice. That continued awareness of mortality, the senselessly and vividly delivered message that even the most noble and heroic don't get to survive, added a darkness and depth to the series that each character wore differently. They persevered in the face of non-negotiable mortality, with more and more fresh faces replenishing the ranks and emotionally aging far too quickly. There will never be anything else quite like this.

Admittedly, I've not read the Post Gillis/Anderson issues yet. I hear they are still pretty good."




79 (tie). Captain America #332-350, "Captain America No More" (1987-1989)
by Mark Gruenwald and others

Nominated by: Scott Harris (#10 on his list)

In Scott Harris' words:

"Thematically, this story covers some of the same ground as Steve Englehart's Nomad story in #176-183. But while Englehart's story was about Steve Rogers discovering why he has to be Captain America, Mark Gruenwald's epic was about everyone else learning that same lesson. He illustrates this wonderfully by introducing John Walker, an all-American, heroic do-gooder who is given the mantle of Captain America by the government and trained to be Steve's replacement. He should be the perfect Cap. But as things develop, more and more begins to go sideways, and Walker slowly descends into an ultra-violent, vengeful vigilante. In some ways, this story can be read as a reflection on why comics need someone like Captain America during a period when grim n' gritty "heroes" like Wolverine and Punisher were becoming all the rage. It's also both a gripping yarn as well as, like the best Cap stories, a venue for political commentary. The section where Viper introduces a toxin to the Washington D.C. water supply that turns the population of the nation's capitol into snake people and Steve has to protect and mindless, slithering Ronald Reagan from assassins is the kind of bizarre satire you might expect from Gerber, not Gruenwald. All in all, just an interesting, provocative look at what Captain America means (and fronted by some extremely cool retro style covers by Ron Frenz)."



79 (tie). Warlock #1-4 (2004-2005)
by Greg Pak and Charlie Adlard

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#10 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"May raise some eyebrows, but this one and no. 6 on this list are comic books, like Longshot that just speak to something inside me. Also a big problem in telling why this story is so good without ruining the point is nearly impossible. It was dismissed by many as a reboot of Adam Warlock (it isn't) or an Ultimate Universe version of Warlock (again, it isn't)."



79 (tie). Why I Hate Saturn (1990)
by Kyle Baker

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#10 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"200 pages of prickly cynical nonsense by one of the most brilliant, funniest cartoonists on the planet."



78. Laika (2007)
by Nick Abadzis

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#10 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: shaxper (#94 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"'Laika' is the story of the Russian space program in the late 1950s, mostly from the perspective of the dog that came to be known as Laika and the people that worked with Laika as she was put through her paces getting ready to be the first critter to go into orbit. I read about Laika in the 1970s when I was really into the U.S. space program for a while, and I used to think about Laika a lot when I was a kid. The graphic novel answers more questions than I ever had about Laika. I just read it for the first time about a week ago and I was immediately sucked in by the story and visual storytelling. It's very sad, ultimately, and I have seldom been so moved by mere comics."



77. Master of Kung Fu #29-50, and Giant Size #1-5 (1975-1977)
by Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy

Nominated by: Metarog (#10 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Aaron King (#57 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"I chose this particular run of issues because they are the ones I could find in my collection although I have read the whole series. An intriguing character and saga that for the most part was set outside the regular Marvel Universe. It was interesting that Shang-Chi was a pacifist at heart but probably the deadliest martial artist alive. His father (Fu Manchu) sent an endless horde of villains in an attempt to do away with his erstwhile son but none could defeat him. The art by Gulacy was stupendous and Moench was at the top of his game here. Oh, great supporting cast too!"



76. Daredevil #227-231, "Born Again" (1986)
by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, with Denny O'Neil

Nominated by: Chris N. (#16 on his list) and MRP (#16 on his list too)

In Chris N.'s words:

"Probably the best thing to do is to find Brian Cronin's CSBG list of "most iconic Marvel panels" and see how many come from this epic story. If there were a similar list of iconic quotations, it would do just as well. "And I have shown them, that a man without hope is a man without fear."

But it's a story I've always liked, in superhero comics and beyond. A man gets knocked down, but finds the strength to stand back up. Daredevil's greatest battle, his greatest defeat, and thus, his greatest triumph.(Marvel, 1986)"



75. Avengers #161-162, "Bride of Ultron" (1977)
by Jim Shooter and George Perez

Nominated by: MRP (#11 on his list) and Scott Harris (#13 on his list)

In Scott Harris's words:

"Oh man, this story is just amazeballs. Jim Shooter and George Perez combine to present the ultimate Ultron storyline, as Ultron kidnaps the Wasp in order to use her brain to create a bride for himself, Jocasta. Along the way he just, you know, kills all the Avengers and causes Ant-Man to have a psychotic breakdown. The cliffhanger at the end of #161 is one of the best ever, as Jarvis comes into a darkened room and hits the lights to find the mansion trashed and the Avengers all apparently dead. The next issue kicks things up a hundred notches, though, as the surviving team members chase Ultron down to save Wasp, knowing the entire time that they are on a suicide mission they will never return from. The story also features a great ending, where Iron Man... well, let's just say that most of the modern take on Tony Stark - including his morality battles with Cap - come from Shooter's Avengers. Tony saves the day here, but does he do the right thing? That's a different question."



74. Avengers #167, 168, 170-177, "The Korvac Saga" (1978)
by Jim Shooter, Roger Stern, George Perez, and others

Nominated by: Scott Harris (#12 on his list) and Metarog (#14 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (#69 on his list)


In Metarog's words:

"I put this whole run as one saga even though there were some other story arcs involving Ultron and the Collector but this plot was always in the background. This saga combined two of my favorite teams at the time as the Guardians of the Galaxy play a big role here as well. There was as lot of detective work and false leads but ultimately it was Korvac himself that exposed his identity by messing with Starhawk’s senses. Some very clever writing here and the final battle is tremendous."



73. Avengers #213-230, "The Fall of Hank Pym" (1981-1983)
by Jim Shooter, Roger Stern, Al Milgrom, and others

Nominated by: icctrombone (#13 on his list) and VDCNI (#16 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Scott Harris (#38 on his list)

In icctrombone's words:

"I’ll tell you how riveting this book was; I stayed with it despite the really terrible artwork in it’s first 10 issues or so. Jim Shooter writes the fall of Silver Age icon, Hank Pym and forever brands him as a wife beater for all time in this riches to rags story. I enjoyed the human interest story about friends who despite saving the world together, can’t seem to find the strength to intervene in the private lives of it’s members. No one has seen the slow mental deterioration of Hank and are caught in a dilemma on what they should do. It broke my heart to see Hank and Jan divorced But it was a great journey. I will admit, that Hank was one of my favorite Characters and it was painful to see his fall but , man did I look forward to each issue."



72. New Gods (1971) #1-11, New Gods (1984) #6, and DC Graphic Novel #4: The Hunger Dogs (1971-1985)
by Jack Kirby

Nominated by: icctrombone (#15 on his list) and MRP (#17 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: shaxper (#26 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"I thought about including the entire Fourth World Saga, but for me the New Gods itself was always the best part. Orion's struggles with his heritage, stories like the Pact, the grandeur and majesty of Kirby's art and narrative here gave this a scope and a scale that the other parts did not have, but setting parts of it on Earth as Darkseid sought the anti-life equation grounded it and gave it a humanity that allowed the audience access to what was going on."



71. Maus (1980-1991)
by Art Speigleman

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#16 on his list) and Metarog (#20 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (#22 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"I am sure this will be in a lot of lists as a Pulitzer prize winner should be. The main draw to me was the dramatic representation of both sides in the story. There are no big fight scenes or clever twists but there is an emotional wrenching portrayal of one of the saddest times in world history. This is one you have to read even if just to get a little perspective of what can happen if we are not vigilant and willing to take action when the situation merits it."



68 (tie). Scalped #1-55 (2007-2012)
by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guerra

*Note: The nomination was for Scalped #1-60, but #56-60 were published after February of 2012

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#9 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"A wonderfully lived in crime drama that lets us in on the lives of Native Americans trying to survive on the Rez."



68 (tie). Captain America #169-176, "Secret Empire" (1974)
by Steve Englehart, Sal Buscema, and Mike Friedrich

Nominated by: Metarog (#9 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"A story that caused the greatest patriot in the Marvel Universe to question what he stands for and give up the role he sacrificed so much to establish. This was a critical view of the leadership in the USA at the time and asks you to consider who are the puppets and the puppeteers or is there even a difference? Actually, this was a political thriller to rival all the great government conspiracy movies of the time. Conspiracy theorists unite… your proof is here!"



68 (tie). Asterix et Cleopatre (1965)
by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#9 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"14 litres of ink, 30 brushes, 62 soft penciles, 1 hard pencil, 27 rubbers, 1984 sheets of paper, 16 typewriter ribbons, 2 typewriters and 366 pints of beer went into the creation of this comic (proudly proclaimed on its cover) (A little joke on the Elizabeth Taylor version of Cleopatra, but I see they have left it off more recent versions, probably because the current public wouldn't get it.) Like most Goscinny/Uderzo Asterix stories it's brilliance lies in clever jokes that can be appreciated by young and old."



67. New Mutants #1-54, Annual #1-3, and Marvel Graphic Novel #4 -- The Chris Claremont Era (1983-1987)
by Chris Claremont and others

Nominated by: shaxper (#9 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Wildfire2099 (voting for New Mutants #21-43, "New Mutants vs. Hellions," #87 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"Though Claremont first owned the idea of the superhero soap opera with his X-Men run, the New Mutants spin-off allowed him to return to the original premise of the X-Men franchise while the current team was free to grow and evolve, but, more importantly, it allowed him to add a new twist to the superhero soap opera genre he was defining – frightened, confused, realistic young teenagers at the core of it. These characters were so distinct, real, and relatable for the adolescent readership (of which I was a part), and Claremont clearly prioritized their realness and endearing qualities over issues of cool powers, antagonists, or even costumes. It wasn't that kind of a book. And so, as they grew, developed in relationship to one another, and as the dynamic shifted every time a new character came aboard or an old one departed, it became a very real and lovable core of characters that I just fell in love with. Plus, Magik and Warlock are two of the best characters ever created."



66. A Contract with God (1978)
by Will Eisner

Nominated by: MRP (#9 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: shaxper (#44 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"Powerful stuff. Innovative-often attributed as the first graphic novel. This heralded Eisner's return to comics proper after years of working on material for PS magazine fro the military, and what a return it was. Examining aspects of life, our expectations and reactions to the things life throws at us in a way that is entertaining, inspiring, and thought provoking while engaging us intellectually and emotionally."



65. Iron Man #219-232 and Captain America #340-341, "Armor Wars" (1987-1988)
by Bob Layton, David Michilinie, Barry Windsor Smith, Mark Gruenwald, and others

Nominated by: Wildfire2099 (#9 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Metarog (#37 on his list)

In Wildfire2099's words:

"The story that made me a comic book fan... I was 17, and had really just picked at occassional stuff at the comic book story when I had a couple extra bucks. I told the shop owner I liked Tony Stark, and this is where he pointed me. I was never sorry This is Iron Man at his best, trying to balance business, superheroics, and his own ethics. People like to throw around that they like stories that MATTER... this one made an impact for years to come."



64. Top Ten #1-12 (1999-2001)
by Alan Moore, Zandor Cannon, and Gene Ha

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#9 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Scott Harris (#30 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"In a city of super-heroes, the police force is made up of super-heroes, and this is their story. I've loved this it first came out and I've found it to be on of the most re-readable comics I've ever owned. I just read it a few months ago and I could see reading it again. Between Girl One running around nude and Dust Devil's mom's weird super-powered pest problem and the teen sidekick sex ring and the Ghostly Goose, I loved every issue of this complex, funny, dramatic work. I hope everybody participating in this list already knows about Top 10."



63. Franka: Moordende Concurrentie (1990)
by Henk Kuijpers

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#8 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"Set in the series Franka, but it takes Franka about 30 pages before she gets involved (in a 50 page comic and not counting a short cameo earlier). Main character is Laura Lava, an ambitious young fashion designer, whose career was ruined through sabotage in an earlier Franka. Laura is very talented, but without money or a way into the bastion that is the French fashion industry as a newcomer. Kuijpers shows Paris in his highly detailed backgrounds, draws beautiful buildings and also gives us a great story where we can admire Laura's clever tricks to get ahead without money and even understand when she makes an incredibly stupid mistake (Franka was totally right on that point, Laura, and you know it.)"



62. Conan #58-100, "The Song of Belit" (1976-1979)
by Roy Thomas and John Buscema

Nominated by: MRP (#8 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Wildfire2099 (#42 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"A bit of a nostalgia pick here, as there may have been eras of Conan that are arguably superior, but this was the era I discovered Conan in comics which led me to the Ace paperbacks and the Conan pastiches being published during that period, so in many ways this was my formative Conan era. The saga of Conan and BElit forged out of Howard's tale Queen of the Black Coast just had everything a great Conan story needed, and Roy added so much into the gaps that it kept the tale moving, twisting and turning for me until it reached its crescendo with the death of Belit."




59 (tie). Valerian: Les héros de l'équinoxe (1978)
by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#7 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"Second Valerian on the list and a much shorter story (still 48 pages, so it still qualifies, put the pitchforks down, boys). Valerian enters a competition on behalf of his employers on a strange planet. The population of the planet are all elderly people, explaining that once every Equinox heroes can set out for an island and enter a competition to be chosen as the new father of their species by their goddess. For many Equinox the heroes of the planet have failed in the current generation, so they have invited alien heroes hoping that some new blood can succeed. Valerian is up against 3 other heroes, all more powerful, motivated and confident than he is. My enjoyment of the story (apart from its gorgeous art and great storytelling) is mostly in the reasons why Valerian succeeds (what spoilers?) where the other heroes have failed. Oh and Laureline's annoyance with the whole procedure."



59 (tie). Detective Comics #471-476, "Strange Apparitions" (1977-1978)
by Steve Englehart, Marshall Rogers, and Terry Austin

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#7 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"Batman fights Hugo Strange, the Penguin, Deadshot and the Joker. Bruce Wayne courts Silver St. Cloud (who, after all these years, remains my favorite non-Catwoman girlfriend for Bruce). In a way, it sounds kind of mundane, but just read it, and you see how amazing it all is. Englehart was very respectful of Batman's tradition but he juiced it up a little and made the most of his short time on Detective."



59 (tie). Marvel Graphic Novel #49, "Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment" (1989)
by Roger Stern, Mike Mignola, and Mike Badger

Nominated by: MRP (#7 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"Doom seeks to rescue his mother from hell and turns to Doc Strange for help. For me this defined Doom as I see him, as a tragic figure of Shakespearean scale, and is the story that made me a Doc Strange fan for life. Mignola's art is moody and beautiful and Badger's inks & colors give it an edge."



58. Jungle Action #6-18, "Panther's Rage" (1973-1975)
by Don McGregor and others

Nominated by: Metarog (#7 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Hoosier X (#21 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"A very powerful story that shows us the troubles that the Black Panther must confront as king and protector of Wakanda. All kinds of action, intrigue and environments are involved in a very long (for the Bronze-Age) saga involving multiple villains. The art was shared by various artists but all had some good qualities that added to the issue they drew. It shows a very different side of BP that we didn’t see in his Avengers appearances… a must read for BP fans!"



55 (tie). Civil War #1-7, Frontline #1-11, and tie-ins (2006-2007)
by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, and others

Nominated by: Metarog (#6 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"One of the few sagas I have read from the 21st century and although it has some flaws I must admit it was one of the most compelling and thought provoking stories on this list. The balance between safety and freedom is a constant dilemma and those concepts are related in such a way that it fundamentally changed long standing relationships and society as a whole. A true “black or white” story told in a gut wrenching, suspenseful style. Shocking stuff to read!"



55 (tie). Avengers #56 and Avengers Annual #2, "New Avengers vs. Old Avengers" (1968)
by Roy Thomas and John Buscema

Nominated by: icctrombone (#6 on his list)

In icctrombone's words:

"This is an old favorite of mine but it also has historical significance as it introduces the Scarlett Centurion and a possible Dr. Doom incarnation. Captain America is plagued with doubt to what really happened to Bucky and is joined by the current Avengers in Dr Dooms Castle to travel back in time and verify that Bucky truly passed away in the drone plane explosion. Well , they witness it but not before materializing in the era and messing up the time stream. It is continued in Avengers annual #2 where they return to the Avengers mansion and see the original 5 Avengers there. They realize that they were transported to an alternate reality where the Original Avengers , prompted by the Scarlett Centurion, took over the world. In my opinion, Annual #2 has the best comic cover of all time."



55 (tie). Akira #1-6 (1984-1993)
by Katsuhiro Otomo

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#6 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"The finest epic in comic book history. A story of a military experiment, rebels, a biker gang, a religious cult, a group of sciences. The amount of time it spans allows it showcase not only some of the best action sequences I've ever seen, but show an astonishing amount of character growth and development across its many wild twists and turns. Otomo's storytelling skills are just about unparalleled; almost every single panel in this 2000-page cyberpunk saga is intricately detailed and tangible in its groundness, his use of panel arrangements and sizes perfectly emphasize the atmosphere and emotional circumstances of the characters and their specific contexts. I feel like I'm always re-reading Akira and noticing new things or finding appreciations for new elements."



54. Persepolis #1-4 (2000-2003)
by Marjane Satrapi

Nominated by Hoosier X (#6 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: shaxper (#90 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"I hardly know where to begin on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical story on growing up in Iran during the time of the Islamic Revolution and the overthrow of the shah. The life story stands on its own for drama and heartbreak and tragedy, but Satrapi's art is simple yet moving, and she breaks up the big story of a nation's woes with many lighter moments of her own ways of coping with the changes. I loaned it out and never got it back but I still read it because most libraries have it. I have also seen the movies - both in English and French - numerous times. (The French version has Catherine Deneuve.)"



53. Kingdom Come #1-4 (1996)
by Mark Waid and Alex Ross

Nominated by: Wildfire2099 (#6 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (#74 on his list)

In Wildfire2099's words:

"I'm a little surprised this didn't get more love. The art is unbelievable, both from a quality standpoint, and for it's detail, you can just stare at several pages finding cool stuff in the background. The story was a great logical conclusion to the 90s era of excess. We got all sorta of cool, unique designs on classic characters, and some new future ones that had never been done before. While I didn't love alot of the stuff that came after it, bad money grabs later don't really detract from the orignal."



52. Wildcats 3.0 #1-24 (2002-2004)
by Joe Casey and Dustin Bguyen

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#6 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Aaron King (voting for "Wildcats volume 2 #1-28, Wildcats Annual 2000, Wildcats v 3.0 #1-24" as #67 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"Again a series that just hits all the right notes for me (especially the first 12 issues) while it may not live up to its potential and may have some heavy flaws, there just is so much potential there (and every Wildcats comic since 3.0 has disappointed... Especially yours, Mr. Morrison!). A guy invents a battery that lasts forever... and the world is changed.
The Wildcats were superheroes (volume 1), but their mission has been complete (volume 1 again and a bit of volume 2) and they've found out that the superhero lifestyle is not really working for them (the rest of volume 2). The main character to me is Edwin Dolby, who is caught between Jack Marlowe (former superhero, who has decided to change his methods in changing the world. The superscience of his alien race will be used to unite and uplift humanity who wants Dolby, a briljant young accountant as his right-hand man) and Grifter (who still clings to his old ways, where a gun and a goal could solve everything. But Grifter's ways have put him in a wheelchair and he sees Dolby, who has a natural talent with guns as his replacement). This is for me the best post-superhero comic series around, the best thing Casey has done so far and put Casey on my list of creators that I will always give a shot. As for artwork: Nguyen really builds the brand of Halo in this comic."




48 (tie). The Spirit(1940-1952)
by Will Eisner

Nominated by: MRP (#5 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"The saga of Denny Colt is the magnum opus of one of the grand masters of the comic book form. What Eisner did here has resonated in comics in the decades that follow, but even without that influence these are just great stories. Hundreds of them, done week after week in 7-8 pages. Great characters including some of the most memorable femme fatales to grace the pages of comics, innovative art and storytelling, humor, pathos, tragedy and adventure. This has it all. "



48 (tie). Annihilation / War of Kings (2006-2009)
by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

Nominated by: Wildfire2099 (#5 on his list)

In Wildfire2099's words:

"It's a real shame Marvel seems to forget why there's a chance at having a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Marvel's Cosmic universe had shrunk quite a bit until Abnett and Lanning got a hold of it. They brought back Star Lord, Rocket, and the rest. They made Rich Rider a cosmic hero. They told one hell of a great story that set up alot of things to come, while still be epic in its own right. It's really a shame Bendis and Co. have forgotten, or they'd be getting alot more of my money "



47. Thor #337-382 (1983-1987)
by Walter Simonson and Sal Buscema

Nominated by: Scott Harris
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (voting for Thor #337-353, "The Surtur Saga" as #61 on his list)

In Scott Harris' words:

"For most of his existence in comics, Thor has been kind of, well, a bit blank. He's more a force of nature than a personality. He's not much of a deep thinker or very introspective, which probably goes along with being an immortal storm god - he sees a problem and he attacks it. What more does he need to do? The answer over the first act of Simonson's run, the mind-blowing Ragnarok epic is - not much. He faces down and defeats terrible dangers as stalwartly as ever, even with the fate of existence itself on the line. But then something happens - Odin dies, and suddenly Thor has to confront a world where he has responsibilities, cares, worries. He struggles with them in the middle act of Simonson's run, wrestling with the loss of his father, the burden of the throne. After countless centuries of just being, you know, Thor, he suddenly has to grow up very fast. He makes his decisions, and in the final act of Simonson's saga, he deals with the consequences - his body is broken down, his face scared and torn, his heart heavy. He looks old, weary, mature - in point of fact, with his big new beard, he looks an awful lot like Odin. It's a powerful character study, though that only becomes clear after you've read the entire thing, because Simonson hides it inside some of the most amazing action stories in Thor history, not just Ragnarok, but the famous trip into Hel, the infamous Frog Thor sequence and the mind-blowing battle with Jormangund the World Serpent. The only thing that could have made this better was if Walt had done the art for the entire run instead of just some of it.

It also, I should add, was my introduction to the Marvel Universe. I was very lucky indeed."



46. Superman #423 and Action Comics #583, "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" (1986)
by Alan Moore and Curt Swan

Nominated by: icctrombone (#5 of his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Hoosier X (#25 on his list)

In icctrombone's words:

"What better way to wrap up the legend of Superman than to give him a send off by Alan Moore and Premiere Superman Artist Curt Swan ? All the Superman conventions and characters are shown and it even manages to evoke tears from the reader. Krypto dies and there’s not a dry eye left in the house."



45. Fantastic Four #48-50, "The Galactus Trilogy" (1966)
by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

Nominated by: shaxper (#10 on his list) and Wildfire2099 (#13 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"Superheroes had faced cosmic threats before, but truly, had they ever faced anything given this level of presence? If the foreboding cover to Fantastic Four #48 wasn't enough, that entire first issue was just lead up to the coming of an unmistakably awesome threat that stuck around for two more issues, was on such a higher level as to be entirely unconcerned with humans and even morality, left our protagonists entirely impotent, left our last second deus et machina savior (the Silver Surfer) impotent, and was finally only stopped with the threat of the Ultimate Nullifier, a weapon that worked at a terrible price. If that weren't enough, though, what really makes this story my tenth favorite saga of all time is its treatment of the delicate relationship between Silver Surfer and Galactus – not rivals here; not good versus evil, but rather two comrades who truly respect and depend upon one another (Galactus for nourishment, Surfer for freedom/empowerment) fighting each other with terrible reluctance as a fundamental moral difference between the two finally becomes apparent after what is implied to be a long and deeply respectful partnership. The true tragedy of the story is their equal inability to back down, heading towards the imminent destruction of their relationship, finally made all the worse when the Surfer sees that his sacrifice, and the ending of his partnership with Galactus, was all for naught. He's not even the one who ends up saving the day.

This is cosmic tragedy at its finest – the kind of stuff that probably made a young Jim Starlin wet his pants."



41 (tie). Transmetropolitan #1-60 (1997-2002)
by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson

Nominated by: Wildfire2099 (#4 on his list)

In Wildfire2099's words:

"Best satire in comics, bar none. As some of you know, I love Sci-fi most when it takes society and show you what might happen. Ellis does this is spades in Transmet. While some think he's a bit over the top, here, in this series it works just perfectly. The art is similarly over the top and a joy to examine for silly details (Much like Kingdom Come)."



41 (tie). Scott Pilgrim #1-6 (2004-2010)
Bryan Lee O'Malley

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#4 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"The defining comic of the last decade for me. A book that throws you into a world of techno magical realism and video game logic, but feels as real and human as any comic you could name. Its style-as-substance, entwining its cartoon narrative with the relatable concerns of growing up and taking responsibilities for your past actions and learning to just be a better ****ing person. Wildly hilarious, surprisingly intelligent, shockingly poignant, and so damn lovable it hurts."



41 (tie). Corto Maltese: Ballad of the Salt Sea (1967)
by Hugo Pratt

Nominated by: shaxper (#4 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"Thoroughly endearing characterizations, deeply complex relationships that are subtly revealed both to the reader and to the characters themselves, murky motives that sometimes elude even their owners, a deep resonating theme about the dangers of modernization, globalization, and cultural imperialism, a loving nod to the world of the past, and some fantastic adventure and comedy all the while. This series fires on all engines like no other, providing simple guilty pleasure escapism while hiding complexity and depth like easter eggs in nearly every page, there only if you're open to receiving it. I've never read anything else quite like this and absolutely cannot stand the complete absence of other Corto Maltese adventures available in English. Can they possibly measure up to this first saga? I'll have to keep wondering."



41 (tie). Action Comics #47 and Superman #17, "When Titans Clash" (1942)
by Jerry Siegel and John Sikela

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#4 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"Written by Jerry Siegel. Art by John Sikela. This is a crazy Golden Age battle between Superman and Lex Luthor. I first saw it in a reprint in Superman #252 and it made me a Lex Luthor fan. I had been a comic fan for years and years but I was never much of a Superman fan, but I occasionally read a Superman story I liked. And then about 1995, I got Superman #252 as a back issue and, suddenly, I understood Lex Luthor a little better. He gets Superman to get the Powerstone and then he uses it to grow into a giant and to take Superman's powers away. When he is defeated and sentenced to the electric chair, Lex just laughs! Because the electricity just gives him lightning powers! Take that, last son of Krypton! By far, my favorite Superman story."



40. Elfquest #1-20 (1978-1985)
by Wendy and Richard Pini

Nominated by:Scott Harris (#4 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Wildfire2099 (#61 on his list)

In Scott Harris' words:

"Nostalgia is too weak a word to describe my feelings towards Elfquest. Its impact on me as a kid and as a new comics reader is hard to explain. I think the story still holds up, but it doesn't really matter too much to me if it does, because it holds up in my imagination. It just blew my mind as a kid. What else can I say."



39. Legion of Super-Heroes #290-294 and Annual #3, "The Great Darkness Saga" (1982-1984)
by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, and Curt Swan

Nominated by: Metarog (#4 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Aaron King (#46 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"It was all hands on deck in this battle against Darkseid and the dark clones of the Legion. This was a war fought on various fronts against a plethora of enemies and ultimately we are unsure if the day was won or if this was part of a greater scheme. There were many great battle scenes and some nice characterization but overall this was just a really enjoyable story that showcases the Legion and their allies against a profound evil. A “must” read for even casual Legion fans!"



38. Bone #1-55 (1991-2004)
by Jeff Smith

Nominated by: Scott Harris (#3 on his list)

In Scott Harris' words:

"What if Huey, Dewey and Louie formed the Fellowship of the Ring? It sounds like the most bizarre premise in the history of storytelling, but the result of this genre mashup is just an idiosyncratic slice of pure genius. It seems to be a charming kids story at the start - and it is - but as you read further and further into it, it becomes an epic fantasy. Or, becomes isn't the right word; rather, it reveals itself. Everything about this story is well done and wonderful."



37. Marvels #1-4 (1994)
by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross

Nominated by: Chris N. (#3 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (#29 on his list)

In Chris N.'s words:

"Usually beloved for the concept of seeing the story of the Marvel Universe from the point of view of an ordinary person, what I love really is that it sees the Marvel Universe as one coherent story, and attempts to tell that story.

The strange contrast between the celebrity status of some heroes and the outcast status of others. The idea that something bigger than Gwen died with her death, that it marked the end of an age of innocence. The idea that this story began on the day Human Torch escaped imprisonment, when "the world had its first confrontation with the fantastic".

For an excellent example of Alex Ross' storytelling abilities, look to the page where the narrator finds the mutant child his children have been helping, switching back and forth between their faces, zooming in on their expressions."



36. Zot! #1-36 (1984-1991)
by Scott McCloud

Nominated by: Chris N. (#8 on his list) and Scott Harris (#14 on his list)

In Chris N.'s words:

"The first ten issues are exhilarating unabashadly joyful superhero adventuring. And all I had read of Zot! for some time, as it was quite out of print. I slowly but surely hunted for back issues (and found most) when they finally released a nice collection of #11-36. There is a space of time in publication between #10 and 11. The series shifts to black & white. McCloud's art has matured greatly. And he seems to want to add a bit of substance to the series, in particular clarifying the point that the series isn't about Zot the superhero, so much as Jenny, the girl from the real world who becomes so enthralled with his adventures that she comes to prefer his quite impossible world to her own. And then, at some point, McCloud decides he has outgrown superhero comics. He liked them as a kid, but now he's an adult and feels the shelves are too stuffed with such comics. He wants to do something different. But he continues the series anyway. Now, Zot will take backstage to Jenny and her friends and family. It is still a superhero comic in that there is a superhero hanging out in the background.

From these "Earth Stories" comes my favorite issue, and one of my favorite single issues in the history of comics (a phrase you'll hear a couple more times in coming posts). "Autumn" is the story of Jenny's mom. It's a story about dreams being chipped away, as certain compromises are made for practical concerns. It eloquently summarizes my driving fears about life and the future. But, like all great stories with a sad tone, or at least like the ones I prefer, it finds the optimism is the sadness, if only for a moment. And the somewhat happy ending to a somewhat dark story is what makes it all work for me.

On the superheroing side, the 3 part battle between Zot and 9-Jack-9 is one of my favorite battles in comics. Both the general mechanics of the battle, given how seemingly invincible the foe is, and the psychological tone. Zot is relentlessly optimistic, positive in the face of everything, including this soulless killer. "Why can't I hate you?" Zot asks.

Yeah, Zot. If you haven't read it you should. That collection of #11-36 should still be findable. The collection of the first 10 issues may be trickier. It's best to start at #1, but okay to start at #11. Scott McCloud himself recommends you start at #11. He's wrong, of course."



35. Avengers/JLA #1-4 (2003-2004)
by Kurt Busiek and George Perez

Nominated by: icctrombone (#8 on his list) and VDCNI (#12 on his list)

In icctrombone's words:

"This is the dream crossover and it didn’t disappoint. Drawn by legend George Perez and Written with love by Kurt Busiek , all the bases were covered and all the characters were given their due as the series recounts their history in a battle royal. There were many cameos and every person to ever be a member of both teams was represented. Maybe it’s not the most original story but it turned out to be every fan boys dream. Arguments about the outcome to the Thor Superman battle persist to this day. That’s a good thing."



34. Avengers Vol. 3 #19-22, "Ultron Unlimited" (1999)
by Kurt Busiek and George Perez

Nominated by: Wildfire2099 (#8 on his list) and VDCNI (#14 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (#30 on his list)

In VDCNI's words:

"Perez was born to draw this and in some ways the story doesn’t matter hugely due to the sheer fun of seeing the various characters interact but Busiek keeps it interesting all the way through – the JLA/JSA crossovers reimagined as JLA/Avengers were great fun."



31 (tie). Starman #0-81 (1994-2010)
by James Robinson and others

Nominated by: Scott Harris (#2 on his list)

In Scott Harris' words:

"James Robinson does a bunch of things in this series and he does just about all of them phenomenally well. It's one of the best uses of continuity ever, as Robinson examines the legacy of the Starman name, weaving together strands from every character ever to be called Starman into one cohesive saga. He also creates in Opal City a location with as much character as Gotham or Metropolis (and far more than other DC cities like Central or Coast), using it, again, as a way to weave in strands from the length and breadth of DC history into one amazingly coherent storyline (ever wondered how the Golden Age character The Black Pirate was connected to the western hero Scalphunter? Wonder no more). But as fantastic as those bits are (seriously, everyone up to and including Space Cabbie is involved), they are all just bits of color in the main story, which is the story of a father (Ted Knight) and a son (Jack Knight) who seem to have nothing in common. When Jack's older brother, the heir apparent to the Starman legacy, is murdered on one of his first trips out as a superhero, Jack very reluctantly takes up the mantle. By learning about Starman's history, he learns slowly about who his dead is - and as a result, who he himself is. It's just great, great stuff."


31 (tie). Spirou: Z (1966-1967)
by Andre Franquin and Greg

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#2 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"Franquin is my favourite writer/artist in comics, so I needed to have some work of his on my list. Too bad that most of his work doesn't fit the criteria (Ideees Noires or Gaston LaGaffe) This 2-parter introduces the 'villain' Zorglub to the series of Spirou and it has some funny and interesting ideas: the villain supergenius really only has 1 invention, but through clever use of its various applications has he managed to build a great powerbase. Despite his hunger for power (or probably more for respect), Zorglub remains sympathetic if a bit pitible at times. And at the end of the first part Zorglub looking upon his greatest success/failure remains one of the greatest scenes in comics."



30. Batman #404-407, "Year One" (1987)
by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

Nominated by: Scott Harris (#7 on his list) and MRP (#20 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"Mazuchelli's mainstream comic output is small, but oh so good. He is a master draftsman and storyteller, with great mood, tone, and panel composition. He elevates any project he works on, though he has most often been paired with Frank Miller on his mainstream stuff. The origin of Batman presented here is good, but secondary to the story even if it has been extremely influential on the Batman mythos moving forward for the point it was published. The true story here is that of Gordon, a good cop in a bad position trying to find a way to do the right thing both for his family and for the city of Gotham without losing his honor, dignity, life and loved ones. No easy task in the mean streets of Gotham, and Gordon is definitely the "hero" of this story. Batman is a bit of a sideshow in his own book, which for the course of the story, is not necessarily a bad things. There are, however some great scenes involving Batman in this story. The one that stands out still from the first time I read it is Bruce/Batman calculating the ways he can take down an opponent as he lies in ambush before deciding on the one technique that will take the opponent out of the fight without killing him or leaving him as a threat. I just liked the idea that the Batman had a plan and a purpose and approached what he did cerebrally rather than just as a mindless action hero. The story has its flaws, but they are outweighed by the stuff I like in it. "



29. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1-4 (1986)
by Frank Miller

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#7 on his list) and Wildfire2099 (#12 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"The greatest Batman story of all-time has weathered the storm of its politics outdating or its influence effecting the Caped Crusader's tales for the worst. What cannot be denied is the absolute mastery of the comic book form Frank Miller and his collaborators display. He had a complete control over the pacing and structure of the book. The TV shaped panels cleverly used to comment and complicated the "real" story panels to establish quick, non-traditional transitions between narrative threads. The sense of geography and continuity in his pages are completely unlike anything else being published in North America. The way he is about to fragment and abstract the 16-panel grid for various purposes and yet still remain completely coherent and easy to understand is nothing short of remarkable. Put the level of sequential storytelling in this book against any of the other popular superhero books in that year outside Alan Moore and Frank Miller projects, they come up short. Its simply working on another level then all of them, its place in the comic canon of masterpieces fully entrenched and well-deserved."



28. Epic Illustrated #1-9, "The Metamorphosis Odyssey" (1980-1981)
by Jim Starlin

Nominated by: MRP (#6 on his list) and Chris N. (#14 on his list)

In Chris N.'s words:

"A compelling vision of the universe. Ancient wars, genetic manipulation. Earth invaded by aliens. All hope seems lost until a team of good aliens arrives, here to save the world. Except, all hope is lost, and there is only one salvation for the world. Big, ambitious, cosmic."



26 (tie). Sandman Mystery Theatre #1-70 (1993-1999)
by Matt Wagner, Guy Davis, and Steven T. Seagle

Nominated by Scott Harris (#1 on his list)

In Scott Harris' words:

"Starman and SMT have a lot in common. Both use continuity to wonderful effect, exploring the history of the DC Universe. More importantly, though, as great as the adventures are, they both serve as a vehicle for a bigger story about human relationships. While Starman is about father and son, Sandman Mystery Theatre is about what I consider the best and most realistic romance in comics, the relationship between Wes Dodds and Dian Belmont. The structure itself highlights this (and I loev it when the structure of a story reinforces the story itself); every case is a four issue arc, and every arc alternates between Wes and Dian as narrator, telling one story from his point of view and then the next from hers. The series begins with their meeting and ends with their commitment to each other. Again, the structure of the ending is wonderful, as the final arc cuts off halfway through the case; we never learn who the killer was or how he was defeated or any of that, because it's beside the point. Once Wes and Dian's story was done being told, the series was over. The only sad part was that the ending came so soon - another 100 issues would not have been at all out of place. But we're fortunate to have 70 issues of what I consider the best saga of all time.

I should also say that the team of Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle as writers and Guy Davis as primary artist is absolutely sublime. And the stories themselves are fantastic bits of period pulp. Nothing is rose colored in this gritty depiction of late 30's New York; we see humanity in all its seedy, desperate depths. Guy Davis's depictions of 30's new York are absolutely to die for. And the bits where Wes (who in post-Crisis DC was the first superhero) interacts with the characters who would later form the foundation of the DCU - such as Hourman, Ted Knight and Blackhawk - are great, great moments for comics nerds. There are a lot of layers to this (I haven't even gotten into the connection between this series and Neil Gaiman's Sandman and the crossover one-shot between the two) and every layer is better than the last."



26 (tie). Le Grand Pouvoir du Chninkel (1988)
by Jean Van Hamme and Grzegorz Rosinski

Nominated by Dizzy D (#1 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"Rosinksi was suffering from a burnout after years of doing Thorgal, so he decided to experiment with his style and together with his friend and writer Van Hamme, they created a combination of the Hobbit and the Old Testament (with bits and pieces of everything else thrown in.). Originally in Black and White, later a coloured edition appeared.
Jon is a Chninkel, a small creature, bit of a mixture between mouse and dwarf. He and his people have been slaves to three immortal warlords and their armies. The war has been going on for centuries and to Jon the Creator of the World appears, ordering Jon to stop the war or he will destroy the planet with fire. To help Jon on his quest, he gives him “A Great Power”, but disappears before explaining what that power is. At a 150 pages it's a relatively short story, but epic in its scope and ambition. Rosinski was clearly reenergized by the series as its his best work by far."



25. Doom Patrol #19-63 (1989-1993)
by Grant Morrison and Richard Case

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#1 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (voting for "Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison" as #48 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"For my money, the single best run on a comic book series in history. Morrison throws a LOT of weird off the wall ideas in here: Scissormen, Rebis and his weird transformation, the Brotherhood of Dada, the Painting that Ate Paris, the Cult of the Unwritten Book, Danny the Street, the Men from N.O.W.H.E.R.E., Flex Mentallo, the thing under the Pentagon, the Candlemaker, THE BEARDHUNTER. But he remembers that people care about CHARACTERS, and despite all their weird problems and adventures, Doom Patrol remain achingly relatable, their problems heartbreaking. There's rarely if ever been a more convincing and moving relationship in the superhero comic than that between Jane and Cliff. This comic is just...the best."



24. Green Lantern / Green Arrow #76-89, "Hard Traveling Heroes" (1970-1972)
by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams

Nominated by: icctrombone (#1 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Scott Harris (#21 on his list)

In icctrombone's words:

"I’ve had this discussion a few times on the classic boards but I believe that this run was the most thought provoking run of all time. Denny Oneil and Neal Adams stretch the comic book genre with these series of stories that Introduce the grey area into the comic world. No longer is Hal Jordan secure that what he’s doing is the right thing but he is forced to question authority and is brought into conflict with the established order. Green arrow and Black Canary are also present to show the liberal side of the world and the stories are masterpieces in subject matter and artistic skill.
Speedy a junkie? It made me fall out of my chair."



23. Enigma #1-8 (1993)
by Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#5 on his list) and VDCNI (#13 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"Its hard for me to talk about Enigma without going over all its little details or its wonderfully complex-yet-organic narrative structure that handles themes of identity and sexuality in an intelligent and thought-provoking way, or how perfectly Fegredo's art subtly shifts and changes from issue to issue to match Milligan's prose and ideas, or how even the smallest pieces of media we consume can have huge, profound effects on our lives in ways you hadn't figured, or its perfect twisty ending where all the themes crystallize. And besides all that sh*t, its just a very engaging read with great characters, a highly compelling plot, fantastic artwork that captures all the tiny mannerisms and body language, and Milligan's sly dark humor that means it never veers into cold navel-gazing( “It was an ordinary farm in Arizona. The kind of place where you’d have sexual relations with your parents and end up shooting someone.”). Its just about perfect. Its like Watchmen if Watchmen was fun to read and didn't feel superior to the superhero comics it was talking about."



22. The Incal (1981-1989)
by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Mœbius

Nominated by Dizzy D (#4 on his list) and MRP (#15 on his list)

In Dizzy D's words:

"Jordorowsky creative madness is captured by Mœbius pencils, one of the greatest sci-fi stories ever told. This series ties in with the Metabarons I mentioned before, but they can be read independent from each other. John Difool (not subtle naming by the way) is a failed private investigator who gets drawn into a world- and even universe-ending plot. And John for all his flaws is the only real human left alive, all others are nearly braindead, addicted to television and incapable of having any real feelings and thoughts."



21. Astro City (1995) #1-6, Astro City (1996) #1-15, Astro City: Local Heroes #1-5, Astro City: The Dark Ages Books One - Four (1995-2010)
by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Nominated by: Chris N. (#4 on his list) and Wildfire2099 (voting for "Astro City: Confession" as his #16)
Tie for this rank broken by: MRP (voting for "Astro City: Confession" as his #27)

In Chris N.'s words:

"Some of the best Astro City stories involve great high concepts, like The Scoop, where a reporter needs to figure out how to write about epic superhero events he witnessed but got little evidence of, or the two-part Knock Wood/Justice Systems, where a lawyer uses the fantastical occurrences of their world to present a doubt as to his client's guilt.

Others involve more straightforward concepts, an ambitious teen who wants to be a superhero sidekick or a villain seeking to reform, but whose strengh lie in their execution and their clear parallels with real life. Confession and Tarnished Angel stand out as simply excellently told superhero sagas.

The best of course, give us the best of both. Two of the greatest single issue stories of all time (there's that phrase again) in particular: In Dreams and the Nearness of You."



20. Daredevil #168-191, "The Elektra Saga" (1981-1983)
by Frank Miller and Klaus Jansen

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#8 on his list), Hoosier X (voting for #169-172 as #13 on his list), and icctrombone (#18 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"This is probably the first real "run" on a Big Two book in the traditional sense that we think about. One where a writer comes in from issue one with big changes and big ideas, themes and characters that would be built over the course of the run before coming to a real climax/conclusion of some sort(Elektra, The Hand, Kingpin, Bullseye). Frank Miller works out his influences into this one: Kung-fu movies, Will Eisner comics, Kurosawa films, Moebius, 1930s gangster cinema, Lone Wolf & Cub, etc. In my my mind, I'm also voting for Elektra Assassin/Love & War/Born Again, but this is a great finite comic book saga right here."



19. Fables #1-75 (2002-2008)
by Bill Willingham and others

Nominated by: Wildfire2099 (#2 on his list) and Scott Harris (#18 on his list)

In Wildfire2099's words:

"What can you say about a comic book so unique that it generates a whole new genre, yet so simple as to take the characters from the nursery rhymes of your youth and make them into an amazing epic saga. Who knew Cinderella would work as a superspy.. Goldilocks as a socialist agitator, etc. Bill Willingham is amazing, and the art meshes perfectly. I love the different borders. I love the art style. There's just nothing about this comic that isn't awesome. Anyone who hasn't read it should run out and do so, right now."



18. Cerebus #1-300 (1977-2004)
by Dave Sim and Gerhard

Nominated by: shaxper (#2 on his list) and Hoosier X (voting for Cerebus #52-111 as #18 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"Forget all the firsts this book accomplished; all the history it made in being the first commercially successful self-published comic, as well as the longest running saga in all of comicdom and, arguably, the single most popular creator-controlled character of all time (though even Sim feared Cerebus was losing ground to Spawn in the 1990s). Instead, what amazes me about this work is its sheer brilliance – even when Cerebus offends and loses its charm, it never stops breaking the mould and striving to do something new in the medium. It's brilliant stuff; the true scary kind of brilliance that is often accompanied by madness and fits of rage. There's a level of genius and experimentation this series reaches that can't be found anywhere else, and after putting down a particularly tiresome or offensive installment for a day or two, you start to miss it like a drug. For all of these reasons, this is an indespensible must-read, something I'd even dare to consider as being the most important, intelligent, and artistic comic book series ever written. Cerebus doesn't uniformly entertain throughout; it's positively boring at times and outright offensive and creepy at others, but I've never regretted one step of the journey, regardless.

For those who isolate High Society or Church & State and stop there, you are missing SO very much – from the horrifically powerful surprise conclusion to Jakka's Story, to the ingenious graphic kinetic energy of Flight, the brilliantly daring and outrageously offensive method of delivering the harangue in Reads, the entirely too honest and vivid portrayal of languishing in Guys and Rick's Story, the sense of optimism, renewal, and fun in Going Home, the unbearably tragic climax to the entire series that comes long after you're expecting it in Form & Void, and the brilliant but disturbing theology constructed in Latter Days, as well as Sim's own struggles with whether to espouse it as absolute truth or expose its flaws through his protagonist. Yes, the very last volume is little more than a final “F You” to Cerebus and his readers, but the rest – well it just HAS to be experienced, the bumps, the rough spots, and all."



17. Hitman #1-60 (1996-2001)
by Garth Ennis and John Mcrea

Nominated by: ViewtifulJC (#2 on his list), icctrombone (#11 on his list), and Dizzy D (#16 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"A series that understood its the characters we care about, not just the conflicts. Ennis/McCrea character work is so good, that issues where they just around the bar shooting the **** could just as fun as their wacky escapades like fighting zombie sharks in the Gotham Aquarium or throwing up on Batman's shoes after a bowl of bad curry. Its a wonderfully plotted book for all 60 issues, eve utilizing the DC superheroes and its events in ways to continue its exploration on what it means to be a man, friendship, morality, and destiny. Its got one of the best Superman stories I've ever read in here. And its stupidly funny, and I'm not just talking the gloriousness of Section 8."



16. Avengers #1-4 and Fantastic Four #25-26, "The Search for the Hulk" (1963-1964)
by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, Paul Reinman and George Roussous

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#3 on his list) and icctrombone (voting for Avengers #1-25 as #9 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Wildfire2099 (voting for Avengers #1-16 as #78 on his list)

In Hoosier X's words:

"The Avengers come together to fight Loki. Then they battle the Space Phantom but the Hulk's feelings are hurt by rude comments during the conflict and he leaves in a snit. He teams up with the Sub-Mariner and they battle The Avengers to a draw. Captain America joins The Avengers and fights Broccoli-Head. Then they all invade The Fantastic Four for two issues, the Hulk and the Thing wreck the subway, then they all fight on a construction site and Rick Jones save the day by throwing a pill in the Hulk's mouth and he turns into Bruce Banner and floats away. It's awesome. My favorite panel: The Hulk dressed as a clown, juggling an elephant, a horse and a seal."



15. Avengers #271, 273-277, "Under Siege" (1986-1987)
by Roger Stern, John Buscema, and Tom Palmer

Nominated by: Scott Harris (#9 on his list), Wildfire2099 (#10 on his list), Chris N. (voting for Avengers #255-300 as #15 on his list), and Metarog (#17 on his list)

In Scott Harris' words:

"The story that sealed my fate as an Avengers fan, this came along at just the perfect time in my reading experience. I remember breathlessly reading the end of #274, where a drunk Hercules is seemingly beaten to death by the Masters of Evil. The next issue blurb hyped the terrifying title "Even A God Can Die!" I was shocked. SHOCKED! And while Hercules didn't actually die, Stern and Buscema delivered a fantastic story showing the Avengers at their lowest point, their home invaded, their teammates captured, their friends tortured. At one point, the only Avenger left is seemingly the weakest of them all, Wasp. And then they crawled back up from the depths to do what they were meant to: Avenge. So damn good."



14. Planetary #1-27 and specials (1999-2009)
by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday

Nominated by: MRP (#3 on his list) and Dizzy D (#5 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"How many series can take nearly a year between issues and still not only hold my interest, but have every detail of the previous issue still etched into my brainspace? Only one. Planetary. A 27 issue (plus specials) brain odyssey from the mind of Warren Ellis channeling the spirits of just about every comic and pop culture genre and creator that ever entertained me, all packed into an unfolding story of a secret that is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, but unlike many other mystery stories, unlocking the secret after the first reading doesn't diminish the enjoyment of subsequent rereadings of the this saga. And John Cassaday'ss art here is just phenomenal. I don't always like his mainstream cape stuff, but his art here is a perfect fit."



13. Tales of the Teen Titans #42-44 and Annual #3, "The Judas Contract" (1984)
by Marv Wolfman and George Perez

Nominated by: Wildfire2099 (#1 on his list) and shaxper (voting for New Teen Titans #1-40, Annual #1-2, and Tales of the Teen Titans #41-50, Annual #3 as #7 on his list)

In Wildfire2099's words:

"While there are plenty of things out there that are great, comics are, first and foremost, a superhero medium. And this, IMO, is the best straight superhero story there is. New Teen Titans was swimming along nicely, when a new character was thrown into the works.. Terra. Her story here is one of the more emotional, heart wrenching ones I've read in comics, and is one of only two stories of any form that made me cry in the end."



12. Swamp Thing #20-64 and annuals (1984-1987)
by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, Jon Totleben and Rick Veitch

Nominated by: Chris N. (#7 on his list), MRP (#10 on his list), and icctrombone (#10 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: shaxper (voting for American Gothic as #27 on his list)

In Chris N.'s words:

"As good as as Sandman is, the fact is that it really comes down to Neil Gaiman trying to do what Moore did with Swamp Thing. Gaiman made the tighter, better contained story. But Swamp Thing is just bursting at the seams with goodness. The sci/fi is smart, the horror is horrific, and the superheroing is of epic proportions. The saga begins with Swamp Thing dead and being dissected in the seminal Anatomy Lesson. Before we are finished, we will have the beautiful Rites of Spring, a sexual union even when the parts don't seem to fit, we will meet John Constatine, we will battle Batman, and we will travel across the universe, starting on an uninhabited blue world. As the genre and focus shifts endlessly, Moore and a wide array of some of the best artists in comics continue to give us the best the medium has to offer."



11. The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck (1992-1997)
by Don Rosa

Nominated by: shaxper (#5 on his list), Scott Harris (#6 on his list), and Dizzy D (#20 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"I've never seen a comic more seamlessly blend aspiration, goofy comedy, dark tragedy, and loving attention to research and history (both of comics and of the real world) into one power-packed adventure, but Rosa achieved it in this chronicle of Scrooge McDuck's life from the first moment he dreamed of making his fortune as a tender young shoe shine in Scottland to his life in the present day of the Disney Ducks world. Rosa gives Scrooge a richer, more full life than any other fictional character I've ever come across (I'm a former English major and current high school English teacher), and it makes us positively fall in love with the character and his life – all he's seen and experienced, and all the ways in which it has shaped him, to the point that one can never again look at that curmudgeonly old geezer with anything less than total pathos, even when another writer is playing him for laughs or using him as a simple plot contrivance. This work is true, unforgettable literature with the ability to transform. I don't think I can overstate that."



10. Albedo #2-4, Usagi Yojimbo Summer Special, Critters #1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 23, 27, 38, 50, Doomsday Squad #3, Usagi Yojimbo (vol. 1) #1-38, Usagi Yojimbo (vol. 2) #1-16, Usagi Yojimbo (vol. 3) #1-144, "Usagi Yojimbo" (1985-2011)
by Stan Sakai

Nominated by: Chris N. (#2 on his list), shaxper (#8 on his list), and Wildfire2099 (voting for The Dragon Bellows Conspiracy as #11 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"The fact is, while Usagi is a series that maintains certain themes throughout and features an ongoing continuity that easily justifies it as a continuous saga, there are so many individual sagas in the run that are all incredibly worthy of note. From Fathers & Sons (my personal favorite) to Grasscutter and Grasscutter II, Circles, the Dragon Bellows Conspiracy, Samurai, and so many others, it's evident that Usagi is choc full of amazing sagas worth celebrating, but I couldn't – absolutely couldn't – choose just one or two, and I couldn't very well dominate my Top 20 with mostly Usagi stories, so I'm choosing the entire run instead. For once I'm grateful the series has been on hiatus for so long. Otherwise, it wouldn't have qualified as a “classic” comic saga.

Whenever I write a review of an Usagi trade paperback for Amazon.com, I always begin with this same paragraph:

Usagi Yojimbo is the kind of quality work that transcends time, genres, demographics, and even age groups. It crafts a delicate and beautiful balance between honor and savagery, cute innocence and dark brutality, simple heart-warming stories and multi-part epics that shape a dense continuity. Whether or not you've ever been a fan of feudal Japanese culture, furry anthro characters, or independent, non-superhero comics, Usagi Yojimbo is a comic that can't help but impress even the harshest critic.

It's true; it's always been true, no matter the Usagi story. "




9. Avengers #115-118 and Defenders #8-11, "The Avengers / Defenders War" (1973)
by Steve Englehart, Bob Brown, and Sal Buscema

Nominated by: Metarog (#2 on his list) and Wildfire2099 (#3 on his list)
Tie for this rank broken by: Scott Harris (#83 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"This was the first crossover of teams story I ever read and I couldn’t get to the drug store fast enough after school to see if the next issue was out. Looking back it was not an incredibly clever or thoughtful plot but it was good enough to get my two favorite teams to duke it out in a chapter by chapter prize fight for the Evil Eye and the life of the Black Knight. I loved the split team format too and most of the outcomes seemed plausible and well done. Great team oriented action throughout!"



8. Strange Tales #130-#146, "The Quest for Eternity" (1965-1966)
by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Nominated by: MRP (#1 on his list), Hoosier X (#8 on his list), Chris N. (voting for Strange Tales #110-146 as #17 on his list), and Scott Harris (voting for Strange Tales #110-146 as #20 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"The quintessential Dr. Strange story and the foundation of the cosmic component of the Marvel Universe. Ditko is better known for his Spider-Man stuff, and as good as it is, I would argue his Doc Strange stuff is better on a visual and narrative level (though Peter/Spidey is the more empathetic character resonating more with the audience), and this saga is the pinnacle of Ditko's work on the good Doctor. Everything that comes later that we associate with good Doc stories started here. Clea, Dormammu, the interdimensional stuff, cosmic entities, Doc transcending the need for the Ancient One to guide him and proving himself as his own man, etc. etc. All of it is here in spades making it my personal top comic saga of all time...at least until I have to do a list like this again and reevaluate things, in which case the order might change, but this tale will still vie for a top spot every time."



7. Amazing Fantasy #15, Amazing Spider-Man #1-33, and Annual #1-2 (1962-1966)
by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Nominated by Chris N. (#1 on his list), Hoosier X (voting for Annual #1 as #1 on his list), and Scott Harris (voting for #31-33 as #16 on his list).

In Chris N.'s words:

""WIth great power must come great responsibility." Many see it as the perfect summary of the superhero story. But for Lee and Ditko, the statement is not an end, but a beginning. Not a platitude to be accepted, but a question to be answered.

Moral obligation is a question. To what extent are you responsible to do what you can to help others? How much of your time and effort should be spent on helping others? Aren't people in some sense better off learning to fend for themselves, and not rely on others?

And even if one accepts the call of moral obligation, of responsibility, then what? What if there are too many responsibilities, to those in need, to one's family and friends, to one's self. How does one balance conflicting responsibilities?

Peter Parker has a sick aunt, his studies to tend to, friends he often neglects, and this nagging drive to help everybody who may be in danger. It's all a bit too much, and all comes to ahead in the epic Master Planner Saga. He is starting college, but not performing up to the demands of his scholarship, and there is a new group of people (including an attractive blonde) willing to give him a chance, if he seems able to give them the time of day. But his aunt is in critical condition. And the Master Planner is causing havoc, havoc which directly threatens his aunt. It's all coming together and his struggle to find balance is coming to a head, and ultimately seems to be failing.

Then an entire train station falls on top of his head."



6. Avengers #89-97, "The Kree-Skrull War" (1971-1972)
by Roy Thomas, Neal Adams, John Buscema, and Sal Buscema

Nominated by: Metarog (#1 on his list), icctrombone (#4 on his list), Chris N. (voting for Avengers #41-100 as #11 on his list), and Wildfire2099 (#15 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"This one seemingly had it all including nice art, high drama and a whole host of guest stars. The repercussions from this little yarn persist to this day, I believe, and set up Rick Jones and Mar-Vell as key players in the Marvel Universe for years to come. A classic tale of surviving a no-win situation or at least delaying it until a solution can be found. The Neal Adams issues have the best art I have seen in an Avengers comic. Overall, this is my best experience in graphic storytelling."



5. Warrior #1-26 and V for Vendetta #1-10, "V for Vendetta" (1982-1989)
by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

Nominated by shaxper (#2 on his list), Wildfire2099 (#7 on his list), Chris N. (#9 on his list), and Metarog (#16 on his list)

In shaxper's words:

"What began as a comic with massive style and an overly simplified message matured (once revived by the original creative team half a decade later) into a story with far more substance and complexity, both moral and philosophical. What I cherished about this series, far more than the fantastic charisma of the central character, was how often it forced me to put down the book and simply consider. Who WAS V, was he ever really pursuing a vendetta, was he even a he (maybe he was Valerie, though I doubt it), and did his identity actually matter? Did he matter more an an un-character – the embodiment of humanity's finest ideas completely uncorrupted by individual needs? What is the significance of the detective following and ultimately empathizing with him? If regimes must be toppled, what must replace them? Was it selfish of V to exit during the climax of the destruction he caused, leaving his successor with the truly more difficult job of deciding what to build up in place of all that has been knocked down? This work challenges and challenges me again, and I cannot get enough of that. Flawless work with ideas that have endured long past the saga's ending (or was it a beginning?)."



4. Giant-Size X-Men #1, X-Men (vol. 1) #94-279, Annual 3-14, X-Men: God Loves Man Kills, X-Men vs. Fantastic Four #1-4, X-Men #1-3, and tie-ins, "The All-New, All-Different X-Men" (1975-1991)
by Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, Paul Smith, John Romita Jr., Brent Anderson, Barry Windsor-Smith, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Lee

Nominated by: Viewtiful JC (#3 on his list), shaxper (voting for X-Men #96-189 as #3 on his list), Chris N. (#6 on his list), Wildfire2099 (voting for "The Dark Phoenix Saga" as #17 on his list), and VDCNI (voting for "The Dark Phoenix Saga" as #18 on his list)

In ViewtifulJC's words:

"Seems like a lot of disconnected episodes, but what ties them together are the characters and progression Claremont and his authorial voice had over this period of time. Yes yes there's the popular Byrne/Austin books, and the Smith/Wiacek stuff, and a few Romita JR issues people like where Colossus battles the Juggernaut or Magneto is on trial. But even after that, what I love is Claremont kept experimenting, kept pushing boundaries of the characters and book he essentially co-created. Storm loses her regality and becomes leader of the X-Men, discovering and rediscovering facets of her personality over the course of hundreds of issues. Wolverine, who Claremont/Byrne/Miller had turned into a juggernaut, was slowly emasculated and dismantled over the second half of Claremont's tenure as he loses his edge. Kitty and Kurt are shipped off, having no place in the new darker world of the X-Men, moving to the outback, and eventually there were no X-men team at all! Then it slowly starts its way back, the team coming together, back to the big pop sci-fi adventures in space, back to Xavier's mansion, back to Cyclops giving orders, back to X-Men vs Magneto. We've come full circle, from an almost cancelled book to one of the biggest pop culture sensations in the world."



3. Watchmen #1-12 (1986-1987)
by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Nominated by: Hoosier X (#2 on his list), Metarog (#3 on his list), icctrombone (#3 on his list), and Scott Harris (#8 on his list)

In Metarog's words:

"A great series that still holds up as a masterpiece of graphic storytelling. There are many layers to this saga and it ask you to consider who the good guy here is and are there really any “good guys”. We are asked to follow a series of events without a real good idea where it will lead. Let’s just say the journey is worth the risk of the unknown. Genius at work here!"



2. Sandman #1-75 and tie-ins (1989-1996)
by Neil Gaiman and others

Nominated by: Dizzy D (#3 on his list), MRP (#4 on his list), shaxper (#6 on his list), Chris N. (#10 on his list), and Hoosier X (voting for Sandman #9-16 as #11 on his list)

In MRP's words:

"I really considered breaking this down into separate storylines, but wanted to reread them all if I did that and did not have the chance. If I had, Season of Mists would have been at the top unless the two Vess Shakespeare issues (Midsummer's Night Dream & Tempest were considered a separate storyline, or the PCR Arabian Nights issue was long enough to qualify on its own. Every storyline though would have likely made the top 100, so just decided to include the run as a whole and place it here. I started this series with issue 8, I came home for summer break and stopped at a shop that was not my main shop, but one I knew the owner pretty well and he suggested this new book, saying he knew I would like it, and if I didn't I could exchange the issue for any other new comic I wanted instead. I bought it, took it home, read it, and went back the next day and bought 1-7 from him as well. Didn't miss an issue since (picked up Overture #2 today as it so happens). This series just grabbed me form page one and has not let go of me since. Subsequent rereading only strengthen my love of the series, like revisiting an old friend you didn't realize how much you missed until you were reunited. Each arc has its own personality, largely because of the changing artists, but Gaiman's voice is clear and consistent throughout this saga. There are lots of big ideas here, but it never loses sight of the characters and the essential humanity of their stories, even when they are great mythological entities like the Endless. Just a masterpiece as far as I am concerned. "



1. Iron Man #55, Captain Marvel #25-34, Marvel Feature #12, Strange Tales #178-181, Warlock #9-15, Avengers Annual #7, Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2, Marvel Graphic Novel #1, "The Thanos Saga" (1973-1981)
by Jim Starlin and others

Nominated by: MRP (voting for Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 as #2 on his list), Chris N. (#5 on his list), icctrombone (voting for The Magus Saga as #2 on his list), and Metarog (voting for Marvel Graphic Novel #1).

In Chris N.'s words:

"Jim Starlin introduced us to Thanos in Iron Man #55. He took various assignments for Marvel, but wherever he went, Thanos went with him. The mad demigod, obsessed with death, always seeking ultimate power in order to satisfy his obsession.

The first sparks of Starlin's brilliance are evident in Captain Marvel, with his metaphysical transformation from warrior to protector. But what was started there was taken to insane heights with Strange Tales, where Warlock battles the Magus, with the story flowing into Warlock's own series, where Thanos allies himself with Warlock for his own ends. Warlock #12 being the most mindblowing issue yet, following a string of mindblowing issues, the strange death of Adam Warlock.

It all comes together with the other have of that strange death in one of the greatest single issue superhero epics of all time, Avengers annual 7. Beautifully told melodrama, bringing a fitting end to the sagas of Warlock and Thanos.

The finale, of course, comes with Captain Marvel's death. Unexpected consequences of his battle with Nitro bring this great hero to his deathbed, there to have the final battle of the series, as Captain Marvel and the mad Titan clash for the final time.

The cosmic superhero epic all others strive to be. "