We’re working on another edition of Comics Buyer’s Guide Presents, this one devoted to The Greatest Comic Book Covers of All Time and we’d like your input. Tell us in the “Reply to this story” area below what you consider to be the greatest comics cover of all time and why and we’ll consider those choices as we put the book together in the coming weeks.
So, what’s Comics Buyer’s Guide Presents, you ask? The line started last year with 100 Sexiest Women in Comics and 100 Baddest Motherf*#!ers in Comics, which are both still available, even as a two-pack.
The Magazine
I’ve always felt the cover to Silver Surfer #1 was simply awesome!
My vote goes to Amazing Spider-man #39, back in the Silver Age, Green Goblin with an unmasked Spider-man hanging upside down against a blue sky.
Other great covers include Amazing Spider-man #50, Superman #233 “Kryptonite Nevermore” cover, Superman #14 from the Golden Age (the eagle and shield cover), Batman # 9 (Golden Age, cover with Batman & Robin in spotlight), Fantastic Four #50 with that great Silver Surfer by Kirby, I’m sure I’ll think of many more, but these stand out in my mind as great covers.
X-men #137 – Jean and Scott’s last stand.
Silver Surfer #4 – Thor vs Silver Surfer… WOW!
Amazing Spider-Man #300 – This cover blew me away when I first saw it.
HULK King-Size Special #1 – Steranko’s Hulk is awesome.
Also, James Jean’s covers for Fables are fine art.
Superman #14. Iconic picture of Superman and the American eagle during the height of World War II. Stirs the blood.
BATMAN #118.
Are we referring to the Curt Swan cover?
I’ve always liked Fritz’s cover to Weird Science Fantasy #29….. The B
Flash #133. Great art, great composition, silly situation and the goofiest dialogue ever! A combination of the sublime and the ridiculous that epitomized the Silver Age!
Yeah, that was a cool cover. However, it doesn’t live up to Flash 123, but still a great cover. Silver Age had so many great covers. I remember those Flash\Green Lantern team-ups where you had this red\green clash. Made for some great covers. Some of the sci-fi comics like Mystery in Space and My Greatest Adventures had covers that just drew you in month after month. Great stuff!
One of my favorite comic covers was from my youth. Justice League of America #10, The Fantastic Fingers of Felix Faust. It was so cool how Felix held the entire JLA in his hands. I also would like to add Superman 149 “The Death of Superman” as a runner-up. So many great covers throughout the years. How about Miller’s “Death of Elecktra” cover where he is sobbing over her tombstone. Doesn’t get any better than that!
I’ve always been partial to Justice League of America #4, “Doom of the Star Diamond!” by Murphy Anderson. When it came out in 1961, to my young eyes, it captured so much drama and suspense in a single fantastical scene, and it was beautifully drawn. A brilliant cover. Even today I can’t imagine what more you could possibly want out of a cover. The JLA #10 cover madmarty cites is one of my runners-up.
I have to agree with sfxvandusen on Superman #14. This iconic cover says “Truth, Justice and The American Way.” What more does one need to know about Superman?
I went through dozens of my favorite covers in comic book history and rated them according to several criteria: connects to important content; iconic nature; use of space; use of light; use of color; and the “must read this issue” attribute. My list included covers from every comic book “age,” although most of the covers that I rated highest tended to be before 1975.
This put my top five, er, seven in the following order:
1. Fantastic Four #1 — Jack Kirby
2. Green Lantern #76 — Neal Adams
3. Phantom Lady #17 — Matt Baker
4 (tie). Action Comics #1 — Joe Shuster
4. The Flash #123 — Carmine Infantino
4. Superman #233 — Neal Adams
4. X-Men #137 — John Byrne
Every one of these covers makes me feel like a superhero.
Albedo #2 1st Usagi Yojimbo (made me want to but it immediately!)
Weird Science Fantasy #29 (Frazetta!!!)
GI Joe ARAH #39
Amazing Fantasy #15
Walking Dead #9
Cavewoman All Natural Pin-Up
D’oh, not but, BUY, OOPS!
Batman #251, Joker cover. Best ever…
Crisis On Infinite Earths#7 – Death of Supergirl.
I understand that the origin of the cover design has roots in earlier comic book covers. However I’ve seen this layout on several other comics, and the emotion that George Perez brings out in his art makes it my favorite.
Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 by George Perez blew my mind when I was twelve years old and buying it off the newsstand.
Any Kaluta Shadow cover can make me weep with joy too.
I also have to give severe props to the All-Star Comics #37 cover from 1947…that Injustice Society cover where Degaton and the rest are carving up the USA tells me exactly what kind of fun ride the story is.
Excellent choices, especially the Kaluta Shadow!
Superman vol.1 #276
Superman vs Captain Thunder
Great Cardy art, showing the power of both characters.
Spider-Man #33. Ditko at his best.
Superman #199 (Race with Flash by Carmine Infantino )
Daredevil #189 (Frank Miller)
Wolverine Mini Series #3 (Frank Miller)
Usagi Yojimbo # 134 (Stan Sakai)
Groo #45 (Marvel Comics-Rufferto Cover-Sergio Aragones)
Uncanny X-Men #141 — This cover boiled down the X-Men’s fight against prejudice in a stark and powerful way while showcasing Wolverine’s tenacity and worth to the mutant cause.
A couple others as well …
* Amazing Spider-Man #39 (echoing another writer above) — Spider-Man’s secret identity revealed by his arch enemy — dramatic and compelling.
* Marvels #2 by Alex Ross — another great visual dealing with the X-Men’s plight.
* Could choose a plethora of Frank Miller DD covers, like 181, 182, 184, 187. Just striking and emotionally striking images.
My Favorite Cover came out the Year my Mom was dying from Cancer ;
that’s why i see it as The Best…so much Comfort came to me from Comic Books
in 1966 and 1967, when i was just 10-years-olde ~~FANTASTIC FOUR #48
My nominations for greatest comic book cover of all time:
1. PHANTOM WITCH DOCTOR
2. DETECTIVE #27
3. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #33
4. SUPERMAN #1
5. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #28
I would echo the sentiments of previous posters as well as some suggestions of my own.
Avengers 4
Brave and the bold 34
Amazing spidey 39
Amazing spidey 50
Batman 232
FF 48
Brave and the bold 28
FF 25
Green lantern 76
And one of my guilty pleasure favorite covers is
Godzilla 1 1977 marvel