Since the 1930s, the American comic book industry, led by Marvel and DC, has become a powerhouse of fiction, with franchises as diverse as Batman and Superman becoming multi-billion dollar properties. Since its inception, the industry has been shaped, revolutionized and improved by various comics, creative teams and iconic runs. This can happen for a variety of reasons, from sales dominance to influencing a new generation of storytellers.
The comic book industry has gone through several distinct phases and eras, from the Golden Age to superheroes outgrowing pulp magazines, leading to the current modern era. Sometimes, a comic can have a profound impact without maintaining particular popularity, while others retain a core status with new generations. Either way, it’s hard to deny the lasting influence of some comics.
10 Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars
Jim Shooter, Mike Jake and John Beatty
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars Following the epic battle between heroes and villains in 616, a cosmic entity, the Beyonder, transports them to a distant planet known as Battleworld. Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine and the Hulk face off against iconic foes such as Doctor Doom, Ultron and Kang the Conqueror in an epic battle of good versus evil.
secret war Often cited as the first true story in comic book history, its story has carried through Marvel’s continuity for years, most famously leading to the creation of Spider-Man’s black suit, Venom. Interestingly, the black suit was actually pitched to Marvel by a reader, making it one of the most successful pieces of fan art in comic book history.
9 The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller, Klaus Johnson and Lynn Varley
In 1986, by Frank Miller and Klaus Johnson The Dark Knight Returns Takes readers to a futuristic Gotham City, where Bruce Wayne has retired as Batman. However, with the city facing unprecedented levels of violent crime at the hands of mutant gangs, the hero makes his comeback, challenging the gang’s leader to put an end to their mayhem.
The Dark Knight Returns Not only was it a commercial success, it sparked an explosion in prestige-format character exploration, not to mention a wave of “old man” style comics. Without Miller directing the character, it’s uncertain whether there would be evergreen stories like “Old Man Logan,” Peter David’s “Maestro” Hulk comics, and other classics.
8 Crisis on Infinite Earths
Marv Wolfman and Jorge Perez
In 1986, DC was released Crisis on Infinite Earths With one sole goal: to facilitate their continuity and offer a clean slate for a new generation of readers. This was achieved on multiple fronts, from the return of classic heroes who migrated to Earth-2, to the destruction of alternate worlds and the deaths of major heroes, paving the way for younger successors. By all accounts, the event was a resounding success.
The story itself follows the arrival of a major super villain, the Anti-Monitor, who begins to destroy entire universes within the multiverse. In response, a monitor assembles a team of heroes from different worlds to repel the villain’s attack and save the world as much as possible. The event, which tied in a multitude of ongoing titles, made DC the most exciting publisher of the late ’80s and even explained the addition of the newly-acquired Charlton heroes.
7 the guard
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
the guard It takes place in its own continuity and explores the Watchmen, a retired group of superheroes. After a former member, a comedian, is murdered in his apartment, masked detective Rorschach takes over the case to investigate what happened to his old teammate. As he delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a conspiracy with terrifying implications and seeks to bring the person responsible to justice, no matter the cost. Moore’s story helped popularize the next wave of dark stories, viz preacher, Sandman And Hellblazer.
the guard It’s a notable comic book not for its characters or even sales, but for the impact it has had on the industry, be it writers, publishers, or readers. This has prompted a new generation of creative teams to focus more than ever on character and genre deconstruction, exploring what makes a superhero tick. Moore’s script influences can be found in modern writing by everyone from Tom King and Christopher Cantwell to Mark Miller and Geoff Johns.
6 The X-Men #1
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
The world of Marvel Comics today is defined by its focus on superheroes who experience human struggles despite their extraordinary powers. While the concept was touched on in earlier Fantastic Four comics, the company defined its core formula with the X-Men. Through Mutants, a long line of writers, starting with Stan Lee, was able to explore themes of ostracism, prejudice, and discrimination, though later became more saturated.
Uncanny X-Men #1 introduced the world to several iconic Marvel heroes, such as Beast, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) and Cyclops, not to mention Charles Xavier. Lee and Kirby’s collaboration on the series gave Marvel its flagship team comic, which is still a sales powerhouse today, surpassing even the comic success of the Avengers.
5 Flash #123
Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson
The Silver Age began with the creation of Barry Allen as the new Flash, with DC effectively removing Jay Garrick from their original continuity. This, as well as Hal Jordan’s creation a few years later, was done to reel in a new generation of comic readers, who wanted more science fiction, action and energetic designs. In Flash #123, the company explained that the old heroes were not erased at all, but instead moved to another world, Earth-2, thereby establishing the first comic book multiverse.
In 2024, a multiverse is used in comics so the general reader takes it for granted, but the concept didn’t just exist for superheroes. Flash #123. Although the scientific theory had been explored years earlier, the concept proved to be a stroke of genius applied to the DCU and would later grant the publishers an unprecedented degree of creative freedom. While some may lament the concept’s overuse, it’s hard to deny that it’s a dominant force in modern-day superhero stories.
4 All-Star Comics #3
Gardner Fox, Everett E. Hibbard, Bernard Bailey, Ben Flinton, Martin Knodel, Sheldon Moldoff, Sheldon Mayer, and Howard Sherman.
In 1941, DC made comic book history by creating the Justice Society of America, the industry’s first superhero team. Comprised of Spectre, Doctor Fate, Atom, Hawkman, Hourman, Jay Garrick, Alan Scott and Sandman, the team’s first meeting sees each member describe his best adventures. While the story itself was far from revolutionary, the idea of moving towards a team dynamic gave DC something unique.
All-Star Comics #3 doesn’t mark the debut of any of its characters, but bringing together a team of superheroes was a big difference when the industry was always defined by single stories. The story would lay the groundwork for Fox’s subsequent creation of Justice League, which even featured updated versions of the classic Mantle Green Lantern and Flash. Superhero teams abound in comics today, but they owe everything to the JSA.
3 Detective Comics #27
Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Just one year after the success of Superman’s debut in Action Comics #1, DC released Detective Comics #27, where the world was introduced to Bruce Wayne: Bat-Man. In his breakout first story, the character investigates the murder of a chemical mogul, saves the victim’s son from a wrongful arrest and tracks down the real culprits.
As great as Superman is, Batman’s unprecedented and unparalleled sales dominance is undeniable, as he has become the unofficial flagship character of DC Comics. With enough comic book presence to be the second largest publisher behind Marvel, The Dark Knight has helped propel DC to the top sales spot for years, also promoting new characters through shared appearances. Having defined the street-level vigilante archetype, ‘Tec #27’s influence can be found in series ranging from Daredevil and The Question to Midnighter and the Punisher.
2 Fantastic Four #1
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
In the 1960s, Stan Lee was tired of writing the same formulaic stories that were all flash and no substance. As he tells the story, he was on the verge of quitting his job at Marvel when his wife Joan suggested he write a comic the way he wanted. As he explained, if the company hated it and fired him, it didn’t matter since he was going to quit anyway. Teaming up with Jack Kirby, Lee co-created The Fantastic Four, a group of otherwise ordinary and relatable characters who formed a superhero family.
When many look back The X-Men As a turning point in Marvel history, it wouldn’t have been possible without its earlier successes Fantastic Four. Not only did the comic completely reshape the landscape of Marvel Comics, it focused on character development, team dynamics, and created a lasting legacy for the Lee/Kirby partnership. Without this debut issue, the 616, as readers know and love it today, simply wouldn’t exist. It’s worth noting the parallels to Kirby’s own co-creation at DC, The Challengers of the Unknown, which had an undeniable impact on the series.
1 Action Comics #1
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
In 1938, longtime creative partners Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster debuted the original Superman story. Action Comics #1 Before the superhero genre even existed, and comics were dominated by detectives and cowboys, the story of an alien hero saving the innocent from their wrongdoings was nothing short of experimental. While they were playing with the idea of superheroes in their Doctor Occult story, it was through Man of Steel that the modern superhero mythos was born.
Action Comics #1 follows Superman’s origin story, from his death on Krypton to his discovery as a child by the Kents. Walking readers through his life, from a child learning the limits of his powers to reporter Clark Kent, almost everything that defines today’s superhero comics stems from this issue. Famously, the character’s future wasn’t even confirmed until sales figures came in months later, proving the character a major hit. While some people may prefer Batman, Spider-Man or Wolverine, none of this would have been possible if Man of Tomorrow had not been a hit.