 | |  | THE WIZARD POLL | | |
|
| | | | |
| COMICS |  | Home > COMICS > 200 GREATEST COMICS IN WIZARD'S HISTORY
|
200 GREATEST COMICS IN WIZARD'S HISTORY | July 1991 to now
#19 to #1 | | | By the Wizard Staff | | Posted 04/30/08 | |  | | 
19. Spawn #1 (Image, 1992)
WRITER/ARTIST: Todd McFarlane
McFarlane's signature series debuted as an instant blockbuster by backing up the superstar artist's visual style with a story that drew on military and political unrest, horror and crime fiction. The resulting comic, TV and film franchise are a testament to the success of the creator-driven Image and a blueprint for the modern relationship between Hollywood and comics.
18. Superman For All Seasons #1 (DC, 1998)
WRITER: Jeph Loeb
ARTIST: Tim Sale
This wistful retelling of Clark's early years felt like the alternate universe of a Norman Rockwell painting (partially thanks to Bjarne Hansen’s lavish coloring). We've seen variations of these scenes countless times before, but somehow this particular visit to Smallville, told through the nostalgic eyes of Pa Kent, makes it all seem brand new.
17. Kingdom Come #4 (DC, 1996)
WRITER: Mark Waid
ARTIST: Alex Ross
The conclusion of this critically acclaimed look at the future of the DCU opens with one of the greatest stand-offs in comics: Superman versus Captain Marvel. Not only does it affirm the World’s Mightiest Mortal's ability to go toe-to-toe with the Man of Steel, it lays out the true responsibilities of superheroes, what it means to be a god in man’s world, and the dangers of becoming more super than man.
16. Astro City #1/2 (Wizard/Homage Comics, 1996)
WRITER: Kurt Busiek
PENCILER: Brent Anderson
A woman named Miranda haunts Michael Tenicek in his dreams—a woman he's never met. And slowly his obsession to find her makes him believe he's going insane. But when the facts of this mystery woman collide at the story's climax, the sobering truth will leave you colder than Tenicek's personal hell.
15. JLA #4 (DC, 1997)
WRITER: Grant Morrison
PENCILER: Howard Porter
A decade ago, the idea that Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman would lead the Justice League was not unshakeable cannon. Facing an insidious group of Martian replacement heroes, DC's biggest guns attacked the challenge with high-octane superhero style, proving by arc's end that the "Big Three" weren't just the best choice for the JLA—they were the only choice.
14. Astonishing X-Men #4 (Marvel, 2004)
WRITER: Joss Whedon
ARTIST: John Cassaday
It is arguably the single greatest resurrection in modern comics history. Whedon and Cassaday live up to their title's adjective with this stirring story that brought Colossus back into the X-fold. Kitty Pryde's face when she realizes her long-lost love is still alive—the shock, the bewilderment—hits the reader like a haymaker from the metallic mutant.
13. Ultimate Spider-Man #13 (Marvel, 2001)
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILER: Mark Bagley
We were so there when Peter finally told Mary Jane about his new web-slinging life. The only moment that topped Peter's "I knew I was going to have to do this" wall-crawling proof was MJ blurting out, "And to think I thought you were just going to kiss me." (Yeah!) It is simply the best "conversation" comic ever; teen awkwardness and euphoria at its finest.
12. Captain America (vol. 5) #25 (Marvel, 2007)
WRITER: Ed Brubaker
PENCILER: Steve Epting
With iconic scenes from Cap's life laid out like a pre-emptive obituary, Brubaker adroitly positioned us for the hardest of blows: Captain America, a legendary patriotic symbol since World War II, is gunned down. Our visceral reaction was overwhelming. As friend Sam Wilson put it, we weren't "ready for this world without [him] in it."
11. New X-Men #114 (Marvel, 2001)
WRITER: Grant Morrison
PENCILER: Frank Quitely
Morrison and Quitely revamped the X-Men for the modern era starting right here. The result? A smart, fast-paced, widescreen look at the X-franchise that focused on the dramatic, science fiction roots of the series and breathed new life into characters that had almost become parodies of themselves. Killer Sentinels, a new mutant nemesis, a colossal catastrophe…all in a 22-page span!
10. Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special (Dark Horse, 1992)
WRITERS: Various
PENCILERS: Various
This one-shot was jam-packed with DH's signature characters, but it's the debut of Frank Miller’s Sin City that makes it shine. Reinventing his art style with bold black-and-white strokes that evoke a noir-heavy, hard-boiled reality, Miller reignited the crime comic genre, paving the way for his rise as a Hollywood creative maverick.
9. Daredevil (vol. 2) #1 (Marvel, 1998)
WRITER: Kevin Smith
PENCILER: Joe Quesada
Not only does this issue mark filmmaker Kevin Smith's mainstream comics debut, but it also lays the first brick of the current Marvel Universe. Its success cemented the importance of the Marvel Knights line and paved the way for Joe Quesada's ascendance to Editor-in-Chiefdom. It doesn't hurt that it also reintroduces the brooding Daredevil to the masses in a comic not done by DD guru Frank Miller.
8. Identity Crisis #1 (DC, 2004)
WRITER: Brad Meltzer
PENCILER: Rags Morales
From the mundane minutia of learning that Green Arrow wears a hat because of his bald spot, to the horrific murder of Elongated Man's beloved wife, Meltzer forever peeled back the shiny coating of the DC Universe. Ralph Dibny's unbridled agony and subsequent rage foretold a new tone, one that would finally allow for unwieldy repercussions and true conflict among these legendary heroes.
7. Bone #1 (Cartoon Books, 1991)
WRITER/ARTIST: Jeff Smith
The best Disney comic not done by Disney. Bone stands as a shining example of the medium's often untapped potential by delivering a fun read devoid of regurgitated superheroics. From Fone Bone's trials with stupid Rat Creatures to the ominous cloud of locusts, there's more charm and detail in this single kickoff issue than many artists can pull from decades of work.
6. Preacher #1 (DC/Vertigo, 1995)
WRITER: Garth Ennis
ARTIST: Steve Dillon
Ennis and Dillon's irreverent symphony of profanity, blasphemy and violence began with one Jesse Custer, cursed recipient of "Genesis," the angel/devil spawn. Rounding out our flawed trio were ex-girlfriend Tulip O'Hare and Cassidy, an Irish punk strangely terrified of the sun. Like the Saint of Killers, this issue was an unstoppable force, defining a new genre of "graphic" entertainment for the '90s and beyond.
5. Superman #75 (DC, 1992)
WRITER/PENCILER: Dan Jurgens
A comic whose arrival was so powerful it launched a national media frenzy, the "Death of Superman" issue left a lasting impact on the medium and marketplace. Told entirely in explosive splash pages, Jurgens rendered a slugfest for the ages between Superman and Doomsday, delivering an emotional (if non-permanent) end to comics' greatest champion. Black armbands optional.
4. Sandman #50 (DC/Vertigo, 1993)
WRITER: Neil Gaiman
ARTIST: P. Craig Russell
Gaiman's career-launching series earned accolades for its powerful ruminations on fantastic fiction and the dream/soul connection, both perfectly exemplified here in "Ramadan." When a woeful Haroun Al Raschid—king of a still gleaming, Arabian Nights-era Baghdad—submits the city's Golden Age to live forever in dreams, the result provides subtle and haunting commentary on the modern day Middle East.
3. All Star Superman #1 (DC, 2006)
WRITER: Grant Morrison
PENCILER: Frank Quitely
In just the first page, this title encapsulates all you need to know about the hero's origin. As for the following 21 pages, they show how "easy" it is to produce a flawless Silver Age-style story that still retains modern-day sensibilities. Teamed with Quitely, who pencils a distinct Superman/Clark dynamic, Morrison rocketed us back to our childhood and reminded us what made the character the world's first and best superhero.
2. Marvels #1 (Marvel, 1993)
WRITER: Kurt Busiek
ARTIST: Alex Ross
Ross' photorealistic painting and Busiek's nuanced scripting blended perfectly in this absorbing wartime tale of the world’s first superheroes, cleverly told through the dubious eyes of photojournalist Phil Sheldon. Like the awed Mr. Sheldon, we too were witnessing a significant leap forward. This seminal mini arrived as a revelation, a sign that comics' transition from kiddie pastime to respected art form was undeniable.
1. Y: The Last Man #1 (DC/Vertigo, 2002)
WRITER: Brian K. Vaughan
PENCILER: Pia Guerra
The countdown had begun. By issue's end we would know of the mysterious and devastating plague that targeted every mammal with a Y chromosome on the planet for a shockingly violent death. The only males left to see what becomes of the world are a sarcastic, would-be escape artist named Yorick and his feces-throwing monkey, Ampersand.
And while this dizzying start shows well enough that Y is the most creatively successful new comic of the past 15 years, it is the book's sweeping effects on readers everywhere which earn it the top spot.
Much more than its high concept, Y: The Last Man #1 is a comic whose every line of dialogue, desperate action and change of scenery hold enough drama, mystery and characterization to warrant multiple readings. Looking back, you can see the clever threading of the series' intricate, overlapping narratives. From Israeli commandos to ninja assassins, the story elements had been laid down, waiting to be exploited.
BKV's compelling script, dripping with dark humor, found the ideal complement in Guerra's clean, expressive art, which created an instant accessibility for veteran and new readers alike.
The comic deftly proved that DC's Vertigo imprint would have a second life beyond its association with writers like Neil Gaiman and Garth Ennis. It helped pull mainstream comics back into mainstream pop culture after its trade paperbacks became a hit with critics from places like Entertainment Weekly and USA Today. And it turned Vaughan from a writer pumping out Batman fill-ins into a new generation of readers' most prolific and original voice.
For anyone seeking further proof, dig out your copy of Y #1 and give it to any of your non-comics-reading friends with the simple instructions "Read this." We guarantee the first issue won't be their last.
Check out more 200 Greatest Comics from #200 to #151, #150 to #101, #100 to #51, and #50 to #20. | | | | | | | | |
Share this article
![[Slashdot]](http://slashdot.org/favicon.ico)
![[Digg]](http://digg.com/favicon.ico)
![[Reddit]](http://reddit.com/favicon.ico)
![[del.icio.us]](http://del.icio.us/favicon.ico)
![[Facebook]](http://www.facebook.com/favicon.ico)
![[Technorati]](http://technorati.com/favicon.ico)
![[Google]](http://www.google.com/favicon.ico)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.stumbleupon.com/favicon.ico)
|  |
 | |
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
|  |
| |
|
| |
