The Best and Worst Anniversary Issues

[thwhtGuardian]

Superman #400 was the only issue of Superman I ever had. It was pretty cool because of all the different artists that worked on it but it still never made me a Supes fan.

I LOVE that comic!!!!



The variety of stories is just so great and to have so much talent packed into one book is amazing. I'm one of those collectors whose philosophy is "If you aren't reading them, you're wasting them." and believe me, this comic has gotten a LOT of time being read. From the moment I picked it up off the rack I fell in love with it and I had to beg my mom to buy it for me because $1.50 for a comic at the time was a big deal. It was totally worth it. The ending story by Steranko is really a wonderful piece of work. You can read it here: http://site.supermanthrutheages.com/400/exile/

It is one of the best anniversary issues ever published!!!!

I'll add my voice to this chorus, for me Superman #400 isn't just one of the best anniversary issues of all time it's also just one of the best single issues of all time. Just some great storytelling by some of the best writers and artists to ever make comics.

[David Walton]

... because it detailed Superman's origin, powers and history better than any other issue before it and Detective Comics #500...

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... because it has my favorite Batman story ever - "To Kill a Legend".

"To Kill a Legend!" is one of my faves, too. Read it in The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told TPB.

[Slam_Bradley]

Detective Comics #500...

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... because it has my favorite Batman story ever - "To Kill a Legend".

Definitely my favorite. And the reason for my moniker.

[Shellhead]

I generally don't enjoy comic books where a different is drawing each page, anniversary issue or otherwise. It tends to destroy any sense of a coherent story. However, I sometimes like a story where there are two artists, with one of them handling a flashback sequence or dream sequence while the other artist is handling the main story.

[Scott Harris]

One of my favorite anniversary issues of all time is Sgt. Fury #100.



The story takes place at a Howlers reunion in the "present day," meaning 1972. The host and emcee for the reunion? Stan Lee, of course. During the reunion, Reb Ralston gets up to make a speech, as he is now Senator Reb Ralston. And thanks to his friendship with Gabe, Reb has become one of the foremost leaders of Civil Rights legislation in congress. So when he gets up to speak, a right wing assassin shoots him. The rest of the Howlers give chase and pursue the shooters (there are two of them) through New York City in a sequence that is among the best work Dick Ayers did on the series. Some of the pages have no words at all, they're just Ayers doing some great sequential storytelling. Top notch!

[Bad Wolf]

Here's another one I liked. The finale to the Six-Fingered Hand saga as Satan (later retconned to be a pretender) literally creates Hell on Earth.



This issue, like the entire arc, was not as horrific as it could have been due to Don Perlin's art, but it was fun anyway.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Best Anniversary Issue :




"The Last Batman story" - This one basically before the Brave and the Bold story where Bruce Wayne marries Selina Kyle. Or the Golden Age one does. In this one he claims he is considering running for Governor and asking the woman he loves to marry him.


The worst Anniversary issue ...




X-Men 400 : Your thinking that the X-Men hitting the big 400th issue would have been special back in the early 2000's. Instead what we got was a complete fucking debacle of an issue. Basically Joe Casey had the team encounter the bunny ranch for Mutant whores running it. Instead of an issue focusing on something cool or maybe celebrating Xavier's dream and all the past and present X-Men....we got....mutant whores. Its no wonder Joe Casey's run would only last 15-16 issues and he'd leave.

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

Some anniversary issues that weren't recognized as anniversary issues, but could be considered as such:

Mystery in Space 75--a diamond anniversary issue featuring a novel-length Adam Strange story, guest-starring the Justice League, against Kanjar Ro. Infantino and Anderson doing the League--wow!

The Brave and the Bold 50--a so-so team-up of Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter, BUT this kicked off the continuing theme of TEAM-UPs for the rest of the series--previous issues could be considered team-ups (such as the Justice League issues), but this is when the format officially changed (and it would change again in 74, when Batman took up permanent residence).

Detective Comics 326 or 327--depending how you look at it, since 326 was the 300th appearance of Batman in 'Tec and the final Old Look issue (with the last Martian Manhunter back-up in that title), but 327 featured the first New Look Batman as Julius Schwartz took over as editor (and Elongated Man got the back-up gig) and this issue was cover-dated May 1964--since Detective Comics 27 was cover dated May 1939, that makes 25 years, the Silver anniversary of Batman.

Action Comics 241--cover dated June 1958, marks the 20th anniversary of Superman appearing in Action Comics 1, cover dated June 1938, and features the Super Key to Fort Superman which introduced Superman's arctic Fortress of Solitude, and is considered to be the first Silver Age Superman comic.

All Star Comics 50--cover dated December 1949/January 1950, "Prophecy of Peril" sees The Flash aka Jay Garrick bringing the JSA to his alma mater, Mid-Western University, for a tenth anniversary reunion--keeping things in real time, as Jay Garrick was indeed a college student when he first became The Flash in Flash Comics 1, cover dated January 1940 (by 1950 the Flash Comics title had been retired).

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

Batman 300 is why I never took Frank Miller's Dark Knight too seriously--because it was yet another story about what might happen if Batman ever got old. Since there's a rule against Batman ever getting old for keeps, one story about a possible Batman in the future is just as credible as another--which is not much.

[Mace Dolex]

G.I.Joe was at it's peak in popularity in 1986 and this was my first comic which was a huge departure from the cartoon, the lead 22 page story was the culmination of the Springfield subplot and then there was the 18 page sneak peak at G.I.Joe Special Missions.




Detective Comics #526 - a giant size 56 page awesome issue all around, this issue ends Gerry Conway's various story threads and showcases all of Batman's rogues gallery at that time.

[Bad Wolf]

This was a pretty neat issue that also featured the Elongated Man and Slam Bradley, as well as a cameo by the world's greatest detective...

[Aziz Abbasi]

Best has to be Iron Man 200, great climax to the Stane Saga
What comes in 201-203 after it is epilogue

Since we don't need to stick to classics, Batman 700 is the worst anniversary issue I read, it's horrible with its pointless mystery

The best anniversary issues:
Superman #900

Don't you mean Action Comics? I'm not sure Superman series reached 700

This was a pretty neat issue that also featured the Elongated Man and Slam Bradley, as well as a cameo by the world's greatest detective...

I love this issue, Sherlock Holmes in the end was a great addition

[MonteMike72]

Some of my Favorites:
Fantastic Four #200
Fantastic Four #236
Captain America #255

Some Least Favorites:
Amazing Spider-Man #400
Avengers #200
Fantastic Four #400

[Polar Bear]

Some of my Favorites:
Fantastic Four #200
Fantastic Four #236
Captain America #255

Some Least Favorites:
Amazing Spider-Man #400
Avengers #200
Fantastic Four #400

What did you dislike about Amazing Spider-Man #400? I agree with your other choices, but I was surprised at this one.

[MonteMike72]

What did you dislike about Amazing Spider-Man #400? I agree with your other choices, but I was surprised at this one.

I thought that Aunt May came across as mean and cruel. Knowing all the time that Peter was Spider-Man? So that meant all of her previous actions were an act and a sham?
Also Spider-Man with out Aunt May just doesn't work for me. More so than a Spider-Man married.