Our Favorite Comics (A Classic Comics Christmas '05)

[Cei-U!]

As requested, here are the lists submitted by our Classic Comics regulars of their/our ten favorite comics of all time. First, here are the posters who submitted a complete list of ten:

berk

#10 Doctor Strange #171
#9 Thor #157
#8 Fantastic Four #81
#7 Doctor Strange #4
#6 Man-Thing #22
#5 The Eternals #1
#4 Master of Kung Fu #49
#3 Miracleman #1
#2 Mechanics #1
#1 Llord Llewellyn #2

Cei-U!

#10 Sam & Max, Freelance Police Special #1
#9 Fantastic Voyage (nn)
#8 The Brave and the Bold #55
#7 Zap Comics #0
#6 The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1
#5 Four-Color #932
#4 Justice League of America #21
#3 The Avengers #4
#2 Rocky and His Fiendish Friends #1
#1 Superman #252 aka 100-Page Super-Spectacular #DC-13

dan bailey

#10 Action Comics #364
#9 Son of Satan #8
#8 Marvel Treasury Edition #10
#7 Captain America #111
#6 Captain Savage #10
#5 Not Brand Echh #10
#4 Superman #202 aka 80-Page Giant #G-42
#3 Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #104 aka 80-Page Giant #G-38
#2 Superman #197 aka 80-Page Giant #6-36
#1 Sgt. Fury Special #4

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

#10 Amazing Spider-Man #151
#9 Avengers 151
#8 All-Star Comics #61
#7 Iron Fist #15
#6 Justice League of America #171
#5 Strange Tales #178
#4 Detective Comics #443
#3 Fantastic Four #51
#2 Marvel Graphic Novel #1
#1 The Amazing Spider-Man #39

Gingold

#10 Best of DC Digest #18
#9 Swamp Thing Annual #2
#8 JLA #1
#7 The Incredible Hulk #312
#6 Fantastic Four Vs The X-Men #4
#5 Fantastic Four #352
#4 Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #2
#3 Justice League International #8
#2 The Invisibles #12
#1 Marvel Graphic Novel #6

Graham Vingoe

#10 Daredevil #191
#9 Amazing Adventures #34
#8 Superboy and The Legion of Super-Heroes #253
#7 Master of Kung Fu #115
#6 Cerebus #51
#5 The Avengers #161
#4 Animal Man #26
#3 Daredevil #179
#2 The Avengers Annual #7
#1 Saga of the Swamp Thing #21


Jolly Mon

#10 World’s Finest Comics #221
#9 The Avengers #123
#8 Batman #237
#7 Giant-Size Invaders #1
#6 Marvel Graphic Novel #9
#5 Legion of Super-Heroes #38
#4 Omega the Unknown #1/Marvel Presents #3 (tie)
#3 Marvel Graphic Novel #1
#2 All-Star Comics #58
#1 Giant-Size Avengers #1

Kan-Man

#10 Tarzan #211
#9 The Avengers #119
#8 Detective Comics #500
#7 The Flash #229
#6 Shazam! #1
#5 Adventure Comics #434
#4 Detective Comics #430
#3 100-Page Super-Spectacular #DC-14
#2 Justice League of America #!01
#1 Batman #244

Lone Ranger

#10 The Tick #6
#9 Creepy #6
#8 World’s Finest Comics #236
#7 Little Lulu #142
#6 Four Color #882
#5 The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #13
#4 Marvel Team-Up #119
#3 The Avengers #181
#2 The Brave and the Bold #165
#1 Justice League of America #142

MDG

#10 Batman #179
#9 Justice League of America #47
#8 Creepy #5
#7 Marvel Collectors’ Item Classics #21
#6 Ghost Stories #17
#5 R. Crumb’s Head Comix TPB
#4 Crypt of Terror #1
#3 Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary (nn)
#2 Arcade #1
#1 Eightball #15

MWGallaher

#10 Marvel Feature #4
#9 Marvel Graphic Novel #13
#8 Crossfire #5
#7 Phantom Stranger #18
#6 The Demon #1
#5 Adventure Comics #431
#4 Captain Marvel (Milson) #3
#3 Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #142
#2 Mister Miracle #7
#1 The Brave and the Bold #101

Nathan Carroll

#10 Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107
#9 The Amazing Spider-Man #60
#8 Ambush Bug #1
#7 V for Vendetta #10
#6 Lone Wolf and Cub #4
#5 The Amazing Spider-Man #269
#4 The Amazing Spider-Man #270
#3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #10
#2 Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #99
#1 Uncle Scrooge #169

Red Oak Kid

#10 Batman #198
#9 Tales of Suspense #52
#8 Marvel Triple-Action #1
#7 Action Comics #341
#6 Astonishing Tales #25
#5 Swamp Thing #2
#4 The Shadow #1
#3 The Avengers #93
#2 Savage Tales #2
#1 New Gods #7

Scott Shaw!

#10 Four Color #1091
#9 Popeye #32
#8 Wonder Wart-Hog Magazine #2
#7 Uncle $crooge #14
#6 Brain Boy #3
#5 Fantastic Four #36
#4 Donald Duck #54
#3 Ghost Stories #1
#2 Tales Calculated to Drive You Bats #3
#1 Kona, Monarch of Monster Isle #3

Simon Garth

#10 The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2
#9 Daredevil #181
#8 X-Men #108
#7 The Avengers #143
#6 Strange Tales #181
#5 Thor #362
#4 Warrior #2
#3 Man-Thing #12
#2 The Avengers Annual #10
#1 The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #14

Sir Tim Drake

#10 Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2
#9 Uncle $crooge #296
#8 Blazing Combat #4
#7 Thor #373
#6 Master of Kung Fu #40
#5 Conan the Barbarian Annual #5
#4 Magnus, Robot Fighter #35
#3 Nexus #11
#2 Legionnaires #0
#1 New Teen Titans #38

Slam Bradley

#10 Limited Collectors’ Edition #C-52
#9 Marvel Tales #71
#8 Gladstone Comic Album #25
#7 Detective Comics #500
#6 The Brave and the Bold #197
#5 DC Super-Stars #17
#4 The Phantom #74
#3 The Sandman #8
#2 DC Special #29
#1 Justice League of America #127

spoon jenkins

#10 The Legion #20
#9 Transformers #7
#8 Detective Comics #526
#7 Uncanny X-Men #269
#6 Crisis On Infinite Earths #11
#5 Spider-Man 2099 #3
#4 New Mutants #63
#3 Green Lantern #200
#2 West Coast Avengers Annual #1
#1 Classic X-Men #44

telerites

#10 All-Select Comics #10
#9 Marvel Team-Up #7
#8 Batman #234
#7 Wonderworlds Comics #4
#6 Superman Vs. The Amazing Spider-Man #1
#5 Strange Adventures #117
#4 Incredible Science Fiction #32
#3 Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #141
#2 Swamp Thing #7
#1 The Defenders #2

zilch

#10 Amazing Adventures #17
#9 Kamandi #2
#8 Captain America #156
#7 Justice League of America #100
#6 The X-Men #63
#5 All-Star Squadron #31
#4 The Avengers #69
#3 Miracleman #10
#2 Secret Origins #50
#1 100-Page Super-Spectacular #6

Next come those posters who've contributed partial lists. I'll move them up the line as they make additions.

Aaron King

#10 Resurrection Man #13
#9 The Doom Patrol #120
#8 The New Mutants Special Edition
#7 The Filth #12
#6 The Amazing Screw-On Head (nn)
#5 Mister Miracle Special #1
#4 Flight FCBD (nn)
#3 Scene of the Crime #1

InfoBroker

#10 Amazing Fantasy #15
#9 Zot! #11
#8 The Amazing Spider-Man #50
#7 100-Page Super-Spectacular #6
#6 Groo the Wanderer #93
#5 Fantastic Four #59

prince hal

#10 Adventure Comics #312
#9 Batman #156
#8 Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? #1
#7 The Sandman #19
#6 Our Army at War #160

The Wayner

#10 Rom #30
#9 Marvel Two-in-One #38
#8 Star Wars #27
#7 Jonah Hex #72
#6 House of Mystery #265
…
#1 The Incredible Hulk #222

scratchie

#10 Man-Thing #15
#9 Hate #5
#8 Eightball #12
#7 The Defenders #31

T GUy

#10 Marvel Tales #29
#9 The Avengers #116
#8 100-Page Super-Spectacular #DC-20

Jason Everett

#5 Doctor Strange #55
#4 The X-Men #205
#3 New Mutants Annual #2

You know, the fun for me has been writing up the reasons why each book is special, and reading the others. A list is just, well, a list. It's the mini-essay with each one that has made this so delightful.

I couldn't agree more, Greg. Here are links for the ten original threads where those mini-essays can be seen in all their geeky glory:

The First Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Second Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Third Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Fourth Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Fifth Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Sixth Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Seventh Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Eighth Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Ninth Day of Classic Comics Christmas
The Tenth Day of Classic Comics Christmas

Cei-U!
I summon the creme de la creme!

EDIT: Updated 1/4/06 to reflect late additions

[Aaron Kashtan]

At Kurt's request I am sticky-ing this thread.

[Scott Shaw!]

Wanna know something really scary? Out of all of these wonderful personal favorites, there are only a handfull of comics here that I HAVEN'T already read or owned! They are:

-- Four Color #882
-- All-Select Comics #10
-- Wonderworlds Comics #4
-- Amazing Science Fiction #32

Oddly, I can't find a listing for that last one in the OVERPRICED STREET GUIDE...!

(Cheez, you guys really know how to make a fella feel old!)

Aloha,

Scott!

P.S.: Kurt, my #2 choice is actually Tales Calculated to Drive You Bats #3 (the one with that great flying saucer cover!)-- SS!

[Cei-U!]

P.S.: Kurt, my #2 choice is actually Tales Calculated to Drive You Bats #3 (the one with that great flying saucer cover!)-- SS!

Noted and corrected, Scott, thanks.

Cei-U!
I summon the red pencil!

[Jolly Mon]

One minor correction, my #9 was Avengers #123, not #193. (193 I have as well, but it wasn't really notable :( )

And by the way, thanks for the great idea. It was a load of fun and a walk down memory lane (mine, and the other posters).

[Cei-U!]

One minor correction, my #9 was Avengers #123, not #193. (193 I have as well, but it wasn't really notable :( )

I have no idea what you're talking about...

Cei-U!
I summon the Edit button! :D

[gentlesatirist]

...and a bit saddened by the amount of (now-unavailable) 80-page giants, 100-page spectaculars and annuals on these wonderful lists, I realized that there's so much stuff available in trade paperback form - and so much comic material stocked by public libraries these days - that maybe kids do have access to older comic stories, even if they're not doing so in the manner that we did.

At our own public library - in scenic Wickliffe OH - there's a section of about 4 or 5 shelves devoted to comics. It's about half manga, but also mixed in are Golden Age reprint archives of Plastic Man and Captain America. Other reprint volumes are scattered throughout.

Weep not for the 100-page super-spectacular, my friends.


- FE
Wickliffe OH

[Nate C.]

Next come those posters who've listed everything except their top choice (I'll move them up the line if and when they tell us their #1 pick). That means *you*, Nathan! :p

Sorry, Kurt.

The holidays and other useless stuff got me!

It is finished!

Nate.

[telerites]

Wanna know something really scary? Out of all of these wonderful personal favorites, there are only a handfull of comics here that I HAVEN'T already read or owned! They are:

-- Four Color #882
-- All-Select Comics #10
-- Wonderworlds Comics #4
-- Amazing Science Fiction #32

Oddly, I can't find a listing for that last one in the OVERPRICED STREET GUIDE...!

(Cheez, you guys really know how to make a fella feel old!)

Aloha,

Scott!

P.S.: Kurt, my #2 choice is actually Tales Calculated to Drive You Bats #3 (the one with that great flying saucer cover!)-- SS!

Scott,

The Amazing Science Fiction #32 should be Incredible Science Fiction #32. I thought about correcting the list when Kurt compiled it but after all the work he had done, I decide what's an adjective here or there. Actually the last three you list are from my top ten. But correcting the title of EC book may take that one off of your list. ;)

[Cei-U!]

The Amazing Science Fiction #32 should be Incredible Science Fiction #32.

Y'know, I wondered about that. I'm made the correction above.

Cei-U!
I summon the virtual White-Out!

[scratchie]

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to post their picks. I don't think I've read a tenth of it yet, but it's all been pretty good reading. And thanks to Cei-U for compiling all the results.

Next come those posters who lacked either the time, the opportunity or the inclination to submit a complete list:

In my case, I just didn't have much more to add. I'd posted examples of my three "quintessential" comic book writers (Gerber, Bagge and Clowes) and didn't really have anything else to say. We were supposed to be posting books that we couldn't imagine living without, and since I got rid of 90% of my comic book collection in the 80s (and most of the remainder was Gerber-authored books), there wasn't that much to add.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Kurt, here's my correct list. Sorry about the confusion:

1. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 39
2. DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL
3. FANTASTIC FOUR 51
4. DETECTIVE COMICS 443
5. STRANGE TALES 180
6. JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA 172
7. IRON FIST 15
8. ALL-STAR COMICS 61
9. AVENGERS 151
10. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 151

[Cei-U!]

Kurt, here's my correct list. Sorry about the confusion:

No sweat, Chet.

Cei-U!
Loves him some Edit but-tan!

[Nate C.]

Man, what a great thread idea this was.

Kurt, the pressure is on for Christmas 2006. Might I suggest a similar idea but with different results. (The twelve days of __________) or something with a similar pattern of posting and rememberance.

(am I having a Christmas in July moment?)

[Whirlysplat]

I guess Miracleman 15 is my all time number 1
Watchmen issue 12 is 2
Marvels 1 comes in at 3
Kingdom Come 12 at 4
Daredevil 181 at 5
Batman 210 at 6
Thor 300 I know, I know, but I love that issue! At 7
Sandman 1 at 8
2000 AD 2 at 9 Dredds first appearance! Nuff Said!
Giant sized Avengers 2, first comic I ever read at 10!

- Whirly