The 1980’s are considered a highwater mark for Marvel Comics by many readers, with a number of all-time classic runs, stories, and new characters. On multiple occasions, when asked where readers should start with Marvel Comics, or when picking the best decade long stretch in Marvel Comics history, I’ve found myself recommending much of the 80’s to Comic Book Herald readers.
As we wrap up our coverage of the decade in the My Marvelous Year podcast/reading club, I’ve put together a list of my picks for the best Marvel Comics in the 1980s. Since the MMY club reads through Marvel year-by-year, I’ve sorted various runs into the selection of comics we read for the club, rather than literally all of Walt Simonson’s Thor as one entry, or even all of the issues of Thor per publication year.
Related:
Best Marvel Comics of the 1960s
Best Marvel Comics 1998 to 2015
Best Marvel Comics of the 2010s
1) Daredevil
Year: 1982
Issues: #178 to #189
Miller’s DD through Bullseye vs. Elektra, Punisher cover. Still in must-read territory for this run.
2) Marvel Fanfare
Year: 1984
Issues: #15
Prank War! This was my favorite surprise of the 80’s re-read, thanks to the MMY Deane’s List and Barry Windsor-Smith.
3) Uncanny X-Men
Year: 1980
Issues: #129 to #137
Dark Phoenix Saga. Read to issue #140 for all the X-Men issues in 1980.
4) Daredevil
Year: 1981
Issues: #168 to #172
Frank Miller takes over DD, with creation of Elektra. This is another recommended, extended run. If you enjoy, keep on reading to #177.
5) Uncanny X-Men
Year: 1981
Issues: #141, #142
Days of Future Past, the end of John Byrne’s time on Uncanny w/ issue #143.
6) Kraven’s Last Hunt
Year: 1987
Issues: See the reading order:
So great. One of my favorite Spidey stories of all time.
7) Daredevil
Year: 1986
Issues: #227 to #233
“Born Again.” Technically, this may be superior to everything on the list, but that’s the upside of compulsively making your own list – absolute power!
8) New Mutants
Year: 1984
Issues: #18 to #21
Demon Bear Saga
9) Secret Wars
Year: 1984
Issues: #1 to #12
Marvel Events begin in earnest. Find the mega Secret Wars reading order here!
10) Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment
Year: 1989
Issues: OGN
Roger Stern and Mike Mignola on all-timer for both Strange and Doom.
11) X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills
Year: 1982
Issues: X-Men: Gold Loves, Man Kills – Special Edition
Graphic novel #5
12) Squadron Supreme
Year: 1986
Issues: #1 to #12
13) Thor
Year: 1985
Issues: #350 to #353
Ragnarok and Roll!
14) Thor
Year: 1983
Issues: #337 to #339
Simonson Thor with Beta Ray Bill
15) Amazing Spider-Man
Year: 1982
Issues: #229 to #230
Nothing can stop the Juggernaut
16) Daredevil
Year: 1983
Issues: #190, #191
“Resurrection”, “Roulette”
17) Elektra: Assassin
Year: 1986
Issues: #1 to #8
Like, woah
18) New Mutants
Year: 1985
Issues: #26 to #28
Legion
19) Thor
Year: 1987
Issues: #379 to #382
The end of Walt Simonson’s time and the title, and the Thor/Dragon throwdown Simonson splash page special.
20) Moon Knight
Year: 1982
Issues: 22 to 25
Moench and Sienkiewicz
21) Wolverine
Year: 1982
Issues: #1 to #4
Frank Miller and Chris Claremont
22) Amazing Spider-Man
Year: 1988
Issues: #300
Venom!
23) Captain America
Year: 1987
Issues: #332 to #335
Gruenwald Cap, The Choice
24) Thor
Year: 1985
Issues: #361 to #362
Like a bat out of hell!
25) X-Men Inferno
Year: 1989
Issues: Full event
So hot in here.
26) Emperor Doom
Year: 1987
Issues: OGN
Not in Marvel Unlimited! Booooo!
27) Thor
Year: 1986
Issues: #364 to #366
Frog Thor
28) Daredevil: Love and War
Year: 1986
Issues: OGN
Miller and Sienkiewicz
29) Captain America
Year: 1984
Issues: #296 to #301
The House of Skull, a Captain America horror story.
30) Fantastic Four
Year: 1981
Issues: #232 to #236
John Byrne takes over the FF
31) Incredible Hulk
Year: 1988
Issues: #340, #343 to 345, 347 to 348
Peter David and Todd McFarlane bring the Leaders schemes to an explosive end, and set the stage for Joe Fixit era Hulk.
32) Avengers
Year: 1985
Issues: #253 to #254
Absolute Vision
33) Daredevil
Year: 1988
Issues: #254 to #257, #259 to #260
Ann Nocenti and Jr Jr Daredevil
34) Amazing Spider-Man
Year: 1989
Issues: #315 to #317
More Venom!
35) Incredible Hulk
Year: 1987
Issues: #331 to #333, #336 to #337
Peter David & Todd McFarlane. Hulk takes on domestic abuse, meets X-Factor.
36) Uncanny X-Men
Year: 1981
Issues: #145 to #147, #150
Then, Doctor Doom and Murderworld!
37) Fantastic Four
Year: 1983
Issues: #257 to #262
Classics. #257 sets up YEARS of Marvel stories.
38) Iron Man
Year: 1981
Issues: #149 to #150
Doomquest
39) Hulk/Thing – The Big Change
Year: 1987
Issues: OGN
Jim Starlin gets to have fun with a Hulk and Big Ben Grimm classic Marvel Team-Up.
40) New Mutants Special Edition / X-Men Annual
Year: 1985
Issues: #1 / #9
Chris Claremont and Art Adams – NM’s v. Loki.
41) Captain America
Year: 1980
Issues: #250
Cap for Prez
42) Uncanny X-Men
Year: 1982
Issues: #160 to #164
The Brood. A must-read run.
43) Marvel Fanfare
Year: 1983
Issues: #10 to #13
Black Widow in one of her best stories. Art by George Perez!
44) Damage Control (1989)
Year: 1989
Issues: #1 to #4
45) The Punisher
Year: 1986
Issues: #1 to #5
Circle of Blood
46) Avengers
Year: 1988
Issues: #295 to #297
Kross Time Kangs
47) The Death of Captain Marvel
Year: 1982
Issues: Graphic Novel #1
Marvel’s first OGN
48) Amazing Spider-Man
Year: 1984
Issues: #248
The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man
49) Sensational She-Hulk
Year: 1989
Issues: #1 to #4
John Byrne on solo Sensational She-Hulk
50) Wolverine
Year: 1989
Issues: #7 to #8
Patch / Mr Fixit
51) Amazing Spider-Man
Year: 1983
Issues: #239, #244 to #245
Enter the Hobgoblin
52) Avengers Annual
Year: 1981
Issues: #10
Claremont to the rescue after avengers 200, and the new brotherhood of evil mutants.
53) Uncanny X-Men
Year: 1988
Issues: #235 to #238
Welcome to Genosha
54) Iron Man
Year: 1988
Issues: #225 to #231
Armor Wars
55) Alpha Flight
Year: 1984
Issues: #6
“Snowblind.” I respect the gumption of this comic’s style, but it’s also important to me to say Alpha Flight came in last on this, and any list.
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