• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Comic Book Herald

A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans

  • Reading Orders
    • Marvel
    • My Marvelous Year
    • DC Comics
    • All Comic Book Publishers
    • Most Recent
  • Beginner Guides
    • Beginner’s Guide To Comics In 2023
    • Marvel 2023: Where to Start?
    • DC 2023: Where to Start?
    • Best of Lists
    • Tablets for Comics
    • Guides for Digital Readers
  • Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
    • DC Comics
    • Comic Book Movies
    • Comic Book TV
    • Video Games
  • Podcasts & Video
    • My Marvelous Year
    • Best Comics Ever (CBH)
    • CBH on Youtube!
  • About Me
    • My Favorite Comics of All Time
    • Columns
    • CBH Email Newsletter
  • Support Comic Book Herald
    • Ways to support
You are here: Home / Comics Guides / Best of Lists / The 80 Best Marvel Comics In 80 Years!

The 80 Best Marvel Comics In 80 Years!

April 19, 2019 by Dave Leave a Comment

Marvel’s celebrating their 80th anniversary throughout 2019, which naturally means it’s time to decide the 80 best stories (1 per year) in all of Marvel Comics history!

Admittedly, Marvel Comics as we know them don’t truly arrive until Fantastic Four #1 in 1961, but the publisher nonetheless can claim a history running back to 1939.

For the purposes of this list, I’ve defined each year’s selection as my favorite “story” from that year. It might be a single issue, or a series of issues that all tie together. Everything from quality to influence played a role in my picks.

So take a look below and find some of the best Marvel’s had to offer in 80 years of comics. Then let me know what’s on your list in the comments!

Related Reading Orders:

My Marvelous Year

Support For Comic Book Herald:

Comic Book Herald is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a qualifying affiliate commission.

Comic Book Herald’s reading orders and guides are also made possible by reader support on Patreon, and generous reader donations.

Any size contribution will help keep CBH alive and full of new comics guides and content. Support CBH on Patreon for exclusive rewards, or Donate here! Thank you for reading!

The best 100 Marvel stories from 1998 to 2015

Captain America and Bucky Barnes prank call Hitler during WWII

Marvel Comics Presents… The 1940’s!

Marvel’s presence in the Golden Age isn’t nearly as relevant as competitor DC, but you nonetheless get interesting era-influenced looks at the debut of Captain America, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Bucky Barnes, and the rest of the All-Winners Squad! Plus, involvement from comics legends like Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, young editor Stan Lee offers plenty of foreshadowing for the future of Marvel.

1939: Marvel Comics Presents #1

Debut of the original human torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner

1940: Marvel Mystery Comics #8 to #9

Namor vs the Original Human Torch. The shared universe is established!

1941: Captain America Comics 1

The debut of Marvel’s sentinel of liberty, from creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby!

1942: Captain America Comics 16

Cap and Bucky v the Red Skull!

1943: All Select Comics 1

Cover featuring Captain America, Namor, and Human Torch, although they appear separately in stories.

1944: Miss America Magazine 2

The debut of Patsy Walker

1945: Millie the Model 1

Ran continuously from 1945 to 1972!

1946: All Winners Comics #19

Team-up starring Cap, Bucky, Human Torch, Toro, Sub-Mariner, Whizzer and Miss America.

1947: Captain America Comics #63

The Human Torch fights the Asbestos Lady

1948: Venus #1

Includes the once and future Agent of Atlas

1949: Captain America’s Weird Tales #74

Cap’s mag becomes a “horror” comic where he fights the Red Skull in hell.

Marvel Comics in the 1950’s

Trying to navigate Marvel’s 50’s comics is for history buffs only, with the scare of McCarthyism and Frederick Werthism (not to mention consumer trends indicating a waning interest in superheroes) greatly influencing the decades output.

1950: Marvel Boy #1

The super hero from Uranus!

1951: Strange Tales #1

The future home of Doctor Strange and Nick Fury!

1952: Journey Into Mystery #1

The future home of Thor!

1953: Young Men #24

The heroes return… mostly?

1954: Marvelman 25

The mightiest man in the universe takes on an atomic bomb!

1955: Rawhide Kid 1

1956: Yellow Claw 2

Rough racial stereotypes on Marvel’s take on Fu Manchu, but this issue sees the return of Jack Kirby.

1957: Strange Tales 56

1958: Take a moment to reflect on this strange decade in comics history

1959: Tales of Suspense #1

Black Panther kicks the Thing and Human Torch

The Silver Age of Marvel Comics!

The Marvel Universe as we know it begins, with Stan, Jack, Steve and the merry Marvel bullpen delivering one of the most awe-inspiring creative outbursts in fiction! This is where we start off with the My Marvelous Year reading club and podcast!

1960: Rawhide Kid 17

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby update the Kid for the 60’s.

1961: Fantastic Four 1

The Silver Age of Marvel begins with the first family! Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben usher in a new style of superhero storytelling in the merry Marvel manner!

1962: Fantastic Four 5

The introduction of Doctor Doom, my favorite villain of all time!

1963: Amazing Spider-Man 3

The introduction of Doctor Octopus, my favorite green jumpsuit of all time!

1964: Fantastic Four Annual 2

Expanded origins of Doctor Doom, followed by a fight with the Fantastic Four that ends in a Reed vs. Victor battle of the minds.

1965: Uncanny X-Men 12

The coming of the Juggernaut. The best X-Men would be until 1975.

1966: Amazing Spider-Man 31 to 33

“If this be my Destiny”

1967: Fantastic Four 57 to 60

Doctor Doom steals the Silver Surfer’s power cosmic

1968: Avengers 57 to 58

“Behold… The Vision!”

1969: Thor 160 to 162

Thor v. Galactus v. Ego

x-men-giant-size




Diversity to the rescue!

Marvel Comics In The 1970’s!

1970: Amazing Spider-Man 88 to 90

Doctor Octopus and the Stacys

1971: Amazing Spider-Man 100 to 102

The six arm saga and the debut of Morbius

1972: Avengers 89 to 97

Kree / Skrull war… I guess?

1973: Amazing Spider-Man 121

The Death of Gwen Stacy

1974: Captain Marvel / Avengers 31 to 33 / 125

Thanos vs. the Avengers. Reading Order: CM #31 to #32, Avg #125, CM #33

1975: Giant Size X-Men 1

All-New All-Different X-Men!

1976: Jungle Action 19 – 22

Black Panther vs. the Klan

1977: Uncanny X-Men #104 to #108

Phoenix Saga

1978: Uncanny X-Men #112 to #114

Magneto triumphant!

1979: Uncanny X-Men #123 to #128

Arcade, Phoenix, Proteus! I can’t pick just one!

doctor doom beyonder battle cover

Marvel Comics In The 1980’s!

1980: Uncanny X-Men #129 to #137

Dark Phoenix Saga

1981: Uncanny X-Men #141 to #142

Days of Future Past

1982: Daredevil #178 to #189

Frank Miller on Daredevil. The whole darn thing.

1983: Thor #337 to #339

Beta Ray Bill and Walt Simonson starts on Thor.

1984: Secret Wars #1 to #12

The greatest. Full stop.

1985: Thor #350 to #353

“Ragnarok and Roll”

1986: Squadron Supreme #12

Marvel’s Watchmen, and I’m only half joking.

1987: Thor #376, #379 to #382

“Heroes always win… don’t they?” Issue #380, yo. Just… Simonson!!!

1988: Amazing Spider-Man #300 to #301

Enter Venom!

1989: Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment OGN

GREAT read from Roger Stern and Mike Mignola!

Silver Surfer finds Thanos

Marvel Comics In The 1990’s

1990: Silver Surfer / Thanos Quest #34 to #38 / #1 to #2

Starlin’s back, baby! Quite likely my favorite Thanos comics ever.

1991: Marvel Comics Presents #72 to #84

The incredible “Weapon X” by Barry Windsor-Smith.

1992: Hulk: Future Imperfect #1 to #2

Peter David and George Perez craft an all-time Hulk great, including the first appearance of the Maestro.

1993: X Factor #87

The pysch evaluation issue.

1994: Marvels #1 to #4

Busiek and Ross, a masterpiece.

1995: Age of Apocalypse (endless issues)

Damn straight.

1996: Wolverine 100

Sure?

1997: Deadpool / Daredevil/Deadpool Annual #1 to #7 / #1 / #8 to #11

The Joe Kelly and Ed McGuiness era begins for Deadpool.

1998: Inhumans #1 to #2

Marvel Knights series begin. This one was my instant favorite when I started getting into modern Marvel comics.

1999: Avengers #19 to #22

“Ultron Unlimited” from Busiek and Perez. The best Ultron story… maybe ever.

The Marvel Comics of the 2000’s

2000: Punisher #1 to #12

Ennis and Dillon’s first Punisher arc, “Welcome Back, Frank.” Runs into March 2001, but makes sense to read altogether as a cohesive story.

2001: New X-Men #114 to #116, Annual #1, #117 to #120

Grant Morrison takes over the world of mutants with designs by collaborator Frank Quitely. Weird, wild, and kicks off with a relentless bang.

2002: Daredevil #32 to #40

“Out” in the Bendis and Maleev run that would define much of the early 2000’s in Marvel.

2003: Fantastic Four #67 to #70, #500

Waid & Wieringo on “Unthinkable.” A darn near perfect Doom vs. the Fantastic Four story.

2004: Astonishing X-Men #1 to #6

“Gifted” by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday.

2005: Captain America #1 to #14

“The Winter Soldier” by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting

2006: Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. #1 to #12

Warren Ellis delivers his funniest Marvel work.

2007: Immortal Iron Fist #1 to #14

Brubaker, Fraction, and David Aja make Iron Fist cool.

2008: Guardians of the Galaxy (#1 to #3) / Nova (#8 to #15)

The Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning Guardians revamp takes off after Annihilation Conquest, with Nova filling out the Marvel Cosmic landscape.

2009: Secret Warriors #1 to #10

Jonathan Hickman’s run during the Dark Reign era of Marvel is the best Nick Fury book in years.

Superior Spider Man is here!

Best Marvel Stories This Decade – The 2010’s!

2010: Fantastic Four #583 to #588

The Jonathan Hickman run on Fantastic Four builds to the heavily publicized “Three,” in which a member of the team dies.

2011: Uncanny X-Force #8 to #19

“The Dark Angel Saga” by Rick Remender and Jerome Opena.

2012: Hawkeye #1 to #5

Matt Fraction and David Aja kick off one of the best comics of the decade, and one of the best “jump in fresh” books in all of Marvel.

2013: Superior Spider-Man #1 to #25

The first year of Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman’s Superior Spidey.

2014: Ms. Marvel #1 to #6

G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona launch the best new Marvel character of the decade.

2015: Secret Wars #1 to #9

Hickman and Esad Ribic deliver on the long build-up through Avengers and New Avengers. Everything dies.

2016: Vision #1 to #12

By Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez-Walta.

2017: Black Bolt #1 to #6

Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward.

2018: Immortal Hulk #1 to #5

Al Ewing and Joe Bennett.

2019: TBD!

Filed Under: Best of Lists, Featured Tagged With: best marvel comics, Marvel Comics

Heroically Support Comic Book Herald!

If you like Comic Book Herald, and are able to donate, any small contribution will help keep CBH alive and full of new comics guides and content. Donate here! Or, support CBH on Patreon for exclusive rewards! Thank you for reading!

Become a Patron!

About Dave

Dave is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Comic Book Herald, and also the Boss of assigning himself fancy titles. He's a long-time comic book fan, and can be seen most evenings in Batman pajama pants. Contact Dave @comicbookherald on Twitter or via email at dave@comicbookherald.com.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

The Comic Book Herald Podcast!

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsRSS
My Marvelous Year reading club helps Marvel fans become comic book experts

Recent Posts

  • X-Men #15-17 in Review—Return to the Vault! March 29, 2023
  • “Mister Mammoth”, “Spy Superb” & “Hairball” with Matt Kindt | CBH Interviews #108 March 28, 2023
  • 2002 Pt. 4: X-Force, Chamber, & Exiles March 27, 2023
  • Pax Americana and The Infinite Loop Of Imperiums March 25, 2023
  • Fall of X Teasers & Al Ewing’s Sins of Sinister | Comic Book Herald Live! March 24, 2023
  • “Sins of Sinister” Part 6: Immoral X-Men #2—in Review! March 23, 2023
  • DESTINY OF X | The Krakoan Empire Divided March 22, 2023
  • “Secret Identity” with Alex Segura | CBH Interviews #107 March 21, 2023
  • 2002 Pt. 3: Daredevil & Elektra March 20, 2023
  • Immoral X-Men #2 and Wolverine vs. Dark Beast! | Comic Book Herald Live! March 17, 2023
  • X-Men: The Animated Series Season 2 Rewatch! March 16, 2023
  • “Sins of Sinister” Part 5: Nightcrawlers #2—in Review! March 15, 2023
  • My Marvelous Interview: Paul Jenkins on Wolverine Origin, Inhumans, Spectacular Spider-Man, & More! March 13, 2023
  • The Dark Knight Trilogy 15 Years Later: Film & Comic Influences! March 11, 2023
  • Sins of Sinister: Nightcrawlers, X-Men #20, New Mutants: Lethal Legion #1 | Comic Book Herald Live! March 10, 2023

Popular Articles

DC Rebirth Guide

Batman Reading Order

DC New 52 Reading Order

Marvel Ultimate Universe Guide

Civil War Reading Order

Marvel Cosmic Reading Order

The Best Comics of All Time!

Deadpool Reading Order

Justice League Reading Order

Complete Thanos Reading Order

X-Men Reading Guide (Modern Era)

Age of Apocalypse Reading Order

Modern Marvel Universe in 25 Trades

Best Tablet For Digital Comics

Is Marvel Unlimited Worth It?

Footer

New to Comic Book Herald?

Hey there - my name's Dave and this is my comic book blog. It's my way of sharing my borderline obsessive addiction to the comic book medium, and I hope you like some of what's going on here.

Most people that come here are looking for my (WIP) Marvel reading order guide. You can probably also get a sense if CBH is for you by taking a look at some of my columns.

If you like what you see, let's connect on Facebook or Twitter. Or, leave a comment on the blog here, I'm always looking for new awesome people in the comic book community.

More on Comic Book Herald

  • Home
  • About
  • Support CBH
  • My Marvelous Year
  • Join!
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service

Recent Posts

  • X-Men #15-17 in Review—Return to the Vault!
  • “Mister Mammoth”, “Spy Superb” & “Hairball” with Matt Kindt | CBH Interviews #108
  • 2002 Pt. 4: X-Force, Chamber, & Exiles
  • Pax Americana and The Infinite Loop Of Imperiums
  • Fall of X Teasers & Al Ewing’s Sins of Sinister | Comic Book Herald Live!

Copyright © 2023 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in