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You are here: Home / Comics Guides / Best of Lists / Dave’s Faves: All The Best Comics I’ve Ever Read

Dave’s Faves: All The Best Comics I’ve Ever Read

September 18, 2017 by Dave 103 Comments

Much like Liam Neeson, I’m always making lists. If you’re familiar with Comic Book Herald, you know these are typically massive reading order lists, with a primary focus on Marvel comics (and some DC!).

The below list is a very different breed, and is instead a collection of all my favorite comics and graphic novels I have ever read. Every time I read a new comic book series, I add it to the list, and rank it among the substantial competition of all the best comics ever.

There are two essential notes I’d like to add before you get to the list.

1 – I do not claim to have read all the greatest comics of all time. I am literally one man (at best, a half animal, part party machine). This list is an evolving organism that will take new shape as I pick up new books. If you have a personal favorite you don’t see included here, I’d love to hear about it in the comments, on Twitter, via email, on the street, from a disembodied voice floating through my attic… you get the idea.

2 – I have read many more Marvel comics than I’ve yet included on this list. This is changing all the time as I re-read Marvel series as part of My Marvelous Year and subsequently rank the titles. Again, if you’re looking for your Marvel comics fixin’s, I’d also check out my favorite 100 stories from 1998 to 2015, or the top 25 Marvel trade collections from 1961 to 1998.

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Neil Gaiman's Sandman from Vertigo Comics

Finally, the rankings you’ll see here are almost entirely comics I like a lot. The higher a comic is ranked, the more I like it. The only real blatant exception to this is Mark Millar and J.G. Jones’ “Wanted,” which is a comic I despise beyond words, and really only want to include in perpetual last place on this list to make a point. (The point? It stinks.)

Let the superlative headlines begin, and enjoy the comics!

Last Updated: March 14, 2023

The Best Comics Of All Time

1) Watchmen




2) The Sandman

3) Bone

4) Jonathan Hickman’s Marvel-verse, 2008 to 2016

5) Mind MGMT

6) Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison & Richard Case

7) Mister Miracle

8) Maus

9) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

10) Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus Vol. 1 through Vol. 3 (1-104)

11) Hawkeye

12) Pluto

13) Y: The Last Man

14) The Bulletproof Coffin + Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred

15) From Hell

16) Scott Pilgrim

17) My Favorite Thing is Monsters

18) Berlin

19) Building Stories

20) Miracleman

21) Blankets

22) Boxers & Saints

23) Starman

24) All Star Superman

25) Invincible

26) Preacher

27) Barefoot Gen: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima

28) American Born Chinese

29) East of West

30) Chew

31) Gotham Central

32) Frank Miller’s Daredevil

33) Batman: Year One

34) Usagi Yojimbo

35) Fear Agent

36) Epileptic

37) Criminal

38) Batman: The Long Halloween + Dark Victory

39) Marvels

40) The Fantastic Four Omnibus Volume 2 (FF 31-60)

41) Ice Cream Man

42) Persepolis

43) Love & Rockets

44) Transmetropolitan

45) Punk Rock Jesus

46) Walt Simonson’s Thor

47) The Walking Dead: Compendium One

48) Sweet Tooth

49) Supreme: The Story of the Year

50) Uncanny X-Force (Rick Remender)

51) Infinite Kung Fu

52) Saga of the Swamp Thing

53) Saga

54) Batman (The New 52)

55) Morning Glories

56) Dreadstar

57) Daytripper

58) Vision

59) 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank

60) Black Hammer

61) Nimona

62) X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga

63) X-Statix

64) Jessica Jones: Alias

65) Hip Hop Family Tree

66) Astro City

67) Captain America by Ed Brubaker

68) Spider-Man Kraven’s Last Hunt

69) Sex Criminals

70) Wolverine: Weapon X

71) The Contract with God Trilogy

72) Grendel by Matt Wagner

73) The Black Monday Murders

74) Nextwave: Agents of HATE

75) The Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga

76) The Immortal Iron Fist

77) Dragon Hoops

78) BTTM FDRS

79) Astonishing X-Men

80) Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Vol. 1 – Vol. 5

81) Hitman

82) Guardians of the Galaxy (Abnett & Lanning Marvel Cosmic)

83) The Omega Men

84) Hellboy

85) Blacksad

86) It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth

87) Age of Apocalypse

88) Superman Smashes the Klan

89) The Department of Truth

90) Atomic Robo

91) Black Panther: Panther’s Rage

92) Werewolves of Montpellier

93) Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

94) Multiversity

95) Shutter

96) Fables Vol. 1 – Vol. 6

97) JLA by Grant Morrison

98) New X-Men

99) Moms

100) Ultimate Spider-Man

101) Wicked + Divine

102) Moonshadow

103) Batman: The Black Mirror

104) I Killed Adolf Hitler

105) John Constantine: Hellblazer – Dangerous Habits

106) Strangers In Paradise

107) Chasin’ The Bird

108) Kent State: 4 Dead in Ohio

109) Murder Falcon

110) The Prince and the Dressmaker

111) Pulp

112) Batman: Arkham Asylum

113) Squadron Supreme

114) Green Lantern by Geoff Johns

115) JLA: A League of One

116) Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

117) Lucifer Book One

118) Nowhere Men

119) Lone Wolf and Cub

120) Bedlam

121) Six-Gun Gorilla

122) Essex County

123) Carl Barks Ducks

124) Revival

125) Astro Boy Vol. 1

126) Sheriff of Babylon

127) Achewood: The Great Outdoor Fight

128) The Life & Times Of Scrooge McDuck

129) Planetary

130) DC Metal (Complete Event)

131) The Underwater Welder

132) Dr. Strange & Dr. Doom: Triumph & Torment

133) Thor: God of Thunder

134) Daredevil by Bendis and Maleev

135) Ultimates

136) DC’s 52

137) Animal Man (Grant Morrison Run)

138) Immortal Hulk

139) The Abominable Charles Christopher

140) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

141) Acme Novelty Library #20

142) Batman & Robin (by Grant Morrison)

143) Hickman’s X-Men (House of X)

144) March: Book One

145) The Fade Out

146) Secret Wars (1984)

147) Locke & Key

148) Rat Queens Volume 1

149) Seconds

150) Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates

151) Richard Stark’s Parker (by Darwyn Cooke)

152) Pride of Baghdad

153) Orion by Walt Simonson

154) Little Bird

155) Rebirth of Thanos + Thanos Quest

156) Superior Foes of Spider-Man

157) Jack Kirby’s 4th World

158) Secret Six

159) Elektra Assassin

160) Superior Spider-Man

161) Fearscape

162) Upgrade Soul

163) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

164) Gotham Academy

165) Kingdom Come

166) Black Science

167) Ms. Marvel

168) Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me

169) Meanwhile

170) The Manhattan Projects

171) Jimmy Olsen

172) O Human Star

173) Grayson (The New 52)

174) Superman: Secret Identity

175) Zot!: The Complete Black and White Collection

176) Wizzywig

177) DC: The New Frontier

178) Paying for It

179) Fatale

180) Suicide Squad (John Ostrander Era)

181) The Flintstones

182) Injustice

183) Lazarus

184) Ultimate Comics Spider-Man: Miles Morales

185) Moon Knight (Ellis & Shalvey)

186) Venom by Rick Remender

187) New Mutants by Claremont and Sienkiewicz

188) Midnighter by Steve Orlando

189) Southern Cross

190) The Waiting

191) Wolverine & The X-Men

192) Manhunter by Goodwin & Simonson

193) Black Bolt

194) You Are Deadpool

195) Justice League International

196) Batman and Son + The Black Glove

197) X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills

198) Infinity Gauntlet

199) Monstress

200) The Nice House on the Lake

201) Punisher: Welcome Back Frank

202) The Umbrella Academy

203) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turltes (Turtles Reborn)

204) Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics

205) Slaughterhouse-Five

206) Fantastic Four (60-70, 500-524)

207) Paper Girls

208) They Called Us Enemy

209) Doctor Strange: The Oath

210) Superman Rebirth

211) Flex Mentallo

212) Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass

213) The Wild Storm

214) Daredevil by Mark Waid

215) Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt

216) Map To The Sun

217) RASL

218) Amulet

219) Truth: Red White and Black

220) Cyclopedia Exotica

221) Catwoman: Lonely City

222) Deathstroke (DC Rebirth)

223) Killing and Dying

224) Grass

225) Slam Dunk

226) The Magic Fish

227) Scalped

228) Top 10 + Smax

229) The High Desert: Black Punk Nowhere

230) Made in Korea

231) Canto

232) The Best We Could Do

233) Deadly Class

234) Bitch Planet

235) Bandette Volume 1

236) Birds of Prey by Simone & Benes

237) Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts

238) Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle

239) Squire

240) Ghost Cage

241) Thunderbolts

242) Captain Britain by Alan Moore & Alan Davis

243) Zero #1 to #10

244) Low, Vol. 1

245) Moebius: The World of Edena

246) Return of the Dapper Men

247) Superannuated Man

248) The Harrowing of Hell

249) Nighthawk: Hate Makes Hate

250) Bacchus, Book 1: Immortality Isn’t Forever

251) 47 Ronin

252) God Country

253) Copra Round One

254) These Savage Shores

255) Infidel

256) The Authority (Warren Ellis & Bryan Hitch)

257) The Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 1

258) Phonogram

259) Far Sector

260) Black Widow

261) Blue in Green

262) The Good Asian

263) Good Talk

264) Giant Days

265) Once and Future

266) Friday

267) Mark Waid’s Flash

268) Doom Patrol (Young Animal)

269) Black Badge

270) Golden Age Wonder Woman

271) Wolverine by Claremont & Miller

272) Infinitum

273) Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

274) Captain Britain & MI13

275) Cosmic Odyssey

276) Hellions

277) Cow Boy

278) Batman: The Killing Joke

279) Blue is the Warmest Color

280) Star Wars: Darth Vader

281) Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys

282) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

283) Irredeemable Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

284) Cable & Deadpool

285) Shade The Changing Girl

286) Spider-Man/Human Torch: I’m With Stupid

287) The Walking Dead Compendium Three

288) Batman R.I.P.

289) Thanos War – Warlock & Avengers

290) Mighty Thor (Jane Foster)

291) Daredevil by Zdarsky and Checchetto

292) The Green Lantern

293) Planet Hulk + World War Hulk

294) Mike Carey X-Men / Legacy

295) Old Head

296) Farmhand

297) Pax Romana

298) Check Please

299) Wake: The Hidden History of the Women Slave Revolts

300) Bitter Root

301) Marvel Knights: Inhumans

302) Sabrina

303) Snapdragon

304) Genderqueer: A Memoir

305) Cover

306) Spectacular Spider-Man by JM DeMatteis

307) Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later

308) Death Note

309) Why Don’t You Love Me?

310) Monster

311) Marvel Knights: Black Panther

312) A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance

313) Strikeforce: Morituri

314) Uncanny Avengers

315) Captain Marvel by Deconnick

316) Batwoman

317) FF

318) Scarenthood

319) Old Man Logan

320) Sports is Hell

321) Silver Surfer (Slott + Allred)

322) The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story

323) Thor (Stan and Jack) To Wake the Mangog

324) Stumptown

325) Plain Janes

326) Demon

327) Kill or Be Killed

328) Iron Man: Extremis

329) Superman: Last Son of Krypton

330) Alan Moore’s Writing For Comics

331) Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

332) Private Eye

333) Wytches Volume 1

334) Motor Crush

335) Barrier

336) Wonder Woman by George Perez

337) Queen & Country Vol. 1

338) John Byrne Fantastic Four

339) Moon Knight: Scarlet Redemption

340) November

341) Sentry (2000)

342) Witch Boy

343) Berserk

344) Batman: Ego

345) Fullmetal Alchemist

346) Domu: A Child’s Dream

347) Prince of Cats

348) Superman: Man of Steel Vol. 1

349) One Week in the Library

350) Doctor Strange by Cates

351) Star Wars Legacy

352) JLA One Million

353) Green Lantern/Green Arrow (Denny O’Neil & Neal Adams)

354) Manifest Destiny

355) Dark Night: A True Batman Story

356) Star Wars: The Crimson Empire Saga

357) Comic Book History of Comics

358) Superman: Secret Origin

359) Southern Bastards Volume 1 and 2

360) Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom (Valiant reboot, uncollected)

361) Deadshot: Beginnings

362) Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars

363) Hellblazer: Original Sins

364) Emperor Doom

365) She-Hulk

366) Black Panther by Reginald Hudlin

367) “The Life of Captain Marvel”

368) Valerian: Complete Collection Vol. 1

369) Catwoman by Brubaker, Cooke, Allred

370) Earth X

371) Mark Gruenwald Captain America

372) Dragon

373) Secret Weapons

374) Redneck

375) X-Men: Messiah CompleX

376) That Texas Blood

377) Dead Dog’s Bite

378) Daredevil by Ann Nocenti & JR JR

379) Injustice 2

380) Green Arrow: Quiver

381) Attack on Titan Vol. 1

382) Cable #1 to #12

383) SHIELD

384) Space Riders

385) Extremity

386) Lady Killer

387) Grass Kings

388) Hawkeye (2016)

389) The Joker (Tynion & March)

390) Runaways (Rowell & Anka)

391) New Kid

392) Kindred

393) Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham

394) A Red Mass For Mars

395) Our Encounters With Evil: Adventures of Professor J.T. Meinhardt and his Assistant Mr. Knox

396) Namesake

397) Black Magick Vol. 1

398) Infinite Crisis

399) X-Men Red

400) Sentient

401) All-New Wolverine

402) Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth

403) Lavendar Jack

404) American Vampire

405) Walking Dead: Clementine

406) Orphan and the Five Beasts

407) Radical: My Year With a Socialist Senator

408) Enigma

409) JLA: Ultramarines

410) Outcast Volume 1

411) Injection, Vol. 1

412) Son of Hitler

413) Divinity

414) The Sixth Gun Vol. 1

415) Cosmic Ghost Rider

416) Batman (Rebirth) + Night of the Monster Men

417) Second Coming

418) DCeased

419) Generation X

420) Unnatural

421) Something Is Killing The Children

422) Mister Higgins Comes Home

423) New 52 Justice League: Forever Evil

424) JLA: Tower of Babel

425) Black

426) Super Sons (Rebirth)

427) Silver Surfer: Black

428) After the Rain

429) My Friend Dahmer

430) Black Orchid

431) The Other History of the DC Universe

432) Is This How You See Me?

433) Promethea

434) Local

435) Lost At Sea

436) BPRD: Plague of Frogs

437) Machine Gun Wizards

438) Green Lantern Earth One

439) Superman/Shazam: First Thunder

440) Akira

441) Die

442) Sabretooth

443) Meal

444) Transformers: The Wreckers Saga

445) Unity

446) Superman: Birthright

447) Batman: Hush

448) Empire

449) Casanova

450) Superman for All Seasons

451) Thanos Wins

452) Buddy Does Seattle

453) Ragnarok Vol 1: Last God Standing

454) Barbaric

455) Revolver

456) Victor Lavalle’s Destroyer

457) Uzumaki

458) Wash Day Diaries

459) Killadelphia

460) Norse Mythology

461) I Hate Fairyland Vol.1

462) Batman Incorporated

463) Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey

464) Thanos by Lemire and Deodato

465) Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne

466) Man Eaters

467) Gotham City Sirens

468) Captain America (Bucky) #601 to #616

469) Snagglepuss Chronicles: Exit Stage Left

470) Eight Billion Genies

471) Green River Killer

472) Batman: Knightfall

473) The Dying and The Dead

474) Trillium

475) Quantum Teens Are Go

476) Doctor Fate (88 to 92)

477) Fantastic Four: Full Circle

478) Wonder Woman: Heart of the Amazon

479) Marvel 2 in 1 (Zdarsky / Cheung)

480) Assassin Nation

481) The Butcher of Paris

482) Stray Dogs

483) Kodi

484) Checkmate

485) Zeb Wells’ New Mutants

486) Punisher: Circle of Blood

487) Moon Knight by Moench & Sienkiewicz

488) Thor Epic Collection: The God of Thunder

489) Black Cat

490) Cheat(er) Code

491) Batman: Universe

492) Reckless

493) Rorschach

494) Torso

495) Klaus

496) The Arrival

497) Isola

498) New Super-Man (Rebirth)

499) The Dreaming

500) Captain America by Coates & Yu

Filed Under: Best of Lists, Featured Tagged With: best comics, best comics ever

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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

Comments

  1. Steve Underwood says

    November 10, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    Dave,

    As that you have undoubtedly read almost every comic created in the last 40 years….I’m hoping this will spark a memory from you…

    I read a comic limited series back late 90’s to mid 2000’s….I think it was an independent comic….The main character was a bit of an anti-hero…he was in the process of dying…..his powers were either solar or nuclear based and he was going to explode….but he decided that before he died…he was going to take out all the really nasty big bad guys he knew…. I truly loved the comic…but haven’t been able to come up with a name for it for at least 20 years! I want to say that it was either written, or drawn, by somebody that was influential at the time.

    Does that ring a bell at all?

    Reply
  2. Gato fuji says

    August 1, 2020 at 10:39 am

    Well, I haven’t had the patience to go through all the list, but I couldn’t find Tintin of Hergé, Astérix or Lucky Luke (of Goscinny), Blake and Mortimer, neither anything by Greg or Goddard. Which means the list had a limited scope.

    More important, how can it miss Uncle Scrooge or Donald Duck by Carl Barks?!? All Barks’ works are incomparable, and any other place from top of the list would be unforgivable! To me, Barks is the american equivalent of Dostoievky, and I am not referring to just the comics equivalent of Dostoievky.

    Oh well, to each his own…

    Reply
    • JaynVA says

      October 16, 2020 at 11:19 pm

      Just dumb

      Reply
    • Goran says

      December 14, 2020 at 8:51 am

      Not only that…

      there is no daubt, that he has not read any of the great European comic series, which leave anything done by Marvel or DC in the dust:
      – Ken Parker by Milazzo (an epic western series unlike anything done in the US)
      – Alan Ford by Max Bunker/Magnus (a gritty and grotesque comic series about an the most original detective agency one can imagine. And funny as hell. Not even Calvin & Hobbes can rival that series.
      – Zagor by G. Feri
      – Dylan Dog by Sclavi
      – Pinocchio ny Winshluss (should be in the Top Ten)
      and so many others.
      The American reader is dumbed down by his self imposed “prison of mind”, sadly.

      Reply
  3. Dane says

    July 29, 2020 at 9:02 pm

    Dave – great work with the site. Its a great source for us collectors and readers.
    I think it would be pretty cool if on your best comics of all time to not just link the amazon page but to any reviews you may have done on your top list.

    Reply
  4. Daniel Indru says

    July 20, 2020 at 9:39 am

    Been using this list to start my journey into the comics world.
    Thank you for the hard work!

    May I suggest you keep some sort of log whenever you add new items?
    Otherwise it’s really difficult to follow what’s new compared to last edit.

    Reply
  5. James says

    July 17, 2020 at 6:37 am

    Hi,

    Big fan of the list been following for a few years now, have you read Mort Cinder or Perramus: The City and Oblivion? Its worth a look if only to see the art.

    Reply
  6. Josh says

    June 19, 2020 at 8:46 pm

    Now that the list includes Marvel: did you overlook Exiles or decide it didn’t make the list?

    Reply
  7. bruhinator says

    May 12, 2020 at 1:12 pm

    Disappointed Tank Girl didnt make the list. Its easily my favourite comic of all time. At least the old ones from the late 80s and 90s. I cant speak for the new issues I havent read those and I only heard they’re not half as cool as the old Hewlett & Martin ones….

    Reply
    • John Abraham says

      September 15, 2020 at 1:58 am

      This extensive list is a collection of the authors favourite comicbooks. Nobody gives a rats ass that you’re ‘disappointed’ about the list. Why don’t you make your own and then give us an opportunity to put you and your shitty reading list to shame?

      Reply
  8. Jani says

    March 28, 2019 at 7:19 am

    I know this is almost as old as the world, but it always manages to surprise me how all best comics are supposedly American on most of the top lists compiled by Americans. What total BS 😐
    Most of the European classics are missing. Valerian on place 211?!
    This list is a joke.

    Reply
    • Lucas says

      September 9, 2019 at 8:41 am

      Do you guys not realise that this is just a list of Dave’s favourite comics that he’s read? It’s not the be-all end-all, just his favourites and he hasn’t ready every good comic ever lol.

      Reply
    • Josh says

      October 5, 2019 at 5:34 pm

      Certainly an English language bias, but American?! You do realize half of the top ten were written by Brits, right?

      Reply
    • Dhiresh says

      January 5, 2020 at 11:35 am

      Even Tintin and Asterix are missing!? From list.?

      Reply
    • Summer says

      May 24, 2020 at 5:29 am

      Maybe you should post Jani’s favorite comics. I’m interested. Or just add your favorites here. I think it’s fair to say everyone reading this post is looking for their favorites and to discover something new. This is me asking what are your favorite comic books, Jani.

      Reply
  9. owl says

    February 5, 2019 at 7:32 am

    Otomo? Moebius? Loisel? Corben? Torres? Miller? Hewlett & Martin? Druillet? Liberatore?

    Reply
  10. Gideon Faulconer says

    January 29, 2019 at 8:38 pm

    Hey, so I was wondering, at what point during this list is there a shift from the comics actually being beloved to being terrible? I know that with several of the bottommost entries I’ve seen you berate them in other places. Have you ever considered making tiers kind of like with your MCU power rankings? I enjoy your recommendations and would definitely appreciate any such additions. Thanks Dave!

    Reply
    • Dave says

      January 30, 2019 at 7:14 am

      That’s a good question, Gideon.

      I’ve maintained for a while the top 100 is the real gold standard, but right now that probably runs to about top 107 (through Wic + Div). And then within the top 100, anything inside the top 60 is a book where I’ll stop whatever I’m doing and read without question.

      The next notable tier for me comes right around book 220 (right now JLA: Ultramarines), through to book #312 (right now Identity Crisis). Starting with #359, we get into “I have very mixed feelings about this” territory. And then right now anything from #457 to the end marks comics I really wouldn’t recommend. 467 to 470 are genuine contenders for worst comic of all time.

      So, agreed, tiers would be a very good idea!

      Reply
      • Josh Coats says

        February 23, 2020 at 2:12 pm

        THIS! This list would be so much better with tiers!

        Reply
  11. Gideon Faulconer says

    October 29, 2018 at 7:27 pm

    Have you read Dark Knight III: The Master Race? It’s one i’ve been thinking about but with Dark Knight Strikes Again being so awful I’m skeptical. I didn’t see it your list so I wasn’t sure if you just haven’t read it or if it was really more despised than Wanted for you.

    Reply
  12. John says

    October 28, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    Excluding 100-bullets instantly made this list a joke.

    Reply
    • nocutename says

      December 29, 2018 at 7:31 am

      446 entries made this list a joke. It is a shameless click link grab. Sad.

      Reply
  13. Jason says

    September 9, 2018 at 7:55 pm

    Top 10 needs to make this list

    Reply
  14. Joe says

    August 17, 2018 at 6:39 am

    Highly recommended:-

    Judge Dredd Block Mania and The Apocolypse war
    2000AD – Nemesis The Warlock
    2000AD – Bad Company
    2000AD – Slaine the Horned God
    2000AD – Song of the surfer
    Judge Dredd America
    Judge Dredd the pit
    2000AD Halo Jones (Maybe the best thing ever written by Alan Moore)
    Lone wolf and cub.
    Lone wolf and cub.

    Reply
    • shashi says

      July 30, 2021 at 4:13 am

      Hey thanks for your recommendation. I’m new to europian comics scene so, are these stories one-and-done or do I need to have background with characters like with marvel/dc/valiant?

      Reply
  15. Corvo says

    August 4, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    I remember seeing some Bone books – the covers at least – as a child, but never knew what those were all about. When I saw it on this list, I decided to give it a try. Thank you so much for listing it here!

    Have you ever read Nimona? I feel like it might make it into the list.

    Sory by bad engrish.

    Reply
    • Corvo says

      August 8, 2018 at 9:36 pm

      Oh, and Asterios Polyp should absolutely be in every “best comics” list!

      Reply
  16. Martin F says

    February 20, 2018 at 11:58 am

    Hi! Have you read The Sculptor by Scott McCloud? In that case, what was it like to you?

    Reply
  17. Ibrahim Somo says

    December 11, 2017 at 10:54 pm

    Please check out Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Black Panther run which is current

    Reply
  18. JasonZ says

    November 25, 2017 at 6:25 am

    Incredible list!! For the most part I agree it is almost perfect but it needs some eastern colours. I mean that there are not some asian series(manga etc). (Sorry if my english are not completely right)

    Reply
  19. Daniel Gillett says

    October 1, 2017 at 6:57 pm

    Hope you give Sunstone by Stjepan Šejić a shot

    Reply
  20. Gideon says

    September 19, 2017 at 6:47 pm

    So, I have one major criticism of this list. Why is Sex Criminals not listed as number 69? I mean it’s close enough at 62 already that I think it’s well worth the minor fudge of the numbers to place it where it belongs.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      September 21, 2017 at 12:44 pm

      Haha this is the greatest oversight in the history of Comic Book Herald. Great call.

      Reply
    • Herb says

      October 24, 2017 at 5:35 pm

      Good one!

      Reply
    • Nice69 says

      October 3, 2019 at 6:14 pm

      Nice

      Reply
  21. Patrick says

    September 19, 2017 at 3:22 pm

    Well if i have to make a suggestion. I recommend Fall of Cthulhu. Although not superheroes.. the storyline itself is worth a read. Based on the work of HP Lovecraft. SUch a shame it had to end though.

    Reply
  22. Rosandra says

    September 18, 2017 at 10:28 am

    So, Y The Last Man… what is the appeal? I like Brian K. Vaughn’s stuff, love Runaways, really enjoy Saga, but I hated every moment of the 18 issues I could stand of Y. Not sure why, for some reason I felt I was reading it wrong 😛

    Reply
    • Dave says

      September 19, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      It happens 🙂 It’s definitely a tighter focus than, say, Saga. Personally I love the characters more than the concept. If you gave it 18 issues, I’m sure just not for you… I’d suggest BKV’s Paper Girls if you haven’t already!

      Reply
  23. Mormegil says

    September 18, 2017 at 10:05 am

    I had all of the Bone series and some of the side stories and I sold it all off. I kinda i wish i wouldn’t have. I would like to read it again.

    It started out so strong. I read the first two volumes several times. But somewhere around volume 5 or 6 it started to fall flat. By the time i got to the end of the series it didn’t hold my interest, so i sold it. I might start buying it back…

    Reply
    • Dave says

      September 19, 2017 at 1:19 pm

      Wow, a full run of Bone sounds amazing!

      I read it all in one, so was highly invested throughout. All ages is so hard, and Bone pulls it off so well in my mind.

      Reply
    • Chris Burns says

      February 6, 2018 at 4:54 pm

      There’s a Bone: One Volume Edition that you can pick up on ebay for $20 or less that’s totally worth it.

      Reply
  24. Jen says

    September 6, 2017 at 4:53 pm

    No Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes or Molly and the Bear?

    Reply
  25. Henry says

    February 24, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    I agree with a couple of other posts…
    You should really try Astro City if you haven’t. I assume you haven’t bc it’s not on the list. And it would be. So try it.

    Reply
  26. H says

    February 24, 2017 at 3:07 pm

    I agree with a couple of other posts…
    You should really try Astro City if you haven’t. I assume you haven’t bc it’s not on the list. And it would be. So try it.

    Reply
  27. Alex Charles says

    February 19, 2017 at 4:51 am

    I have to agree with Watchmen, but does it include before watchmen?
    just curious, thanks.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      February 19, 2017 at 1:05 pm

      Nope, I include Before Watchmen separately. I’ve listed the Minutemen collection somewhere on the list (quite a bit lower than #1, though!).

      Reply
  28. Josh says

    November 13, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    I hope one day you add Marvel books to this list because I would very much like to see where certain Marvel books would fall in your overall rankings.

    Reply
  29. David says

    September 20, 2016 at 9:11 pm

    I think Astro City, by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson, with covers by Alex Ross (!!!!) is entirely deserving of being on this list. It is certainly my number one.
    Seriously, read it. It is amazing!

    Reply
    • Joe says

      December 8, 2016 at 11:07 am

      I can’t believe it’s not on this list. Astro City is a fantastic series. Very few writers know how to really hit the emotions of the everyday man like Busiek. It’s such a completely original and interesting series.

      Reply
  30. Daniel Gillett says

    August 16, 2016 at 2:37 am

    Given the nice showing by Marvels and Kingdom Come, there are several other works featuring Alex Ross’ terrific art and story ideas to great effect:

    Uncle Sam Issues 1 and 2 (1998) (complimented for its story by Alan F*ing Moore),

    Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, Shazam: Power of Hope, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth, and Liberty & Justice
    showcasing some of the most heartbreaking and insightful stories into DC heroes that I can find, and found in a single collection called the World’s Greatest Super Heroes

    Enjoy my suggestions Dave, thanks

    Reply
  31. Bill Zeiders says

    July 29, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    Dave, I want to recommend Mark Millar’s Starlight to you. It think it’s a fantastic miniseries, and the first issue is one of the best issues of comics I think I’ve ever read. And I’m not even a huge fan of Millar. Check it out!

    Reply
  32. hamda says

    July 15, 2016 at 10:35 am

    I agree with you about most of the comics in this list but I think squadron supreme by mark Gruenwald deserves a spot there
    I think it’s a lot better than Jessica jones

    Reply
  33. Matt says

    July 10, 2016 at 6:11 pm

    You must try Stray Bullets by David Lapham from the beginning. Image has been putting out all of them collected recently. It is the only one in my top five you don’t have on this list and I would love to see your opinion.

    Reply
  34. Daniel Gillett says

    June 29, 2016 at 11:18 am

    Wonder Woman: the Hiketeia
    A Wrinkle in Time
    So far, a wonderful and surprisingly accurate ranking

    Reply
  35. Jamie Crowther says

    May 12, 2016 at 8:38 am

    Great list! Thanks for all the good work you’re doing here, I’m just starting to use some of your reading lists to work my way through some Marvel classics on MU (literally just started on Claremont’s X-Men run yesterday).

    Once upon a time I would have felt crazy recommending a Transformers title, but I think that IDW’s More Than Meets the Eye series by James Roberts (currently going strong at #52) is worthy of a place in this list. The first 22 issues (its ‘first season’) are particularly consistent; the ‘second season’ (#28 onwards, following a mediocre crossover event with a stablemate TF title) less so, though I’m reserving judgement for the final story until it reaches its conclusion.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      May 12, 2016 at 10:25 am

      I’ve heard a lot of good things about the run, it’s definitely on the to read list!

      Reply
  36. dan says

    March 22, 2016 at 8:28 pm

    U should also check out ‘The Punisher’ Max series by garth ennis. And Daredevil ‘Born Again’ by frank miller. I’m sure they’ll be on your list someday.

    Reply
  37. dan says

    March 22, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    Was hopin 2 see ‘Irredeemable’ by Mark Waid. Probably my favorite ‘indie’ comic book of all time.

    Reply
  38. Branon says

    February 22, 2016 at 1:34 am

    How about the Judas contract by Wolfman and Perez? New Teen Titans series is probably one of the most underrated comic lines in history, with the creation of Raven the daughter of an other dimensional satan. Slade Wilson the genetically modifed mercenary, Starfire, princess enslaved and escaped from an evil race of ET. Gotta love a bunch of Teen superheroes teaming up to destroy a demon that can dissipate mans atoms into the lightstream to cause eternal suffering and nothingness for the rest of time.

    Reply
  39. Jakk says

    February 6, 2016 at 5:13 pm

    A bit late to comment, probably. Just wanted ti say that I think this i a good list. I haven’t read most, but now I want to try them out. Btw I think Watchmen is great, but in my opinion Cerebus the Aardvark is the end all be all of comics. It may have it’s flaws, but good far outweighs the bad and I would definitely suggest reading it if you haven’t

    Reply
  40. Jesse says

    November 5, 2015 at 11:12 am

    Great list. A few that I would add.

    Boys- Garth Ennis
    Batman & Robin (New 52)
    Revolver – Matt Kindt
    Jonah Hex – Justin Gray
    Batman: Earth One Vol 1 & 2
    Goliath -Tom Gauld

    Reply
  41. Dean says

    October 12, 2015 at 7:34 pm

    Transmetropolitan. Would recommend it to anyone but for someone like you who writes (and pretty well at that) it resonates even more.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 13, 2015 at 12:24 pm

      Read and enjoyed the first volume and then just never made it back. It’s on the list! For as much as I love Warren Ellis’ Marvel comics and some of his novels, I’m woefully behind on his best comics.

      Also, thank you 🙂

      Reply
  42. Kyle says

    October 10, 2015 at 11:17 am

    Have you read supreme blue rose? I loved it. Super weird acid take on supreme by warren ellis. Really David lynchy. There are even some suttle twin peaks Easter eggs. It’s like if alan moore’s supreme and inland empire (or whatever inserted random lynch film works) had a baby. Also the artwork is original and awesome

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 13, 2015 at 12:16 pm

      I have not read, but one Twin Peaks reference and I’m sold. I’ll check it out.

      Reply
  43. Mark Stott says

    October 8, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    I’m just getting in to some Image comics this week because of the comixology special offers.
    -Revival
    -Postal (definite favoutrite)
    -Outcast
    -Birthright
    -The Tithe
    That should get me through the next few weeks. I was having Marvel cheesy dialogue overload.

    Reply
  44. Chris Watson says

    October 7, 2015 at 12:33 pm

    No 100 Bullets? Get on it, it’s ace. Thanks for the list – that Inhumans trade had escaped my attention until now.

    Reply
  45. ScottL says

    October 7, 2015 at 9:21 am

    Great list! As for additions, I see another commenter mentioned Planetary. I would also add Ex Machina, The Fade Out, Sleeper, Pretty Deadly vol 1. And my daughter is chiming in from the background for Echo.

    Reply
  46. RJA says

    October 6, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    Yay, Dave’s a Dreadstar fan! I love the whole run, but I think the final 24 or so issues, the ones that Peter David wrote, are especially great. I really hope that the current omnibus collections will cover the entire run. I own it in floppies, but it’d be nice to have it on my bookshelf.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 6, 2015 at 4:43 pm

      Dreadstar’s so great 🙂 I would love to see the David era better collected as well.

      Reply
  47. oxhine says

    October 6, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    A lot of really great selections on this list! So pleased “Morning Glories” made the cut!

    Have you ever read Archaia’s “Artesia” by Mark Smylie? A truly rich and intricate fantasy epic. Great review of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnlC8vvtoS4

    Other great titles in no particular order:
    — Iron Empires (Sheva’s War in particular)
    — 100 Bullets
    — Conan (Dark Horse)
    — Preacher
    — Rex Mundi
    — The Metabarons
    — Negation
    — The Revenge of Count Skarbek
    — Girls
    — Scalped
    — Blueberry (by Moebius)
    — Meridian
    — Give Me Liberty
    — Drifter
    — Planetary
    — Mice Templar
    — Marvel’s 1602 (you’ve written elsewhere this wasn’t a favorite of yours)

    And no list is complete without some “GOON” by Eric Powell!!!

    I appreciate all the work on your guides which are incredibly helpful. Hopefully, you might find something you like on this list that you haven’t heard of.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 6, 2015 at 4:42 pm

      Awesome list, there are a handful on there I haven’t even heard of, so I will certainly explore. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  48. Kyle says

    October 6, 2015 at 10:17 am

    Did u leave alan moore’s swamp thing off the list? Maybe I missed it

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 6, 2015 at 10:52 am

      I’ve only read (and enjoyed) the first 10 issues. Want to finish it before i rank. It will be added for sure.

      Reply
      • Kyle says

        October 7, 2015 at 1:05 pm

        I can totally understand. I’ve only read the first 9. I see it as something really amazing, but it’s so heavy. Almost on the depressing side. I would do the same thing at this point, if I was to compile a list. Just being curious.

        If you had to choose a top 10 of all time, would these first 10 be the ones? (with whatever marvel events omitted mixed in)

        Reply
        • Dave says

          October 8, 2015 at 9:17 am

          Mixing in Marvel makes it really tricky for me. So many of my favorites are extended runs. I’m not sure any would bump anything out of my top 10 here. Bulletproof Coffin and Mind MGMT are the clearest beneficiaries of recency bias, but for the time being I absolutely love those comics. If I was going to bump From Hell out of the 10 slot, it would be for the first 40 issues of Amazing Spider-Man, the Walt Simonson run on Thor, the Claremont/Cockrum/Byrne Uncanny X-Men, or everything Hickman’s done from Secret Warriors through Secret Wars. Off the top of my head 🙂 I’ll have to make another list…

          Reply
          • Kyle says

            October 10, 2015 at 10:40 am

            Hahaha cool, yeah, hickman’s new avengers was got me back into comics (after 20 years) so I look forward to whatever he does. Did you read god is dead? I was about 14 in and lost interest, but still might. It was intriguing that alan Moore was writing some associated stuff.

  49. brandonh says

    October 6, 2015 at 9:53 am

    John Byrne’s Man of Steel #1-6 is a great miniseries that I would put on this list.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 6, 2015 at 10:54 am

      That’s a good call, I’ll need to reread to place.

      Reply
  50. Claude says

    October 6, 2015 at 9:39 am

    Interesting list…I have to agree with a lot of it. I would have put Strangers in Paradise much higher. There are a lot in there that I have no knowledge of, so will have to do some research. And now you have sparked my interest in a couple that I had heard of but had not given much thought: Batman: The Black Mirror and Grayson (The New 52). Dick Grayson is on of may all time favorite characters, but I have had a hard time getting into the New 52…may be time to try again.

    I wonder why Fables was left off the list…did miss it? I would have that at number one on my own list.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 6, 2015 at 10:53 am

      I actually just read the first volume of fables this week. My brothers been raving about it for years, so you can expect to see it added when i finish!

      Reply
      • Claude says

        October 11, 2015 at 10:08 am

        You’ll have to get up to the “The Last Castle” which is in the 4th volume, I think. That is the issue that did it for me.

        Reply
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