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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 109 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 entirely comics I like a lot. The higher a comic is ranked, the more I like it. The full list is approaching 1,000 rankings, but this contains the top 500 good ones!

Let the superlative headlines begin, and enjoy the comics!

Last Updated: September 9, 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) Criminal

34) Asterios Polyp

35) Batman: Year One

36) Usagi Yojimbo

37) Fear Agent

38) Epileptic

39) Marvels

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

41) Ice Cream Man

42) Persepolis

43) Love & Rockets

44) Batman: The Long Halloween + Dark Victory

45) Transmetropolitan

46) Punk Rock Jesus

47) Walt Simonson’s Thor

48) The Walking Dead: Compendium One

49) Sweet Tooth

50) Supreme: The Story of the Year

51) Uncanny X-Force (Rick Remender)

52) Infinite Kung Fu

53) Saga of the Swamp Thing

54) Saga

55) Batman (The New 52)

56) Morning Glories

57) Dreadstar

58) Daytripper

59) Vision

60) 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank

61) Black Hammer

62) Nimona

63) X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga

64) X-Statix

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

75) The Immortal Iron Fist

76) Dragon Hoops

77) BTTM FDRS

78) Astonishing X-Men

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

80) Hitman

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

82) The Omega Men

83) Hellboy

84) Blacksad

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

86) Age of Apocalypse

87) Superman Smashes the Klan

88) The Department of Truth

89) Atomic Robo

90) Black Panther: Panther’s Rage

91) Werewolves of Montpellier

92) Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

93) Jessica Jones: Alias

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) The Many Deaths of Laila Starr

104) Batman: The Black Mirror

105) I Killed Adolf Hitler

106) John Constantine: Hellblazer – Dangerous Habits

107) Strangers In Paradise

108) Chasin’ The Bird

109) Kent State: 4 Dead in Ohio

110) Murder Falcon

111) The Prince and the Dressmaker

112) Pulp

113) Nextwave: Agents of HATE

114) Batman: Arkham Asylum

115) Squadron Supreme

116) Green Lantern by Geoff Johns

117) JLA: A League of One

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

119) Lucifer Book One

120) Nowhere Men

121) Lone Wolf and Cub

122) Bedlam

123) Six-Gun Gorilla

124) Essex County

125) Carl Barks Ducks

126) Revival

127) Astro Boy Vol. 1

128) Sheriff of Babylon

129) Achewood: The Great Outdoor Fight

130) The Life & Times Of Scrooge McDuck

131) Planetary

132) DC Metal (Complete Event)

133) The Underwater Welder

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

135) Thor: God of Thunder

136) Daredevil by Bendis and Maleev

137) Ultimates

138) DC’s 52

139) Animal Man (Grant Morrison Run)

140) Immortal Hulk

141) Shubeik Lubeik

142) The Abominable Charles Christopher

143) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

144) Acme Novelty Library #20

145) Batman & Robin (by Grant Morrison)

146) Hickman’s X-Men (House of X)

147) March: Book One

148) The Fade Out

149) Secret Wars (1984)

150) Locke & Key

151) Seconds

152) Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates

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

154) Pride of Baghdad

155) Orion by Walt Simonson

156) Little Bird

157) Rebirth of Thanos + Thanos Quest

158) Superior Foes of Spider-Man

159) Jack Kirby’s 4th World

160) Secret Six

161) Elektra Assassin

162) Superior Spider-Man

163) Fearscape

164) Upgrade Soul

165) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

166) Gotham Academy

167) Kingdom Come

168) Black Science

169) Ms. Marvel

170) Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me

171) Meanwhile

172) Ice Haven

173) The Manhattan Projects

174) Jimmy Olsen

175) Through the Woods

176) O Human Star

177) The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

178) Grayson (The New 52)

179) Superman: Secret Identity

180) Zot!: The Complete Black and White Collection

181) Wizzywig

182) DC: The New Frontier

183) Paying for It

184) Fatale

185) Suicide Squad (John Ostrander Era)

186) The Flintstones

187) Injustice

188) Lazarus

189) Ultimate Comics Spider-Man: Miles Morales

190) Moon Knight (Ellis & Shalvey)

191) Venom by Rick Remender

192) New Mutants by Claremont and Sienkiewicz

193) Midnighter by Steve Orlando

194) Southern Cross

195) The Waiting

196) Wolverine & The X-Men

197) Manhunter by Goodwin & Simonson

198) Black Bolt

199) You Are Deadpool

200) Justice League International

201) Batman and Son + The Black Glove

202) X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills

203) Infinity Gauntlet

204) Monstress

205) The Nice House on the Lake

206) Punisher: Welcome Back Frank

207) The Umbrella Academy

208) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Turtles Reborn)

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

210) Slaughterhouse-Five

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

212) Paper Girls

213) They Called Us Enemy

214) Doctor Strange: The Oath

215) Flex Mentallo

216) Truth: Red White and Black

217) Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass

218) The Wild Storm

219) Daredevil by Mark Waid

220) Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt

221) Map To The Sun

222) RASL

223) Amulet

224) Cyclopedia Exotica

225) Catwoman: Lonely City

226) Ashes

227) Deathstroke (DC Rebirth)

228) Killing and Dying

229) Grass

230) Slam Dunk

231) Castle Waiting

232) The Magic Fish

233) Scalped

234) Top 10 + Smax

235) The High Desert: Black Punk Nowhere

236) Made in Korea

237) Canto

238) The Best We Could Do

239) Deadly Class

240) Impossible People: A Completely Average Recovery Story

241) Fantasy Sports

242) Bandette Volume 1

243) Birds of Prey by Simone & Benes

244) Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts

245) Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle

246) Squire

247) Ghost Cage

248) These Savage Shores

249) Bea Wulf

250) Thunderbolts

251) Captain Britain by Alan Moore & Alan Davis

252) Zero #1 to #10

253) Low, Vol. 1

254) Moebius: The World of Edena

255) Return of the Dapper Men

256) Superannuated Man

257) The Harrowing of Hell

258) Nighthawk: Hate Makes Hate

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

260) 47 Ronin

261) Infidel

262) The Authority (Warren Ellis & Bryan Hitch)

263) The Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 1

264) Phonogram

265) Far Sector

266) Black Widow

267) Blue in Green

268) The Good Asian

269) Good Talk

270) Giant Days

271) 20th Century Men

272) Once and Future

273) Friday

274) Marvel Knights: Inhumans

275) Black Badge

276) God Country

277) Golden Age Wonder Woman

278) Wolverine by Claremont & Miller

279) Infinitum

280) Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

281) Anya’s Ghost

282) Thanos War – Warlock & Avengers

283) Black Hole

284) Bitter Root

285) Fullmetal Alchemist

286) Hellions

287) Ghost World

288) Doom Patrol by Rachel Pollack & Linda Medley

289) Fagin the Jew

290) Copra Round One

291) Captain Britain & MI13

292) Superman Rebirth

293) Cosmic Odyssey

294) Cow Boy

295) Batman: The Killing Joke

296) Blue is the Warmest Color

297) Doom Patrol (Young Animal)

298) Star Wars: Darth Vader

299) Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys

300) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

301) Irredeemable Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

302) Cable & Deadpool

303) Shade The Changing Girl

304) The Walking Dead Compendium Three

305) Batman R.I.P.

306) Mighty Thor (Jane Foster)

307) Daredevil by Zdarsky and Checchetto

308) The Green Lantern

309) Planet Hulk + World War Hulk

310) Mike Carey X-Men / Legacy

311) Old Head

312) Farmhand

313) Pax Romana

314) Check Please

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

316) A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance

317) Sabrina

318) Snapdragon

319) Genderqueer: A Memoir

320) Cover

321) Spectacular Spider-Man by JM DeMatteis

322) Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later

323) Death Note

324) Why Don’t You Love Me?

325) Monster

326) The Death Ray

327) Baba Yaga’s Assistant

328) TekkonKinkreet

329) Garlic and the Vampire

330) When I Arrived At the Castle

331) Planet Paradise

332) Displacement

333) Marvel Knights: Black Panther

334) This One Summer

335) El Deafo

336) Old Man Logan

337) Strikeforce: Morituri

338) Captain Marvel by Deconnick

339) Batwoman

340) FF

341) Heartstopper

342) Scarenthood

343) Sports is Hell

344) Silver Surfer (Slott + Allred)

345) The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story

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

347) Stumptown

348) Plain Janes

349) Demon

350) Kill or Be Killed

351) Iron Man: Extremis

352) Superman: Last Son of Krypton

353) Alan Moore’s Writing For Comics

354) Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

355) Private Eye

356) Wytches Volume 1

357) Motor Crush

358) Barrier

359) Wonder Woman by George Perez

360) John Byrne Fantastic Four

361) Moon Knight: Scarlet Redemption

362) November

363) Sentry (2000)

364) Cheer Up: Love and Pom Poms

365) Witch Boy

366) Berserk

367) Batman: Ego

368) Domu: A Child’s Dream

369) Prince of Cats

370) Snow Glass Apples

371) Mark Waid’s Flash

372) Clyde Fans

373) Patience

374) Do a Powerbomb

375) Superman: Man of Steel Vol. 1

376) One Week in the Library

377) Doctor Strange by Cates

378) Star Wars Legacy

379) JLA One Million

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

381) Manifest Destiny

382) Dark Night: A True Batman Story

383) Star Wars: The Crimson Empire Saga

384) Comic Book History of Comics

385) Superman: Secret Origin

386) Southern Bastards Volume 1 and 2

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

388) Deadshot: Beginnings

389) Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars

390) Hellblazer: Original Sins

391) Emperor Doom

392) She-Hulk

393) Black Panther by Reginald Hudlin

394) “The Life of Captain Marvel”

395) Valerian: Complete Collection Vol. 1

396) Catwoman by Brubaker, Cooke, Allred

397) Earth X

398) Mark Gruenwald Captain America

399) Dragon

400) Secret Weapons

401) Redneck

402) X-Men: Messiah CompleX

403) That Texas Blood

404) Dead Dog’s Bite

405) Daredevil by Ann Nocenti & JR JR

406) Ping Pong

407) The Book of Frank

408) Bitch Planet

409) Green Arrow: Quiver

410) Cable #1 to #12

411) SHIELD

412) Space Riders

413) Extremity

414) Lady Killer

415) Grass Kings

416) Hawkeye (2016)

417) Rat Queens Volume 1

418) The Joker (Tynion & March)

419) Runaways (Rowell & Anka)

420) New Kid

421) Kindred

422) Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham

423) A Red Mass For Mars

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

425) Namesake

426) Black Magick Vol. 1

427) Infinite Crisis

428) X-Men Red

429) Sentient

430) All-New Wolverine

431) Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth

432) Lavendar Jack

433) American Vampire

434) Walking Dead: Clementine

435) Orphan and the Five Beasts

436) Radical: My Year With a Socialist Senator

437) One Punch Man

438) Enigma

439) In the Shadow of No Towers

440) JLA: Ultramarines

441) Outcast Volume 1

442) Queen & Country Vol. 1

443) Injection, Vol. 1

444) Son of Hitler

445) Divinity

446) The Sixth Gun Vol. 1

447) Cosmic Ghost Rider

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

449) Second Coming

450) DCeased

451) Generation X

452) Unnatural

453) Mister Higgins Comes Home

454) New 52 Justice League: Forever Evil

455) JLA: Tower of Babel

456) Black

457) Super Sons (Rebirth)

458) Silver Surfer: Black

459) After the Rain

460) My Friend Dahmer

461) Black Orchid

462) The Other History of the DC Universe

463) Is This How You See Me?

464) Promethea

465) Lost At Sea

466) BPRD: Plague of Frogs

467) Machine Gun Wizards

468) Green Lantern Earth One

469) Superman/Shazam: First Thunder

470) Akira

471) Die

472) Sabretooth

473) Something Is Killing The Children

474) Batman: Hush

475) Reckless

476) Chainsaw Man

477) Norse Mythology

478) Real

479) Meal

480) Uzumaki

481) Wash Day Diaries

482) What’s the Furthest Place From Here

483) Girl Town

484) Anais Nin: A Sea of Lies

485) Transformers: The Wreckers Saga

486) Unity

487) Empire

488) Casanova

489) Superman for All Seasons

490) Thanos Wins

491) Buddy Does Seattle

492) Shortcomings

493) Local

494) Ragnarok Vol 1: Last God Standing

495) Barbaric

496) Revolver

497) Victor Lavalle’s Destroyer

498) The Graveyard Book

499) Killadelphia

500) Are you Listening?

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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