Top 10 Best Comics of All Time

Comic book lovers, unite! We’ve gathered a list of ten of the best comics ever published.

For many readers, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and graphic novels provide an escape from the grind of day-to-day life and can provide a sense of community with others who are also superhero comic fans. Reading an excellent comic book series can help readers take a break from stress and monotony, allowing them to ease into a magical world free of the limits of life as we know it. From American comics to manga comics, reading graphic novels and other forms of comics is a pastime that allows readers to enjoy both deep, complex storylines and top-notch art.

Whether you’re just getting started with enjoying comic books or you’ve been an avid fan for years, there’s no doubt that you’ll love some of the options we’ve listed below. So read on to learn why these all-time serialized greats are cemented as comic book legends.

Best Comics of All Time Ranked

1. Batman

“People think it’s an obsession. A compulsion. As if there were an irresistible impulse to act. It’s never been like that. I chose this life. I know what I’m doing.”

While many Batman fans have fallen in love with the movies based on the DC comic, many first got to know the winged hero through the comic books first released in 1939. Bill Finger and Bob Cain created Batman. At first, he was a guest character in other comics, but Finger and Cain found that the character was so beloved that he deserved his series.

Initially launched as a comic that came out every three months, the Batman series eventually evolved to a monthly comic, where it continues to stand today. Batman had a surge in popularity in the 1990s due to blockbuster movie hits and the release of the comic Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight. In addition, readers can keep an eye out for a new six-issue series, Failsafe, set for release in July 2022.

2. Superman

“I once thought I could protect the world by myself. But I was wrong. Working together, we saved the planet. And I believe that if we stay together, as a team, we would be a force that could truly work for the ideas of peace and justice.”

One of the most well-known comic books of all time, Superman is a DC Comics series that features the title character fighting crime alongside his girlfriend, Lois Lane. Under the alias Clark Kent, Superman has seen many different forms over the years, including numerous movies, a TV series, and new releases that continue currently. In 2018, Superman Volume 5 was released under the direction of Brian Michael Brendis.

The volume contained 32 issues that continued to be released until June 2021. Then, in July 2021, the series Superman: Son of Kal-El was released. Written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by cartoonist John Timms, this installment follows the adventures and misadventures of Jon Kent, the son of Lois Lane and Clark Kent.

3. X-Men

“If even one more person died at my hands… it’s better this way. Quick. Clean. Final. I love you, Scott. A part of me will always be with you.”

Published by Marvel Comics, the X-Men are a team of superheroes that work together to fight the evil in the world. The current members of the X-Men include Cyclops, Polaris, Rogue, Marvel Girl, Wolverine, Synch, and Sunfire. The members of the X-Men possess an X-gene, which makes them human mutants who have superpowers.

Many of the X-Men stories feature tales of how group members feel alienated from their peers due to their supernatural abilities, often in line with stories of discrimination and social justice in the real world. The comics are also known for touching on other social issues, including religion, diversity, DGBTQ+ themes, socialism, and genocide. Other themes within the X-Men universe include time travel, resurrection, fate, sanity, space travel, and political warfare.

4. Avengers

“In the beginning Marvel created the Bullpen and the Style. And the Bullpen was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the Artists. And the Spirit of Marvel said, Let there be The Fantastic Four. And there was The Fantastic Four. And Marvel saw The Fantastic Four. And it was good.”

This Marvel Universe comic features another team of superheroes who work together to fight the evil in the world. Members of the Avengers include Triathalon, Warbird, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Goliath, Wonder Man, Vision, Captain America, Thor, Wasp, Iron Man, and Hulk.

In most of the stories, each team member works on their own, but occasionally, they come together to fight villains and keep the world (and each other) safe. Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, The Avengers comic books were first released in 1963, as Marvel was working to create a series that allowed room for crossover between character storylines. As a result, alla result, all Marvel comics take place in the Marvel Universe, which allows characters to know one another and work as a team when necessary.

5. Captain America

“Compromise where you can. Where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say ‘No, you move’.”

Cartoonists Jack Kirby and Joe Simon worked together to create the Captain America comic series, first released in 1941. The character first existed in the Timely Comics family, a company that predated Marvel Comics. Marvel revived the character for good in 1964.

The alter ego of Steve Rogers, Captain America, is known for his strength, reflexes, superior mental powers, fast healing, slowed aging, and ability to lead others. Fans of the series recognize Captain America’s trademark motorcycle and uniform, as well as his shield. In addition to his all-American military and leadership skills, Rogers is also known as a skilled artist, comically responsible for creating his comics within the Marvel Universe.

6. Daredevil

“You’re not perfect. Sometimes, you can be a real jerk. Not on purpose. Just sometimes. But no matter what, you are a man of integrity. That is your defining characteristic. You can’t see this, but it comes off you so strong that I have watched Avengers be intimidated by it. Be inspired by it. Your integrity carries a weight you can’t imagine. It has meaning.”

This Marvel comic was created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Bill Everett. Jack Kirby also contributed to Daredevil’s development. Daredevil first appeared in the Marvel Universe in 1964. The hero is also known by the monikers “The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen,” “The Man Without Fear,” and “Hornhead.” According to Daredevil’s backstory, he gained his supernatural abilities (including superior agility, balance, reflexes, high pain tolerance, and criminology expertise) following a severe car accident.

The character is blinded during the accident, but the rest of his senses are heightened beyond the level of a typical human. His childhood spent in the rough and tumble Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York allowed him to develop the street smarts necessary for his character to keep the world safe. Daredevil is still an active part of the Marvel Universe today. Most recently in the series, the superhero saved Hell’s Kitchen and is grappling with whether putting people in prison for their crimes is right. Fans of Daredevil can look forward to the release of the next series, which will be released in July 2022.

7. Justice League

“There is a house above the world, where the over-people gather. There is a man with wings like a bird… there is a man who can see across the planet and wring diamonds from its anthracite. There is a man who moves so fast that his life is an endless gallery of statues…In the house above the world the over-people gather…To a fry, mad voice that whispers of earth death.”

A series published by DC Comics, the Justice League, is a well-known band of superheroes: Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Cyborg, Batman, Flash, and Green Lantern. While the team first appeared together in print in 1960, the concept of the group was based on the Justice Society of America, a comic developed by DC in the 1940s.

Created as a way for DC comics to cross-promote characters, many comic fans have been introduced to their new favorites as they see how the members of the Justice League interact with and protect one another. The Justice League has to go up against the Legion of Doom, a team comprised of the respective nemeses of each superhero, including Cheetah (Wonder Woman’s enemy), Gorilla Grodd (known for constantly trying to stop the Flash), and Lex Luthor (Superman’s worst enemy). Together, the team works to stop the Legion of Doom as they work to protect their universe.

8. Star Wars

“Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”

Star Wars comic books were initially published from 1977 to 1986. Today, new titles are being published following a resurgence of the series in 2015. While there have been many adaptations to the original storyline, the Star Wars comics began by allowing readers to follow along the journey of Luke Skywalker as he worked to become a Jedi. Throughout his quest, he encountered many difficulties, including fighting with Darth Vader (who, as most know, was later revealed to be Luke’s father), as well as working with the Rebel Alliance to free the Star Wars universe from the Galactic Empire’s control.

9. Wonder Woman

“If you need to stop an asteroid, you call Superman. If you need to solve a mystery, you call Batman. But if you need to end a war, you call Wonder Woman.”

As one of the founding members of the Justice League, Wonder Woman is a part of the DC Comics Universe. She first appeared on the comic scene in 1941 and has been a mainstay of DC Comics ever since. The superheroine is from the island of Themyscira, and her official name is Princess Diana of Themyscira.

Unlike some comic superheroes, Wonder Woman can blend into her surroundings in public and often adapts the name Diana Prince when she doesn’t want to be recognized. In addition, her origin story is unique–she was sculpted from clay by her mother and was created as a woman from the Amazon. She was provided with her supernatural gifts (including extreme athleticism, strength, fast healing, flight, speed, and the ability to stop bullets using her bracelets) as a gift from Greek gods.

10. Watchmen

“Existence is random. Has no pattern save what we imagine after staring at it for too long. No meaning save what we choose to impose. This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. Only us. Streets stank of fire. The void breathed hard on my heart, turning its illusions to ice, shattering them. Was reborn then, free to scrawl own design on this morally blank world.” 

This miniseries was first published by DC Comics in 1986 and provided a history of its characters that dates back to the 1940s. A nine-volume prequel allowed readers to get to know the Watchmen in a new way. Characters in the series include Ozymandias, Nite Owl II, The Comedian, Doctor Manhattan, Rorschach, and Silk Spectre II. The coloring and panel layout of the comic was unique for its time, as the creators used a nine-grid panel to tell the stories of the Watchmen.

Looking for more? Check out our round-up of the best books for teenagers!