When it comes to classic comic book covers there are countless issues to choose from. After all, we’re talking about an entertainment medium that first started almost a century ago and consists of literally millions of individual titles. There are, however, a few comics that we believe stand the test of time and remain sought after by collectors and fans alike. For these elite books they earn the title of “classic”, in that they’re often reproduced, swiped, reprinted and collected long after they first appeared.
To keep things simple, we’ve listed our favorite books in order of chronological publication date and don’t include anything past the early 90s. We’ve also included the estimated price and details on why we chose each specific issue. So without further ado, let’s jump into our list of 25 classic comic covers.
1. Amazing Spider-Man #50
- Published: July 1967
- Estimated Price: $3,700 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st appearance of Wilson Fisk (aka the Kingpin)
- Why We Picked It: Featuring an epic cover by legendary Marvel artist John Romita, this icon image has been a fan favorite for decades. It also just happens to be one of the best Spider-Man comic covers of all time.
2. Fantastic Four #72
- Published: March 1968
- Estimated Price: $710 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic cover art featuring the Silver Surfer
- Why We Picked It: Jack “the King” Kirby remains one of the greatest comic book artists of all time, and perhaps nowhere is his unique style more apparent than in this breathtaking cover that showcases a true master at work, making it one issue we just had to include on our list.
3. Incredible Hulk Annual #1
- Published: October 1968
- Estimated Price: $980 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic image featuring the Hulk
- Why We Picked It: You know a comic book cover is truly a classic when it’s still being recreated and sought after over 50 years after it was first released. That’s exactly the case with this legendary Hulk comic cover illustrated by Marvel master artist Jim Steranko.
4. Avengers #57
- Published: October 1968
- Estimated Price: $2,600 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st appearance of the Vision and 2nd appearance of Ultron
- Why We Picked It: There are dozens of stunning Avengers comic book covers that could be added to this list, but for our money it’s hard to top this work by artist John Buscema. This iconic image would be later be recreated on the cover of West Coast Avengers 45, which in itself remains a key issue after introducing the White Vision (who would later go on to appear in the Disney+ WandaVision series).
5. Silver Surfer #4
- Published: February 1969
- Estimated Price: $2,700 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First battle of Thor and the Silver Surfer
- Why We Picked It: There are some comics that end up being grails simply because of their stunning cover art. That’s definitely the case with this classic issue, which is yet another epic issue illustrated by the great John Buscema, whose unique style has influenced an entire generation of comic book artists.
6. Green Lantern #76
- Published: April 1970
- Estimated Price: $1,500 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Issue considered by many to mark the end of the comic book Silver Age
- Why We Picked It: While this issue is generally considered one of the first comic books to tackle controversial social issues, we added it to this list simply because of the stunning and iconic cover by the late, great Neal Adams.
7. Superman #233
- Published: July 1971
- Estimated Price: $750 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic cover
- Why We Picked It: Another comic book masterpiece by longtime DC artist Neal Adams, this issue is often regarded as one of the greatest Superman covers of all time. It’s since been reproduced, recreated, swiped and even turned into its very own Superman statue.
8. Fantastic Four #112
- Published: July 1971
- Estimated Price: $725 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Classic battle of the Hulk and the Thing
- Why We Picked It: Another John Buscema book that we absolutely had to include on this list, this issue features a stunning cover of two superhero titans battling it out. Simple, stylish and action packed, this cover still holds up over 50 years after it was first published.
9. House of Secrets #92
- Published: July 1971
- Estimated Price: $1,800 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st appearance of the Swamp Thing (Alex Olsen)
- Why We Picked It: While this issue marks the first appearance of the beloved horror character known as the Swamp Thing, we picked it for this list simply because of the amazing cover art by Bernie Wrightson, which has appeared in countless homages, including most recently in this sweet cover swipe for Department of Truth #10.
10. Batman #251
- Published: September 1973
- Estimated Price: $2,000 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Reintroduced the Joker as a homicidal maniac
- Why We Picked It: Comic artist Neal Adams could probably have his own list of great covers. Chief among them would likely be this stunning work of art which remains one of the greatest Batman comic covers of all time.
11. Swamp Thing #9
- Published: April 1974
- Estimated Price: $50 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic Swamp Thing cover
- Why We Picked It: Another iconic cover by the great Bernie Wrightson, this issue remains an absolute classic, so much so that it’s been reproduced and swiped countless times, including most recently in this variant cover of Deep Root #1 from Vault Comics.
12. Giant Size X-Men #1
- Published: May 1975
- Estimated Price: $8,900 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st appearance of Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Thunderbird and Magik. First use of the sound effect ‘SNIKT’ associated with Wolverine’s claws
- Why We Picked It: Arguably one of the greatest comic book issues of all time, it remains sought after because of the introduction of numerous X-Men heroes and the absolutely stunning artwork from the late Marvel artist, Dave Cockrum.
13. Iron Man #128
- Published: November 1979
- Estimated Price: $100 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: “Demon in a Bottle” part 9
- Why We Picked It: While this issue of Iron Man is perhaps most famous for its treatment of Tony Stark’s battle with alcoholism, we chose it for this iconic cover art by Bob Layton, which shows a surprising depth to the character that hadn’t really been tackled in comic books before.
14. Daredevil #181
- Published: April 1982
- Estimated Price: $65 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Death of Elektra
- Why We Picked It: Featuring the death of longtime Daredevil love interest Elektra, this issue is not only a pivotal moment of Daredevil history but also features an iconic cover from Frank Miller, which also just happens to make it one of the greatest Daredevil comic covers of all time.
15. Wolverine Limited Series #1
- Published: September 1982
- Estimated Price: $200 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First solo Wolverine title, first cameo appearance of Yukio and first use of the iconic Wolverine phrase: ‘I’m the best there is at what I do”.
- Why We Picked It: Another epic cover by Frank Miller, this iconic cover firmly established Wolverine as one of Marvel’s greatest superheroes, bringing a brutal edginess to the character that remains to this day.
16. Crisis on Infinite Earths #7
- Published: October 1985
- Estimated Price: $20 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Death of Supergirl and origin of The Monitor, Anti-Monitor, Pariah and Guardians of Oa.
- Why We Picked It: While this issue remains one of the greatest comic book events in DC history, it’s really this incredible cover by George Perez that makes it iconic, with the image being reproduced in countless homages over the years.
17. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1
- Published: March 1986
- Estimated Price: $200 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st appearance of Carrie Kelley (a Robin from an alternate reality)
- Why We Picked It: Considered by many to be a turning point in comic book storytelling, Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns brought a gritty realism to superheroes that had never been seen before. The series also features a legendary cover that’s been swiped dozens of times, including this hilarious rendition from The Boys #48.
18. Watchmen #1
- Published: September 1986
- Estimated Price: $60 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st appearance of Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, Silk Spectre, The Comedian and Night Owl.
- Why We Picked It: Arguably the greatest comic book series of all time, Watchmen redefined the superhero genre. We picked this book, however, because of the simple yet elegant cover by Dave Gibbons, which remains an iconic comic book image.
19. Justice League #1
- Published: May 1987
- Estimated Price: $15 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st appearance of Maxwell Lord
- Why We Picked It: While this issue saw the emergence of a new and improved Justice League, we chose it for this list because of this incredible cover by Kevin Maguire, which features the artist’s pitch perfect blend of style and attitude.
20. Incredible Hulk #340
- Published: February 1988
- Estimated Price: $10 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic cover by Todd McFarlane
- Why We Picked It: Yet another classic Todd McFarlane cover, this book has exploded in popularity over the past few years. It’s also been recreated, with literally dozens of comics paying homage, including this gorgeous Savage Avengers #1 variant by Mico Suayan.
21. Batman: The Killing Jone
- Published: March 1988
- Estimated Price: $10 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: One-shot written by Alan Moore in which the Joker shoots and paralyzes Barbara Gordon
- Why We Picked It: Considered by many to be the greatest Batman story ever, we chose this issue for this list because of the iconic cover by Brian Bolland, which offers an unforgettable take on the psychopathic clown prince of crime.
22. Amazing Spider-Man #300
- Published: May 1988
- Estimated Price: $1,000 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: 1st full appearance of Venom
- Why We Picked It: One of the most popular copper age comic books ever (thanks to the introduction of Venom) it’s also a classic work of Todd McFarlane that stands the test of time. Incidentally, this single issue would also go on to influence some of the greatest Venom comic covers of all time.
23. Batman #423
- Published: September 1988
- Estimated Price: $150 (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic Todd McFarlane artwork
- Why We Picked It: While most people associated Todd McFarlane with his work on Spawn and Spider-Man, he definitely made his mark with this classic Batman cover that remains iconic over 30 years after it was first published.
24. Wolverine #8
- Published: June 1989
- Estimated Price: $80 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Features the Hulk as his “Joe Fixit” persona. Back cover art of Wolverine from Rob Liefeld.
- Why We Picked It: While there are plenty of amazing Wolverine comic covers, few are as iconic as this classic issue featuring art by the great John Buscema. With its awesome blend of adamantium and attitude, this is one issue we just had to include.
25. Wonder Woman #72
- Published: March 1993
- Estimated Price: $45 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic cover
- Why We Picked It: Wonder Woman is often overlooked in the cover department, but there’s no passing her by thanks to this gorgeous artwork by Brian Bolland, which shows the statuesque Diana Prince in an image that’s an absolute classic that’s destined to stand the test of time.
So there you have it! Our picks for 25 classic comic covers. Are there any issues you think we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
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