100 Greatest Silver & Bronze Marvels

[Cosmic Boy]

I've decided to trim my Marvel collection down to 100 slabs, so to get the most bang for my buck I've made a list of what I think are the 100 greatest Silver & Bronze issues that Marvel has ever put out. Before I finalize it, I wanted to get a few opinions. Obviously, a list like this is going to be highly subjective based on personal opinion-- but that's half the fun.

 

Marvel's self-made list was utter junk IMO...

 

So I'm trying to encompass as much as I can and truly focus on the 100 most important issues. After about a week of deliberation on all fronts, I've come up with this list. If you think I've overlooked something-- please state a case for that book. Otherwise, just letting me know how it compares to your own list would be much appreciated!

 

100 GREATEST SILVER & BRONZE MARVELS

100. Giant Size Creatures #1

99. Avengers #89

98. Fantastic Four #67

97. Strange Tales #89

96. Silver Surfer #4

95. X-Men #50

94. Fantastic Four Annual #6

93. Tales of Suspense #94

92. Avengers #9

91. Amazing Spider-Man #194

90. Incredible Hulk #162

89. X-Men #64

88. Strange Tales #126

87. Amazing Spider-Man #20

86. Incredible Hulk #115

85. Tales to Astonish #91

84. Amazing Spider-Man #42

83. X-Men #58

82. Journey into Mystery #103

81. Silver Surfer #3

80. X-Men #129

79. Amazing Spider-Man #9

78. X-Men #28

77. Captain Marvel #33

76. Amazing Spider-Man #13

75. X-Men #3

74. Thor #165

73. Journey into Mystery #118

72. Fantastic Four #8

71. Captain Marvel #17

70. Incredible Hulk #141

69. Fantastic Four #18

68. Tales of Suspense #65

67. Amazing Spider-Man #2

66. Avengers #8

65. Marvel Spotlight #2

64. Tales of Suspense #50

63. Fantastic Four #45

62. Amazing Spider-Man #4

61. X-Men #14

60. Marvel Super-Heroes #12

59. Tales of Suspense #52

58. Marvel Premiere #15

57. Tales of Suspense #57

56. Fantastic Four #52

55. Amazing Spider-Man #101

54. Daredevil #131

53. X-Men #12

52. Amazing Spider-Man #31

51. Incredible Hulk #180

50. X-Men #95

49. Amazing Adventures #11

48. Amazing Spider-Man #15

47. Avengers #16

46. Fantastic Four #49

45. Amazing Spider-Man #39

44. Tomb of Dracula #1

43. Amazing Spider-Man #6

42. X-Men #101

41. Avengers #57

40. Captain America #117

39. Daredevil #168

38. Fantastic Four #4

37. Amazing Spider-Man #50

36. Iron Man #55

35. Tales to Astonish #44

34. Silver Surfer #1

33. Iron Man #1

32. Iron Fist #14

31. Tomb of Dracula #10

30. Werewolf by Night #32

29. Amazing Spider-Man #129

28. Marvel Spotlight #5

27. Amazing Spider-Man #122

26. Hero for Hire #1

25. Amazing Spider-Man #14

24. Sgt. Fury #1

23. Tales to Astonish #35

22. Amazing Spider-Man #3

21. Fantastic Four #2

20. Journey into Mystery #85

19. X-Men #94

18. Strange Tales #135

17. Avengers #4

16. Fantastic Four #48

15. Strange Tales #110

14. Fantastic Four #5

13. Tales to Astonish #27

12. Daredevil #1

11. Amazing Spider-Man #121

10. Avengers #1

9. Incredible Hulk #181

8. Giant Size X-Men #1

7. Tales of Suspense #39

6. Journey into Mystery #83

5. X-Men #1

4. Amazing Spider-Man #1

3. Incredible Hulk #1

2. Fantastic Four #1

1. Amazing Fantasy #15

[spidrvacc]

I did the same thing and went out and attempted to purchase the top books of the Bronze age and Silver. Well what I considered the top books.

 

A quick look I will add Star Wars #1 35 cent variant has always been a top book of the bronze age I think the ANNUAL OVERSTREET GUIDE usually puts it at #1 for Bronze age books. . Very hard to find . Took me years and I had to get a restored copy at that and still paid a few hundred. ( was a 2.5)

 

Your also not including

 

Astonishing Tales 25 First Deathlock while people may hate or like the character the book is still a top Bronze book.

 

Superman VS Spiderman ( While a treasury still one of the great Bronze age books ofcourse you cant get it slabbed I think )

 

And Most important is Conan #1 which is usually called starting point of the Bronze age. Conan #1 should be on every bronze list.

 

ANd you have to consider Avengers 93 Kree Skrull War . Love this book.

 

I am at work at the moment but will list a few more I cant seem to remember

 

Edit

For me I always say Nova #1 is a key . Great character with a niche following similar to Moon Knight.

 

Also Defenders #1 and #10 are top Bronze issues

Marvel Team up #1

Fantastic Four 112

Avengers 93

 

And while most will not agree I love the Ben Riley Character ( Scarlet Spider) 1st appearance Spiderman 149 .

 

Some book others consider top Bronze

She Hulk 1

Night Nurse 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Blind Owl]

I agree with Conan #1, perhaps #24 also.

 

I'd try to add Daredevil #7, X-Men #4 and perhaps TOS #48 & #58 somewhere.

 

Good luck in searching for these gems. (thumbs u

[silverweb]

Interesting list. Makes a good reference. I might have about half of them. Are there any other published "Greatest 100 " lists out there?

[PurpleZeke]

Cool list, maybe Captain America #100 needs to be added.

[Dick Pontoon]

How about 1000 Comic Books You Must Read by Tony Isabella?

[spidrvacc]

There are two good magazines that i own that are top 100 issues .

 

Hero magazine which i see a copy on Ebay

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hero-Illustrated-1994-Sp-Ed-100-Greatest-Comics-/380238097409?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5887f4ec01#ht_500wt_715

 

And Wizard also had a top 100 comics issue about the same time as the Hero magazine.

 

Both good reads.

 

Plus there are a ton of top Bronze age and Silver age book threads .

 

Here are a few. The first one is the best , Theres a poll of the top bronze books. I am sure there is a thread similar for top Silver age books.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3858549#Post3858549

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4090911#Post4090911

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1701#Post1701

 

 

[Cosmic Boy]

Interesting list. Makes a good reference. I might have about half of them. Are there any other published "Greatest 100 " lists out there?

 

Marvel published their own list, but it included Modern books and was pretty questionable.

[Cosmic Boy]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions to add to my list! I'd love to add all of them! So I guess the more important question is-- what would you guys remove from my list? Is there anything you think I'm overvaluing?

 

 

[spidrvacc]

Now its very hard to tell anyone what they should not have on there list

 

but for me books like Avengers 89 or FF 67 wouldnt be on my list.

 

Probally a few other. Will have a look at the list during lunch and say what "I: would not have on it. Again sometimes like a Spiderman 149 or Nova 1 , personal favorites go into your list.

 

[Cosmic Boy]

Now its very hard to tell anyone what they should not have on there list

 

but for me books like Avengers 89 or FF 67 wouldnt be on my list.

 

Probally a few other. Will have a look at the list during lunch and say what "I: would not have on it. Again sometimes like a Spiderman 149 or Nova 1 , personal favorites go into your list.

 

I appreciate the input!

[Hepcat]

I'd have fantastic Four 1 above Amazing Fantasy 15 muself.

 

Marvel's self-made list was utter junk IMO....

 

Where did Marvel publish that?

 

[Cosmic Boy]

I'd have fantastic Four 1 above Amazing Fantasy 15 muself.

 

Marvel's self-made list was utter junk IMO....

 

Where did Marvel publish that?

 

 

It was a collected works thing. 100 Greatest Marvels. I think the volumes are all available on Amazon.

[Cosmic Boy]

Hard call between FF1 and AF15. While it's true that FF may launched the ship, it's just as true that Spidey has kept the ship afloat all of these years.

[spidrvacc]

I see both sides. FF1 is the first marvel super hero book I believe BUT individually none of the 4 characters in FF are that popular mass apeal wise . Spiderman is probably #1 nowadays or 3rd behind Superman-Batman at worst. I go with AF 15 as the greatest comic book ever in my mind. Most collectible wise . Not greatest art work or Story etc. If I could have one book it would be that.

 

Will add when i put together my top Marvel ( and DC Bronze ) books of the silver and Bronze age I had to get the Golden Records Reprint for FF1 ( I cant afford a actual FF1) and I purchased the pages only ( no cover or the other story) for AF15 .

[silverweb]

Now its very hard to tell anyone what they should not have on there list

 

but for me books like Avengers 89 or FF 67 wouldnt be on my list.

 

Probally a few other. Will have a look at the list during lunch and say what "I: would not have on it. Again sometimes like a Spiderman 149 or Nova 1 , personal favorites go into your list.

 

I agree. I know that FF 67 has HIM but I don't know anything about Avengers 89's significance.

 

In my mind, I probably would replace FF45 with FF 25 and FF 67 with FF 72 ( I love that cover)

[Cosmic Boy]

Now its very hard to tell anyone what they should not have on there list

 

but for me books like Avengers 89 or FF 67 wouldnt be on my list.

 

Probally a few other. Will have a look at the list during lunch and say what "I: would not have on it. Again sometimes like a Spiderman 149 or Nova 1 , personal favorites go into your list.

 

I agree. I know that FF 67 has HIM but I don't know anything about Avengers 89's significance.

 

In my mind, I probably would replace FF45 with FF 25 and FF 67 with FF 72 ( I love that cover)

 

Avengers 89 is point blank one of the greatest covers of the early Bronze Age. Captain Marvel electrocution bondage cover-- that's a classic that's always being mimicked.

[spidrvacc]

I always thought that books with awesome covers like Silver Surfer 4 etc are great books but should only make a top 100 if its "Your" personal favorite and it sounds like it is so it belongs on your list, Period.

 

[rodan57]

Happy to see ASM 31 and 42 on the list.

[Cosmic Boy]

I always thought that books with awesome covers like Silver Surfer 4 etc are great books but should only make a top 100 if its "Your" personal favorite and it sounds like it is so it belongs on your list, Period.

I definitely agree. However, in the case of SS 4 that may just be the greatest silver age cover... So I think that deserves a spot either way regardless of personal taste.