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List of the MAJOR (U.S) Key Comics?

Started by comicfangermany,

61 posts in this topic

DeliBebek

DeliBebek

Posted
Posted

So we've established the American bias, but why such a super-hero bias?

 

19.1 Four Color #9 (first Barks Donald Duck)

19.2 Four Color #386 (first Uncle Scrooge story)

24.1 Mad #1 (first Mad)

29.1 Pep Comics #22 (first Archie, Betty and Jughead)

 

And is there a Marvel slant to the list?

 

1.1 All-American Comics #16 (first GA Green Lantern)

29.2 Showcase #4 (first SA Flash)

29.3 Showcase #22 (first SA Green Lantern)

 

(Yes, my tone is confrontational. Keys are important!)

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Bodhi396

Bodhi396

Posted
Posted

Amazing Spider-Man 300 (first full appearance of Venom)

 

Two others that maybe aren't major 'key' comics, but important in terms of artists work:

 

Amazing Spider-Man 33 (usually seen as Ditkos greatest work on Spider-Man)

 

Silver Surfer 4 (vol. 1) (one of great covers of all-time by Buscema)

 

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Junkdrawer

Junkdrawer

Posted
Posted
If we are making a list of "major" keys, I see several listed that don't fit the bill.
I think the word key comes in quite a few shades of grey, however the adjective signifigant or major just before could eliminate many insignifigant yet key books. Frazzetta's first work in Talley-Ho is quite signifigant, but I wouldnt call that book a key.
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AGGIEZ

AGGIEZ

Posted
Posted

Added a bunch of obvious one that were missing. Not entirely sure on the order....

 

 

Action Comics 1 (first Superman)

Detective Comics 27 (first Batman)

Amazing Fantasy 15 (first Spiderman)

Captain America 1 (first Captain America)

Marvel Comics #1 (first Marvel comic)

Fantastic Four 1 (first Fantastic Four)

Incredible Hulk #1 (first Hulk)

Tales of Suspense 39 (first Iron Man)

All-American Comics #16 (first GA Green Lantern)

All-Star Comics #8 (first Wonder Woman)

X-men #1 (first Beast, Iceman, Cyclops, Professor X, Angel, Magneto...)

The Incredible Hulk #181 (first Wolverine)

Flash Comics #1 (first Flash)

Avengers #1 (first Avengers)

Journey into Mystery 83 (first Thor)

Fantastic Four 5 (first Dr. Doom)

Brave & the Bold #28 (first Justice League of America)

Pep Comics #22 (first Archie)

Amazing Spider-Man #1

Fantastic Four #48 (first Silver Surfer)

Whiz Comics #2 (first Captain Marvel)

Tales to Astonish 27 (first Hank Pym - Ant Man)

Giant-Sized Uncanny X-men #1 (first Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Thunderbird, 2nd Wolverine)

Avengers #4 (first SA Captain America)

Showcase #4 (first SA Flash)

Showcase #22 (first SA Green Lantern)

Conan the Barbarian #1 (first Conan)

Daredevil #1 (first Daredevil)

TMNT #1 (first TMNT)

The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (first Punisher)

Strange Tales #110 (first Dr. Strange)

Four Color #9 (first Barks Donald Duck)

Four Color #386 (first Uncle Scrooge story)

Mad #1 (first Mad)

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comicfangermany

comicfangermany

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Jeffro maybe not all are the major keys but many of them has their right to be added to that list i think but for sure form your point of view your right not every comic in here is one of the big major keys :)

 

1. Action Comics 1

2. All American Comics 16

3. All-Star Comics 8

4. All-Star Western 10

5. Amazing Fantasy 15

6. Amazing Spider-Man 1

7. Amazing Spider-Man 121/122

8. Amazing Spider-Man 129

9. Amazing Spider-man 14

10. Amazing Spider-Man 96/97/98

11. Avengers 1

12. Avengers 4

13. Batman 1

14. Brave & the Bold 28

15. Captain America 1

16. Cerebus the Aardvark 1

17. Conan 23

18. Conan the Barbarian 1

19. Daredevil 1

20. Daredevil 158

21. Daredevil 168

22. DC Comics Presents 26

23. Detective Comics 27

24. Fantastic Four 48

25. Fantastic Four 1

26. Fantastic Four 12

27. Fantastic Four 5

28. Flash Comics 1

29. Four Color 386

30. Four Color 9

31. Giant-Sized Uncanny X-men 1

32. Green Lantern 76

33. Incredible Hulk 1

34. Iron Fist 14

35. Journey into Mystery 83

36. Mad 1

37. Marvel Comics 1

38. Marvel Feature 1

39. Marvel Premiere 15

40. Marvel Spotlight 32

41. Marvel Team-Up 1

42. New Mutants 98

43. Pep Comics 22

44. Pep Comics 22

45. Showcase 22

46. Showcase 4

47. Special Marvel Edition 15

48. Strange Tales 110

49. Superman 1

50. Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man

51. Tales of Suspense 39

52. Tales to Astonish 35

53. Tales to Astonish 27

54. The Incredible Hulk 181

55. The Last Man 1

56. TMNT 1

57. Ultimate Spider-man 1 White Cover 

58. Uncanny X-Men 101

59. Uncanny X-Men 137

60. Uncanny X-men 94

61. Walking Dead 1

62. Walking Dead 19

63. Whiz Comics 2

64. X-men 1

 

 

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Barbarian

Barbarian

Posted
Posted

50 Bronze age key list found online + reasoning behind it.

 

1970

Green Lantern #76 (Apr.): Landmark run by Denny O’Neil and Adams begins — as does the Bronze Age.

Conan the Barbarian #1 (Oct.): Marvel lands license to Robert E. Howard’s most popular creation.

Fantastic Four #103 (Oct.): First non-Jack-Kirby FF.

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (Oct.): Kirby moves to DC; “Fourth World” begins.

 

1971

The Amazing Spider-Man #96 (May): First of three drug-themed issues released without the CCA seal; leads to revision of CCA.

House of Secrets #92 (Jul.): First appearance of Swamp Thing.

The Avengers #93 (Nov.): Adams joins the “Kree-Skrull War.”

Marvel Feature #1 (Dec.): First appearance of the Defenders.

Superman 233 - beginning of the “Kryptonite Nevermore!” story) with the iconic Neal Adams cover

 

1972

Amazing Adventures #11 (Mar.): First appearance of mutated, furry Beast.

Marvel Team-Up #1 (Mar.): Spider-Man gets second monthly series.

The Defenders #1 (Aug.): Defenders graduate to own series.

Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth #1 (Nov.): First issue of Kirby’s longest-running Bronze Age title.

 

1973

Captain Marvel #25 (Mar.): Jim Starlin art begins.

The Amazing Spider-Men #121 (Jun.): Death of Gwen Stacy.

Superboy #197 (Sep.): Legion of Super-Heroes becomes title feature.

Detective Comics #437 (Nov.): “Manhunter” by Archie Goodwin and Walter Simonson begins.

 

1974

Marvel Two-in-One #1 (Jan.): The Thing gets his own title.

The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (Feb.): First appearance of the Punisher.

Marvel Premiere #15 (May): First appearance of Iron Fist.

Astonishing Tales #25 (Aug.): First appearance of Deathlok; first George Pérez professional work.

The Incredible Hulk #181 (Nov.): First full appearance of Wolverine.

 

1975

Strange Tales #178 (Feb.): First Starlin Warlock.

Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May): First appearance of the “all-new, all-different” X-Men.

The X-Men #94 (Aug.): New stories starring the new X-Men begin; Marvel’s premier Bronze Age title.

First Issue Special #8 (Nov.): First appearance of Warlord.

 

1976

Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man (???): First crossover book from Marvel and DC.

All Star Comics #58 (Feb.): Justice Society returns as title feature; first appearance of Power Girl.

The X-Men #101 (Oct.): First appearance of Phoenix.

Detective Comics #466 (Dec.): Marshall Rogers art begins.

Spectacular Spider-Man #1 (Dec.): Spider-Man gets third monthly series (not including the out-of-continuity Spidey Super Stories).

 

1977

Marvel Spotlight #32 (Feb.): First appearance of Spider-Woman.

Star Wars #1 (Jul.): The first of six issues adapting the smash movie and pop-culture phenomenon; 35¢-cover-price variant is one of the era’s most valuable issues.

Iron Fist #14 (Aug.): First appearance of Sabertooth; 35¢-cover-price variant is one of the era’s most valuable issues.

Cerebus the Aardvark #1 (Dec.): Dave Sim launches his self-published opus.

The X-Men #108 (Dec.): John Byrne art begins.

 

1978

All-New Collector’s Edition #C-56 (???): Neal Adams draws Superman vs. Muhammad Ali.

Fantasy Quarterly #1 (Spring): First appearance of Elfquest.

Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #1 (Summer): First of two rare, in-house editions collecting material orphaned by the DC Implosion.

 

1979

Daredevil #158 (May): Frank Miller art begins.

 

 

1980

The X-Men #129 (Jan.): “Dark Phoenix Saga” begins; first appearance of Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost.

The X-Men #137 (Sep.): Death of Phoenix.

DC Comics Presents #26 (Oct.) First appearance of the New Teen Titans.

The New Teen Titans #1 (Nov.): Debut of DC’s premier Bronze Age title.

 

1981

Daredevil #168 (Jan.): Miller takes over as writer; first appearance of Elektra.

Fantastic Four #232 (Jul.): Byrne story and art begins.

 

1982

The Legion of Super-Heroes #285 (Mar.): Keith Giffen art begins.

Daredevil #181 (Apr.): Death of Elektra.

Wolverine #1 (Sep.): Wolverine gets own mini-series.

 

 

1983

New Mutants #1 (Mar.): X-franchise gets second monthly series.

Thor #337 (Nov.): Simonson story and art begins.

 

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Flash105

Flash105

Posted
Posted

Here is the list alpha. with a few additions and subtractions. We are only up to 73 and a few of these are still suspect. Post some more.

 

Action Comics 1

Action Comics 252 (first Supergirl)

Action Comics 7 (Second Superman Cover)

Adventure Comics 247 (first Legion of Super-Heroes)

Adventure Comics 40 (first Sandman)

All-American Comics 16 (first GA Green Lantern)

All-Star Comics 3 (First JSA)

All-Star Comics 58 (Feb.): Justice Society returns as title feature; first appearance of Power Girl.

All-Star Comics 8 (first Wonder Woman)

All-Star Western 10 : 1st Jonah Hex

Amazing Fantasy 15

Amazing Spider-man 1 (first book in series)

Amazing Spider-Man 121

Amazing Spider-Man 122

Amazing Spider-Man 129

Amazing Spider-Man 14 (first Green Goblin)

Amazing Spider-Man 300 (first full appearance of Venom)

Avengers 1 (first Avengers)

Avengers 4 (First SA Captain America)

Batman 1 1940 (first Joker, first Catwoman)

Brave & the Bold 28 (first Justice League of America)

Captain America 1

Cerebus the Aardvark 1

Conan the Barbarian 1

Conan the Barbarian 23 :1st Red Sonja

Daredevil 1 (first DD)

Daredevil 158 : Frank Miller on Daredevil

Daredevil 168 : 1st Elektra

Daredevil 7 (First red costume)

DC Comics Presents 26 : 1st New Teen Titans

Detective Comics 27

Fantastic Four 1

Fantastic Four 12

Fantastic Four 48 (first Silver Surfer, Watcher & Galactus)

Fantastic Four 5

Flash 105

Flash 110 (First Wally West)

Flash 123 (First Earth-2 and set up for the DC Crisis)

Flash Comics 1 (first Flash)

Four Color 178 - first Uncle Scrooge

Four Color 386 (first Uncle Scrooge story)

Four Color 9 (first Barks Donald Duck)

GI Combat 87 - first Haunted Tank

Giant-Sized Uncanny X-men 1 : 1st “all-new, all-different” X-Men.

Green Lantern 1

Green Lantern 76 : Denny O’Neil - Neil Adams start acclaimed run

Incredible Hulk 1 (First Hulk)

Incredible Hulk 181 (First Wolverine)

Iron Fist 14 (Aug.): First appearance of Sabertooth; 

Iron Man 1

Journey Into Mystery 83

Little Dot 1 - first Richie Rich

Mad 1 (first Mad)

Marvel Feature 1 (Dec.): First appearance of the Defenders.

Marvel Premiere 15 : 1st Iron Fist

Our Army At War 83 - first Sgt Rock

Pep Comics 22 (first Archie, Betty and Jughead)

Showcase 22 (first SA Green Lantern)

Showcase 34 (first Atom)

Showcase 4 (first SA Flash)

Star Wars 1 (Jul.): The first of six issues adapting the smash movie and pop-culture phenomenon

Strange Tales 110 (First Dr Strange)

Superman 1 1939 (first comic devoted to one super-hero character) 

Tales of Suspense 39 (first Iron Man)

Tales of Suspense 48 (first Red Armor)

Tales to Astonish 27

Tales to Astonish 35 (First Ant-man)

TMNT 1 (first TMNT)

Walking Dead 1

Whiz Comics 2 (first Captain Marvel)

X-men 1 (First X-men)

X-Men 101 (Oct.): First appearance of Phoenix.

X-men 94 : 1st issue with the "new Xmen" in series.

 

 

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DawgPhan

DawgPhan

Posted
Posted
ADDED

 

thx alot :)

1. Action Comics 1

2. All-Star Western #10

3. Amazing Fantasy 15

4. Amazing Spider-Man #1

5. Amazing Spider-man #14

6. Avengers #1

7. Avengers #4

8. Captain America 1

9. Cerebus the Aardvark #1

10. Conan #23

11. Conan the Barbarian #1

12. Daredevil #1

13. Daredevil #158

14. Daredevil #168

15. DC Comics Presents #26

16. Detective Comics 27

17. Fantastic Four #48

18. Fantastic Four 1

19. Fantastic Four 5

20. Giant-Sized Uncanny X-men #1

21. Green Lantern #76

22. Incredible Hulk #1

23. Iron Fist #14

24. Journey into Mystery 83

25. Marvel Feature #1

26. Marvel Premiere #15

27. Marvel Spotlight #32

28. Marvel Team-Up #1

29. New Mutants 98

30. Special Marvel Edition #15

31. Strange Tales #110

32. Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man

33. Tales of Suspense 39

34. Tales to Astonish #35

35. Tales to Astonish 27

36. The Amazing Spider-Man #121/122

37. The Amazing Spider-Man #129

38. The Amazing Spider-Man #96/97/98

39. The Incredible Hulk #181

40. The Last Man #1

41. Ultimate Spider-man #1 White Cover 

42. Uncanny X-Men #101

43. Uncanny X-Men #137

44. Uncanny X-men #94

45. Walking Dead 1

46. Walking Dead 19

47. X-men #1

 

worst list of keys ever.

 

this thread is full of fail..thanks for the lulz on a rainy monday.

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

Posted
Posted

If you are going to add Daredevil 158 to the list for being the first Miller issue....

 

I would add:

Amazing Spiderman 39 -1st Romita

 

Also:

Fantastic Four 3 - 1st FF in Costume

Fantastic Four 4 - Reintroduction of Namor from the Golden Age of Comics

Batman 232 - 1st Ras Al Gul (Probably IMHO the most important Bat villain after the Joker)

 

 

 

Amazing Spider-man villain issues? I mostly collect Spidey but if I had to pick one I would say just the GG.

 

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