15 Best Comic Books in the World | Best List

Everyone knows that nerdy kid in the neighbourhood who stay up past their bedtimes, hiding under their comforter with a flashlight, devouring their guilty pleasure – comic books. Not only are kids subjected to this plight, but many adults find themselves in this exact situation.

Comic books have that effect, especially the outstanding ones. There are millions and gazillions of comic books, with even more being published on the daily.

Japan alone is the top market for their “Manga” comics. Comics have been around for centuries, and they keep getting popular by the day. Kids love comics; adults love comics too.

They are thousand of shops all over the world dedicated to marketing these precious comics. They are thousands of avid readers scattered across the globe.

They are communities on the Internet like Reddit that bring many comic lovers together; they are even comic interactive apps in the apple and google app stores.

What are the Best Comics Books to Read?

In the sea of comic books, how do you get the good stuff? The best. There are many comics out there, the good, the bad, the ugly; the question now boils down to the best comics books. Suppose you are tired of reading mediocre and repetitive comic books and want the absolute best comics. Worry no more, my friend. In no particular other, below are the best graphic novels they are:

• Sin City
• Swamp Thing
• V for Vendetta
• Spectrum
• Preacher
• Watchmen
• The Dark Knight Returns
• Hellblazer
• Alice in the Sunderland
• Marvels
• Magneto
• Transmetropolitan
• The Wicked + the Divine
• American Splendor
• Ghost World
• Sandman
• I Killed Adolf Hitler
• The Killing Joke
• Batman
• All-Star Superman
• X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills

Don’t throw tomatoes at me if your best comic book is not on the list. I’m not saying that your best comic is crap or your best comic writer is garbage. Shout out to the beautiful comic writers out there.

The list above doesn’t do justice to the millions of comics out there; it’s merely an attempt to narrow it down to the all-time best comics. Because let’s be honest – comics are salt in the sea. This list reflects on personal preference plus the general ratings on these comics.

What is the Best Comic Book of All Time?

Don’t bring out your crawls yet, buddies. It’s happening.

For comic lovers like myself, this question is like asking: who’s the most important human in the world? Let’s not forget the world population as of today stands at over 2 billion. And as expected… the answers are limitless. One person might opine that Margareth Atwood is the boom. While another person might argue, “shut it, silly. It’s me, myself and I.” Personal opinion down here, my mum is the most important human in the world. The catch is no view is incorrect. They all have their value.

So, back to the point, what people consider the best comic of all time differ. So the fact is that the decision is tough. But where people spend their money, most don’t lie. So the rating doesn’t lie. And most people will agree with these comics.

Ding, ding, ding

The Sandman.

Published by DC comics in 1989 and written by Neil Gaiman, Sandman is the most popular comic book and the best written graphic novel of all time. Thirty years into its existence, The Sandman is still the best comic. To add to the juiciness, The Sandman is coming to Netflix in 2021. How cool is that? Neil Gaiman outdid himself with this one. The Sandman tells a story of an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life but traps Death’s younger brother, Dream, instead. After his 70 years imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, quests for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey, Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman. The story spreads to over fourteen volumes.

In as much as The Sandman is the best comic book, some honourable mentions are: All-Star Superman, the Golden Age, Saga of the Swamp Thing, Infinite Crisis, Infinite Earths, The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, John Constantine, V for Vendetta.

What are the Top Most Valuable Comic Books?

While holding the first edition of a comic book, it might never cross your mind that you own a goldmine. Can you believe that a copy of the first edition of the best-selling comic book by  Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, “The Incredible Hulk”, sold for about $320,000 at an auction?

Mind-numbing, right? Right??

Below is a list of the top most valuable comic books that are worth a fortune.

• Action Comics No. 1 ($3.2 million)
• Amazing Fantasy No. 15 ($1.1 million)
• Detective Comics No. 27 ($1.1 million)
• All-Star Comics No. 8 ($936,223)
• X-Men No. 1 ($492,937)
• Tales of Suspense No. 39 ($375,000)
• Marvel Comics No. 1 (350,000)
• The Incredible Hulk No. 1 ($320,000)
• All American Comics No. 16 ($200,000)
• Suspense Comic No. 3 ($173,275)

What is the most successful graphic novel?

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

15 Best Comic Books In the World | 2022

This list compiles the best comic with the most incredible character arcs and plotlines in the world; the storytelling is impeccable, and the themes and illustrations are also on track. Diehard comic fans worldwide vouch that these comics are the absolute best and their go-to reads; these are comics you should read at least once in your lifetime.

• V for Vendetta
• Hell boy
• The Sandman
• The saga of the Swamp Thing
• Spider-Man
• All-Star Superman
• The Walking Dead
• Alice in Sunderland
• The Invisibles
• From Hell
• Watchmen
• The Dark Knight Returns
• The Killing Jokes
• Ghost World
• Bones

V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta was published in 1982. The British graphic novel was written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. The story’s setting is in an imaginative future England where the city has given itself to fascism, resulting in the loss of freedom. It is an account of rebellion, oppression and resistance. Suppose you’re itching to get your hand on this one. In that case, it’s sold basically in every comic bookstore and online vendors like Barnes & Nobles, Comixology, Things From Another World, etc.

Hellboy:

Hellboy is an American Strip superhero published in 1993 and created by writer and artist Mike Mignola. The plotline talks about Grigori Rasputin, a sorcerer, who decided to summon a creature that would trigger the apocalypse. So, with the help of his Nazi investors, he summoned a demonic presence.

Unfortunately, Allied forces chose to appear at that moment and captured the creature for themselves… and then elected to bring the beast back to the United States and turn him into an operative. Well, the beast is Hellboy; the devil, the king, the legend.

The Sandman:

As I have mentioned above, the Sandman was published in 1989 by Neil Gaiman. And it tells the story of Morpheus, Death’s younger brother and his quest for his lost objects of power.

Saga of the Swamp Thing:

The comic was first published in 1971. It was created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson. Swamp Thing tells the story of Abby Arcane who returns home to Marals, Louisiana, to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus, where she develops a bond with disgraced scientist Alec Holland.

After Holland tragically dies, Abby discovers the mysteries of the swamp and that Holland may not be dead after all when a mysterious creature claims to be him.

Spider-Man:

Spiderman is a superhero created by writer-editor Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962. Spider-man tells a story of a student Peter Parker who gains superhuman strength and the spider-like ability to cling to the surface after being bitten by a genetically altered spider.

He vows to use his abilities to fight crime, coming to understand the words of his beloved Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

All-Star Superman:

Written by Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely in November 2005. In this story, Superman comes upon some fateful news involving a situation orchestrated by his arch-nemesis.

He proceeds to reflect on his life, his choices, and the people close to him. As he does this, the event unfolds beyond his control which leads to increasingly exciting adventures.

The Walking Dead:

The Walking Dead follows a gang of zombie apocalypse survivors as they travel across the United States. Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore published it in October 2003. The Walking Dead has been turned into an 11-part television series. The walking dead can be found in any bookstore that sells books.

Alice in Sunderland:

This is based on Alice from the original Alice in Wonderland, but the character is given a new twist. The protagonist Alice and Lewis Caroll explore the city of Sutherland, which is based on several of Lewis’s works. Bryan Talbot’s comic novel Alice in the Sunderland was published in April 2007.

The Invisibles:

Grant Morrison’s novel The Invisibles was published in 1994. The series recounts the exploits of a single cell of The Invisible College. This hidden organization uses time travel, magic, meditation, and physical violence to fight physical and psychic oppression.

From Hell:

Another of Alan Moore’s biggest hits, one after the other, was one of Moore’s most successful works. The plot centres around Jack Ripper, a well-known serial killer of the time.

It is one of the most horrific and twisted works of crime fiction ever written. As a result, if you enjoy mysteries with elements of comics and graphic novels, this book is a fantastic fit for you.

Watchmen:

The novel takes place in the 1980s and depicts the US at war with the Soviet Union. It’s up to this group of superheroes to stop the world from ending. With their amazing clothes and brilliant colours, the story presents excellent characters.

In addition, the artwork is perfectly constructed for the reader to be unable to pull their gaze away from the page. Alan Moore, in cooperation with Dave Gibbons, was the comic artist who inspired this graphic book.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

This comic was written by Frank Miller, a legend in the graphic novel genre, in 1997, and it became an instant hit, which it remains. This book is about the world’s most famous superhero, Batman, who serves as a vigilante and quiet guardian of Gotham City. After a ten-year hiatus, the Dark Knight returns to fight his two deadliest foes, the Joker and Two-Face.

The Killing Joke:

Moore explores the connection between Batman and his most famous opponent, The Joker, in The Killing Joke in a way that has influenced practically every portrayal of the two since.

The concept is simple: The Joker has escaped Arkham Asylum and kidnapped Commissioner Gordon in order to lure Batman into a trap in an abandoned amusement park.

Ghost World:

The Ghost World is a darkly comic graphic novel about the exploits of two average adolescent girls who aimlessly wander through towns, talking and fantasizing about strange males they encounter in local restaurants.

Bones:

The story begins with the Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, from Bonneville. From there, they become embroiled in events that propel them from their lowly origins into a battle with the Lord of the Locusts, an overwhelming evil akin to Sauron from The Lord of the Rings.

FAQ

References

• answerthepublic.com/reports/c1c11fd1-a9c3-48aa-b12b-75c689b940e1
• npr.org/lets-get-graphic-100-favorite-comics-and-graphic-novels

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