Marvel, DC, Image Comics, and many more have published comic book issues that have sold millions of copies with records that will never possibly be broken. From the turn of the 20th century to the 2010s, comics still find a way to pull in fans with era-defining heroes and storylines.
The rich history of comic books has been defined by their amazing stories and the impact they have had on the economy. These incredible sales records exist thanks to comic book reboots, epic character deaths, and iconic debuts of legendary heroes. These single-issue comics have changed the landscape of pop culture and the best-selling numbers tell the story. Here are the top 10 best-selling comic issues of all time.
10 Batman: The 10 Cent Adventure #1 (2002) – 702,126 Copies Sold
The Perfect Marketing Strategy for a New Batman Comic
As the comic’s title promised, this Batman one-shot cost only 10 cents an issue. This single issue created by Greg Rucka and Rick Burchett features Bruce Wayne on a date with his bodyguard, Sasha Bordeaux, who is trying to help him overcome his breakup with Vesper Fairchild. It all seems quiet and normal for a Batman story until Bruce and Sasha return to Wayne Manor to find Vesper’s dead body and the GCPD immediately arrest them both. This shocking one-shot was a prequel to the Bruce Wayne – Murderer storyline where the Bat Family helps solve this murder mystery and find the real killer.
9 Fantastic Four #60 (2002) – 752,699 Copies Sold
Marvel’s First Family Gets a Fresh Start for the 2000s
Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo reintroduce Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four, through the POV of their new PR manager. The manager, Mr. Shertzer, is tasked by the Fantastic Four’s advertising department to help boost the superhero team’s failing public image. Mr. Shertzer spends an entire week with the Four as they go through life, fight crime, and struggle with their personal problems. This issue is seen as a return to form for the Fantastic Four as they are presented less as superheroes and more like a group of friends who became family after a series of unfortunate cosmic events. Selling more than 700,000 copies means that there is still a demand to see the Fantastic Four presented as relatable humans first and gaudy, super celebrities second.
8 Marvel Comics #1 (1939) – 880,000 Copies Sold
The One That Started It All
The first issue of Marvel Comics was published by Timely Comics, later known as the “Marvel Entertainment” company fans know today. This comic written and drawn by Carl Burgos introduces the world to Marvel’s first superpowered beings including the Human Torch. However, this isn’t the Johnny Storm Fantastic Four version fans know and love, but rather an android with free will created by Dr. Phineas Horton during World War II. This comic also introduces fans to characters such as Ka-Zar the Great and the “Sub-Mariner” Namor. A great first start for Marvel Comics.
7 Star Wars #1 (2015) – 1,073,000 Copies Sold
The Epic Original Saga Continues
Jason Aaron and John Cassaday worked together with Marvel Comics to create this continuation of the original 1977 Star Wars. This best-selling first issue takes fans through the events after Luke Skywalker destroys the Death Star and the Empire is after him and his allies. The story features Luke, Leia, Han Solo, Chewie, C-3PO, and R2-D2 working to free innocents from the Empire until they are intercepted by Darth Vader. This comic was released in January 2015, the same year Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrived in December and Star Wars fans were ready to celebrate. This new wave of Star Wars comics meant to flesh out the original trilogy characters worked wonders for comic sales.
6 Spawn #1 (1992) 1,700,000 Copies Sold
A New Hellish Hero Debuts for the 1990s
Todd McFarlane makes his childhood dream anti-hero a reality in one of the biggest comic book debuts ever. Spawn #1, published by Image Comics, instantly sold more than a million copies at launch. The story begins with Spawn struggling to remember his past life as Al Simmons while killing criminals with his demonic abilities given to him by the King of Hell, Malebolgia. Spawn’s debut did big business for Hollywood with the release of a 1997 Spawn HBO series and a live-action film, with a Spawn reboot movie in production. This necro demon proves that fans are always ready to support a new and edgy superhero.
5 Spider-Man #1 (1990) – 2,500,000 Copies Sold
Todd McFarlane Has the Honor of Relaunching Spider-Man
Todd McFarlane is best known for being the official artist behind the symbiote villain/anti-hero Venom and he had been working for Marvel on Spider-Man comics since the late 1980s. The variant cover of 1990’s Spider-Man #1, showing Spider-Man tangled in a giant web of spiders, has become an iconic piece of Marvel artwork. The comic story features Peter Parker enjoying his marriage with MJ and life as Spider-Man while about to do battle with his old foe, the Lizard. This comic was McFarlane’s opportunity to give Spider-Man fans a darker storyline involving a returning villainess, Calypso, controlling the Lizard to commit murder.
4 Superman #75 (1993) – 3,000,000 Copies Sold
The Death of Superman Changes the Comics Industry Forever
In this heartbreaking issue, DC’s newest supervillain, Doomsday does the impossible and kills the Man of Steel. 1993’s Superman #75 by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding features the climactic battle between the Justice League and the indestructible Doomsday. The entire world, including The Daily Planet’s Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, watches as the last line of defense, Superman, fights Doomsday with their battle shaking the Earth itself. However, the monster proves too much for the Man of Steel and one final dual punch takes out both Doomsday and Superman. The splash page of Lois cradling Superman’s dead body, the tattered red cape, and the bloody “S” variant cover live forever in comic book history as the day when the greatest superhero in fiction was actually killed. Or was he?
3 Adventures of Superman #500 (1993) – 4,200,000 Copies Sold
The Reign of Supermen Storyline Begins
Less than a year after the “Death of Superman,” DC Comics set the pieces up for the resurrection of Superman. This milestone 500th issue by Jerry Ordway and Tom Grummett sees Jonathan Kent have a heart attack and, while at the hospital, he sees his son Clark in the afterlife. After having a literal tug of war for Clark’s soul against Jor-El, Jonathan snaps out of his coma and tells Martha Kent that their son is alive. To add to the drama, Superman’s body is missing from his coffin, leading to four different Supermen claiming to be the real Man of Steel. The Metropolis Kid, John Henry Irons/Steel, The Last Son of Krypton, and Hank Henshaw/Cyborg Superman debut in this issue, launching the infamous “Reign of the Supermen” storyline.
2 X-Force #1 (1991) – 5,000,000 Copies Sold
Rebranding the Next Generation of Mutant Anti-Heroes
The second best-selling comic of all time rebooted the New Mutants into X-Force with their own solo series. X-Force #1 by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld features the mutants Cable, Domino, Shatterstar, Feral, Boom-Boom, Cannonball, and Warpath battling the dangerous Mutant Liberation Front. Cable formed X-Force to keep the New Mutants united as a ruthless task force that had no rules or regulations like the X-Men. The team would eventually cross paths with the Externals, the Brotherhood of Mutants, and have an eternal love-hate relationship with Deadpool. Selling more than 5 million copies, X-Force #1 was one of the first big changes to the X-Men 1990s lineup. However, the biggest change to the X-Men would come just a few months later.
1 X-Men #1 (1991) – 8,186,500 Copies Sold
Chris Claremont’s Swan Song for the X-Men
The highest-selling comic book issue of all time is 1991’s X-Men #1 by the legendary Chris Claremont and Jim Lee. Released two months after the X-Force rebranding, X-Men #1 establishes two new rosters for the Xavier Institute team: a Blue Team consisting of Cyclops, Wolverine, Beast, Rogue, Psylocke, and Gambit and a Gold Team with Storm, Jean Grey, Archangel, Colossus, and Iceman. This new-era comic also features Magneto recruiting mutants to his Asteroid M project and introducing fans to the Acolytes, Magneto’s rabid supporters. However, this issue would remain a timeless classic as the beginning of the end for Chris Claremont’s 16-year career on the X-Men series. Selling more than 8 million copies, the two X-Men teams battling Magneto and the Acolytes is a huge “Thank you” for X-Men fans after a wonderful ride with Chris Claremont. With 3 million more copies sold than the second highest-selling comic book, this issue set a high bar that publishers like DC, Marvel or Image Comics will have a tough time surpassing.
