Post by dbutler69 on Dec 21, 2021 10:23:31 GMT -5
No strict rules here. Just name some of your favorite runs or series by decade.
60s
1. Fantastic Four (Lee-Kirby, and really, I’m mostly talking about #44-67 here)
2.Legion of Super-Heroes (Jim Shooter, in Adventure)
3.Thor (Lee-Kirby)
4. Romita/Lee Amazing Spider-Man
5. Ditko/Lee Amazing Spider-Man (sorry Ditko fans, but while he’s a great storyteller, I just don’t like Ditko’s art, so this gets ranked behind the Romita version)
6. Roy Thomas/John Buscema Avengers (in terms of quality, I’d rank it #2, but this run only lasted for 13 issues of the 60’s so gets downgraded for its brevity)
Honorable Mentions
Doom Patrol (I haven’t read enough of this to rank it, but from what I have read, it’s one of the better 60’s titles, especially for DC)
Adam Strange in Strange Adventures (I haven’t read enough of this to rank it, but from what I have read, it’s one of the better 60’s titles, especially for DC)
Silver Surfer
70s
1. Avengers
2. X-Men (Claremont/Byrne) #1 in terms of quality, but I rank the Avengers #1 since it gives us a full decade’s worth of excellent stories, compared to about 35 70’s issues of the X-Men
3. Legion of Super-Heroes I’m a Legion nut, and while I think the second Levitz run (1982-1987) is the Legion’s absolute high point, the 70’s stuff is great too, with tons of nostalgia value to boot.
4. Master of Kung Fu (especially Moench-Gulacy) Pretty close to Legion for the #3 spot.
5. Micronauts There are only 12 70’s Micronauts issues, but they’re the best 12 issues of the entire series, containing the entire Michael Golden run and the entire first Baron Karza arc.
6. Iron Man (Michelinie/Layton/JRJ) Just one solid, compelling story after another. Also proof that John Romita jr used to be able to draw really well – or was it all Layton’s inks?
7. Batman/Detective (O-Neil-Adams) The fact that the Adams issues are scattered an nonconsecutive probably knocks this down a bit, but when I picture Batman in my head, I picture the O’Neil/Adams Batman.
8. Englehart’s Captain America
9. Englhart’s Detective Comics – all too brief
10. Tomb of Dracula
Honorable mentions
Howard the Duck
Invaders (Robbins artwork knocks it down)
Conan the Barbarian
O’Niel/Adams Green Lantern/Green Arrow
Miscellaneous Batman/Detective Comics – I haven’t read enough of these (aside from what I’ve already ranked) to include these in the rankings, but the smattering of Batman and Detective Comics that I have read is all really solid. A shout out to the underrated Irv Norick. And Dick Giordano ain’t too shabby either.
80s
1. Legion of Super-Heroes (Levitz)
2. All-Star Squadron
3. New Teen Titans (Wolfman/Perez)
4. Avengers Michelinie, Shooter, and Stern all had great runs on this series.
5. Justice League (Giffen/DeMatties)
6. Byrne’s Fantastic Four
7. Byrne’s Alpha Flight
8. X-Men (Claremont with Byrne, Cockrum, and Smith)
9. Iron Man (Michelinie/Layton)
10. Micronauts Mostly series 1, with Bill Mantlo writing.
11. Blue Devil – just a fun series.
12. Stern/Byrne Captain America
13. Byrne/Michelinie Indiana Jones
14. Master of Kung Fu
15. Arak, Son of Thunder
Honorable mentions
Englehart Silver Surfer
Batman and the Outsiders
Mark Gruenwald - Captain America
90s (warning: my experience with post-1990 comics is somewhat limited)
1. Legionnaires (Stern-McCraw-Moy; AKA the “Archie Legion”)
2. The Flash (Baron, Messner-Loebs, and Waid runs were all very good, but Messner-Loebs was my favorite)
3. JLA
00’s (warning: my experience with post-2000 comics is extremely limited)
1. Fables
2. The Thing (2006) This series was much, much too brief! Stupid Marvel!
3. X-Men: First Class Fun series.
4. Silver Age (2000) This is basically an event, a series of interconnected one-shots. Most of the issues did an excellent job of capturing a Silver Age feel, while also adding some modern sensibilities. I’d like to see more series like this, but it’s not something younger readers would be interested in.
5. Planetary
6. Justice League of America (2006) The Brad Meltzer and Dwayne McDuffie runs. The series really slips after McDuffie leaves.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy
10’s
1. Scooby Doo Team-Up
2. Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (both series) Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is in continuity as far as I’m concerned!
3. A-Next
4. Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (2019 – miniseries)
5. Teen Titans Go! As with the cartoon, either you love it or you hate it. Personally, I enjoy the cartoon (usually) and this comic does a good job of capturing the cartoon’s feel.
6. Fables Not as good after the first 75 issues or so, but still really solid.
7. Batman ’66 A somewhat uneven series, but there are some good issues in here.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy
60s
1. Fantastic Four (Lee-Kirby, and really, I’m mostly talking about #44-67 here)
2.Legion of Super-Heroes (Jim Shooter, in Adventure)
3.Thor (Lee-Kirby)
4. Romita/Lee Amazing Spider-Man
5. Ditko/Lee Amazing Spider-Man (sorry Ditko fans, but while he’s a great storyteller, I just don’t like Ditko’s art, so this gets ranked behind the Romita version)
6. Roy Thomas/John Buscema Avengers (in terms of quality, I’d rank it #2, but this run only lasted for 13 issues of the 60’s so gets downgraded for its brevity)
Honorable Mentions
Doom Patrol (I haven’t read enough of this to rank it, but from what I have read, it’s one of the better 60’s titles, especially for DC)
Adam Strange in Strange Adventures (I haven’t read enough of this to rank it, but from what I have read, it’s one of the better 60’s titles, especially for DC)
Silver Surfer
70s
1. Avengers
2. X-Men (Claremont/Byrne) #1 in terms of quality, but I rank the Avengers #1 since it gives us a full decade’s worth of excellent stories, compared to about 35 70’s issues of the X-Men
3. Legion of Super-Heroes I’m a Legion nut, and while I think the second Levitz run (1982-1987) is the Legion’s absolute high point, the 70’s stuff is great too, with tons of nostalgia value to boot.
4. Master of Kung Fu (especially Moench-Gulacy) Pretty close to Legion for the #3 spot.
5. Micronauts There are only 12 70’s Micronauts issues, but they’re the best 12 issues of the entire series, containing the entire Michael Golden run and the entire first Baron Karza arc.
6. Iron Man (Michelinie/Layton/JRJ) Just one solid, compelling story after another. Also proof that John Romita jr used to be able to draw really well – or was it all Layton’s inks?
7. Batman/Detective (O-Neil-Adams) The fact that the Adams issues are scattered an nonconsecutive probably knocks this down a bit, but when I picture Batman in my head, I picture the O’Neil/Adams Batman.
8. Englehart’s Captain America
9. Englhart’s Detective Comics – all too brief
10. Tomb of Dracula
Honorable mentions
Howard the Duck
Invaders (Robbins artwork knocks it down)
Conan the Barbarian
O’Niel/Adams Green Lantern/Green Arrow
Miscellaneous Batman/Detective Comics – I haven’t read enough of these (aside from what I’ve already ranked) to include these in the rankings, but the smattering of Batman and Detective Comics that I have read is all really solid. A shout out to the underrated Irv Norick. And Dick Giordano ain’t too shabby either.
80s
1. Legion of Super-Heroes (Levitz)
2. All-Star Squadron
3. New Teen Titans (Wolfman/Perez)
4. Avengers Michelinie, Shooter, and Stern all had great runs on this series.
5. Justice League (Giffen/DeMatties)
6. Byrne’s Fantastic Four
7. Byrne’s Alpha Flight
8. X-Men (Claremont with Byrne, Cockrum, and Smith)
9. Iron Man (Michelinie/Layton)
10. Micronauts Mostly series 1, with Bill Mantlo writing.
11. Blue Devil – just a fun series.
12. Stern/Byrne Captain America
13. Byrne/Michelinie Indiana Jones
14. Master of Kung Fu
15. Arak, Son of Thunder
Honorable mentions
Englehart Silver Surfer
Batman and the Outsiders
Mark Gruenwald - Captain America
90s (warning: my experience with post-1990 comics is somewhat limited)
1. Legionnaires (Stern-McCraw-Moy; AKA the “Archie Legion”)
2. The Flash (Baron, Messner-Loebs, and Waid runs were all very good, but Messner-Loebs was my favorite)
3. JLA
00’s (warning: my experience with post-2000 comics is extremely limited)
1. Fables
2. The Thing (2006) This series was much, much too brief! Stupid Marvel!
3. X-Men: First Class Fun series.
4. Silver Age (2000) This is basically an event, a series of interconnected one-shots. Most of the issues did an excellent job of capturing a Silver Age feel, while also adding some modern sensibilities. I’d like to see more series like this, but it’s not something younger readers would be interested in.
5. Planetary
6. Justice League of America (2006) The Brad Meltzer and Dwayne McDuffie runs. The series really slips after McDuffie leaves.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy
10’s
1. Scooby Doo Team-Up
2. Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (both series) Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is in continuity as far as I’m concerned!
3. A-Next
4. Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (2019 – miniseries)
5. Teen Titans Go! As with the cartoon, either you love it or you hate it. Personally, I enjoy the cartoon (usually) and this comic does a good job of capturing the cartoon’s feel.
6. Fables Not as good after the first 75 issues or so, but still really solid.
7. Batman ’66 A somewhat uneven series, but there are some good issues in here.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy
