Throughout the twelve (!) years I've been blogging here on The Eye-Dancers website, I have not shied away from sharing my enduring love for vintage, collectible comic books. Much like Mitchell Brant in the novel The Eye-Dancers, I find comics to hold a unique, inexplicable magic. Vintage issues from the 1940s, '50s, '60s, '70s, and even '80s are like a pop culture time machine. The characters represent the styles, issues, and zeitgeist of their times, and the ads take you back to decades long gone, but not forgotten.
The stories in the best comic books have always been riveting, enjoyable, and just plain fun. But what defines the medium is its cover art. There is nothing like a beautiful, mesmerizing comic book cover. And so, I have pulled together twelve of my all-time favorite comic covers, ranging from the 1950s through to the 1980s (I have nothing to do with any comic book published after 1994). Some of the issues in this pictorial history I own in my collection; others I do not. Either way, they are all magnificent.
I hope you enjoy the show!
I will number each of the comic books below (one through twelve)--but the numbers do not represent a ranking. They are just present to create a semblance of order to the proceedings. It's hard to rank these, anyway--they are all unique and beautiful in their own way.
1. The Uncanny X-Men #130 (February 1980).
This issue was published at the tail end of the disco era, and it shows. This is the first appearance of The Dazzler--who is a super-powered being but also a singer! You can easily see the disco theme on this cover.
2. Showcase #79 (December 1968).
Showcase was an anthology title back in the day--it often introduced new characters, some of whom went on to became household names. The character introduced in this issue--the Dolphin--is more obscure, but this is a cover that takes your breath away.
3. Strange Adventures # 95 (August 1958).
There were an abundance of imaginative and creative sci-fi stories in 1950s comic books, and, of course, they often came with sensational covers. Here is one of them.
4. Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #101 (April 1985)
Our most recent entry on this list (and still nearly forty years old!) is this sleek black-and-white beauty that truly captures the eye.
5. Moon Knight # 29 (March 1983)
The cover here is like a living thing, ready to devour the viewer. One of my favorites!
6. House of Secrets #92 (July 1971)
Personally, this is my favorite comic book cover of all time. Moody, atmospheric, perfect! Also, a major key issue--the first comic book appearance of the original Swamp Thing.
7. Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love # 4 (April 1972)
There was a revival of sorts in comic books in the late 1960s and early 1970s of Gothic horror themes, spooky, moody tales and covers that originally had taken over the industry in the early 1950s. Back in the early '50s, though, the comics went overboard and created R-rated gruesome fare that far surpassed anything in the movies at that time. This led to the Comics Code in 1955, which censored the material and removed the gore. By the early '70s, the Code was weakening. The stories in these early '70s comics were not as graphic as those of the early 1950s, but they were brooding and gripping. Such as this gem . . .
8. Fantastic Four # 49 (April 1966)
Like Mitchell Brant in The Eye-Dancers, my all-time favorite comic book title is The Fantastic Four, and this beauty right here is one of the best.
9. Chamber of Chills # 19 (September 1953)
Remember that early-1950s, "pre-Code" horror we talked about earlier? Well, here is a classic cover from that era.
10. Batman # 227 (December 1970)
Batman, too, rode the wave of the Gothic, eerie revival in comics during the early 1970s, and no Batman cover illustrates that more than this exquisite masterpiece--one of the most sought-after issues for vintage collectors.
11. Amazing Spider-Man # 28 (September 1965)
This cover is the very definition of "mood" and "impact." A true classic.
12. Amazing Spider-Man # 67 (December 1968)
Two Spider-Mans to close out the list! Spider-Man consistently had top-notch covers. This is just one of many.
Well, there it is. A small pictorial essay of a hobby I love and some of the covers I consider to be the best of the best. I hope you enjoyed this little walk down pop-culture memory lane.
Thanks so much for reading!
--Mike
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