Marvel Comics has a history going back to the Golden Age, yet the publisher that fans recognize today gelled in 1961 with the release of Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Marvel's stories evolved and became instant classics. Most of the best-selling comic issues of all time came from the house that Stan and Jack built.
Fans debate which Marvel stories are the best. Goodreads is a website that creates lists based on reviews and rankings from fans. With millions of users, the numbers make for measured rankings based on mass appeal. Classics like Daredevil: Born Again made the list, while newer titles like Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel became instant hits. Fans can use Goodreads to settle arguments about what the best Marvel storyline truly is.
10 Daredevil: Born Again Saw The Hero Destroyed (4.34)
With "Born Again," Frank Miller returned to Daredevil to tear the character down. Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli rebuilt the hero from the ground up. At the same time, they elevated the Kingpin to a truly powerful and dangerous villain.
The Kingpin destroyed Matt Murdock's life when he learned Daredevil's secret identity. He beat him and left him for dead. Miller was a superstar comic book creator in the 80s. He crafted some of the best Batman stories of all time and accomplished the same with Daredevil. "Born Again" pushed Daredevil down to his lowest, making his heroic climb all the more triumphant.
9 Ms. Marvel: No Normal Debuted A New Type Of Hero (4.12)
Kamala Khan became a new type of hero for Marvel. As a teenage Muslim girl in New Jersey, she provided a new face for a more diverse readership. Despite becoming a superhero herself, Kamala was first and foremost a fan of superheroes and kept that joy even after joining teams like the Avengers and Champions.
G. Willow Wilson wrote convincing Muslim characters around Kamala. Adrian Alphona provided art that surpassed his work on Runaways. Together, the two brought Kamala Khan to life. Kamala proved to be the most grounded, relatable character in Marvel's pantheon since Spider-Man.
8 Kraven's Last Hunt Had The Villain Triumph (4.30)
Kraven was one of Spider-Man's first villains. As the greatest hunter of all time, Kraven was also one of his deadliest foes. He had a fearsome reputation, yet he'd never prevailed over Spider-Man. "Kraven's Last Hunt," created by J.M. DeMatties and Mike Zeck, portrayed the classic villain like never before.
Kraven proved his superiority by finally defeating Spider-Man and burying him alive. Kraven donned a black Spider-Man costume and proved he was a better man for the job. "Kraven's Last Hunt" is an incredibly intense book not suitable for all readers. It elevated Kraven to new heights while providing one of the darkest comic book endings of all time.
7 Civil War Changed The Marvel Universe (4.10)
After a tragedy involving young heroes, the U.S. government reigned in superheroes. Iron Man and Captain America found themselves standing on opposite sides of the new law. Tony supported the registration act while Steve rejected it.
"Choose a Side" were the words displayed on just about every Marvel Comics title for months. Civil War took over Marvel, both in publication and in-universe. Friends and family became enemies and the superhero civil war resulted in more than one death, most notably Captain America's. Heroes crossed many lines. Reed Richards created a mad clone of Thor, and Iron Man even recruited villains like Venom.
6 Hawkeye: My Life As A Weapon Showed The Appeal Of Clint Barton (4.15)
Hawkeye has a complex reputation. As a long-time Avenger, he should have respect within the Marvel universe and with readers. He's also one of the few Avengers without powers at all. This has often made him the butt of jokes.
In Matt Fraction and David Aja's "My Life As A Weapon" storyline, the archer showcased how formidable he really was. Fraction and Aja developed Clint Barton in a way that added new, humorous qualities while staying true to past characterization. Hawkeye also took on the role of mentor, training Kate Bishop in archery. Much of what Fraction and Aja created would be adapted in the new Disney+ Hawkeye series.
5 Days of Future Past Showed A Dark Future For Mutants (4.14)
In 1981, Chris Claremont and John Byrne produced Days of Future Past. The storyline accurately presented the freedom the mutants fought for. An adult Kitty Pryde went back in time to stop the assassination of a politician. That event would lead to a nationwide culling of mutants. Past issues had shown the tensions between mutants and humans, but Days of Future Past took their feud to a whole new level.
Mystique cemented herself as a major villain, leading a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Days of Future Past was dark, mature, and thought-provoking, paving the way for even more legendary X-Men stories of the same nature.
4 Infinity Gauntlet Is One Of Marvel's Best Crossover Events (4.11)
Modern comics feature giant crossovers every other month, but few live up to the hype. Jim Starlin, George Pérez, and Ron Lim exceeded expectations in Infinity Gauntlet. They created a cosmic story that had ramifications for the entire Marvel Universe.
Thanos, possessing all six Infinity Gems, sought the affection of Death. He eliminated half of all life in the universe. Adam Warlock led the remaining heroes of Earth in an attempt to stop the Mad Titan before he destroyed the entire universe. Marvel had published epic crossovers before, but Infinity Gauntlet surpassed any of its predecessors.
3 Astonishing X-Men: Gifted Brought In Joss Whedon To Update The Mutants (4.19)
Joss Whedon and John Cassady relaunched the X-Men with a new school and a new mission as public superheroes. Dr. Kavita Rao announced a cure for mutants. The X-Men dealt with the cure, an alien threat, and a resurrected teammate they thought was long dead.
Despite modern issues surrounding Joss Whedon and his work, Astonishing X-Men remains very poignant and relatable. John Cassady added to the fantastic storytelling, using quiet moments and pitched battles. The creators spotlighted characters like Kitty Pryde and Colossus while also shining light on lesser-known mutant students.
2 The Dark Phoenix Saga Is The Best X-Men Story Ever (4.24)
The Dark Phoenix Saga is unlike any other X-Men story. Chris Claremont spent years laying the foundations of the Phoenix Saga. Several artists illustrated Uncanny X-Men, but John Byrne helped craft the climax. Jean Grey, fearing that she was too much of a threat as the Phoenix, sacrificed herself to save her teammates.
The Dark Phoenix Saga has been adapted by just about every X-Men TV and film series. Jean's death was shocking and left many fans in tears. Thankfully, Marvel would resurrect Jean less than a decade later. The Dark Phoenix Saga was the pinnacle of storytelling, and Claremont set the bar for all X-writers who followed.
1 Marvels Presented The History Of The Marvel Universe From A Different Point Of View (4.27)
Marvels was a turning point in the history of Marvel, which was fitting given that the story was about the history of the Marvel Universe itself. Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross presented the story of a photographer documenting superheroes. Readers were along for the wild ride as more superheroes emerged.
The series showcased Alex Ross's amazing talent. His style amazed readers, showing a real world populated by superheroes. The creators put so many cameos and Easter eggs in Marvels. Readers could spend hours pouring over every page and panel, searching for callbacks to Marvel's world and characters.