What “best of all time” means for comics
Comics have been published in the United States for close to a century, across newspaper strips, superhero issues, underground comix and modern graphic novels. A single ranking cannot compare all of them fairly, so this list picks ten comics that shaped the medium and still sell, and says why each one matters.
The order is our editors’ judgment of how well each one works as a first book, not a sales chart. Each card links to Amazon, and we show no prices or ratings.
Watchmen
Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
A twelve-part story that remains a go-to starting point for non-superhero fans.
Maus: A Survivor's Tale
Art Spiegelman
A graphic memoir about the Holocaust, told with animal characters.
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth
The first collected volume of the dark-fantasy series about Morpheus, Lord of Dreams.
Batman: Year One
Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli
A grounded origin of Batman and Jim Gordon in a noir Gotham.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller
An older Bruce Wayne returns in a hard-edged, influential story.
1 to 5: the books that changed superhero and literary comics
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986 and 1987) is the book most often cited as proof that superhero comics could carry adult, structured fiction. Maus by Art Spiegelman tells the story of his father’s survival of the Holocaust with animals standing in for people, and won a special Pulitzer Prize award in 1992.
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman mixes myth, horror and fantasy, and its first collection is Preludes & Nocturnes. Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli is a grounded noir origin story. Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, from 1986, shows an older Batman in a possible future, and it helped define a darker superhero style.
6 to 10: modern and personal classics
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a memoir of growing up in Iran during and after the revolution. Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples is a space-opera family drama, published by Image, and has won Eisner and Hugo awards. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud is a comic about how comics work, and is the book to read if you want to understand the medium itself.
The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, with artists including Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard, showed that a black-and-white, creator-owned horror comic could sustain a long run. Bone by Jeff Smith is a funny, long fantasy that works for children and adults, and is a good first book for a family.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Marjane Satrapi
A memoir of growing up in Iran during and after the revolution.
Saga, Vol. 1
Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples
A space-opera family story with adult content.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Scott McCloud
An explanation of how comics work, told as a comic.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore
The comic that started the long-running zombie story.
Bone: Out from Boneville
Jeff Smith
Three cousins get lost in a valley with a dragon, a Rat Creature and a farm girl.
Why some acclaimed comics are not here
Plenty of excellent comics are missing on purpose. Long-running superhero series such as Batman, Superman or X-Men have had many writers over decades, so they are hard to name as one “comic” the way Watchmen or Maus can be. Single issues that matter mainly for a plot event are left out too, because they rarely work as a first read.
If you want those, our guides to Batman, Superman and Marvel list the best places to begin with each.
Other classics worth a look
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel and Blankets by Craig Thompson are two much-loved memoirs. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes and Black Hole by Charles Burns are classics of independent comics. Hellboy and Sin City are long-running creator-owned series that built large followings.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
Alison Bechdel
A memoir about the author, her father and their house.
Blankets
Craig Thompson
A memoir about a teen's first love and growing up in a strict religious family.
Ghost World
Daniel Clowes
Two friends drift apart after high school.
Black Hole
Charles Burns
A teen-horror story about a disease that causes mutations.
Hellboy: Seed of Destruction
Mike Mignola, John Byrne
The first Hellboy collection.
Sin City: The Hard Goodbye
Frank Miller
A black-and-white crime story set in Basin City.
How to use this list
If you are new to comics, start with a complete story, not an ongoing series: Watchmen, Maus, Batman: Year One and Bone all work on their own. If you want a long series, The Sandman and Saga reward patience between volumes. If you want to build a small shelf, pick one book from each group above and see what you like.
Use the Comic Finder to search a title you loved and see similar books by age, style and genre.
A suggested reading path
If you want a plan, try this order. Begin with Batman: Year One or Bone, because both are short and finish cleanly. Next read Maus or Persepolis, which show what comics can do with true stories. Then take on Watchmen, which rewards a careful read, and finish with the first volume of The Sandman or Saga to see whether you want a longer series.
You do not have to read every book. Stop when one fails to grab you, and look for another by tone. A comic you finish is worth more than a famous one you abandon, and the Comic Finder can help you search by age, style and genre.
Reading in a library or borrowing from a friend is a cheap and easy way to try the books that do not appeal on the first page. Many public libraries lend comics in print and through apps such as Libby, so check yours before you buy anything.
Content notes
Several of these books deal with violence, war, genocide or adult themes. Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, The Sandman, Maus, Persepolis, Fun Home, Saga and The Walking Dead are for mature or young-adult readers and up. Bone is friendly for all ages. Check the publisher’s age rating on the listing, and look through a copy before buying for a younger reader.
Why these stay in print
Every title here has been in print for years, several for decades, and that is part of the case for them: comics with lasting demand tend to stay available, while books that only had short-term buzz often go out of print. We revisit this list as new comics prove they last.
What to read next
If you finish this list, try our best graphic novels guide for picks by reading experience, or how to start reading comics for formats and where to find them. If a particular creator hooked you, look for their other work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best comic book of all time?
There is no single answer, and we do not rank by sales. Watchmen, Maus, The Sandman, Batman: Year One and Persepolis are among the most often named. We list ten widely read comics that still work as a first book, in an order that suits newcomers, and say why each one matters.
Which comic should a complete beginner read first?
Start with a complete story in one book. Watchmen, Maus, Batman: Year One and Bone are all self-contained. Pick by taste: superhero, history, noir or family fantasy. Avoid beginning with issue #1 of a series that has run for decades. A library copy lets you try a book before buying.
Did a comic book win a Pulitzer Prize?
Yes. Maus by Art Spiegelman received a special Pulitzer Prize award in 1992. It tells the story of the author’s father surviving the Holocaust, using mice, cats and pigs to stand in for different groups of people. It is widely taught in schools and colleges, and is for mature or young-adult readers.
Are superhero comics on this list?
Yes. Watchmen, Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns are on it, and each is a complete story in one book. Long-running superhero series with many writers are left off, because they cannot be named as one comic. Our Batman, Superman and Marvel guides list the best starting points for those.
Are there comics for kids on this list?
Bone is the all-ages pick and is a good first book for a family. Most of the rest are for teens and adults, and several have serious themes. For more picks by age, see our kids hub and Comic Finder, which show age bands, and check the publisher’s rating before buying for a child.