The best Marvel Comics covers of all time may be a matter of personal taste – but there are all-time classic illustrations which are instantly recognizable, and which evoke a specific time and place in the Marvel Universe.
We’ve pored over decades of covers dating back to the ’30s, and while it’s impossible to include every great and memorable cover in Marvel Comics history, these are the 25 that we feel best represent the Marvel Universe.
Our criteria include a cover’s quality, its recognizability, and its influence, including how many other covers and artists have paid homage to it, like with these recent Fantastic Four variant covers that recreate other classic Marvel images.
Still, these are Newsarama’s picks, and there are all time great covers that didn’t quite make our list. So once you take a look at our choices for the 25 best Marvel Comics covers of all time, chime in on social media with your own favorites.
25. Web of Spider-Man #32 – Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod
Mike Zeck’s cover for Web of Spider-Man #32 calls back to the shock value covers of the Golden Age and Silver Age which enticed readers by putting heroes in bizarre and dangerous situations to entice readers to the often much less exciting stories within. But in this case, the interior of the story delivers on the striking cover with one of the most impactful chapters of the iconic Spider-Man story ‘Kraven’s Last Hunt,’ in which Spider-Man must literally dig his way out of his own grave to turn the tables on Kraven.
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24. Uncanny X-Men #251 – Marc Silvestri and Dan Green
Uncanny X-Men #251 is a classic tale of Wolverine as an underdog, fighting Donald Pierce and the Reavers against increasingly dire odds. And the cover is just as classic, bearing an image of Wolverine on an X-shaped cross above an endless field of skulls that could stand alone even without a comic attached, like a heavy metal poster or a badass tattoo. It’s such an iconic image that it formed the basis of a scene in the blockbuster film Deadpool and Wolverine which recreates the cover in specific detail.
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23. Hawkeye #1 – David Aja and Matt Hollingsworth
David Aja and Matt Hollingsworth’s Hawkeye #1 cover is simple and striking, setting the stage for an aesthetic that has followed Clint Barton out of his comic title and into the MCU, forming the basis of the design of the Hawkeye streaming series. With its boldly limited purple and blue color scheme and its sleek sensibilities, the cover and the comic it informs are a huge leap forward for Hawkeye out of the Silver Age to being one of the most influential heroes of the 2010s.
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22. Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1 – Jim Steranko and Marie Severin
Jim Steranko is one of the most influential comic artists of the Silver Age, and his musclebound cover for 1968’s Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1 has become one of the most copied designs of its era, inspiring numerous artists to sub in all kinds of characters for Hulk in the simple composition over the years. And that simplicity is the beauty of the cover – there are few images that truly convey both how strong and how tragic the Hulk truly is as the jade Giant carrying the entire weight of the world on his shoulders.
21. Avengers #223 – Ed Hannigan and Klaus Janson
Ed Hannigan’s kooky, incredibly creative cover for Avengers #223 combines the unsung abilities of two of the team’s seemingly least powerful members into a shot that instantly reminds fans just how formidable Ant-Man and Hawkeye can be – especially when they combine their powers into a super attack that has become so iconic in its own right that it was a special move in Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, and was even recreated as part of the airport battle in Captain America: Civil War.
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20. Wolverine #1 – Frank Miller and Josef Rubinstein
Wolverine #1 is the comic that established that Wolverine is the best there is at what he does, and what he does isn’t very nice. Much nicer is Frank Miller’s instantly recognizable cover for the inaugural issue of Wolverine’s first solo series, which entices readers to discover what’s inside by bringing out the alluring animal in its star hero. This isn’t berserker Wolverine – this is something even scarier. This Wolverine has us exactly where he wants us, and we’re hopelessly along for the ride.
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19. Marvels #1 – Alex Ross
Every single one of painter Alex Ross’ covers for Marvels, the limited series which redefined the Silver Age of the ’60s through a modern context, could be a candidate for this list. In fact, damn near every cover Alex Ross has ever done is in some way a contender for recognition. Still, we keep coming back to the striking power of Marvels #1, featuring Marvel’s first superhero, the Human Torch, flaming on in a pose that evokes Frank Paul’s original cover of 1939’s Marvel Comics #1.
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18. Mighty Thor #337 – Walt Simonson
Beta Ray Bill is a cult favorite hero. And though more casual readers may not recognize Thor’s close ally, the cover of his first appearance by his creator Walt Simonson is just about as iconic as it gets, with Bill heavily bashing his way through the Mighty Thor logo. Another cover that launched a thousand remakes, Mighty Thor #337 shows off everything we love about Simonson’s world class Thor run, and about Beta Ray Bill himself, as unique and frankly kinda weird (in a good way) as he is.
17. Incredible Hulk #340 – Todd McFarlane
The very opposite of Frank Miller’s dangerously demure Wolverine, Todd McFarlane’s slashing, snarling Wolverine on the cover of Incredible Hulk #340 is as berserker as it gets, with McFarlane taking the image to eleven by showing an equally rageful Hulk reflected in Wolverine’s adamantium claws to create an illustration that is somehow definitive for both characters. This is another cover so iconic that it was recreated as a scene in Deadpool and Wolverine – one we wish would have expanded into a fight as crushing as the one in the comic.
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16. Uncanny X-Men #141 – John Byrne and Terry Austin
Even if you’ve never read an X-Men comic, there’s a strong chance you’ve seen the cover of Uncanny X-Men #141 (or at least an image that directly pays homage to it) more times than you might even realize. Easily one of the most definitive X-Men images, this cover for part one of the immortal tale ‘Days of Future Past’ lays out exactly how dire and deadly the stakes are for the older Wolverine and Kitty Pryde who are caught in the spotlight, with a masterful use of the image’s background as part of the storytelling.
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15. Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #4 – Jim Steranko and Sam Rosen
This is the second time Jim Steranko’s name has come up on this list, and it’s a testament to how innovative and influential an artist he is that his cover for 1968’s Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #4 is both phenomenally different from his Hulk cover, and also just as definitive for the character it portrays. Bringing in a psychedelic sensibility that adds a thoroughly midcentury vibe to the spy story, this cover has come to define the pop art madness of late ’60s comic art that eventually led to the more cosmically minded comics of the ’70s.
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14. New Avengers #1 – David Finch, Danny Miki, and Frank D’Armata
The cover of 2004’s New Avengers #1 is as much a mission statement as it is a boldly beautiful piece of art, with the mood and style of the cover setting the new era of the team apart from the brightly colorful, superheroically simplistic days of yesteryear. New Avengers #1 represents the rebuilding of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes after their darkest period, but it’s the darkness of the cover itself that indicates the more mature, complex, and layered stories of the New Avengers era.
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13. Civil War #7 – Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, and Morry Hollowell
This is it – the image that sums up the conflict at the heart of Marvel’s groundbreaking Civil War crossover so powerfully that it lent itself as the inspiration to the climactic moment of Captain America: Civil War, which recreates the scene of Captain America blocking Iron Man’s massive, sparking repulsor blast with his shield. While Captain America and Iron Man have been friends, foes, and often something in between over the decades, there are few images of the two of them as boldly iconic as the cover of Civil War #7.
12. Amazing Spider-Man #50 – John Romita Sr., Stan Goldberg, and Sam Rosen
“Spider-Man no more!” The words emblazoned on the cover of 1967’s Amazing Spider-Man #50 have become just as iconic and ingrained in the Spider-Man mythos as the image it displays, of Peter Parker walking away from his life as Spider-Man while his web-head alter ego looks on. It’s rare for a cover to so succinctly sum up the feeling conveyed by the story within while also standing alone as powerful works of art, but Amazing Spider-Man #50 hit the mark, presenting a simple, striking image that communicates Peter’s alienation and regret at what his life as Spider-Man has cost him.
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11. X-Men #1 – Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby is one of the greatest cover artists of all time – his name will only appear more and more as this list goes on. And one of his most recognizable and influential covers is his illustration for 1963’s Uncanny X-Men #1, which depicts the whole teen team flying into battle against their archenemy Magneto, who easily fends off all their attacks with his forcefield. This simple image has become a staple of X-Men covers in the years since its release, providing a motif for some of the best comic covers ever (read on and you’ll see).
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10. Invincible Iron Man #76 – Adi Granov
Even if you don’t recognize Adi Granov’s cover for Invincible Iron Man #76, if you’re a superhero fan, you’ve undoubtedly seen its influence across the MCU, with the simple pose it depicts becoming a repeated motif for Iron Man, and for many other Marvel heroes. The longevity of many covers comes down to the storytelling and drama of the subject. And while the pose of Iron Man landing in a crouch, shattering the ground around him certainly tells its own tale, it’s all about how succinctly the image captures everything you need to know about Iron Man.
9. Avengers #4 – Jack Kirby
Captain America joining the Avengers in 1964’s Avengers #4 marked the start of the team’s greater legacy in earnest, cementing Steve Rogers as the heart and soul of the Avengers for decades to come. At the same time, Jack Kirby’s dynamic, instantly recognizable cover for the issue wound up setting the standard for depicting a whole superhero team in a single image. The depth of field, energetic posing, and impactful layout of the Avengers #4 cover are groundbreaking for their era, adding up to one of the most influential comic book covers of all time.
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8. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 – Mike Zeck and John Beatty
Putting Spider-Man in a new costume is par for the course in modern comics, where the wall-crawler often dons new, souped-up outfits for specific missions (like his current magical suit). But in 1984, the idea of changing Spidey’s fan-favorite look from his traditional red and blue costume was unheard of. Nonetheless, fans’ introduction to Spidey’s black symbiote suit in Secret Wars #8 made massive waves, not just because of how popular the costume wound up being, but because of its pitch-perfect debut on the issue’s cover, which has since been copied numerous times.
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7. Captain America #1 – Jack Kirby
Is there any image more singularly iconic in superhero comics than Captain America punching Adolf Hitler in the face on Jack Kirby’s cover of 1941’s Captain America #1? As we’ve already mentioned, Jack Kirby has created some of the most enduring comic covers ever, and this is the one that set the stage for his long Marvel career. And while it may not be as well known to modern eyes, it endures for a good reason – it’s a depiction of the elemental forces of liberty versus fascism that still feels relevant 80-plus years later.
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6. Amazing Spider-Man #300 – Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane is one of the most definitive Spider-Man artists. His work on the character in the late ’80s and early ’90s redefined how Spidey was rendered for years, with larger eyes and more involved “spaghetti” webbing. Still, perhaps his most recognizable single image of the character is Amazing Spider-Man #300’s cover, featuring Spider-Man in his black symbiote costume, in the kind of twisted acrobatic pose that McFarlane’s Spidey is known for. As simple and striking as it is, it’s become one of the most enduring images of Spider-Man in the years since its release.
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5. Fantastic Four #1 – Jack Kirby
Here it is – the cover that launched the Marvel Universe all the way back in 1961, Jack Kirby’s immortal Fantastic Four #1. And along with introducing the world to Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm, it also provides a mission statement on what the Marvel Universe would come to be about. Rather than showing the Fantastic Four in their superhero costumes, it depicts them in street clothes, ordinary humans using their extraordinary abilities in a struggle with a larger-than-life monster, setting the stage for Marvel’s “world outside your window” ethos.
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4. Giant-Size X-Men #1 – Gil Kane and Danny Crespi
The cover of 1975’s Giant-Size X-Men #1 is one of the most recognizable comic covers ever, showing off the new X-Men characters who would go on to take the team from a Marvel Comics also-ran to arguably the most popular Marvel property there is. Wolverine takes center stage long before he was the breakout sensation of the team, leading Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, Banshee, and Thunderbird into the fray, while long time team leader Cyclops looks on from the rear, symbolizing the X-Men leaving the past behind as they charge boldly into a new era.
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3. Amazing Fantasy #15 – Jack Kirby
1962’s Amazing Fantasy #15 represents a rare Spider-Man illustration by Jack Kirby (Spidey was co-created by Steve Ditko, who drew Amazing Fantasy #15’s interior story). But it captures everything readers need to know about Spider-Man in his very first appearance, from his commitment to selfless justice to his unique super powers. And along with forming the perfect introduction to Spider-Man, the cover has gone on to become perhaps the most uniquely recognizable image of the original Marvel Age of the ’60s, almost more than any other single Marvel cover.
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2. Infinity Gauntlet #1 – George Pérez
1991’s Infinity Gauntlet crossover set the standard for what a universe-wide Marvel event looks like, to the point where it formed the basis for the underlying story of the first decade of the MCU. Written by Thanos creator Jim Starlin, lead artist George Pérez picks up the, er, gauntlet, starting with this cover for Infinity Gauntlet #1 which sums up all the fateful majesty of the artifact and its villainous owner in one image that also sets the stage for the universe-wide tale depicted within. It’s everything one could ask for from a perfect Marvel Comics cover.
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1. X-Men #1 – Jim Lee and Scott Williams
If there’s one single cover, one magnum opus image that sums up everything Marvel Comics is about, it has to be Jim Lee’s timeless cover for 1991’s X-Men #1, which draws on classic influences going all the way back to Jack Kirby’s Uncanny X-Men #1 cover and pulls them into a thoroughly modern piece of superhero art. This cover not only sums up decades of previous art and storytelling into one evocative drawing, it has become so definitive that it has itself informed decades of covers since – including more recreations and homages than you can shake your adamantium claws at.
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