| Title
|
Date
|
Notes
|
| Action Comics #1
|
June 1938
|
First appearance of Superman[1]
|
| Action Comics #252
|
May 1959
|
First appearance of Supergirl[2]
|
| Adventure Comics #61
|
April 1941
|
First appearance of Starman (Ted Knight)[3]
|
| Adventure Comics #247
|
April 1958
|
First appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes[4]
|
| All Star Comics #3
|
Winter 1940
|
First appearance of the Justice Society of America[5]
|
| All Star Comics #8
|
December 1941–January 1942
|
First appearance of Wonder Woman[6]
|
| All-Star Western #10
|
February–March 1972
|
First appearance of Jonah Hex[7]
|
| Batman #1
|
Spring 1940
|
Debut issue of series; first appearance of the Joker and the Catwoman[8]
|
| Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1
|
March 1986
|
First issue of mini-series by Frank Miller[9]
|
| The Brave and the Bold #28
|
February–March 1960
|
First appearance of the Justice League of America[10]
|
| The Brave and the Bold #85
|
August–September 1969
|
Redesign of Green Arrow by Neal Adams[11]
|
| Crisis on Infinite Earths #1
|
April 1985
|
First issue of maxi-series by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez[12]
|
| Detective Comics #1
|
March 1937
|
Debut issue of series[13]
|
| Detective Comics #27
|
May 1939
|
First appearance of the Batman[14]
|
| Detective Comics #38
|
April 1940
|
First appearance of Robin (Dick Grayson)[15]
|
| Detective Comics #225
|
November 1955
|
First appearance of the Martian Manhunter[16]
|
| Detective Comics #327
|
May 1964
|
"New-look" for Batman by John Broome and Carmine Infantino[17]
|
| Detective Comics #359
|
January 1967
|
First appearance of Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)[18]
|
| Detective Comics #395
|
January 1970
|
First Batman story by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams[19]
|
| The Flash #123
|
September 1961
|
"Flash of Two Worlds" by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino[20]
|
| Flash Comics #1
|
January 1940
|
First appearance of the Golden Age Flash (Jay Garrick) and Hawkman[21]
|
| Gen13 #1
|
February 1994
|
First issue of mini-series[22]
|
| Green Lantern #76
|
April 1970
|
First Green Lantern/Green Arrow story by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams[23]
|
| Hellblazer #1
|
January 1988
|
Debut issue of series[24]
|
| House of Mystery #1
|
December 1951–January 1952
|
Debut issue of series[25]
|
| House of Secrets #92
|
June–July 1971
|
First appearance of the Swamp Thing by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson[26]
|
| JLA #1
|
January 1997
|
1990s relaunch of the Justice League[27]
|
| Justice League #1
|
May 1987
|
1980s relaunch of the Justice League[28]
|
| Kingdom Come #1
|
May 1996
|
First issue of mini-series by Mark Waid and Alex Ross[29]
|
| Mad #1
|
October–November 1952
|
Debut issue of series[30]
|
| The Man of Steel #1
|
October 1986
|
1980s relaunch of Superman by John Byrne[31]
|
| Military Comics #1
|
August 1941
|
First appearance of Blackhawk[32]
|
| More Fun Comics #73
|
November 1941
|
First appearance of Aquaman and Green Arrow[33]
|
| More Fun Comics #101
|
January–February 1945
|
First appearance of Superboy[34]
|
| Mysterious Suspense #1
|
October 1968
|
One-shot featuring the Question by Steve Ditko[35]
|
| New Gods #1
|
February–March 1971
|
First appearance of the New Gods by Jack Kirby[36]
|
| New Teen Titans #1
|
November 1980
|
Debut issue of series by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez[37]
|
| Our Army at War #81
|
April 1959
|
First appearance of Sgt. Rock[38]
|
| Plop! #1
|
September–October 1973
|
Debut issue of series[39]
|
| Police Comics #1
|
August 1941
|
First appearance of Plastic Man[40]
|
| Preacher #1
|
April 1995
|
First appearance of Jesse Custer by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon[41]
|
| Saga of the Swamp Thing #21
|
February 1984
|
"The Anatomy Lesson" by Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette, and John Totleben[42]
|
| The Sandman #1
|
January 1989
|
First appearance of Dream of the Endless by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg[43]
|
| Sensation Comics #1
|
January 1942
|
Wonder Woman feature begins. First appearance of Mister Terrific and Wildcat[44]
|
| The Shadow #1
|
October–November 1973
|
The Shadow by Dennis O'Neil and Michael W. Kaluta[45]
|
| Showcase #4
|
October 1956
|
First appearance of the Silver Age Flash (Barry Allen)[46]
|
| Showcase #9
|
August 1957
|
Featuring Lois Lane[47]
|
| Showcase #22
|
September–October 1959
|
First appearance of the Silver Age Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)[48]
|
| Spirit #1
|
May 1944
|
The Spirit by Will Eisner[49]
|
| Superboy #1
|
March–April 1949
|
Debut issue of series[50]
|
| Superman #1
|
Summer 1939
|
Debut issue of series[51]
|
| Superman #76
|
July–August 1952
|
First team-up of Superman and Batman; regular team-ups began in World's Finest Comics #71[52]
|
| Superman #233
|
January 1971
|
1970s relaunch of Superman by Dennis O'Neil, Curt Swan, and Murphy Anderson; first chapter of the Sandman Saga[53]
|
| Superman vol. 2 #75
|
January 1993
|
"The Death of Superman" by Dan Jurgens[54]
|
| Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #1
|
September–October 1954
|
Debut issue of series[55]
|
| Watchmen #1
|
September 1986
|
Debut issue of maxi-series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons[56]
|
| Whiz Comics #2
|
February 1940
|
First appearance of Captain Marvel[57]
|
| WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #1
|
August 1992
|
First comic book published by Wildstorm Productions[58]
|
| Wonder Woman #1
|
Summer 1942
|
Debut issue of series[59]
|
| Wonder Woman vol. 2 #1
|
February 1987
|
1980s relaunch of Wonder Woman by Greg Potter and George Pérez; first chapter of the "Gods and Mortals" storyline.[60]
|
| World's Finest Comics #71
|
July–August 1954
|
Regular team-ups of Superman and Batman begin; first team-up was in Superman #76[61]
|
| Young Romance Comics #1
|
September–October 1947
|
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby create the romance comics genre[62]
|
