Best single issue of a comic book

Cafe Society
1

I don’t ever recall seeing a thread on this subject, and I couldn’t search, so here goes:

I’m curious to hear some of people’s favorite comic book issues.

For the record, I’d say my top three issues are:

Doom Patrol - The Flex Mentallo issue where Flex tries to turn the Pentagon into a circle. By Grant Morrison.

Animal Man - the second to last Grant Morrison one, where Animal Man wanders among the land of forgotten superheroes and villains.

Sandman - the issue about Emperor Norton.

But the Flex Mentallo one is my favorite. It was just so perfect, especially since I had read the Illuminatus trilogy before reading it. I hear Flex had a 4 issue comic book devoted to him. I haven’t bought a comic in 10 years, but I have to get those.

2

Batman – “The Killing Joke.” Just a great story that doesn’t trash years of continuity but still gives it a different spin and makes it fresh, and makes an important change for the future. And a terrific point.

3

I’m tempted to say Dark Knight Returns #1. I recently re-read it for the first time since I bought in 1986. It has a real rapture to it: I was caught up as a reader in the inevitable psychological tide that pulled Bruce Wayne back in the cowl.

I did like the Emperor Norton story in Sandman. Equally good though, although about as different from the Norton story as you can get, is the Mazikeen story in Lucifer #14. Mike Carey knows how to write.

4

Excalibur: Galactus decides that the Rachel Summers Pheonix is too much of a threat for him, so he shows up with a Big Black Box o’ Death, and says if Phoenix doesn’t get in the box so he can kill her, he’ll eat the Earth.

Roma, The Grey Man and the Watcher (bald guy on the moon) appear on the hillside.

Galactus: Wha…?
Grey Man: I just want to watch you screw up.

Galactus goes through with it, and Kills the Phoenix Force.

All the stars in the universe go out.

Galactus: Whoops…

Hits the reset button (good thing he built that…) and brings her back to life. Takes his box and goes home.

5

Promethea #10. I’m not going to try to explain it, cause I can’t do it justice.

6

Puma Blues #7.

“The Ukrainian Word For Wormwood Is Chernobyl.”

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

7

Sandman #50

Action Comics #800

Onslaught Vs. The Marvel Universe - it’s not really good, but it is pretty cool (“And Hulk. Is. ANGRY!”).

Whichever issue of Watchmen it is that tells Rorschach’s origin

8

The Sandman issue introducing Hob Gadling.

9

“What’s So Funny about Truth, Justice and the American Way?” When Superman fought the Elite.

I second the Hob Gadling issue, also the issue of Sandman- “The Wake” in which we see everybody sharing their memories before the funeral.

Starman, Ted Knight’s funeral.

10

I’d trot out the old standbys: Dark Knight and Watchmen, but I’ve only read them in TPB, so I don’t know the specific issue. Killing Joke’s a good choice, Chuck. But I’m biased, so:

The Maxx #26 - Origin of Mr. Gone. What a suckerpunch… making you actually feel for a serial murderer/rapist, while not excusing his actions. (Cheating a bit, since it’s really a 2-parter, 26 & 27)

The Maxx #35 - Perfect swansong, the heartfelt goodbye of a creator to his characters to whom he could no longer give the level of attention that the fans wanted.

The former Maxx, as the universe is about to collapse into a parallel one, and characters are disappearing one by one: What if you don’t remember?
Julie Winters: I will…
Next panel… she’s alone. :frowning: sniff…

11

Two nominees, apologies for being slightly vague on the issue numbers:

Astro City, the issue with the small-time hood who discovered Jack-In-The-Box’s secret identity. An amazing look at a common comic book dilemna, all done in one issue.

The Amazing Spider-Man, whichever issue that had the 12-page Roger Stern story, “The Boy Who Collected Spider-Man.” Still jaw-dropping after all these years.

12

Elektra: Assassin, 1-8. Pick one.

For Bill Sienkiewicz’s art alone, but the stories are very good as well.

13

For the Man Who Has Everything by Moore & Gibbons (the Watchmen guys), Superman Annual #11, 1985.

Alternate history story of an unexploded Krypton, and a vicious ending in which the bad guy (sort-of) wins.

14

I have to agree with Sandman #50. I’ve always been a sucker for the Arabian Nights stories, and the artwork and lettering in this, not to mention the flow / poetry of the wording is dead-on. The ending, while a little predictable, was perfect. The fact that the bottle shows up on occasion in other Sandman stories makes it even better.

15

Sandman 50#
Watchmen the one with Rorschach’s origin.
Transmetropolitan 6# or 7# the one about TV
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow

16

Silver Surfer #3
The issue of Sandman where The King’s Men stage “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for Faerie
The Mighty Thor #383 (this concluded Walt Simonson’s run on the book)
Cerebus #51
Crossfire #12
Spider-Man #33

17

I wasn’t much of a fan of this, even though it was by Moore, and gave a satisfactory conclusion to the story of the Silver Age Superman. It was a closure, but not a timeless story.

18

The issues of Thor containing the the introduction of Beta Ray Bill and the subsequent fight over the Hammer.

19

The Desert Peach #2 The Bar Fight

http://www.stinz.com/home/desertpeach/dpeach02.html

A close second would be The Desert Peach #20 Fever Dreams

http://www.stinz.com/home/desertpeach/dpeach20.html

20

http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/12/09/rawhide.kid.gay/

Slap Leather! I only found out about this a couple of days ago, that Marvel is reviving The Rawhide Kid only this time as a gay cowboy. It has had mixed reviews, but I still plan to buy the issues and judge for myself.

I have a feeling this will be one of my favorites, even if it’s just for the fabulous artwork.