Top 15 High Impact Comic Books

What are the Top 15 most impactful comic books in the hobby? Overstreet Advisors -- Ben Labonog and Greg Holland -- and I combined our picks, and these 15 comics emerged. Big shout out to Stephen Fishler from ComicConnect who has recently introduced the Comic Book Impact (CBI) index. Our picks do not completely agree with his picks; they represent the combined opinions of Ben, Greg, and Keston.
*Famous Funnies 1 Series 1 was the first newsstand comic, and it cost 10cents. It was a once shot. The Famous Funnies 1 that appears in this video was the first ongoing newsstand title. Confusing because of the similarity of names.
Acknowledgements:
Pictures of comic books and related are from Heritage Auctions (Ha.com)
Thanks for watching, my friends! -Keston

[@doctorshawn3461]

Nice video, I love how you put some platinum books on the list, these don't get a lot of love. My personal snub here (even though I don't own the book) would be Crime Suspenstories 22, just because it was poster book for the implementing the comic code

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Hi, Dr. Shawn. No doubt. That book barely missed our cut. Yeah, to me it's the quintessential pre-code book!

[@hazeldan1216]

Great video and lots of solid choices. You know us Keston..we have to put Pep Comics 22 in there. 1st appearance of Archie. It was totally snubbed, lol. Talk about impact! Archie and the gang are such an important part of Americana and pop culture. From radio shows, cartoons and even modern-day takes like Riverdale Archie stands the test of time. The newest addition of The Archies in Hindi also demonstrates the international influence Archie has had. MLJ was the first to have a national superhero with the Shield in Pep Comics#1 predating Captian America by over a year. MLJ Magazine/Archie Publications is also perhaps the longest enduring company outside of the Big 2 (Marvel and DC). While we cannot argue the importance of Spawn#1, the importance and longevity of Archie comics should also not be overlooked.

[@wazdakka1342]

Completely agree. Every one of the 21 people in my office (youngest 24, oldest 68) know Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead. Only one of them ever bought the comics (besides me). I know it because I asked when we were all together. I also asked about the Fantastic Four and the responses were: A rock guy, a stretchy guy... isn't there a guy made of fire?

[@reprintranch]

Also worth noting that one of the cartoon shows led to the release of pop-music singles, which were performed by studio musicians but ostensibly recorded by The Archies, the band from the show. The most notable, of course, was “Sugar, Sugar,” which ended up being one of the biggest-selling singles of the 1960s in U.S. markets.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Hi Hazeldan! You make a strong case for Pep Comics 22. As night follows day, I can count on you two to advocate for your favorite teenager :-)

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Love the description of Fantastic Four!

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Good point about the music crossover!

[@AlextheComicHoarder]

Women in comic books are a huge part of the hobby and Industry. All Star 8 should be on the list for sure.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Hi, Alex. True. I can't remember the exact details but it may have been that some of the votes got spread out between AS8 and Sensation 1.

[@oacomics5956]

No All Star Comics 8? The most famous female superhero? She was one of three pillars that literally kept the industry alive after everybody else got canceled.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Hi, OA. I believe All Star 8 barely missed our list. Your points are well received here. A strong case could certainly be made.

[@SouvenirProgramsHere]

Great Show Keston ! Always fun ! Great Guests ! C ya

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thanks, Tom, for the kind words!

[@jerrythejitterbugcomicbook4098]

Fun upload. I guess the original Captain Marvel Whiz Comics #1(2) does not make the cut. 😢

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Certainly a book worthy of a top 15 list!

[@marclapuma]

So happy to see Showcase 4 so high on the list! But really I think this was an excellent 15. I was surprised to not see Eerie 1 on the list. Thanks for making great content 💥

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thank you, Marc. Showcase 4 might make the list just because it is the 1st appearance of Silver-Age Flash but with it ushering in the silver age, it is a shoo-in.

[@marclapuma]

@kestonsoldschoolcokicbooks6842 agreed Showcase 4 has such historical significance and I love how Infantino drew Flash running off of the film! I just got my copy graded recently and it’s a book I’ll cherish in my collection for many years to come ⚡️ really enjoy your content Keston

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

@@marclapuma Congrats man. An awesome book and one to cherish.

[@bronzevillecomics2581]

I'm with you Keston, totally team All-Star Comics #3! The JSA rules.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thanks, Jim!

[@reprintranch]

I think a strong case could be made for Crime Does Not Pay issue 1 from 1942. It was an unflinching true-crime title, sold well, spawned many imitators, featured a scary-yet-funny host (a standard feature of many horror comics in later decades) and was perhaps the leading cause of the first wave of anti-comic book sentiment in the U.S. in the late 1940s.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Hi, Tom. yeah, definitely an influential book. And, that Biro cover, wow!

[@DanSchawbel]

Great video. Well thought out!

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thank you, Dan!

[@brute_nm]

Quite the variety!

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thank you, Derek! Greg really helped. Ben and I are, for the most part, golden age junkies. Greg has a broader view of the hobby.

[@RedRockShane]

I've always felt All Star Comics 3 was undervalued. However, I have never considered DC 38 a "team-up". Which, I think it is. Keston, this may be the first time I've disagreed with you on comics! Lol, Great video as always!

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Shane! Thank you, brother. No shame in siding with Greg. He and I don't agree on everything but I always enjoy hearing his opinion. He attacks many comic book questions from interesting angles.

[@RedRockShane]

@@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842 (Shane considers letting the conversation die..."It's a conversation w/out meaning...But what is meaning?...Okay"...begins typing...) I think I understand the difference between team member and sidekick. Division of labor, master/subordinate role... But I would call a supervisor and their employee a "team" so I'm conflicted on this. Let's agree we're both right!

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

@@RedRockShane Haha. That's how my mine works too. It's fun to go down the rabbit holes of triviality 🙂

[@jknowstheway1462]

Great concept gents. Enjoyed.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thanks J! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@rocketfighter8]

Bob Kane conceived Batman to capitalize on the popularity of Superman so without Superman and Action #1 there would be no Batman. I would add X-Men #94 because without the X-Men series Wolverine wouldn't be as popular today. Hulk 181 and GSX-1 alone wouldn't have had the same impact on his popularity without the X-Men series.

[@DavidClark-vu3dw]

Xmen was conceived because of the Justice League of America.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

True. Good points. So characters are successful because of previous characters or previous teams. No character came from nowhere so to speak. Always good to hear from you, Rocket!

[@rocketfighter8]

@@DavidClark-vu3dw Fantastic Four was conceived because of JLA before the X-men.

[@RedRockShane]

Bonus question, what made you choose Famous Funnies #1 over Famous Funnies: Series 1 #1? Both came out in 1934. Both considered the first newsstand comic book. The one you choose has a better cover and was the first ongoing monthly title but I believe the other one came out first. Tough call on which one is more relevant.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Shane, such a good question. Honestly, I had these two books conflated in my head when we recorded the video. FF1 is a book you see way more often then FF1, Series 1. If I had to do it over again, I would have listed FF1, Series 1. BTW: Super confusing distinguishing between those two books because of the similar names.

[@roywatson7916]

Great video

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thank you, Roy!

[@VaryingViewpoint]

Great video!

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thank you, VV!

[@ajguez]

Good list…thinking the same way.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Appreciate it, AG!

[@ajguez]

@@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842 I would have added all star 3 as well. I would have added a Crime Shock Suspense 22 if anything as a placeholder for the precode horrors creating the need for the comic code authority. Suspense 3 may be one of the most desired non superhero covers out there, but I don’t think it has the impact to comics or culture like others on the list…otherwise pretty spot on.

[@JR-si5tv]

All Star Comics #8?

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Yep. That one just missed the cut. There's a good case for it being in the Top 15.

[@Doc_Dooom]

As far as making an impact on the hobby, you cant get any bigger of an impact than those gruesome pch covers which caused the comic code authority to come about. You guys better go back to the drawing board. 😅

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Haha! True. The problem with the PCH covers is the impact is spread around, sort of diffusing the impact of any given book. I'd likely say CrimeSuspenstories 22 is the most impactful one but others could make an argument for Eerie 1 and so many others!

[@Doc_Dooom]

Suspense #3 did not make any impact on the hobby. Gerber books made an impact on Suspense #3.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Hi doc_doom! Yeah, good point. I do think Suspense 3 has helped lead the way for recognition of many classic covers too.

[@arthurtripp6922]

National Comic.with Uncle Sam.fight The Japanese at Pearl Hobor three months before December 7 attacks.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Thanks, Arthur. That is a great cover. I love the way that Uncle Sam is drawn.