Top CONTROVERSIAL comic book covers! Ten 10 Best comics books controversy banned outrageous alarming

[@txmoney]

Miracleman #15…the infamous cover (and issue) depicting violence I had never seen since pre code horror comics. The portrayal of a decapitated head is horrific. I’m glad I still own the entire original run from the “80”s.

[@thecomicsamurai]

That IS a great one! However, reading it today it doesn't seem THAT extreme. I love that series and how it pushed the envelope (child birth issue). Do you have the final issue? That is the hardest one for me to find in the wild. Thanks for the comment, KIMOTA!!!

[@txmoney]

@@thecomicsamurai Are you referring to the final issue of Alan Moore’s run…#16? Yes. I have a couple of #16 including a third copy of a CGC 9.8 graded and signed (by Totleben)!

[@thecomicsamurai]

​@@txmoney Very cool! However, I was referring to #24. I liked Gaiman's run on the series just as much. It has a very different tone, but still amazing!

[@txmoney]

@@thecomicsamurai Unfortunately, I don’t have the complete Gaimen run. Once I complete grading all of the remaining sixteen issues from Moore’s run, I’ll start hunting for the other issues to complete the series. Anyway, I enjoy your lists. Keep up the great work.

[@thecomicsamurai]

@@txmoney Thank you and happy hunting!!!

[@whoisyouranime]

I like your comic collection. You truly are a devoted comic man. I salute you, sir.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Glad you like! Thanks for the comment!!!

[@markymark261]

To be fair, the early issues of the Eclipse Miracleman were also reprints that added colouring to the original black and white art, not to mention changing Marvelman to Miracleman, so changing the colouring and text isn't that unprecedented

[@thecomicsamurai]

Thanks for the comment!

[@pauls1116]

HAHA! New X-Men 122. It took me a minute or two but now that I see it, I can't un-see it! The controversial ones I know are: Elseworlds 80 Page Giant Elektra 3 (Bendis run) Immortal Hulk 43 League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 5 and X-Men Gold 1

[@thecomicsamurai]

YES! I can't un-see X-Men 122 either. I was hoping everyone who watches this video has the same experience! Too funny!!! Yes, I knew about the examples you mentioned. I really do like a good controversy. Thanks as always for the great comment!!!

[@theunwantedcritic]

The women in refrigerators trope is now universal throughout literature. It’s not just comics anymore.

[@thecomicsamurai]

I'm not sure that I knew that term had spread. I appreciate the update! Thanks for the comment!!!

[@mrrictus]

That Simon Bisley subliminal LOL! Now I can't unsee it!

[@thecomicsamurai]

Ha! What a weird comic!!! I get it, but I NEVER would have seen it. I STILL have to use my imagination. Thanks for the comment!!!

[@CHRISMED2]

I gotta pick up some of these for sure. One of the covers that was missed is that beautiful cover of Artgerm's Supergirl #13 with the pussycat. All left to interpretation

[@thecomicsamurai]

That IS a beautiful cover! I'm going to make a suggestive covers or provocative covers video and it will definitely make an appearance. Thanks for the comment!!!

[@zolo120mil]

Great list and information Samurai!!! Wolverine #131 has an anti semetic word in it that made it controversial. The difference is the number by the barcode 13111 being the uncensored and 13112 being the censored version.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Yes! I knew about that one and the one with Superman having a beer on the cover. THANK YOU for the information! Too fun! I really enjoy those interesting comics!!!

[@vincentimbesi3947]

Very cool video! I can’t believe you have a copy of Kimota, I’ve been trying to find a copy of that forever! 👍🏼

[@thecomicsamurai]

Thank you! I found Kimota to be an interesting and engaging read. A fascinating story! Thanks for the comment!!!

[@martezdetroit3164]

Nice job,...my first time watching 🙃

[@thecomicsamurai]

Welcome, and thank you!!!

[@TripleGcomics]

Really enjoyed this video! Subbed!

[@thecomicsamurai]

Glad you like it! What do the three G's in your handle stand for? In any event, thanks for the great comment!!!

[@TripleGcomics]

@@thecomicsamurai I’m from Newcastle in the UK so the g’s are “Ginger, Geordie (this is what people in Newcastle are often called) Geek 👍

[@thecomicsamurai]

@@TripleGcomics I'm SO glad I asked! Thank you!!! It's amazing to me that a silly video I made about what my parents call "Funny Books" was seen by someone in a place as foreign and exotic as Newcastle! Thank you SO much!!!

[@Geoffreydarcy-pv4mq]

How about that Alf - 48 cover ? Yikes.😬

[@thecomicsamurai]

Yes! However, I'm going to include that one in my "Shocking Comics" video. Controversial and shocking are slightly different IMO. GREAT comment! Thank you!

[@richardgrayson3241]

Good presentation, as always.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Thank you! Much appreciated!!!

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

What's surprising is that Reed Richards has slapped Sue at least 3 times that I remember, but no one ever says anything about him because Sue was Evil or Mind Controlled and the slap was needed to snap her back.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Yes! And Silver Surfer #16 has Sue punching Reed! I wish they would have exaggerated his rubber face, but they took a more serious tone (on the cover). But yes, it's always divisive when characters are violent with their significant other. It's sometimes reflective of our society to quickly forget some of these instances. GREAT comment, thank you!!!

[@jamesmoss3424]

I got The Avengers #213 and yellow jacket should be in jail in the first place.

[@thecomicsamurai]

There are a lot of cases of characters acting totally inappropriately. Some of the Golden and Silver Age behavior did NOT age well. That's one thing about comics, it's written down. Hard to deny misbehavior when it's right there for everyone to see. Great comment, thanks again!

[@jamesmoss3424]

@@thecomicsamurai your welcome. 😀👍

[@tygrus3495]

Batman: Damned no. 1, because the first print has Bruce showing the bat-bird out of the cage. I didn't know most of the ones you listed, will check them out.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Nice! YES, I thought about using this one, but I focused on controversial COVERS when I could, and that Lobo issue had a "bird" right on the cover. You're absolutely right though. It IS a first and some people probably do find the image of a "bird" divisive. I've seen the panel in question and the statue of David shows a lot more than that dark panel. It will for sure make my part two though! Thanks for the GREAT comment!!!

[@tygrus3495]

Sorry I missed the word "cover" on the title 😅 Best Regards.

[@thecomicsamurai]

@@tygrus3495 No worries! I absolutely LOVE interesting comics and I appreciate the reminder of ones I may have missed. I'm getting a long list of other comics to use in my part 2 and I will give you a shout out for sure. Thanks for taking the time, I really enjoy the great suggestion. THANK YOU again for the fantastic comment!!!

[@thecomicsamurai]

P.S. I'm always looking for great comics to feature, so if you know of any others be sure and tell me about them. Cheers!!!

[@Kevsspot]

You don't bring back OG Uncle Ben or OG Gwen Stacey, that's the unwritten rule. Alternate versions are fine, rules apply to 616

[@thecomicsamurai]

YES! I agree, 100%!!!

[@startaiger49]

The only Miracleman issue from Marvel I have is #15, cause the Eclipse version was very expensive at the time. I know Alan Moore insisted to have his name removed from the Marvel printing. I think he hates them even more than DC, if this was possible!! 🤣 I also have the Kimota! book, I think I'll reread it... I'm not at all a big fan of early Mark Millar, I think he was trying too hard to outdo Garth Ennis, vulgarity & shock rarely make a good story I.M.H.O. As a controversial book, & despite my liking of Rob Liefeld, I would mention the hilarious Doom Patrol parody, Doom Force, a 1-shot writen by Grant Morrison with lots of artist. A gem !!

[@thecomicsamurai]

Kimota! was well written. I was surprised how quickly I got through it. I agree about early Millar stuff. I think he realized the same thing about vulgarity and shock. His writing went through an arc of change and maturity. He still likes a good shock, he's just better with the presentation. Or maybe not. I didn't know about Doom Force. But THAT is exactly why I make these videos! THANK YOU for the heads up! I can't wait to track that one down and give it a read, it looks like a great parody book. What a great comment, thank you!!!

[@AnthonyArena-g7l]

Just an FYI, cro-magnons weren't ape-like ancestors to modern man, they were a group of early-modern humans who emerged between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago who looked indistinguishable from modern people. Indeed, scientists rarely even use the archaic term "cro-magnon" anymore and just use the terms "homo-sapiens" for these early modern humans instead. The more ape-like precursors to modern humans are called australopiths. Some of the more well-known australopiths from most ape-like to least, are Homo- Aferencis, Homo-Habilis, Homo-Florencius, Homo- Erectus, Denisovans, and Neanderthals, but Cro-Magnon (I.e. Homo-Sapiens) are simply anatomically modern humans who lived in the prehistoric stone age. Nothing is different about them physically from us, it's just that they lived before writing, and before recorded history, as hunter-gatherers during the cave-man period.

[@thecomicsamurai]

You learn something every day. Thanks for the comment!!!

[@AnthonyArena-g7l]

@@thecomicsamurai no prob. Thank YOU for the fun video on controversial comics!

[@Whalewraith]

Ka-zar #1 above zabu's ass the grass spells F**k . Its pretty clear once you spot it. Its the one 'featuring Daredevil & The X-men'

[@thecomicsamurai]

I am FOR SURE featuring that one in my next controversial video!!! I wonder how long it was out there before someone noticed. Too fun! Thanks for the comment!!!

[@UnearthedFilmsMedia]

Where is the actual controversial covers and comics?

[@thecomicsamurai]

I know, right?! I thought I'd keep this first video pretty tame. The sequel will be "EXTREMELY Controversial Covers" and I'll step it up a bit. I just wanted to make sure viewers could handle THIS level before things get... EXTREME!!! Thanks for the comment!

[@UnearthedFilmsMedia]

I hope so. LOL I am getting back into the business. For fun, maybe some profit. Industry is crazy now though. Amazed at the prices I am buying now. Debating on starting a new publishing arm with my company, Unearthed Films. We do horror films, the worst of the worst. LOL So you mention extreme.. I am like... LETS GO! @@thecomicsamurai

[@thecomicsamurai]

@@UnearthedFilmsMedia Nice! You said the industry is crazy now. I haven't bought any comics for quite a while. Are prices high or low? I checked out your Unearthed Films channel. VERY cool! I would have been elbow deep back in the day, I loved just those types of films! Thanks for the comment!!!

[@oliverortiz5226]

Some I knew about and most I didn't but boy you didn't exaggerate when you called this a controversial list. Wow

[@thecomicsamurai]

Glad you enjoyed! However, since I made this video I've learned of a few more that are even MORE outrageous! I guess I'll have to make a sequel... Thanks for the comment!!!

[@loki2stunt]

Dr. Strange 15 the Amy Grant cover..... can't believe you missed that one.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Spoiler alert much?! Yes! I'm saving that one for my part 2. What a fascinating story that one has. And a compelling cover also! Thanks for the comment and let me know if you think of any others. My part 2 is going to be a bit more outlandish and extreme. Thanks again!!!

[@jfrsnjhnsn]

The Iron Man issue was fantastic

[@thecomicsamurai]

That whole "Demon in a Bottle" storyline was pretty fantastic. Thanks for the comment!!!

[@jamesmoss3424]

I got the new mutants #91.😀👍

[@jamesmoss3424]

I got the transformers #13.😀👍

[@AngusJo]

Unfortunately, it often happens that the colors of reprinted comics don't capture the original atmosphere of the story. For example, I think the reprints of Vertigo's Swamp Thing and Hellblazer don't do justice to the original. It's also a shame that the original colorists are no longer credited in the new reprints. Although they were an essential part of the creation of the comic. There is a very interesting video about this from ComicTropes. I can only recommend it.

[@thecomicsamurai]

I hear you. Usually I don't mind when the colors are a bit different or a newer application technique is used. The Miracleman (Marvel) reprints felt different. It was as if they were being cheeky or nasty in their treatments of color. It felt purposeful. I haven't seen the reprints of Swamp Thing or Hellblazer, but I thoroughly enjoyed every original. I'm yet to find a Longshot reprint that can capture the complexities of Art Adams' work. The original process just couldn't hold the color correctly. Thanks for the GREAT comment!!!

[@AngusJo]

@@thecomicsamurai Unfortunately, this is also something that is often lost in reprints, that due to the limited technology at the time, creative coloring methods and color schemes had to be chosen. Which resulted in a unique coloring for some stories. Which is no longer the case with the reprint.

[@FlamingoKicker]

ALL Super-Heroes and most villains are sexualized. As far back as Superman they always put the tightest bodies in the skimpiest clothes for a reason.... to sell the books.

[@ChrisP58]

The “controversy” over fridging seems overrated.

[@thedarknite4397]

facts like it shouldn’t be controversial sometimes a loved one dies and that can be a great motivation for a character in a story

[@bufordhighwater9872]

​@@thedarknite4397 It's not about someone dying. It's about treating women as disposable plot devices. Revenge or justice for a loved one dying is a classic trope. Woman in the fridge syndrome is about how often female characters and their deaths are used in that trope or just move a story along. The fact that people can't see why "fridging" is so bad shows how little we care about the character. We don't empathize over her death or feel bad for her. We just know that now Kyle has to avenge her death, cause he's a hero with a dead gf.

[@whoisyouranime]

Cerebus looks like Wolverine.

[@thecomicsamurai]

That character is Wolveroach and it landed Sim in some hot water... Again, thanks for the comment!!!

[@paulrinehart5557]

Action comics 593 has Supes getting it on with Big Barda.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Yes! I just featured that one in my "Kissing Covers" video. One of my favorite John Byrne covers on his run. While the image may be a bit controversial, there was mind control involved. I may feature that cover in my "Shocking Covers" video. Thanks for the GREAT comment, and let me know if you think of any others for consideration as I am getting a part 2 together. Again, thanks for the comment!!!

[@ChrisP58]

Savage Dragon #39 was a sh***y comic…Ill see myself out lol

[@thecomicsamurai]

Ha! First time in a while I laughed that hard. Thanks for the comment!!!

[@ChrisP58]

@@thecomicsamurai lol. You are welcome sir.

[@johnnyr859]

Comic samurai is THE MAN💪💪💪

[@thecomicsamurai]

Thanks for the comment! Johnnyr859 is right on time! Rock and roll! Thanks for the comment!!!

[@erictate1281]

Preacher? A bit controversial?😂

[@thecomicsamurai]

I know, right?

[@superfunforce8052]

new x men means nothing to me lol X men ended in 1999

[@ChrisP58]

On his podcast Mr. Liefeld has stated that he was a major ROM fan so I’m guessing it was more of a homage than ripoff? Could be wrong.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Yes! I remember him saying something like that. In my mind, an homage captures the theme, style, or idea of an image. A ripoff is when you can lay one image on top of the other and see that a tracing was done. I could be wrong too, but it sure looked like a tracing to me. Don't get me wrong I LOVE Liefeld, you won't find a bigger fan. GREAT discussion! THANK YOU for the comment!!!

[@ChrisP58]

@@thecomicsamurai oh by all means, I totally agree. BIG Liefeld fan too, but you’re not wrong. The more I looked at the two I was like “holy copy and paste Batman!”. And Thank you! New to the channel and I’m really enjoying it.

[@jamesmoss3424]

Killer idea 💡 for this video. 😀👍

[@thecomicsamurai]

Thank you! It was a fun one!!!

[@jamesmoss3424]

@@thecomicsamurai your welcome. 😀👍

[@christopherking2999]

Concur, nice job.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Thank you!

[@MJRLHobbyStuff]

Love me some comics too.

[@thecomicsamurai]

They're a very positive thing that can educate, entertain, and bring people together! Thanks for the comment!!!

[@jamesmoss3424]

I got Lobo's Back #2.😀👍

[@thecomicsamurai]

That was such a great series! SO underrated! #2 has one of my favorite covers.

[@Spaceageplaya03]

So saga 12? Look into it. Crazy

[@thecomicsamurai]

Wow! I was totally unaware of that whole drama. Very intersting! Banned, but not. With a twist. What a rabbit hole! Thanks for the comment, I love that kind of stuff!!!

[@angelaarmie5789]

Nice vid

[@thecomicsamurai]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed!

[@devonmcmillan2876]

Really? Sex said in a comic? That feels so tame and stupid. What are we five? Even as a long time comic collector it's goofy to me that pushes some ones buttons.

[@thecomicsamurai]

I know, right?! I agree with you 100% THAT is why this is such a great comic. It is summed up perfectly in the beautiful Frank Quitely cover. Cyclops knowingly pointing to his head, as if to say, "Use your head, folks. It's just sex." The controversy arises from the creators refusal to acknowledge the hidden words. Sex was not SAID in the comic, it was hidden, and thus arises the controversy. The fact that we're having this conversation, that you felt strongly enough to engage on this platform also proves this comic's power. I absolutely LOVE it. THIS kind of ridiculous stuff is what I dig about comics. They're supposed to be fun entertainment in my opinion. THANK YOU so much for this comment!!!

[@capntopknot]

HAYWIRE #3 Written by Michael Fleisher. 'Nuff said.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Love... and the lash! Now THAT'S a cover!!! Thanks for the comment!

[@TheDjk300ComicGuy]

GL 54 htf.

[@thecomicsamurai]

Yes, and it will continue to get harder to find as the term continues to spread in literary circles. Thanks for the comment!

[@kevinkelley3906]

I can't stand Eric Larsin