Comic book covers are the images that sell a book to many. They are the reader’s first connection to the comic, and make an argument as to why you should pick up this issue as opposed to all the others with just a single image. There have been countless incredible covers over the years, ones that have gone on to literally change the cover meta around them, and sometimes artists like to pay homage to the greats that have come before. Today we’re going to look at seven comic book covers that have been referenced more than almost any others in the comic landscape, and see exactly why people keep coming back to these covers amongst the thousands of their peers.
1) The Incredible Hulk #340
This is the definitive Hulk and Wolverine cover, and easily one of the coldest covers ever printed. Wolverine was originally introduced as a Hulk antagonist way back in The Incredible Hulk #180, and the two have had a relationship built on pure aggravation and fist fights ever since. This cover perfectly captures the raw vitriol in their rivalry and just looks so good. Wolverine’s expression is pure malice, and Hulk’s reflection as he screams loud enough to shatter windows says everything it needs to about how brutal their fight is going to be. This cover makes perfect use of both of its characters to communicate what it needs to, and just about every Wolverine series needs to make a callback to this on some level. I guarantee you most characters that can do this type of reflection have done it in a cover. Heck, even IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #22 did this with the Shredder and Casey Jones, and it even earned a shot in the Deadpool and Wolverine movie. If that’s not a reference, I don’t know what is.
2) Justice League (1987) #1
This series is best remembered by the name it would take just a few issues into its run, Justice League International. This cover is very simple, but has so much personality. All of the characters are looking directly at the reader, and Guy Gardner literally challenges the reader to say something. This one screams with sass that challenges the initial reaction everyone has to hearing that DC’s headline superhero team is stacked with, at the time, a lot of C-list heroes that don’t represent the ideal Justice League you typically think of. This cover perfectly sets the stage for the comedic, character driven stories inside that this volume is famous for, and is constantly referenced when getting this or similar teams together. This cover might not be referenced all that much anymore, but it was the defining cover for its era, and it seemed like there was a new version of it every other month in this cover’s time. It’s a great cover that does exactly what it set out to do.
3) Uncanny X-Men #141
This is probably the most famous X-Men cover out there, and that is one of the highest bars you can have. This is the cover for the beloved “Days of Future Past” storyline, and shows an older Wolverine and Kitty Pryde spotlighted in front of a wanted poster that reveals the fate of the rest of the X-Men. This was an instant classic format that dozens of comic books have used over the years. If one or more characters are on the run from some authority, you can take a reasonable bet they’ll be in this pose with a similar wanted poster behind them. There are all kinds of homages done of this one, from other Marvel names like Captain America (2011) #6, to DC names like Superboy (1994) #26, to completely unrelated comics like G.I. Joe (2011) #5. A classic, terrifying cover.
4) Amazing Fantasy #15
Obviously, the issue that first introduces Spider-Man is going to be referenced and paid homage to a lot. The image of Spider-Man swinging over New York City with a terrified person tucked under his arm perfectly sets up the character as someone the public might be scared of, but is trying to do the right thing. There is a variant of Spider-Man recreating this exact pose for practically every suit he’s worn, from the black variant to that time he had six arms, and just about every alternate universe version of him. There’s all kinds of homages to this, from other Marvel characters like on Deadpool (1997) #11, and non-Marvel characters like on the covers of classics like Spawn #221 and obscure works like Hardcase #24. This one is simple, dynamic, and plenty of fun to play around with.
5) Flash #123
This is the most classic Flash cover of all time, and it didn’t just introduce a great format for characters who share a name, it introduced the modern concept of DC’s multiverse. Flash comics have definitely reused this format the most, which makes sense considering that the person on the cover literally calls out for the Flash as both heroes race forward, and there are quite a few people who share the Flash mantle. Of course there’s been other great uses of it, like in Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) #9 and Action Comics #445, but this one really gets its best use when multiple versions of a character meet for the first time, either across the multiverse or when two people just share a name. This is a great format not just because it’s dynamic, but because of how well it prepares the reader for the specific type of story this comic will tell. A phenomenal use of the cover in every regard.
6) Action Comics #1
Of course, if the original Spider-Man comic is going to be referenced a million times, then you already know that the first superhero comic ever will be getting its due. The iconic imagery of Superman lifting the green car over his head has been referenced probably more than any other comic book cover out there, both in and out of the books. Superman adaptations especially love to reference this, either with homage covers or when he lifts a similar green car in live action, such as when he did just that in the Superman and Lois tv show. Other comic homages include Wonder Woman doing much the same in one of her first appearances in Sensation Comics #51, and Spider-Man smashing a cop car in The Amazing Spider-Man #306. This is probably the most recognizable comic cover ever, and it’s safe to say that the superhero comic book genre started out very strong with this one.
7) Uncanny X-Men #136 / Crisis on Infinite Earths #7
This one is cheating a bit with a double feature, but both deserve to be on this list, and it’s somewhat impossible to discuss the one second without discussing the first. Uncanny X-Men released before the Crisis cover did, setting the stage for the second comic to release just a short time after. Now, both covers are based on the Pietà, a famous statue of the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Jesus, and there have been hundreds of comics that have used this classic work as a base, but these covers are distinct. Uncanny X-Men shows Cyclops carrying Jean’s body front and center, with despair evident on his face as he cries to the heavens, and you can see the mournful faces of the rest of his allies in the background. This composition is almost exactly reflected in the Crisis cover, where Superman cries out as he holds his dead cousin. Even the way the two men stand, holding the dead women, are nearly identical, with Crisis being a clear homage to Uncanny X-Men. It is very apparent that the Crisis cover is far more popular and specifically the one referenced more, because even as foundational as “The Dark Phoenix” saga is, even it is dwarfed by the legacy of Crisis on Infinite Earths, but it would feel wrong to simply say that all of the homage covers only reference the latter, when it would not exist with the Uncanny X-Men cover. Both are incredible covers that are vitally important to the history of comics, and the fact that they both come from some of the best stories from their respective companies only shows that they pulled out all the stops for these stories in every regard, and we should all be grateful for the phenomenal covers we get on our comics.
So there we have seven of the most influential and referenced comic book covers of all time. Personally, I’d have to say the Crisis cover is my favorite of the bunch here, but the Incredible Hulk cover is a very contentious runner up, and who can hate the “Days of Future Past” one? It’s perfect, especially with the lighting work! Which one is your favorite, and which one that we didn’t cover do you think deserves a place up on this list? Let us know in the comments below!
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