The craze for comics is never ending and timeless. The superhero comics or graphic novels have stood the test of time. Even with the arrival of television, personal computers and smartphones, the comic book industry has been able to attract and engage the masses. However, there are many publishers who have not been able to keep up with the fast moving & changing entertainment world. They have lost connection and relevance with the current lot of readers. But comic book giants like Marvel Comics and DC Comics have been able to hold on in the market. One major reason for their success in the current times is adaptability and the skill of understanding the current trends. Today we will be discussing the most selling comics of all time. However we haven’t included Manga in our list. So, here is the list of best selling Marvel and DC comics of all time.
Best selling Marvel and DC comics of All Time
Superman
The first in our list is the pioneer of mainstream super heroism ‘Superman’. Many may find this superhero character boring and dull. But the fact can’t be denied that this character is one of the main reasons for the superhero phenomena running in the world. Superman has been one of the oldest superheroes of the comics world and is arguably the biggest name in the graphic novel industry. With time the superhero has cemented his position as the synonym of superhero & super heroism.
Superman’s character was created by the duo of Jerry Siegel (writer) and Joe Shuster (artist). The superhero saw its first appearance in the comic book Action Comics #1 which was published on 18th of April in 1938. Superman Comics have been the most sold comics in American comic book history and have sold more comic books than any other superhero. The exact sales figures for the early decades are difficult to find. However, the market trends of the 40’s suggest the craze for the comics in masses but it saw a bit decline later. Anyways the comics again rose in the late 80’s. However, the sales of the Superman comic books have seen a dip in recent years.
But the superhero’s legacy can’t be denied. Superman still holds the record of the most selling comics in the history of American Comics and has sold more comics than any other superhero. More than 600 Million copies of Superman comics have been sold till date.
Batman
Next on the list is another DC superhero ‘Batman’. The character of Batman was created by the duo of Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The Bat debuted in the 27th issue of the Detective Comics which was published on the 30th March in 1939. Batman is the alter ego of Bruce Wayne who is a wealthy industrialist and philanthropist. Bruce resides in a fictional city named Gotham. The superhero seeks for vengeance and fights against injustice & crime.
The justice league member and the part time companion of Superman has been able to sell more 480 Million comic book copies till date. But unlike Superman, Batman has seen a rise in recent times. The layered character and mysterious nature of Batman has kept him in the game. At this point of time the Bat is DC’s biggest asset and most bankable character. It won’t be wrong if we say that the Bat has overpowered Superman in the race of being the biggest superhero figure in the DC Universe. Batman’s recent success and steady run in the market has made him a more likeable and bankable superhero. Batman is one the most iconic and successful superheroes of all time.
Spider-Man
Enough of DC now let’s discuss about Marvel Comics. The 3rd on the list is Marvel superhero ‘Spider-Man’. The superhero is one of the most iconic and successful Marvel Comics characters. The superhero character was created by the legendary creator Stan Lee in association Steve Ditko (artist), Spiderman’s character saw its first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 which was published in August 1962. Spider-Man’s character is the alter ego of Peter Parker. He is an orphan raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Parker is a shy and geeky guy who is mostly under confident in life.
Spiderman has started a new era of Superheroes and has given a new twist to the typical superhero storylines. The character has seen huge success in recent times. From his video games, to his merchandise everything has been a huge hit. The superhero has also witnessed an insane run on television (animated series) and has given multiple Blockbusters at the box office. Making him one of the most profitable comic characters ever. He can be termed as the new age Superman (in terms of popularity). More than 385 Million copies of Spider-Man comics have been sold till date.
X-Men
Now comes Marvel’s most successful comics venture ‘X-Men’. The X-Men team first appeared in comics in ‘The X-Men #1’ which was published in 1963. The Mutant Superhero Team was created by the legendary duo of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. But initially the comics were cancelled in the 70’s because of low sales. However, in 1975 the comics saw its revival after writer Chris Claremont’s merger with the comics line. From then on the X-Men became the most popular and renowned comic book series of Marvel Comics.
According to the recent data it is believed that X-Men #1 has sold more than 8.2 million copies which makes it the highest selling single issue comic of all time (American Comics). The comic book was published in 1991.
Captain America
The 5th name in our list is Marvel’s most prominent and one of the oldest Superheroes of the Marvel Universe ‘Captain America’. The superhero was created by Simon and the legendary creator Jack Kirby. Captain America first appeared in the comics ‘Captain America Comics #1’ which was published in March 1941. The character was designed as a patriotic super soldier who often fought the Axis powers of World War II.
Captain America has seen a lot of success with his movie and comic book ventures. The Marvel superhero is considered an answer to DC’s superhero ‘Superman’. Although, Captain doesn’t posses any godly power nor is from any other planet. But his principles, moralities and values make him Superman’s equivalent in comics. Captain America’s movies have been a huge success at the box office but his comics have also fared well in the market. It’s estimated that Captain America has sold more than 200 Million copies of comics till date.
Also Read: Top 10 Muscular Superheroes from DC Comics
