Spectacular 100th Issue by Patrick BainSpectacular 100th Issue!  Long-awaited...mightiest...special 100th anniversary!  I feel like the big announcer voice-guy proclaiming "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday"!  And though technically anniversaries happen on a yearly basis, we all love milestone comics like 100, 500, or 1,000.  So, on the occasion of my 100th GoCollect blog, I want to celebrate favorite issue one hundreds from the Seventies.

Spectacular 100th Issue

Amazing Spider-Man 100

Given the debut date of a lot of the Silver Age series, it's not surprising that 8 to ten years later, these publications would celebrate their 100th anniversaries.  Marvel classics reaching their 100-issue milestone during the seventies include Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Conan the Barbarian, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Sgt. Fury, and X-Men.  Did I miss any of your favorites?

On the DC side, many of the series started in the forties.  So, they surpassed mile marker 100 decades earlier.  But Justice League of America and Brave and the Bold both reached 100 in 1972.  Just for fun, why not take those ten centennial (wrong-means 100 years) comics and put them in order by FMV.  I order them at the bottom, so no peeking!

My Favorite 100s

Fantastic Four 100 Spectacular 100th Issue by Patrick Bain

We all have our favorite milestone issues, so why not share yours in the comments.  Unfortunately, while writing my 100th GoCollect blog, I realized that I've never read some of the best Marvel issue 100s.  For example, I'm missing Fantastic Four 100, even though it declared itself the spectacular long-awaited 100th anniversary issue.  Now, that's how you HYPE a comic!  And based on the cover, the Sub-Mariner, Doctor Doom, Hulk and other miscellaneous bad guys will give Marvel's first family all they can handle.

By the way, isn't that what you want in a celebration issue--lots of stars and lots of action!  Tell me what issue 100 packed the most action into one story.

Avengers 100

I'm disappointed to say that Avengers 100, ASM 100, and Daredevil 100 are also missing from my Comic Reading Library .  Deprived.  I'm clearly deprived.  If I can't pick them up soon, then Marvel Unlimited digital versions will have to do.  On the positive side, I enjoyed Sgt. Fury 100, which blends his World War II days with his Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. role.  That was a nice touch to distinguish a special issue.

Now, Captain America 100 is an issue 100 and a first issue at the same time.  I don't really want to count it here, but that issue marked Cap's return to having his own magazine.  Splitting up Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish, and Strange Tales proved to be a great boon for Marvel, but I wish they started them all at once.  As a result, we didn't get an Incredible Hulk 100 or Thor 100.

DC Spectacular 100th Issues

Brave and the Bold 100

Justice League of America 100 and Brave and the Bold 100 both fit in my most nostalgic era.  Both tales featured guests galore and real comic tension for the heroes--including near-death for Batman.  I owned only a coverless copy of B&B 100 for the longest time.  Pre-Internet and GoCollect, I hadn't even SEEN the cover.

Though I missed Nick Cardy's cover art, Jim Aparo illustrated at peak levels back then.  The story and art made an impression even if the comic was worth little.

Justice League of America 100

JLA 100 represented the epitome of JLA-JSA annual team-ups.  The Seven Soldiers of Victory storyline created a cool way to reintroduce these characters.  In fact, with Stargirl on the WB discovering the Seven Soldiers of Victory, these issues deserve even more 'key' recognition.

Another DC comic title with a great history, but needed a reboot in the Seventies, was Showcase.  Their 100th issue with art by Joe Staton cranked up the fun meter.  Kupperberg, Levitz, and Staton reunited the characters that made Showcase awesome during the Silver Age.

Rank the 100s by FMV

Showcase Spectacular 100th IssueHave you thought about these 10 or so milestone issues to put them in order by CGC 9.8 FMV?  Do it quickly because here they are (Not all have FMVs so some assumed):

  • X-Men 100 (1976) $4,700
  • Amazing Spider-Man 100 (1971) $3,500
  • Daredevil 100 (1973) $1,700
  • Justice League of America 100 (1972) sale price $1,315 in 2011
  • Fantastic Four 100 (1970) $1,450
  • Avengers 100 (1972) $1,350
  • Brave and the Bold 100 (1972) sale price $606 in 2021
  • Iron Man 100 (1977) 30 cent - $290; 35 cent variant - $750 sales price for 9.2
  • Sgt. Fury 100 (1972) sale price $287 in 2016
  • Conan the Barbarian 100 (1979) $230
  • Showcase 100 (1978) $120

X-Men 100 appears to be the current winner!  I believe I read the story years ago but will revisit it as part of my X-Men Diary reading journey. Why not read X-Men or another favorite title right along with me?  We can count our way up to the 100th spectacular issue!  In the meantime, my kudos go out to those GoCollect bloggers with HUNDREDS of articles to their credit, rather than the measly 100-ish I have.  And don't forget to leave a comment on your favorite century mark issue.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.