COVER STORY: Adventure Comics #300

What makes the best comic book covers? It is a great topic for debate. For us, as individuals, there is no wrong answer, of course; it is purely subjective. But, with a little thought it’s possible to explain what it is about a particular image that grabs you. The best images are the ones that make you stop and check out something you weren’t previously planning to purchase – and in some cases, you even end up picking up a title you’ve never even heard of before.

What is the most copied comic book cover to date? Is it Jim Steranko’s powerful Incredible Hulk Special #1 (October 1968)? Or more recently, is it Todd McFarlane’s web-heavy, top selling work covering Spider-Man #1 from 1990?

Arguably, not even close. If you were looking for covers for the copying, few are paid homage to like National Periodical Publications / DC Comics’ Adventure Comics #300. Featuring a cover date of September 1962, this collector’s item saw first print just north of 60 years ago, and features DC’s “Smallville Sensation” and his myriad super-future compatriots, the star-spanning Legion of Super-Heroes, emblazoned on its frontispiece by artists Curt Swan and George Klein. Needless to say, this must-have collectible is beloved by both multiple generations of fans and an army of hip comic creators. Maybe that’s why we have seen it – or something awfully similar – so many times since.

For example, in 1983 superstar artist Keith Giffen used the same structure of the Adventure Comics cover to Legion of Super-Heroes #301 – which again showcased DC’s future super-teens of the stars. Three years later, veteran comix scribe Alan Moore reportedly asked Swan and the great George Pérez for that same cover format to be applied to the last Silver Age issue of Superman with issue 423. And Moore even took the ingenious cover idea to 1996’s Supreme Vol. 2 #42 published by Image Comics, the second chapter of his award-winning epic, “The Story of the Year.” The Image cover was illustrated by Joe Bennett, who would go on to make history as the artist of Marvel’s top selling Immortal Hulk.

Will the above memorable books be the last we will see of the various homages to Adventure Comics #300? Who knows? You see, great ideas are a dime a dozen – but great covers are forever!

–Scott Braden