In Retroactive I’ll take you on a visual comic cover tour of the past covering all the covers for a particular series. Each entry will cover an entire year and I’ll always have one comic from DC and one comic from Marvel. At the end of each edition of Retroactive I’ll select my overall favourite cover for that year for each series. Last time on Retroactive we covered Detective Comics 1981 and Amazing Spider-Man 2005. If you need a refresher, just click HERE. Below you’ll find the two series that I’m currently covering. Click on that specific logo to be instantly taken directly to that series. The last section is reserved for my Top Picks from each year. Click the logo or travel to the third page to view them.
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Detective Comics 1982
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Amazing Spider-Man 2006
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The Speech Bubble 
Batman usually faces 3 different kinds of enemies:
– The psychos (Joker, Mad Hatter, Ventriloquist and so on);
– The villains that are not that insane but definitely are mentally disturbed (Riddler, Poison Ivy and so on);
– The ones that aren’t psychos nor mentally disturbed (Bane, the Penguin and so on).
Detective Comics # 511 deserves the gold medal, because it shows a villain you can’t classify so easily. Ok, he’s an illusionist (probably a DC clone of Mysterio), but there are a lot of questions that this cover leaves unanswered: is he lucid or insane? And what kind of illusions does he create? And how will Batman manage to break the spell? Questions, questions, questions. And, as you always write, the more a cover raises questions, the greater it is.
Silver medal for Detective Comics # 521, simply because my eyes shine each time I see Green Arrow (especially the mature, bearded, old fashioned version of the character).
Bronze medal for Detective Comics # 512, because of the extremely detailed background.
As for Spidey, I pick ASM # 531. As you know, I’m a big fan of slice – of – life moments in superhero comics, so a cover like that would have convinced me to buy the issue even if I had had to pay 5 bucks for it. : )
P.S.: Last year I wrote down a list of the best story arcs and single issues I’ve ever read.
Well, a few days ago I saw a cover of Superior Spider Man showing the 2099 version of Spidey, and that cover made me remember a wonderful single issue that definitely deserved to be added to that list: http://marvel.wikia.com/Doom_2099_Vol_1_35.
I picked that issue from my shelves, I read it again, and I was shocked by the absolute perfection of that story. I do suggest you to read it if you can get it somehow.
“Detective Comics # 511 deserves the gold medal, because it shows a villain you can’t classify so easily. Ok, he’s an illusionist (probably a DC clone of Mysterio), but there are a lot of questions that this cover leaves unanswered: is he lucid or insane?”
He’s definitely a character I’ve never seen before…or at least didn’t remember as apparently he popped up in 52 #25. Other than that issue he only ever made three more appearances so I guess he wasn’t too popular/in-demand. You nailed it on the Mysterio connection as well since “He uses a gem that causes people to see elaborate illusions. He commits crimes while his victims are occupied fighting against these illusions”
I’m also a fan of Detective Comics #520. How creepy does Hugo Strange look here?
“As for Spidey, I pick ASM # 531.”
I was so, so close to picking that one as well. Who would have ever thought we’d get a cover where Spidey, Iron Man, and Cap are sitting on a couch watching TV? Simply great!
“I do suggest you to read it if you can get it somehow.”
Thanks for the recommendation. I wonder if we’ll ever see the return of Doom 2099 since Spidey 2099 is making a comeback?
Unfortunately I don’t think so, but while there’s life there’s hope… thank you as well for your reply! : )
It has to be Detective Comics #514 for me. I’ve never seen a cover like that before and the composition is extraordinary. I would definitely have picked that off the spinner rack. Who’s the artist?
The artist is none other than the legendary Dick Giordano. Thanks for sharing your selection as well!