The 100 Best Comics of the 20th Century!

The 100 List | The Reviewers | List Making
Cartoonist Kayfabe

The Comics Journal #210 (1999)
Cover by Seth

THE 100 BEST COMICS OF THE 20th CENTURY!
as compiled by The Comics Journal #210, 1999

1. Krazy Kat (1913-1944)
   by George Herriman
   
   
2. Peanuts (1950-2000)
   by Charles Schulz
   
   
3. Pogo (1949-1973)
   by Walt Kelly
   
   
4. Maus (1986-1991)
   by Art Spiegelman
   
   
5. Little Nemo in Slumberland (1905-1927)
   by Winsor McCay
   
   
6. Feiffer (1956-1965)
   by Jules Feiffer
   
   
7. Donald Duck (1942-1965)
   by Carl Barks
   
   
8. MAD #1-24 (1952-1956)
   edited by Harvey Kurtzman
   
   
9. Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary (1972)
   by Justin Green
   
   
10. The Weirdo Short Stories (1981-1993)
    by Robert Crumb
    
    
11. Thimble Theatre (1925-1938)
    by E.C. Segar
    
    
12. EC War Comics (1950-1955)
    by Harvey Kurtzman & Others
    
    
13. Wigwam Bam (1990-1993)
    by Jaime Hernandez
    
    
14. Human Diastrophism / Blood of Palomar (1986-1987, revised 1988)
    by Gilbert Hernandez
    
    
15. The Spirit (1940-1951)
    by Will Eisner
    
    
16. RAW Magazine (1980-1991)
    edited by Art Spiegelman & Francoise Mouly
    
    
17. The ACME Novelty Library (1993-present)
    by Chris Ware
    
    
18. Polly & Her Pals (1912-1958)
    by Cliff Sterrett
    
    
19. Sketchbooks (1964-present)
    by Robert Crumb
    
    
20. Uncle Scrooge (1952-1967)
    by Carl Barks
    
    
21. The New Yorker Cartoons (1925-1968)
    by Peter Arno
    
    
22. The Death of Speedy Ortíz (1987)
    by Jaime Hernandez
    
    
23. Terry & The Pirates (1934-1946)
    by Milton Caniff
    
    
24. Flies On The Ceiling (1988-1989)
    by Jaime Hernandez
    
    
25. Wash Tubbs / Captain Easy (1924-1943)
    by Roy Crane
    
    
26. Harvey Kurtzman's Jungle Book (1959)
    by Harvey Kurtzman
    
    
27. Palestine (1993-1995)
    by Joe Sacco
    
    
28. The Mishkin Saga (1992-1994)
    by Kim Deitch with Simon Deitch
    
    
29. Gasoline Alley (1981-1951)
    by Frank King
    
    
30. The Fantastic Four (1961-1969)
    by Jack Kirby with Stan Lee
    
    
31. Poison River (1988-1992, revised 1994)
    by Gilbert Hernandez
    
    
32. Plastic Man (1941-1950)
    by Jack Cole
    
    
33. Dick Tracy (1931-1977)
    by Chester Gould
    
    
34. Theatrical Caricatures (1928-2003)
    by Al Hirschfeld
    
    
35. Spider-Man (1962-1966)
    by Steve Ditko with Stan Lee
    
    
36. Calvin & Hobbes (1985-1996)
    by Bill Watterson
    
    
37. Doonesbury (1970-present)
    by Garry Trudeau
    
    
38. Yummy Fur Autobiographical Comics (1988-1993)
    by Chester Brown
    
    
39. Editorial Cartoons (1964-present)
    by Pat Oliphant
    
    
40. The Kinder-Kids (1906)
    by Lyonel Feininger
    
    
41. From Hell (1989-1998)
    by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
    
    
42. Ghost World (1993-1997)
    by Daniel Clowes
    
    
43. The Amphigorey Books (1972, 1975, 1983)
    by Edward Gorey
    
    
44. The Idiots Abroad (1982-1987)
    by Gilbert Shelton & Paul Mavrides
    
    
45. Paul Auster's City of Glass (1994)
    by Paul Karasik & David Mazzucchelli
    
    
46. Cages (1990-1998)
    by Dave McKean
    
    
47. The Buddy Bradley Stories in Neat Stuff & Hate (1986-1998)
    by Peter Bagge
    
    
48. The Cartoons (1927-1961)
    of James Thurber
    
    
49. Understanding Comics (1993)
    by Scott McCloud
    
    
50. Tantrum (1979)
    by Jules Feiffer
    
    
51. Alec (1981-2010)
    by Eddie Campbell
    
    
52. It's a Good Life if You Don't Weaken (1993-1996)
    by Seth (aka Gregory Gallant)
    
    
53. The Editorial Cartoons (1929-2001)
    of Herblock
    
    
54. EC Horror Comics (1950-1955)
    by Al Feldstein & various
    
    
55. Frank (1992-present)
    by Jim Woodring
    
    
56. Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer (1988-1996)
    by Ben Katchor
    
    
57. A Contract With God (1978)
    by Will Eisner
    
    
58. New Yorker Cartoons (1935-1988)
    by Charles Addams
    
    
59. Little Lulu (1945-1959)
    by John Stanley
    
    
60. Alley Oop (1933-1971)
    by V.T. Hamlin
    
    
61. American Splendor #1-10 (1977-1983)
    by Harvey Pekar & Others
    
    
62. Little Orphan Annie (1924-1968)
    by Harold Gray
    
    
63. Hey Look! (1946-1949)
    by Harvey Kurtzman
    
    
64. Goodman Beaver (1962)
    by Harvey Kurtzman & Bill Elder
    
    
65. Bringing Up Father (1913-1954)
    by George McManus
    
    
66. Zippy (1970-present)
    by Bill Griffith
    
    
67. The Passport (1954)
    by Saul Steinberg
    
    
68. Barnaby (1942-1946, 1952)
    by Crockett Johnson
    
    
69. Madman's Drum (1930)
    by Lynd Ward
    
    
70. Jimbo (1976-1996)
    by Gary Panter
    
    
71. The Book of Jim (1993)
    by Jim Woodring
    
    
72. Rubber Blanket Short Stories (1991-1993)
    by David Mazzucchelli
    
    
73. The Cartoon History of the Universe (1990-present)
    by Larry Gonick
    
    
74. Ernie Pook's Comeek (1979-2008)
    by Lynda Barry
    
    
75. Black Hole (1995-2005)
    by Charles Burns
    
    
76. Master Race (1955)
    by Bernie Krigstein & Al Feldstein
    
    
77. Li'l Abner (1934-1977)
    by Al Capp
    
    
78. Sugar & Spike (1951-1992)
    by Sheldon Mayer
    
    
79. Captain Marvel (1941-1953)
    by C.C. Beck & Otto Binder
    
    
80. Zap (1967-1998)
    by Robert Crumb & others
    
    
81. The Lily Stories (1992-2002)
    by Debbie Drechsler
    
    
82. Caricature (1995)
    by Daniel Clowes
    
    
83. V for Vendetta (1982-1983, 1988-1989)
    by Alan Moore & David Lloyd
    
    
84. Why I Hate Saturn (1990)
    by Kyle Baker
    
    
85. The Willie & Joe Cartoons (1944-1945)
    by Bill Mauldin
    
    
86. Stuck Rubber Baby (1995)
    by Howard Cruse
    
    
87. New Yorker Cartoons (1926-1995)
    by George Price 
    
    
88. The Fourth World Comics (1970-1974)
    by Jack Kirby
    
    
89. Autobiographical Comics (1974-2012)
    by Spain Rodriguez
    
    
90. Mr. Punch (1994)
    by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean
    
    
91. Watchmen (1986-1987)
    by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
    
    
92. Pictopia (1986)
    by Alan Moore & Don Simpson
    
    
93. Dennis the Menace (1951-1994)
    by Hank Ketcham
    
    
94. The Humour Comics (1942-1973)
    of Basil Wolverton
    
    
95. Los Tejanos (1982)
    by Jack Jackson
    
    
96. Dirty Plotte #1-12 (1991-1998)
    by Julie Doucet
    
    
97. The Hannah Story (1994)
    by Carol Tyler
    
    
98. Barney Google (1919-1942)
    by Billy De Beck
    
    
99. The Bungle Family (1924-1945)
    by George Tuthill
    
    
100. Prince Valiant (1937-1971)
     by Hal Foster

Read about the making of the TCJ Top 100 Comics list here...

The Making of 'The 100 Best Comics' List

The 100 List | The Reviewers | List Making
Cartoonist Kayfabe

TOM SPURGEON, TCJ EDITOR:
(Editorial from The Comics Journal #210, 1999)
Everyone tells us this is a bad idea. One of the Journal's most respected critics went so far as to write the editors a letter begging us not to try, suggesting that the entire idea of making lists out of art was antithetical to this magazines stated aims and goals. Other complaints have ranged from "it's unnecessary" to "it's completely without value."

We disagree. Comics, more than any other medium, benefits from a broad view. Very few art forms have as polluted a sense of history as comics. When the past is lauded, it is for its contribution to the present-day project or icon rather than for the works themselves. Moreover, the typical way of accessing the art form is through items of complete disposability; the daily newspaper, or the monthly serial comic book. And those are the comics that one can find. Others, including the most-lauded works of the last 30 years, have been accessed and read by less than 10,000 people.

Those within comics are extremely aware of this, a problem in and of itself. The story of this mediums struggle against commercial restraints and the blandness of its generally-held mass audience values is so deeply ingrained within the views of many knowledgeable comics readers that it has changed the way the medium is viewed. Most egregiously, it allows for a sort of critically apologetic dialogue: a comic is great within the context of its depraved origins, not as art itself; even more pointedly, there are not great comics works as much as there are great comics creators struggling against apathy or more insidious tyrannies of the market-place.

This list is a call for an uncompromising re-examination of the comics medium in terms of its best works. It is our hope that in viewing the achievements of the comics art form across a century - from the lurid, pulpy fun of its adventure comics to the well-crafted drama of its serial strips to the startling idiosyncratic delicacy of its high-end artistic triumphs - comics readers will see the medium in a new light. Casual or occasional readers may find a number of comics works worthy of their attention, while more serious readers may re-discover them.

We should note, particularly for first time readers, that the following is, unapologetically this magazine's list. Other serious comics readers no doubt have different ways of looking at the art form - we weren't interested in diluting what we have to offer by seeking a form of consensus that would by definition be political rather than aesthetic (the various comics industries are awash in politics of the most casual, well-meaning kind). Longterm readers will note that the areas of interest in this magazine - classic strips, the modern alternative comic, cartoon-related illustration - are well represented here. This magazine's view of the art form has been developed for more than 20 years, and it's one we believe has an enormous amount of value. We look forward to reading and enjoying other comparable lists, if any are attempted.

The most basic casualty of this approach is that this is a list of English-language comics, our magazine's area of interest, concentration and expertise. While our dedication to international works from Lat to Moebius to Tezuka to Mattotti to Swarte and hundreds of others remains as strong as ever, our critical focus has always been on English-language comics, specifically American comics (And except for those artists published through North American outlets, it can hardly said to be a British list; a more thorough examination of the best comics from the United Kingdom is in the planing stages).

Seth is right, writing in the article on cartoonist's lists that follows, when he says it is too bad that the following is not an international list - but that is a mistake that has more to do with the Journal's critical history than the design of the list. A list that purported to be international in scope that leaned exclusively toward popular, translated-only works would be a bigger distortion than one that excludes them outright. So in that respect, the Journal will follow the lead of similar list makers and stay primarily within our own borders. Similarly, despite the fashion in this decade to embrace a sequential definition of comics, this magazine has always studied panel cartoonists and cartoon-illustrators with a favour equal to comics artists. For that reason, they are included here.

A brief note about our process: The columnists - representing a cross-section of the Journal's writers - were asked to submit Top 100 lists. Those lists, together with those made by the editors, were used to compile a master list - placing a high value on consensus (also when it came to noting which comics were names: short story, series, graphic novel, or a career's output) and level of ranking.The editors took that master list, and after intense period of discussion and debate that included calling upon written sources, professionals and scholars, adjusted it very slightly, resulting in the following list...

...While our contribution to this end-of-century process ends here, yours can begin after its reading. And the larger process, whereby art is consistently and thoroughly examined and re-examined, continues, we hope, for as long as there are works to consider.

See the "TCJ 100 Best Comics of the Century!" list here...

FURTHER READING:
TCJ.com: The Comics Journal #210
Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter 
A Moment of Cerebus: The 'Cerebus' Omission 

Read Yourself RAW! - An Introduction

Read Yourself Raw (Pantheon Books, 1987)

edited by Art Spiegelman & Francoise Mouly

The aim of this blog is simply to highlight the cutting-edge comics of today and explore classic comics of the past.

The name of the blog is a tribute to the 1980s experimental comics magazine RAW, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly. Specifically, the name is taken from the 1987 collection, which featured the best of the first three issues of RAW. 

A total of eleven issues of RAW were published between 1980 and 1991 (eight over-sized, self-published issues in Volume 1, with a further three digest-sized issues in Volume 2 published by Penguin Books). The magazine's influence on a generation of artists cannot be understated. It even made it onto David Bowie's list of "top 100 must-read books".

FURTHER READING:
Art Spiegelman & RAW: His Other Masterpiece by Allen Rubenstein
In Love With Art: Francoise Mouly's Adventures in Comics With Art Spiegelman by Jeet Heer
RAW Magazine at Wikipedia

CONTACT:
E: Read [dot] Yourself [dot] RAW [at] gmail [dot] com

The 100 Best Comics List Reviewers

The 100 List | The Reviewers | List Making
Cartoonist Kayfabe

BART BEATY:
37. Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau
43. Amphigorey by Edward Gorey
45. City of Glass by Paul Karasik & David Mazzacchelli
46. Cages by Dave McKean
52. It's a Good Life if You Don't Weaken by Seth
56. Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer by Ben Katchor
82. Caricature by Daniel Clowes
84. Why I Hate Saturn by Kyle Baker
96. Dirty Plotte by Julie Doucet

ROBERT BOYD:
6.   Feiffer by Jules Feiffer
22. The Death of Speedy Ortíz by Jaime Hernandez
51. Alec by Eddie Campbell
85. The "Willie & Joe" cartoons by Bill Mauldin
86. Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse
89. The Autobiographical Comics of Spain Rodriguez

CHRIS BRAYSHAW:
27. Palestine by Joe Sacco

GREG CWIKLIK:
10. The Weirdo Short Stories by Robert Crumb
15. The Spirit by Will Eisner
100. Prince Valiant by Hal Foster

RON EVRY:
53. The Editorial Cartoons of Herblock
64. Goodman Beaver by Harvey Kurtzman & Bill Elder

GARY GROTH:
19. The Sketchbooks of Robert Crumb
59. Little Lulu by John Stanley
93. Dennis the Menace by Hank Ketcham
95. Los Tejanos by Jack Jackson

R.C. HARVEY:
3.   Pogo by Walt Kelly
12. EC War Comics by Harvey Kurtzman & Others
18. Polly & Her Pals by Cliff Sterrett
21. The New Yorker Cartoons of Peter Arno
23. Terry & the Pirates by Milton Caniff
29. Gasoline Alley by Frank King
32. Plastic Man by Jack Cole
34. The Theatrical Caricatures of Al Hirschfeld
39. The Editorial Cartoons of Pat Oliphant
60. Alley Oop by V.T. Hamlin
65. Bringing Up Father by George McManus
77. Li'l Abner by Al Capp
98. Barney Google by Billy De Beck

CHARLES HATFIELD:
9.   Binky Brown Meets The Holy Virgin Mary by Justin Green
14. Blood of Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez
31. Poison River by Gilbert Hernandez
38. The Autobiographical Comics from Yummy Fur by Chester Brown
55. Frank by Jim Woodring
81. The Lily Stories by Debbie Drechsler
88. The Fourth World Comics by Jack Kirby

GREG KANNENBERG JR:
4.   Maus by Art Spiegelman
36. Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson
66. Zippy by Bill Griffith

RICH KREINER:
5.   Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay
17. The ACME Novelty Library by Chris Ware
30. Fantastic Four by Jack Kirby with Stan Lee
40. The Kin-der-Kids by Lyonel Feininger
49. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
91. Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
92. Pictopia by Alan Moore & Don Simpson

DAVID LASKY:
62. Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray

CHRIS MAUTNER:
47. The Buddy Bradley Stories by Peter Bagge

RAY MESCALLADO:
24. Flies On The Ceiling by Jaime Hernandez
41. From Hell by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
44. The Idiots Abroad by Gilbert Shelton & Paul Mavrides
50. Tantrum by Jules Feiffer
73. The Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick
83. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore & David Lloyd

JIM OTTAVIANI:
61. American Splendor #1-10 by Harvey Pekar & Others

MARSHALL PRYOR:
74. Ernie Pook's Comeek by Lynda Barry

ERIC REYNOLDS:
11. Thimble Theatre by E.C. Segar
63. Hey Look! by Harvey Kurtzman

LARRY RODMAN:
58. The New Yorker Cartoons of Charles Addams
90. Mr. Punch by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean

GIL ROTH:
71. The Book of Jim by Jim Woodring
72. The Rubber Blanket short stories by David Mazzucchelli

DAVID RUST:
57. A Contract With God by Will Eisner
75. Black Hole by Charles Burns

ROBERT EDISON SANDIFORD:
33. Dick Tracy by Chester Gould

ART SPIEGELMAN:
99. The Bungle Family by George Tuthill

TOM SPURGEON:
1.   Krazy Kat by George Herriman
13. Wigwam Bam by Jaime Hernandez
25. Wash Tubbs by Roy Crane
28. The Mishkin Saga by Kim Deitch & Simon Deitch
48. The Cartoons of James Thurber
67. The Passport by Saul Steinberg
68. Barnaby by Crockett Johnson
69. God's Man by Lynd Ward
70. Jimbo by Gary Panter
76. Master Race by Bernie Krigstein & Al Feldstein
78. Sugar & Spike by Sheldon Mayer
80. Zap by Robert Crumb & Others
87. The New Yorker cartoons of George Price
94. The Humour Comics of Basil Wolverton

DARCY SULLIVAN:
8.   MAD by Harvey Kurtzman & Others
42. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes

KIM THOMPSON:
2.   Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz
7.   Donald Duck by Carl Barks
16. RAW Magazine edited by Art Spiegelman & Francoise Mouly
20. Uncle Scrooge by Carl Barks
26. The Jungle Book by Harvey Kurtzman
54. EC Horror Comics by Al Feldstein & Others
97. The Hannah Story by Carol Tyler

KENT WORCESTER:
35. Spider-Man by Steve Ditko with Stan Lee
79. Captain Marvel by C.C. Beck & Otto Binder