Top 10 bizarre miracles

10.

Joseph of Cupertino

Joseph of Cupertino was an Italian Franciscan friar who is considered a saint and a mystic. He is said to have sprung into a spontaneous levitation in October of 1630, during a procession in honor of another saint, Francis of Assisi. Joseph of Cupertino remained hovering over the crowd for a while, eventually returning to the ground. Because he experienced this levitation more than once, including in front of Pope Urban VIII, Joseph of Cupertino is considered the patron saint of pilots and astronauts.

9

St. Bernadette

According to the Roman Catholic church, some bodies of the deceased can become miraculously incorruptible, meaning they do not change form after death. These bodies remain flexible and without decay for an infinite amount of time with no intervention, such as embalming. One such occurrence of incorruptibility is St. Bernadette, who, as of 2012, has been dead for more than 130 years and is said to be in the same condition as she appeared in life.

8

Fatima, Portugal

In the Cova da Iria fields near Fatima, Portugal, a miracle occurred with the sun in October of 1917. According to legend, three shepherd children reported that the Virgin Mary told them a miracle would occur on a certain date and time, and thousands of people gathered to witness it. At high noon, after a patch of rain and clouds, the sun suddenly appeared in the sky as a spinning disk. According to witnesses, the sun then zig-zagged towards the Earth. This miracle was officially sanctioned by the church in 1930.

7

Atika, Japan Statue

A nun by the name of Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa had a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1973, and afterwards experienced stigmata on one of her hands which began to bleed. In June of the same year, a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary in her church spontaneously started to bleed in the same place. The statue went on over the next few years to cry and sweat also without explanation. Scientists collected samples of the blood, sweat, and tears, and determined that they were real and human. Sister Agnes was subsequently cured of total deafness with no treatment.

6

Martin de Porres

Martin de Porres was a lay brother of the Dominican Order who resided in Peru. Among the miracles he is said to have performed, including healing sick patients, is his ability to be in two places at once – literally. Martin de Porres was seen in distant places like Mexico and Japan while he remained at home in Peru. De Porres would provide proof of the journeys in his other body by means of a detailed description of the locations. Martin de Porres was canonized in 1962.

5

The Statue of Cartago

Costa Rica

In 1635, a young girl in Cartago is supposed to have taken a small statue of a mother and child from a footpath and brought it home with her. The next day, the statue disappeared from her home and she found it again in the same location along the path. After this happened once more, she brought the statue to a priest who, after telling her it was a statue of the Madonna and child, put it inside a box. The statue disappeared once again, reappearing along the footpath. This miraculous statue was eventually placed on display at the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles.

4

Roman Eucharist

In a Roman mass that took place in 595, one of the women who had prepared the bread for the Eucharist began to laugh at the notion that the bread and wine were really the flesh and blood of Christ. Pope St. Gregory, present at the time, denied the woman communion. Shortly after, some of the bread prepared by the woman became actual blood and flesh. Some of this relic is still housed in Anechs, Germany.

3

Seminole Finance building

One of the more recent miracles, this episode tool place in Clearwater, Florida beginning in late 1996. Suddenly and without explanation, an image of the Virgin mother appeared on the side of the Seminole Finance Building, which is outfitted in large panes of black glass. The rainbow colored image stood two stories tall, and withstood vandals throwing liquid on the side of the building. More than 500,000 faithful people went to visit this unexplained vision.

2

Healings of Willard Fuller

Many miracles involve some sort of medical healing, but most involve serious or even terminal illness, not something much more minor and easily treatable. However, Willard Fuller, a Louisiana man, became known for his miraculous dental healings. From the 1940s through the 1970s he reportedly healed the dental cavities and other health issues of his believers. Some of his healed witnesses reported gold fillings suddenly appearing in teeth where none had existed before.

1

Voice of Saint Clelia Barbieri

Instead of appearing as a visual apparition, Saint Clelia Barbieri, an Italian woman who is also the youngest founder of a Catholic community, can still be heard audibly. While passing away of Tuberculosis at the young age of 23, Clelia Barbieri reportedly told her fellow parishioners she would never abandon them. Her voice was first heard miraculously exactly one year after she died, in the form of a high-pitched singing voice, at times harmonizing with the church choir. Her voice continues to be heard in the communities of Usokami and Wadakanchery.
Miracles can take many forms, and must have witnesses to be sanctioned as official by the church. Whether you believe in miracles or consider yourself a healthy skeptic, these bizarre miracles make for good stories and are sure to incite conversation in almost any crowd.

10wtf images of famous people

10.

Francis Ford Coppola

9

Allen Ginsberg

8

Che Guevara

7

Elvis Presley

6

Stanley Kubrick

5

Audrey Hepburn & Anthony Perkins

4

Sean Connery

3

John, Yoko, and Andy Warhol

2

Michael Jackson

1

Hitchcock and his Kids

The source for all of these humorous images can be found.

top10 careers damaged by photographs

10.

Mike Dukakis

Damaged Political Career

Mike Dukakis was the Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979, and the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. During his presidential run, Dukakis was criticized for being too soft on defense. To prove that he took his country’s defense very seriously, someone had a brilliant idea to get a picture of him in a tank. The plan was for the picture to become his key image for the campaign. However, it didn’t quite turn out that way. The now famous photo op was such a disaster that the Dukakis tank picture was used in television ads for George H.W. Bush’s campaign, as evidence that Dukakis would not make a very convincing commander-in-chief. “Dukakis in the tank” is still used to describe a backfired public relations campaign.
Interesting Fact: In 1986, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had been photographed in a similar situation riding in a Challenger tank. For some reason, even though it was somewhat out of character the image was effective and helped her reelection prospects. You can see the picture here.

9

Shane Gibson

Damaged Political Career

In 2002, Shane Gibson was a member of the, then ruling, Progressive Liberal Party, and was elected to the Parliament of the Bahamas as the Immigration Minister. In February 2007, after the death of Anna Nicole Smith, newspapers published photographs showing the famous model and Gibson in bed together embracing. Even though both were fully clothed, the photographs fired up a controversy because it appeared that a sexual relationship between the two had expedited Smith’s application for permanent residency in the Bahamas. Gibson then resigned because of all the questions and rumors surrounding the nature of his relationship with Smith. When Gibson stepped down, he denied any wrongdoing and apologized to all persons who might have been offended by anything that he might have said or done that was perceived wrong.
Interesting Fact: Soon after Anna Nicole Smith died, the most popular taxi tour in the Bahamas was called (what else) The Anna Nicole Smith Tour. The sightseeing included the Hospital in Nassau where her son Daniel died, the home where she lived with Howard K. Stern and her five month old daughter, the Church where her funeral was and Lakeview Memorial Gardens where she and her son are buried.

8

Michael Phelps

Damaged Endorsement Career

Michael Phelps is often credited with being the greatest swimmer and one of the greatest Olympians of all time. He has won 14 career Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian. In 2009, a photo by the British tabloid News of the World showed Phelps using a bong and smoking marijuana. Following the publication, an investigation followed but, due to lack of evidence, Phelps was not charged. He was however suspended from swimming competitively for three months, and Kellogg announced that it would not renew his endorsement contract. The cereal company stated that his recent behavior is “not consistent with the image of Kellogg.” Cereal deals are usually worth around $250,000, but it is believed that Phelps’ deal was much more. Phelps apologized, said he demonstrated bad judgment and that his behavior was regrettable.
Interesting Fact: Many of Kellogg’s cereal boxes, that were intended for a food bank, with Phelps’s picture on them disappeared after the he was dropped by Kellogg. It was confirmed that some were kept as souvenirs and others were showing up on e-Bay. Other Phelps endorsed companies like Subway, Visa and Omega (note the watch in the photo) believed Phelps was no different than other people of his generation who experiment or make youthful mistakes, and kept him on as a spokesperson.

7

Millard Tydings

Damaged Political Career

Millard Tydings was a United States Democratic Senator from Maryland, from 1927 to 1951. In 1950, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed that there was Communist penetration into the federal government and military. Tydings responded and investigated by forming and overseeing the Tyding hearings. After the hearings he published a report denouncing McCarthy and his Communist claims as a hoax. When Tydings was running for re-election, McCarthy’s staff distributed a picture of Tydings with Earl Browder, who was the former leader of the American Communist Party. In reality, Tydings had never met Browder before and the picture was actually a composite of a 1938 photo of Tydings (right) and a 1940 photo of Browder (left). The image is believed to have contributed to Tydings’ defeat in his bid for reelection. You can see the pictures used to create the composite photo here.
Interesting Fact: Millard Tydings is the grandfather of actress Alexandra Tydings who is best known for her role as the Greek goddess Aphrodite on the popular TV series Hercules, and on its spin-off, Xena.

6

Vanessa Williams

Damaged Beauty Queen Career

In 1983, Vanessa Williams became the first African- American to be crowned Miss America. Ten months after Williams was crowned, she received an anonymous phone call stating they had nude photos of her. The photos were taken in 1982, by Photographer Tom Chiapel, when she worked as an assistant and makeup artist for Mount Kisco, New York. According to Williams, Chiapel wanted to try a new concept of silhouettes using two female models. He photographed Williams and another woman in several nude poses with some in simulated sexual positions. Williams believed the photographs were private and had been destroyed, and never signed a release permitting the photos to be used. Days later, the publisher of Penthouse, Bob Guccione, announced that his magazine would publish the pictures in their September 1984 issue. When the photos hit the news stand, sponsors threatened to pull out of the upcoming 1985 pageant. Williams then resigned after pressure was put on her by Pageant officials. The title then went to the first-runner up, Suzette Charles, who is also African-American.
Interesting Fact: Williams is officially recognized today as “Miss America 1984″ and Suzette Charles as “Miss America 1984b”. The photos netted Bob Guccione a huge profit of $14 million. Williams filed a $500 million lawsuit against Chiapel and Guccione but eventually dropped the suit to avoid further legal battles, choosing to move on with her life. Williams is quoted as saying, “the best revenge is success”.

5

Kate Moss

Damaged Modeling Career

Kate Moss is a British supermodel and has appeared on over 300 magazine covers. On September 2005, the Daily Mirror ran a front page and inside photos showing 31 year old Moss snorting cocaine at a West London recording studio. The images were captured during a Daily Mirror undercover investigation, which revealed that Moss, who repeatedly denied using cocaine, was an avid user. She reportedly prepared up to 20 lines of coke on the back of a plastic CD and snorted five lines in 40 minutes. Within a short time after the photos were published, Moss lost major modeling contracts with several international companies including H&M, Chanel and Burberry. Moss quickly issued an apology but stopped short of admitting drug use and said “I take full responsibility for my actions.” In June 2006, after an investigation, British police dropped the charges for lack of evidence because photographs of alleged drug-taking are not admissible evidence in English courts.
Interesting Fact: Apparently the damage to her modeling career did not last long. In 2007, she came in 2nd on the Forbes top-earning models list, earning an estimated £6,500,00.00 ($9 million) in one year.

4

Chris Brown

Damaged Singing Career

Chris Brown is a very popular American singer and actor. On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats. The police report did not name the female in the incident but stated that a woman had “suffered visible injuries”. Sources identified the alleged victim as his girlfriend and fellow R&B singer, Rihanna. A leaked photograph from the Los Angeles Police Department, obtained by TMZ, revealed Rihanna had sustained visible injuries. After the photo was released, many of Browns fans were disgusted and outraged. Following his arrest and the release of the photo, several of his commercial ads were suspended and his music was withdrawn from multiple radio stations. Brown also withdrew his appearance at the 2009 Grammy Awards. On June 22, 2009, Brown pled guilty to the felony assault. In exchange for his plea, Brown received five years probation and was ordered to stay fifty yards away from Rihanna, unless at public events, which then will be reduced to ten yards.
Interesting Fact: In a 2009 interview, Brown said that it is “tough” for him to look at the famous photograph released of Rihanna’s battered face, which may be the one image to haunt and define him forever.

3

Gary Hart

Damaged Political Career

Gary Hart was a United States Senator from Colorado and was the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in the 1988 presidential election. Soon after he announced his candidacy for President, rumors began to circulate that Hart was having an extramarital affair. Hart responded to the rumors by daring the press, and said “Follow me around. I don’t care. I’m serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’ll be very bored.” Previously to that meeting with the press, two reporters from the Miami Herald observed a woman who was identified as Donna Rice coming out of Hart’s Washington D.C. townhouse. The paper was able to publish the story on the same day as Hart’s challenge. Hart claimed that the reporters had no knowledge of exactly when the woman arrived or why she was there. Two days after that story, the Herald obtained a photograph of Rice sitting on Hart’s lap in Bimini aboard a yacht, ironically named Monkey Business. The celebrity tabloid National Enquirer immediately published the photograph and within five days, Hart dropped out of the Presidential race.
Interesting Fact: Because of the scandal, Donna Rice lost her job as a marketing representative for a pharmaceutical company in South Florida. She refused many opportunities offered to her after the scandal, including an appearance in Playboy magazine.

2

Edison Chen

Damaged Entertainment Career

Edison Chen is a very popular Hong Kong-based Chinese Canadian film actor, singer and pop icon. Chen has a total of 16 albums, and has appeared in 28 films. In January 2008, Chen was involved in a widely publicized sex scandal when sexually explicit photographs of himself and several actresses became widely circulated on the Internet. The pictures were taken from Chen’s laptop by a technician who was repairing it. There were approximately 1,300 pictures, which included actresses Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Cecilia Cheung and many others. Mr. Chen had originally claimed that the photos were faked but then admitted to taking the photos. Chen then held a press conference where he said that he was ashamed and was leaving show business indefinitely. Following his apology Chen attended a rehab center in Utah, for “sex addiction.”
Interesting Fact: Due to the photo scandal, the Google search engine rankings for 2008 resulted in Chen’s Chinese name being the number 1 search term in China.

1

General Nguyen Ngoc Loan

Damaged Entire Career

The photo above was taken in 1968, and is one of the most famous images of the 20th century. The picture was taken by photographer Eddie Adams and won the Pulitzer Prize. It is also included in the 15 Incredible Historical Photographs list. Many have seen this photograph but most are not aware of the full story behind it. The man on the left shown executing a prisoner is South Vietnamese national police commander, General Loan. Before the execution it was reported that the prisoner had been the captain of a terrorist squad that killed the family of one of his deputy commanders. After shooting the prisoner, the general walked over to a reporter and said, “These guys kill a lot of our people, and I think Buddha will forgive me.” When the photo was shown on television and appeared on the front pages of newspapers around the world, it was seen as an act of savagery and symbolized an unjustified war. Three months after the photo was taken, General Loan was severely wounded and taken to Australia for treatment. There was such an outcry against him that he was moved to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington DC. During the fall of Saigon in 1975, he asked for American help in fleeing with his family but was ignored and had to escape with his family in a South Vietnamese plane. Gen. Loan, whose right leg had been amputated, settled in northern Virginia, where he eventually opened a pizzeria restaurant. Loan was then forced into retirement when his identity was publicly disclosed. Eddie Adams (the photographer) stayed in touch and recalled that on his last visit to the pizza shop, he had seen written on a restroom wall “We know who you are, fucker.”
Interesting Fact: Eddie Adams said this in a Time magazine interview: “The general killed the Viet Cong; I killed the general with my camera. Still photographs are the most powerful weapon in the world. People believe them, but photographs do lie, even without manipulation. They are only half-truths. What the photograph didn’t say was, ‘What would you do if you were the general at that time and place on that hot day, and you caught the so-called bad guy after he blew away one, two or three American soldiers?’” When General Loan died of cancer, in 1998, Adams praised him and sent flowers with a card that read, “I’m sorry. There are tears in my eyes.”

top10 bizarre books

10.
How to Abandon Ship

Phil Richards and John J. Banigan

Buy it at Amazon
Apparently, getting off a sinking ship is more complicated than you’d think! First published in 1938, this novel little volume was written from the voice of experience since one of its authors was forced by the Nazis to abandon the Robin Moor before they torpedoed it in 1941. While the authors do discuss the necessity of departing one’s ship in an orderly fashion due to a variety of circumstances, they also explore concepts like buoyancy and open sea boatmanship. Just in case you thought jumping off was a matter of counting three and hoping for the best, give this informative survival guide a try if you have any plans to go sailing.

9

Gangsta Rap Coloring Book

Anthony “Aye Jay” Moreno

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Many adults do enjoy coloring and this is certainly a selection better suited to a grown-up than a kid since it features a cover-size gun, well, right on the cover. Many of hip-hop’s most memorable and, indeed, colorful rappers are depicted by thick black illustrations that await the bold hand of an artist. Biggie dares you to color him pink. Thugs to some and musical superstars to many, these rappers will have you sharpening your kids’ Crayolas in no time (see bizarre book selection #3 for assistance). Since this book was published in 2004, copies are still widely available from venues like Amazon.com.

8

The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices

Brenda Love

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This book might stifle conversations as much as it starts them depending on who you invite over. In general, this is not mother-in-law material, so hide it from the coffee table when she visits. With 700 entries that include everything from love potions to the most unusual sexual practices on earth, this book does contain and portray some highly unusual stuff that is not for the faint of heart. Anyone interested in the bizarre or, at least, highly unusual practices of humans will be both shocked and entertained to learn what floats some people’s boats when it comes to sexuality.

7

Urine Therapy!

P.P. Powers

Full Title: Urine Therapy! Confessions of a Mad Pee Drinker
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One would expect this to be a joke book given the pseudonym of the author, but urine drinking for health benefits is a real concept and this isn’t the only book devoted to it – just the one with the best title, book jacket, and personal reflections. Published in 2007, this intriguing “self-improvement” book, as described by its own author, suggests that drinking one’s own urine over a period of time can cure chronic ailments. The author describes his own experiences drinking “midstream morning urine” and how the practice cured his depression, fatigue, dandruff, irritable bowel syndrome, bad skin and fibromyalgia (many readers will be wondering if he’s on Match.com). According to P.P., the fountain of youth may truly be inside each and every one of us.

6

Manifold Destiny

Chris Maynard and Bill Scheller

Full Title: Manifold Destiny: The One! The Only! Guide to Cooking on Your Car Engine!
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It’s true that twenty-first century vehicles are far better insulated than twentieth century cars, making this a nearly-obsolete cookbook unless you have a vintage car – probably anything pre-1990. On the other hand, if your engine runs hot, this cookbook is still in print and filled with many great recipes that you can make right on your car engine. Ideal for traveling cooks who don’t mind cooking with fumes, this book covers one-of-kind cookery. One reviewer maintained that engines steam everything and always leave his vegetables al dente, but if you can discover the knack of this vehicular art, you’ll never have to pull into a greasy roadside diner again! You can crank open your hood and run your own.

5

Natural Bust Enlargement

Donald L. Wilson

Full Title: Natural Bust Enlargement with Total Mind Power: How to Use the Other 90% of Your Mind to Increase the Size of Your Breasts
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Published by the Total Mind Power Institute in 1979, this book takes the “I think I can, I think I can” concept to a surprising new level. One must assume that there might be a few glitches contained in this highly unusual do-it-yourself book or the cosmetic surgery industry wouldn’t be booked quite so solid with breast enhancement appointments. As an odd publication, it does, however, have its place in lists of bizarre books. Kudos to the book’s cover, as well.

4

If We Can Keep a Severed Head Alive

Chet Fleming

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Published in 1988, this book also contains the author and inventor’s patent for a device that keeps the head of a mammal alive. A considerable portion of this book provides an explanation as to why this inventor, who is also a practicing attorney, devised a patent he says he does not intend to use. It’s unclear as to whether or not Fleming advocates the practice of keeping severed heads alive or simply wants to explore the possibilities that the marvels of science and technology may provide in the future.

3

How to Sharpen Pencils

David Rees

Full Title: How to Sharpen Pencils: A Practical & Theoretical Treatise on the Artisanal Craft of Pencil Sharpening for Writers, Artists, Contractors, Flange Turners, Anglesmiths, & Civil Servants
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If you’ve ever lamented that you stuck your pencil into a cheap twenty-five-cent plastic sharpener – those children’s gadgets that break more tips than they sharpen – this book is for you! Painstakingly crafted and nearly exhaustive in its coverage of an unusual subject, this author treats pencil sharpening seriously and, upon reading it, you’ll take it more seriously, too. Witty and informative, this highly irregular volume may seem bizarre unless you happen to be sitting there with a broken pencil and are unsure how to best sharpen it for use again.

2

C is for Chaffing

Mark Remy

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A child’s alphabet book of running, this strange little book and its correspondingly disturbing cover is about the good and the bad, the pretty and the ugly sides of running. The title, of course, simply dares the onlooker to open this book up and give it a whirl, but some of the subject matter, like vomiting after a race, is about as gross a topic as that covered in Walter the Farting Dog: Banned from the Beach by William Kotzwinkle, an honorable mention and runner up for this list of bizarre books.

1

Gadsby

Ernest Vincent Wright

Full Title: Gadsby: A Story of Over 50,000 Words without Using the Letter “E”
Buy it at Amazon
It’s unclear what the author had against this most popular of vowels when he wrote this novel of constrained writing, but there is, indeed, no trace of this letter in the work. Considering all the English verbs that require the –ed ending, this is a remarkable, albeit bizarre, achievement. This self-published work is a highly collectible book in spite of its unusual treatment of a popular letter. Published in 1939, this odd novel is perfectly readable and contains a reasonable plot, proving that the letter “e” is not as e-ssential as one might have thought.
These highly bizarre books are certainly wonderful for book collectors of the weird or unusual in printed form, but they are incredibly interesting reads for anyone who needs a break from the ordinary. Share them with friends or leave them out during a party to enliven your conversations and provide some unusual subject matter for discussion.

top10 significant moments in comic history

10. The Rise of the X-Men 1963

The X-Men are a team of science-fictional comic book characters as super heroes and, occasionally, super villains in the Marvel Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they debuted in The X-Men #1, published in September 1963. The X-Men are fictitious ‘mutants’ who, as a result of a sudden leap in evolution, are born with latent ‘superhuman’ abilities, which generally manifest themselves at or very near puberty. In the stories, many ordinary humans harbor an intense fear and/or distrust of mutants (often referred to as Homo superior), who are regarded by a number of scientists as the next step in human evolution and are thus widely viewed as a threat to human civilizations. Though the X-Men, under the tutelage of Professor Charles Xavier, are generally viewed as ‘heroic’, the antithesis would be the ‘evil’ Brotherhood controlled by Xavier’s much more human-mistrusting, Magneto.
9. Todd McFarlane Draws Spider-Man 1988

In 1988, Todd McFarlane joined writer David Micheliene on Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man. Starting with issue 298; McFarlane changed the character’s appearance, making him more spider-like with bigger eyes, a leaner physique, and contorted body language when web swinging, as well as making his webbing look more detailed and unique. His interpretation would be imitated by many subsequent Spider-Man artists and remains so to this day. McFarlane also helped create Venom, a wildly popular villain. (Director Sam Raimi came to McFarlane for the initial sketches of Venom for the Spider-Man 3 movie) McFarlane’s work on Spider-Man turned him into an industry superstar.
8. The First Major ‘Death’ in Comics 1976-1980

The Dark Phoenix Saga is an extended X-Men storyline in the fictional Marvel Comics Universe, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force ending in Grey’s apparent death. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by Dave Cockrum and John Byrne. It is sometimes divided into two parts; with the Phoenix Saga (X-Men [vol. 1] #101-108, 1976-77) referring to Grey’s seeming assumption of the power and repair of the M’Kraan Crystal and the Dark Phoenix Saga (X-Men vol. 1 #129-138, 1980) to her corruption and fall. It is one of the most well-known and heavily referenced comic stories, and widely considered a classic.
7. Darkseid Versus The Legion of Super Heroes

Though ultimately thwarted by the combined might of every superhero in the 30th century—including time-travelers Supergirl and Superboy—Darkseid got the last laugh as he cursed the LSH thusly: “That which is purest of you shall be the first to go!” The ruler of Apokolips made good when he kidnapped one of Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl’s twins, went back in time with the child and transformed him into the monstrous Validus, one of the Legion’s greatest foes!
6. The Dark Knight Returns #25 Frank Miller, 1986

This cover, along with Watchmen #1 (which was released six months later in September of 1986), seemed to denote a sea change in how comics were marketed and sold to the public, and indicated a greater reliance on an older and more sophisticated audience. Now over 15 years old, this cover has been lampooned, parodied, swiped, stolen and reproduced probably more than any other image of the era. It a simple composition, but one with tremendous mood and intrigue. Miller imparts a remarkable amount of information with this minimalist composition, relying on the iconic silhouette of Batman to carry the narrative weight of the cover. This, along with Batman’s first Detective Comics appearance, are nearly tied and hugely significant to the genre.
5. First Appearance of the Wolverine Incredible Hulk #180, 1974

Published in November 1974, Hulk 181 was written by Len Wein and illustrated by Herb Trimpe. The comic featured the debut of the animal-themed character, ‘Wolverine’. Originally created as a throwaway character for an adventure in Canada, Wolverine had a very brief introduction in Incredible Hulk #180. It was this cameo that was considered his first true appearance for quite some time. Sometime within the last ten years the issues flip-flopped and Hulk 180 was knocked down to cameo status. In 1975 Wolverine appeared in Giant-Size X-men #1 as a new team member. Over the next decades his popularity and legend grew until he was starring in his own mini-series and eventually a solo title in 1988.
4. The Two Biggest Comic Companies Combine 1996

Two entities who are brothers, personifying the DC and Marvel comic universes, become aware of each other’s existence. They challenge each other to a series of duels involving each universe’s respective ‘best’ superheroes, with the losing universe ultimately ceasing to exist. There are eleven primary battles between the heroes, with the outcome of five fights being determined by ‘fan votes’. Marvel eventually receives more votes than DC, although the storyline does not show one side as being victorious. The “brothers” resolve the situation by temporarily creating a new universe, called the ‘Amalgam Universe’, which is occupied by merged versions of many of the heroes, such as Dark Claw— a unity of DC’s Batman and Marvel’s Wolverine. An inter-dimensional traveler called ‘Access’ eventually manages to restore the universes to their original and sound states. In 1997 the miniseries won the Comic Buyers Guide Fan Award for Favorite Limited Series.
3. The Death of an Icon 1993

The Comic that served as the catalyst for DC Comic’s crossover event of 1993. The completed multi-issue story arc was given the title “The Death and Return of Superman”. The trade paperback version is the best selling graphic novel of all time. The storyline’s premise is as simple as its title: Superman engages in battle with a seemingly unstoppable killing machine named Doomsday in the streets of Metropolis. At the fight’s conclusion, both combatants die from their wounds. Eventually, after four new heroes appear in Superman’s stead, the Man of Steel does return to reclaim his rightful position.
2. The Web-Slinger’s Origin 1962

With issue #15 (August 1962) Amazing Adult Fantasy was renamed Amazing Fantasy and slated for cancellation. With nothing to lose, publisher Martin Goodman agreed to allow Lee to introduce Spider-Man, a new kind of Superhero — one who would be a teenager, but not a sidekick, and one who would have everyman doubts, neuroses and money problems. Sales for Amazing Fantasy #15 proved to be one of Marvel’s highest at the time and The Amazing Spider-Man was quickly launched to capitalize on the new character’s apparent popularity.
Amazing Fantasy #15, as the debut issue of Marvel’s most popular character, is, among fans and collectors, one of the most important and valued comic books in the history of the medium.
1. An American Classic is Born 1938

Action Comics is the American Comic Book series, which introduced Superman, the first major ‘Superhero character’ as the term is popularly defined. The company, after several name changes, would go on to become DC Comics. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster saw their creation, Superman, AKA Kal-El (originally Kal-L), launched in Action Comics #1 in April 1938 (cover-dated June). (Approximate present-day value (In “near mint” condition): $1,380,000 USD.). Superman permanently changed the medium of comic books and strips by formalizing a new fantasy subgenre.