10 Longest Running Marvel Comics Series

Marvel Comics began telling superhero stories back in 1939, after seeing the success of DC’s Superman and Batman. Since then, the publisher has become the foremost purveyor of superheroes, giving fans some of the greatest heroes and villains of all time. This eventually led to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing the House of Ideas to its biggest stage to date. They took the reins of the comic industry in the Silver Age and haven’t let go, giving readers some of the greatest series’ ever. They put out all kinds of books, but some of them have been able to last longer than others, their success helping to define the company.

Nowadays, Marvel loves to relaunch its books over and again, but if you put the various volumes together, you get some very long-running series. These books star some of the greatest Marvel heroes ever, and some of them have reached some rather surprising numbers. These ten Marvel series are the longest running, giving readers some of the best superhero stories of all time.

10) Wolverine – 403 Issues

Wolverine is the best there is, and he’s starred in a lot of comics. Since 1989, Logan has starred in eight solo series, which add up to 403 issues. Like most long published heroes, his earlier series’ reached much higher numbers running than his later ones. He’s the youngest character on this list, having only been around since 1974. Marvel has inexplicably published #900 and #1000 (the House of Ideas has an obsession with pumping numbers to match DC’s longer series) of Wolverine despite his books not reaching those vaunted numbers, but his massive popularity has made him into one of the most published superheroes ever.

9) Invincible Iron Man – 683 Issues

Iron Man is one of Marvel’s most beloved characters in the 21st century. There’s a narrative surrounding the character that is sort of false. It’s been said that he was never popular until the MCU, but this isn’t exactly true, because his series Invincible Iron Man has run for 683 issues. There have been seven volumes of the series over the years, although “Invincible” wasn’t in the title of every volume. His books haven’t always been as popular, but they’ve garnered quite a legend over the years.

8) Daredevil – 687 Issues

Daredevil is one of Marvel’s most beloved series, and has a sterling reputation. While it’s last volume failed, it’s gone for eight volumes and 687 issues, with a new volume on the way. Daredevil is a comic that has boasted some of the greatest runs of the last 40-some odd years with Frank Miller, Ann Nocenti, David Mazzucchelli, John Romita Jr., Kevin Smith, Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti, Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, Ed Brubaker, Mark Waid, and more all giving readers amazing stories starring the long-suffering Matt Murdock. It’s been quite a ride for fans of the Man Without Fear, giving readers one of Marvel’s most pedigreed books.

7) Uncanny X-Men

Uncanny X-Men spent almost three decades as one of the bestselling comics in the comic industry. The book kicked off as X-Men, running for 66 issues as a first run title before becoming a reprint book. Giant-Size X-Men #1 revitalized the book, gaining an uncanny new title, and since then we’ve gotten seven volumes of the series, running for 725 issues. This book contains the longest creative run in Marvel history, a 17-year run by Chris Claremont (if you add up all three of his runs, he’s wrote the team for well over 20 years). This is the premiere mutant comic, and right now, Uncanny X-Men is the best X-title running.

6) Fantastic Four – 731 Issues

Fantastic Four has a very important place in Marvel history. The House of Ideas stopped publishing superhero comics in the ’50s, producing Western, sci-f/horror, and romance comics. DC brought the superhero roaring back with 1956’s Showcase #4, kicking off the Silver Age, and the success of Justice League of America in 1960 opened the door for 1961’s Fantastic Four, the first brainchild of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. The book has run over seven volumes and is up to 731 issues and still kicking. It’s had some ups and downs over the years, but it will always be the world’s greatest comic magazine.

5) Captain America – 781 Issues

Captain America is, paradoxically, the oldest title on this list but not the longest running. The book kicked off in 1941, from Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and has run for 781 issues. It was first published as Captain America Comics, than Captain America’s Weird Tales, then Captain America. There have been 14 volumes of the Star-Spangled Avenger’s adventures, so it’s not only the oldest on the list but also the book that has been rebooted the most. There have been some fantastic runs over the decades, and it’s often been one of Marvel’s greatest titles.

4) The Mighty Thor – 793

Thor has long been one of Marvel’s greatest heroes, and he’s one of its most published characters. The Mighty Thor has an interesting history. Thor first appeared in Journey Into Mystery #83, and starred in the book until issue #125. It became The Mighty Thor with issue #126, and since then has ran through seven volumes, including a volume of The Immortal Thor (although Mortal Thor isn’t given the legacy numbers on its cover, so it doesn’t count apparently), for 793 issues, giving readers runs that have combined sci-fi and fantasy beautifully.

3) Avengers – 802 Issues

The Avengers have become the most beloved superteam to the greater pop culture thanks to the movies, but it has also been Marvel’s most published team over the decades. Avengers was the House of Idea’s version of the Justice League, and has been bringing together the greatest heroes in Marvel history since 1963. There have been nine volumes of the book, and it has run for 802 issues, with a reboot on the way. Sometimes, it’s been the publisher’s bestselling comics and also one of their worst selling, but you’ve always been able to buy it over the last 63 years.

2) The Incredible Hulk – 811 Issues

The Hulk is one of Marvel’s most popular solo heroes, and he’s also their second most published. The Incredible Hulk is another title that debuted in the Silver Age and has an interesting publishing history. It premiered in 1962, ran for six issues and then was cancelled. However, the Hulk was moved over to Tales to Astonish, which was rechristened The Incredible Hulk with issue #102. There have been six volumes of the book, including a volume of The Immortal Hulk (but not the current The Infernal Hulk, which seems to be the way the Immortal books work), and it has run for 811 issues so far. Hulk is the strongest one there is, especially when it comes to selling comics.

1) The Amazing Spider-Man – 988 Issues

Spider-Man is Marvel’s most popular character, so it’s not really all that surprising that he has their longest running series. The Amazing Spider-Man first started in 1963, after the character’s blockbuster introduction in Amazing Fantasy #15 (by the by, there’s a Marvel Comics #1000 and Amazing Fantasy #1000, but neither of them actually reached those numbers; it’s just number envy). There have been 9 volumes of the series and it’s gearing up for its thousandth issue, having run for 988 issues. It’s been able to reach this number because there were times when it’s came out as many as three times a month for years at a time. It’s the longest title in Marvel history.

What’s you favorite long-running Marvel series? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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