Superhero comic books have been around for nearly a hundred years, at this point. In that most-of-a-century, there have been countless incredible stories and issues. Some have redefined what a comic book can be, and some were so hype that they had us all screaming, desperately waiting for the next issue. There have been issues that left us praying the next one wouldn’t go the way we thought, and some that have us talking to everyone we know in the hobby, theorizing about what could go right or wrong in the story we just read. At the end of the day, countless issues stick in our heads, to the point where we still remember them years later.
Videos by ComicBook.com
For Marvel, 1992 was a year with a ton of stories exactly like that. Every year has issues that fans will remember for decades to come, and today, we’re looking at five of the most memorable issues from that time period. These are the ones that changed everything for fans and the ones that people are always on the lookout for if they’re collectors. Today, we’re looking at five issues from Marvel’s 1992 catalogue that every ’90s fan can still remember as well as when they first read them.
5) Infinity War #1
The movie might have cemented the name in history, but the original comic is no slouch, either. This issue was a direct sequel to the Infinity Gauntlet comic that the movie was based on, and it saw an even greater threat than Thanos claiming unlimited power. The deadly Magus assembled the Cosmic Containment Units, each with power equivalent to the Cosmic Cube. He created an entire army of evil doppelgängers of Marvel’s greatest heroes, pitting them against each other without knowing who they could trust.
This initial issue started one of Marvel’s most packed and ambitious events. It gave us an army of evil heroes replacing the originals, the downfall of Eternity, and even Thanos’s legendary team-up with Adam Warlock’s Infinity Watch. This issue promised action and stakes on a scale that Marvel had never seen before, and whether or not you believe that the series delivered, there’s no denying that this issue had everything it needed to be a near-perfect start to a legendary sequel. They say sequels are never as good as the original, but this issue really wanted to prove all those people wrong.
4) Amazing Spider-Man #360
Every great villain gets their debut somewhere, and issue #360 is where fans were introduced to the bloodcurdling Carnage. Cletus Kasady and the symbiote had both debuted a few issues earlier, even escaping prison together, but they didn’t truly form into the legendary villain until they picked their new name in this issue. His debut was every bit as terrifying and brutal as the character himself. He only appeared on one page, but that page showed him tracking down a person with the dumbest name he could find so he could make him Carnage’s first victim. It’s nonsensical and insane, which is the perfect primer for Carnage’s character.
We don’t even get a proper look at Carnage, but the small bits we do see are enough to terrify. Chris Marrinan didn’t do too much work for Marvel, but this small visage of Carnage was the perfect bridge between terror and intrigue. Carnage is Spider-Man’s brutalest villain, delighting in chaos and murder just as much, if not more so, than even Batman’s own Joker. Carnage has risen to become one of Spider-Man’s most feared enemies, and that all started here, when he showed us the perfect window into his character that stuck with plenty of fans.
3) Venom: Lethal Protector #1
Speaking of Spider-Man’s symbiotic villains, it’s impossible to talk about 1992 without talking about what is possibly the most influential series of that year. Venom had been one of Spider-Man’s deadliest, scariest villains, but with the introduction of Carnage, Eddie tried to turn over a new leaf and protect his home in his own deadly way. This miniseries released its first issue at the very tail end of 1992, hitting store shelves on December 29. It was the ultimate way to close out the year of the symbiotes, and its impact on Venom’s character cannot go understated.
The Venom fandom has always been split on whether they prefer Eddie as a villain or anti-hero, and for decades, this series defined his characterization. It showed that Eddie was a misguided, insane man who carried as much anger as the Hulk, but one who wanted to do the right thing. It started Eddie’s journey to becoming the hero he is today. None of Eddie’s characterization beyond this series would have been possible if this zany, crazy anti-hero hadn’t captured people’s hearts in this very first issue. Watching Venom save people and still very clearly be evil is always a treat.
2) Captain America #400
Not every character can last for four hundred issues, and Captain America almost didn’t. He almost faded into obscurity along with the rest of the wartime heroes, but he roared back to popularity as an Avenger out of time. This issue marked a major milestone, one that most Marvel heroes hadn’t even considered getting close to at that time. Captain America’s landmark 400th issue cemented that the Captain was here to stay for the long haul and introduced fans not only to an incredible celebration of his character but also reintroduced fans to the perfect origin.
This issue was part of the incredible “Operation Galactic Storm” storyline, but this part focused solely on Cap. He fought through a whole retinue of his greatest foes, eventually realizing they were fakes, and literally overpowering them and the Supreme Intelligence by his sheer desire for freedom. If that’s not peak Captain America, I don’t know what is. Of course, his then-current battle was juxtaposed with his emergence from the ice and joining the Avengers, which to this day is Marvel’s greatest retcon of all. This issue was the perfect Captain America celebration, and it is still a fantastic read years later.
1) Spider-Man 2099 (1992) #1
Miguel O’Hara is one of Spider-Man’s most popular alternate takes, and for very good reason. His very first issue established the 2099 brand in a very big way, introducing fans to a character that was soon to become iconic. It threw us right into the action with Miguel post-transformation, then pulled back to show fans how this much darker, almost vampire-like Spider-Man came to be. To this day, this issue is a masterclass in cyberpunk aesthetics, and the cover image of Miguel leaping at the reader is still his most-recognized pose.
This Spider-Man redefined what potential futures could look like for characters. Heck, Miguel’s style of detaching himself from the original while maintaining the essential Spider-Man qualities was the blueprint for the Batman Beyond TV show, which is easily one of DC’s most influential cartoons in and out of the comics. Miguel opened up a whole new world in a way that few other alternate universes have before or since. This issue was fresh and bold in a way that Marvel desperately needed then, and could definitely benefit from now.
Which issue from 1992 is your personal favorite? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
