This year's dominant Key Issues that appeared on the Hot 10 more than other issues
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Iron Man #1
Marvel
•
1968
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
First ongoing title series featuring Iron Man
Origin of Iron Man
Identity of Big M revealed to be Whitney Frost, later known as Madame Masque, the daughter of Count Nefaria
Key Facts
First ongoing title series featuring Iron Man
Origin of Iron Man
Identity of Big M revealed to be Whitney Frost, later known as Madame Masque, the daughter of Count Nefaria
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1
Marvel
•
1982
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st team appearance of G.I. Joe
1st appearance of Snake-Eyes, an Arashikage-trained ninja (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Scarlett, an intel officer (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Grunt, an infantry trooper (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Breaker, a communications officer (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Rock 'N Roll, a machine gunner (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Stalker, a ranger (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Zap, a bazooka soldier (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Short-Fuze, a mortar soldier (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Clutch, a Vamp operator (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Laser, a rifle trooper (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Steeler, a tank commander (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Hawk, a field commander (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Grand Slam, an artillery specialist (G.I. Joe)
1st team appearance of Cobra, a terrorist organization
1st appearance of Cobra Commander, leader and founder of Cobra
1st appearance of Baroness, an intel officer (Cobra)
Writer and Vietnam veteran Larry Hama intended to create a Nick Fury series but after being approached by Hasbro to launch their 3.75-inch action figures, the Fury Force concept was applied to G.I. Joe
Key Facts
1st team appearance of G.I. Joe
1st appearance of Snake-Eyes, an Arashikage-trained ninja (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Scarlett, an intel officer (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Grunt, an infantry trooper (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Breaker, a communications officer (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Rock 'N Roll, a machine gunner (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Stalker, a ranger (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Zap, a bazooka soldier (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Short-Fuze, a mortar soldier (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Clutch, a Vamp operator (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Laser, a rifle trooper (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Steeler, a tank commander (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Hawk, a field commander (G.I. Joe)
1st appearance of Grand Slam, an artillery specialist (G.I. Joe)
1st team appearance of Cobra, a terrorist organization
1st appearance of Cobra Commander, leader and founder of Cobra
1st appearance of Baroness, an intel officer (Cobra)
Writer and Vietnam veteran Larry Hama intended to create a Nick Fury series but after being approached by Hasbro to launch their 3.75-inch action figures, the Fury Force concept was applied to G.I. Joe
Amazing Spider-Man #41
Marvel
•
1966
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Rhino
Amazing Spider-Man #361
Marvel
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st full appearance of Carnage, spawned from the extraterrestrial parasite known as the Venom symbiote
Key Facts
1st full appearance of Carnage, spawned from the extraterrestrial parasite known as the Venom symbiote
House of Secrets #92
DC
•
1971
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of the Swamp Thing, Alex Olsen
[January 2023 - a Swamp Thing horror film is in development at DC Studios]
Key Facts
1st appearance of the Swamp Thing, Alex Olsen
[January 2023 - a Swamp Thing horror film is in development at DC Studios]
Amazing Spider-Man #78
Marvel
•
1969
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of the Prowler, Hobie Brown
Conan the Barbarian #1
Marvel
•
1970
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Conan the Barbarian
1st cameo appearance of King Kull
[March 2026 - A King Conan movie is moving forward at 20th Century Studios, with Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible) writing and directing, and Arnold Schwarzenegger returning to portray the aging barbarian]
Key Facts
1st appearance of Conan the Barbarian
1st cameo appearance of King Kull
[March 2026 - A King Conan movie is moving forward at 20th Century Studios, with Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible) writing and directing, and Arnold Schwarzenegger returning to portray the aging barbarian]
Spider-Man 2099 #1
Marvel
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance and origin of Spider-Man 2099
5-page preview in Amazing Spider-Man #365 and an advertisement in Web of Spider-Man #90
⚠️ Debatable Firsts: many sources cite Amazing Spider-Man #365 as the first appearance of Spider-Man 2099 despite text on the cover of the issue that refers to it as a five-page preview promoting Spider-Man 2099 #1
Key Facts
1st appearance and origin of Spider-Man 2099
5-page preview in Amazing Spider-Man #365 and an advertisement in Web of Spider-Man #90
⚠️ Debatable Firsts: many sources cite Amazing Spider-Man #365 as the first appearance of Spider-Man 2099 despite text on the cover of the issue that refers to it as a five-page preview promoting Spider-Man 2099 #1
Swamp Thing #1
DC
•
1972
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance and origin of the second Swamp Thing, Alec Holland
1st cameo appearance of Anton Arcane
1st appearance of Matt Cable, later becomes the Sandman's raven
1st cameo appearance of the Un-Men
1st appearance of Nathan Ellery, the man who caused the explosion that created Swamp Thing
First ongoing Swamp Thing solo title
Key Facts
1st appearance and origin of the second Swamp Thing, Alec Holland
1st cameo appearance of Anton Arcane
1st appearance of Matt Cable, later becomes the Sandman's raven
1st cameo appearance of the Un-Men
1st appearance of Nathan Ellery, the man who caused the explosion that created Swamp Thing
First ongoing Swamp Thing solo title
Star Wars: The Clone Wars #1
Dark Horse
•
2008
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta Jedi
1st appearance of Captain Rex
Copies ordered by retailers: 24,508
Key Facts
1st appearance Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta Jedi
1st appearance of Captain Rex
Copies ordered by retailers: 24,508
All-Star Comics #58
DC
•
1976
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Power Girl, a Kryptonian cousin of Earth-2 Superman
Key Facts
1st appearance of Power Girl, a Kryptonian cousin of Earth-2 Superman
Batman Adventures #12
DC
•
1993
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Harley Quinn in a standard comic
The Last of Us: American Dreams #1
Dark Horse
•
2013
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
Prequel comic book series released two months prior to the video game launch
Copies ordered by retailers: 6,032
Key Facts
Prequel comic book series released two months prior to the video game launch
Copies ordered by retailers: 6,032
Star Wars: Heir to the Empire #1
Dark Horse
•
1995
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Admiral Thrawn
1st appearance of Mara Jade, the wife of Luke Skywalker
1st appearance of Joruus C'baoth, a clone of Palpatine
1st appearance of Gilad Pallaeon, a commander under Thrawn
Key Facts
1st appearance of Admiral Thrawn
1st appearance of Mara Jade, the wife of Luke Skywalker
1st appearance of Joruus C'baoth, a clone of Palpatine
1st appearance of Gilad Pallaeon, a commander under Thrawn
Ultimate Fallout #4
Marvel
•
2011
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Miles Morales, Spider-Man from an alternate reality
Distributed in a polybag
Diamond Comics Distributors estimates 65,000 copies of the first printing were shipped
Key Facts
1st appearance of Miles Morales, Spider-Man from an alternate reality
Distributed in a polybag
Diamond Comics Distributors estimates 65,000 copies of the first printing were shipped
Star Wars #1
Marvel
•
1977
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
Issues #1 - #6 are an adaptation of 'Star Wars: A New Hope'
1st appearance of Darth Vader
1st appearance of Luke Skywalker
1st appearance of Princess Leia
1st appearance of C-3PO and R2-D2
1st appearance of Grand Moff Tarkin
1st appearance of Beru and Owen Lars
Introduction of Stormtroopers
1st cover appearance of Obi Wan Kenobi and Han Solo (not in story)
📖 Reading Order: read Star Wars (1977) #1 - #6, then Princess Leia #1
Key Facts
Issues #1 - #6 are an adaptation of 'Star Wars: A New Hope'
1st appearance of Darth Vader
1st appearance of Luke Skywalker
1st appearance of Princess Leia
1st appearance of C-3PO and R2-D2
1st appearance of Grand Moff Tarkin
1st appearance of Beru and Owen Lars
Introduction of Stormtroopers
1st cover appearance of Obi Wan Kenobi and Han Solo (not in story)
📖 Reading Order: read Star Wars (1977) #1 - #6, then Princess Leia #1
Uncanny X-Men #130
Marvel
•
1980
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
The Dark Phoenix Saga Part 2
1st appearance of Dazzler
2nd appearance of Kitty Pryde
2nd appearance of Emma Frost
1st full appearance of Sebastian Shaw, the Black King
Jean Grey becomes the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club
Key Facts
The Dark Phoenix Saga Part 2
1st appearance of Dazzler
2nd appearance of Kitty Pryde
2nd appearance of Emma Frost
1st full appearance of Sebastian Shaw, the Black King
Jean Grey becomes the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club
Omega Men #3
DC
•
1983
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter
[January 2023 - Jason Momoa speculated to play Lobo in James Gunn's DC films / December 2024 - confirmed]
Key Facts
1st appearance of Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter
[January 2023 - Jason Momoa speculated to play Lobo in James Gunn's DC films / December 2024 - confirmed]
New Mutants #98
Marvel
•
1991
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Deadpool, a subject of the Weapon X program
1st appearance of Copycat, impersonating Domino
1st appearance of Gideon, a member of The Externals
Key Facts
1st appearance of Deadpool, a subject of the Weapon X program
1st appearance of Copycat, impersonating Domino
1st appearance of Gideon, a member of The Externals
Wolverine #1
Marvel
•
1982
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
First solo Wolverine title
1st cameo appearance of Yukio
First use of the phrase, 'I'm the best there is at what I do'
Key Facts
First solo Wolverine title
1st cameo appearance of Yukio
First use of the phrase, 'I'm the best there is at what I do'
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