Codex / Key issues
Collector layer
Key issues
213 milestone appearances — first appearances, deaths, returns and team changes — each tied to the character record that explains why it matters. Every entry is dated and attributed to its publisher.
| Year | Character | Milestone | Issue | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Superman | First appearance | Action Comics #1 | DC Comics |
| 1939 | Namor the Sub-Mariner | First appearance | Marvel Comics #1 | Timely Comics |
| 1939 | Batman | debut | Detective Comics #27 | DC Comics |
| 1939 | Batman | origin | Detective Comics #33 | DC Comics |
| 1940 | Hawkman | First appearance | Flash Comics #1 | DC Comics |
| 1940 | The Spectre | First appearance | More Fun Comics #52 | DC Comics |
| 1940 | Batman | key | Batman #1 | DC Comics |
| 1940 | The Joker | debut | Batman #1 | DC Comics |
| 1940 | Nightwing | key | Detective Comics #38 | DC Comics |
| 1940 | Catwoman | debut | Batman #1 | DC Comics |
| 1941 | Aquaman | First appearance | More Fun Comics #73 | DC Comics |
| 1941 | Captain America | debut | Captain America Comics #1 | |
| 1941 | Green Arrow | debut | More Fun Comics #73 | DC Comics |
| 1941 | The Penguin | debut | Detective Comics #58 | DC Comics |
| 1942 | Two-Face | debut | Detective Comics #66 | DC Comics |
| 1943 | Vandal Savage | First appearance | Green Lantern #10 | DC Comics |
| 1944 | Mister Mxyzptlk | First appearance | Superman #30 | DC Comics |
| 1948 | Mad Hatter | debut | Detective Comics | DC Comics |
| 1948 | The Riddler | debut | Detective Comics #140 | DC Comics |
| 1956 | The Flash | First appearance | Showcase #4 | DC Comics |
| 1957 | Captain Cold | First appearance | Showcase #8 | DC Comics |
| 1958 | Cosmic Boy | First appearance | Adventure Comics #247 | DC Comics |
| 1960 | Amazo | First appearance | The Brave and the Bold #30 | DC Comics |
| 1961 | Human Torch | First appearance | Fantastic Four #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1961 | Invisible Woman | First appearance | Fantastic Four #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1961 | Shadow Thief | debut | The Brave and the Bold #36 | DC Comics |
| 1961 | The Thing | debut | Fantastic Four #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1962 | Hulk | First appearance | The Incredible Hulk #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1962 | Thor | First appearance | Journey into Mystery #83 | Marvel Comics |
| 1963 | Cyclops | First appearance | The X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1963 | Doctor Strange | First appearance | Strange Tales #110 | Marvel Comics |
| 1963 | Doctor Polaris | First appearance | Green Lantern #21 | DC Comics |
| 1963 | Iceman | First appearance | The X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1963 | Magneto | First appearance | The X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1963 | Mera | First appearance | Aquaman #11 | DC Comics |
| 1963 | Molecule Man | First appearance | Fantastic Four #20 | Marvel Comics |
| 1963 | Professor X | First appearance | The X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1963 | Iron Man | First appearance | Tales of Suspense #39 | Marvel Comics |
| 1964 | Quicksilver | First appearance | The X-Men #4 | Marvel Comics |
| 1964 | Scarlet Witch | First appearance | The X-Men #4 | Marvel Comics |
| 1964 | Captain America | key | Avengers #4 #4 | |
| 1964 | Daredevil | debut | Daredevil #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1964 | Black Widow | debut | Tales of Suspense #52 | Marvel Comics |
| 1964 | Hawkeye | debut | Tales of Suspense #57 | Marvel Comics |
| 1965 | Beast Boy | First appearance | Doom Patrol #99 | DC Comics |
| 1965 | Hawkeye | key | The Avengers #16 | Marvel Comics |
| 1966 | Parasite | First appearance | Action Comics #340 | DC Comics |
| 1966 | Silver Surfer | First appearance | Fantastic Four #48 | Marvel Comics |
| 1967 | Banshee | debut | The X-Men #28 | Marvel Comics |
| 1967 | Batgirl | debut | Detective Comics #359 | DC Comics |
| 1968 | Franklin Richards | First appearance | Fantastic Four Annual #6 | Marvel Comics |
| 1968 | Polaris | First appearance | The X-Men #49 | Marvel Comics |
| 1970 | Green Arrow | key | Green Lantern | DC Comics |
| 1971 | Ra's al Ghul | First appearance | Batman #232 | DC Comics |
| 1972 | Luke Cage | debut | Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 | |
| 1974 | Wolverine | First appearance | The Incredible Hulk #181 | Marvel Comics |
| 1974 | The Thing | key | Marvel Two-in-One #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1974 | The Punisher | debut | The Amazing Spider-Man #129 | Marvel Comics |
| 1975 | Nightcrawler | First appearance | Giant-Size X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1975 | Storm | First appearance | Giant-Size X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1975 | Wolverine | Joins team | Giant-Size X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1975 | Banshee | key | Giant-Size X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1975 | Colossus | debut | Giant-Size X-Men #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 1977 | Black Lightning | First appearance | Black Lightning #1 | DC Comics |
| 1977 | Sabretooth | First appearance | Iron Fist #14 | Marvel Comics |
| 1978 | Firestorm | First appearance | Firestorm the Nuclear Man #1 | DC Comics |
| 1978 | Mystique | First appearance | Ms. Marvel #16 | Marvel Comics |
| 1979 | Ant-Man | debut | The Avengers | Marvel Comics |
| 1980 | Jean Grey | Death | Uncanny X-Men #137 | Marvel Comics |
| 1980 | Madame Web | First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #210 | Marvel Comics |
| 1980 | Madame Web | debut | The Amazing Spider-Man #210 | Marvel Comics |
| 1980 | Raven | First appearance | DC Comics Presents #26 | DC Comics |
| 1980 | Starfire | First appearance | DC Comics Presents #26 | DC Comics |
| 1980 | Taskmaster | First appearance | The Avengers #195 | Marvel Comics |
| 1981 | Destiny | First appearance | Uncanny X-Men #141 | Marvel Comics |
| 1981 | Pyro | First appearance | Uncanny X-Men #141 | Marvel Comics |
| 1981 | Rogue | First appearance | Avengers Annual #10 | Marvel Comics |
| 1982 | Terra | debut | The New Teen Titans | DC Comics |
| 1983 | Lobo | First appearance | The Omega Men #3 | DC Comics |
| 1984 | Terra | key | Tales of the Teen Titans | |
| 1984 | Nightwing | debut | The New Teen Titans | DC Comics |
| 1985 | John Constantine | debut | The Saga of the Swamp Thing #37 | DC Comics |
| 1986 | Apocalypse | First appearance | X-Factor #5 | Marvel Comics |
| 1986 | Batman | key | The Dark Knight Returns #1 | |
| 1986 | The Joker | key | The Dark Knight Returns #3 | |
| 1987 | Batman | key | Batman: Year One #404 | |
| 1987 | The Punisher | key | The Punisher #1 | |
| 1987 | Green Arrow | key | Green Arrow | |
| 1987 | Catwoman | key | Batman: Year One | |
| 1988 | Batman | key | Batman: The Killing Joke | |
| 1988 | Batman | key | Batman: A Death in the Family #427 | |
| 1988 | The Joker | key | Batman: The Killing Joke | |
| 1988 | The Joker | key | Batman: A Death in the Family #427 | |
| 1988 | Green Arrow | key | Green Arrow #1 | |
| 1988 | Red Hood | debut | Batman: A Death in the Family #427 | |
| 1988 | Batgirl | key | Batman: The Killing Joke | |
| 1991 | Deadpool | First appearance | The New Mutants #98 | Marvel Comics |
| 1991 | Deadpool | debut | The New Mutants #98 | Marvel Comics |
| 1991 | Bishop | debut | Uncanny X-Men #282 | Marvel Comics |
| 1992 | Doomsday | First appearance | The Death of Superman | DC Comics |
| 1992 | Harley Quinn | debut | Batman: The Animated Series | |
| 1993 | Static | First appearance | Static #1 | Milestone Media |
| 1993 | Static | debut | Static #1 | Milestone Media |
| 1993 | Superman | Death | Superman #75 | DC Comics |
| 1993 | Bane | debut | Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 | |
| 1993 | Bane | key | Batman #497 | DC Comics |
| 1994 | Harley Quinn | key | Batman: The Animated Series | |
| 1996 | Batman | key | Batman: The Long Halloween #1 | |
| 1996 | Two-Face | key | Batman: The Long Halloween | |
| 1997 | Deadpool | key | Deadpool #1 | Marvel Comics |
| 2001 | Colossus | Death | Uncanny X-Men | Marvel Comics |
| 2001 | Zoom | debut | The Flash | DC Comics |
| 2005 | Captain America | key | Captain America: Winter Soldier #1 | |
| 2006 | Hiro Nakamura | debut | Heroes | NBC |
| 2011 | Homura Akemi | key | Puella Magi Madoka Magica | Shaft |
| Chrollo Lucilfer | key | Hunter x Hunter | Shueisha | |
| Cyclops | key | Uncanny X-Men | Marvel Comics | |
| Deadpool | key | X-Force | Marvel Comics | |
| Denki Kaminari | key | My Hero Academia | Shueisha | |
| Denki Kaminari | key | My Hero Academia | Shueisha | |
| Haruhi Suzumiya | key | The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya | Kadokawa | |
| Madame Web | key | The Amazing Spider-Man | Marvel Comics | |
| Minato Namikaze | key | Naruto | Shueisha | |
| Minato Namikaze | key | Naruto | Shueisha | |
| Quicksilver | key | The Avengers | Marvel Comics | |
| Shoto Todoroki | debut | My Hero Academia | Shueisha | |
| Shoto Todoroki | key | My Hero Academia | Shueisha | |
| Toru Hagakure | key | My Hero Academia | Shueisha | |
| Elongated Man | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Elongated Man | key | JLA | DC Comics | |
| Multiple Man | key | X-Factor | Marvel Comics | |
| Triplicate Girl | debut | Adventure Comics | DC Comics | |
| Triplicate Girl | key | Adventure Comics | DC Comics | |
| Ant-Man | key | The Avengers | Marvel Comics | |
| Choji Akimichi | key | Naruto | Shueisha | |
| Black Canary | key | JLA | DC Comics | |
| Kyoka Jiro | key | My Hero Academia | Shueisha | |
| Kyoka Jiro | key | My Hero Academia | Shueisha | |
| Star Boy | debut | Adventure Comics | DC Comics | |
| Star Boy | key | Legion of Super-Heroes | DC Comics | |
| Scarecrow | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Mad Hatter | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Hashirama Senju | key | Naruto | Shueisha | |
| Shikamaru Nara | key | Naruto | Shueisha | |
| Shikamaru Nara | key | Naruto | Shueisha | |
| Bishop | key | X-Force | Marvel Comics | |
| Duplicate Boy | debut | Adventure Comics | DC Comics | |
| Colossus | key | Uncanny X-Men | Marvel Comics | |
| Luke Cage | key | Marvel Team-Up | Marvel Comics | |
| Luke Cage | key | The Avengers | Marvel Comics | |
| Daredevil | key | Daredevil | Marvel Comics | |
| Toph Beifong | debut | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Nickelodeon | |
| Toph Beifong | key | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Nickelodeon | |
| Zoom | key | The Flash | DC Comics | |
| Nightwing | key | The New Teen Titans | DC Comics | |
| Nightwing | key | Final Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Nightwing | key | Identity Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Nightwing | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| The Punisher | key | Marvel Team-Up | Marvel Comics | |
| The Punisher | key | Daredevil | Marvel Comics | |
| The Punisher | key | The Punisher | ||
| The Punisher | key | The Amazing Spider-Man | Marvel Comics | |
| Black Widow | key | The Avengers | Marvel Comics | |
| Black Widow | key | Daredevil | Marvel Comics | |
| Black Widow | key | Tales of Suspense | Marvel Comics | |
| Black Widow | key | Avengers Disassembled | Marvel Comics | |
| Black Widow | key | Daredevil | Marvel Comics | |
| Hawkeye | key | The Avengers | Marvel Comics | |
| Hawkeye | key | The Avengers | Marvel Comics | |
| Hawkeye | key | Avengers Disassembled | Marvel Comics | |
| Hawkeye | key | Marvel Team-Up | Marvel Comics | |
| Hawkeye | key | Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars | Marvel Comics | |
| Green Arrow | key | Final Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Green Arrow | key | Identity Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Harley Quinn | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| Harley Quinn | key | Identity Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Harley Quinn | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| Harley Quinn | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Catwoman | key | Batman: The Long Halloween | ||
| Catwoman | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Catwoman | key | The Dark Knight Returns | ||
| Catwoman | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| The Riddler | key | Batman: The Long Halloween | ||
| The Riddler | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| The Riddler | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| The Riddler | key | Batman: Year One | ||
| The Riddler | key | The Dark Knight Returns | ||
| The Penguin | key | Batman: The Long Halloween | ||
| The Penguin | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| The Penguin | key | Batman: Year One | ||
| The Penguin | key | Batman: The Long Halloween | ||
| The Penguin | key | The Dark Knight Returns | ||
| Two-Face | key | Batman: Year One | ||
| Two-Face | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| Two-Face | key | The Dark Knight Returns | ||
| Two-Face | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Red Hood | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| Red Hood | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| Red Hood | key | Identity Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Red Hood | key | Batman: The Killing Joke | ||
| Red Hood | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Batgirl | key | Identity Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Batgirl | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| Batgirl | key | Final Crisis | DC Comics | |
| Batgirl | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| Bane | key | Batman | DC Comics | |
| Bane | key | Detective Comics | DC Comics | |
| John Constantine | key | The Saga of the Swamp Thing | DC Comics | |
| John Constantine | key | Identity Crisis | DC Comics | |
| John Constantine | key | The Saga of the Swamp Thing | DC Comics | |
| Roy Mustang | key | Fullmetal Alchemist | Square Enix | |
| Roy Mustang | key | Fullmetal Alchemist | Square Enix | |
| Roy Mustang | key | Fullmetal Alchemist | Square Enix |