1994's Best Graphic Novel Was So Good, Even Stan Lee Called It A Leap Forward For Comics

Published Sep 6, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words. Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II. Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno. Nineteen ninety-four was a huge year for comics, as the industry suffered from the collapse of the comic speculator bubble, but it still managed to produce a historic graphic novel that was described as "a giant leap forward in the evolution of illustrated literature" by Marvel impresario Stan Lee. And while Lee - co-creator of iconic characters including the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and Avengers - was no stranger to bombastic salesmanship, the comic in question has proved his claim true by appearing on pretty much every 'Best Comics of All Time' list in the modern day. Here's what you need to know about 1994's best comic, why Lee considered it such a masterpiece, and the sprawling spiritual sequel that can give you a LOT more of what made this particular graphic novel an all-time great. MARVELS Remains One of the Best Comics of All Time Published in 1994, MARVELS is a five-part series from Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross, following photojournalist Phil Sheldon as he witnesses the dawning of the age of superheroes. Chronicling Namor's attack on the surface world, the arrival of the Fantastic Four and Avengers, and Spider-Man's combative relationship with his bosses at The Daily Bugle, Sheldon is pulled into the action when prejudice against mutants confronts him with a deeply personal dilemma. MARVELS has become the definitive account of the early days of the Marvel Universe, consolidating early comic adventures to depict a blossoming shared universe from the ground-level perspective of someone who doesn't know the dense lore behind the demigod battles that are beginning to characterize life in New York. What Stan Lee Said About MARVELS MARVELS was (and remains) a triumph on pretty much every level. Busiek's writing conveys the awe of witnessing the impossible, while also acting as a believable period piece, in a story that spans from the late 1930s to mid-70s. As described by Marvel, the writer carried out extensive research for the story, finding new connections between early stories: How was I to know, when I wanted to set up Galactus as an apocalyptic figure in #3, that a TALES TO ASTONISH/AVENGERS story a few months prior had religious nuts prophesying the coming end? Likewise, MARVELS cemented Alex Ross' legacy as the greatest living comic artist, with his incredibly realistic painted art depicting not just a believable world of superhumans, but fully realized snapshots that totally convince the reader of Sheldon's skills as a photographer. Stan Lee and Marvel knew what they had with MARVELS - a classic that is both a primer for the Marvel Universe and a deeply human story perfectly crafted to be told in comic form. In introductions to MARVELS, Lee described it as "innovative, brilliantly conceived, and skillfully executed," also outright stating "MARVELS is a giant leap forward in the evolution of illustrated literature." MARVELS has remained a top-seller and critical favorite for Marvel Comics, with many attempts to recapture the magic... MARVELS Has a Spiritual Sequel Every Superhero Fan Should Read There have been several literal sequels to MARVELS involving Busiek, including Marvels: Eye of the Camera with Roger Stern, Jay Anacleto and Brian Haberlin, which continues Sheldon's story. However, for anyone who loves MARVELS, there's one series they shouldn't miss, and that's Busiek, Ross and Brent Anderson's Astro City. Unaffiliated with Marvel, Astro City recaptures the genius of MARVELS, presenting an anthology of stories set in a world of superheroes, but always told from a deeply human perspective. Astro City depicts the off days of the world's greatest heroes, as well as the life stories of those they save or fail. Over more than 100 issues, the creative team have maintained the highest standard, rendering a believable world with a distinct sense of history and knowing winks to Marvel and DC canon. MARVELS arrived in 1994 as the best comic of the year, and it's still considered one of the best graphic novels of all time. Anyone who hasn't read it should take Stan Lee's glowing praise to heart, but those who already experienced it should take this as their prompt to also experience Astro City, a spiritual sequel that adds ambitious, original world-building to MARVELS' proven recipe for brilliance. MARVELS is available now from Marvel Comics, with various Astro City collections available from Image Comics.