The Top 15 Fantastic Four Covers Of All Time

Comic book artists know that readers don’t listen to their teachers or their parents, so they realize that the warning “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is rarely heeded. They also know that a comic book cover is the most important marketing tool in the industry. At a single glance, a reader can tell exactly what will happen inside of the book and whether or not he/she wants to buy it. That’s why there's a meticulous approach to a cover's composition that goes well beyond just being a cool-looking picture.

Some artists tease their audience with the bare minimum in order to get the reader’s attention, some spell out the issue's plot with a more complicated image and dialogue samples, and others simply draw an iconic image of the main character without worrying about story details. All are acceptable practices, but only a select few comic illustrators know how to truly pull each one off.

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Fantastic Four #1; in order to celebrate the momentous occasion, we’re counting down the Top 15 Fantastic Four Covers Of All Time.

Written by Jason Serafino (@serafinoj1)