X-Men #1

X-Men #1 is truly an unsurpassable champion. It earns the reputation as the best-selling comic book ever, distributing almost eight times as many copies as the second spot in this list.

The idea that one could acquire a limited version of a famous comic - then resell it for millions of dollars - has captivated lots of people. In addition, comic book companies earn their cash by celebrating and hyping major plot events - such as new outfits, first character introduction, shocking deaths, or first printed volumes. These events do not just excite fans; they are also bankable.

The main issues for other comic books (such as Amazing Fantasy #15 or Action Comic #1) is that no one had anticipated Superman and Spiderman’s success when the stories about them were first released. As a result, nobody went to purchase the first copies of these series. Later on, when Superman and Spiderman became much more popular, the rarity of these first volumes made them extremely valuable. And that is what everyone (wrongly) assumed would occur to X-Men #1 upon its release. In fact, the comic was launched in various countries around the world, boasting 5 different covers. You can probably predict the outcome already.

Release year: 1991

Sales: 8,186,000 copies