There is a book on my library shelf that has been calling to me for a couple of years now. It is Tony Isabella’s much celebrated “1,000 Comic Books You Must Read”. As I’ve thumbed through its pages many times, I’ve found that it offers the reader more than just a walk down the hallowed halls of comic history. In addition to that, It actually invites a challenge to dive in and read each of these seminal comic book moments. I spoke with writer Tony Isabella, and he gave me his blessing to begin a reading quest and write about these comics using his book as a guide. 
I’ve always been a voracious modern comic reader, but I’ve often lacked the depth of comic history that many of my fellow fans enjoy. I began seriously reading comics in the 70s but never found the time to push back into earlier decades. With an aim toward curing that deficit, finding new gems I’ve missed, and having a ton of fun along the way, I’ve decided to embark on the challenge and read every comic in Tony’s book. First, let me discuss the book that frames this quest. Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY writes…
“Isabella knows comics, and, more importantly, loves them. His appreciation for the format is evident in this tribute to seven decades of cartoons. Excellent full-color reproductions of each cover accompanied by bibliographic information, and a short paragraph explaining why the title was selected for inclusion, are organized chronologically by decade. This sequence allows readers to witness the evolution of comics over time … Even readers who know little about graphic format will be captivated by Isabella’s vivid synopsis of the world of comic books.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. If you don’t already know Tony Isabella, his is a name you should get to know. He has been groundbreaking in his creativity and narrative skills contributing much to the comic book industry over his career which continues to grow and evolve. He has been a comic writer, editor, artist, and critic. He is perhaps best known as the creator of Marvel’s Black Goliath and DC’s first major African American superhero, Black Lightning. His articles for the Comics Buyer’s Guide have been a cornerstone of the magazine over the years, and I know his thoughts on comics were always some of the first reviews I looked for when reading my copy each month. 
How am I going to tackle this herculean task? I plan to try four comics every other week and post an update here at CompleteSet so you can follow along, learn more, and quite possibly collect these amazing issues. In each article, I’ll share my thoughts on each issue and, when relevant, tie the stories or characters into the broader history of comics. Look for the first installment soon!
