10 Iconic Comic Book Moments (That Are Secretly Terrible)

In 1991, Marvel launched a separate X-Men series alongside Uncanny X-Men called X-Men Vol. 2. The plot of the first issue revolved around Magneto building a base in Earth's orbit to serve as a haven for mutantkind.

Despite having a pretty standard story, X-Men Vol. 2 #1 is the most successful comic issue ever, selling 8.1 million copies. The main reason people were buying it wasn't just to read the latest X-Men story but purely because it was the first issue of a renowned property. At the time, it was common knowledge that the first issue of classic comics were being sold for a fortune. Consumers snatched up X-Men Vol. 2 #1, believing it would be worth millions.

When publishers saw the success of this relaunch, every company launched new comics and slapped a big fat #1 on the cover, knowing it would drive up sales. However, many consumers were buying these comics, having no intention of reading any follow-up issues. As a result, sales dried up in most series from #2 onwards, causing countless comics to be cancelled.

X-Men Vol. 2 #1 may not be a bad story in its own right but it nearly single-handedly led to the speculator boom and bust of the 1990s, and Marvel's own demise.