Cap’s Kooky Quartet, no doubt.

God Loves, Man Kills. Powerful image from a powerful story.

I don’t know about that “God Loves” image. Why not the Xavier crucified one?

The scene from Avengers #16 would be my choice. It is the moment that establishes how the Avengers are going to differ from other superhero teams.

Great panels…

How about the one right before Kraven eats his shotgun. I think it’s got the caption, “They said my mother was crazy.”

Yeah, I’ve also been wondering if anything from Kraven’s Last Hunt would make the list.

Even though I don’t think I would have thought of it, and I didn’t recognize immiediately its exact source, the “Mutie” panel is almost a textbook definition of an iconic panel. The image makes the significance immediately clear, and it crystallizes a major theme of the Marvel Universe in one panel. Good choice.

i have to pick the god loves man kills pannel for it shows the level hatred and bigotry can be taken to . and why the x-men do what they do . not to mention the panel is chilling

Classic Avengers panel. Referenced constantly. “Mutie” is a close second, but I would argue that the Dazzler graphic novel is what really jump-started the mutant hysteria that was so prevalent in Marvel for so long.

I love that Avengers panel so much. If you dare put up anything from Avengers #503 I’ll go ballistic, though! “No more mutants” was fine, but otherwise I can’t take what’s become of Wanda and Pietro.

How about the First thunderbolts reveal, when we realize they’re the Masters of Evil?

Xorn being Magneto in New X-men? That broke the internet in half for a day or two.

When was the first time that Blackbolt’s scream leveled a city?

I’d vote for the #3 the Avengers panel.

Quote: Even though I don’t think I would have thought of it, and I didn’t recognize immiediately its exact source, the “Mutie” panel is almost a textbook definition of an iconic panel. The image makes the significance immediately clear, and it crystallizes a major theme of the Marvel Universe in one panel. Good choice.

Not to digress, but I always thought the “persecution of the mutants” has played itself out.. How does Joe Blow on the street know the difference between the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and the X-Men?

Gotta be the “God Loves, Man Kills” one. Sums up the X-men’s central theme perfectly in one iconic panel.

What about the last panel of AVENGERS #1, which #16 most likely references?

And I don’t know if anything from MARVELS will appear, but Giant-Man stepping over the buildings is an iconic Marvel panel.

Also, the X-Men can be (and these days are) taken as allegory for racial or religious persecution but I think the simple idea that children grow up different to their parents is more profound. I know Kirby created the Sentinels, but was it GOD LOVES, MAN KILLS that started explicitly treating the X-Men like an oppressed minority?

All three are good choices. I personally would say that the third is the most iconic of the three, as it has been copied and referenced many, many times through the years. I’ve agreed with almost all of your choices so far, keep up the good work.

I agree that the shot of Giant Man is iconic.

Also, the Thunderbolts reveal was over a series of panels, if I remember correctly.

Well, I vote for #1… the Torch burning off Namor’s scruff in the bowery house to reveal… the Imperious Sub-Mariner is unmistakably classic. That image has been with me almost as long as Marvel comics themselves. More Kirby gold.

Today’s choice depends on just what iconic means. I’m sure the Avengers panel has been replicated far more often, and as Dean said it really defined what made the Avengers unique. The Gods Loves panel is a singularly moving image and helped expand the understanding of what made the X-Men equally unique.

But Johny Storm finding the Sub-Mariner in the Bowery by shaving off his beard? It suddenly united Marvel’s new Silver Age with its Golden Age, established the stories as happening on and over the visible landmarks of New York City, and, to me, provides the one moment when the Marvel Comics we all know truly came to be.
Clearly, #1 is #1, and should be a finalist in the countdown.

And please add my vote for the Giant-Man walking overhead panel.

And how about Howard the Duck’s entry panel in Fear#19? i don’t think I’ve seen that mentioned yet.

Hooray! I had doubted that that “God Loves…” panel would make the list but I’m very happy it did! Thanks, Brian!

Out of curiosity, how many times has the “Avengers Assemble” panel been repeated in “old order changeth” avengers stories? I can think of at least four times in Avengers vol. one and once in the Busiek run, but were there more?

I’ll second the votes for Giant Man, Thunderbolts (the Baron Zemo viper to its breast final panel) and Howard the Duck’s first appearance (one of the first panels I thought of, too!).

This list is turning out to be great fun. Again, thanks to Brian for a great range of selections.

I just noticed that, besides being a classic image and a significant moment, the Avengers panel also has that great thought balloon from Hawkeye that just typifies Marvel so nicely, featuring doubt, insecurity and the looming worry about a fickle public that could turn on its heroes at any time. Great panel.