Power Rankings: The First 12 Maxim Cover Models (Today)

6.  Christa Miller – Issue #1 Spring 1997

Christa Miller was the deal in 1997. Scoring the cover of the very first issue of the American edition of Maxim, Drew Carey’s “Kate O’Brien” was one of the hottest sitcom stars in the game. She went on to roles in Scrubs and currently stars on Cougar Town. I’m convinced she’s habitually underrated as a sitcom star because her characters have always been so harsh and disagreeable.

5.  Famke Janssen – Issue #5 January/February 1998

Since busting onto the scene as a Bond girl in 1995 and then as X-Men’s Jean Grey/Phoenix, the Dutch actress and model has become a director and screenwriter as well. She played the villain in 2013’s Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.

4. Rebecca Romijn – Issue #9 June 1998

Plain and simple, she’s hotter now than in 1998. The picture on the right was taken at 7:23 this morning.

3.  Alyssa Milano – Issue #6 March 1998

Alyssa Milano has been around forever, and since she clearly doesn’t age she will be here long after we’re gone. Even in 1998 when she first appeared on a Maxim cover we thought “Wow, she’s still got it! Alyssa Milano is all grown up!”. Fifteen years later we can say the same thing, and we don’t even have to use the “she looks good for her age” caveat.

Milano ranks highly here as she’s currently starring in ABC’s Mistresses, as well as providing voice talent for DC animated features and making regular movie cameos.

2.  Christina Applegate – Issue #11 September 1998

The erstwhile Up All Night star will appear in the upcoming Anchorman 2, and you know another NBC pilot can’t be far behind. Christina Applegate has stayed in the public eye since she burst onto the scene as Kelly Bundy in 1987, and it doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere soon. She gets the edge over Milano due to a slightly more established movie career, including lines of dialogue such as: “Look, the most glorious rainbow ever!” “Do me on it!”.

1.  Catherine Zeta Jones – Issue #10 July/August 1998

Advertised on the cover as “Zorro’s Catherine Zeta Jones”, Cathy ZJ was still a relative unknown when she graced Maxim’s cover in 1998. She’s set to appear in Red 2, and if you Google “C-A-T-H” her name pops up first, making her more relevant in 2013 than anyone in history named Catherine (that’s how that works, right?).

NOTE: I almost ranked the first 14 cover models, just so we’d reach Yasmine Bleeth’s cover and get to revisit perhaps the best tagline in Maxim history.. BLEETHAL WEAPON. I miss you, 90s.

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