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An Overview Of Marvel Comics History

Marvel Comic

Marvel comic books have truly endured the test of time, with nearly seventy years in the comic book industry. What started as a few niche pulp magazines sprouted into an entire Marvel Comics Universe, including comic books, trading cards, films, merchandise and “Motion Comic” DVDs. While technology has thrust comic book heroes from the glossy pages of a magazine to computer screens, cell phones and the big screen, the characters and storylines have proved to be timeless.

Marvel Comics began as Timely Publications in 1939, founded by Martin Goodman who started Western, Mystery and Science Fiction pulp magazine in 1933. Graphic novels were becoming the next hottest thing, so publisher Goodman added an editor, managing editor and business manager and moved into an office on West 42nd Street in New York City. The first publication was Marvel Comics # 1 starring the Human Torch (Carl Burgos) and Namor the Sub-Mariner (Bill Everett). Their real blockbuster comic book series was Joe Simon and legendary Jack Kirby’s Captain America (debuting as “Captain America Comics #1″ in March 1941), which sold nearly 1 million copies!

In the 1960s, editor and visionary Stan Lee was given complete creative control in the studio. He enlisted the comic book art of Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby, who created comic book heroes like X-Men, Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Dr. Strange and the Silver Surfer. What makes Marvel Comics distinct from DC Comics is that the characters have a more human appeal. Unlike comic book heroes like Superman or Wonder Woman, who were born with super powers, the Marvel heroes were created through science accidents or dramatic events. The settings were in real places like New York City, Los Angeles or Toronto and the struggles were very real as many of the “anti-heroes” struggled with vices (like explosive anger) and psychological tension. Many of the Marvel heroes didn’t really want to be heroes and longed for normalcy. In later years, some comic book characters even struggled with drug addictions or turned from good to bad.

Marvel Comics has adapted with the times. Last year, they focused on pertinent post-9/11 issues in their “Civil War” comic book series where X-Men, Captain America, Spiderman and others suffered a breech of their liberties, having to register their secret identities with the government. The X-Men and Spiderman heroes and villains have undergone transformations and personal growth in the film studios. And Marvel Comic publishers have even offered unlimited downloads of their comic books through their website for $60/year.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 2:08 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.