Marvel Comics was started by pulp publisher Martin Goodman in 1939 with the anthology comic book title Marvel Comics (which was changed to Marvel Mystery Comics with issue #2). During the golden age of comics, the publisher developed a popular core of characters including Captain America, Bucky, Human Torch, Submariner, Miss America, Golden Girl, Red Skull, and many others by creators such as Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Bill Everett, Stan Lee, and others.
Goodman used a number of corporate brands for Marvel throughout his tenure, including Timely Publications, Atlas Comics.
During the years following World War II, like many comic book publishers, the company transitioned to horror, crime, romance, and western titles among others. Marvel titles from this era include Journey into Mystery, Marvel Tales, Strange Tales, Venus, and countless others.
But the 1961 debut of The Fantastic Four signalled the start of the Marvel Universe we're familiar with today. Characters and teams such as Hulk, Ant Man, Wasp, Avengers, X-Men and more by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, John Romita, and others became the foundational characters which Marvel has expanded upon since that time.
In 1968, a company called Perfect Film and Chemical Corporation acquired Marvel from founder Martin Goodman. Marvel was acquired by film and media company New World Entertainment in 1986. New World sold the publisher to Ronald Perelman in 1989, who took the company public.
After riding high on a booming comics market and trading cards and other merchandise through the next few years, but its fortunes quickly turned with a slumping industry and other factors, and Marvel filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 1996.
Toy Biz, headed by Avi Arad and Isaac Perlmutter, acquired Marvel the next year, ending the bankruptcy. In 2004, Marvel Studios' acquired funding from Merrill Lynch to self-finance its own films, and with the 2008 debut of Iron Man, the company's rise to prominence in both the American and global film industry began. The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment on December 31, 2009, for $4 Billion.
Three X-books were published by Marvel Comics last week, all part of the X of Swords crossover event that's swallowed the X-line whole: Hellions #5, New Mutants #13, and Cable #5. As an "essential" crossover, this could be costing you a lot of money. Or maybe it just costs me a lot of money, and […]
Three X-books were published by Marvel Comics last week, all part of the X of Swords crossover event that's swallowed the X-line whole: Hellions #5, New Mutants #13, and Cable #5. As an "essential" crossover, this could be costing you a lot of money. Or maybe it just costs me a lot of money, and […]
Three X-books were published by Marvel Comics last week, all part of the X of Swords crossover event that's swallowed the X-line whole: Hellions #5, New Mutants #13, and Cable #5. As an "essential" crossover, this could be costing you a lot of money. Or maybe it just costs me a lot of money, and […]
Both Kodansha and Archie Comics are releasing comic books for all-you-can-eat streaming services on the same day they publish them for sale, print or physically. Marvel Comics hasn't quite done that but it has come closer. Bleeding Cool has repeatedly reported on Marvel's reduction of the gap between initial publication and making the title available […]
The WWE Draft took place last week, an event advertised as "forever changing the landscape of Raw and Smackdown." And it was that very overuse of corporate buzzwords to drive absurd hyperbole about the importance of a "special" event that made me think about comics, where every super-mega-crossover event will rock the comics universe to […]
The X of Swords crossover is less a series of tales told in multiple avenues and more a single tale weaving through the periodical schedules of multiple series. As such, reviewing Hellions #5 (or Cable #5 or New Mutants #13) is not exactly like a regular comic book review, as you don't get a story in any of […]
Strange Academy #1? After last week's poor showings (Marauders #5 did make it in eventually), this week Marvel Comics has sent a lot of comic books back to the printing mill for seconds – and a fifth printing for Strange Academy #1. While Venom #27 gets a fourth printing… AVENGERS #36 2ND PRINTING VAR (SEP208301, […]
Over the last decade, comic book companies have gotten more and more comfortable with publishing blank variant covers, where the cover is of a more "absorbent" stock ideal for sketching on, so that people can commission comic book artists to draw their very own bespoke cover. Apparently drawing on the front of an actual comic […]
It was said that studying to become a Jedi master was a hard life with danger and uncertainty. In Star Wars: Darth Vader #6, we see that the instructional elements for a Sith are not at all easier, with the erstwhile Anakin Skywalker facing Palpatine's harsh discipline after the emo adventures on Naboo. His return […]
King In Black tie-ins kick off in January 2020, and we have a look at the solicitation for all King In Black-related comic books, including tie-ins, mini-serioes and one shots – and, of course, King In Black #3. This really is turning into Donny Cates Day is it not? And it includes a new Thunderbolts […]
This must be Donny Cates Day… Greetings from the coal face of the direct comics market. Where retailers try to increase their orders of certain comics ahead of sale. Where supply and demand and most accurately reflected, where you can see which books are hot, where new orders are coming in and how retailers are […]
Concluding their Marvel Ages trilogy from The Folio Society, Marvel: The Bronze Age 1970–1980 curated by Roy Thomas, with an introduction by Chris Claremont includes landmark tales of Spider-Man, Hulk, Luke Cage, Captain America, X-Men, Iron Man and The Eternals. Ian Jepson provides a yellow cover design ravaged by Wolverine's claws, while a mosaic of […]
Today sees the big reveal of Kindred in Amazing Spider-Man #50. Or at least half of the reveal. We know who – just. We don't yet know why or how. But Bleeding Cool has been making some speculation of late and now it all comes into play. There are spoilers ahead. Big, whopping spoilers – […]
There are three rules that the Quiet Council of Krakoa established, in House Of X. And today's X Of Swords Handbook reminds us of them. Make more mutants being the first. And in today's Captain Marvel #24, featuring Carol Danvers going through her own Days Of Future Past, and meeting up with an older permanently-diamond […]
The original artwork for Amazing Spider-Man #129 featuring the first appearance of The Punisher, is going to auction, and the owners are estimating it may sell for $2,000,0000. The comic book, by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru published in 1974 is a collector's item in its own right, but the cover artwork by Gil Kane […]
Acclaimed comic book writer Aubrey Sitterson is known for his rugged good looks and extreme leftist politics but is the co-creator of No One Left to Fight and The Comic Book Story of Pro Wrestling, planning to grow a neckbeard, don a fedora, and get a job working at Marvel comics?! It seems unlikely, as […]
King in Black: Gwenom VS Carnage #1 by Seanan McGuire and Flaviano will be published by Marvel in January, as part of their King In Black event. And it looks as if it will be as mental as it sounds. This January, Gwenom joins the fight against Knull in KING IN BLACK: GWENOM VS CARNAGE. […]
They may have taken away John Constantine from Si Spurrier. But he can still bring another legacy British character to the fore in the upcoming King In Black (even though Dane was born in the wrong Gloucester). With Jesus Saiz, creating a Black Knight story for King In Black. The Avenger and Otherworld resident has […]
Four X-books were released by Marvel last week: Wolverine #6, X-Force #13, and Marauders #13 comprised three parts of the X of Swords crossover. I also cover Deadpool here in this column, even though Marvel doesn't really treat it like an X-book (even though it is). I read them all, so you don't have to. […]
Four X-books were released by Marvel last week: Wolverine #6, X-Force #13, and Marauders #13 comprised three parts of the X of Swords crossover. I also cover Deadpool here in this column, even though Marvel doesn't really treat it like an X-book (even though it is). I read them all, so you don't have to. […]
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