MARVEL COMIC BOOK AVENGERS VOL1 ANNUAL 10:1ST ROGUE,X-MEN COMIC:VF-UNCANNY+EVILM

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MARVEL COMIC BOOK AVENGERS VOL1 ANNUAL 10:1ST ROGUE,X-MEN COMIC:VF-UNCANNY+EVIL MUTANTS!

AVENGERS VOL.1 ANNUAL #10
FEATURING THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF ROGUE ! (X-MEN) !

AAAAA+++++++++ FEEDBACK!

VF- 7.0 Condition

FEATURING THE INTRODUCTION OF ROGUE!!!

ALSO A CAMEO BY THE UNCANNY X-MEN & BROTHERHOOD OF EVIL MUTANTS.

BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR ART BY MICHAEL GOLDEN VF-

Review By Daniel - September 30

This is indeed a five-st•r comic--one of my all-time favorite Marvel stories for both story and art! This annual is, to me, one of the true classics of Marvel Comics!!!
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SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT Avengers (comics)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
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The Avengers
The Avengers vol. 3, #38 (March 2001). Cover art by Alan Davis.
Group publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance The Avengers #1 (September 1963)
Created by Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
In-story information
Type of organization Team
Base(s) Avengers Tower
Avengers Mansion
Hydro-Base
Leader(s) Captain Steve Rogers
Maria Hill
Agent(s) Captain America (Bucky Barnes)
Captain Britain
Hawkeye
Iron Man
Protector
Red Hulk
Spider-Man
Spider-Woman
Thor
Wolverine
Roster
See: List of Avengers members
Avengers
 The Avengers #1 (September 1963). Cover art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.
Series publication information
Schedule Monthly
Format Ongoing series
Genre Superhero
Publication date (Vol. 1)
September 1963 – September 1996
(Vol. 2)
November 1996 — November 1997
(Vol. 3)
February 1998 — August 2004
(Vol. 1 resumption)
September — December 2004
(Vol. 4)
July 2010 — Present
Number of issues Vol. 1:: 402 (+23 annuals, 5 specials)
Vol. 2:: 13
Vol. 3:: 88 (+4 annuals, 2 specials)
Vol. 4:: 13
Creative team
Writer(s) (Vol. 1)
Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Larry Hama, Bob Harras, Mark Waid
(Vol. 2)
Jeph Loeb, Walt Simonson
(Vol. 3)
Kurt Busiek, Chuck Austen
(Vol. 4)
Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller(s) (Vol. 1)
Jack Kirby, Don Heck, John Buscema, Neal Adams, Sal Buscema, George Pérez, George Tuska, Bob Hall, Paul Ryan, Steve Epting, Mike Deodato
(Vol. 2)
Jim Valentino, Ian Churchill, Rob Liefeld, Michael Ryan
(Vol. 3)
George Pérez, Alan Davis, Olivier Coipel
(Vol. 1 resumption)
David Finch
(Vol. 4)
John Romita, Jr.
Inker(s) (Vol. 1)
Dick Ayers, Vince Colletta, Tom Palmer, Pablo Marcos, Joe Sinnott
(Vol. 3)
Al Vey, Mark Farmer, Andy Lanning
(Vol. 1 resumption)
Danny Miki
(Vol. 4)
Klaus Janson
Colorist(s) (Vol. 2)
Andy Troy
(Vol. 3)
Tom Smith, Chris Sotomayor
(Vol. 4)
Dean White
Creator(s) Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
The Avengers are a team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 (September 1963), and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist / co-plotter Jack Kirby.
Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", the Avengers originally consisted of Ant-Man (Dr. Hank Pym), Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), Thor, Iron Man (Tony Stark), and the Hulk (at a time when the Hulk was more intelligent). The original Captain America was discovered by the team in issue #4, trapped in ice, and he joined the group when they revived him. The rotating roster has become a hallmark of the team, although one theme remains consistent: the Avengers fight "the foes no single superhero can withstand." The team is famous for its battle cry "Avengers Assemble!" The team has featured humans, mutants, robots, gods, aliens, supernatural beings, and even former villains. An animated television series The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes premiered on October 20, 2010. A feature film is set for May 4, 2012.
Contents
1 Publication history
2 Fictional biography
2.1 1960s
2.2 1970s
2.3 1980s
2.4 1990s
2.4.1 "Heroes Reborn"
2.4.2 "Heroes Return"
2.5 2000s
2.5.1 "Avengers Disassembled"
2.5.2 New Avengers
2.5.3 Mighty Avengers
2.5.4 Dark Avengers
2.6 2010s
2.6.1 "Heroic Age"
3 Other versions
3.1 1950s Avengers
3.2 Avengers Next
3.3 The Ultimates
3.4 Runaways
3.5 Marvel Zombies
3.6 House of M: Avengers
3.7 Age of Apocalypse
4 In other media
5 Collected editions
5.1 Avengers Vol.1 (1963)
5.2 Avengers Vol.2 (1996)
5.3 Avengers Vol.3 (1998)
6 References
7 External links
 
 Publication historySee also: Bibliography of Avengers titles
The titular team debuted in The Avengers #1 (September 1963), using existing characters created primarily by writer-editor Stan Lee with penciler and co-plotter Jack Kirby. This initial series, published bi-monthly through issue #6 (July 1964) and monthly thereafter ran through issue #402 (September 1996), with spinoffs including several annuals, miniseries and a giant-size quarterly sister series that ran briefly in the mid-1970s.[1]
Other spinoff series include West Coast Avengers, initially published as a four-issue miniseries in 1984, followed by a 102-issue series (October 1985 – January 1994), retitled Avengers West Coast with #47;[2][3] and the 40-issue Solo Avengers (December 1987 – January 1991), retitled Avengers Spotlight with #21.[4][5]
Between 1996 and 2004 Marvel relaunched the primary Avengers title three times. In 1996, the "Heroes Reborn" line, in which Marvel contracted outside companies to produce four titles, included a new volume of The Avengers. Taking place in an alternate universe with a revamped history unrelated to mainstream Marvel continuity, The Avengers vol. 2 was written by Rob Liefeld and penciled by Jim Valentino, and ran 13 issues (November 1996 – November 1997). The final issue, which featured a crossover with the other "Heroes Reborn" titles, returned the characters to the main Marvel Universe.[6]
Relaunched with a new first issue, The Avengers vol. 3 ran 84 issues (February 1998 – August 2004). To coincide with what would have been the 500th issue of the original series, Marvel changed the numbering, and The Avengers #500-503 (September–December 2004),[7] followed by the one-shot Avengers Finale (January 2005),[8] became the Avengers Disassembled storyline and final issues. In January 2005, a new version of the team appeared in the ongoing title The New Avengers.,[9] followed by The Mighty Avengers, Avengers: The Initiative, and Dark Avengers. Avengers vol. 4 debuted in 2010.
 Fictional biography This section describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. Please help rewrite it to explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective. (July 2010)
See also: List of Avengers members
 1960s"And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born—to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand! Through the years, their roster has prospered, changing many times, but their glory has never been denied! Heed the call, then—for now, the Avengers Assemble!"
—Prologue from The Avengers[volume & issue needed]The first adventure features the Asgardian trickster god Loki, who seeks revenge against his brother Thor. Using an illusion, Loki tricks the Hulk into destroying a railroad track. He then diverts a radio call by Rick Jones for help to Thor, whom Loki hopes will battle the Hulk. Unknown to Loki, the radio call is also answered by Ant-Man, the Wasp and Iron Man. After an initial misunderstanding, the heroes unite and defeat Loki after Thor is lured away by an illusion of the Hulk and suspects Loki when he realises it is an illusion. Ant-Man states the five work well together and suggests they form a combined team—with the Wasp naming the group "the Avengers" because it sounded "dramatic".[10]
The roster changes almost immediately; by the beginning of the second issue, Ant-Man has become Giant-Man and, at the end of the issue, the Hulk leaves once he realizes how much the others fear his unstable personality.[11] Feeling responsible, the Avengers try to locate and contain the Hulk, which subsequently leads them into combat with Namor the Sub-Mariner.[12] This would result in the first major milestone in the Avengers' history: the revival and return of Captain America.[13] Captain America joins the team, eventually becoming field leader.[13] Captain America is also given "founding member" status in the Hulk's place.[14] The Avengers go on to fight foes such as Captain America's wartime enemy Baron Zemo, who forms the Masters of Evil,[15] Kang the Conqueror,[12] Wonder Man,[16] and Count Nefaria.[17]
The next milestone came when every member but Captain America resigned and were replaced by three former villains: Hawkeye, the Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver.[18] Although lacking the raw power of the original team, "Cap's Kooky Quartet"[19] (as they were sometimes jokingly called), proved their worth by fighting and defeating the Swordsman;[20] the original Power Man;[21] and Doctor Doom.[22] They are soon rejoined by Henry Pym (who changes his name to Goliath)[23] and the Wasp,[23] along with Hercules,[24] the Black Knight,[25] and the Black Widow,[26] although the last two do not obtain official membership status until years later.
When writer Roy Thomas commenced, there was a greater focus on characterization.[citation needed] The Black Panther joins the team,[27] followed by the Vision.[28] Thomas also established that the Avengers are headquartered in a New York City building called Avengers Mansion, provided courtesy of Tony Stark (Iron Man's real identity), who also funds the Avengers through the Maria Stark Foundation, a non-profit organization.[volume & issue needed] The mansion is serviced by Edwin Jarvis, the Avengers' faithful butler, and also furnished with state-of-the-art technology, and defense systems, including the Avengers' primary mode of transport: the five-engine Quinjets.
 1970sThe adventures increased in scope as the team cross into an alternate dimension to battle the Squadron Supreme and fight in the Kree-Skrull War,[29] an epic battle between the alien Kree and Skrull races and guest-starring the Kree hero Captain Marvel.[volume & issue needed] The Avengers also briefly disband when Skrulls impersonating Captain America, Thor and Iron Man use their authority as founders of the team to disband it.[volume & issue needed] The true founding Avengers, minus the Wasp, later reform the team in response to complaints from Jarvis.[volume & issue needed]
The Vision and the Scarlet Witch fall in love, although the relationship is tinged with sadness as the Vision believes himself to be inhuman and unworthy of her.[volume & issue needed] Writer Steve Englehart then introduces Mantis, who joins the team along with the reformed Swordsman.[volume & issue needed] Englehart linked her origins to the very beginnings of the Kree-Skrull conflict in a time-spanning adventure involving Kang the Conqueror and the mysterious Immortus, who are revealed to be past and future versions of each other.[volume & issue needed] Mantis is revealed to be the Celestial Madonna, who is destined to give birth to a being that will save the universe.[volume & issue needed] This saga also reveals that the Vision's body had only been appropriated, and not created, by Ultron, and that it had originally belonged to the 1940s Human Torch. With his origins now clear to him, the Vision proposes to the Scarlet Witch. The Celestial Madonna saga ends with their wedding, presided over by Immortus.[volume & issue needed] Englehart's tenure also coincided with the debut of George Pérez as artist.[30]
After Englehart's departure (and a seven-issue stint by Gerry Conway) Jim Shooter began as writer, generating several classic adventures, including "Bride of Ultron", the "Nefaria Trilogy", and "The Korvac Saga", featuring nearly every Avenger who joined the team up to that point.[volume & issue needed] New members added during this time include the Beast,[31] a resurrected Wonder Man, Captain America's former partner the Falcon, and Ms. Marvel.[volume & issue needed]
Shooter also introduced the character of Henry Peter Gyrich, the Avengers' liaison to the United States National Security Council.[volume & issue needed] Gyrich is prejudiced against superhumans,[volume & issue needed] and acts in a heavy-handed, obstructive manner, insisting that the Avengers follow government rules and regulations or else lose their priority status with the government.[volume & issue needed] Among Gyrich's demands is that the active roster be trimmed down to only seven members, and that the Falcon, an African American, be admitted to the team to comply with affirmative action laws. This last act is resented by Hawkeye, who because of the seven-member limit loses his membership slot to the Falcon. The Falcon, in turn, is unhappy to be the beneficiary of what he perceives to be tokenism, and decides to resign from the team, after which Hawkeye rejoins.[volume & issue needed]
 1980s
The Avengers #200 (October 1980). Cover art by George Pérez and Terry Austin.The first major development was the breakdown of Henry Pym,[volume & issue needed] with his frequent changes of costume and name being symptomatic of an identity problem and an inferiority complex. After abusing his wife, failing to win back the confidence of the Avengers with a ruse and being duped by the villain Egghead, Pym is jailed.[32] Writer Roger Stern later resolves this by having Pym outwit Egghead and defeat the latest incarnation of the Masters of Evil singlehandedly, thereby proving his innocence.[33] Pym reconciles with the Wasp, but they decide to remain apart.[34] Pym also retires from superheroics,[34] but returns some years later.[35]
Stern developed several major storylines, such as "Ultimate Vision" in which the Vision takes over the world's computer systems in a misguided attempt to create world peace;[36] the formation of the West Coast Avengers;[37] and "Avengers Under Siege" which involves the second Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil taking over the mansion and severely injuring Jarvis and Hercules,[38] "War on Olympus" in which Hercules' father Zeus blames the Avengers for his son's injuries and brings them to Olympus for trial[39] and "Heavy Metal" in which the Super Adaptoid organizes several other robotic villains for an assault on the team.[40] New members during the 1980s included an African American Captain Marvel named Monica Rambeau[41] (who became the team's new leader[42]); She-Hulk;[43] Tigra,[44] Namor,[45] Starfox[46] and Hawkeye's wife, Mockingbird,[37] while Henry Pym emerges from retirement to join the West Coast Avengers.[35] Stern also created the villain Nebula, who claimed, falsely, to be the granddaughter of Thanos.[47] The team also relocated for a period to a floating island off the coast of New York called Hydrobase. The Avengers moved their base of operations to Hydrobase after the "Under Siege" storyline was completed in The Avengers #277 (March 1987) where Avengers Mansion was severely damaged. The move to Hydrobase was undertaken in The Avengers #278 (April 1987). Hydrobase was later sunk during the "Acts of Vengeance" crossover in issue #311 (December 1989).
 1990sJohn Byrne eventually took over writing both titles and revamped the comics to allow members to be active when available and reserve when not available and merged the[volume & issue needed] two separate Avengers teams into one team with two bases. Byrne's contributions included a revamping of the Vision, and the discovery that the children of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision are actually illusions. The loss of the Scarlet Witch's children and the Vision (who is disassembled by government agents in retaliation for the "Ultimate Vision"[volume & issue needed] storyline) drives her insane, although she eventually recovers and rejoins the team. This story also revealed that the Scarlet Witch's powers include wide-range reality manipulation and she is what the time-traveling Immortus refers to as a "nexus being" setting the stage for 2004's eventual "Chaos" and "Avengers Disassembled" storylines. This played out in the "Darker than Scarlet" storyline which ran in Avengers West Coast from issues #51-62 (November 1989 – September 1990).
The Avengers titles were then[volume & issue needed] embroiled in the major crossover event "Acts of Vengeance" wherein Loki assembles many of Marvel's arch-villains (with his inner circle consisting of Doctor Doom, Magneto, Kingpin, Mandarin, Wizard, and Red Skull) in a plot to destroy the team. Loki orchestrates a mass breakout of villains from prison facility the Vault, as part of his Acts of Vengeance scheme, but he ultimately fails in his goal to destroy the Avengers.
This decade coincided with a speculators' boom, followed by an industry-wide slump and Marvel filing for bankruptcy in 1997. During this period the U.S. government revokes the Avengers' New York State charter in a treaty with the Soviet Union. The Avengers then received a charter from the United Nations and again the Avengers split into two teams with a substitute reserve team backing up the main teams.
Bob Harras and Steve Epting took over the title,[volume & issue needed] and introduced a stable lineup with ongoing storylines and character development focused on the Black Knight, Sersi, Crystal, Quicksilver, Hercules and the Vision. Their primary enemies in this run include the mysterious Proctor and the Shi'ar warrior Deathcry. During this period, the team finds themselves facing increasingly murderous enemies, and are forced to question their rule against killing.[volume & issue needed]
This culminated in "Operation: Galactic Storm", a 19-part storyline that ran through all Avengers-related titles and showcases a conflict between the Kree and the Shi'ar Empire. The team splits when Iron Man and several dissidents execute the Supreme Intelligence against the wishes of Captain America. After a vote disbanding the West Coast Avengers, Iron Man forms a proactive and aggressive team called Force Works. During the team's first mission Wonder Man is apparently killed again (his atoms are actually only temporarily scattered). Force Works later disbands after it is revealed that Iron Man has become a murderer via the manipulations of the villain Kang.[48]
 "Heroes Reborn"
The Avengers vol. 2, #11 (September 1997), showing the Heroes Reborn Avengers. Cover art by Michael Ryan and Sal Regla.Together with the Fantastic Four and others, many of the Avengers apparently died stopping the gestalt psychic entity Onslaught, although it is later revealed that Franklin Richards preserved these heroes in a pocket universe. Believing the main team gone, the Black Widow disbands the Avengers, with only butler Jarvis remaining to tend to the Mansion.
Marvel contracted out The Avengers and three related titles—Captain America, Fantastic Four, and Iron Man—to former Marvel artists Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld, two of the founding creators of Image Comics. The previous continuity of the Marvel Universe was set aside as the heroes were "reborn" in the pocket universe. While The Avengers was relaunched as a new series, the "Heroes Reborn" line ended after a year as planned and the license reverted to Marvel.[49]
 "Heroes Return"Writer Kurt Busiek and penciler George Pérez launched a new volume of the series with The Avengers vol. 3, #1 (February 1998). Busiek also concurrently wrote the limited series Avengers Forever, a time-travel story that explored the history of the Avengers and resolved many outstanding questions. New members during this run included Ms. Marvel, the revived Wonder Man, Justice, Firestar, Silverclaw, and Triathlon. Busiek's run included many of the Avengers' traditional villains such as the Grim Reaper,[50] Ultron,[51] Count Nefaria, and Kang the Conqueror.[52]
 2000s "Avengers Disassembled"Successor writer Geoff Johns dealt with the aftermath of Busiek's Kang arc, as the Avengers are granted international authority by the United Nations. Members joining during this period included Jack of Hearts and the second Ant-Man. Chuck Austen followed as writer, and added a new Captain Britain to the team. Writer Brian Michael Bendis then rebooted the title with the "Avengers Disassembled" storyline.[53] Titled "Chaos", the story featured the deaths of some members and a loss of credibility for the team. The culprit is revealed to be the Scarlet Witch, who has gone insane after agonizing over the memory of her lost children and who subsequently loses control of her reality-altering powers.[54] With the team in disarray and Avengers Mansion ruined, the surviving members agree to disband.
 New AvengersMain article: The New Avengers (comics)
 
Variant cover art for New Avengers #1 (February 2005), by Joe Quesada and Richard Isanove.A new Avengers team briefly formed following the events of House of M, coming together as the result of a massive jailbreak at The Raft prison facility. This New Avengers lineup was composed of Iron Man, Captain America, Luke Cage, Wolverine, Ronin, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, and Sentry.
In the company-wide "Marvel Civil War" story arc, Marvel superheroes were split over compliance with the U.S. government's new Superhuman Registration Acts requiring all superpowered persons to register their true identifies with the federal government and become agents of same. The New Avengers disbanded, with a rebel underground opposed to the act forms in a series retaining The New Avengers in its trademarked cover logo and New Avengers in its copyright indicia. Following the repeal of the act, Luke Cage leads this now official Avengers team in that series. The team consists of himself, Echo, Ronin, Spider-Man, the Jessica Drew Spider-Woman, Wolverine, Iron Fist, and Doctor Strange. During the long-term infiltration of Earth by the shape-shifting alien race the Skrulls, we learn that Drew had been abducted and replaced by the Skrull queen Veranke. After the Skrulls' defeat, Drew, among other abducted and replaced heroes, was rescued. During the company-wide story arc "Dark Reign" Echo and Iron Fist leave the team and the Avengers gain Ms. Marvel, the Bucky Barnes Captain America, and Mockingbird.
 Mighty AvengersMain article: The Mighty Avengers
In response to the Civil War, Iron Man reforms the official team under the aegis of the government's Fifty State Initiative program, taking up residency in New York City with the roster of Ares, the Black Widow, Iron Man, the Sentry, the Wasp, Wonder Man, and leader Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers).[55]
All but Ares and the Sentry leave this team (except for the Wasp, who died in the Secret Invasion) as it is taken over by Norman Osborn and the team migrates to the Dark Avengers book. In the pages of The Mighty Avengers, Hank Pym, assuming the Wasp identity of his fallen ex-wife, leads a new team of Avengers, claiming the name for his team as he is the only founding Avenger on any of the three active Avengers rosters. His team operates under a multi-national umbrella group called the Global Reaction Agency for Mysterious Paranormal Activity (GRAMPA). This team features the roster of Hercules, Amadeus Cho, Stature, the Vision, Jocasta, U.S. Agent, Quicksilver, and Hank Pym. Scarlet Witch (actually Loki in disguise) is a recurring character. Iron Man and Hulk were briefly with them during their battle with Chthon.
 Dark AvengersMain article: Dark Avengers
After the events of "Secret Invasion", Norman Osborn assumes control of the formerly S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored Avengers, now under the auspices of his own agency, HAMMER. He retains Ares and Sentry from the previous team, recruits Marvel Boy and Daken to pose as his father, Wolverine, and brings Moonstone, Bullseye, and Venom from his previous Thunderbolts team to impersonate Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, and Spider-Man, respectively.
 2010s "Heroic Age"
The "Heroic Age" roster of the Avengers. Cover art for Avengers vol. 4, #12.1, by Bryan Hitch.After the conclusion of the "Siege" story arc, which ended the "Dark Reign" storyline, all four of the then-current Avengers series (consisting of The Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Dark Avengers, and Avengers: The Initiative) were canceled, and a new ongoing series titled Avengers was launched in May 2010. Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita, Jr., serve as regular writer and artist respectively.[56] The full Avengers roster was revealed in issue #1 as: Thor, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Spider-Woman, Iron Man, and team leader Maria Hill.[57] At the Avengers' first team meeting, Steve Rogers comments on an unidentified hero who is missing from the meeting.
The launch marked the beginning of what Marvel calls the "Heroic Age", after seven years of grim story lines, including a superhero "civil war" that pitted Iron Man against Captain America & Spider-Man, and the death of Captain America. According to Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, "Heroes will be heroes again... They've gone through hell and they're back to being good guys—a throwback to the early days of the Marvel Universe, with more of a swashbuckling feel".[58] A second title called Secret Avengers was released in May 2010, written by Ed Brubaker with Mike Deodato as regular artist.[59] The second volume of the New Avengers series was relaunched in June 2010, written by Bendis and drawn by Stuart Immonen.[60] A fourth title called Avengers Academy was also launched in June 2010, replacing Avengers: The Initiative. Christos Gage serves as writer, with Mike McKone as artist.[61]
During an international meeting between Steve Rogers and MI13, Captain Britain was offered a job with the Avengers. Captain Britain accepted despite mixed reactions from his MI13 teammates.[62]
Noh-Varr is asked to help the Avengers by building a time machine to save the future.[63] After that crisis is over, Noh-Varr is officially invited to join the Avengers.[64]
The Hulk makes arrangements with Steve Rogers for Red Hulk to join the Avengers,[65][66] just in time for him to assist the team in tracking down the Hood as he begins to search for the Infinity Gems to serve as a new 'power source'.
 Other versions 1950s AvengersMain article: Agents of Atlas
A short-lived team of superheroes in the 1950s called themselves the "Avengers". Consisting of Marvel Boy, Venus, the 3-D Man, Gorilla-Man, the Human Robot, Jimmy Woo, Namora and Jann of the Jungle,[67] the team exists in an alternate timeline that is erased by the time-manipulating Immortus.[68] A version of the group without the 3-D Man and Jann exists in mainstream continuity, and eventually reforms in the present day.[69]
The New Avengers vol. 2, #10 revealed another 1950s Avengers team, formed by Nick Fury to hunt the last remnants of the Third Reich and consisting of Fury himself, Dominic Fortune, Dum Dum Dugan, Namora, Silver Sable, Sabretooth, Kraven the Hunter, and Ulysses Bloodstone.
 Avengers NextMain article: A-Next
In the alternate future timeline known as MC2, the Avengers have disbanded and Avengers Mansion is now a museum. An emergency forces Edwin Jarvis to sound an alert, and a new generation of heroes form a new team of Avengers. Most of the new Avengers are children of established Marvel superheroes.
 The UltimatesMain article: Ultimates
In the Ultimate Marvel Universe, the Avengers are named "The Ultimates", and were formed by Ultimate Nick Fury to protect America against superhuman threats.[70]
 RunawaysIn an alternate future depicted in Runaways, Gertrude Yorkes's future self traveled back in time. In this future, she is the leader of the Avengers under the name Heroine.[71] This lineup of the Avengers features an Iron Woman, a heroic Scorpion, the "Fantastic Fourteen", and "Captain Americas".[72] Armor joins as well.
 Marvel ZombiesThe Avengers exist as a team prior to the zombie contagion's arrival in the original Marvel Zombies universe, resembling their pre-Disassembled roster. When several of their members are infected, they set about eating humanity and send out a bogus "Avengers Assemble" call to draw superhumans to the Avengers Mansion, infecting more heroes and thus spreading the virus. The team falls apart and many of its members are killed as time passes.[73]
A second team of zombified Avengers appears in Marvel Zombies Return. This team is an ersatz Justice League brought together to find food and kill any resistance (zombified or uninfected) and is led by the Sentry (a parallel for Superman). Also on the team are the zombified Moon Knight (paralleling Batman), Namor (paralleling Aquaman), Quasar (paralleling Green Lantern), Quicksilver (paralleling the Flash), Thundra (paralleling Wonder Woman), and Super-Skrull (paralleling the Martian Manhunter). They are also joined by the zombie Giant-Man of the original Zombiverse, who is trying to power a dimensional teleporter, but are all killed by Spider-Man's New Avengers, composed of himself along with Iron Man, Sandman, War-Machine, and the zombified Hulk and Wolverine.[74]
 House of M: AvengersIn the alternate reality created by the Scarlet Witch, Luke Cage forms a team of superpowered humans to fight for human rights.[75]
 Age of ApocalypseA humanized version of the Avengers band together during the Age of Apocalypse.[76]
 In other mediaMain article: Avengers (comics) in other media
 Collected editions Avengers Vol.1 (1963)Title (Trade Paperback) Material collected Publication date ISBN
The Avengers, Vol.1 (Marvel Masterworks) Avengers (1963) #1-10 May 13, 2009 978-0785137061
The Avengers, Vol.2 (Marvel Masterworks) Avengers (1963) #11-20 October 14, 2009 978-0785137085
The Avengers: The Kree/Skrull War Avengers (1963) #89-97 May 7, 2008 978-0785132301
Avengers/Defenders War Avengers (1963) #115-118, Defenders #8-11 March 2002 978-0785108443
The Avengers: Celestial Madonna Avengers (1963) #129-135, Giant Sized Avengers #2-4 May 1, 2002 978-0785108269
The Avengers: The Serpent Crown Avengers (1963) #141-144 and #147-149 September 7, 2005 978-0785117001
The Avengers: The Korvac Saga Avengers (1963) #167-168 and #170-177 June 2003 978-0785109198
The Avengers: Nights of Wundagore Avengers (1963) #181-187 February 18, 2009 978-0785137214
The Avengers: Under Siege Avengers (1963) #270-271, 273-277 December 29, 1998 978-0785107026    
Essential Avengers, Vol.1 (Marvel Essentials) Avengers (1963) #1-24 (B&W) July 27, 2005 978-0785118626
Essential Avengers, Vol.2 (Marvel Essentials) Avengers (1963) #25-46, Annual #1 (B&W) June 1, 2000 978-0785107415
Essential Avengers, Vol.3 (Marvel Essentials) Avengers (1963) #47-68, Annual #2 (B&W) November 3, 2010 978-0785107873
Essential Avengers, Vol.4 (Marvel Essentials) Avengers (1963) #69-97, Incredible Hulk #140 (B&W) November 17, 2010 978-0785114857
Essential Avengers, Vol.5 (Marvel Essentials) Avengers (1963) #98-119, Daredevil #99, Defenders #8-11 (B&W) December 1, 2010 978-0785120872
Essential Avengers, Vol.6 (Marvel Essentials) Avengers (1963) #120-140, Captain Marvel #33, Fantastic Four #150, Giant-Size Avengers #1-4 (B&W) February 20, 2008 978-0785130581
Essential Avengers, Vol.7 (Marvel Essentials) Avengers (1963) #141-163, Annual #6, and Super-Villain Team-Up #9 (B&W) January 20, 2010 978-0785144533
   
Title (Hardcover) Material collected Publication date ISBN
  
 Avengers Vol.2 (1996)Title (Trade Paperback) Material collected Publication date ISBN
Avengers: Heroes Reborn Avengers (1996) #1-12 December 27, 2006 978-0785123378
Title (Hardcover) Material collected Publication date ISBN
  
 Avengers Vol.3 (1998)Title (Trade Paperback) Material collected Publication date ISBN
Avengers Assemble, Vol. 1 Avengers (1998) #1-11, Annual 1998; Iron Man (1998) #7; Captain America (1998) #8; Quicksilver #10 January 12, 2011 978-0785144984
Avengers: The Morgan Conquest Avengers (1998) #1-4 January 2000 978-0785107286
Avengers: Supreme Justice Avengers (1998) #5-8, Avengers/Squadron Supreme Annual 98, Iron Man (1998) #7, Captain America (1998) #8, and Quicksilver #10 June 1, 2001 978-0785107736
Avengers: Clear and Present Dangers Avengers (1998) #8-15 November 1, 2001 978-0785107989
Avengers: Ultron Unlimited Avengers (1998) #0 and #19-22 April 1, 2001 978-0785107743
Avengers: Living Legends Avengers (1998) #23-30 July 21, 2004 978-0785115618
Avengers/Thunderbolts Volume 1: The Nefaria Protocols Avengers (1998) #31-34, Thunderbolts #42-44 March 1, 2004 978-0785114451
Avengers: Above and Beyond Avengers (1998) #36-40, 56, Avengers: Ultron Imperative, and Annual 2001 February 15, 2006 978-0785118459
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty Avengers (1998) #41-55, and Annual 2001 November 30, 2002 978-0785109587
Avengers, Vol.1: World Trust Avengers (1998) #57-62, and Marvel Double-Shot #2 March 17, 2003 978-0785110804
Avengers, Vol.2: Red Zone Avengers (1998) #64-70 December 30, 2003 978-0785110996
Avengers, Vol.3: The Search for She-Hulk Avengers (1998) #71-76 May 2004 978-0785112020
Avengers, Vol. 4: Lionheart of Avalon Avengers (1998) #77-81 (492-496) August 1, 2004 978-0785113386
Avengers, Vol. 5: Once An Invader Avengers (1998) #82-84 (497-499), Invaders #0 November 1, 2004 978-0785114819
Avengers: Disassembled Avengers (1998) #500-503; Avengers Finale November 22, 2006 978-0785114826
   
Title (Hardcover) Material collected Publication date ISBN
Avengers Assemble, Vol. 1 Avengers (1998) #1-11, Annual 1998; Iron Man (1998) #7; Captain America (1998) #8; Quicksilver #10 August 4, 2004 978-0785115731
Avengers Assemble, Vol. 2 Avengers (1998) #12-22, #0 and Annual 1999 April 6, 2005 978-0785117735
Avengers Assemble, Vol. 3 Avengers (1998) #23-34, #1½, Thunderbolts #42-44 July 26, 2006 978-0785121305
Avengers Assemble, Vol. 4 Avengers (1998) #35-40, Annual 2000-2001, Thunderbolts Annual 2000, Avengers: The Ultron Imperative and Avengers Infinity #1-4 January 31, 2007 978-0785123477
Avengers Assemble, Vol. 5 Avengers (1998) #41-56, Annual 2001 November 7, 2007 978-0785123484
Avengers, Vol.1: World Trust Avengers (1998) #57-61 February 10, 2010 978-0785144731
Avengers, Vol.2: Standoff Avengers (1998) #62-64, Thor (1998) #58, and Iron Man (1998) #64. February 10, 2010 978-0785144670
Avengers, Vol.3: Red Zone Avengers (1998) #65-70 May 26, 2010 978-0785144663
Avengers, Vol.4: The Search for She-Hulk Avengers (1998) #71-76 August 4, 2010 978-0785144724
  
 References1.^ "Avengers, The (1963 Series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=1571. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
2.^ "West Coast Avengers (1985 Series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=3061. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
3.^ "Avengers West Coast (1989 Series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=3830. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
4.^ "Solo Avengers (1987 Series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=3435. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
5.^ "Avengers Spotlight (1989 Series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=3829. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
6.^ "Avengers (1996 series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=7252. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
7.^ "Avengers (2004 Series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=11637. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
8.^ "Avengers Finale". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=224494. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
9.^ "The New Avengers (2005 Series)". Grand Comics Database. http://www-comics-org/series.lasso?SeriesID=12464. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
10.^ Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Ayers, Dick (i). "The Coming of the Avengers" The Avengers 1 (September 1963), Marvel Comics
11.^ Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Reinman, Paul (i). "The Space Phantom" The Avengers 2 (November 1963), Marvel Comics
12.^ a b Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Reinman, Paul (i). "The Avengers Meet "Sub-Mariner"!" The Avengers 3 (January 1964), Marvel Comics
13.^ a b Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Roussos, George (i). "Captain America Joins... The Avengers!" The Avengers 4 (March 1964), Marvel Comics
14.^ Busiek, Kurt (w), Pérez, George (p), Vey, Al (i). "Once an Avenger..." The Avengers v3, 1 (February 1998), Marvel Comics
15.^ Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Ayers, Dick (i). "Kang, the Conqueror" The Avengers 8 (September 1964), Marvel Comics
16.^ Lee, Stan (w), Heck, Don (p), Ayers, Dick (i). "The Coming of the Wonder Man!" The Avengers 9 (October 1964), Marvel Comics
17.^ Lee, Stan (w), Heck, Don (p), Ayers, Dick (i). "Trapped in the Castle of Count Nefaria!" The Avengers 13 (February 1965), Marvel Comics
18.^ Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Ayers, Dick (i). "The Old Order Changeth!" The Avengers 16 (May 1965), Marvel Comics
19.^ Conway, Gerry, Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart (w), Pérez, George (p), Tartaglione, John (i). "At Last: The Decision!" The Avengers 151 (September 1976), Marvel Comics
20.^ Lee, Stan (w), Heck, Don (p), Ayers, Dick (i). "The Coming of the Swordsman!" The Avengers 19 (August 1965), Marvel Comics
21.^ Lee, Stan (w), Heck, Don (p), Wood, Wally (i). "The Road Back" The Avengers 22 (November 1965), Marvel Comics
22.^ Lee, Stan (w), Heck, Don (p), Ayers, Dick (i). "Enter... Dr. Doom!" The Avengers 25 (February 1966), Marvel Comics
23.^ a b Lee, Stan (w), Heck, Don (p), Ray, Frankie (i). "Among Us Walks a Goliath!" The Avengers 28 (May 1966), Marvel Comics
24.^ Thomas, Roy (w), Heck, Don (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Blitzkreig in Central Park!" The Avengers 45 (October 1967), Marvel Comics
25.^ Thomas, Roy (w), Buscema, John (p), Tuska, George (i). "...And Deliver Us From the Masters of Evil!" The Avengers 54 (July 1968), Marvel Comics
26.^ Thomas, Roy (w), Heck, Don (p). "The Ultroids Attack!" The Avengers 36 (January 1967), Marvel Comics
27.^ Thomas, Roy (w), Buscema, John (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Death Calls for the Arch-Heroes!" The Avengers 52 (May 1968), Marvel Comics
28.^ Thomas, Roy (w), Buscema, John (p), Klein, George (i). "Behold...The Vision!" The Avengers 57 (October 1968), Marvel Comics
29.^ The Avengers #89-97 (June 1971 – March 1972)
30.^ The Avengers #141 (August 1975)
31.^ The Avengers #137 (July 1975)
32.^ The Avengers #217 (March 1982)
33.^ The Avengers #229 (March 1983)
34.^ a b The Avengers #230 (April 1983)
35.^ a b West Coast Avengers vol. 2, #21 (June 1987)
36.^ The Avengers #254 (April 1985)
37.^ a b West Coast Avengers #1 (September 1984)
38.^ The Avengers #273-277 (November 1986 – March 1987)
39.^ The Avengers #281-285 (July–November 1987)
40.^ The Avengers #286-290 (December 1987 – April 1988)
41.^ The Avengers #227 (January 1983)
42.^ The Avengers #279 (May 1987)
43.^ The Avengers #221 (July 1982)
44.^ The Avengers #211 (September 1981)
45.^ The Avengers #262 (December 1985)
46.^ The Avengers #232 (June 1983)
47.^ The Avengers #260 (October 1985)
48.^ Force Works concluded with issue #22 (April 1996).
49.^ The Avengers vol. 2, #1-13 (December 1996 – November 1997)
50.^ The Avengers vol. 3, #10-11 (November–December 1998)
51.^ The Avengers vol. 3, #19-22 (August–November 1999)
52.^ The Avengers vol. 3, #38-54 (March 2001 – July 2002)
53.^ The "Avengers Disassembled" story ran through several titles, with the final chapters featured in The Avengers #500-503 (September–December 2004).
54.^ The story of the Scarlet Witch continued in the bi-weekly limited series House of M #1-8 (August–December 2005).
55.^ The Mighty Avengers #1 (May 2007)
56.^ "Thor is an Avenger". Comic Book Resources. 2010-02-05. http://www-comicbookresources-com/?page=article&id=24726. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
57.^ Richards, Dave (2010-02-19). "Bendis Assembles His Avengers". Comic Book Resources. http://www-comicbookresources-com/?page=article&id=24925. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
58.^ Colton, David (2010-01-29). "First Look: Marvel Comics' 'Heroes Will Be Heroes Again'". USA Today. http://www-usatoday-com/life/comics/2010-01-27-marvel27_ST_N.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
59.^ "'Secret Avengers' Creative Team Announced". Comic Book Resources. 2010-02-08. http://www-comicbookresources-com/?page=article&id=24750. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
60.^ "Luke Cage is a New Avenger Again". Comic Book Resources. 2010-03-01. http://www-comicbookresources-com/?page=article&id=25026. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
61.^ Richards, Dave (2010-03-16). "Christos Gage Enrolls at 'Avengers Academy'". Comic Book Resources. http://www-comicbookresources-com/?page=article&id=25250. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
62.^ Cornell, Paul (w), Kirk, Leonard (a). "Diplomatic Incident" Age of Heroes 1 (July 2010), New York: Marvel Comics
63.^ Avengers vol. 4, #2 (June 2010)
64.^ Avengers vol. 4, #6 (October 2010)
65.^ Loeb, Jeph (w), McGuinness, Ed (p), Farmer, Mark (i). "The Strongest There Is" Hulk v2, 24 (September 2010), Marvel Comics
66.^ Parker, Jeff (w), Hardman, Gabriel (a). "Scorched Earth" Hulk v2, 25 (November 2010), Marvel Comics
67.^ What If…? #9 (June 1978)
68.^ Avengers Forever #1-12 (December 1998 – February 2000)
69.^ Agents of Atlas #1-6 (October 2006 – March 2007)
70.^ The Ultimates #1-13 (March 2002 – April 2004)
71.^ Runaways vol. 2, #1 (April 2005)
72.^ Runaways vol. 2, #2 (May 2005)
73.^ Marvel Zombies #1-5 (February–June 2006)
74.^ Marvel Zombies Return #5 (November 2009)
75.^ House of M: Avengers #1-5 (January–April 2008; two issues published February 2008)
76.^ X-Universe #1-2 (May–June 1995)
 External links Comics portal
 Speculative fiction portal
 Superhero fiction portal
Marvel Comics: Avengers Official site
Big Comic Book Database: Avengers
MDP:Avengers - Marvel Database Project (wiki)
Avengers Assemble! Archives and Database
Avengers Forever Fan site
Earth's Mightiest Heroines Fansite for the female members of the Avengers
v · d · eAvengers
 
Creators Stan Lee • Jack Kirby
 
Comic book titles Current The Avengers • Avengers Academy • New Avengers • Secret Avengers
 
Previous Avengers: The Initiative • Dark Avengers • Force Works • The Mighty Avengers • Solo Avengers • West Coast Avengers • Young Avengers
 
Limited Avengers: Celestial Quest • Avengers Forever • Avengers Infinity • G.L.A. • JLA/Avengers • Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers
 
Other continuities A-Next • The Last Avengers Story • Marvel Adventures: The Avengers • The Ultimates
 
 
Initial characters Ant-Man • Captain America • Hulk • Iron Man • Thor • Wasp
 
Members lists Avengers members • A-Next members • Great Lakes Avengers members • New Avengers members • Ultimates members • West Coast Avengers members
 
Enemies Baron Zemo • Collector • Count Nefaria • Egghead • Grandmaster • Graviton • Grim Reaper • Immortus • Kang • Korvac • Legion of the Unliving • Lethal Legion • Loki • Master Pandemonium • Masters of Evil • Morgan le Fay • Nebula • Space Phantom • Super-Adaptoid • Supreme Intelligence • Squadron Sinister • Taskmaster • Thanos • Ultron • Zodiac
 
Headquarters Avengers Mansion • Avengers Island • Avengers Tower
 
Storylines "Kree-Skrull War" • "Acts of Vengeance" • "Operation: Galactic Storm" • "Bloodties" • "Kang Dynasty" • "Avengers Disassembled"
 
In other media Television The Avengers: United They Stand • The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
 
Film Ultimate Avengers • Ultimate Avengers 2 • Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow • The Avengers
 
Video games Captain America and The Avengers • Avengers in Galactic Storm
 
 
Alternate versions Agents of Atlas • A-Next • Ultimates
 
 Book:The Avengers
 
 Related topics
 
v · d · eAvengers Academy
 
Creators Christos Gage • Mike McKone
 
Initial characters Trainees Reptil • Veil
 
Faculty Justice • Quicksilver • Speedball • Tigra • The Wasp
 
 
Related series The Avengers • Avengers: The Initiative
 
v · d · eNew Avengers
 
Creators Brian Michael Bendis · David Finch
 
Members Luke Cage · Doctor Strange · Iron Fist · Jewel · Mockingbird · Ms. Marvel · Spider-Man · The Thing · Wolverine
 
Former members Hawkeye · Captain America (Bucky Barnes) · Captain America (Steve Rogers) · Echo · Iron Man · The Sentry · Spider-Woman · Veranke (as Spider-Woman)
 
Enemies A.I.M. · Yelena Belova · The Collective · Dark Avengers · The Hand · The Hood · HYDRA · Madame Masque · Norman Osborn · Sauron · Skrulls
 
Headquarters Stark Tower · Sanctum Sanctorum · Avengers Mansion
 
Storylines Avengers Disassembled · House of M · Civil War · Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America · World War Hulk · Avengers/Invaders · Secret Invasion · Dark Reign · Siege · Heroic Age
 
Related series Avengers · Mighty Avengers · Dark Avengers · Avengers: The Initiative · New Avengers: Illuminati · New Avengers/Transformers · Secret Avengers · Secret War
 
Related articles Nick Fury · H.A.M.M.E.R. · Victoria Hand · Maria Hill · The Raft · Scarlet Witch · S.H.I.E.L.D. · Squirrel Girl · Superhuman Registration Act
 
v · d · eMighty Avengers
 
Creators Brian Michael Bendis • Frank Cho • Dan Slott
 
Members Amadeus Cho • Jocasta • Quicksilver • Stature • Vision • The Wasp (Pym)
 
Former members Ares • Black Widow • Hercules • Iron Man • Loki (as Scarlet Witch) • Ms. Marvel • The Sentry • U.S. Agent • Veranke (as Spider-Woman) • The Wasp (Van Dyne) • Wonder Man
 
Adversaries Chthon • Modred the Mystic • Mole Man • Skrulls • Symbiotes • Ultron
 
Storylines Civil War • The Initiative • Secret Invasion • Dark Reign • Siege
 
Related series Avengers • Avengers: The Initiative • New Avengers • Dark Avengers
 
v · d · eSecret Avengers
 
Creators Ed Brubaker · Mike Deodato Jr.
 
Roster Ant-Man · Beast · Black Widow · Sharon Carter · Moon Knight · Nova · Steve Rogers · War Machine · Valkyrie
 
Storylines The Heroic Age
 
Related series Avengers · Avengers Academy · New Avengers · Thunderbolts
 
 
 
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia-org/wiki/Avengers_(comics)"
Categories: Marvel Comics superhero teams | Marvel Comics titles | 1963 comic debuts | 1996 comic debuts | 1998 comic debuts | 2004 comic debuts | 2010 comic debuts | Superhero comics | Avengers | Characters created by Stan Lee | Characters created by Jack Kirby | Comics by Brian Michael Bendis
-------------
SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT XMEN
X-MenFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  (Redirected from Xmen)
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the superheroes. For other uses, see X-Men (disambiguation).
X-Men
Cover to Uncanny X-Men #505.
Pictured, left to right: Dazzler (above), Nightcrawler (below), Emma Frost, Cyclops, Pixie (above), Wolverine (below) and Colossus.
Art by Terry Dodson
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance The X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963)
Created by Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
In-story information
Base(s) Utopia
Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
Australia
Graymalkin Industries
Member(s) Angel
Armor
Aurora
Beast
Boom-Boom
Box
Cannonball
Colossus
Cyclops
Cypher
Danger
Dazzler
Doctor Nemesis
Domino
E.V.A.
Fantomex
Frenzy
Emma Frost
Gambit
Hepzibah
Husk
Iceman
Jubilee
Karma
Legion
Magik
Magma
Magneto
Mirage
Namor the Sub-Mariner
Northstar
Pixie
Professor X
Psylocke
Dr. Cecilia Reyes
Rogue
Shadowcat
Storm
Hope Summers
Sunspot
Warlock
Warpath
Wolverine
X-23
Roster
See:List of X-Men members
The X-Men are a superhero team in the Marvel Comics Universe.[1] They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1 (September 1963). The basic concept of the X-Men is that under a cloud of increasing anti-mutant sentiment, Professor Xavier created a haven at his Westchester mansion to train young mutants to use their powers for the benefit of humanity, and to prove mutants can be heroes.[2] Xavier recruited Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Beast and Marvel Girl, calling them "X-Men" because they possess special powers due to their possession of the "X-Gene," a gene which normal humans lack and which gives Mutants their abilities. Early on, however, the "X" in X-Men stood for "extra" power which normal humans lacked. It was also alluded to that mutations occurred as a result of radiation exposure.
The first issue also introduced the team's archenemy, Magneto, who would continue to battle the X-Men for decades throughout the comic's history, both on his own and with his Brotherhood of Mutants (introduced in issue #4). The X-Men universe also includes such notable heroes as Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Rogue. Besides the Brotherhood of Mutants, other villains that the X-Men have fought include the Sentinels, Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, the Hellfire Club, and Weapon X.
The X-Men comics have been adapted into other media, including animated television series, video games, and a commercially successful series of films.
Contents
1 Publication history
1.1 1960s
1.2 1970s
1.3 1980s
1.4 1990s
1.5 2000s
2 World of the X-Men
2.1 Fictional places
3 Other versions
4 Reflecting social issues
5 Cultural impact
6 In other media
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links
 
 Publication history
X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963). Written by Stan Lee and art by Jack Kirby.Creator Stan Lee devised the series title after Marvel publisher Martin Goodman turned down the initial name, "The Mutants," stating that readers wouldn't know what a "mutant" was.[3] Within the Marvel Universe, the X-Men are widely regarded to have been named after Professor Xavier himself. Xavier however claims that the name "X-Men" was never chosen to be a self-tribute.[4] The name is also linked to the "X Gene," an unknown gene that causes the mutant evolution.[5]
 1960s This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)
Early X-Men issues introduced the team's archenemy Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants featuring Mastermind, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Toad. The comic focused on a common human theme of good versus evil and later included storylines and themes about prejudice and racism, all of which have persisted throughout the series in one form or another. The evil side in the fight was shown in human form and under some sympathetic beginnings via Magneto, a character who was later revealed to have survived Nazi concentration camps only to pursue a hatred for normal humanity. His key followers, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, were Roma (gypsies). Only one new member of the X-Men was added, Mimic/Calvin Rankin, but soon left due to his temporary loss of power.
The title lagged in sales behind Marvel's other comic franchises. In 1969, writer Roy Thomas and illustrator Neal Adams rejuvenated the comic book and gave regular roles to two recently introduced characters: Havok/Alex Summers (who had been introduced by Roy Thomas before Adams began work on the comic) and Lorna Dane, later called Polaris (created by Arnold Drake and Jim Steranko). However, these later X-Men issues failed to attract sales and Marvel stopped producing new stories with issue #66, later reprinting a number of the older comics as issues #67–93.
 1970s This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)
In Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975), writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum introduced a new team that then starred in a revival of The X-Men, beginning with issue #94. This new team, however, differed greatly from the original. Unlike in the early issues of the original series, the new team was not made up of teenagers and they also had a more diverse background. Each was from a different country with varying cultural and philosophical beliefs, and all were already well-versed in using their mutant powers, several being experienced in combat. The "all-new, all-different X-Men" were led by Cyclops from the original team and consisted of the newly created Colossus (from the Soviet Union), Nightcrawler (from West Germany), Storm (from Kenya), and Thunderbird (a Native American from the Apache nation), along with three previously introduced characters, Banshee (from Ireland), Sunfire (from Japan), and Wolverine (from Canada), who eventually became the breakout character on the team and, in terms of comic sales and appearances, the most popular X-Men character. A revamped Jean Grey soon rejoined the X-Men as the popular Phoenix; Angel, Beast, Havok, and Polaris also made significant guest appearances.
The revived series was illustrated by Cockrum, and later by John Byrne, and written by Chris Claremont. Claremont became the series' longest-running contributor. The run met with critical acclaim and produced such early storylines as the death of Thunderbird, the return of the Sentinels and the emergence of Phoenix, the saga of the Starjammers and the fight for control of the M'Kraan Crystal, the resurrection of Garokk the Petrified Man, the introduction of Alpha Flight and the Proteus saga. Other characters introduced during this time include Amanda Sefton, Multiple Man, Mystique, and Moira MacTaggert with her genetic research facility on Muir Island.
 1980s This section, except for one footnote, does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)
The 1980s began with the comic's best-known story arc, the Dark Phoenix Saga, which saw Phoenix manipulated by the illusionist Mastermind and becoming corrupted with an overwhelming lust for power and destruction, Jean inadvertantly became the evil Dark Phoenix. Other important storylines included Days of Future Past, the saga of Deathbird and the Brood, the discovery of the Morlocks, the invasion of the Dire Wraiths and The Trial of Magneto, as well as X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, the partial inspiration for the 2003 movie X2: X-Men United.[6]
By the early '80s, X-Men was Marvel's top-selling comic title. The growing popularity of Uncanny X-Men and the rise of comic book specialty stores led to the introduction of a number of ongoing spin-off series nicknamed "X-Books." The first of these was The New Mutants, soon followed by Alpha Flight, X-Factor, Excalibur, and a solo Wolverine title. This plethora of X-Men-related titles led to the rise of crossovers (sometimes called "X-Overs"); story lines which would overlap into several X-Books. Notable crossovers of the time included the Mutant Massacre, Fall of the Mutants, and Inferno.
Throughout the decade, Uncanny X-Men was written solely by Chris Claremont, and illustrated for long runs by John Byrne, Dave Cockrum, Paul Smith, John Romita Jr and Marc Silvestri. Additions to the X-Men during this time were Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, Dazzler, Forge, Longshot, Psylocke, Rogue, Rachel Summers/Phoenix and Jubilee. In a controversial move, Professor X relocated to outer space to be with Lilandra, Majestrix of the Shi'ar Empire, in 1986. Magneto then joined the X-Men in Xavier's place and became the dictator of the New Mutants. This period also included the emergence of the Hellfire Club, the arrival of the mysterious Madelyne Pryor, and the villains Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, Mojo, and Sabretooth.
 1990s This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)
 
The multiple, interlocking covers of X-Men, vol. 2, #1 (1991). Art by Jim Lee.In 1991, Marvel revised the entire lineup of X-Books, centered on the launch of a second X-Men series, simply titled X-Men. With the return of Xavier and the original X-Men to the team, the roster was split into two strike forces: Cyclops' "Blue Team" (chronicled in X-Men) and Storm's "Gold Team" (in Uncanny X-Men).
Its first issues were written by longstanding X-Men writer Chris Claremont and drawn and co-plotted by Jim Lee. Retailers pre-ordered this book at 8 million copies, but probably sold closer to 3 million copies.[7] Another new X-book released at the time was X-Force, featuring the characters from The New Mutants, led by Cable; it was written by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza. Internal friction soon split the X-books' creative teams. In a controversial move, X-Men editor Bob Harras sided with Lee (and Uncanny X-Men artist Whilce Portacio) over Claremont in a dispute over plotting. Claremont left after only three issues of X-Men, ending his 16-year run as X-Men writer.[8] Marvel replaced Claremont briefly with John Byrne, who scripted both books for a few issues. Byrne was then replaced by Nicieza and Scott Lobdell, who would take over the majority of writing duties for the X-Men until Lee's own departure months later when he and several other popular artists (including former X-title artists Liefeld, Portacio, and Marc Silvestri ) would leave Marvel to form Image Comics. Jim Lee's X-Men designs would be the basis for much of the X-Men animated series and action figure line as well as several Capcom video games.
The 1990s saw an even greater number of X-books with numerous ongoing series and miniseries running concurrently. Notable story arcs of this time are "The X-Tinction Agenda" in 1990, "The Muir Island Saga" in 1991, "X-Cutioner's Song" in 1992, "Fatal Attractions" in 1993, "Phalanx Covenant" in 1994, "Legion Quest"/"Age of Apocalypse" in 1995, "Onslaught" in 1996 and "Operation: Zero Tolerance" in 1997. There were many new popular additions to the X-Men including Cable, Bishop and Gambit–who became one of the most popular X-Men (rivaling even Wolverine in size of fanbase), but many of the later additions to the team came and went (Joseph, Maggott, Marrow, Cecilia Reyes, and a new Thunderbird). Xavier's New Mutants grew up and became X-Force, and the next generation of students began with Generation X, featuring Jubilee and other teenage mutants led and schooled by Banshee and former villainess Emma Frost at her Massachusetts Academy. In 1998 Excalibur and X-Factor ended and the latter was replaced with Mutant X, starring Havok stranded in a parallel universe. Marvel launched a number of solo series, including Deadpool, Cable, Bishop, Wolverine, X-Man, and Gambit, but few of the series would survive the decade.
 2000sIn the 2000s, Claremont returned to Marvel and was put back on the primary X-Men titles during the Revolution event. He was soon removed from the two flagship titles in early 2001 and created his own spin-off series, X-Treme X-Men, which debuted a few months after his departure.
X-Men had its title changed at this time to New X-Men and new writer Grant Morrison took over. This era is often referred to as the Morrison-era, due to the drastic changes he made to the series, beginning with "E Is for Extinction," where a new villainess, Cassandra Nova, destroys Genosha, killing sixteen million mutants. Morrison also brought reformed ex-villainess Emma Frost into the primary X-Men team, and opened the doors of the school by having Xavier "out" himself to the public about being a mutant. The bright spandex costumes that had become iconic over the previous decades were also gone, replaced by black leather street clothes reminiscent of the uniforms of the X-Men movies. Morrison also added a new character, Xorn, who would figure prominently in the climax of the writer's run. In the meantime, Ultimate X-Men was launched, set in Marvel's revised imprint. Chuck Austen also began his controversial run on Uncanny X-Men.
The X-Men have found themselves in many popular movies, starting with X-Men in 2000.
Notable additions to the X-Men have been Chamber, Emma Frost, Husk, Northstar, Armor, Pixie, and Warpath. During this decade former villains such as Juggernaut, Lady Mastermind, Mystique, and Sabretooth became members of the X-Men for various lengths of time. Several short-lived spin-offs and miniseries started featuring several X-Men in solo series, such as Emma Frost, Gambit, Mystique, Nightcrawler, and Rogue. Another book, Exiles, started at the same time and concluded in December 2007 but with a new book in January 2008, "New Exiles" written by Chris Claremont. Cable and Deadpool's books were also rolled into one book, called Cable & Deadpool. A third core X-Men title was also introduced called Astonishing X-Men, written by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, following Morrison's departure. Another X-Book titled New X-Men: Academy X took its place focusing on the lives of the new young mutants at the Institute.
This period included the resurrections of Colossus and Psylocke, a new death for Jean Grey, who later returned temporarily in the X-Men: Phoenix - Endsong miniseries, as well as Emma Frost becoming the new headmistress of the Institute, a position that was formerly Jean Grey's before her death. The Institute formerly ran as a large-scale school, until the depowering of most of the mutant population. It now serves as a safe haven to those mutants who are still powered, and as the home of the X-Men.
The 2007–2008 Messiah Complex crossover saw the destruction of the Xavier Institute and the disbanding of the X-Men. Out of the crossover spun the new volumes of X-Force, following the team led by Wolverine, and Cable, following Cable's attempts at protecting the Messiah child. X-Men vol.2 was renamed into X-Men: Legacy and will focus on Professor Xavier, Rogue and Gambit. The main team later reformed in Uncanny X-Men #500, with the X-Men now operating out of a new base in San Francisco under Cyclops's leadership.[9] Uncanny X-Men returned to its roots as the flagship title for the X-Franchise and served as the umbrella under which the various X-Books coexist.
A crossover between X-Force and Cable series entitled Messiah War, written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, commenced in March 2009 and served as a second part in the trilogy that began with Messiah Complex. Matt Fraction also wrote a Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men crossover, Utopia, running through summer 2009, as a part of the larger Dark Reign storyline. 2009 also saw the beginning of the new New Mutants volume written by Zeb Wells, with the limited series X-Infernus serving as prologue. The new volume saw some of the more prominent members of the original team reunited.
 
The future of the X-Men.The end of 2009 and the Nation X storyline saw the X-Men's longtime archnemesis, Magneto, renouncing his villainous ways and joining the X-Men, which Cyclops allowed.[10] This was much to the dismay of other members of the X-Men, such as Beast, who left the team in disgust [11] Magneto began to work with Namor to transform Utopia into a homeland for both mutants and Atlanteans.[12]
Starting with Issue #226, Rogue became the main character of X-Men: Legacy; the new series direction began in the X-Men: Legacy annual after the conclusion of Utopia. X-Force, New Mutants, and X-Men: Legacy were also involved in Necrosha, a crossover in which Selene resurrected all the mutants killed in the Genosha massacre. X-Force contained the main storyline, while the other series handled the consequences of the prologue one-shot.
Notable story arcs of this decade are "Revolution" (2000), "Eve of Destruction," "E Is for Extinction" (2001), "Planet X," "Here Comes Tomorrow," "Gifted," (2004) X-Men: Phoenix - Endsong, "House of M," "Decimation" (2005), Deadly Genesis (2005–2006), "Endangered Species" (2007), "Messiah Complex" (2007–2008), "Divided We Stand" (2008), "Manifest Destiny" (2008–2009), X-Infernus, "Messiah War," "Utopia," "Nation X," "Necrosha" (2009), "Second Coming" (2010), "Age of X," and "Schism" (2011). The X-Men were also involved in the "Secret Invasion" and the 2010 storyline "Second Coming," which is based on plot threads from "Necrosha" and "House of M".[13][14]
 World of the X-MenMain article: History of the X-Men comics
See also: Mutant (Marvel Comics)
The X-Men exist in the Marvel Universe with other characters portrayed in Marvel Comics series. As such, it is unsurprising that they often meet characters from other series, and the global nature of the mutant concept means the scale of stories can be highly varied.
The X-Men fight everything ranging from mutant thieves to galactic threats. Historically, the X-Men have been based in the Xavier Institute, near Salem Center, in north-east Westchester County, NY, and are often depicted as a family. The X-Mansion is often depicted with three floors and two underground levels. To the outside world, it had acted as a higher learning institute until the 2000s, when Xavier was publicly exposed as a mutant at which point it became a full mutant boarding school. Xavier funds a corporation aimed at reaching mutants worldwide, though it ceased to exist following the "Decimation."
The X-Men benefit greatly from state-of-the-art technology. For example, Xavier is depicted tracking down mutants with a device called Cerebro which amplifies his powers; the X-Men train within the Danger Room, first depicted as a room full of weapons and booby traps, now as generating holographic simulations; and the X-Men travel in their widely recognized and iconic Blackbird jet.
 Fictional placesThe X-Men introduced several fictional locations which are regarded as important within the shared universe in which Marvel Comics characters exist:
Asteroid M, an asteroid made by Magneto, a mutant utopia and training facility off of the Earth's surface.
Genosha, an island near Madagascar and a longtime apartheid regime against mutants. Given control by the U.N. to Magneto until the E Is for Extinction story.
Madripoor, an island in South East Asia, near Singapore. Its location is shown to be in the southern portion of the Strait of Malacca, south west of Singapore.
Muir Island, a remote island off the coast of Scotland. This is primarily known in the X-Men universe as the home of Moira MacTaggert's laboratory.
Mutant Town (also known as District X), an area in Alphabet City, Manhattan, populated largely by mutants and beset by poverty and crime.
Savage Land, a preserved location in Antarctica which is home to a number of extinct species, most notably dinosaurs.
Utopia, Cyclops has Asteroid M risen from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the San Francisco as a response to the rise of anti-mutant sentiment to form a new Mutant Nation.
 Other versionsAge of Apocalypse: In a world where Professor Xavier is killed before he can form the X-Men, Magneto leads the X-Men in a dystopian world ruled by Apocalypse. Created and reverted via time travel.
Days of Future Past: Sentinels have either killed or placed into concentration camps almost all mutants. Prevented by the time-traveling Kate Pryde (the adult Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat).
House of M: Reality is altered by Scarlet Witch, with her father Magneto as the world's ruler. 2005's crossover event, it concludes with a reversion to the normal Marvel Universe, albeit with most mutants depowered.
Marvel 1602: Mutants are known as the "Witchbreed" in this alternate reality set during the time of The Inquisition. Carlos Javier creates a "school for the children of gentlefolk" to serve as a safe haven and training ground.
Marvel 2099: Set in a dystopian world with new characters looking to the original X-Men as history, becoming X-Men 2099 and X-Nation 2099.
Mutant X: Set in a world where Scott Summers was captured along with his parents by the Shi'ar and only Alex escaped, allowing him to be the eventual leader of this Universe's X-Factor ("The Six"). The Mutant X universe reimagines Mr. Fantastic, Nick Fury, and Professor X as villains and Doctor Doom and Apocalypse as heroes.
Ultimate X-Men: Set in the reimagined Ultimate Marvel universe.
X-Men Forever: An alternate continuity diverging from X-Men, vol. 2 #3, continuing as though writer Chris Claremont had never left writing the series.[15]
X-Men Noir: Set in the 1930s, with the X-Men as a mysterious criminal gang and the Brotherhood as a secret society of corrupt cops.
X-Men: The End: A possible ending to the X-Men's early 2005 status quo.
 Reflecting social issues This section has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page.
It needs additional references or sources for verification. Tagged since February 2007.
It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. Tagged since December 2009.
 
The conflict between mutants and normal humans is often compared to conflicts experienced by minority groups in America such as African Americans, Jews, Communists, LGBT characters, etc. Also on an individual level, a number of X-Men serve a metaphorical function as their powers illustrate points about the nature of the outsider.
"The X-Men are hated, feared and despised collectively by humanity for no other reason than that they are mutants. So what we have here, intended or not, is a book that is about racism, bigotry and prejudice."
Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont, 1981Racism: Professor X has come to be compared to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and Magneto to the more militant Malcolm X. The X-Men’s purpose is sometimes referred to as achieving "Xavier’s dream," perhaps a reference to King’s historic "I Have a Dream" speech. Magneto, in the first film, quotes Malcolm X with the line "By any means necessary." X-Men comic books have often portrayed mutants as victims of mob violence, evoking images of the lynching of African Americans in the age before the American civil rights movement. Sentinels and anti-mutant hate groups such as Friends of Humanity, Humanity's Last Stand, the Church of Humanity and Stryker's Purifiers are thought to often represent oppressive forces like the KKK giving a form to denial of civil rights and amendments. In the 1980s, the comic featured a plot involving the fictional island nation of Genosha, where mutants were segregated and enslaved by an apartheid state. This is widely interpreted as having been a reference to the situation in South Africa at the time.
Anti-Semitism: Explicitly referenced in recent decades is the comparison between anti-mutant sentiment and anti-Semitism. Magneto, a Holocaust survivor, sees the situation of mutants as similar to those of Jews in Nazi Germany. At one point he even utters the words "never again" in a 1992 episode of the X-Men animated series. The mutant slave labor camps on the island of Genosha, in which numbers were burned into mutant's foreheads, show much in common with Nazi concentration camps, as do the internment camps of the classic "Days of Future Past" storyline. Another notable reference is in the third X-Men film, when asked by Callisto: "If you're so proud of being a mutant, then where's your mark?" Magneto shows his concentration camp tattoo, while mentioning that he will never let another needle touch his skin.
Diversity: Characters within the X-Men mythos hail from a wide variety of nationalities. These characters also reflect religious, ethnic or sexual minorities. Examples include Shadowcat, Sabra and Magneto who are Jewish, Dust who is a devout Muslim, Nightcrawler who is a devout Catholic, and Neal Shaara/Thunderbird who is Hindu. Storm (Ororo Munroe) represents two aspects of the African diaspora as her father was African American and her mother was Kenyan. Karma was portrayed as a devout Catholic from Vietnam, who regularly attended Mass and confession when she was introduced as a founding member of the New Mutants. This team also included Wolfsbane (a devout Scots Presbyterian), Danielle Moonstar (a Cheyenne Native American) and Cannonball, and was later joined by Magma (a devout Greco-Roman classical religionist). Different nationalities included Wolverine as a Canadian, Colossus from Russia, Banshee from Ireland, Gambit who is a Cajun, the original Thunderbird who was an Apache Native American, Psylocke from the U.K., Armor from Japan, Nightcrawler from Germany, Omega Sentinel and Indra from India, etc.
LGBT Themes: Another metaphor that has been applied by some to the X-Men is that of LGBT. Comparisons have been made by some between the mutants' situation, including concealment of their powers and the age they realize these powers, and homosexuality.[16] Several scenes in the X-Men films, which prominently featured openly gay actors Ian McKellen and Alan Cumming, and two of which were directed by openly gay director Bryan Singer (who also oversaw a third), have been said to illustrate this theme. In the comics series, gay and bisexual characters include Anole, Destiny, Karma, Mystique, Northstar, Graymalkin, Rictor, Shatterstar and the Ultimate version of Colossus. Transgender issues also come up with shapechangers like Mystique who can change gender at will. It has been said that the comic books and the X-Men animated series delved into the AIDS epidemic with a long-running plot line about the Legacy Virus,[17] a seemingly incurable disease thought at first to attack only mutants (similar to the AIDS virus which at first was spread through the gay community). Ironically, while some X-Men had the Legacy Virus, they are incapable of getting AIDS due to their genetic mutation being able to combat the disease.
Red Scare: Occasionally, undercurrents of the "Red Scare" are present. Senator Robert Kelly's proposal of a Mutant Registration Act is similar to the efforts of United States Congress to try to ban Communism in the United States. In the 2000 X-Men film Kelly exclaims, 'We must know who these mutants are and what they can do,' even brandishing a "list" of known mutants (a reference to Senator Joseph McCarthy's list of Communist Party USA members who were working in the government).[18]
Religion: Religion is an integral part of several X-Men storylines. It is presented as both a positive and negative force, sometimes in the same story. The comics explore religious fundamentalism through the person of William Stryker and his Purifiers, an anti-mutant group that emerged in the 1982 graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills. The Purifiers believe that mutants are not human beings but children of the devil, and have attempted to exterminate them several times, most recently in the "Childhood's End" storyline. By contrast, religion is also central to the lives of several X-Men, such as Nightcrawler, a devout Catholic, and Dust, a devout Sunni Muslim who observes Islamic Hijab. This recalls the religious roots of social activists like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, as well as their opponents such as the Ku Klux Klan or Nathuram Godse (the Hindu radical who assassinated Gandhi).
Subculture: In some cases, the mutants of the X-Men universe sought to create a subculture of the typical mutant society portrayed. The X-Men comics first introduced a band of mutants called the Morlocks. This group, though mutants like those attending Xavier's school, sought to hide away from society within the tunnels of New York. These Morlock tunnels served as the backdrop for several X-Men stories, most notably The Mutant Massacre crossover. This band of mutants illustrates another dimension to the comic, that of a group that further needs to isolate itself because society won't accept it. In Grant Morrison’s stories of the early 2000s, mutants are portrayed as a distinct subculture with “mutant bands,” mutant use of code-names as their primary form of self identity (rather than their given birth names), and a popular mutant fashion designer who created outfits tailored to mutant physiology. The series District X takes place in an area of New York City called "Mutant Town." These instances can also serve as analogies for the way that minority groups establish subcultures and neighborhoods of their own that distinguish them from the broader general culture. Director Bryan Singer has remarked that the X-Men franchise has served as a metaphor for acceptance of all people for their special and unique gifts. The mutant condition that is often kept secret from the world can be analogous to feelings of difference and fear usually developed in everyone during adolescence.
 Cultural impactThe insecurity and anxieties in Marvel's early 1960s comic books such as The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and X-Men ushered in a new type of superhero, very different from the certain and all-powerful superheroes before them, and changed the public's perception of them.[19]
 In other mediaMain article: X-Men in other media
 Notes This section's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (May 2011)
1.^ "X-Men - Marvel Universe: created by RSR The definitive online source for super hero bios.". http://www-marvel-com/universe/X-Men. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
2.^ Claremont, Chris, with art by Dave Cockrum and Hilary Barta. "A Day Like Any Other," Special Edition X-Men #1 (Feb. 1983), p. 3: Kitty Pryde describes the team this way: "Who are the X-Men, you ask? A group of super-powered mutants, gathered by Professor Charles Xavier for the twofold purpose of seeking out others like themselves and helping them learn to utilize their abilities for the good of society. And, also, to protect society from the threat of evil mutants."
3.^ Lee, Stan; Jack Kirby (2005-08-10). Son of Origins of Marvel Comics. Son of Origins of Marvel Comics. 1. John Buscema, Don Heck, Bill Everett, Gene Colan. Marvel. p. 448. ISBN 0-6712-2166-3.
4.^ Tacopina, Robert. "Uncanny X-Men #309: . . . When The Tigers Come At Night!". UncannyX-Men-net. http://www-uncannyxmen-net/db/issues/showquestion.asp?fldAuto=1064. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
5.^ The X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963)
6.^ Scott Brown (2003-05-09). "The NeXt Level". Entertainment Weekly. http://www-ew-com/ew/article/0,,449160,00.html. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
7.^ [1]
8.^ O’Neill, Patrick Daniel. "X Marks the Spot: Chris Claremont and Marvel's Mutants", Wizard #2, October 1991. Accessed April 20, 2009.
9.^ "The Independent Comics Site - State of the Art: The X-Men Post-Messiah CompleX". http://independentcomicssite-net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=313&Itemid=33. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
10.^ Uncanny X-Men#516
11.^ Uncanny X-Men#519
12.^ Uncanny X-Men#520
13.^ "X-Writers Prepare for the "Second Coming"". Comicbookresources-com. 2009-10-12. http://www-comicbookresources-com/?page=article&id=23289. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
14.^ "Second Coming: Prepare #1 - Second Coming: Prepare (comic book issue)". Comic Vine. 2010-02-24. http://www-comicvine-com/second-coming-prepare-second-coming-prepare/37-198355/. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
15.^ "NYCC '09: Claremont and the X-Men: With a Twist". Newsarama-com. 2009-02-06. http://www-newsarama-com/comics/020906-X-Men-Forever.html. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
16.^ John Hartl (2006-05-25). "The X-Men come out". MSNBC. http://www-msnbc.msn-com/id/12956661. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
17.^ Stas Bekman: stas (at) stason-org. "60 What is the Legacy Virus? Who's had it? Hasn't there been a cure for a while?". Stason-org. http://stason-org/TULARC/art/comics-xbooks/60-What-is-the-Legacy-Virus-Who-s-had-it-Hasn-t-there-been.html. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
18.^ "X-Men 3: The Last Stand (2006) Movie Review - 3.0 out of 4.0 stars". The Movie Insider. http://www-themovieinsider-com/reviews/read.php?rid=700. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
19.^ Fleming, James R. (2006). "Review of Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society. By Danny Fingeroth". ImageText (University of Florida). ISSN 1549-6732. http://www-english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/v2_2/reviews/fleming.shtml. Retrieved Fleming.
 ReferencesFecteau, Lydia (July 12, 2004). Mutant and Cyborg Images of the Disabled Body in the Landscape of Science Fiction Available online as a Word document. Accessed on September 29, 2005.
Morrison, Grant. (August 10, 2000) "The geek shall inherit the earth." The Evening Standard. Accessed on September 29, 2005
Weinstein, Simcha. Up Up and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero (Baltimore : Leviathan, 2006) has a chapter on the X-Men, with special emphasis on Jewish characters Magneto and Shadowcat.
Montgomery, Mitch. (October 21, 2006) "X-traordinary People: Mary Tyler Moore and the Mutants Explore Pop Psychology", Silver Bullet Comics
 External links Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: X-Men
X-Men at the Marvel Universe wiki
X-Men at the Open Directory Project
X-Men at the Comic Book DB
X-Men at the Grand Comics Database
X-Men at the Marvel Directory
X-Men at the X-Men Wikia
X-Men at Uncannyxmen-net
 
v · d · eX-Men
 
Creators Stan Lee · Jack Kirby
 
Members Angel · Anole · Ariel · Armor · Aurora · Banshee · Beast · Bishop · Blindfold · Boom-Boom · Box · Cable · Caliban · Cannonball · Chamber · Changeling · Cipher · Cloak and Dagger · Colossus · Cyclops · Cypher · Darwin · Dazzler · Deadpool · Doctor Nemesis · Domino · Dust · Elixir · Fantomex and E.V.A. · Forge · Frenzy · Emma Frost · Gambit · Gentle · Graymalkin · Nate Grey · Havok · Hellion · Hepzibah · Hope · Husk · Iceman · Ink · Joseph · Jubilee · Karma · Lady Mastermind · Lifeguard · Lockheed · Longshot · Maggott · Magik · Magma · Marrow · Marvel Girl · Mercury · Mimic · Mirage · Namor · Nightcrawler · Northstar · Omega Sentinel · Petra · Phoenix · Pixie · Polaris · Prodigy · Professor X · Psylocke · Revanche · Cecilia Reyes · Rockslide · Rogue · Sage · Shadowcat · Slipstream · Stacy X · Storm · Sunfire · Sunspot · Surge · Sway · Thunderbird (John Proudstar) · Thunderbird (Neal Shaara) · Warlock · Warpath · Wolf Cub · Wolverine · X-23 · Shen Xorn
 
Secondary teams Excalibur · Generation X · New Mutants · X-Club · X-Corporation · X-Factor · X-Force · X-Men-In-Training · X-Terminators
 
Villains Apocalypse · Arcade · Bastion · Black Tom Cassidy · Dark Beast · Exodus · Cameron Hodge · Juggernaut · Senator Kelly · Krakoa · Lady Deathstrike · Legion · Magneto · Mastermind · Mesmero · Mr. Sinister · Mojo · Mystique · Cassandra Nova · Omega Red · Onslaught · Predator X · Proteus · Madelyne Pryor · Sabretooth · Sauron · Selene · Shadow King · Silver Samurai · Spiral · Stryfe · William Stryker · Sublime · Sugar Man · Bolivar Trask · Vulcan · X-Cutioner · Kuan-Yin Xorn
 
Villain teams Acolytes · Alliance of Evil · Brood · Brotherhood of Mutants (Members) · Children of the Vault · Externals · Fenris · Friends of Humanity · Gene Nation · Hellfire Club · Hellions · Horsemen of Apocalypse · Marauders · Mutant Liberation Front · Nasty Boys · Neo · Norman Osborn's X-Men · Phalanx · Purifiers · Reavers · Savage Land Mutates · Sentinels · Weapon X
 
Locations Asteroid M · Avalon · Crossmore · District X/Mutant Town · Genosha · Graymalkin Industries · Limbo · Madripoor · Massachusetts Academy · Muir Island · Providence · Savage Land · Utopia · X-Mansion
 
Equipment
& Vehicles Cerebro · Danger Room · X-Jet
 
Miscellanea Alpha Flight · Crimson Dawn · Fastball Special · Legacy Virus · M'Kraan Crystal · Morlocks · Mutants · Mutant Registration Act · Phoenix Force · Shi'ar · Siege Perilous · Starjammers · Technarchy · Third Summers Brother
 
See also: X-Men in other media · X-Men storylines · X-Men comics
 
v · d · eUltimate X-Men
 
X-Men Angel • Beast • Bishop • Colossus • Cyclops • Dazzler • Firestar • Iceman • Magician • Marvel Girl • Nightcrawler • Psylocke • Pyro • Rogue • Shadowcat • Storm • Toad • Wolverine • Professor Charles Xavier
 
Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy Blob • Forge • Juggernaut • Longshot • Lorelei • Magneto • Mastermind • Multiple Man • Mystique • Pyro • Quicksilver • Rogue • Sabretooth • Scarlet Witch • Stacy X • Toad • Unus • Vanisher • Wolverine
 
Opponents and Villains Acolytes • Mojo Adams • Alpha Flight • Apocalypse • Arcade • Deadpool • Fenris • Lady Deathstrike • Marauders • Proteus • Sentinels • Shadow King • Sinister • Stryfe • Weapon X
 
Frost's Academy of Tomorrow Angel • Beast • Cannonball • Colossus • Cypher • Emma Frost • Havok • Karma • Northstar • Polaris • Shinobi Shaw • Sunspot
 
Supporting characters Nick Fury • Gambit • Moira MacTaggert • Morlocks • Lilandra Numara • Spider-Man • Fantastic Four
 
Locations Academy of Tomorrow • Genosha • Krakoa Island • Muir Island Hospital for Mutants • Savage Land • Sydney, Australia • X-Mansion
 
Technology Cerebro • Danger Room • X-Wing (Blackbird)
 
Related Books Ultimate War • Ultimate Galactus Trilogy • Ultimate X4 • Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk • Ultimate Power • Ultimatum • Ultimatum: X-Men Requiem • Ultimate Comics: X
 
Miscellaneous Ultimate X-Men Story Arcs • Church of Shi'ar Enlightement • Banshee • Hellfire Club • Phoenix God
 
v · d · eX-Men comic books
 
Comics Core Titles: Astonishing X-Men • New Mutants • Uncanny X-Force • Uncanny X-Men • X-Factor • X-Men • X-Men: Legacy
Secondary Titles: Deadpool • Generation Hope • Namor: The First Mutant • Wolverine • X-23
Past Titles: Alpha Flight • Cable • Cable & Deadpool • Captain Britain and MI13 • Classic X-Men • Dazzler • District X • Excalibur • Generation X • New X-Men • S.W.O.R.D. • Wolverine: First Class • Wolverine: Origins • Wolverine: Weapon X • X-Man • X-Men: First Class • X-Men: The Hidden Years • X-Men Unlimited • X-Statix • X-Treme X-Men • Young X-Men
Alternate Universe Titles: Ultimate Comics: X
Past Alternate Universe Titles: Exiles • Mutant X • Ultimate X-Men • X-Men 2099 • X-Men Forever
 
Storylines "The Dark Phoenix Saga" • "Days of Future Past" • "God Loves, Man Kills" • "Mutant Massacre" • "Fall of the Mutants" • "Inferno" • "Days of Future Present" • "X-Tinction Agenda" • "Muir Island Saga" • "X-Cutioner's Song" • "Fatal Attractions" • "Phalanx Covenant" • "Age of Apocalypse" • "Onslaught" • "Operation: Zero Tolerance" • "The Twelve" • "Eve of Destruction" • "E is for Extinction" • "Planet X" • "Here Comes Tomorrow" • "House of M" • "Decimation" • "Deadly Genesis" • "Endangered Species" • "Messiah Complex" • "Divided We Stand" • "Manifest Destiny" • "X-Infernus" • "Messiah War" • "Utopia" • "Nation X" • "Necrosha" • "Second Coming" • "Curse of the Mutants" • "Age of X"
 
Other History of the X-Men comics
 
See also: X-Men · X-Men in other media
 
v · d · eWolverine
 
Creators Len Wein · John Romita, Sr.
 
Teams Alpha Flight · Avengers · Department H · Fantastic Four · New Avengers · S.H.I.E.L.D. · Team X · X-Force · X-Men
 
Supporting characters Albert · Deadpool · Nick Fury · Jessan Hoan · Itsu · Amiko Kobayashi · Dog Logan · Thomas Logan · Elektra Natchios · David North · Kayla Silverfox  · John Wraith · X-23 · Mariko Yashida · Yukio
 
Enemies Bloodscream · Chimera · Abraham Cornelius · Cyber · Daken · Genesis · The Gorgon · Lady Deathstrike · Malcolm Colcord · Matsu'o Tsurayaba · Mister X · Mystique · Nitro · Nuke · Ogun · Omega Red · Romulus · Roughouse · Sabretooth · Shiva · Silver Samurai · Taskmaster · William Stryker · Shingen Yashida · Wendigo · Wild Child
 
Comic books 5 Ronin · Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine · Before the Fantastic Four: Ben Grimm and Logan · Kitty Pryde and Wolverine · Logan · Marvel Comics Presents ("Weapon X") · "Old Man Logan" · Origin · Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk · Wolverine · Wolverine: Manifest Destiny · Wolverine: Origins · Wolverine: Snikt! · Wolverine: Weapon X
 
In other media Wolverine and the X-Men · X-Men Origins: Wolverine · Hulk vs. Wolverine · Marvel Anime
 
Related articles Alternative versions · Weapon X · Weapon Plus · Ultimate Wolverine
 
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia-org/wiki/X-Men"
Categories: Fictional organizations | Characters created by Jack Kirby | Characters created by Stan Lee | Comics adapted into films | Marvel Comics mutants | Marvel Comics titles | X-Men titles | X-Men | Comic strips started in the 1960s
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SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT ROGUE
Rogue (comics)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
 This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page.
It needs sources or references that appear in third-party publications. Tagged since July 2010.
Its neutrality or factuality may be compromised by weasel words. Tagged since July 2010.
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 This article may be divided into too many sections considering its overall length. To help improve Wikipedia's quality standards, some of the sections may need to be condensed or merged. February 2010
Rogue
Artwork for the cover of Rogue vol. 3, #3 (November 2004). Art by Rodolfo Migliari.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Avengers Annual #10 (August 1981)
Created by Chris Claremont
Michael Golden
In-story information
Alter ego Anna Marie
Species Human mutant
Team affiliations X-Men
XSE
Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
Notable aliases Anna Raven, Dr. Kellogg, Miss Smith
Abilities Absorption of memories, skills, and powers through skin to skin contact. The longer the contact occurs, the longer Rogue will retain the abilities or memories. If she maintains contact for long enough, the absorption is permanent.
Occasional super strength and flight.
Occasional martial arts and unarmed combat.
(details)
Rogue[1] is a fictional character in most of the Marvel Comics award-winning X-Men related titles. She was created by author Chris Claremont and artist Michael Golden, and debuted in Avengers Annual #10 (August 1981) as a villain. An earlier story, intended for Ms. Marvel #25 (June 1979) went unpublished until 1992. Rogue was born as a mutant. More so than most, Rogue considers her powers a curse: she involuntarily absorbs and sometimes also removes the memories, physical strength, and (in the case of superpowered persons) the abilities of anyone she touches. For most of her life, this potentially fatal power prevented her from making any physical contact with others, including her longtime on-off love interest, Gambit, but after many years Rogue finally gained full control over her power.
Hailing from Caldecott, Mississippi (a fictional county), Rogue is the X-Men's self-described southern belle. A runaway, she was adopted by Mystique of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and grew up as a villain. After Rogue permanently absorbed Ms. Marvel's psyche and Kree powers, she reformed and turned to the X-Men, fearing for her sanity. Writer Chris Claremont played a significant role in the character's subsequent development. Rogue is unusual among the X-Men as her real name and her early history were not revealed until more than twenty years after her introduction. Until the back story provided by Robert Rodi in the ongoing Rogue series began in September 2004, Rogue's background was only hinted at. Her name was revealed as Anna Marie, although her surname is still unknown. She has sometimes been called Raven which is really the first name of her foster mother Mystique.[2]
Rogue has been one of the most popular and consistent members of the X-Men since the 1980s. She was #5 on IGN's Top 25 X-Men list for 2006,[3] #4 on their Top Ten X-Babes list for 2006,[4] #3 on Marvel's list of Top 10 Toughest Females for 2009[5] and was given title of #1 X-Man on CBR's Top 50 X-Men of All Time for 2008.[6] Rogue has been featured in most of the X-Men animated series and various video games. In the X-Men film series, she is portrayed by Academy Award winner Anna Paquin. Her visual cue is often the white streak that runs through her hair.
Contents
1 Publication history
2 Fictional character biography
2.1 Early life
2.2 Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
2.3 X-Men
2.4 In the Outback
2.5 Return
2.6 X-Treme X-Men team
2.7 Back to the X-Men
2.8 Blood of Apocalypse
2.9 Endangered Species: Rogue's X-Men
2.10 Messiah Complex
2.11 Being cured
2.12 Utopia
2.13 Nation-X
2.14 Necrosha
2.15 Post-Siege
2.16 Second Coming
3 Powers and abilities
3.1 Mutant powers
3.2 Fully developed mutant powers
3.3 Ms. Marvel powers
3.4 X-Treme powers
3.5 Powerless
3.6 Sunfire powers
4 Rogue's real name
5 Other versions
6 In other media
7 References
8 External links
 
 Publication historyRogue (vol. 1, 3)
Marvel Icons: Rogue (vol. 2)
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
Schedule Vol. 1-3: Monthly
Format Vol. 1-2
Standard U.S., 4 color. Mini-series.
Vol. 3
Standard U.S., 4 color. Ongoing.
Publication date Vol. 1: 1994
Vol. 2: 2001
Vol. 3: 2004–2005
Number of issues Vol. 1: 4
Vol. 2: 4
Vol. 3: 12
Creative team
Writer(s) Vol. 1: Howard Mackie
Vol. 2: Fiona Avery
Vol. 3: Robert Rodi (#1-6)
Tony Bedard (#7-12)
Penciller(s) Vol. 1: Mike Wieringo
Vol. 2: Aaron Lopresti
Vol. 3: Cliff Richards (#1-6)
Karl Moline (#7-12)
Inker(s) Vol. 1: Terry Austin
Vol. 2: Randy Emberlin
Vol. 3: Norm Rapmund (#1-6)
Creator(s) Chris Claremont
Michael Golden
 This section requires expansion.
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 (1979) (and artwork for the first half of the story was completed),[citation needed] but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10 (1981). She made her first X-Book appearance in Uncanny X-Men #158 (1982) and joined the X-Men in Uncanny X-Men #171 (1983). Rogue has also had two miniseries and one ongoing title.
Rogue's real name and early history were not revealed until more than twenty years after her introduction. Until the back story provided by Robert Rodi in the ongoing Rogue series, begun in September 2004, Rogue's background was only hinted at. This resulted in Rodi's version of Rogue's origins inadvertently conflicting with earlier information. In X-Men Unlimited #4, Scott Lobdell indicates that Rogue ran away from her father after her mutant powers manifested, but in Uncanny X-Men #182, Rogue reflects that she never knew her father because he'd left before she was born, and several issues, including Uncanny X-Men #178 and X-Men #93, indicate that Rogue was taken in by Mystique and Destiny before her mutation became active.
 Fictional character biography Early lifeHer parents, Owen and Priscilla, married early in their relationship and lived in a back-to-nature hippie commune in Caldecott County, Mississippi.[7] Born as Anna Marie, she also enjoyed the attentions of her Aunt Carrie, on her mother's side. Anna Marie was raised speaking colloquial English and French, common to the Mississippi bayou area.[8] The commune's failed attempt to use Native American mysticism to reach the 'Far Banks' resulted in Priscilla's disappearance. Carrie took over Anna's care, and in her grief at the loss of her sister, was a strict and authoritarian guardian. Anna Marie was a rebellious child[7] and at some point, the exact event or reasons still unclear, she ran away from home as a young teenager. This also prompted the nickname "Rogue". Not long after, she was approached by Mystique, who sought her out on the advice of her precognitive partner Destiny. Mystique ultimately takes Rogue in as a daughter.[volume & issue needed]
At some point, Rogue grew close to a boy named Cody Robbins. During their flirtation, she impulsively kissed Cody, at which point her latent mutant power to absorb the life energy and psyche of others with skin-to-skin contact emerged. Rogue was traumatized by the experience, and Cody was left in a permanent coma. Hence, Rogue wore body-concealing clothing that eliminated the possibility of accidental skin contact. She wished she "did not have to cover up so much around folks," to protect them from her. She thought her power was a curse.[volume & issue needed]
In time, however, Mystique turned Rogue's loneliness, envy, bitterness, and despair into anger, thus recruiting her into the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.[volume & issue needed]
 Brotherhood of Evil MutantsAfter Rogue's mutation emerged, Mystique began coaxing Rogue into taking part in her terrorist activities as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Rogue was initially not interested, wanting only a normal life, but after an incident[9] in which she absorbed and knocked out the young boy named Cody when he dared her to kiss him, she seemed to give up on normality and began taking part in Mystique's plans.
During this period, Rogue and Mystique associated briefly with a mutant named Blindspot, whose power to erase the memories of others by touch somehow counteracts Rogue's mutation enough to allow them to make physical contact safely. Blindspot and Rogue become good friends, but when Mystique decided to sever professional ties with Blindspot, Blindspot erased all memory of her from both Mystique and Rogue in order to protect herself.[volume & issue needed]
When Mystique debuted her Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Pyro, Blob, and Avalanche), Destiny advised her to keep Rogue out of the action, advice which proved important when several members of the new Brotherhood — including Destiny herself — were arrested and imprisoned. Rogue ultimately confronted Ms. Marvel on her front doorstep as she was returning home from grocery shopping and deliberately absorbed her powers. Something went wrong as Ms. Marvel fought too hard and too long. The transfer of psyche and all powers became permanent. The shock of absorbing such a formidable persona drove Rogue insane and she attempted to kill Ms. Marvel by throwing her off the Golden Gate Bridge. Unbeknownst to Rogue, Ms. Marvel was saved from the fall by the original Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew. Ms. Marvel was comatose for a short period of time before her memories without the emotional attachments were restored by Professor Charles Xavier of the X-Men. Rogue later felt tremendous guilt over the incident and it still haunts her to this day. However, she battled the Avengers as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil mutants using her newly acquired powers.[10]
Later, with Mystique and Destiny, Rogue attacked Angel and Dazzler, but Rogue was overpowered by Dazzler. Rogue developed a grudge against Dazzler for her controllable mutation and her relationship with Angel of the X-Men. Mystique intended for Rogue to absorb Angel — the only X-Man whose identity is publicly known at the time — in order to learn the team's whereabouts but Rogue balked, afraid of the effect of absorbing a physical mutation like Angel's wings. Rogue defeated Dazzler, but was herself defeated by Power Man and Iron Fist, before fleeing; Rogue was defeated by Dazzler a few times before Dazzler is publicly revealed to be a mutant and goes into hiding.[11]
She also battled the X-Men at the Pentagon.[12]
 X-MenThe more Rogue used her mutant power, the more her mind became filled with fragmentary psychic echoes of the people she absorbed. Carol Danvers' psyche was nearly a completely distinct personality within her mind who would sometimes take over when Rogue's will was weak. It became harder and harder for Rogue to hold on to her own personality and she feared that her powers would drive her insane (unbeknownst to her or Mystique, the process was also helped along by Mastermind, who subtly exacerbated Rogue's already severe psychological distress as a means of revenge against Mystique[volume & issue needed]). Desperate, Rogue turned to Professor Charles Xavier and the X-Men and asked for admission to the X-Men to learn how to control her powers. The Professor was unable to do a satisfactory psychic scan of her, due to the clashing human and Kree portions of her psyche. Still, Xavier's charity towards all mutants led him to welcome her into his home and the X-Men, regardless of his team having previously fought Rogue and in spite of the X-Men's own strong objections. The X-Men even threatened to disband themselves and leave the school should Rogue be accepted. It was only Xavier's argument that all mutants deserve a chance for redemption that prevented the dissolution of the X-Men.[13] Immediately afterward, Rogue clashed with Carol Danvers, as Binary, who was unwilling to accept the idea of Rogue among her friends.
Her initial months with the team were rough as she was seen as a latent threat, a Brotherhood mole within the X-Men. When the team met up with Wolverine in Tokyo where he was preparing for his marriage to Mariko Yashida,[14] he gave her a chilly reception—Wolverine having been a good friend and professional partner to Carol Danvers. However, after the rest of the team accepted Rogue, Storm and Wolverine were incapacitated by poison, and Rogue was forced to work with Wolverine in order to find the culprit. The plot was traced back to the second Viper and her lover, the Silver Samurai. Rogue nearly died during the battle by taking a prolonged laser blast from the Viper to shield Mariko, who had shown her genuine trust and kindness. Wolverine, after the battle and over Rogue's own objections, kissed her to transfer his healing powers to her. She had gained his trust and respect for her efforts to protect his fiancée.
Soon after, she gained the full trust of the rest of the team by again risking her life to save Colossus, who had been superheated by Pyro and then rapidly cooled. She absorbed Colossus' powers, leaving her in the same rigid, melted form as he was to allow the Morlock Healer to heal the damage done to Colossus.[15]
Rogue, under domination of Carol Danvers' persona, invaded the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to rescue Michael Rossi and was framed for the murder of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.[16] These charges were eventually dropped.
 
Rogue vs. the Ms. Marvel persona on the cover of Uncanny X-Men #269. Art by Jim Lee. In the OutbackDuring the Fall of the Mutants, the X-Men battled a mystical entity known as the Adversary, who was bent on destroying and remaking the multiverse. In the final battle, the X-Men's physical and spiritual essences were used as fuel for Forge's energy star, which closed the doorway to the Adversary’s plane of existence and saved the multiverse. They, in effect, died. Roma, a prisoner of the Adversary and guardian of the multiverse, used her powers to recreate the fallen X-Men from scratch, making her own minor alterations. Now invisible to cameras and all forms of detection equipment, the X-Men resettled to Australia, claiming an abandoned ghost town in the Outback as their new base of operations.[17]
The X-Men used their new status to attack anti-mutant threats around the world, which also brought them in conflict with the island nation of Genosha. Their own super powered agents, the Press Gang, captured Rogue and Wolverine and thanks to a special form of digitalized teleportation, both arrived naked in the prison of Genosha. Then the unthinkable happened as Wipeout fully canceled their abilities. For the first time in years, Rogue was able to experience skin to skin contact, though it now happened against her will, and the guards "took a few liberties" when they put her into a cell. This panel led readers to the assumption that Rogue was raped in Genosha.[18] However in a later issue Carol Danvers, while in control of Rogue's body, states that "the guards got a little fresh" and that "nothing serious happened".[19]
Immediately following this event Rogue completely withdrew into her subconscious. There, she found out that some psychic residue had remained of all people she had absorbed and now these phantoms tried to overwhelm her. As Rogue was fighting for sanity and control within her mind, unexpected help was provided by the permanently absorbed personality of Carol Danvers. She was stronger than psychic residue, in fact, she was as solid and real as Rogue. Carol suggested that Rogue allow her to take over her body seeing as how with her spy training, she was more suited for escaping from the prison without any superpowers. Rogue agreed and from then on, Carol and Rogue settled on a new "modus vivendi" - the two personalities would actually share the body, with each having their times of dominance, or acting as back up when one was rendered unconscious. It also seemed that Carol had no trouble to keep the absorption power under control. While she was using the body, she touched Psylocke's bare skin without any effect. Evidently, Rogue’s lack of control was strictly psychological in nature.[20]
Among the X-Men, Rogue's life improved but she continued to struggle with Carol Danvers' residual personality. The Danvers personality eventually grew so strong that Carol had replaced Rogue's standard X-Men costume with Ms. Marvel's former superhero uniform during battle, as well a redecorating Rogue's room to her own tastes without her permission which angered Rogue when she would finally regain control of her body again.[21]
 ReturnEventually, Rogue was pulled through the mystical gateway known as the Siege Perilous, where she was judged by other-dimensional forces with the promise of a "new life."[volume & issue needed] Returned to Earth, Rogue was purged of the remaining portions of Carol's personality, truly becoming her own woman again but was also temporarily stripped of her powers for a time. However, after Rogue emerged from the Siege, she found herself back in the abandoned ghost town in Australia the X-Men had taken up residence in after the Fall of the Mutants storyline. She was confronted by not only the Reavers, but by Carol Danvers herself, whose disembodied psyche had been reintegrated by passing through the Siege and being separated from Rogue. Rogue fled from Carol as she battled the Reavers and absorbed the powers of the mutant, Gateway, in order to teleport herself to safety. Carol arrived before she could escape and plunged through the portal Rogue had summoned and both of them disappeared.[22]
Rogue, as it turned out, ended up powerless in the Savage Land, but Carol had been teleported to Muir Island where she came into conflict with some of the X-Men's allies who had fallen under the mental enslavement of the Shadow King. Carol fought him but his vast psionic powers overwhelmed and corrupted her. He then sent her to the Savage Land to find Rogue and the two battled fiercely. During the fight, there was not enough life-force between the two to sustain both Rogue and Carol physically as a result of the separation. Just as Rogue was on the verge of being drained completely, Magneto suddenly intervened and destroyed the Ms. Marvel persona, saving Rogue's life.[23] Rogue and Magneto then joined forces with Ka-zar and Nick Fury to battle Zaladane who was trying to conquer the Savage Land. Rogue and Magneto had a brief moment of romantic tension during this war.[24] When Zaladane was defeated and helpless, Magneto chose to kill her, against Rogue and Fury's protests, and in doing so, parted ways with the X-Men's ideals and methods before flying away.[25] Rogue then flew to Muir Island to rejoin the rest of the X-Men with her powers fully returned.[26]
The X-Men later divided into two teams to make better use of their large number of active members; Rogue was assigned to the Blue Team, under the leadership of Cyclops and alongside new X-Man, and love interest, Gambit. Upon his arrival, Remy flirted with each of the female members of the team, however Rogue immediately caught his eye, and Remy made no secret of his romantic desire for her.[27]
Rogue and Gambit were immediately attracted to each other, but the development of their relationship was slow and rocky, partly as a result of her inability to control her powers and partly as a result of long-term issues, including secrecy and dishonesty, with previous relationships on Gambit's part. Through their many break-ups and make-ups, Gambit and Rogue have one of the longest and most popular relationships in the X-Men series.[volume & issue needed]
As an act of penance, Rogue continued to visit Cody Robbins' hospital bed annually, a decade after she placed him in a coma. He was later killed by assassins sent by Gambit's ex-lover, Bella Donna Boudreaux, as part of a revenge plot against Rogue. Through a spiritual leader, Rogue was able to make amends with Cody's spirit. Cody held no hard feelings against her, knowing what happened was an accident and urged her to move on before he departed for the afterlife.[28]
It was eventually revealed that Mystique had two sons: the now-deceased anti-mutant politician Graydon Creed and Rogue's long-time teammate, Nightcrawler.[29] Rogue and Nightcrawler consider themselves to be siblings, although the revelation has not particularly altered their friendship.[volume & issue needed]
Following the supposed 'death' of Cyclops, the X-Men team underwent major changes, amongst them Rogue being made the team's new field commander. Her even temper and years of X-Men service made her an ideal leader and she continued to lead the team until Storm returned.[30]
When the Galactic Council transformed Earth into a maximum-security penal colony for hundreds of extraterrestrial criminals, Rogue absorbed the attributes of Z'Cann — a mutant, telepathic Skrull who had joined Cadre K, Xavier's Skrull equivalent to the X-Men. Z'Cann purposely touched Rogue to activate the mutant's abilities as the two evaded bounty hunters. Z'Cann used her telepathy to amplify Rogue's capacity to assimilate memories, causing her powers to mutate.[volume & issue needed] Henceforth, Rogue was then able to "recall" previous powers absorbed/imprinted that were supposedly lost after initial transfer.
 X-Treme X-Men teamRogue was part of the X-Treme X-Men team led by Storm. The team's first mission was in search of Destiny's Diaries (which prophesied future events). During an invasion of Khan (an alien conqueror from another dimension) of an isle nation Madripoor, Rogue requested that Sage use her power jump-starting abilities to evolve Rogue to a point where she could control all of the various powers that she has ever imprinted. Sage agreed, and Rogue became a one-woman army, able to use the powers of anyone she had absorbed in the past all at once.[31]
During Khan's invasion, Rogue was also confronted by Vargas who was said to be "a new species altogether." Vargas foresaw himself being killed by Rogue in Destiny's diaries and, despite his belief in the prophecies, attempted to stop this eventuality from happening. Thus, in the midst of the invasion battle, Vargas ambushed Rogue as she was trying to rescue Gambit (see X-Treme X-Men), spearing both Rogue and Gambit with his blade before escaping. Rogue survived due to possessing both Wolverine's and Hulk's powers. Returning to the city shortly after the battle to recover his sword, Vargas was surprised in turn by Rogue dressed in Psylocke's costume (Vargas having killed Psylocke earlier for sport). After a lengthy battle, Rogue "fulfilled her destiny" by seemingly finishing Vargas off with his own weapon. Returning to Gambit, Rogue, with the help of Jean Grey, forced him from near death.[32]
Following the repulsion of the invasion, Rogue realized that Destiny's Prophecies were only possibilities and that trying to follow them was more dangerous than ignoring them. She also learned that she had inherited a mansion in New Orleans from Destiny, as well as a sizable fortune, and the X-Treme X-Men team retired there to recuperate. Rogue soon left the team with Gambit, since they both emerged powerless from their ordeals and wanted to explore their relationship further.[33]
After life on the road with Gambit, Rogue ended up living in a beach house in Valle Soleada, a town where mutants and humans coexisted peacefully. She subsequently received a visit from Bishop and Sage and, after a series of events involving an investigation into the murder of a human girl's family, Rogue and Gambit signed up with Bishop and Sage to help Storm's X-Treme X-Men stop Sage's enemy and former boss Elias Bogan. After the battle, Rogue asked Sage to restore Gambit's abilities, which she did. Gambit asked if the same could be done for Rogue's powers, but it was never revisited after Rogue quickly dismissed his comment.[34]
 Back to the X-MenRogue and Gambit returned to the X-Men as part of Marvel's ReLoad. Over time, Rogue's own abilities returned, although exactly how and when was never revealed or discussed. However, she no longer possessed the abilities she had absorbed from Ms. Marvel. Rogue and Gambit were both put on Havok's team and participated in various missions.[35]
As described in her own miniseries, Rogue then traveled down south to save a young mutant girl from her powers. While there, she met Campbell St. Ange, a young man who was immune to Rogue's lethal touch. Also while there, Rogue forcibly absorbed knowledge from her Aunt Carrie that explained that Rogue's mother had traveled to the Far Banks, a dream-realm, to stop her father from getting there himself. Rogue encountered the incorporeal spirit of her mother therein, and absorbed her memories. After the reunion, her mother's trapped spirit could finally move on. Rogue subsequently went back to her Aunt Carrie and made amends with her.[36]
Rogue then returned to the X-Men and confronted the monstrous Golgotha - large space creatures with telepathic abilities that induce insanity in some by bringing out and, to some extent, amplifying people's emotions. During this ordeal, as the result of Golgotha influence, Rogue and Gambit got into a fight about the reality of their relationship with Rogue's uncontrollable powers and Gambit claimed they would've parted long ago if they were always able to touch, that Rogue would've been 'just another one-night stand'. Gambit left, and Wolverine, his hidden emotions also coming out amplified under the influence of Golgotha, then revealed to Rogue he desired her in a romantic/sexual way, and that he in fact always had. He and Rogue then started passionately kissing each other until her power began to affect him and Emma Frost telepathically interrupted.[37]
While on a trip to Japan to investigate an incriminating photo of her and Sunfire engaged in criminal activities, both Rogue and Sunfire learned that Rogue's former friend and teammate of the Brotherhood, Blindspot, has erased both their memories of the event. In this storyline, Rogue accidentally and permanently absorbed Sunfire's fire abilities (who has lost his legs to Lady Deathstrike and did not want to live).[38]
Back at the X-Mansion, Emma Frost tried to help Rogue and Gambit by providing telepathic relationship counseling, but their relationship continued to be problematic. Rogue then discovered that Gambit was being seduced by the student called Foxx. It is later revealed, however, that Mystique, displeased with Rogue's choice of lovers, infiltrated the Xavier Institute by shapeshifting into Foxx and joined Gambit's squad in an attempt to ruin his relationship with Rogue. After Gambit resisted her charms, Mystique reverts to her true form and offered Gambit something more difficult to refuse: she transformed into Rogue and offered Gambit a Rogue with whom he could have a physical relationship. Whether or not they actually engaged in a sexual relationship is uncertain (although Gambit insists that nothing happened). Rogue eventually discovered her foster mother's presence in the school and her attempts to seduce Gambit, becoming furious with both parties. Because Gambit failed to tell Rogue of Mystique's presence in the Institute, their relationship developed the exact rift Mystique was hoping for and allowed her to set up her daughter with her accomplice, Pulse. After being discovered, Mystique asked the X-Men for permission to stay at the Mansion. The X-Men vote and Mystique was allowed to be a probationary member of the X-Men, a decision neither Rogue nor Gambit were happy with.[39]
 Blood of ApocalypseIn the events that followed M-Day, the mutant Apocalypse was reawakened; Gambit, seeking redemption from Rogue and his fellow X-Men, volunteered to be transformed into his horseman, Death. Gambit believed he could control whatever Apocalypse would do to him, in hopes of only gaining more power to protect Rogue and the X-Men from the villain.[40] However, having been brain-washed, Gambit tried to kill Rogue (the only part of Gambit's past life that remains). After Apocalypse's defeat, Sunfire (who was granted new legs and transformed into the horseman Famine), and Gambit left the X-Men.[41]
 Endangered Species: Rogue's X-MenAs Professor Xavier went into space with Havok and several other X-Men to go after the villain Vulcan, Cyclops gave Rogue the authority to form her own team, complimenting her inspired improvisation in battle situations. She was hesitant at first, because of Gambit's recent disappearance with Sunfire, but accepted the position, saying that when he comes back, she'd still be at the school. She chose Iceman, Cannonball, Cable, Sabretooth, Lady Mastermind, Karima Shapandar (Omega Sentinel), and Mystique, a line-up Cyclops did not agree with.[42]
Mystique seemingly tried to repair her relationship with Rogue, but is rebuffed. Rogue's team defeated the group known as the Children of the Vault. Afterward, Rogue declared her team would leave the X-Mansion. Rogue was hospitalized after a battle with Pandemic. Cable, desiring Rogue's help in defeating the Hecatomb, forced Rogue awake. Pandemic infected Rogue with a virus, Strain 88, altering her powers by amplifying them into an instantaneous death-touch. In defeating Hecatomb, Rogue absorbed psyches of eight billion entities that had been stored inside it.[43]
The team moved to Rogue's hometown of Caldecott for Rogue to recover. As Cyclops and Emma Frost arrived to help Rogue cope with the immensity of the voices in her mind, Marauders arrived, seeking the Destiny diaries. As part of the attack, it was revealed that Mystique was working with the Marauders and for Mister Sinister. Mystique shot Rogue and took her back to Mr. Sinister's base, who only kept Rogue alive because she held all the information of Destiny's Diaries within her mind.[44] Gambit, who had joined the Marauders and Mr. Sinister again, was protective of Rogue and accused Mystique of being too careless in how she captured her. Gambit was shown standing over Rogue trying to get her to wake up (after she had fallen into a trance overcome by the minds she absorbed), and expressed his apologies for what he had done before rejoining Sinister. Rogue had flashes of memories, both of she and Gambit during the time that they had known each other, and of the millions of minds she absorbed, while in her coma-like state before she briefly woke up and recognized Gambit. She told him she had a nightmare, before spouting incoherent words and mysterious coordinates.[45]
 Messiah ComplexMain article: X-Men: Messiah Complex
The X-Men attacked the Marauders' Antarctic base in order to rescue Rogue and the mysterious mutant baby who was at the center of Messiah Complex. However the baby eventually took precedence and the X-Men did not recover (or even see) Rogue.[volume & issue needed]
Mister Sinister, now in possession of the mutant baby, relocated the Marauders to Muir Island. While standing by Rogue's bedside, Mystique was visited by Mister Sinister who told her that there will be no cure for Rogue and she will eventually die. Without warning, Mystique ambushed Sinister and shoved his face onto Rogue's. The instant contact seemingly killed Sinister.[volume & issue needed]
Mystique, in keeping with the words of the Destiny Diaries, placed the baby's face in direct contact with Rogue's, with the understanding that Rogue would awaken from her comatose state. The baby was not affected by Rogue's power, and Rogue awakens shortly after. Realizing what Mystique had done at the risk of killing the baby, Rogue said she's tired of people's lives being destroyed by Mystique and grabbed Mystique's face barehanded, fully absorbing her powers and consciousness. Mystique was left on the floor incapacitated as Rogue told Gambit that when the baby touched her, it removed all the psyches of everybody she has ever touched and that only herself and Mystique are left in her mind. She said she needed to be alone and told Gambit not to follow her.[46]
 Being curedRogue takes some time out from the X-Men and travels around the Australian outback on a motorcycle.[47] She returns to the X-Men's former headquarters in Maynards Plains, Australia. Once there, she has a conversation with Mystique (a part of Rogue's psyche), telling her that no one else can help her with her powers and that it was down to her to figure out how to control them.
One day, a woman appears in town claiming to be an anthropologist from Melbourne University. Rogue made it clear she could stay as long as she wants, but to keep out of her way. The anthropologist approached Rogue with questions about some of the remains she has found in the town. Rogue said she does not know anything about the remains and to leave her alone. The anthropologist follows Rogue and explains she actually has a different identity. The anthropologist was then targeted by a low flying Shi'ar spaceship and revealed that she was actually Danger in disguise. She informs Rogue she planned to get revenge on Professor Xavier by using her as a conduit.[48] Danger created an amalgamation of several past events in the X-Men's history prominently involving Rogue in the town using her hard light capabilities. As Professor Xavier and Gambit searched for her, Rogue evaded old versions of the X-Men and the Marauders that were part of Danger's creation. She was finally cornered by the Marauders, and refused to let Mystique's psyche take control of Rogue's body and save her as the fake Marauder Scalphunter shot at her. Mystique then took over Rogue's body to save her and fought off the Marauders, then returned control of Rogue's body to her.[49]
Rogue then wandered to the fake Tokyo Tower and tried to find the Institute, deducing that the projections around her were changing at ten-minute intervals, altering the environment around her. However, Rogue did not get far as she ended up in Antarctica, witnessing the moment she abandoned Gambit after his trial. She regretted her decisions there, telling Mystique that she really had not moved on. It was at that point that Cody Robbins appeared before Rogue, repeating his greeting from the night her powers manifested. Rogue just stared at him in shock.[50]
Eventually the Professor, Gambit and a group of Shi'ar pirates managed to shut down Danger. However, the Professor reactivated her and she defeated the pirates in turn. After this, it was revealed that Rogue's powers never truly developed past their initial "nascent" stage, which was the reason why her powers never functioned properly. The Professor, now aware of this fact, used his telepathy to tear down the mental walls that kept Rogue's powers from developing (the walls were created as a side effect every time she absorbed other people starting with Cody, and even more so with Ms. Marvel), and removed the mental echo of Mystique. Finally Rogue kissed Gambit, with no ill side effect, revealing that she was finally in control of her absorption power.[51]
 UtopiaRogue, Gambit, and Danger decide to go to San Francisco in order to regroup with the other X-Men. On their way there they are intercepted by Pixie who teleports them into the city, which is in a state of chaos due to the anti-mutant and pro-mutant movements. Cyclops sends all three out in order to locate several missing students and bring them home. During their mission Rogue faces off against the new Ms. Marvel; finding that she cannot touch her opponent, Rogue resorts to a trick and flees the site.
Later on she joins Gambit, who has been injured by Ares, along with Danger. Ares does not take her seriously and dismisses her both as an opponent and her attempts to calm things down. Rogue grabs Ares and absorbs his powers. Ares is dismissive of her attempt and claims that she cannot absorb him, a boast that proves wrong as she weakens him enough for Gambit to blast him bloody and stunned. Having for the moment absorbed some of Ares' power she easily dispatches a small group of H.A.M.M.E.R. agents with superhuman strength and proceeds to steal their tank, along with Gambit and Danger, in order to find the rest of the students.[52]
Rogue finds Trance as her powers are flaring out of control creating powerful uncontrollable bio-electric blasts. Rogue tries to help calm Trance and help her gain control when Ms. Marvel appears. After taking out Gambit and Danger, Rogue and Ms. Marvel fight; Rogue is losing until Trance regains control and jumps in to help Rogue. Trance learns that her astral form is able to punch Ms. Marvel when they are both intangible. After Gambit stuns Ms. Marvel, they teleport back to base where Trance receives medical attention.[53]
 Nation-XAs Utopia has become a safe haven for mutants, the entire population had to be on high alert following an attack on the X-Men by Emplate, who feeds on mutant bone marrow for sustenance. The X-Men instruct everyone to stay close to each other and report anything out of the ordinary. Bling goes to check out an old amphitheatre on her own when Emplate captures her to use as a food source.
Unable to enter Emplate's cross-dimensional base, Rogue absorbs Trance's astral projection ability to save Bling. As she investigates his home for clues to Bling's whereabouts, Rogue was attacked by psychoplasmic ghosts. After fighting them off, she rescues Bling from Emplate.[54]
Rogue also protects the students during an attack by a herd of Predator X's by absorbing the powers of multiple students.[55]
 NecroshaIn an attempt to finally achieve godhood, Selene along with her servant Eli Bard, resurrected many of the X-Men's greatest deceased allies and villains under her control. Among the resurrected is Rogue's foster mother, Destiny, who attempts to contact Rogue but instead contacts Blindfold.[56] Unfortunately Destiny was possessed by Proteus when she came back and he possesses the body of Blindfold, who tricks her into gathering a team of X-Men to lure to Muir Island so he can kill them.[57] Eventually Rogue and a team of X-Men manage to defeat Proteus and Rogue tearfully says goodbye to her foster mother as Destiny once more dies.[58]
 Post-SiegeFollowing the Siege of Asgard, Rogue was present at Sentry's memorial, where it was suggested he was immune to her power and that a time in the past when she knew no other physical contact, she had at least one encounter with him of some physically intimate nature.[59] However it was established in Sentry #4 that Sentry and Rogue never met.[60]
 Second ComingDuring the event in which Cable and Hope return to the present timeline Rogue is able to sense Hope's presence, like Destiny prophesied, although neither she nor Emma Frost can explain it. After a short confrontation with some of Bastion's men the X-Men and Cable decide for a diversionary tactic. Cable along with some of the X-Men stays behind (since it was him they were tracking) while Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Hope leave in order to protect the girl. To that end Rogue absorbs the power sets of Colossus, Wolverine, X-23, Archangel, and Psylocke.[61]
For a while their tactic works, leaving Cable along with some of the X-Men to fend off Bastion's troops. In the mean time Kurt, along with Rogue and Hope, teleports across the United States towards Utopia. This however exerts him to such a degree that he has to rest for a moment; they are soon confronted by Bastion himself. Seeing no alternative Rogue attacks him hoping to buy enough time for Kurt and Hope to flee - but Bastion is able to hit Kurt with an energy blast that knocks him out. Channelling Colossus's strength, further enhancing it with Betsy's telekinesis and using the individual claw sets of Logan and X-23 along with their healing factors, Rogue is able to inflict massive damage to Bastion. However, Bastion is able to repair himself and overpower Rogue with an energy discharge which briefly incapacitates her. Unable to do anything she watches with horror as Bastion fatally impales Kurt with his arm.[62]
Rogue is appointed Hope's protector while on Utopia and allows her to participate in the final battle, where Hope eventually destroys Bastion. Her actions and choices put Hope in danger and ultimately results in Cyclops suspending Rogue from active duty. She will, however, remain as Hope's protector and accompanies her to Alaska in search of her real family.[63]
 Powers and abilities This section needs references that appear in reliable third-party publications. Primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please add more appropriate citations from reliable sources. (December 2010)
 This section describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. Please help rewrite it to explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective. (December 2010)
Due to the nature of her unique mutant powers, Rogue has had several different abilities over the years.
 Mutant powersRogue possesses the mutant ability to absorb the psyche and abilities of another human being (or members of some sentient alien races) through skin contact. Rogue can absorb the memories, knowledge, talents, personality, and physical abilities (whether superhuman or not) of the person she touches, as well as occasionally duplicating in herself physical characteristics of her victim. The victim's abilities and memories are absorbed for a one to 60 ratio of time of contact. The victim loses those abilities and memories for exactly the amount of time that Rogue possesses them. This absorption usually leaves the victim weakened, and sometimes renders them unconscious. Their powers may also be temporarily weakened or removed. Rogue's power is constantly active, rendering her incapable of touching others without the absorption process taking place. However, evidence suggests that Rogue's inability to control her powers is psychological in nature. During the times when the Ms. Marvel personality would overtake her psyche, she was able to touch people freely.[64] This fact has since been corroborated by the discovery that Rogue's absorption power never developed beyond the stage of its original manifestation.[51] Xavier later rectified this by telepathically removing the psychological barriers stunting it.[51]
The transfer of abilities is usually temporary, lasting for a period of time relative to how long contact is maintained, but if Rogue holds on to her victim for too long, the transfer may become permanent, leaving the victim nearly dead, as was the case with Ms. Marvel. However, it must also be noted that Ms. Marvel fought the transfer process, which Rogue attested to sometime after the incident occurred. Most often this process happens instantly when Rogue touches someone, but certain extraordinarily powerful beings have proven resistant to Rogue's power, and she may only share part of their memories and power, as was the case when Rogue once attempted to absorb power from the alien Magus. However, in the process of doing so she gained an immunity to the Technarch transmode virus.[65][66]
As Rogue is absorbing the total psyche of a person, there is a risk of a personality overwhelming her and taking control of her body. It has also been shown that even though the memories she has absorbed eventually fade when a psyche returns to its body, remnants, or 'echoes', of the personalities of victims whose memories she has absorbed remain buried in her subconscious indefinitely, and while there is little to no risk of those personalities overwhelming her like the Ms. Marvel personality could, they can occasionally make their presences known.
 Fully developed mutant powersFollowing the conclusion of Messiah Complex, Rogue's slate was wiped clean. The mutant baby's touch mysteriously erased all of the previous memories and abilities Rogue had absorbed, including those of the Hecatomb. It also cured her of the Strain 88 virus. Rogue's touch now simply steals the memories and abilities of individuals she comes in direct skin-to-skin contact with. The longer the contact, the longer Rogue retains the absorbed information. Although she can now control her powers at her will, she can still make her touch lethal if she activates it as her will to make it lethal on her enemies, and make her touch not lethal on her friends.[volume & issue needed]
Following the events of X-Men: Legacy, Rogue appears to be able to activate her powers at will, as opposed to them being constantly active, as demonstrated when she kisses Gambit without incident. Her inability to control her powers stemmed from mental blocks within her mind which formed each time she used her abilities, crippling the development of her powers from their nascent stage. When Professor Xavier removes the blocks, her powers are allowed to develop normally.[51] With this new control, Rogue demonstrates the ability to absorb and collectively utilize all the powers of the New X-Men, in order to defeat a rogue Predator X, with no apparent harm to either them or herself.[55]
 Ms. Marvel powersAs a young woman, Rogue permanently absorbed certain superhuman powers and the psyche of the original Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers).[10] This provided her with superhuman strength, stamina, durability, and the ability of flight. She was able to repel bullets and achieve supersonic flight. She could also survive unprotected in outer space.
Rogue also gained a precognitive "seventh sense" that enables her to predict an enemy's move subconsciously during battle. She used this ability to predict where Nightcrawler would teleport and from which direction Magus of the Technarchy would attack.[65]
When she possessed Carol Danvers' psyche, her "double" consciousness made her highly resistant to telepathic probes, even those of Charles Xavier, which was said to have been a byproduct of two minds existing in one body and/or Carol Danvers' Kree physiology. Rogue could also draw upon the combat and espionage training of Carol Danvers by allowing her alternate personality, a duplicate of Danvers', to dominate her conscious mind.
When Rogue later lost all of her superhuman abilities for a time,[citation needed] her Ms. Marvel powers vanished for quite some time and did not return until later when Rogue absorbed an injured Cadre K girl named Z'Cann.[volume & issue needed]
 X-Treme powersDuring the Maximum Security miniseries, Rogue absorbed an injured Cadre K girl named Z'Cann. The girl held on longer than necessary, using her mind control to boost the process and because of this (perhaps because she had absorbed a fluid Skrull physiology) Rogue mutated further, gaining the ability to 'recall' the powers of anyone she had ever absorbed before, though she could not control when or which of these powers surfaced. For a short time Rogue also had a Skrull appearance, scanned as though she had Skrull DNA, and had their shapeshifting powers, but these soon faded and she returned to her normal appearance.
Through meditation, Rogue learned how to suppress the random manifestations of most of these abilities, but found herself with Wolverine's claws and healing factor, and Cyclops' optic blasts for a time (she had to wear ruby quartz glasses), while also still retaining her mutant and Ms. Marvel powers.
Later, Sage used her own mutant abilities to 'jump-start' Rogue's power, giving her the control to manifest any ability she had ever absorbed, whenever she wished to. It is generally accepted that after regaining her powers after X-Treme X-Men, she has lost this ability.
Though Z'Cann was a telepath, Rogue never displayed this power (though she did manifest telepathy, it was with the Phoenix energy form, so it was most likely an echo of Jean Grey's powers).
 PowerlessFor a time Rogue lost all of her powers, including her original mutant ones, after she was fatally injured in a fight with the mysterious warrior Vargas.[volume & issue needed] During this period, she displayed exceptional fighting skills and agility, though it was said these were not superhuman in nature.
She also still possessed a 'fluid genome' that enabled Sage to use her as a conduit through which to channel the mutant powers of the X-Treme X-Men team in a fight against Bogan.
 Sunfire powersIn Rogue's miniseries (2004–2005), Rogue absorbed a large portion of the mutant Sunfire's solar-absorption based powers. In addition to her own natural mutant abilities Rogue could then:
Project intense heat and flame.
Envelop her body in a fiery aura.
Fly by focusing her power downwards in a tight stream to propel her like a rocket.
Focus her power inward to increase her strength (though not at her Ms. Marvel levels).
Exercise immunity to heat and radiation.
See the infra-red spectrum.
 Rogue's real nameRogue was one of the few comic book characters whose real name had never been revealed, until decades after her first appearance. This was a controversial topic for years.[citation needed] In the films X-Men, X2: X-Men United, and X-Men: The Last Stand, Rogue's real name is Marie. In the comics, her chosen name (according to X-Treme X-Men #31) is Anna Raven when her powers are inactive (Raven Darkholme is Mystique's name). The readers came close to finding out her name in X-Men #24 (when she was about to reveal it to Gambit on a date), but the Cajun stopped her before she could finish her sentence.
In the solo series of Going Rogue [7] (2004) it is established Rogue's name as Anna Marie. Rogue reaches back her childhood home of Caldecott County, where her surviving maternal aunt and the shamanistic incarnation of her mother repeatedly refer to her as "Anna Marie"; also Gambit ever calls her "Anna" instead of using the traditional "Rogue", and he also uses a complete name of "Anna Raven" asking for Rogue to the employee of some motel, although Raven in particular may not be her real surname because of being Mystique's first name from their years together. Disregarding, Rogue finds actually being "Anna Marie" since her own birth from the absorbed memories of her aunt, who with Rogue's father fostered Rogue from an early age, since Rogue's mother had vanished from their home. Rogue also acknowledges the name uttering: "(Anna Marie) Th-that's my name...," right after a shamanistic doppelgänger of Rogue mentions it, and later she utters: "I-It's me. Anna.", once finding back Gambit in the dream world.[7] Uncanny X-Men 517 and 526 [55] [63] uses the complete name of "Anna Marie" Rogue repetitively, respectively when describing her fighting against Predator 006 at Utopia and before a mission aboard the X-Jet to Alaska, whereas X-Force 26 also does so.[62] Furthermore, her profile in the latest edition[vague] of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe lists her real name as Anna Marie.[citation needed]
Chris Claremont has also used the name "Anna-Marie Raven" in reference to Rogue in X-Men Forever,[67] although it is not clear whether or not the team knows her name, as they do uniformly refer to her as "Rogue."
 Other versionsMain article: Alternative versions of Rogue
 In other mediaMain article: Rogue in other media
 References1.^ Chris Claremont (w), Michael Golden (p). Avengers Annual 10 (August 1981), Marvel Comics
2.^ Tony Bedard (w), Karl Moline (p), Rick Magyar (i). "Forget-Me-Not" Rogue 2 (August 2004), Marvel Comics
3.^ Goldstein, Hilary; Richard George (May 15, 2006). "The Top 25 X-Men: They're the best at what they do, but some do it better than others". IGN. http://comics.ign-com/articles/708/708826p5.html. Retrieved February 25, 2009.
4.^ Goldstein, Hilary (May 5, 2006). "Top Ten X-Babes: Counting down the lovely ladies who wear X and little else". IGN. http://comics.ign-com/articles/705/705361p2.html. Retrieved February 25, 2009.
5.^ Secret Cabal (February 4, 2009). "Take 10: Girl Power". Marvel-com. http://www-marvel-com/news/comicstories.6773. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
6.^ Cronin, Brian (September 27, 2008). "CBR's Top 50 X-Men". Comic Book Resources. p. 3. http://forums-comicbookresources-com/showthread.php?t=237561&page=3. Retrieved February 25, 2009.
7.^ a b c d Rogue vol. 3 #1-6 (September 2004 – February 2005)
8.^ X-Men/Alpha Flight #1 (December 1985)
9.^ Depicted in Ann Nocenti's "Her First and Last" in Classic X-Men #44 (February 1990)
10.^ a b Avengers Annual #10 (1981)
11.^ Dazzler #22-24, #28 (December 1982 – February 1983, September 1983)
12.^ Uncanny X-Men #158 (June 1982)
13.^ Uncanny X-Men #171 (July 1983)
14.^ Uncanny X-Men #172 (August 1983)
15.^ Uncanny X-Men #179 (March 1984)
16.^ Uncanny X-Men #185 (September 1984)
17.^ Uncanny X-Men #220-227
18.^ http://www-experts123-com/q/was-rogue-raped-by-the-guards-in-the-first-genosha-storyline.html
19.^ Uncanny X-Men #244
20.^ Uncanny X-Men #236
21.^ Uncanny X-Men #244
22.^ Uncanny X-Men #269 (October 1990)
23.^ Uncanny X-Men #269
24.^ Uncanny X-Men #274 (March 1991)
25.^ Uncanny X-Men #275 (April 1991)
26.^ Uncanny X-Men #278 (July 1991)
27.^ X-Men vol. 2 #3-4
28.^ Rogue #1-4 (January–April 1995)
29.^ X-Men Unlimited #4
30.^ X-Men vol. 1 #103
31.^ Xtreme X-Men #13 (July 2002)
32.^ Xtreme X-Men #17 (October 2002)
33.^ Xtreme X-Men #19 (December 2002)
34.^ X-Treme X-Men #46 (June 2004)
35.^ X-Men vol. 2 #157 (July 2004)
36.^ Rogue vol. 3 #6 (February 2005)
37.^ X-Men vol. 2 #169 (June 2005)
38.^ Rogue vol. 3 #11 (July 2005)
39.^ X-Men vol. 2 #174 (October 2005)
40.^ X-Men vol. 2 #184 Epilogue: Riddle of the Sphinx
41.^ X-Men vol. 2 #187
42.^ X-Men vol. 2 #192 (December 2006)
43.^ X-Men vol. 2 #199 (July 2007)
44.^ X-Men vol. 2 #200 (August 2007)
45.^ X-Men (vol. 2) #204 (December 2007)
46.^ X-Men (vol. 2) #207 (March 2008)
47.^ X-Men: Legacy #210 (June 2008)
48.^ X-Men: Legacy #220 (March 2009)
49.^ X-Men: Legacy #221 (April 2009)
50.^ X-Men: Legacy #222 (May 2009)
51.^ a b c d X-Men: Legacy #224 (July 2009)
52.^ X-Men: Legacy #226 (September 2009)
53.^ X-Men: Legacy #227 (October 2009)
54.^ X-Men: Legacy #228-230 (November 2009 – January 2010)
55.^ a b c Uncanny X-Men #517 (January 2010)
56.^ X-Necrosha #1 (December 2009)
57.^ X-Men: Legacy #231 (February 2010)
58.^ X-Men: Legacy #233 (April 2010)
59.^ Sentry: Fallen Sun (July 2010)
60.^ Sentry #4 (December 2000)
61.^ X-Men: Legacy #235 (June 2010)
62.^ a b X-Force (vol. 3) #26 (June 2010)
63.^ a b Uncanny X-Men #526 (September 2010)
64.^ Uncanny X-Men #239 (December 1988)
65.^ a b Uncanny X-Men #192 (April 1985)
66.^ Uncanny X-Men #242 (March 1989)
67.^ X-Men Forever Alpha (May 2009)
 External links Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Rogue
Rogue at the Marvel Universe wiki
Rogue at the Marvel Database Project (wiki)
Rogue Shrine Comprehensive appearance list and chronology, etc.
New Generation X
UncannyXmen-net - Spotlight feature on Rogue
Rogue at Comic Vine
v · d · eX-Men
 
Creators Stan Lee · Jack Kirby
 
Members Angel · Anole · Ariel · Armor · Aurora · Banshee · Beast · Bishop · Blindfold · Boom-Boom · Box · Cable · Caliban · Cannonball · Chamber · Changeling · Cipher · Cloak and Dagger · Colossus · Cyclops · Cypher · Darwin · Dazzler · Deadpool · Doctor Nemesis · Domino · Dust · Elixir · Fantomex and E.V.A. · Forge · Frenzy · Emma Frost · Gambit · Gentle · Graymalkin · Nate Grey · Havok · Hellion · Hepzibah · Hope · Husk · Iceman · Ink · Joseph · Jubilee · Karma · Lady Mastermind · Lifeguard · Lockheed · Longshot · Maggott · Magik · Magma · Marrow · Marvel Girl · Mercury · Mimic · Mirage · Namor · Nightcrawler · Northstar · Omega Sentinel · Petra · Phoenix · Pixie · Polaris · Prodigy · Professor X · Psylocke · Revanche · Cecilia Reyes · Rockslide · Rogue · Sage · Shadowcat · Slipstream · Stacy X · Storm · Sunfire · Sunspot · Surge · Sway · Thunderbird (John Proudstar) · Thunderbird (Neal Shaara) · Warlock · Warpath · Wolf Cub · Wolverine · X-23 · Shen Xorn
 
Secondary teams Excalibur · Generation X · New Mutants · X-Club · X-Corporation · X-Factor · X-Force · X-Men-In-Training · X-Terminators
 
Villains Apocalypse · Arcade · Bastion · Black Tom Cassidy · Dark Beast · Exodus · Cameron Hodge · Juggernaut · Senator Kelly · Krakoa · Lady Deathstrike · Legion · Magneto · Mastermind · Mesmero · Mr. Sinister · Mojo · Mystique · Cassandra Nova · Omega Red · Onslaught · Predator X · Proteus · Madelyne Pryor · Sabretooth · Sauron · Selene · Shadow King · Silver Samurai · Spiral · Stryfe · William Stryker · Sublime · Sugar Man · Bolivar Trask · Vulcan · X-Cutioner · Kuan-Yin Xorn
 
Villain teams Acolytes · Alliance of Evil · Brood · Brotherhood of Mutants (Avalanche · Blob · Destiny · Mystique · Pyro · Rogue) · Children of the Vault · Externals · Fenris · Friends of Humanity · Gene Nation · Hellfire Club · Hellions · Horsemen of Apocalypse · Marauders · Mutant Liberation Front · Nasty Boys · Neo · Norman Osborn's X-Men · Phalanx · Purifiers · Reavers · Savage Land Mutates · Sentinels · Weapon X
 
Locations Asteroid M · Avalon · Crossmore · District X/Mutant Town · Genosha · Graymalkin Industries · Limbo · Madripoor · Massachusetts Academy · Muir Island · Providence · Savage Land · Utopia · X-Mansion
 
Equipment
& Vehicles Cerebro · Danger Room · X-Jet
 
Miscellanea Alpha Flight · Crimson Dawn · Fastball Special · Legacy Virus · M'Kraan Crystal · Morlocks · Mutants · Mutant Registration Act · Phoenix Force · Shi'ar · Siege Perilous · Starjammers · Technarchy · Third Summers Brother
 
See also: X-Men in other media · X-Men storylines · X-Men comics
 
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia-org/wiki/Rogue_(comics)"
Categories: Comics characters introduced in 1981 | Characters created by Chris Claremont | Characters created by Michael Golden | Fictional adoptees | Fictional characters from Mississippi | Fictional characters with precognition | Fictional mechanics | Fictional waiting staff | Film characters | Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds | Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing | Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength | Marvel Comics martial artists | Marvel Comics mutants | Marvel Comics superheroes | Marvel Comics supervillains | Marvel Comics titles

--------------------

SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT Marvel Comics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the comic book company using that name after 1961. For the earlier comic book series, see Marvel Mystery Comics.

Marvel Comics

Type Subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment

Industry Publishing

Genre Crime, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, superhero, war, Western

Founded 1939 (as Timely Comics)

Founder(s) Martin Goodman

Headquarters 417 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY

Area served USA, UK

Key people

Axel Alonso, EIC

Dan Buckley, publisher, COO

Stan Lee, former EIC, publisher

Products Comics/See List of Marvel Comics publications

Revenue  US$125.7 million (2007)

Operating income  US$53.5 million (2007)[1]

Owner(s) Martin Goodman (1939-1968)

Parent Magazine Management Co. (1968-1973)

Cadence Industries (1973-1986)

Marvel Entertainment Group (1986-1997)

Marvel Entertainment (1997- )

Website marvel.com

Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Worldwide's parent company,[2] for $4.24 billion.

Marvel started in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the early 1950s had generally become known as Atlas Comics. Marvel's modern incarnation dates from 1961, with the company later that year launching Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and others.

Marvel counts among its characters such well-known properties as Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Thor and Captain America; antagonists such as Doctor Doom, the Green Goblin, Magneto, Galactus, and the Red Skull. Most of Marvel's fictional characters operate in a single reality known as the Marvel Universe, with locales set in real-life cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.[3]

Contents 

1 History

1.1 Timely Publications

1.2 Atlas Comics

1.3 1960s

1.4 1970s

1.5 1980s

1.6 1990s

1.7 2000s

2 Officers

2.1 Publishers

2.2 Editors-in-chief

3 Offices

4 Marvel characters in other media

4.1 Films

4.2 Prose novels

4.3 Television programs

4.4 Role-playing games

4.5 Theme parks

4.6 Video games

5 Imprints

5.1 Defunct

6 See also

7 References

8 External links

9 Further reading

History

Timely Publications

Main article: Timely Comics

Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), the first comic from Marvel precursor Timely Comics. Cover art by Frank R. Paul.

Martin Goodman founded the company later known as Marvel Comics under the name Timely Publications in 1939,[4] publishing comic books under the imprint Timely Comics.[5] Goodman, a pulp magazine publisher who had started with a Western pulp in 1933, was expanding into the emerging—and by then already highly popular—new medium of comic books. Launching his new line from his existing company's offices at 330 West 42nd Street, New York City, New York, he officially held the titles of editor, managing editor, and business manager, with Abraham Goodman officially listed as publisher.[4]

Timely's first publication, Marvel Comics #1 (cover dated Oct. 1939), included the first appearance of Carl Burgos' android superhero the Human Torch, and the first generally available appearance of Bill Everett's anti-hero Namor the Sub-Mariner, among other features. The issue was a great success, with it and a second printing the following month selling, combined, nearly 900,000 copies.[6] While its contents came from an outside packager, Funnies, Inc., Timely by the following year had its own staff in place.

The company's first true editor, writer-artist Joe Simon, teamed with imminent industry-legend Jack Kirby to create one of the first[citation needed] patriotically themed superheroes, Captain America, in Captain America Comics #1. (March 1941) It, too, proved a major sales hit, with sales of nearly one million.[6]

While no other Timely character would achieve the success of these "big three", some notable heroes—many of which continue to appear in modern-day retcon appearances and flashbacks—include the Whizzer, Miss America, the Destroyer, the original Vision, and the Angel. Timely also published one of humor cartoonist Basil Wolverton's best-known features, "Powerhouse Pepper",[7][8] as well as a line of children's funny-animal comics featuring popular characters like Super Rabbit and the duo Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal.

Goodman hired his wife's cousin,[9] Stanley Lieber, as a general office assistant in 1939.[10] When editor Simon left the company in late 1941,[11] Goodman made Lieber—by then writing pseudonymously as "Stan Lee"—interim editor of the comics line, a position Lee kept for decades except for three years during his military service in World War II. Lee wrote extensively for Timely, contributing to a number of different titles.

Goodman's business strategy involved having his various magazines and comic books published by a number of corporations all operating out of the same office and with the same staff.[5] One of these shell companies through which Timely Comics was published was named Marvel Comics by at least Marvel Mystery Comics #55 (May 1944). As well, some comics' covers, such as All Surprise Comics #12 (Winter 1946-47), were labeled "A Marvel Magazine" many years before Goodman would formally adopt the name in 1961.[12]

Atlas Comics

Main article: Atlas Comics (1950s)

The post-war American comic market saw superheroes falling out of fashion.[13] Goodman's comic book line dropped them for the most part and expanded into a wider variety of genres than even Timely had published, featuring horror, Westerns, humor, funny animal, men's adventure-drama, giant monster, crime, and war comics, and later adding jungle books, romance titles, espionage, and even medieval adventure, Bible stories and sports.

Goodman began using the globe logo of the Atlas News Company, the newsstand-distribution company he owned,[14] on comics cover-dated November 1951 even though another company, Kable News, continued to distribute his comics through the August 1952 issues.[15] This globe branding united a line put out by the same publisher, staff and freelancers through 59 shell companies, from Animirth Comics to Zenith Publications.[16]

Atlas, rather than innovate, took a proven route of following popular trends in television and movies—Westerns and war dramas prevailing for a time, drive-in movie monsters another time—and even other comic books, particularly the EC horror line.[17] Atlas also published a plethora of children's and teen humor titles, including Dan DeCarlo's Homer the Happy Ghost (à la Casper the Friendly Ghost) and Homer Hooper (à la Archie Andrews). Atlas unsuccessfully attempted to revive superheroes from late 1953 to mid-1954, with the Human Torch (art by Syd Shores and Dick Ayers, variously), the Sub-Mariner (drawn and most stories written by Bill Everett), and Captain America (writer Stan Lee, artist John Romita Sr.).

The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961). Cover art by Jack Kirby (penciler) and unconfirmed inker.

1960s

The first modern comic books under the Marvel Comics brand were the science-fiction anthology Journey into Mystery #69 and the teen-humor title Patsy Walker #95 (both cover dated June 1961), which each displayed an "MC" box on its cover.[18] Then, in the wake of DC Comics' success in reviving superheroes in the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly with the Flash, Green Lantern, and other members of the team the Justice League of America, Marvel followed suit.[19] The introduction of modern Marvel's first superhero team, in The Fantastic Four #1, (Nov. 1961),[20] began establishing the company's reputation. The majority of its superhero stories were written by editor-in-chief Stan Lee. The company continued to publish a smattering of Western comics such as Rawhide Kid, humor comics such as Millie the Model, and romance comics such as Love Romances, and added the war comic Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos.

Editor-writer Lee and freelance artist Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four, reminiscent of the non-superpowered adventuring quartet the Challengers of the Unknown that Kirby had created for DC in 1957, originated in a Cold War culture that led their creators to revise the superhero conventions of previous eras to better reflect the psychological spirit of their age.[21] Eschewing such comic book tropes as secret identities and even costumes at first, having a monster as one of the heroes, and having its characters bicker and complain in what was later called a "superheroes in the real world" approach, the series represented a change that proved to be a great success.[22] Marvel began publishing further superhero titles featuring such heroes and antiheroes as the Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, Ant-Man, Iron Man, the X-Men, and Daredevil, and such memorable antagonists as Doctor Doom, Magneto, Galactus, the Green Goblin, and Doctor Octopus. Lee and Steve Ditko generated the most successful new series in The Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel even lampooned itself and other comics companies in a parody comic, Not Brand Echh (a play on Marvel's dubbing of other companies as "Brand Echh", à la the then-common phrase "Brand X").[23]

Marvel's comics had a reputation for focusing on characterization to a greater extent than most superhero comics before them.[24] This applied to The Amazing Spider-Man in particular. Its young hero suffered from self-doubt and mundane problems like any other teenager. Marvel often presents flawed superheroes, freaks, and misfits—unlike the perfect, handsome, athletic heroes found in previous traditional comic books. Some Marvel heroes looked like villains and monsters. In time, this non-traditional approach would revolutionize comic books. This naturalistic approach even extended into topical politics. Wrote comics historian Mike Benton,

In the world of [rival DC Comics'] Superman comic books, communism dd not exist. Superman rarely crossed national borders or involved himself in political disputes. ... From 1962 to 1965, there were more communists [Marvel Comics] than on the subscription list of Pravda. Communist agents attack Ant-Man in his laboratory on , red henchmen jump the Fantastic Four on the moon, and Viet Cong guerrillas take potshots at Iron Man.[25]

Writer Geoff Boucher in 2009 reflected that, "Superman and DC Comics instantly seemed like boring old Pat Boone; Marvel felt like The Beatles and the British Invasion. It was Kirby's artwork with its tension and psychedelia that made it perfect for the times—or was it Lee's bravado and melodrama, which was somehow insecure and brash at the same time?"[26]

Comics historian Peter Sanderson wrote that in the 1960s,

DC was the equivalent of the big Hollywood studios: After the brilliance of DC's reinvention of the superhero ... in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it had run into a creative drought by the decade's end. There was a new audience for comics now, and it wasn't just the little kids that traditionally had read the books. The Marvel of the 1960s was in its own way the counterpart of the French New Wave.... Marvel was pioneering new methods of comics storytelling and characterization, addressing more serious themes, and in the process keeping and attracting readers in their teens and beyond. Moreover, among this new generation of readers were people who wanted to write or draw comics themselves, within the new style that Marvel had pioneered, and push the creative envelope still further.[27]

The Avengers #4 (March 1964), with (from left to right), the Wasp, Giant-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and (inset) the Sub-Mariner. Cover art by Jack Kirby and George Roussos.

Lee, with his charming personality and relentless salesmanship of the company, became one of the best-known names in comics.[citation needed] His sense of humor and generally lighthearted manner became the "voice" that permeated the stories, the letters and news-pages, and the hyperbolic house ads of that era's Marvel Comics. He fostered a clubby fan-following with Lee's exaggerated depiction of the Bullpen (Lee's name for the staff) as one big, happy family. This included printed kudos to the artists, who eventually co-plotted the stories based on the busy Lee's rough synopses or even simple spoken concepts, in what became known as the Marvel Method, and contributed greatly to Marvel's product and success. Kirby in particular is generally credited for many of the cosmic ideas and characters of Fantastic Four and The Mighty Thor, such as the Watcher, the Silver Surfer and Ego the Living Planet, while Steve Ditko is recognized as the driving artistic force behind the moody atmosphere and street-level naturalism of The Amazing Spider-Man and the surreal atmosphere of the Strange Tales mystical feature "Doctor Strange". Lee, however, continues to receive credit for his well-honed skills at dialogue and sense of storytelling, for his keen hand at choosing and motivating artists and assembling creative teams, and for his uncanny ability to connect with the readers—not least through the nickname endearments he bestowed in the credits and the monthly "Bullpen Bulletins" and letters pages, giving readers humanizing hype about the likes of "Jolly Jack Kirby," "Jaunty Jim Steranko", "Rascally Roy Thomas", "Jazzy Johnny Romita", and others, right down to letterers "Swingin' Sammy Rosen" and "Adorable Artie Simek".

Lesser-known staffers during the company's growth in the 1960s (some of whom worked primarily for Marvel publisher Martin Goodman's umbrella magazine corporation) included circulation manager Johnny Hayes, subscriptions person Nancy Murphy, bookkeeper Doris Siegler, merchandising-person Charles "Chip" Goodman (son of publisher Martin), and Arthur Jeffrey, described in the December 1966 "Bullpen Bulletin" as "keeper of our MMMS [Merry Marvel Marching Society] files, guardian of our club coupons and defender of the faith".

In 1968, while selling 50 million comic books a year, company founder Goodman revised the constraining distribution arrangement with Independent News he had reached under duress during the Atlas years, allowing him now to release as many titles as demand warranted.[14] In the fall of that year he sold Marvel Comics and his other publishing businesses to the Perfect Film and Chemical Corporation, which grouped them as the subsidiary Magazine Management Company, with Goodman remaining as publisher.[28] In 1969, Goodman finally ended his distribution deal with Independent by signing with Curtis Circulation Company.[14]

1970s

In 1971, the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare approached Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Stan Lee to do a comic book story about drug abuse. Lee agreed and wrote a three-part Spider-Man story portraying drug use as dangerous and unglamorous. However, the industry's self-censorship board, the Comics Code Authority, refused to approve the story because of the presence of narcotics, deeming the context of the story irrelevant. Lee, with Goodman's approval, published the story regardless in The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 (May–July 1971), without the Comics Code seal. The market reacted well to the storyline, and the CCA subsequently revised the Code the same year.[29]

Howard the Duck #8 (January 1977). Cover art by Gene Colan and Steve Leialoha

Goodman retired as publisher in 1972 and installed his son, Chip, as publisher,[30] Shortly thereafter, Lee succeeded him as publisher and also became Marvel's president[30] for a brief time.[31] During his time as president, he appointed as editor-in-chief Roy Thomas, who added "Stan Lee Presents" to the opening page of each comic book.[30]

A series of new editors-in-chief oversaw the company during another slow time for the industry. Once again, Marvel attempted to diversify, and with the updating of the Comics Code achieved moderate to strong success with titles themed to horror (The Tomb of Dracula), martial arts, (Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu), sword-and-sorcery (Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja), satire (Howard the Duck) and science fiction (2001: A Space Odyssey, "Killraven" in Amazing Adventures, Star Trek, and, late in the decade, the long-running Star Wars series). Some of these were published in larger-format black and white magazines, that targeted mature readers, under its Curtis Magazines imprint. Marvel was able to capitalize on its successful superhero comics of the previous decade by acquiring a new newsstand distributor and greatly expanding its comics line. Marvel pulled ahead of rival DC Comics in 1972, during a time when the price and format of the standard newsstand comic were in flux.[32] Goodman increased the price and size of Marvel's November 1971 cover-dated comics from 15 cents for 39 pages total to 25 cents for 52 pages. DC followed suit, but Marvel the following month dropped its comics to 20 cents for 36 pages, offering a lower-priced product with a higher distributor discount.[33]

Goodman, now disconnected from Marvel, set up a new company called Seaboard Periodicals in 1974, reviving Marvel's old Atlas name for a new Atlas Comics line, but this lasted only a year-and-a-half.[34] In the mid-1970s a decline of the newsstand distribution network affected Marvel. Cult hits such as Howard the Duck fell victim to the distribution problems, with some titles reporting low sales when in fact the first specialty comic book stores resold them at a later date.[citation needed] But by the end of the decade, Marvel's fortunes were reviving, thanks to the rise of direct market distribution—selling through those same comics-specialty stores instead of newsstands.

Marvel held its own comic book convention, Marvelcon '75, in spring 1975, and promised a Marvelcon '76. At the 1975 event, Stan Lee used a Fantastic Four panel discussion to announce that Jack Kirby, the artist co-creator of most of Marvel's signature characters, was returning to Marvel after having left in 1970 to work for rival DC Comics.[35] In October 1976, Marvel, which already licensed reprints in different countries, including the UK, created a superhero specifically for the British market. Captain Britain debuted exclusively in the UK, and later appeared in American comics.[36]

1980s

Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 (May 1984). Cover art by Mike Zeck.[37]

In 1978, Jim Shooter became Marvel's editor-in-chief. Although a controversial personality, Shooter cured many of the procedural ills at Marvel, including repeatedly missed deadlines. During Shooter's nine-year tenure as editor-in-chief, Chris Claremont and John Byrne's run on the Uncanny X-Men and Frank Miller's run on Daredevil became critical and commercial successes.[citation needed] Shooter brought Marvel into the rapidly evolving direct market,[38] institutionalized creator royalties, starting with the Epic Comics imprint for creator-owned material in 1982; introduced company-wide crossover story arcs with Contest of Champions and Secret Wars; and in 1986 launched the ultimately unsuccessful New Universe line to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Marvel Comics imprint. Star Comics, a younger-oriented line than the regular Marvel titles, was briefly successful during this period.

Despite Marvel's successes in the early 1980s, it lost ground to rival DC in the latter half of the decade as many former Marvel stars defected to the competitor. DC scored critical and sales victories[39] with titles and limited series such as Watchmen, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Byrne's revamp of Superman, and Alan Moore's Swamp Thing.

In 1986, Marvel's parent, Marvel Entertainment Group, was sold to New World Entertainment, which within three years sold it to MacAndrews and Forbes, owned by Revlon executive Ronald Perelman.

1990s

Spider-Man #1, later renamed "Peter Parker: Spider-Man" (August 1990; second printing). Cover art by Todd McFarlane.

Marvel earned a great deal of money and recognition during the comic-book boom of the early 1990s, launching the successful 2099 line of comics set in the future (Spider-Man 2099, etc.) and the creatively daring though commercially unsuccessful Razorline imprint of superhero comics created by novelist and filmmaker Clive Barker.[40][41] Yet by the middle of the decade, the industry had slumped, and in December 1996 Marvel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.[42]

Marvel suffered a major blow in early 1992, when seven of its most prized artists—Todd McFarlane (known for his work on Spider-Man), Jim Lee (X-Men), Rob Liefeld (X-Force), Marc Silvestri (Wolverine), Erik Larsen (The Amazing Spider-Man), Jim Valentino (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Whilce Portacio—left to form the successful company Image Comics.[43]

Marvel's logo, circa 1990s

In late 1994, Marvel acquired the comic-book distributor Heroes World Distribution to use as its own exclusive distributor.[44] As the industry's other major publishers made exclusive distribution deals with other companies, the ripple effect resulted in the survival of only one other major distributor in North America, Diamond Comic Distributors Inc.[45][46] In early 1997, when Marvel's Heroes World endeavor failed, Diamond also forged an exclusive deal with Marvel[47]—giving the company its own section of its comics catalog Previews.[48]

Creatively and commercially, the '90s were dominated by the use of gimmickry to boost sales, such as variant covers, cover enhancements, swimsuit issues. In 1991 Marvel began selling Marvel Universe Cards with trading card maker SkyBox International. These were collectible trading cards that featured the characters and events of the Marvel Universe.

Another common Marvel practice of this period was regular company-wide crossovers that threw the universe's continuity into disarray. In 1996, Marvel had almost all its titles participate in the "Onslaught Saga", a crossover that allowed Marvel to relaunch some of its flagship characters, such as the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, in the Heroes Reborn universe, in which Marvel defectors (and now Image Comics stars) Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld were given permission to revamp the properties from scratch. After an initial sales bump, sales quickly declined below expected levels, and Marvel discontinued the experiment after a one-year run; the characters soon returned to the Marvel Universe proper. In 1998, the company launched the imprint Marvel Knights, taking place within Marvel continuity; helmed by soon-to-become editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, it featured tough, gritty stories showcasing such characters as the Inhumans, Black Panther and Daredevil.

In 1991 Ronald Perelman, whose company, Andrews Group, had purchased Marvel Comic's Parent corporation, Marvel Entertainment Group (MEG) in 1986, took the company public in a New York Stock Exchange stock-offering underwritten by Merrill Lynch and First Boston Corporation. Following the rapid rise of this popular stock, Perelman issued a series of junk bonds that he used to acquire other children's entertainment companies secured by MEG stock. In 1997, Toy Biz and MEG merged to end the bankruptcy forming a new corporation, Marvel Enterprises.[42] With his business partner Avi Arad, publisher Bill Jemas, and editor-in-chief Bob Harras, Toy Biz co-owner Isaac Perlmutter helped stablize the comics line.[49]

2000s

With the new millennium, Marvel Comics escaped from bankruptcy and again began diversifying its offerings. In 2001, Marvel withdrew from the Comics Code Authority and established its own Marvel Rating System for comics. The first title from this era to not have the code was X-Force #119 (October 2001). Marvel also created new imprints, such as MAX (a line intended for mature readers) and Marvel Age (developed for younger audiences). In addition, the company created an alternate universe imprint, Ultimate Marvel, that allowed the company to reboot its major titles by revising and updating its characters to introduce to a new generation.

Some of its characters have been turned into successful film franchises, such as the X-Men movie series, starting in 2000, and the highest grossing series Spider-Man, beginning in 2002.[50]

In a cross-promotion, the November 1, 2006, episode of the CBS soap opera The Guiding Light, titled "She's a Marvel", featured the character Harley Davidson Cooper (played by Beth Ehlers) as a superheroine named the Guiding Light.[51] The character's story continued in an eight-page backup feature, "A New Light", that appeared in several Marvel titles published November 1 and 8.[52] Also that year, Marvel created a wiki on its Web site.[53]

In late 2007 the company launched Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, a digital archive of over 2,500 back issues available for viewing, for a monthly or annual subscription fee.[54]

In 2009 Marvel Comics closed its Open Submissions Policy, in which the company had accepted unsolicited samples from aspiring comic book artists, saying the time-consuming review process had produced no suitably professional work.[55] The same year, the company commemorated its 70th anniversary, dating to its inception as Timely Comics, by issuing the one-shot Marvel Mystery Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1 and a variety of other special issues.[56][57]

On August 31, 2009, The Walt Disney Company announced a deal to acquire Marvel Comics' parent corporation, Marvel Entertainment, for $4 billion, with Marvel shareholders to receive $30 and 0.745 Disney shares for each share of Marvel they own.[58]

While, Marvel and Disney Publishing have jointly began publishing "Disney/Pixar Presents" magazine starting in May 2011, there has been no announcement of a new Disney Comics imprint.[59] Marvel relaunched the CrossGen comic book imprint, owned by Disney Publishing Worldwide, in March 2011.[60]

Officers

Michael Z. Hobson Executive Vice President, Publishing [61] Group vice-president, publishing (1986)[62]

Stan Lee, executive vice-president & publisher (1986)[62]

Joseph Calamari, executive vice-president (1986)[62]

Barry Kaplan, senior vice-president, fiance and administration (1986)[62]

Jim Shooter, vice-president and Editor-in-Chief (1986)[62]

Gene J. Durante, vice-president, manufacturing and operations (1986)[62]

Harry Flynn, vice-president, Marvel Books (1986)[62]

Thomas R. Costello, vice-president , circulation (1986)[62]

Steven R. Herman, vice-president, licensing and merchandising (1986)[62]

David Fox, vice-president, legal affairs (1986)[62]

Katherine Beekman, vice-president, subscription (1986)[62]

Milton Schiffman, vice-president, production (1986)[62]

Publishers

Abraham Goodman 1939[4] – ?

Martin Goodman ? – 1972[30]

Charles "Chip" Goodman 1972[30]

Stan Lee 1972 – October 1996[30][31][61]

Shirrell Roades October 1996 – October 1998[61]

Winston Fowlkes  February 1998 – November 1999[61]

Bill Jemas February 2000 – 2003[61]

Dan Buckley 2003 – present[63]

Editors-in-chief

Marvel's chief editor originally held the title of "editor". This head editor's title later became "editor-in-chief". Joe Simon was the company's first true chief editor, with publisher Martin Goodman, who had initially outsourced editorial content, having been the titular editor previously.

In 1994, Marvel briefly abolished the position, replacing Tom DeFalco with five group editors-in-chief. As Carl Potts described the 1990s editorial arrangement, "In the early '90s, Marvel had so many titles that there were three Executive Editors, each overseeing approximately 1/3 of the line. Bob Budiansky was the third Executive Editor [following the previously appointed Mark Gruenwald and Potts]. We all answered to Editor-in-Chief Tom DeFalco and Publisher Mike Hobson. All three Executive Editors decided not to add our names to the already crowded credits on the Marvel titles. Therefore it wasn't easy for readers to tell which titles were produced by which Executive Editor ... In late '94, Marvel reorganized into a number of different publishing divisions, each with its own Editor-in-Chief."[64] Marvel reinstated the overall editor-in-chief position in 1995 with Bob Harras.

Editor

Martin Goodman (1939–1940)[4]

Joe Simon (1940–1941)

Stan Lee (1941–1942)

Vincent Fago (acting editor during Lee's military service) (1942–1945)

Stan Lee (1945–1972)

Roy Thomas (1972–1974)

Len Wein (1974–1975)

Marv Wolfman (black-and-white magazines 1974-1975, entire line 1975-1976)

Gerry Conway (1976)

Archie Goodwin (1976–1978)

Editor-in-chief

Jim Shooter (1978–1987)

Tom DeFalco (1987–1994)

No overall; separate group editors-in-chief (1994–1995)

Mark Gruenwald, Universe (Avengers & Cosmic)

Bob Harras, Mutant

Bob Budiansky, Spider-Man

Bobbie Chase, Marvel Edge

Carl Potts, Epic Comics & general entertainment[64]

Bob Harras (1995–2000)

Joe Quesada (2000–2011)

Axel Alonso (2011–present)

Offices

Located in New York City, Marvel has been successively headquartered in the McGraw-Hill Building,[4][65] where it originated as Timely Comics in 1939; in suite 1401 of the Empire State Building;[65] at 635 Madison Avenue (the actual location, though the comic books' indicia listed the parent publishing-company's address of 625 Madison Ave.);[65] 575 Madison Avenue;[65] 387 Park Avenue South;[65] 10 East 40th Street;[65] 417 Fifth Avenue;[65] and a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) space at 135 W. 50th Street.[66][67]

Marvel characters in other media

Marvel characters and stories have been adapted to many other media. Some of these adaptations were produced by Marvel Comics and its sister company, Marvel Studios, while others were produced by companies licensing Marvel material.

Films

Main article: List of films based on Marvel Comics

Main article: Marvel Studios

Prose novels

Main article: Marvel Books

Marvel first licensed two prose novels to Bantam Books, who printed The Avengers Battle the Earth Wrecker by Otto Binder (1967) and Captain America: The Great Gold Steal by Ted White (1968). Various publishers took up the licenses from 1978 to 2002. Also, with the various licensed films being released beginning in 1997, various publishers put out movie novelizations.[68] In 2003, following publication of the prose young adult novel Mary Jane, starring Mary Jane Watson from the Spider-Man mythos, Marvel announced the formation of the publishing imprint Marvel Press.[69] However, Marvel moved back to licensing with Pocket Books from 2005 to 2008.[68] With few books issued under the imprint, Marvel and Disney Books Group relaunched Marvel Press in 2011 with the Marvel Origin Storybooks line.[70]

Television programs

Main article: List of television series based on Marvel Comics

Many television series, both live-action and animated, have based their productions on Marvel Comics characters. These include multiple series for popular characters such as Spider-Man and the X-Men. Additionally, a handful of television movies based on Marvel Comics characters have been made.

Role-playing games

TSR published the pen-and-paper role-playing game Marvel Super Heroes in 1984.[citation needed] TSR then released the Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game in 1998.[citation needed] In 2003 Marvel Comics published its own role-playing game, the Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game.[citation needed]

In August 2011 Margaret Weis Productions announced it was developing a tabletop role-playing game based on the Marvel universe, set for release in February 2012.[71][72]

Theme parks

Marvel has licensed its characters for theme-parks and attractions, including at the Universal Orlando Resort's Islands of Adventure, in Orlando, Florida, which includes rides based on their iconic characters and costumed performers.[73] Universal theme parks in California and Japan also have Marvel rides.[74] In early 2007 Marvel and developer the Al Ahli Group announced plans to build Marvel's first full theme park, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by 2011.[74]

Video games

Main article: List of video games based on Marvel comics

Marvel also made a series of digital comics that serve as prequels to Disney Epic Mickey.[citation needed] Marvel also released two games under the title Marvel Ultimate Alliance between 2000 and 2010. The same game has been remodeled as an arcade game as well.[citation needed]

Imprints

Icon Comics

Marvel Age/Adventures

Marvel Knights

Marvel Illustrated

Marvel Noir

Marvel Press, joint imprint with Disney Books Group

MAX

Soleil

Ultimate Marvel/Ultimate Comics

CrossGen

Defunct

Amalgam Comics

Curtis Magazines/Marvel Magazine Group

Marvel Monsters Group

Epic Comics

Malibu Comics

Marvel 2099

Marvel Absurd

Marvel Books

Marvel Edge

defunct (continue)

Marvel Mangaverse

Marvel Music

Marvel Next

Marvel UK

MC2

New Universe

Paramount Comics (co-owned with Viacom's Paramount Pictures)

Razorline

Star Comics

Tsunami

See also

 New York City portal

 Companies portal

 Comics portal

 Disney portal

 United States portal

Panini Comics

Soleil Productions

References

^ "Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Marvel.com SEC Filings. Retrieved May 8, 2008.

^ SECInfo.com: "Marvel Entertainment/Inc. 10-K for 12/31/07", filed February 28, 2008

^ Ultimate Marvel Universe. Retrieved October 18, 2008.

^ a b c d e Per statement of ownership, dated October 2, 1939, published in Marvel Mystery Comics #4 (Feb. 1940), p. 40; reprinted in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics Volume 1 (Marvel Comics, 2004, ISBN 0-7851-1609-5), p. 239

^ a b Daniels, Les (1991). Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics. New York City: Harry N. Abrams. pp. 27, 32-33.. ISBN 0-8109-3821-9. "Timely Publications became the name under which Goodman first published a comic book line. He eventually created a number of companies to publish comics ... but Timely was the name by which Goodman's Golden Age comics were known. . . . Marvel wasn't always Marvel; in the early 1940s the company was known as Timely Comics...."

^ a b Per researcher Keif Fromm, Alter Ego #49, p. 4 (caption), Marvel Comics #1, cover-dated October 1939, quickly sold out 80,000 copies, prompting Goodman to produce a second printing, cover-dated November 1939. The latter appears identical except for a black bar over the October date in the inside front-cover indicia, and the November date added at the end. That sold approximately 800,000 copies—a large figure in the market of that time. Also per Fromm, the first issue of Captain America Comics sold nearly one million copies.

^ Powerhouse Pepper at the Grand Comics Database

^ A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics. Smithsonian Institution / Harry N. Abrams. 1981.

^ Lee, Stan; Mair, George (200). Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee. Fireside Books. p. 22. ISBN 0-684-87305-2.

^ Simon, Joe; with Simon, Jim (1990). The Comic Book Makers. Crestwood/II Publications. p. 208. ISBN 1-887591-35-4.

^ Simon, Joe (2011). Joe Simon: My Life in Comics. London, UK: Titan Books. pp. 113-114. ISBN 978-1845769307.

^ Cover, All Surprise Comics #12 at the Grand Comics Database

^ Wright, Bradford W. (2001). Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-8018-6514-5.

^ a b c "Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc.". International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 10. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale / St. James Press, via FundingUniverse.com. 1995. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.

^ Marvel : Atlas [wireframe globe] (Brand) at the Grand Comics Database

^ Marvel Indicia Publishers at the Grand Comics Database

^ Per Les Daniels in Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics, pp. 67-68: "The success of EC had a definite influence on Marvel. As Stan Lee recalls, 'Martin Goodman would say, "Stan, let's do a different kind of book," and it was usually based on how the competition was doing. When we found that EC's horror books were doing well, for instance, we published a lot of horror books'".

^ Marvel : MC (Brand) at the Grand Comics Database.

^ Apocryphal legend has it that in 1961, during a game of golf, either Jack Liebowitz or Irwin Donenfeld of rival DC Comics (then known as National Periodical Publications) bragged to to Timely and Atlas publisher Martin Goodman about DC's success with the Justice League, which had debuted in The Brave and the Bold #28 (Feb. 1960) before going on to its own title. However, film producer and comics historian Michael Uslan partly debunked the story in a letter published in Alter Ego #43 (December 2004), pp. 43-44:

Irwin said he never played golf with Goodman, so the story is untrue. I heard this story more than a couple of times while sitting in the lunchroom at DC's 909 Third Avenue and 75 Rockefeller Plaza office as Sol Harrison and [production chief] Jack Adler were schmoozing with some of us ... who worked for DC during our college summers. ... [T]he way I heard the story from Sol was that Goodman was playing with one of the heads of Independent News, not DC Comics (though DC owned Independent News). ... As the distributor of DC Comics, this man certainly knew all the sales figures and was in the best position to tell this tidbit to Goodman. ... Of course, Goodman would want to be playing golf with this fellow and be in his good graces. ... Sol worked closely with Independent News' top management over the decades and would have gotten this story straight from the horse's mouth.

Goodman, a publishing trend-follower aware of the JLA's strong sales, did direct his comics editor, Stan Lee, to create a comic book series about a team of superheroes. According to Lee in Origins of Marvel Comics. Simon and Schuster/Fireside Books. 1974. p. 16. ISBN 0-7851-0579-4.

Martin mentioned that he had noticed one of the titles published by National Comics seemed to be selling better than most. It was a book called The [sic] Justice League of America and it was composed of a team of superheroes. ... ' If the Justice League is selling ', spoke he, 'why don't we put out a comic book that features a team of superheroes?'

^ Fantastic Four at the Grand Comics Database

^ Genter, Robert. "'With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility': Cold War Culture and the Birth of Marvel Comics", The Journal of Popular Culture 40:6, 2007

^ Comics historian Greg Theakston has suggested that the decision to include monsters and initially to distance the new breed of superheroes from costumes was a conscious one, and born of necessity. Since DC distributed Marvel's output at the time, Theakston theorizes that "Goodman and Lee decided to keep their superhero line looking as much like their horror line as they possibly could," downplaying "the fact that [Marvel] was now creating heroes" with the knock-on effect that they ventured "into deeper waters, where DC had never considered going". See Ro, pp. 87-88

^ Monday, Oct. 31, 1960 (1960-10-31). "''Time'' (October 31, 1960): "The Real Brand X"". Time.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved 2010-04-27.

^ Roberts, Randy, and James S. Olson. American Experiences: Readings in American History: Since 1865, 4th edition (American Experiences / Addison–Wesley, 1998), p. 317. ISBN 978-0-3210-1031-5: "Marvel Comics employed a realism in both characterization and setting in its superhero titles that was unequaled in the comic book industry."

^ Benton, Mike (1991). Superhero Comics of the Silver Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing Company. pp. 35, 38. ISBN 978-0878337460.

^ Boucher, Geoff (September 25, 2009 (online; longer version of September 27, 2009, print version). "Jack Kirby, the abandoned hero of Marvel's grand Hollywood adventure, and his family's quest". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.

^ Sanderson, Peter (October 10, 2003). "Comics in Context #14: Continuity/Discontinuity". IGN.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.

^ Daniels, Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics, p. 139.

^ Nyberg, Amy Kiste. Seal of Approval: History of the Comics Code. University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, Miss., 1998

^ a b c d e f Ro, Ronin (2004). Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and the American Comic Book Revolution. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 179.

^ a b Lee, Mair, p. 5.

^ Levitz, Paul (2010). 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Taschen America. p. 451. ISBN 9783836519816. "Marvel took advantage of this moment to surpass DC in title production for the first time since 1957, and in sales for the first time ever."

^ Daniels, Marvel, pp.154-155

^ Cooke, Jon B. (December 2011). "Vengeance, Incorporated: A history of the short-lived comics publisher Atlas/Seaboard". Comic Book Artist (16). Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2011.

^ Bullpen Bulletins: "The King is Back! 'Nuff Said!", in Marvel Comics cover dated October 1975, including Fantastic Four #163

^ Specific series- and issue-dates in article are collectively per GCD and other databases given under References

^ Both pencils and inks per UHBMCC; GCD remains uncertain on inker.

^ "Marvel Focuses On Direct Sales". The Comics Journal (59): 11-12. October 1980.

^ "DC Overcomes Marvel In Sales". The Comics Journal (118): 24. December 1987.

^ Clive Barker official site: Comics

^ Independent Heroes from the USA: Clive Barker's Razorline

^ a b "Marvel Reaches Agreement to Emerge from Bankruptcy". The New York Times: p. D3. July 11, 1997. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011.

^ "Bye Bye Marvel; Here Comes Image: Portacio, Claremont, Liefeld, Jim Lee Join McFarlane's New Imprint at Malibu". The Comics Journal (48): 11–12. February 1992.

^ Duin, Steve and Richardson, Mike (ed.s) "Capital City" in Comics Between the Panels (Dark Horse Publishing, 1998) ISBN 1-56971-344-8, p. 69

^ Rozanski, Chuck (Undated). "Diamond Ended Up With 50% of the Comics Market". MileHighComics.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2010.

^ "Diamond Comic Distributors acquires Capital City Distribution; Comic distribution industry stabilized by purchase". bNet: Business Wire via Findarticles.com. July 26, 1996. Retrieved 2010-04-27.

^ "Hello Again: Marvel Goes with Diamond," The Comics Journal #193 (February 1997), pp. 9-10.

^ Duin, Steve and Richardson, Mike (ed.s) "Diamond Comic Distributors" in Comics Between the Panels (Dark Horse Publishing, 1998) ISBN 1-56971-344-8, p. 125-126

^ * Raviv, Dan (2001). Comic War: Marvel's Battle for Survival. Heroes Books. ISBN 978-0785116066. page number?

^ "Franchises: Marvel Comics". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-04-27.

^ "Guiding Light Comes to Comics! | Marvel.com News". Marvel.com. Retrieved 2010-04-27.

^ Gustines, George. "Pulpy TV and Soapy Comics Find a Lot to Agree On", The New York Times, October 31, 2006

^ "Marvel Universe wiki". Marvel.com. 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2010-04-27.

^ Colton, David. "Marvel Comics Shows Its Marvelous Colors in Online Archive", USA Today, November 12, 2007

^ Doran, Michael (April 3, 2009). "C.B. Cebulski on Marvel's Closed Open Submissions Policy". Newsarama. Retrieved April 5, 2009.

^ Frisk, Andy. Marvel Mystery Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1 (review), ComicBookBin.com, June 6, 2009.

^ "Celebrate Marvel's 70th Anniversary with Your Local Comic Shop". Marvel Comics press release via ComicBookResources.com. July 31, 2009. Archived from the original on October 19, 2010.

^ Wilkerson, David B. (August 31, 2009). "Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4B". MarketWatch.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.

^ ""Cars" Creative Team On Marvel's Pixar Move". comicbookresources.com. February 17th, 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.

^ Reid, Calvin (Dec 21, 2010). "Marvel Revives CrossGen with New Creators, New Stories". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 12 October 2011.

^ a b c d e Rhoades, Shirrel (2008). A complete history of American comic books. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing. pp. X–XI. ISBN 9781433101076. Retrieved 2011-03-18.

^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Gilroy, Dan (09/17/1986). "Marvel Now a $100 Million Hulk: Marvel Divisions and Top Execs" (jpeg). Variety: p. 81. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.

^ Weiland, Jonah (October 15th, 2003). "Marvel confirms Buckley as new Publisher". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 31 August 2011.

^ a b "Interview: Carl Potts". PopImage.com. May 2000. Archived from the original on February 5, 2010.

^ a b c d e f g Sanderson, Peter. The Marvel Comics Guide to New York City, (Pocket Books, 2007) p. 59. ISBN 978-1-4165-3141-8

^ "Marvel to move to new, 60,000-square-foot offices in October", Comic Book Resources, September 21, 2010.

^ Turner, Zake. "Where We Work", The New York Observer, December 21, 2010

^ a b DeCandido, Keith R.A.. "Marvel Comics in Prose: An Unofficial Guide". SFF.net. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.

^ Weiland, Jonah (May 26, 2004). "Marvel Announces Creation of New Prose Imprint, Marvel Press". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 24, 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.

^ Alverson, Brigid (July 15, 2011). "SDCC '11 | Disney to unveil Marvel Press imprint at San Diego". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on Sep 25, 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.

^ "Margaret Weis Productions Teams Up with Marvel Entertainment to Unleash Marvel Heroes Roleplaying Games". Margaret Weis Productions press release. August 10, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.

^ Holochwost, George (August 5, 2011). "Gen Con: New Marvel Comics RPG Games Announced by Margaret Weis Productions". MTV.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.

^ Universal's Islands of Adventures: Marvel Super Hero Island official site

^ a b "Marvel Theme Park to Open in Dubai by 2011". Reuters. March 22, 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.

External links

 Look up Appendix:Marvel Comics in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Official website

Marvel Directory

The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe

The Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center

Vassallo, Michael J. "A Timely Talk with Allen Bellman", Comicartville Library, 2005, p. 2. WebCitation archive, main page. WebCitation archive, p. 2.

Atlas Tales

Jack Kirby Collector #25: "More Than Your Average Joe"

Marvel Database (Wiki)

Further reading

All in Color for a Dime by Dick Lupoff & Don Thompson ISBN 0-87341-498-5

Jack Kirby: The TCJ Interviews, Milo George, ed. (Fantagraphics Books, Inc., 2001). ISBN 1-56097-434-6

Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book by Gerard Jones (Basic Books, 2004) trade paperback ISBN 0-465-03657-0

The Steranko History of Comics, Vol. 1 by James Steranko ISBN 0-517-50188-0

v • d • eMarvel Comics

v • d • eMarvel Entertainment

v • d • eThe Walt Disney Company

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Categories: Marvel ComicsMedia companies based in New York CityCompanies established in 1939Companies that have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

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SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT COMICS

Comic book

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007)

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (August 2010)

A comic book or comicbook[1] (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a funny book, comic paper, or comic magazine) is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog (usually in word balloons, emblematic of the comic book art form) as well as including brief descriptive prose. The first comic book appeared in the United States in 1933, reprinting the earlier newspaper comic strips, which established many of the story-telling devices used in comics. The term "comic book" arose because the first comic books reprinted humor comic strips. Despite their name, however, comic books do not necessarily operate in humorous mode; most modern comic books tell stories in a variety of genres.

Contents 

1 American comics

1.1 Underground comics

1.2 Alternative comics

1.3 Graphic novels

1.4 Digital graphic novels

1.5 Rarest American comic books

2 European comics

2.1 Franco-Belgian Comics

2.2 British comics

2.3 Italian comics

3 Japanese comics

3.1 Genres of manga

3.2 Doujinshi

4 See also

5 References

6 Further reading

7 External links

American comics

Main article: American comic book

Rulah, Jungle Goddess #24 (March 1949): An example of a non-superhero jungle-girl character. Cover artist(s) unknown.

Adventures into Darkness: Horror stories

Since the introduction of the comic book format in 1934 with the publication of Famous Funnies, the United States has produced the most titles, with only the British comic and Japanese manga as close competitors in terms of quantity of titles.[citation needed]

Cultural historians divide the career of the comic book in the U.S. into several ages or historical eras:

Proto-comic books and the Platinum Age

Golden Age

Silver Age

Bronze Age

Modern Age

Comic book historians continue to debate the exact boundaries of these eras, but they have come to an agreement, the terms for which originated in the fandom press. Comic books as a print medium have existed in America since the printing of The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck in 1842 in hardcover—making it the first known American prototype comic book. It is not considered a comic book. The introduction of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Superman in 1938 turned comic books into a major industry,[2] and is often presented[by whom?] as the start of the Golden Age of comics. Historians have proposed several names for the Age before Superman, most commonly dubbing it the Platinum Age.[3]

While the Platinum Age saw the first use of the term "comic book" (The Yellow Kid in McFadden's Flats (1897)), the first known full-color comic (The Blackberries (1901)), and the first monthly comic book (Comics Monthly (1922)), it was not until the Golden Age that the archetype of the superhero would originate.

The Silver Age of comic books is generally considered[by whom?] to date from the first successful revival of the dormant superhero form—the debut of Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino's Flash in Showcase #4 (September/October 1956).[4][5] The Silver Age lasted through the late 1960s or early 1970s, during which time Marvel Comics revolutionized the medium with such naturalistic superheroes as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four and Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's Spider-Man.

The precise beginnings of the Bronze and Modern Ages remain less well-defined. Suggested starting points for the Bronze Age of comics include Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith's Conan #1 (October 1970), Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams' Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76 (April 1970), or Stan Lee and Gil Kane's The Amazing Spider-Man #96 (May 1971; the non-Comics Code issue). The start of the Modern Age (occasionally referred to as the "Iron Age") has even more potential starting points, but is generally agreed to be the publication of Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel and Alan Moore's Watchmen by DC Comics in 1986, as well as the publication of DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, written by Marv Wolfman with pencils by George Pérez.

A notable event in the history of the American comic book came with the psychiatrist Fredric Wertham's criticisms of the medium in his book Seduction of the Innocent (1954), which prompted the American Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency to investigate comic books. In response to attention from the government and from the media, the U.S. comic book industry set up the Comics Code Authority in 1954 and drafted the "Comics Code" in the same year.

Underground comics

Main article: Underground comix

In the late 1960s and early 1970s a surge of creativity emerged in what became known as underground comics. Published and distributed independently of the established comics industry, most of such comics reflected the youth counterculture and drug culture of the time. Many had an uninhibited, often irreverent style; their frank depictions of nudity, sex, profanity, and politics had no parallel outside their precursors, the pornographic and even more obscure "Tijuana bibles". Underground comics were almost never sold at news stands, but rather in such youth-oriented outlets as head shops and record stores, as well as by mail order.

Frank Stack's The Adventures of Jesus, published under the name Foolbert Sturgeon,[6][7] has been credited as the first underground comic.[6][7]

Alternative comics

Main article: Alternative comics

The rise of comic book specialty stores in the late 1970s created/paralleled a dedicated market for "independent" or "alternative comics" in the U.S. The first such comics included the anthology series Star Reach, published by comic book writer Mike Friedrich from 1974 to 1979, and Harvey Pekar's American Splendor, which continued sporadic publication into the 21st Century and which Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini adapted into a 2003 film. Some independent comics continued in the tradition of underground comics, though their content was generally less explicit, and others resembled the output of mainstream publishers in format and genre but were published by smaller artist-owned companies or by single artists. A few (notably RAW) were experimental attempts to bring comics closer to the status of fine art.

During the 1970s the "small press" culture grew and diversified. By the 1980s, several independent publishers, such as Pacific, Eclipse, First, Comico, and Fantagraphics had started releasing a wide range of styles and formats—from color superhero, detective, and science fiction comic books to black-and-white magazine-format stories of Latin American magical realism.

A number of small publishers in the 1990s changed the format and distribution of their comics to more closely resemble non-comics publishing. The "minicomics" form, an extremely informal version of self-publishing, arose in the 1980s and became increasingly popular among artists in the 1990s, despite reaching an even more limited audience than the small press.

As of 2009 small publishers regularly releasing titles include Avatar Comics, Hyperwerks, Raytoons, and Terminal Press, buoyed by such advances in printing technology as digital print-on-demand.

Graphic novels

Main article: Graphic novel

In 1964, Richard Kyle coined the term "graphic novel" to distinguish newly translated European works from genre-driven subject matter common in American comics. Will Eisner popularized the term when he used it on the cover of the paperback edition of his work A Contract with God, and Other Tenement Stories in 1978. This represented a more thematically mature work than many had come to expect from the comics medium, and the critical success of A Contract with God helped to bring the term into common usage.[citation needed]

Digital graphic novels

See also: Digital comics

Rarest American comic books

The rarest[citation needed] comic books include copies of the unreleased Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 from 1939. Eight copies, plus one without a cover, emerged in the estate of the deceased publisher in 1974. The "Pay Copy" of this book sold for $43,125 in a 2005 Heritage auction.[8]

The most valuable American comics have combined rarity and quality with the first appearances of popular and enduring characters. Four comic books to have sold for over $1 million USD as of December 2010, including two examples of Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman,[9][10] both sold privately through online dealer ComicConnect.com in 2010, and Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of Batman, via public auction.

Misprints, promotional comic-dealer incentive printings, and similar issues with extremely low distribution also generally have scarcity value. The rarest modern comic books include the original press run of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen #5, which DC executive Paul Levitz recalled and pulped due to the appearance of a vintage Victorian era advertisement for "Marvel Douche", which the publisher considered offensive;[11] only 100 copies exist, most of which have been CGC graded. (See Recalled comics for more pulped, recalled, and erroneous comics.)

European comics

Main article: European comics

Franco-Belgian Comics

Main article: Franco-Belgian comics

France and Belgium have a long tradition in comics and comic books, called BDs (an abbreviation of bande dessinées) in French and strips in Dutch. Belgian comic books originally written in Dutch show the influence of the Francophone "Franco-Belgian" comics, but have their own distinct style.

The name la bande dessinée derives from the original description of the art form as drawn strips (the phrase literally translates as "the drawn strip"), analogous to the sequence of images in a film strip. As in its English equivalent, the word "bande" can be applied to both film and comics. Significantly, the French-language term contains no indication of subject-matter, unlike the American terms "comics" and "funnies", which imply an art form not to be taken seriously. The distinction of comics as le neuvième art (literally, "the ninth art") is prevalent in French scholarship on the form, as is the concept of comics criticism and scholarship itself. Relative to the respective size of their populations, the innumerable authors in France and Belgium publish a high volume of comic books. In North America, the more serious Franco-Belgian comics are often seen as equivalent to graphic novels, but whether they are long or short, bound or in magazine format, in Europe there is no need for a more sophisticated term, as the art's name does not itself imply something frivolous.

In France, authors control the publication of most comics. The author works within a self-appointed time-frame, and it is common for readers to wait six months or as long as two years between installments. Most books first appear in print as a hardcover book, typically with 48, 56, or 64 pages.

British comics

Main article: History of the British comic

Originally the same size as a usual comic book in the U.S. (although lacking the glossy cover), the British comic has adopted a magazine size, with The Beano and The Dandy the last to adopt this size (in the 1980s). Although the British generally speak of "a comic" or of "a comic magazine", and they also historically spoke of "a comic paper". Some comics, such as Judge Dredd and other 2000 AD titles, have been published in a tabloid form.

Although Ally Sloper's Half Holiday (1884), the first comic published in Britain, was aimed at an adult market, publishers quickly targeted a younger market, which has led to most publications being for children and created an association in the public's mind of comics as somewhat juvenile.

Popular titles within the UK have included The Beano, The Dandy, The Eagle, 2000 AD, and Viz. Underground comics and "small press" titles have also been published within the UK, notably Oz and Escape Magazine.

The content of Action, another title aimed at children and launched in the mid-1970s, became the subject of discussion in the House of Commons. Although on a smaller scale than similar investigations in the U.S., such concerns led to a moderation of content published within British comics. Such moderation never became formalized to the extent of promulgating a code, nor did it last long.

The UK has also established a healthy market in the reprinting and repackaging of material, notably material originating in the U.S. The lack of reliable supplies of American comic books led to a variety of black-and-white reprints, including Marvel's monster comics of the 1950s, Fawcett's Captain Marvel, and other characters such as Sheena, Mandrake the Magician, and the Phantom. Several reprint companies were involved in repackaging American material for the British market, notably the importer and distributor Thorpe & Porter.

Marvel Comics established a UK office in 1972. DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics also opened offices in the 1990s. The repackaging of European material has occurred less frequently, although the Tintin and Asterix serials have been successfully translated and repackaged in softcover books.

At Christmas time, publishers repackage and commission material for comic annuals, printed and bound as hardcover A4-size books; Rupert supplies a famous example of the British comic annual. DC Thomson also repackages The Broons and Oor Wullie strips in softcover A4-size books for the holiday season.

Italian comics

Main article: Italian comics

In Italy, comics (known in Italian as fumetti) made their debut as humor strips at the end of the 19th century, and later evolved into adventure stories inspired by those coming from the U.S.[citation needed] After World War II, however, artists like Hugo Pratt and Guido Crepax exposed Italian comics to an international audience. "Author" comics[clarification needed] contain often strong erotic contents. Popular comic books such as Diabolik or the Bonelli line—namely Tex Willer or Dylan Dog—remain best-sellers.

Mainstream comics are usually published on a monthly basis, in a black-and-white digest size format, with approximately 100 to 132 pages. Collections of classic material for the most famous characters, usually with more than 200 pages, are also common. Author comics are published in the French BD format, with an example being Pratt's Corto Maltese.

Italian cartoonists show the influence of comics from other countries, including France, Belgium, Spain, and Argentina. Italy is also famous for being one of the foremost producers of Walt Disney comic stories outside the U.S. Donald Duck's superhero alter ego, Paperinik, known in English as Superduck, was created in Italy.

Japanese comics

This article may not properly summarize the main article. Specific concerns can be found on the Talk page. Please improve this article if you can.

Main article: Manga

The first comic books in Japan appeared during the 18th Century in the form of woodblock-printed booklets containing short stories drawn from folk tales, legends, and historical accounts, told in a simple visual-verbal idiom. Known as "red books" (?? akahon?), "black books" (?? kurobon?), and "blue books" (?? aohon?), these were written primarily for less literate readers. However, with the publication in 1775 of Koikawa Harumachi's comic book Master Flashgold's Splendiferous Dream (???????? Kinkin sensei eiga no yume?), an adult form of comic book originated, which required greater literacy and cultural sophistication. This was known as the kibyoshi (????, lit. yellow cover). Published in thousands (possibly[original research?] tens of thousands) of copies, the kibyoshi may have been the earliest fully realized comic book for adults in world literary history. Approximately 2,000 titles remain extant.

Modern comic books in Japan developed from a mixture of these earlier comic books and of woodblock prints ukiyo-e (????) with Western styles of drawing. They took their current form shortly after World War II. They are usually published in black-and-white, except for the covers, which are usually printed in four colors, although occasionally, the first few pages may also be printed in full color. The term manga means "random (or whimsical) pictures", and first came into common usage in the late 18th century with the publication of such works as Santo Kyoden's picturebook Shiji no yukikai (?????) (1798) and Aikawa Minwa's Comic Sketches of a Hundred Women (1798).

Development of this form occurred as a result of Japan's attempts to modernize itself[citation needed], a desire awakened by trade with the U.S.[citation needed] Western artists were brought over to teach their students such concepts as line, form, and color; things which had not been regarded as conceptually important in ukiyo-e, as the idea behind the picture was of paramount importance. Manga at this time was referred to as Ponchi-e (Punch-picture) and, like its British counterpart Punch magazine, mainly depicted humor and political satire in short one- or four-picture format.

Dr. Osamu Tezuka (1928–1989), widely acknowledged[by whom?] as the father of narrative manga, further developed this form. Seeing an animated war propaganda film titled Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors (??? ???? Momotaro Umi no Shinpei?) inspired Tezuka to become a comic artist. He introduced episodic storytelling and character development in comic format, in which each story is part of larger story arc. The only text in Tezuka's comics was the characters' dialogue and this further lent his comics a cinematic quality. Inspired by the work of Walt Disney, Tezuka also adopted a style of drawing facial features in which a character's eyes, nose, and mouth are drawn in an extremely exaggerated manner. This style created immediately recognizable expressions using very few lines, and the simplicity of this style allowed Tezuka to be prolific. Tezuka’s work generated new interest in the ukiyo-e tradition, in which the image is a representation of an idea, rather than a depiction of reality.

Though a close equivalent to the American comic book, manga has historically held a more important place in Japanese culture than comics have in American culture. Japanese society shows a wide respect for manga, both as an art form and as a form of popular literature. Many manga become television shows or short films. As with its American counterpart, some manga has been criticized for its sexuality and violence, although in the absence of official or even industry restrictions on content, artists have freely created manga for every age group and for every topic.

Manga magazines—also known as "anthologies", or colloquially, "phone books"[citation needed]—often run several series concurrently, with approximately 20 to 40 pages allocated to each series per issue. These magazines are usually printed[by whom?] on low-quality newsprint and range from 200 to more than 850 pages each. Manga magazines also contain one-shot comics and a variety of four-panel yonkoma (equivalent to comic strips). Manga series may continue for many years if they are successful, with stories often collected and reprinted in book-sized volumes called tankobon (????, lit. stand-alone book), the equivalent of the American trade paperbacks. These volumes use higher-quality paper and are useful to readers who want to be brought up to date with a series, or to readers who find the cost of the weekly or monthly publications to be prohibitive. Deluxe versions are printed as commemorative or collectible editions. Conversely, old manga titles are also reprinted using lower-quality paper and sold for 120 ¥ (approximately $1 USD) each.

Genres of manga

Manga titles are primarily classified[by whom?] according to the demographics of their intended audience. The most popular forms of manga target the markets of young boys (shonen manga) and young girls (shojo manga). Other categories include adult comics (seinen manga and josei manga) and "businessman" comics. Each of these types occupy their own shelves in most Japanese bookstores. Comics with adult content (ero manga) usually sell in doujinshi stores rather than normal bookstores.

Doujinshi

Main article: Doujinshi

Doujinshi (????, lit. fan magazine), fan-made Japanese comics operate in a far larger market in Japan than the American "underground comics" market; the largest doujinshi fair, Comic Market, attracts 500,000 visitors twice a year.

See also

 Comics portal

Cartoon

Comics Studies

Comics vocabulary

Webcomic

Digital comics

References

^ "Previous Winners". The Eagle Awards. Retrieved October 3, 2010.

^ Goulart, Ron (1 June 2000). Comic Book Culture: An Illustrated History. Collectors Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-1888054385.

^ Coville, Jamie. "The History of Comic Books". TheComicBooks.com.

^ CBR News Team (2 July 2007). "DC Flashback: The Flash". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 27 June 2008.

^ Zicari, Anthony (3 August 2007). "Breaking the Border - Rants and Ramblings". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on 26 August 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2010.

^ a b Stack, Frank; Shelton, Gilbert (25 December 2006). "Introduction". The New Adventures of Jesus. Fantagraphics Books. p. 9. ISBN 978-1560977803.

^ a b Skinn, Dez (20 May 2004). "Heroes of the Revolution". Comix: The Underground Revolution. Thunder's Mouth Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1560255727.

^ "Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 Pay Copy (First Funnies, Inc., 1939) CGC VF/NM 9.0 Cream to off-white pages. This is one of... Golden Age (1938-1955)Superhero". Comics.ha.com. 2005-10-14. Retrieved 2011-07-18.

^ Batman comic book beats Superman at auction, sets record CNN Money 2-26-10

^ Superman comic sells for record 1.5 million dollars (AFP) – Mar 29, 2010

^ Johnston, Rich (23 May 2005). "Alan's Previous Problems With DC (sidebar)". Lying in the Gutters. Comic Book Resources.

Further reading

Kern, Adam L. (18 December 2006). Manga from the Floating World: Comic book Culture and the Kibyôshi of Edo Japan. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Asia Center. ISBN 978-0674022669.

Inge, M. Thomas (1979). "Comics as Culture". Journal of Popular Culture 12 (631).

Martin, Tim (2 April 2009). "How Comic Books Became Part of the Literary Establishment". Telegraph.

External links

Grand Comics Database

The Comic Book Database

Comic book Reference Bibliographic Datafile

Sequart Research & Literacy Organization

Comic Book Resources

The Comics Ninja

Comic Art Collection at the University of Missouri

The Comics Journal

The Comics Reporter

v • d • eComics by country

v • d • eComics: Genres & themes

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Categories: American cultureComics formats Entertainment Magazines

SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT THE X-MEN

X-Men

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the superheroes. For other uses, see X-Men (disambiguation).

X-Men

Cover to Uncanny X-Men #505

Pictured, left to right: Dazzler (above), Nightcrawler (below), Emma Frost, Cyclops, Pixie (above), Wolverine (below), and Colossus

Art by Terry Dodson

Publication information

Publisher Marvel Comics

First appearance The X-Men #1 (September 10, 1963)

Created by

Stan Lee

Jack Kirby

In-story information

Base(s)

Utopia

X-Mansion

Australia

Graymalkin Industries

Member(s)

Angel

Ariel

Armor

Aurora

Beast

Blink

Box

Chamber

Colossus

Cyclops

Firestar

Frenzy

Emma Frost

Iceman

Jubilee

Karma

Lifeguard

Lockheed

M

Magik

Magma

Magneto

Marvel Girl

Moonstar

Nightcrawler

Northstar

Pixie

Psylocke

Dr. Cecilia Reyes

Rogue

Shadowcat

Storm

Warbird

Warpath

Wolverine

X-Man

Roster

See:List of X-Men members

The X-Men are a team of mutant superheroes in the Marvel Universe. They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1 (September 1963). The basic concept of the X-Men is that under a cloud of increasing anti-mutant sentiment, Professor Xavier created a haven at his Westchester mansion to train young mutants to use their powers for the benefit of humanity, and to prove mutants can be heroes.[1] Xavier recruited Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Beast, and Marvel Girl, calling them "X-Men" because they possess special powers due to their possession of the "X-gene," a gene which normal humans lack and which gives mutants their abilities. However, early on, the "X" in X-Men stood for "extra" power which normal humans lacked. It was also alluded to that mutations occurred as a result of radiation exposure. The comic was partially inspired by the African-American civil rights movement of the 1960s.[2]

The first issue also introduced the team's archenemy, Magneto, who would continue to battle the X-Men for decades throughout the comic book's history, both on his own and with his Brotherhood of Mutants. The X-Men universe also includes such notable heroes as Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Emma Frost, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Psylocke and Shadowcat. Other villains that the X-Men have fought include the Sentinels, Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, the Marauders, the Acolytes, the Hellfire Club, and the Purifiers. The X-Men comic books have also been adapted into other media, including animated television series, films, and video games.

Contents  [hide]

1 Publication history

1.1 1960s

1.2 1970s

1.3 1980s

1.4 1990s

1.5 2000s

1.6 2010s

2 World of the X-Men

2.1 Fictional places

3 Other versions

4 Reflecting social issues

5 Cultural impact

6 In other media

7 References

8 Further reading

9 External links

Publication history[edit]

The X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963). Written by Stan Lee with art by Jack Kirby.

In early 1963, with the success of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy, as well as the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, and the Fantastic Four, creator Stan Lee devised the series title after Marvel publisher Martin Goodman turned down the initial name, "The Mutants", stating that readers would not know what a "mutant" was.[3] Within the Marvel Universe, the X-Men are widely regarded to have been named after Professor Xavier himself. Xavier however claims that the name "X-Men" was never chosen to be a self-tribute.[4] The name is also linked to the "X-Gene," an unknown gene that causes the mutant evolution.[citation needed] The original explanation for the name, as provided by Xavier, is that mutants "possess an extra power... one which ordinary humans do not!! That is why I call my students... X-Men, for EX-tra power!".[5]

1960s[edit]

Early X-Men issues introduced the team's archenemy Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants featuring Mastermind, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Toad. The comic focused on a common human theme of good versus evil and later included storylines and themes about prejudice and racism, all of which have persisted throughout the series in one form or another. The evil side in the fight was shown in human form and under some sympathetic beginnings via Magneto, a character who was later revealed to have survived Nazi concentration camps only to pursue a hatred for normal humanity. His key followers, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, were Roma (gypsies). Only one new member of the X-Men was added, Mimic/Calvin Rankin,[6] but soon left due to his temporary loss of power.[7]

The title lagged in sales behind Marvel's other comic franchises. In 1969, writer Roy Thomas and illustrator Neal Adams rejuvenated the comic book and gave regular roles to two recently introduced characters: Havok/Alex Summers (who had been introduced by Roy Thomas before Adams began work on the comic) and Lorna Dane, later called Polaris (created by Arnold Drake and Jim Steranko). However, these later X-Men issues failed to attract sales and Marvel stopped producing new stories with issue #66, later reprinting a number of the older comics as issues #67–93.[8]

1970s[edit]

In Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975), writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum introduced a new team that then starred in a revival of The X-Men, beginning with issue #94. This new team, however, differed greatly from the original. Unlike in the early issues of the original series, the new team was not made up of teenagers and they also had a more diverse background. Each was from a different country with varying cultural and philosophical beliefs, and all were already well-versed in using their mutant powers, several being experienced in combat. The "all-new, all-different X-Men"[9] were led by Cyclops from the original team and consisted of the newly created Colossus (from the Soviet Union), Nightcrawler (from West Germany), Storm (from Kenya), and Thunderbird (a Native American from the Apache nation), along with three previously introduced characters, Banshee (from Ireland), Sunfire (from Japan), and Wolverine (from Canada), who eventually became the breakout character on the team and, in terms of comic sales and appearances, the most popular X-Men character. A revamped Jean Grey soon rejoined the X-Men as the popular Phoenix; Angel, Beast, Havok, and Polaris also made significant guest appearances.

The revived series was illustrated by Cockrum, and later by John Byrne, and written by Chris Claremont. Claremont became the series' longest-running contributor.[10] The run met with critical acclaim and produced such early storylines as the death of Thunderbird, the return of the Sentinels and the emergence of Phoenix, the saga of the Starjammers and the fight for control of the M'Kraan Crystal, the resurrection of Garokk the Petrified Man, the introduction of Alpha Flight[11] and the Proteus saga. Other characters introduced during this time include Amanda Sefton, Multiple Man, Mystique, and Moira MacTaggert with her genetic research facility on Muir Island.

1980s[edit]

This section, except for one footnote, needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)

The 1980s began with the comic's best-known story arc, the Dark Phoenix Saga, which saw Phoenix manipulated by the illusionist Mastermind and becoming corrupted with an overwhelming lust for power and destruction as the evil Dark Phoenix. Other important storylines included Days of Future Past, the saga of Deathbird and the Brood, the discovery of the Morlocks, the invasion of the Dire Wraiths and The Trial of Magneto, as well as X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, the partial inspiration for the 2003 movie X2: X-Men United.[12]

By the early 1980s, X-Men was Marvel's top-selling comic title. Its sales were such that distributors and retailers began using an "X-Men index", rating each comic book publication by how many orders it garnered compared to that month's issue of X-Men.[13] The growing popularity of Uncanny X-Men and the rise of comic book specialty stores led to the introduction of a number of ongoing spin-off series nicknamed "X-Books." The first of these was The New Mutants, soon followed by Alpha Flight, X-Factor, Excalibur, and a solo Wolverine title. When Claremont conceived a story arc, the Mutant Massacre, which was too long to run in the monthly X-Men, editor Louise Simonson decided to have it overlap into several X-Books. The story was a major financial success,[14] and when the later Fall of the Mutants was similarly successful, the marketing department declared that the X-Men lineup would hold such crossovers annually.[15]

Throughout the decade, Uncanny X-Men was written solely by Chris Claremont, and illustrated for long runs by John Byrne, Dave Cockrum, Paul Smith, John Romita, Jr., and Marc Silvestri. Additions to the X-Men during this time were Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, Dazzler, Forge, Longshot, Psylocke, Rogue, Rachel Summers/Phoenix, and Jubilee. In a controversial move, Professor X relocated to outer space to be with Lilandra, Majestrix of the Shi'ar Empire, in 1986. Magneto then joined the X-Men in Xavier's place and became the director of the New Mutants. This period also included the emergence of the Hellfire Club, the arrival of the mysterious Madelyne Pryor, and the villains Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, Mojo, and Sabretooth.

1990s[edit]

The multiple, interlocking covers of X-Men, vol. 2 #1 (1991). Art by Jim Lee.

In 1991, Marvel revised the entire lineup of X-Books, centered on the launch of a second X-Men series, simply titled X-Men. With the return of Xavier and the original X-Men to the team, the roster was split into two strike forces: Cyclops' "Blue Team" (chronicled in X-Men) and Storm's "Gold Team" (in Uncanny X-Men).

Its first issues were written by longstanding X-Men writer Chris Claremont and drawn and co-plotted by Jim Lee. Retailers pre-ordered over 8.1 million copies of issue #1, generating and selling nearly $7 million (though retailers probably sold closer to 3 million copies[16] ), making it the best-selling comic book of all-time, according to Guinness Book of World Records, which presented honors to Claremont at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con.[17][18][19]

Another new X-book released at the time was X-Force, featuring the characters from The New Mutants, led by Cable; it was written by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza. Internal friction soon split the X-books' creative teams. In a controversial move, X-Men editor Bob Harras sided with Lee (and Uncanny X-Men artist Whilce Portacio) over Claremont in a dispute over plotting. Claremont left after only three issues of X-Men, ending his 16-year run as X-Men writer.[20] Marvel replaced Claremont briefly with John Byrne, who scripted both books for a few issues. Byrne was then replaced by Nicieza and Scott Lobdell, who would take over the majority of writing duties for the X-Men until Lee's own departure months later when he and several other popular artists (including former X-title artists Liefeld, Portacio, and Marc Silvestri) would leave Marvel to form Image Comics. Jim Lee's X-Men designs would be the basis for much of the X-Men animated series and action figure line as well as several Capcom video games.

The 1990s saw an even greater number of X-books with numerous ongoing series and miniseries running concurrently. X-book crossovers continued to run annually, with "The X-Tinction Agenda" in 1990, "The Muir Island Saga" in 1991, "X-Cutioner's Song" in 1992, "Fatal Attractions" in 1993, "Phalanx Covenant" in 1994, "Legion Quest"/"Age of Apocalypse" in 1995, "Onslaught" in 1996, and "Operation: Zero Tolerance" in 1997. Though the frequent crossovers were criticized by fans as well as editorial and creative staff for being artificially regular, disruptive to the direction of the individual series, and having far less lasting impact than promised, they continued to be financially successful.[15] There were many new popular additions to the X-Men including Cable, Bishop, and Gambit—who became one of the most popular X-Men (rivaling even Wolverine in size of fanbase), but many of the later additions to the team came and went (Joseph, Maggott, Marrow, Cecilia Reyes, and a new Thunderbird). Xavier's New Mutants grew up and became X-Force, and the next generation of students began with Generation X, featuring Jubilee and other teenage mutants led and schooled by Banshee and former villainess Emma Frost at her Massachusetts Academy. In 1998, Excalibur and X-Factor ended and the latter was replaced with Mutant X, starring Havok stranded in a parallel universe. Marvel launched a number of solo series, including Deadpool, Cable, Bishop, X-Man, and Gambit, but few of the series would survive the decade.

2000s[edit]

In 2000, Claremont returned to Marvel and was put back on the primary X-Men titles during the Revolution event. He was later removed from the two flagship titles in 2001 and created his spin-off series, X-Treme X-Men. X-Men had its title changed to New X-Men and writer Grant Morrison took over. The book is often referred to as the Morrison-era, due to the drastic changes he made, beginning with "E Is For Extinction," where a new villain, Cassandra Nova, destroys Genosha, killing sixteen million mutants. Morrison also brought reformed ex-villain Emma Frost into the primary X-Men team, and opened the doors of the school by having Xavier "out" himself to the public about being a mutant. The bright spandex costumes that had become iconic over the previous decades were replaced by black leather street clothes reminiscent of the uniforms of the X-Men films. Morrison also introduced Xorn, who would figure prominently in the climax of his run. Ultimate X-Men set in Marvel's revised imprint was also launched. While Chuck Austen began his controversial run on Uncanny X-Men.

Several short-lived spin-offs and miniseries started featuring several X-Men in solo series, such as Emma Frost, Gambit, Mystique, Nightcrawler, and Rogue. Another series, Exiles, started at the same time and concluded in December 2007 which led to New Exiles in January 2008 written by Claremont. Cable and Deadpool's books were merged into one book, Cable & Deadpool. Following Morrison's depature, a third core X-Men title, Astonishing X-Men was launched which was written by Joss Whedon. New X-Men: Academy X was also launched focusing on the lives of the new young mutants at the Institute. This period included the resurrections of Colossus and Psylocke, a new death for Jean Grey, who later returned temporarily in the X-Men: Phoenix - Endsong, as well as Emma Frost becoming the new headmistress of the Institute. The Institute formerly ran as a school, until the depowering of 98% of the mutant population served as a safe haven to mutants who are still powered.

In 2007, the Messiah Complex crossover saw the destruction of the Xavier Institute and the disbanding of the X-Men. It spun the new volumes of X-Force, following the team led by Wolverine, and Cable, following Cable's attempts at protecting Hope Summers. X-Men was renamed into X-Men: Legacy which focused on Professor X, Rogue and Gambit. Under Cyclops' leadership, the X-Men later reformed in Uncanny X-Men #500, with their new base located in San Francisco.[21] Uncanny X-Men returned to its roots as the flagship title for the X-Franchise and served as the umbrella under which the various X-Books co-exist. In 2009, Messiah War written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost served as the second part in the trilogy that began with Messiah Complex was released. Utopia written by Matt Fraction, was a crossover of Dark Avengers and Uncanny X-Men that served as a part of the Dark Reign storyline. A new New Mutants volume written by Zeb Wells, which featured the more prominent members of the original team reunited was launched. Magneto joined the X-Men during the Nation X storyline to the dismay of other members of the X-Men, such as Beast, who left the team.[22] Magneto began to work with Namor to transform Utopia into a homeland for both mutants and Atlanteans.[23] After the conclusion of Utopia, Rogue became the main character of X-Men: Legacy.

Notable additions to the X-Men have been Emma Frost, Husk, Northstar, Armor, Pixie and Warpath. While former villains such as Juggernaut, Lady Mastermind, Mystique, and Sabretooth became members of the X-Men. Other notable story arcs of this decade are "E Is For Extinction" (2001), "Planet X," "Here Comes Tomorrow," "Gifted" (2004), "House of M" (2005), Deadly Genesis (2005–2006), "Endangered Species" (2007), "Divided We Stand" (2008), "Manifest Destiny" (2008–2009), X-Infernus, and "Necrosha" (2009). The X-Men were also involved in the "Secret Invasion" storyline.

2010s[edit]

In 2010, "Second Coming" continued the plot threads on "Messiah Complex" and "House of M", while in 2012, "Avengers vs. X-Men" served as a closure to story lines such as "House of M" and "Decimation". It also ended with the death of Professor X and reappearance of new mutants.[24][25] The aftermath of the "X-Men: Schism" (2011) led to the fallout between Wolverine and Cyclops. Featured in a new series titled Wolverine and the X-Men, Wolverine rebuilt the original X-Mansion and named it as Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.

As part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch in 2012, many of the X-Men titles were canceled and relaunched, including X-Force, X-Factor, X-Men: Legacy, X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men. The relaunched Uncanny X-Men features Cyclops, his team, and the new mutants, taking up residency in the Weapon X facility, which they have rebuilt into a school and named as the New Charles Xavier School for Mutants. New flagship titles such as Amazing X-Men, Uncanny Avengers and All New X-Men were launched. Uncanny Avengers featured a team of Avengers and X-Men members while All-New X-Men featured the original five X-Men members being brought to the present day. In 2013, for the 50th anniversary of the X-Men franchise, "Battle of the Atom" was published which involved members of both X-Men schools try to decide what to do about the time-displaced original X-Men.

Notable additions to the X-Men have been X-23, Hope Summers, X-Man and Blink. Other notable story arcs of this decade are "Curse of the Mutants" (2010-2011), "Age of X" and "Regenesis" (2011).

World of the X-Men[edit]

See also: Mutant (Marvel Comics)

The X-Men exist in the Marvel Universe with other characters portrayed in Marvel Comics series. As such, it is unsurprising that they often meet characters from other series, and the global nature of the mutant concept means the scale of stories can be highly varied.

The X-Men fight everything ranging from mutant thieves to galactic threats. Historically, the X-Men have been based in the Xavier Institute, near Salem Center, in north-east Westchester County, NY, and are often depicted as a family. The X-Mansion is often depicted with three floors and two underground levels. To the outside world, it had acted as a higher learning institute until the 2000s, when Xavier was publicly exposed as a mutant at which point it became a full mutant boarding school. Xavier funds a corporation aimed at reaching mutants worldwide, though it ceased to exist following the "Decimation."

The X-Men benefit greatly from state-of-the-art technology. For example, Xavier is depicted tracking down mutants with a device called Cerebro which amplifies his powers; the X-Men train within the Danger Room, first depicted as a room full of weapons and booby traps, now as generating holographic simulations; and the X-Men travel in their widely recognized and iconic Blackbird jet.

Fictional places[edit]

The X-Men introduced several fictional locations which are regarded as important within the shared universe in which Marvel Comics characters exist:

Asteroid M, an asteroid made by Magneto, a mutant utopia and training facility off of the Earth's surface.

Genosha, an island near Madagascar and a longtime apartheid regime against mutants. Given control by the U.N. to Magneto until the E Is for Extinction story.

Madripoor, an island in South East Asia, near Singapore. Its location is shown to be in the southern portion of the Strait of Malacca, south west of Singapore.

Muir Island, a remote island off the coast of Scotland. This is primarily known in the X-Men universe as the home of Moira MacTaggert's laboratory.

Mutant Town (also known as District X), an area in Alphabet City, Manhattan, populated largely by mutants and beset by poverty and crime.

Savage Land, a preserved location in Antarctica which is home to a number of extinct species, most notably dinosaurs.

Utopia, Cyclops had Asteroid M raised from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the San Francisco as a response to the rise of anti-mutant sentiment to form a new Mutant Nation. It was abandoned after the events of Avengers vs. X-Men.

Other versions[edit]

Age of Apocalypse – In a world where Professor Xavier is killed before he can form the X-Men, Magneto leads the X-Men in a dystopian world ruled by Apocalypse. Created and reverted via time travel.

Days of Future Past – Sentinels have either killed or placed into concentration camps almost all mutants. Prevented by the time-traveling Kate Pryde (the adult Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat).

House of M – Reality is altered by Scarlet Witch, with her father Magneto as the world's ruler. 2005's crossover event, it concludes with a reversion to the normal Marvel Universe, albeit with most mutants depowered.

Marvel 1602 – Mutants are known as the "Witchbreed" in this alternate reality set during the time of The Inquisition. Carlos Javier creates a "school for the children of gentlefolk" to serve as a safe haven and training ground.

Marvel 2099 – Set in a dystopian world with new characters looking to the original X-Men as history, becoming X-Men 2099 and X-Nation 2099.

Mutant X – Set in a world where Scott Summers was captured along with his parents by the Shi'ar and only Alex escaped, allowing him to be the eventual leader of this Universe's X-Factor ("The Six"). The Mutant X universe reimagines Mr. Fantastic, Nick Fury, and Professor X as villains and Doctor Doom and Apocalypse as heroes.

Ultimate X-Men – Set in the reimagined Ultimate Marvel universe.

X-Men Forever – An alternate continuity diverging from X-Men, vol. 2 #3, continuing as though writer Chris Claremont had never left writing the series.[26]

X-Men Noir – Set in the 1930s, with the X-Men as a mysterious criminal gang and the Brotherhood as a secret society of corrupt cops.

X-Men: The End – A possible ending to the X-Men's early 2005 status quo.

Reflecting social issues[edit]

The conflict between mutants and normal humans is often compared to real-world conflicts experienced by minority groups in America such as African Americans, Jews, atheists, Communists, the LGBT community, etc.[27][28] It has been remarked that attitudes towards mutants do not make sense in the context of the Marvel Universe, since non-mutants with similar powers are rarely regarded with fear; X-Men editor Ann Nocenti remarked that "I think that's literary, really - because there is no difference between Colossus and the Torch. If a guy comes into my office in flames, or a guy comes into my office and turns to steel, I'm going to have the same reaction. It doesn't really matter that I know their origins. [...] as a book, The X-Men has always represented something different - their powers arrive at puberty, making them analogous to the changes you go through at adolescence - whether they're special, or out of control, or setting you apart - the misfit identity theme."[29] Also on an individual level, a number of X-Men serve a metaphorical function as their powers illustrate points about the nature of the outsider.

"The X-Men are hated, feared and despised collectively by humanity for no other reason than that they are mutants. So what we have here, intended or not, is a book that is about racism, bigotry and prejudice."

—Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont, 1981

Racism: Although this was not initially the case, Professor X has come to be compared to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and Magneto to the more militant Malcolm X.[30][31][32] The X-Men’s purpose is sometimes referred to as achieving "Xavier’s dream," perhaps a reference to King’s historic "I Have a Dream" speech.[33] (Magneto, in the first film, quotes Malcolm X with the line "By any means necessary.") X-Men comic books have often portrayed mutants as victims of mob violence, evoking images of the lynching of African Americans in the age before the American civil rights movement.[34] Sentinels and anti-mutant hate groups such as Friends of Humanity, Humanity's Last Stand, the Church of Humanity and Stryker's Purifiers are thought to often represent oppressive forces like the Ku Klux Klan giving a form to denial of civil rights and amendments.[35] In the 1980s, the comic featured a plot involving the fictional island nation of Genosha, where mutants are segregated and enslaved by an apartheid state. This is widely interpreted as a reference to the situation in South Africa at the time.[36]

Anti-Semitism: Explicitly referenced in recent decades is the comparison between anti-mutant sentiment and anti-Semitism. Magneto, a Holocaust survivor, sees the situation of mutants as similar to those of Jews in Nazi Germany.[31][37] At one point he even utters the words "never again" in a 1992 episode of the X-Men animated series. The mutant slave labor camps on the island of Genosha, in which numbers were burned into mutant's foreheads, show much in common with Nazi concentration camps,[37][38][39] as do the internment camps of the classic "Days of Future Past" storyline.[40] In the third X-Men film, when asked by Callisto: "If you're so proud of being a mutant, then where's your mark?" Magneto shows his concentration camp tattoo, while mentioning that he will never let another needle touch his skin. In the prequel film X-Men: First Class, a fourteen-year-old Magneto suffers Nazi human experimentation during his time in the camps and witnesses his mother's death by gunshot.

Diversity: Characters within the X-Men mythos hail from a wide variety of nationalities. These characters also reflect religious, ethnic or sexual minorities. Examples include Shadowcat, Sabra and Magneto who are Jewish, Dust who is a devout Muslim, Nightcrawler who is a devout Catholic, and Neal Shaara/Thunderbird who is Hindu. Storm represents two aspects of the African diaspora as her father was African American and her mother was Kenyan. Karma was portrayed as a devout Catholic from Vietnam, who regularly attended Mass and confession when she was introduced as a founding member of the New Mutants.[41] This team also included Wolfsbane (a devout Scots Presbyterian), Danielle Moonstar (a Cheyenne Native American) and Cannonball, and was later joined by Magma (a devout Greco-Roman classical religionist). Different nationalities included Wolverine, Aurora, Northstar and Transonic as Canadians; Colossus and Magik from Russia; Banshee and Siryn from Ireland; Gambit who is a Cajun, the original Thunderbird who was an Apache Native American; Psylocke, Wolfsbane and Chamber from the UK; Armor, Surge and Zero from Japan; Nightcrawler from Germany; Legion from Israel; Omega Sentinel, Neal Shaara, Kavita Rao and Indra from India; Velocidad from Mexico; Oya from Nigeria; Primal from Ukraine; etc.[35][42][43]

LGBT themes: Some commentators have noted the similarities between the struggles of mutants and the LGBT community, noting the onset of special powers around puberty and the parallels between being closeted and the mutants' concealment of their powers.[44] In the comics series, gay and bisexual characters include Anole, Bling!, Destiny, Karma, Mystique, Psylocke, Courier, Northstar (whose marriage was depicted in the comics in 2012), Graymalkin, Rictor, Shatterstar and the Ultimate version of Colossus. In the film X2, Bobby Drake's mother asks him, "Have you ever tried not being a mutant?" after revealing that he is a mutant. Transgender issues also come up with shapechangers like Mystique, Copycat, and Courier who can change gender at will. It has been said that the comic books and the X-Men animated series delved into the AIDS epidemic with a long-running plot line about the Legacy Virus, a seemingly incurable disease thought at first to attack only mutants (similar to the AIDS virus which at first was spread through the gay community).[45]

Red Scare: Occasionally, undercurrents of the "Red Scare" are present. Senator Robert Kelly's proposal of a Mutant Registration Act is similar to the efforts of United States Congress to try to ban Communism in the United States.[39] In the 2000 X-Men film, Kelly exclaims, "We must know who these mutants are and what they can do," even brandishing a "list" of known mutants (a reference to Senator Joseph McCarthy's list of Communist Party USA members who were working in the government).[46]

Religion: Religion is an integral part of several X-Men storylines. It is presented as both a positive and negative force, sometimes in the same story. The comics explore religious fundamentalism through the person of William Stryker and his Purifiers, an anti-mutant group that emerged in the 1982 graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills. The Purifiers believe that mutants are not human beings but children of the devil, and have attempted to exterminate them several times, most recently in the "Childhood's End" storyline. By contrast, religion is also central to the lives of several X-Men, such as Nightcrawler, a devout Catholic, and Dust, a devout Sunni Muslim who wears an Islamic niqab.[42]

Subculture: In some cases, the mutants of the X-Men universe sought to create a subculture of the typical mutant society portrayed. The Morlocks, though mutants like those attending Xavier's school, hide away from society within the tunnels of New York. These Morlock tunnels serve as the backdrop for several X-Men stories, most notably The Mutant Massacre crossover. This band of mutants illustrates another dimension to the comic, that of a group that further needs to isolate itself because society won't accept it.[47][48] In Grant Morrison’s stories of the early 2000s, mutants are portrayed as a distinct subculture with "mutant bands," mutant use of code-names as their primary form of self-identity (rather than their given birth names), and a popular mutant fashion designer who created outfits tailored to mutant physiology. The series District X takes place in an area of New York City called "Mutant Town."[36] These instances can also serve as analogies for the way that minority groups establish subcultures and neighborhoods of their own that distinguish them from the broader general culture. Director Bryan Singer has remarked that the X-Men franchise has served as a metaphor for acceptance of all people for their special and unique gifts. The mutant condition that is often kept secret from the world can be analogous to feelings of difference and fear usually developed in everyone during adolescence.[citation needed]

Cultural impact[edit]

The insecurity and anxieties in Marvel's early 1960s comic books such as The Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and X-Men ushered in a new type of superhero, very different from the certain and all-powerful superheroes before them, and changed the public's perception of superheroes.[49]

In other media[edit]

Main article: X-Men in other media

Further reading[edit]

Fecteau, Lydia (July 12, 2004). "Mutant and Cyborg Images of the Disabled Body in the Landscape of Science Fiction" (DOC). Retrieved September 29, 2005.

Morrison, Grant (August 10, 2000). "The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth". The Evening Standard. Retrieved September 29, 2005.

Weinstein, Simcha (2006). Up, Up, and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero. Baltimore: Leviathan. Note: Contains a chapter on the X-Men, with special emphasis on Jewish characters Magneto and Shadowcat.

Montgomery, Mitch (October 21, 2006). "X-traordinary People: Mary Tyler Moore and the Mutants Explore Pop Psychology". Silver Bullet Comics. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006.

External links[edit]

 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: X-Men

X-Men at the Marvel Universe wiki

X-Men at DMOZ

X-Men at the Comic Book DB

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X-Men at the Marvel Directory

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X-Men at UncannyXmen.net

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Links to related articles

Categories: Fictional organizationsCharacters created by Jack KirbyCharacters created by Stan LeeComics adapted into filmsMarvel Comics mutants Marvel Comics titles X-Men titles X-Men

------------------------

SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT Spider-Man

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Peter Parker" redirects here. For other uses, see Peter Parker (disambiguation).

This article is about the superhero. For other uses, see Spider-Man (disambiguation).

Spider-Man

From The Amazing Spider-Man #547 (March 2008)

Art by Steve McNiven and Dexter Vines

Publication information

Publisher Marvel Comics

First appearance Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962)

Created by Stan Lee

Steve Ditko

In-story information

Alter ego Peter Benjamin Parker

Species Human Mutate

Team affiliations Daily Bugle

Front Line

New Fantastic Four

Avengers

New Avengers

Future Foundation

Heroes for Hire

Partnerships Venom

Scarlet Spider

Wolverine

Human Torch

Daredevil

Black Cat

Punisher

Toxin

Iron Man

Ms. Marvel

Notable aliases Ricochet, Dusk, Prodigy, Hornet, Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider

Abilities

Superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, reflexes, and endurance

Regenerative healing factor

Ability to cling to most surfaces

Able to shoot extremely strong spider-web strings from wrists

Precognitive Spider-Sense

Genius-level intellect

Master hand-to-hand combatant

Spider-Man is a fictional character, a comic book superhero who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962). Lee and Ditko conceived the character as an orphan being raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and as a teenager, having to deal with the normal struggles of adolescence in addition to those of a costumed crimefighter. Spider-Man's creators gave him super strength and agility, the ability to cling to most surfaces, shoot spider-webs using devices of his own invention which he called "web-shooters", and react to danger quickly with his "spider-sense", enabling him to combat his foes.

When Spider-Man first appeared in the early 1960s, teenagers in superhero comic books were usually relegated to the role of sidekick to the protagonist. The Spider-Man series broke ground by featuring Peter Parker, a teenage high school student and person behind Spider-Man's secret identity to whose "self-obsessions with rejection, inadequacy, and loneliness" young readers could relate.[1] Unlike previous teen heroes such as Bucky and Robin, Spider-Man did not benefit from being the protégé of any adult superhero mentors like Captain America and Batman, and thus had to learn for himself that "with great power there must also come great responsibility"—a line included in a text box in the final panel of the first Spider-Man story, but later retroactively attributed to his guardian, the late Uncle Ben.

Marvel has featured Spider-Man in several comic book series, the first and longest-lasting of which is titled The Amazing Spider-Man. Over the years, the Peter Parker character has developed from shy, nerdy high school student to troubled but outgoing college student, to married high school teacher to, in the late 2000s, a single freelance photographer, his most typical adult role. As of 2011, he is additionally a member of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, Marvel's flagship superhero teams. In the comics, Spider-Man is often referred to as "Spidey", "web-slinger", "wall-crawler", or "web-head".

Spider-Man is one of the most popular and commercially successful superheroes.[2] As Marvel's flagship character and company mascot, he has appeared in many forms of media, including several animated and live-action television shows, syndicated newspaper comic strips, and a series of films starring Tobey Maguire as the "friendly neighborhood" hero in the first three movies. Andrew Garfield has taken over the role of Spider-Man in a reboot of the films.[3] Reeve Carney stars as Spider-Man in the 2010 Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.[4] Spider-Man placed 3rd on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time in 2011.[5]

Contents 

1 Publication history

1.1 Creation and development

1.2 Commercial success

2 Fictional character biography

2.1 Personality

3 Other versions

4 Powers and equipment

5 Supporting characters

5.1 Enemies

6 Cultural influence

7 In other media

8 Awards and honors

9 See also

9.1 Selected story arcs

10 Notes

11 References

12 External links

Publication history

Creation and development

Richard Wentworth a.k.a. the Spider in the pulp magazine The Spider. Stan Lee stated that it was the name of this character that inspired him to create a character that would become Spider-Man.[6]

In 1962, with the success of the Fantastic Four, Marvel Comics editor and head writer Stan Lee was casting about for a new superhero idea. He said the idea for Spider-Man arose from a surge in teenage demand for comic books, and the desire to create a character with whom teens could identify.[7]:1 In his autobiography, Lee cites the non-superhuman pulp magazine crime fighter the Spider (see also The Spider's Web and The Spider Returns) as a great influence,[6]:130 and in a multitude of print and video interviews, Lee stated he was further inspired by seeing a spider climb up a wall—adding in his autobiography that he has told that story so often he has become unsure of whether or not this is true.[note 1] Looking back on the creation of Spider-Man, 1990s Marvel editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco stated he did not believe that Spider-Man would have been given a chance in today's comics world, where new characters are vetted with test audiences and marketers.[7]:9 At that time, however, Lee had to get only the consent of Marvel publisher Martin Goodman for the character's approval.[7]:9 In a 1986 interview, Lee described in detail his arguments to overcome Goodman's objections.[note 2] Goodman eventually agreed to let Lee try out Spider-Man in the upcoming final issue of the canceled science-fiction and supernatural anthology series Amazing Adult Fantasy, which was renamed Amazing Fantasy for that single issue, #15 (Aug. 1962).[8]:95

Comics historian Greg Theakston says that Lee, after receiving Goodman's approval for the name Spider-Man and the "ordinary teen" concept, approached artist Jack Kirby. Kirby told Lee about an unpublished character on which he collaborated with Joe Simon in the 1950s, in which an orphaned boy living with an old couple finds a magic ring that granted him superhuman powers. Lee and Kirby "immediately sat down for a story conference" and Lee afterward directed Kirby to flesh out the character and draw some pages. Steve Ditko would be the inker.[note 3] When Kirby showed Lee the first six pages, Lee recalled, "I hated the way he was doing it! Not that he did it badly—it just wasn't the character I wanted; it was too heroic".[9]:12 Lee turned to Ditko, who developed a visual style Lee found satisfactory. Ditko recalled:

One of the first things I did was to work up a costume. A vital, visual part of the character. I had to know how he looked ... before I did any breakdowns. For example: A clinging power so he wouldn't have hard shoes or boots, a hidden wrist-shooter versus a web gun and holster, etc. ... I wasn't sure Stan would like the idea of covering the character's face but I did it because it hid an obviously boyish face. It would also add mystery to the character....[10]

Although the interior artwork was by Ditko alone, Lee rejected Ditko's cover art and commissioned Kirby to pencil a cover that Ditko inked.[11] As Lee explained in 2010, "I think I had Jack sketch out a cover for it because I always had a lot of confidence in Jack's covers."[12]

In an early recollection of the character's creation, Ditko described his and Lee's contributions in a mail interview with Gary Martin published in Comic Fan #2 (Summer 1965): "Stan Lee thought the name up. I did costume, web gimmick on wrist & spider signal."[13] At the time, Ditko shared a Manhattan studio with noted fetish artist Eric Stanton, an art-school classmate who, in a 1988 interview with Theakston, recalled that although his contribution to Spider-Man was "almost nil", he and Ditko had "worked on storyboards together and I added a few ideas. But the whole thing was created by Steve on his own... I think I added the business about the webs coming out of his hands".[9]:14

Kirby disputed Lee's version of the story, and claimed Lee had minimal involvement in the character's creation. According to Kirby, the idea for Spider-Man had originated with Kirby and Joe Simon, who in the 1950s had developed a character called the Silver Spider for the Crestwood Publications comic Black Magic, who was subsequently not used.[note 4] Simon, in his 1990 autobiography, disputed Kirby's account, asserting that Black Magic was not a factor, and that he (Simon) devised the name "Spider-Man" (later changed to "The Silver Spider"), while Kirby outlined the character's story and powers. Simon later elaborated that his and Kirby's character conception became the basis for Simon's Archie Comics superhero the Fly. Artist Steve Ditko stated that Lee liked the name Hawkman from DC Comics, and that "Spider-Man" was an outgrowth of that interest.[10]

Simon concurred that Kirby had shown the original Spider-Man version to Lee, who liked the idea and assigned Kirby to draw sample pages of the new character but disliked the results—in Simon's description, "Captain America with cobwebs".[note 5] Writer Mark Evanier notes that Lee's reasoning that Kirby's character was too heroic seems unlikely—Kirby still drew the covers for Amazing Fantasy #15 and the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. Evanier also disputes Kirby's given reason that he was "too busy" to also draw Spider-Man in addition to his other duties since Kirby was, said Evanier, "always busy".[14]:127 Neither Lee's nor Kirby's explanation explains why key story elements like the magic ring were dropped; Evanier states that the most plausible explanation for the sudden change was that Goodman, or one of his assistants, decided that Spider-Man as drawn and envisioned by Kirby was too similar to the Fly.[14]:127

Author and Ditko scholar Blake Bell writes that it was Ditko who noted the similarities to the Fly. Ditko recalled that, "Stan called Jack about the Fly", adding that "[d]ays later, Stan told me I would be penciling the story panel breakdowns from Stan's synopsis". It was at this point that the nature of the strip changed. "Out went the magic ring, adult Spider-Man and whatever legend ideas that Spider-Man story would have contained". Lee gave Ditko the premise of a teenager bitten by a spider and developing powers, a premise Ditko would expand upon to the point he became what Bell describes as "the first work for hire artist of his generation to create and control the narrative arc of his series". On the issue of the initial creation, Ditko states, "I still don't know whose idea was Spider-Man".[15] Kirby noted in a 1971 interview that it was Ditko who "got Spider-Man to roll, and the thing caught on because of what he did".[16] Lee, while claiming credit for the initial idea, has acknowledged Ditko's role, stating, "If Steve wants to be called co-creator, I think he deserves [it]".[17] Writer Al Nickerson believes "that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created the Spider-Man that we are familiar with today [but that] ultimately, Spider-Man came into existence, and prospered, through the efforts of not just one or two, but many, comic book creators".[18]

In 2008, an anonymous donor bequeathed the Library of Congress the original 24 pages of Ditko art of Amazing Fantasy #15, including Spider-Man's debut and the stories "The Bell-Ringer", "Man in the Mummy Case", and "There Are Martians Among Us".[19]

Commercial success

Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962). The issue that first introduced the fictional character. It was a gateway to the commercial success to the superhero and inspired the launch of The Amazing Spider-Man comics. Cover art by Jack Kirby (penciller) and Steve Ditko (inker).[8]

The character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 which was published in June 1962 (though with a cover date of August).[20] A few months after Spider-Man's introduction in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962), publisher Martin Goodman reviewed the sales figures for that issue and was shocked to find it to have been one of the nascent Marvel's highest-selling comics.[8]:97 A solo ongoing series followed, beginning with The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963). The title eventually became Marvel's top-selling series[1]:211 with the character swiftly becoming a cultural icon; a 1965 Esquire poll of college campuses found that college students ranked Spider-Man and fellow Marvel hero the Hulk alongside Bob Dylan and Che Guevara as their favorite revolutionary icons. One interviewee selected Spider-Man because he was "beset by woes, money problems, and the question of existence. In short, he is one of us."[1]:223 Following Ditko's departure after issue #38 (July 1966), John Romita, Sr. replaced him as penciler and would draw the series for the next several years. In 1968, Romita would also draw the character's extra-length stories in the comics magazine The Spectacular Spider-Man, a proto-graphic novel designed to appeal to older readers. It only lasted for two issues, but it represented the first Spider-Man spin-off publication, aside from the original series' summer annuals that began in 1964.[21]

An early 1970s Spider-Man story led to the revision of the Comics Code. Previously, the Code forbade the depiction of the use of illegal drugs, even negatively. However, in 1970, the Nixon administration's Department of Health, Education, and Welfare asked Stan Lee to publish an anti-drug message in one of Marvel's top-selling titles.[1]:239 Lee chose the top-selling The Amazing Spider-Man; issues #96–98 (May–July 1971) feature a story arc depicting the negative effects of drug use. In the story, Peter Parker's friend Harry Osborn becomes addicted to pills. When Spider-Man fights the Green Goblin (Norman Osborn, Harry's father), Spider-Man defeats the Green Goblin, by revealing Harry's drug addiction. While the story had a clear anti-drug message, the Comics Code Authority refused to issue its seal of approval. Marvel nevertheless published the three issues without the Comics Code Authority's approval or seal. The issues sold so well that the industry's self-censorship was undercut and the Code was subsequently revised.[1]:239

In 1972, a second monthly ongoing series starring Spider-Man began: Marvel Team-Up, in which Spider-Man was paired with other superheroes and villains. From that point on there have generally been at least two ongoing Spider-Man series at any time. In 1976, his second solo series, The Spectacular Spider-Man began running parallel to the main series. A third series featuring Spider-Man, Web of Spider-Man, launched in 1985 to replace Marvel Team-Up. The launch of a fourth monthly title in 1990, the "adjectiveless" Spider-Man (with the storyline "Torment"), written and drawn by popular artist Todd McFarlane, debuted with several different covers, all with the same interior content. The various versions combined sold over 3 million copies, an industry record at the time. Several limited series, one-shots, and loosely related comics have also been published, and Spider-Man makes frequent cameos and guest appearances in other comic series.[1]:279

In 1998 writer-artist John Byrne revamped the origin of Spider-Man in the 13-issue limited series Spider-Man: Chapter One (Dec. 1998 - Oct. 1999), similar to Byrne's adding details and some revisions to Superman's origin in DC Comics' The Man of Steel.[22] At the same time the original The Amazing Spider-Man was ended with issue #441 (Nov. 1998), and The Amazing Spider-Man was restarted with vol. 2, #1 (Jan. 1999).[23] In 2003 Marvel reintroduced the original numbering for The Amazing Spider-Man and what would have been vol. 2, #59 became issue #500 (Dec. 2003).[23]

When primary series The Amazing Spider-Man reached issue #545 (Dec. 2007), Marvel dropped its spin-off ongoing series and instead began publishing The Amazing Spider-Man three times monthly, beginning with #546-549 (all January 2008).[24] The three times monthly scheduling of The Amazing Spider-Man lasted until November 2010 when the comic book was increased from 22 pages to 30 pages each issue and published only twice a month, beginning with #648-649 (all November 2010).[25][26] The following year (November 2011) Marvel started publishing Avenging Spider-Man as the first spin-off ongoing series in addition to the still twice monthly The Amazing Spider-Man since the previous ones were cancelled at the end of 2007.[27] To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Spider-Man's first appearance the story "Ends of the Earth" was written by Dan Slott and published in 2012.[28]

Fictional character biography

The spider bite that gave Peter Parker his powers. Amazing Fantasy #15, art by Steve Ditko.

In Forest Hills, Queens, New York City,[29] high school student Peter Parker is a science-whiz orphan living with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. As depicted in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962), he is bitten by a radioactive spider (erroneously classified as an insect in the panel) at a science exhibit and "acquires the agility and proportionate strength of an arachnid."[30] Along with super strength, he gains the ability to adhere to walls and ceilings. Through his native knack for science, he develops a gadget that lets him fire adhesive webbing of his own design through small, wrist-mounted barrels. Initially seeking to capitalize on his new abilities, he dons a costume and, as "Spider-Man", becomes a novelty television star. However, "He blithely ignores the chance to stop a fleeing thief, [and] his indifference ironically catches up with him when the same criminal later robs and kills his Uncle Ben." Spider-Man tracks and subdues the killer and learns, in the story's next-to-last caption, "With great power there must also come—great responsibility!"[31]

Despite his superpowers, Parker struggles to help his widowed aunt pay rent, is taunted by his peers—particularly football star Flash Thompson—and, as Spider-Man, engenders the editorial wrath of newspaper publisher J. Jonah Jameson.[32][33] As he battles his enemies for the first time,[34] Parker finds juggling his personal life and costumed adventures difficult. In time, Peter graduates from high school,[35] and enrolls at Empire State University (a fictional institution evoking the real-life Columbia University and New York University),[36] where he meets roommate and best friend Harry Osborn, and girlfriend Gwen Stacy,[37] and Aunt May introduces him to Mary Jane Watson.[34][38][39] As Peter deals with Harry's drug problems, and Harry's father is revealed to be Spider-Man's nemesis the Green Goblin, Peter even attempts to give up his costumed identity for a while.[40][41] Gwen Stacy's father, New York City Police detective captain George Stacy is accidentally killed during a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus (#90, Nov. 1970).[42] In the course of his adventures Spider-Man has made a wide variety of friends and contacts within the superhero community, who often come to his aid when he faces problems that he cannot solve on his own.

In issue #121 (June 1973),[34] the Green Goblin throws Gwen Stacy from a tower of either the Brooklyn Bridge (as depicted in the art) or the George Washington Bridge (as given in the text).[43][44] She dies during Spider-Man's rescue attempt; a note on the letters page of issue #125 states: "It saddens us to say that the whiplash effect she underwent when Spidey's webbing stopped her so suddenly was, in fact, what killed her."[45] The following issue, the Goblin appears to accidentally kill himself in the ensuing battle with Spider-Man.[46]

Working through his grief, Parker eventually develops tentative feelings toward Watson, and the two "become confidants rather than lovers".[47] Parker graduates from college in issue #185,[34] and becomes involved with the shy Debra Whitman and the extroverted, flirtatious costumed thief Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat,[48] whom he meets in issue #194 (July 1979).[34]

From 1984 to 1988, Spider-Man wore a different costume than his original. Black with a white spider design, this new costume originated in the Secret Wars limited series, on an alien planet where Spider-Man participates in a battle between Earth's major superheroes and villains.[49] Not unexpectedly, the change to a longstanding character's iconic design met with controversy, "with many hardcore comics fans decrying it as tantamount to sacrilege. Spider-Man's traditional red and blue costume was iconic, they argued, on par with those of his D.C. rivals Superman and Batman."[50] The creators then revealed the costume was an alien symbiote which Spider-Man is able to reject after a difficult struggle,[51] though the symbiote returns several times as Venom for revenge.[34]

Parker proposes to Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man #290 (July 1987), and she accepts two issues later, with the wedding taking place in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21 (1987)—promoted with a real-life mock wedding using actors at Shea Stadium, with Stan Lee officiating, on June 5, 1987.[52][53] However, David Michelinie, who scripted based on a plot by editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, said in 2007, "I didn't think they actually should [have gotten] married. ... I had actually planned another version, one that wasn't used."[52] In a controversial storyline, Peter becomes convinced that Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider (a clone of Peter created by his college professor Miles Warren) is the real Peter Parker, and that he, Peter, is the clone. Peter gives up the Spider-Man identity to Reilly for a time, until Reilly is killed by the returning Green Goblin and revealed to be the clone after all.[54] In stories published in 2005 and 2006 (such as "The Other"), he develops additional spider-like abilities including biological web-shooters, toxic stingers that extend from his forearms, the ability to stick individuals to his back, enhanced Spider-sense and night vision, and increased strength and speed. Peter later becomes a member of the New Avengers, and reveals his civilian identity to the world,[55] furthering his already numerous problems. His marriage to Mary Jane and public unmasking are later erased in the controversial[56] storyline "One More Day", in a Faustian bargain with the demon Mephisto, resulting in several adjustments to the timeline, such as the resurrection of Harry Osborn, the erasure of Parker's marriage, and the return of his traditional tools and powers.[57]

That storyline came at the behest of editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, who said, "Peter being single is an intrinsic part of the very foundation of the world of Spider-Man".[56] It caused unusual public friction between Quesada and writer J. Michael Straczynski, who "told Joe that I was going to take my name off the last two issues of the [story] arc" but was talked out of doing so.[58] At issue with Straczynski's climax to the arc, Quesada said, was

...that we didn't receive the story and methodology to the resolution that we were all expecting. What made that very problematic is that we had four writers and artists well underway on [the sequel arc] "Brand New Day" that were expecting and needed "One More Day" to end in the way that we had all agreed it would. ... The fact that we had to ask for the story to move back to its original intent understandably made Joe upset and caused some major delays and page increases in the series. Also, the science that Joe was going to apply to the retcon of the marriage would have made over 30 years of Spider-Man books worthless, because they never would have had happened. ...[I]t would have reset way too many things outside of the Spider-Man titles. We just couldn't go there....[58]

Personality

"People often say glibly that Marvel succeeded by blending super hero adventure stories with soap opera. What Lee and Ditko actually did in The Amazing Spider-Man was to make the series an ongoing novelistic chronicle of the lead character's life. Most super heroes had problems no more complex or relevant to their readers' lives than thwarting this month's bad guys.... Parker had far more serious concern in his life: coming to terms with the death of a loved one, falling in love for the first time, struggling to make a living, and undergoing crises of conscience."

Comics historian Peter Sanderson[59]

As one contemporaneous journalist observed, "Spider-Man has a terrible identity problem, a marked inferiority complex, and a fear of women. He is anti-social, [sic] castration-ridden, racked with Oedipal guilt, and accident-prone ... [a] functioning neurotic".[29] Agonizing over his choices, always attempting to do right, he is nonetheless viewed with suspicion by the authorities, who seem unsure as to whether he is a helpful vigilante or a clever criminal.[60]

Notes cultural historian Bradford W. Wright,

Spider-Man's plight was to be misunderstood and persecuted by the very public that he swore to protect. In the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson, publisher of the Daily Bugle, launches an editorial campaign against the "Spider-Man menace." The resulting negative publicity exacerbates popular suspicions about the mysterious Spider-Man and makes it impossible for him to earn any more money by performing. Eventually, the bad press leads the authorities to brand him an outlaw. Ironically, Peter finally lands a job as a photographer for Jameson's Daily Bugle.[1]:212

The mid-1960s stories reflected the political tensions of the time, as early 1960s Marvel stories had often dealt with the Cold War and Communism.[1]:220-223 As Wright observes,

From his high-school beginnings to his entry into college life, Spider-Man remained the superhero most relevant to the world of young people. Fittingly, then, his comic book also contained some of the earliest references to the politics of young people. In 1968, in the wake of actual militant student demonstrations at Columbia University, Peter Parker finds himself in the midst of similar unrest at his Empire State University.... Peter has to reconcile his natural sympathy for the students with his assumed obligation to combat lawlessness as Spider-Man. As a law-upholding liberal, he finds himself caught between militant leftism and angry conservatives.[1]:234-235

Other versions

Main article: Alternative versions of Spider-Man

Due to Spider-Man's popularity in the mainstream Marvel Universe, publishers have been able to introduce different variations of Spider-Man outside of mainstream comics as well as reimagined stories in many other multiversed spinoffs such as Ultimate Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, and Spider-Man: India. Marvel has also made its own parodies of Spider-Man in comics such as Not Brand Echh, which was published in the late 1960s and featured such characters as Peter Pooper alias Spidey-Man,[61] and Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham, who appeared in the 1980s. The fictional character has also inspired a number of deratives such as a manga version of Spider-Man drawn by Japanese artist Ryoichi Ikegami as well as Hideshi Hino's The Bug Boy, which has been cited as inspired by Spider-Man.[62] Also the French comic Télé-Junior published strips based on popular TV series. In the late 1970s, the publisher also produced original Spider-Man adventures. Artists included Gérald Forton, who later moved to America and worked for Marvel.[63]

Powers and equipment

Main article: Spider-Man's powers and equipment

A bite from a radioactive spider on a school field trip causes a variety of changes in the body of Peter Parker and gives him superpowers.[64] In the original Lee-Ditko stories, Spider-Man has the ability to cling to walls, superhuman strength, a sixth sense ("spider-sense") that alerts him to danger, perfect balance and equilibrium, as well as superhuman speed and agility. Some of his comic series have him shooting webs from his wrists.[64] Brilliant, Parker excels in applied science, chemistry, and physics. The character was originally conceived by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko as intellectually gifted, but not a genius. However, later writers have depicted the character as a genius.[65] With his talents, he sews his own costume to conceal his identity, and constructs many devices that complement his powers, most notably mechanical web-shooters.[64] This mechanism ejects an advanced adhesive, releasing web-fluid in a variety of configurations, including a single rope-like strand to swing from, a net to bind enemies, a single strand for yanking opponents into objects, strands for whipping foreign objects at enemies, and a simple glob to foul machinery or blind an opponent. He can also weave the web material into simple forms like a shield, a spherical protection or hemispherical barrier, a club, or a hang-glider wing. Other equipment include spider-tracers (spider-shaped adhesive homing beacons keyed to his own spider-sense), a light beacon which can either be used as a flashlight or project a "Spider-Signal" design, and a specially modified camera that can take pictures automatically.

Supporting characters

Main article: List of Spider-Man supporting characters

Spider-Man has had a large range of supporting characters introduced in the comics that are essential in the issues and storylines that star him. After his parents died, Peter Parker was raised by his loving aunt, May Parker, and his uncle and father figure, Ben Parker. After Uncle Ben is murdered by a burglar, Aunt May is virtually Peter's only family, and she and Peter are very close.[30]

J. Jonah Jameson is depicted as the publisher of the Daily Bugle and is Peter Parker's boss and as a harsh critic of Spider-Man, always saying negative things about the superhero in the newspaper, although his publishing editor and confidant Robbie Robertson is always depicted as a supporter of both Peter Parker and Spider-Man.[32]

Eugene "Flash" Thompson is commonly depicted as Parker's high school tormentor and bully but in some comic issues as a friend as well.[32] Meanwhile Harry Osborn, son of Norman Osborn, is most commonly recognized as Peter's best friend but has also been depicted sometimes as his rival in the comics.[34]

Peter Parker's romantic interests range between his first crush, the fellow high-school student Liz Allan,[32] to having his first date with Betty Brant,[66] the secretary to Daily Bugle newspaper publisher J. Jonah Jameson. After his breakup with Betty Brant, Parker eventually falls in love with his college girlfriend Gwen Stacy,[34][37] daughter of New York City Police Department detective captain George Stacy, both of whom are later killed by supervillain enemies of Spider-Man.[42][42] Mary Jane Watson eventually became Peter's best friend and then his wife.[52] Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, is a reformed cat burglar who had been Spider-Man's girlfriend and partner at one point.[48]

Enemies

Main article: List of Spider-Man enemies

Writers and artists over the years have established a rogues gallery of supervillains to face Spider-Man. As with him, the majority of these villains' powers originate with scientific accidents or the misuse of scientific technology, and many have animal-themed costumes or powers.[note 6] Early on Spider-Man faced such foes as the Chameleon (introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #1, March 1963), the Vulture (#2, May 1963), Doctor Octopus (#3, July 1963), the Sandman (#4, Sept. 1963), the Lizard (#6, Nov. 1963), Electro (#9, Feb. 1964), Mysterio (#13, June 1964), the Green Goblin (#14, July 1964), Kraven the Hunter (#15, Aug. 1964),the Scorpion (#20, Jan. 1965), the Rhino (#41, Oct. 1966)—the first original Lee/Romita Spider-Man villain[67]—the Shocker (#46, March 1967), and the physically powerful and well-connected criminal capo Wilson Fisk, also known as the Kingpin.[34] The Clone Saga introduces college professor Miles Warren, who becomes the Jackal, the antagonist of the storyline.[37] After the Green Goblin was presumably killed, a derivative villain called the Hobgoblin was developed to replace him in #238 until Norman was revived later.[68] After Spider-Man rejected his symbiotic black costume, Eddie Brock, a bitter ex-journalist with a grudge against Spider-Man, bonded with the symbiote (which also hated Spider-Man for rejecting it), gaining Spider-Man's powers and abilities, and became the villain Venom in issue #298 (May 1988).[34] Brock briefly became an ally to Spider-Man when Carnage, another symbiote-based villain, went on a murderous spree in issue #344.[69] At times these enemies of Spider-Man have formed groups such as the Sinister Six to oppose Spider-Man.[70] The Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus and Venom are generally described or written as his archenemies.[71][72][73]

Cultural influence

Spider-Man sign appearing in front of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man in Universal Studios Florida's Islands of Adventure.

Comic book writer-editor and historian Paul Kupperberg, in The Creation of Spider-Man, calls the character's superpowers "nothing too original"; what was original was that outside his secret identity, he was a "nerdy high school student".[74]:5 Going against typical superhero fare, Spider-Man included "heavy doses of soap-opera and elements of melodrama." Kupperberg feels that Lee and Ditko had created something new in the world of comics: "the flawed superhero with everyday problems." This idea spawned a "comics revolution."[74]:6 The insecurity and anxieties in Marvel's early 1960s comic books such as The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and X-Men ushered in a new type of superhero, very different from the certain and all-powerful superheroes before them, and changed the public's perception of them.[75] Spider-Man has become one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world, and has been used to sell toys, games, cereal, candy, soap, and many other products.[76]

Spider-Man has become Marvel's flagship character, and has often been used as the company mascot. When Marvel became the first comic book company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1991, the Wall Street Journal announced "Spider-Man is coming to Wall Street"; the event was in turn promoted with an actor in a Spider-Man costume accompanying Stan Lee to the Stock Exchange.[1]:254 Since 1962, hundreds of millions of comics featuring the character have been sold around the world.[77]

Spider-Man joined the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1987 to 1998 as one of the balloon floats,[78] designed by John Romita Sr.,[79] one of the character's signature artists. A new, different Spider-Man balloon float is scheduled to appear from at least 2009 to 2011.[78]

In 1981, skyscraper-safety activist Dan Goodwin, wearing a Spider-Man suit, scaled the Sears Tower in Chicago, Illinois, the Renaissance Tower in Dallas, Texas, and the John Hancock Center in Chicago, Illinois.[80]

When Marvel wanted to issue a story dealing with the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the company chose the December 2001 issue of The Amazing Spider-Man.[81] In 2006, Spider-Man garnered major media coverage with the revelation of the character's secret identity,[82] an event detailed in a full page story in the New York Post before the issue containing the story was even released.[83]

In 2008, Marvel announced plans to release a series of educational comics the following year in partnership with the United Nations, depicting Spider-Man alongside UN Peacekeeping Forces to highlight UN peacekeeping missions.[84] A BusinessWeek article listed Spider-Man as one of the top ten most intelligent fictional characters in American comics.[85]

In other media

Tobey Maguire (top) and Andrew Garfield (bottom) have both portrayed Spider-Man on film.

Main article: Spider-Man in other media

Spider-Man has appeared in comics, cartoons, movies, coloring books, novels, records, and children's books.[76] On television, he first starred in the ABC animated series Spider-Man (1967-1970)[86] and the CBS live-action series The Amazing Spider-Man (1978–1979), starring Nicholas Hammond. Other animated series featuring the superhero include the syndicated Spider-Man (1981–1982), Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981–1983), Fox Kids' Spider-Man (1994–1998), Spider-Man Unlimited (1999–2000), Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003), and The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008–2009). A new animated series titled Ultimate Spider-Man premiered on Disney XD on April 1, 2012.[87]

A tokusatsu show featuring Spider-Man was produced by Toei and aired in Japan. It is commonly referred to by its Japanese pronunciation "Supaida-Man".[88] Spider-Man also appeared in other print forms besides the comics, including novels, children's books, and the daily newspaper comic strip The Amazing Spider-Man, which debuted in January 1977, with the earliest installments written by Stan Lee and drawn by John Romita, Sr.[89] Spider-Man has been adapted to other media including games, toys, collectibles, and miscellaneous memorabilia, and has appeared as the main character in numerous computer and video games on over 15 gaming platforms.

Spider-Man was also featured in a trilogy of live-action films directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire as the title superhero. The first Spider-Man film was released on May 3, 2002; its sequel, Spider-Man 2, was released on June 30, 2004 and the next sequel, Spider-Man 3, was released on May 4, 2007. A third sequel was originally scheduled to be released in 2011, however Sony later decided to reboot the franchise with a new director and cast. The reboot, titled The Amazing Spider-Man, was released on July 3, 2012; directed by Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield as the new Spider-Man.[90][91][92][93][94]

A Broadway musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, began previews on November 14, 2010 at the Foxwoods Theatre on Broadway, with the official opening night on June 14, 2011.[95][96] The music and lyrics were written by Bono and The Edge of the rock group U2, with a book by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.[97] Turn Off the Dark is currently the most expensive musical in Broadway history, costing an estimated $70 million.[98] In addition, the show's unusually high running costs are reported to be about $1.2 million per week.[99]

Awards and honors

From the character's inception, Spider-Man stories have won numerous awards, including:

1962 Alley Award: Best Short Story—"Origin of Spider-Man" by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Amazing Fantasy #15

1963 Alley Award: Best Comic: Adventure Hero title—The Amazing Spider-Man

1963 Alley Award: Top Hero—Spider-Man

1964 Alley Award: Best Adventure Hero Comic Book—The Amazing Spider-Man

1964 Alley Award: Best Giant Comic - The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1

1964 Alley Award: Best Hero—Spider-Man

1965 Alley Award: Best Adventure Hero Comic Book—The Amazing Spider-Man

1965 Alley Award: Best Hero—Spider-Man

1966 Alley Award: Best Comic Magazine: Adventure Book with the Main Character in the Title—The Amazing Spider-Man

1966 Alley Award: Best Full-Length Story - "How Green was My Goblin", by Stan Lee & John Romita, Sr., The Amazing Spider-Man #39

1967 Alley Award: Best Comic Magazine: Adventure Book with the Main Character in the Title—The Amazing Spider-Man

1967 Alley Award Popularity Poll: Best Costumed or Powered Hero—Spider-Man

1967 Alley Award Popularity Poll: Best Male Normal Supporting Character—J. Jonah Jameson, The Amazing Spider-Man

1967 Alley Award Popularity Poll: Best Female Normal Supporting Character—Mary Jane Watson, The Amazing Spider-Man

1968 Alley Award Popularity Poll: Best Adventure Hero Strip—The Amazing Spider-Man

1968 Alley Award Popularity Poll: Best Supporting Character - J. Jonah Jameson, The Amazing Spider-Man

1969 Alley Award Popularity Poll: Best Adventure Hero Strip—The Amazing Spider-Man

1997 Eisner Award: Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team—1997 Al Williamson, Best Inker: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #17-18

2002 Eisner Award: Best Serialized Story—The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2, #30–35: "Coming Home", by J. Michael Straczynski, John Romita, Jr., and Scott Hanna

No date: Empire magazine's fifth-greatest comic book character.[100]

No date: Spider-Man was the #1 superhero on Bravo's Ultimate Super Heroes, Vixens, and Villains show.[101]

No date: Fandomania.com rated him as #7 on their 100 Greatest Fictional Characters list.[102]

See also

 United States portal

 Comics portal

 Speculative fiction portal

 Superhero fiction portal

List of Spider-Man titles

Selected story arcs

"Maximum Carnage"

"Identity Crisis"

"The Gathering of Five" and "The Final Chapter"

"One More Day"

"Brand New Day"

"New Ways to Die"

"American Son"

"The Gauntlet and Grim Hunt"

"One Moment in Time"

Notes

^ Lee, Stan; Mair, George (2002). Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee. Fireside. ISBN 0-684-87305-2. "He goes further in his biography, claiming that even while pitching the concept to publisher Martin Goodman, "I can't remember if that was literally true or not, but I thought it would lend a big color to my pitch.""

^ Detroit Free Press interview with Stan Lee, quoted in The Steve Ditko Reader by Greg Theakston (Pure Imagination, Brooklyn, NY; ISBN 1-56685-011-8), p. 12 (unnumbered). "He gave me 1,000 reasons why Spider-Man would never work. Nobody likes spiders; it sounds too much like Superman; and how could a teenager be a superhero? Then I told him I wanted the character to be a very human guy, someone who makes mistakes, who worries, who gets acne, has trouble with his girlfriend, things like that. [Goodman replied,] 'He's a hero! He's not an average man!' I said, 'No, we make him an average man who happens to have super powers, that's what will make him good.' He told me I was crazy".

^ Ditko, Steve (2000). Roy Thomas. ed. Alter Ego: The Comic Book Artist Collection. TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 1-893905-06-3. "'Stan said a new Marvel hero would be introduced in #15 [of what became titled Amazing Fantasy]. He would be called Spider-Man. Jack would do the penciling and I was to ink the character.' At this point still, 'Stan said Spider-Man would be a teenager with a magic ring which could transform him into an adult hero—Spider-Man. I said it sounded like the Fly, which Joe Simon had done for Archie Comics. Stan called Jack about it but I don't know what was discussed. I never talked to Jack about Spider-Man... Later, at some point, I was given the job of drawing Spider-Man'".

^ Jack Kirby in "Shop Talk: Jack Kirby", Will Eisner's Spirit Magazine #39 (February 1982): "Spider-Man was discussed between Joe Simon and myself. It was the last thing Joe and I had discussed. We had a strip called 'The Silver Spider.' The Silver Spider was going into a magazine called Black Magic. Black Magic folded with Crestwood (Simon & Kirby's 1950s comics company) and we were left with the script. I believe I said this could become a thing called Spider-Man, see, a superhero character. I had a lot of faith in the superhero character that they could be brought back... and I said Spider-Man would be a fine character to start with. But Joe had already moved on. So the idea was already there when I talked to Stan".

^ Simon, Joe, with Jim Simon. The Comic Book Makers (Crestwood/II, 1990) ISBN 1-887591-35-4. "There were a few holes in Jack's never-dependable memory. For instance, there was no Black Magic involved at all. ... Jack brought in the Spider-Man logo that I had loaned to him before we changed the name to The Silver Spider. Kirby laid out the story to Lee about the kid who finds a ring in a spiderweb, gets his powers from the ring, and goes forth to fight crime armed with The Silver Spider's old web-spinning pistol. Stan Lee said, 'Perfect, just what I want.' After obtaining permission from publisher Martin Goodman, Lee told Kirby to pencil-up an origin story. Kirby... using parts of an old rejected superhero named Night Fighter... revamped the old Silver Spider script, including revisions suggested by Lee. But when Kirby showed Lee the sample pages, it was Lee's turn to gripe. He had been expecting a skinny young kid who is transformed into a skinny young kid with spider powers. Kirby had him turn into... Captain America with cobwebs. He turned Spider-Man over to Steve Ditko, who... ignored Kirby's pages, tossed the character's magic ring, web-pistol and goggles... and completely redesigned Spider-Man's costume and equipment. In this life, he became high-school student Peter Parker, who gets his spider powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. ... Lastly, the Spider-Man logo was redone and a dashing hyphen added".

^ Mondello, Salvatore (March 2004). "Spider-Man: Superhero in the Liberal Tradition". The Journal of Popular Culture X (1): 232–238. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3840.1976.1001_232.x. "...a teenage superhero and middle-aged supervillains—an impressive rogues' gallery [that] includes such memorable knaves and grotesques as the Vulture..."

SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT DC Comics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the US publisher of comics. For the Scottish publisher of comics and newspapers, see D. C. Thomson & Co..

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2011)

DC Comics

DC comics logo 2012.png

The current DC Comics logo.

Parent company Warner Bros.

Founded 1934 (as National Allied Publications)

Founder Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson

Country of origin United States

Headquarters location Burbank, California

Key people Diane Nelson (President)

Dan DiDio (Co-Publisher of DC Comics)

Jim Lee (Co-Publisher of DC Comics)

Bob Harras (Editor In chief)

Geoff Johns (Chief Creative Officer)

John Rood (Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development)

Publication types Comics

Imprints Vertigo

Owner(s) Time Warner, cartoon network

Official website www.dccomics.com

DC Comics, Inc. is an American comic book publisher. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment,[1] a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner. DC Comics is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in American comic books, and produces material featuring many well-known characters, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Aquaman, Hawkman, and Green Arrow. The fictional DC universe also features superhero teams such as the Justice League, the Watchmen, and the Teen Titans, as well as antagonists such as the Joker, Lex Luthor and Catwoman.

The initials "DC" came from the company's popular series Detective Comics, which featured Batman's debut and subsequently became part of the company's name.[2] Originally in Manhattan at 432 Fourth Avenue, the DC Comics offices have been located at 480 and later 575 Lexington Avenue; 909 Third Avenue; 75 Rockefeller Plaza; 666 Fifth Avenue; and 1325 Avenue of the Americas. DC has its headquarters at 1700 Broadway, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, but it was announced in October 2013 that DC Entertainment would relocate its headquarters from New York to Burbank, California in 2015.[3]

Random House distributes DC Comics' books to the bookstore market, while Diamond Comic Distributors supplies the comics shop specialty market.[3] DC Comics and its major, longtime competitor Marvel Comics (owned by Time Warner's main rival The Walt Disney Company since 2009) together shared over 80% of the American comic book market in 2008.[4]

Contents  [hide]

1 History

1.1 Origins

1.2 The Golden Age

1.3 The Silver Age

1.4 Kinney National subsidiary

1.5 The Bronze Age

1.6 Modern Age

1.7 Time Warner unit

1.8 2000s

1.9 DC Entertainment

2 Logo

3 Imprints

3.1 Active as of 2014

3.2 Defunct

3.3 Licensing partnerships, acquired companies, and studios

4 See also

5 Footnotes

6 References

7 Further reading

8 External links

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

Entrepreneur Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's National Allied Publications[5] debuted with the tabloid-sized New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine #1 with a cover date of February 1935.[6] The company's second title, New Comics #1 (Dec. 1935), appeared in a size close to what would become comic books' standard during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books, with slightly larger dimensions than today's.[7] That title evolved into Adventure Comics, which continued through issue #503 in 1983, becoming one of the longest-running comic-book series. In 2009 DC revived it with its original numbering.[8]

Wheeler-Nicholson's third and final title, Detective Comics, advertised with a cover illustration dated December 1936, eventually premiered three months late with a March 1937 cover date. The themed anthology series would become a sensation with the introduction of Batman in issue #27 (May 1939). By then, however, Wheeler-Nicholson had gone. In 1937, in debt to printing-plant owner and magazine distributor Harry Donenfeld — who also published pulp magazines and operated as a principal in the magazine distributorship Independent News — Wheeler-Nicholson had to take Donenfeld on as a partner in order to publish Detective Comics #1. Detective Comics, Inc. was formed, with Wheeler-Nicholson and Jack S. Liebowitz, Donenfeld's accountant, listed as owners. Major Wheeler-Nicholson remained for a year, but cash-flow problems continued, and he was forced out. Shortly afterward, Detective Comics Inc. purchased the remains of National Allied, also known as Nicholson Publishing, at a bankruptcy auction.[9]

Detective Comics Inc. soon launched a fourth title, Action Comics, the premiere of which introduced Superman. Action Comics #1 (June 1938), the first comic book to feature the new character archetype — soon known as "superheroes" — proved a sales hit. The company quickly introduced such other popular characters as the Sandman and Batman.

On February 22, 2010, a copy of Action Comics #1 (June 1938) sold at an auction from an anonymous seller to an anonymous buyer for $1 million dollars, besting the $317,000 record for a comic book set by a different copy, in lesser condition, the previous year.[10]

The Golden Age[edit]

Main article: Golden Age of Comic Books

National Allied Publications soon merged with Detective Comics Inc. to form National Comics, which in 1944 absorbed an affiliated concern, Max Gaines' and Liebowitz' All-American Publications. That year, Gaines let Liebowitz buy him out, and kept only Picture Stories from the Bible as the foundation of his own new company, EC Comics. At that point, "Liebowitz promptly orchestrated the merger of All-American and Detective Comics into National Comics... Next he took charge of organizing National Comics, [the self-distributorship] Independent News, and their affiliated firms into a single corporate entity, National Periodical Publications".[11] National Periodical Publications became publicly traded on the stock market in 1961.[12]

Despite the official names "National Comics" and "National Periodical Publications", the company began branding itself as "Superman-DC" as early as 1940, and the company became known colloquially as DC Comics for years before the official adoption of that name in 1977.[13]

The company began to move aggressively against what it saw as copyright-violating imitations from other companies, such as Fox Comics' Wonder Man, which (according to court testimony) Fox started as a copy of Superman. This extended to DC suing Fawcett Comics over Captain Marvel, at the time comics' top-selling character. Despite the fact that parallels between Captain Marvel and Superman seemed more tenuous (Captain Marvel's powers came from magic, unlike Superman's), the courts ruled that substantial and deliberate copying of copyrighted material had occurred. Faced with declining sales and the prospect of bankruptcy if it lost, Fawcett capitulated in 1955 and ceased comics publication. Years later, Fawcett ironically sold the rights for Captain Marvel to DC — which in 1974 revived Captain Marvel in the new title Shazam! featuring artwork by his creator, C. C. Beck. In the meantime, the abandoned trademark had been seized by Marvel Comics in 1967, with the creation of their Captain Marvel, disallowing the DC comic itself to be called that. While Captain Marvel did not recapture his old popularity, he later appeared in a Saturday morning live action TV adaptation and gained a prominent place in the mainstream continuity DC calls the DC Universe.

When the popularity of superheroes faded in the late 1940s, the company focused on such genres as science fiction, Westerns, humor, and romance. DC also published crime and horror titles, but relatively tame ones, and thus avoided the mid-1950s backlash against such comics. A handful of the most popular superhero-titles, including Action Comics and Detective Comics, the medium's two longest-running titles as of 2013, continued publication.

The Silver Age[edit]

Main article: Silver Age of Comic Books

In the mid-1950s, editorial director Irwin Donenfeld and publisher Liebowitz directed editor Julius Schwartz (whose roots lay in the science-fiction book market) to produce a one-shot Flash story in the try-out title Showcase. Instead of reviving the old character, Schwartz had writers Robert Kanigher and John Broome, penciler Carmine Infantino, and inker Joe Kubert create an entirely new super-speedster, updating and modernizing the Flash's civilian identity, costume, and origin with a science-fiction bent. The Flash's reimagining in Showcase #4 (October 1956) proved sufficiently popular that it soon led to a similar revamping of the Green Lantern character, the introduction of the modern all-star team Justice League of America (JLA), and many more superheroes, heralding what historians and fans call the Silver Age of comic books.

National did not reimagine its continuing characters (primarily Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman), but radically overhauled them. The Superman family of titles, under editor Mort Weisinger, introduced such enduring characters as Supergirl, Bizarro, and Brainiac. The Batman titles, under editor Jack Schiff, introduced the successful Batwoman, Bat-Girl, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Bat-Mite in an attempt to modernize the strip with non-science-fiction elements. Schwartz, together with artist Infantino, then revitalized Batman in what the company promoted as the "New Look", re-emphasizing Batman as a detective. Meanwhile, editor Kanigher successfully introduced a whole family of Wonder Woman characters having fantastic adventures in a mythological context.

DC's introduction of the reimagined superheroes did not go unnoticed by other comics companies. In 1961, with DC's JLA as the specific spur,[n 1] Marvel Comics writer-editor Stan Lee and legendary creator Jack Kirby ushered in the sub-Silver Age "Marvel Age" of comics with the debut issue of The Fantastic Four.[14]

Since the 1940s, when Superman, Batman, and many of the company's other heroes began appearing in stories together, DC's characters inhabited a shared continuity that, decades later, was dubbed the "DC Universe" by fans. With the story "Flash of Two Worlds", in Flash #123 (September 1961), editor Schwartz (with writer Gardner Fox and artists Infantino and Joe Giella) introduced a concept that allowed slotting the 1930s and 1940s Golden Age heroes into this continuity via the explanation that they lived on an other-dimensional "Earth 2", as opposed to the modern heroes' "Earth 1" — in the process creating the foundation for what would later be called the DC Multiverse.

A 1966 Batman TV show on the ABC network sparked a temporary spike in comic book sales, and a brief fad for superheroes in Saturday morning animation (Filmation created most of DC's initial cartoons) and other media. DC significantly lightened the tone of many DC comics — particularly Batman and Detective Comics — to better complement the "camp" tone of the TV series. This tone coincided with the famous "Go-Go Checks" checkerboard cover-dress which featured a black-and-white checkerboard strip at the top of each comic, a misguided attempt by then-managing editor Irwin Donenfeld to make DC's output "stand out on the newsracks."[15]

In 1967, Batman artist Infantino (who had designed popular Silver Age characters Batgirl and the Phantom Stranger) rose from art director to become DC's editorial director. With the growing popularity of upstart rival Marvel Comics threatening to topple DC from its longtime number-one position in the comics industry, he attempted to infuse the company with new titles and characters, also recruiting major talents such as ex-Marvel artist and Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko and promising newcomer Neal Adams. He also replaced some existing DC editors with artist-editors, including Joe Kubert and Dick Giordano, to give DC's output a more artistic critical eye.

These new editors recruited youthful new creators,[16] in part in an effort to capture a market which had grown from being dominated by children, to include older teens and even college students. Some new talent, such as Dennis O'Neil, who had worked for both Marvel and Charlton, gained critical and popular acclaim on titles including Batman and Green Lantern (his Green Lantern run with artist Neal Adams became a key title in the burgeoning 1970s Bronze Age, and the move away from the Comics Code Authority). Nevertheless, the period was plagued by short-lived series that started out strong but petered out rapidly.

Kinney National subsidiary[edit]

In 1967, National Periodical Publications was purchased by Kinney National Company, which later purchased Warner Bros.-Seven Arts and became Warner Communications.[17]

In 1970, Jack Kirby moved from Marvel Comics to DC, at the end of the Silver Age of Comics, in which Kirby's contributions to Marvel played a large, integral role. Given carte blanche to write and illustrate his own stories, he created a handful of thematically linked series he called collectively The Fourth World. In the existing series Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and in his own, newly launched series New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People, Kirby introduced such enduring characters and concepts as archvillain Darkseid and the otherdimensional realm Apokolips. While sales were respectable, they did not meet DC management's initially high expectations, and also suffered from a lack of comprehension and internal support from Infantino. By 1973 the "Fourth World" was all cancelled, although Kirby's conceptions would soon become integral to the broadening of the DC Universe. Kirby went on to create other series for DC, including Kamandi, about a teenaged boy in a post-apocalyptic world of anthropomorphic talking animals.

The Bronze Age[edit]

Main article: Bronze Age of Comic Books

Following the science-fiction innovations of the Silver Age, the comics of the 1970s and 1980s would become known as the Bronze Age, as fantasy gave way to more naturalistic and sometimes darker themes. Illegal drug use, banned by the Comics Code Authority, explicitly appeared in comics for the first time in Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man in early 1971, and after the Code's updating in response, DC offered a drug-fueled storyline in writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams' Green Lantern, beginning with the story "Snowbirds Don't Fly" in the retitled Green Lantern / Green Arrow #85 (Sept. 1971), which depicted Speedy, the teen sidekick of superhero archer Green Arrow, as having become a heroin addict.

Jenette Kahn, a former children's magazine publisher, replaced Infantino as editorial director in January 1976. DC had attempted to compete with the now-surging Marvel by dramatically increasing its output and attempting to win the market by flooding it. This included launching series featuring such new characters as Firestorm and Shade, the Changing Man, as well as an increasing array of non-superhero titles, in an attempt to recapture the pre-Wertham days of post-War comicdom. In June 1978, five months before the release of the first Superman movie, Kahn expanded the line further, increasing the number of titles and story pages, and raising the price from 35 cents to 50 cents. Most series received eight-page back-up features while some had full-length twenty-five page stories. This was a move the company called the "DC Explosion".[18] The move was not successful, however, and corporate partner Warner dramatically cut back on these largely unsuccessful titles, firing many staffers in what industry watchers dubbed "the DC Implosion."[19] In September 1978, the line was dramatically reduced and standard-size books returned to 17 story pages but for a still-increased 40 cents.[20] By 1980, the books returned to 50 cents with a 25-page story count but the story pages replaced house ads in the books.

Seeking new ways to boost market share, the new team of publisher Kahn, vice-president Paul Levitz, and managing editor Giordano addressed the issue of talent instability. To that end — and following the example of Atlas/Seaboard Comics[21] and such independent companies as Eclipse Comics — DC began to offer royalties in place of the industry-standard work-for-hire agreement in which creators worked for a flat fee and signed away all rights, giving talent a financial incentive tied to the success of their work. In addition, emulating the era's new television form, the miniseries while addressing the matter of an excessive number of ongoing titles fizzling out within a few issues of their start, DC created the industry concept of the comic book limited series. This publishing format allowed for the deliberate creation of finite storylines within a more flexible publishing format that could showcase creations without forcing the talent into unsustainable openended commitments.

These changes in policy shaped the future of the medium as a whole, and in the short term allowed DC to entice creators away from rival Marvel, and encourage stability on individual titles. In November 1980 DC launched the ongoing series The New Teen Titans, by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, two popular talents with a history of success. Their superhero-team comic, superficially similar to Marvel's ensemble series X-Men, but rooted in DC history, earned significant sales[22] in part due to the stability of the creative team, who both continued with the title for six full years. In addition, Wolfman and Pérez took advantage of the limited-series option to create a spin-off title, Tales of the New Teen Titans, to present origin stories of their original characters without having to break the narrative flow of the main series or oblige them to double their work load with another ongoing title.

Modern Age[edit]

Main article: Modern Age of Comic Books

This successful revitalization of the Silver Age Teen Titans led DC's editors[citation needed] to seek the same for the wider DC Universe. The result, the Wolfman/Pérez 12-issue limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, gave the company an opportunity to realign and jettison some of the characters' complicated backstory and continuity discrepancies. A companion publication, two volumes entitled The History of the DC Universe, set out the revised history of the major DC characters. Crisis featured many key deaths that would shape the DC Universe for the following decades, and separate the timeline of DC publications into pre- and post-"Crisis".

Meanwhile, a parallel update had started in the non-superhero and horror titles. Since early 1984, the work of British writer Alan Moore had revitalized the horror series The Saga of the Swamp Thing, and soon numerous British writers, including Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison, began freelancing for the company. The resulting influx of sophisticated horror-fantasy material led to DC in 1993 establishing the Vertigo mature-readers imprint, which did not subscribe to the Comics Code Authority.[citation needed]

Two DC limited series, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and Watchmen by Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, drew attention in the mainstream press for their dark psychological complexity and promotion of the antihero.[citation needed] These titles helped pave the way for comics to be more widely accepted in literary-criticism circles and to make inroads into the book industry, with collected editions of these series as commercially successful trade paperbacks.[citation needed]

The mid-1980s also saw the end of many long-running DC war comics, including series that had been in print since the 1960s. These titles, all with over 100 issues, included Sgt. Rock, G.I. Combat, The Unknown Soldier, and Weird War Tales.

Time Warner unit[edit]

In March 1989, Warner Communications merged with Time Inc., making DC Comics a subsidiary of Time Warner. In June, the first Tim Burton directed Batman movie was released, and DC began publishing its hardcover series of DC Archive Editions, collections of many of their early, key comics series, featuring rare and expensive stories unseen by many modern fans. Restoration for many of the Archive Editions was handled by Rick Keene with color restoration by DC's long-time resident colorist, Bob LeRose. These collections attempted to retroactively credit many of the writers and artists who had worked without much recognition for DC during the early period of comics, when individual credits were few and far between.

The comics industry experienced a brief boom in the early 1990s, thanks to a combination of speculative purchasing (mass purchase of the books as collectible items, with intent to resell at a higher value as the rising value of older issues was thought to imply that all comics would rise dramatically in price) and several storylines which gained attention from the mainstream media. DC's extended storylines in which Superman was killed, Batman was crippled, and superhero Green Lantern turned into the supervillain Parallax resulted in dramatically increased sales, but the increases were as temporary as the hero's replacements. Sales dropped off as the industry went into a major slump, while manufactured "collectibles" numbering in the millions replaced quality with quantity until fans and speculators alike deserted the medium in droves.

DC's Piranha Press and other imprints (including the mature readers line Vertigo, and Helix, a short-lived science fiction imprint) were introduced to facilitate compartmentalized diversification and allow for specialized marketing of individual product lines. They increased the use of non-traditional contractual arrangements, including the dramatic rise of creator-owned projects, leading to a significant increase in critically lauded work (much of it for Vertigo) and the licensing of material from other companies. DC also increased publication of book-store friendly formats, including trade paperback collections of individual serial comics, as well as original graphic novels.

One of the other imprints was Impact Comics from 1991 to 1992 in which the Archie Comics superheroes were licensed and revamped.[23][24] The stories in the line were part of its own shared universe.[25]

DC entered into a publishing agreement with Milestone Media that gave DC a line of comics featuring a culturally and racially diverse range of superhero characters. Although the Milestone line ceased publication after a few years, it yielded the popular animated series Static Shock. DC established Paradox Press to publish material such as the large-format Big Book of... series of multi-artist interpretations on individual themes, and such crime fiction as the graphic novel Road to Perdition. In 1998, DC purchased Wildstorm Comics, Jim Lee's imprint under the Image Comics banner, continuing it for many years as a wholly separate imprint - and fictional universe - with its own style and audience. As part of this purchase, DC also began to publish titles under the fledgling WildStorm sub-imprint America's Best Comics (ABC), a series of titles created by Alan Moore, including The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Tom Strong, and Promethea. Moore strongly contested this situation, and DC eventually stopped publishing ABC.

2000s[edit]

In March 2003 DC acquired publishing and merchandising rights to the long-running fantasy series Elfquest, previously self-published by creators Wendy and Richard Pini under their WaRP Graphics publication banner. This series then followed another non-DC title, Tower Comics' series T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, in collection into DC Archive Editions. In 2004 DC temporarily acquired the North American publishing rights to graphic novels from European publishers 2000 AD and Humanoids. It also rebranded its younger-audience titles with the mascot Johnny DC, and established the CMX imprint to reprint translated manga. In 2006, CMX took over from Dark Horse Comics publication of the webcomic Megatokyo in print form. DC also took advantage of the demise of Kitchen Sink Press and acquired the rights to much of the work of Will Eisner, such as his The Spirit series and his graphic novels.

In 2004, DC began laying the groundwork for a full continuity-reshuffling sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths, promising substantial changes to the DC Universe (and side-stepping the 1994 Zero Hour event which similarly tried to ret-con the history of the DCU). In 2005, the critically lauded Batman Begins film was released; also, the company published several limited series establishing increasingly escalated conflicts among DC's heroes, with events climaxing in the Infinite Crisis limited series. Immediately after this event, DC's ongoing series jumped forward a full year in their in-story continuity, as DC launched a weekly series, 52, to gradually fill in the missing time. Concurrently, DC lost the copyright to "Superboy" (while retaining the trademark) when the heirs of Jerry Siegel used a provision of the 1976 revision to the copyright law to regain ownership.

In 2005, DC launched its "All-Star" line (evoking the title of the 1940s publication), designed to feature some of the company's best-known characters in stories that eschewed the long and convoluted continuity of the DC Universe. The line began with All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder and All-Star Superman, with All Star Wonder Woman and All Star Batgirl announced in 2006 but neither being released nor scheduled as of the end of 2009.[26]

DC licensed characters from the Archie Comics imprint Red Circle Comics by 2007.[27] They appeared in the Red Circle line, based in the DC Universe, with a series of one-shots followed by a miniseries that lead into two ongoing titles, each lasting 10 issues.[25][28]

DC Entertainment[edit]

In September 2009, Warner Bros. announced that DC Comics would become a subsidiary of DC Entertainment, Inc., with Diane Nelson, President of Warner Premiere, becoming president of the newly formed company and DC Comics President and Publisher Paul Levitz moving to the position of Contributing Editor and Overall Consultant there.[29]

On February 18, 2010, DC Entertainment named Jim Lee and Dan DiDio as Co-Publishers of DC Comics, Geoff Johns as Chief Creative Officer, John Rood as EVP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development, and Patrick Caldon as EVP of Finance and Administration.[30][31]

DC licensed pulp characters including Doc Savage and the Spirit which it then used, along with some DC heroes, as part the First Wave comics line launched in 2010 and lasting through fall 2011.[32][33][34]

In May 2011, DC announced it would begin releasing digital versions of their comics on the same day as paper versions.[35]

On June 1, 2011, DC announced that it would end all ongoing series set in the DC Universe in August and relaunch its comic line with 52 issue #1s, starting with Justice League on August 31 (written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Jim Lee), with the rest to follow later on in September.[36][37]

On June 4, 2013, DC unveiled two new digital comic innovations to enhance interactivity: DC2 and DC2 Multiverse. DC2 layers dynamic artwork onto digital comic panels, adding a new level of dimension to digital storytelling, while DC2 Multiverse allows readers to determine a specific story outcome by selecting individual characters, storylines and plot developments while reading the comic, meaning one digital comic has multiple outcomes. DC2 will first appear in the upcoming digital-first title, Batman '66, based on the 1960s television series and DC2 Multiverse will first appear in Batman: Arkham Origins, a digital-first title based on the video game of the same name.[38]

In October 2013, DC Entertainment (DCE) announced that the DC Comics offices would be moved from New York City to Warner Bros. Burbank, California, headquarters in 2015 joining the other DCE units, animation, movie, TV and portfolio planning, that moved there in 2010.[39]

Logo[edit]

1976–2005 logo, known as the "DC Bullet".

DC's first logo appeared on the April 1940 issues of its titles. The letters "DC" stood for Detective Comics, the name of Batman's flagship title. The small logo, with no background, read simply, "A DC Publication."

The November 1941 DC titles introduced an updated logo. This version was almost twice the size of the previous one, and was the first version with a white background. The name "Superman" was added to "A DC Publication," effectively acknowledging both Superman and Batman. This logo was the first to occupy the top-left corner of the cover, where the logo has usually resided since. The company now referred to itself in its advertising as "Superman-DC."

In November 1949, the logo was modified to incorporate the company's formal name, National Comics Publications. This logo would also serve as the round body of Johnny DC, DC's mascot in the 1960s.

1987 test logo.

In October 1970, DC briefly retired the circular logo in favor of a simple "DC" in a rectangle with the name of the title, or the star of the book; the logo on many issues of Action Comics, for example, read "DC Superman." An image of the lead character either appeared above or below the rectangle. For books that did not have a single star, such as anthologies like House of Mystery or team series such as Justice League of America, the title and "DC" appeared in a stylized logo, such as a bat for "House of Mystery." This use of characters as logos helped to establish the likenesses as trademarks, and was similar to Marvel's contemporaneous use of characters as part of its cover branding.

DC's "100 Page Super-Spectacular" titles and later 100-page and "Giant" issues published from 1972 to 1974 featured a logo exclusive to these editions: the letters "DC" in a simple sans-serif typeface within a circle. A variant had the letters in a square.

The July 1972 DC titles featured a new circular logo. The letters "DC" were rendered in a block-like typeface that would remain through later logo revisions until 2005. The title of the book usually appeared inside the circle, either above or below the letters.

In December 1973, this logo was modified with the addition of the words "The Line of DC Super-Stars" and the star motif that would continue in later logos. This logo was placed in the top center of the cover from August 1975 to October 1976.

2005–2012 logo.

When Jenette Kahn became DC's publisher in late 1976, she commissioned graphic designer Milton Glaser to design a new logo. Popularly referred to as the "DC bullet", this logo premiered on the February 1977 titles. Although it varied in size and color and was at times cropped by the edges of the cover, or briefly rotated 4 degrees, it remained essentially unchanged for nearly three decades. Despite logo changes since 2005, the old "DC bullet" continues to be used only on the DC Archive Editions series.

In July 1987, DC released variant editions of Justice League #3 and The Fury of Firestorm #61 with a new DC logo. It featured a picture of Superman in a circle surrounded by the words "SUPERMAN COMICS". The company released these variants to newsstands in certain markets as a marketing test.[40]

On May 8, 2005, a new logo (dubbed the "DC spin") was unveiled, debuting on DC titles in June 2005 with DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy #1 and the rest of the titles the following week. In addition to comics, it was designed for DC properties in other media, which was used for movies since Batman Begins, with Superman Returns showing the logo's normal variant, and the TV series Smallville, the animated series Justice League Unlimited and others, as well as for collectibles and other merchandise. The logo was designed by Josh Beatman of Brainchild Studios[41] and DC executive Richard Bruning.[42]

In January 2012, a new logo was unveiled after DC Comics sued DC Shoes because their logo was too similar to the new DC Comics spin logo. The outcome of the case was that DC hadn't done their trademark registration properly and they wound up being required to pay DC Shoes an ongoing license fee. The new logo, consisting of the letter “D” flipping back to reveal the letter “C” and "DC ENTERTAINMENT", was deployed in March 2012.[43] The Dark Knight Rises was the first film to use the new logo, while the TV series Arrow is the first series to feature the new logo.

Imprints[edit]

Active as of 2014[edit]

DC (1934–present)

DC Archive Editions (1989–present)

Johnny DC (2004–present)

Mad Books (1992–present)

Vertigo (1993–present)

Will Eisner Library (2000–present)

Defunct[edit]

All Star (2005–2008)

Amalgam Comics (1996–1997; jointly with Marvel Comics)

DC Focus (2004–2005; merged with main DC line)

Elseworlds (1989–2004)

First Wave (2010–2011; licensed from Condé Nast Publications and Will Eisner Library)

Helix (1996–1998; merged with Vertigo)

Impact Comics (1991–1993; licensed from Archie Comics)

Milestone Media (1993–1997)

Minx (2007–2008)

Paradox Press (1998–2003)

Piranha Press (1989–1993; renamed Paradox Press)

Tangent Comics (1997–1998)

WildStorm Productions (1999–2010)

America's Best Comics (1999–2005)

Cliffhanger (1999–2004; merged to form WildStorm Signature)

CMX Manga (2004–2010)

Homage Comics (1999–2004; merged to form WildStorm Signature)

WildStorm (1999–2010)

WildStorm Signature (2004–2006; merged with main WildStorm line)

Zuda Comics (2007–2010)

Licensing partnerships, acquired companies, and studios[edit]

2000 AD (some properties licensed 1994 to 1996 and 2004 to 2005)

All-American Publications (merged 1944)

Archie Comics (superhero properties licensed 1991 to 1993 as part of Impact Comics, properties licensed again in 2008 to 2011)[44][45]

Bad Robot Productions (some properties licensed 2008 to 2010)

Charlton Comics (some properties acquired 1983)

Columbia Pictures (some properties licensed 1945 to 1968)

Condé Nast Publications (some properties licensed 1973 to 1975, 1986 to 1990, and 2010 to 2011)

Edgar Rice Burroughs (some properties licensed 1972 to 1977)

Epic Games (some properties licensed 2008 to present)

Fawcett Comics (some properties licensed 1972, acquired 1991)[46]

Filmation (some properties licensed 1976 to 1978)

Flex Comix (made investment in 2007; jointly owned with other companies)

Hanna-Barbera (merged 1996)

Harmony Gold USA (some properties licensed 2002 to 2006)

Kenner (some properties licensed 1985 to 1987)

Humanoids Publishing (distribution rights for English-language reproductions in America 2004 to 2005)

King Features Syndicate (some properties licensed 1988 to 1990)

Larry Harmon Pictures (some properties licensed 1972)

Lego (some properties licensed 2001 to 2008, 2010 to present)

Leisure Concepts (some properties licensed 1968 to 1969)

Mad Magazine (legally owned by EC Publications, but assigned to DC's corporate control in 1994. Both companies are part of Warner Bros. Entertainment)[47]

Martin Manulis Productions (some properties licensed 1960 to 1964)

Mattel (some properties licensed 1982 to 1983 and 2012 to present)[48]

May Company (some properties licensed 1950 to 1961)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (some properties licensed 1975)

Milestone Media (partnered in 2009)

NBC (some properties licensed 1947 to 1960 and 2006 to 2010)

Paramount Pictures (some properties licensed 1949 to 1971, 1984 to 1996, and 2000 to 2001)

Quality Comics (some properties licensed 1956, later acquired)

Revell (some properties licensed 1983 to 1984)

Ruby-Spears (some properties licensed 1987, some properties acquired 1996)

Tatsunoko Production (some properties licensed 1999)

Tower Comics (some properties licensed 2002 to 2012)

TSR, Inc. (some properties licensed 1988 to 1991)

Warner Bros. (merged 1969)

WaRP Graphics (properties licensed from 2003 to 2007)

WildStorm Productions (properties acquired 1999)

Will Eisner Library (some properties licensed 2000 to 2012)

See also[edit]

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Book: DC Comics

DC Universe

List of current DC Comics publications

DC Cosmic Cards

DC Direct

List of DC Comics publications

List of DC Comics characters

List of television series based on DC Comics

List of video games based on DC Comics

List of films based on DC Comics

Major events of the DC Universe

Footnotes[edit]

Jump up ^ Apocryphal legend has it that in 1961, either Jack Liebowitz or Irwin Donenfeld of DC Comics (then known as National Periodical Publications) bragged about DC's success with the Justice League (which had debuted in The Brave and the Bold #28 [February 1960] before going on to its own title) to publisher Martin Goodman (whose holdings included the nascent Marvel Comics) during a game of golf.

However, film producer and comics historian Michael Uslan partly debunked the story in a letter published in Alter Ego #43 (December 2004), pp. 43–44

Irwin said he never played golf with Goodman, so the story is untrue. I heard this story more than a couple of times while sitting in the lunchroom at DC's 909 Third Avenue and 75 Rockefeller Plaza office as Sol Harrison and [production chief] Jack Adler were schmoozing with some of us ... who worked for DC during our college summers.... [T]he way I heard the story from Sol was that Goodman was playing with one of the heads of Independent News, not DC Comics (though DC owned Independent News). ... As the distributor of DC Comics, this man certainly knew all the sales figures and was in the best position to tell this tidbit to Goodman. ... Of course, Goodman would want to be playing golf with this fellow and be in his good graces. ... Sol worked closely with Independent News' top management over the decades and would have gotten this story straight from the horse's mouth.

Goodman, a publishing trend-follower aware of the JLA's strong sales, confirmably directed his comics editor, Stan Lee, to create a comic-book series about a team of superheroes. According to Lee in Origins of Marvel Comics (Simon and Schuster/Fireside Books, 1974), p. 16: "Martin mentioned that he had noticed one of the titles published by National Comics seemed to be selling better than most. It was a book called The [sic] Justice League of America and it was composed of a team of superheroes. ... ' If the Justice League is selling ', spoke he, 'why don't we put out a comic book that features a team of superheroes?'"

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Superheroes and heroines of the Golden Age of Comic Books

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