Nova was created by Marv Wolfman and Len Wein in the fanzine Super Adventures in 1966. Seven years later John Romita, Sr. tweaked the design of the character’s uniform. Nova debuted in Nova #1 in 1976, written by Wolfman and drawn by John Buscema. Wolfman intended the teenage character to be an homage to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko‘s Spider-Man, down to his humble working-class roots and alliterative alter-ego. The original Nova series, The Man Called Nova, lasted 25 issues from September 1976 to May 1979. Dangling plot lines were resolved in issues 206-214 of Fantastic Four (also by Wolfman) and issue 24 of Rom the Spaceknight. The character then disappeared into obscurity until returning as a member of the original New Warriors team debuting in The Mighty Thor #411 (December 1989), and continuing through New Warriors #1-75, Annual #1-4 (July 1990—September 1996).
Nova V1 #5 VF-NM $7Nova V1 #8 VF-NM $8Nova V1 #9 NM- $9Nova V1 #10 VF-NM $6Nova V1 #12 VF- $6Nova V1 #14 NM- $14The Man Called Nova #16 VF $6Nova V1 #17 VF-NM $6Nova V1 #20 F-VF $3
John Byrne revitalized the slumping title with his run. Originally, Byrne was slated to write with Sienkiewicz providing the art. Sienkiewicz left to do Moon Knight, and Byrne subsequently became writer, artist, and inker. Various editors were assigned to the comic; eventually Bob Budiansky became the regular editor. Byrne told Jim Shooter that he could not work with Budiansky, although they ultimately continued to work together. In 2006, Byrne said “that’s my paranoia. I look back and I think that was Shooter trying to force me off the book”. Byrne left following issue #293 (Aug. 1986) in the middle of a story arc, explaining he could not recapture the fun he had previously had on the series. One of Byrne’s changes was making the Invisible Girl into the Invisible Woman: assertive and confident. During this period, fans came to recognize that she was quite powerful, whereas previously, she had been primarily seen as a superpowered mother and wife in the tradition of television moms like those played by Donna Reed and Florence Henderson.
Fantastic Four #218 VF-NM $5Fantastic Four #220 VF $3Fantastic Four #222 FN+ $2Fantastic Four #232 VF-NM $9Fantastic Four #235 CGC 9.8 White Pages $89Fantastic Four #239 VF+ $3Fantastic Four #242 VF+ $3Fantastic Four #244 VF $29Fantastic Four #245 VF+$9Fantastic Four #248 Newstand VF+$4Fantastic Four #248 VF-NM $4Fantastic Four #249 Newstand VF+ $3Fantastic Four #249 VF-NM $3Fantastic Four #250 NM $6Fantastic Four #251 Newstand VF-NM $5Fantastic Four #251 VF-NM $4Fantastic Four #252 VF- $8Fantastic Four #253 Newstand VF+ $4Fantastic Four #253 VF-NM $4Fantastic Four #254 Newstand VF+ $4Fantastic Four #254 VF-NM $4Fantastic Four #256 VF+ $3Fantastic Four #257 FN+ $4Fantastic Four #258 FN $6Fantastic Four #262 Newsstand VF-NM $6Fantastic Four #273 VF-NM $4Fantastic Four #274 VF- $3Fantastic Four #277 NM- $8Fantastic Four #278 Newsstand VF-NM $7Fantastic Four #279 NM- $4Fantastic Four #280 VF $5Fantastic Four #281 VF+ $3Fantastic Four #282 VF $2Fantastic Four #283 VF $2Fantastic Four #286 Newsstand NM- $12Fantastic Four #286 NM $12Fantastic Four #289 VF $3Fantastic Four #290 VF $2Fantastic Four #292 Newsstand VF+ $9Fantastic Four #293 Newsstand VF+ $6Fantastic Four #299 VF+ $5Fantastic Four #303 VF-NM $2Fantastic Four #308 VF+ $3Fantastic Four #314 NM- $4Fantastic Four #316 VF-NM $3Fantastic Four #323 NM- $4Fantastic Four #324 VF-NM $3Fantastic Four #326 VF-NM $2
The first series started in 1975 with two giant-size issues before starting as a regular series, and was mostly bi-monthly during its existence. It initially teamed up Doctor Doom and the Sub-Mariner, who had lost his own series, from which it picked up the unresolved plots, especially that of the comatose Atlanteans. After a succession of writers and artists and a crossover with The Avengers, the plot gets resolved in issue #13 when Dr. Doom revives the Atlanteans, thus dissolving his alliance with the Sub-Mariner.
Issue #14 (Oct. 1977), which featured Magneto and Dr. Doom, was billed as the final issue of the series, and its plotline was resolved in The Champions #16. The following year, SVTU continued with issue #15 (Nov. 1978), a reprint of Astonishing Tales #4-5. Issues #16 (May 1979) and #17 (June 1980) featured the Red Skull and the Hate-Monger. The irregular publishing frequency of the final three issues was due to a legal maneuver to prevent DC Comics from trademarking the term “super-villain”.
The series saw the death of the Sub-Mariner’s 1940s sweetheart Betty Dean and the death of her murderer, Dr. Dorcas. Steve Englehart created The Shroud, a character partly inspired by Batman, shortly before he started to work for DC Comics on Detective Comics.
The “Dark Phoenix Saga” in 1980 led to a change in the line-up of the team, with the death of Phoenix (Jean Grey), and Cyclops leaving the team to mourn for her. Comics writers and historians Roy Thomas and Peter Sanderson observed that “‘The Dark Phoenix Saga’ is to Claremont and Byrne what ‘the Galactus Trilogy‘ is to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It is a landmark in Marvel history, showcasing its creators’ work at the height of their abilities.” The storyline also saw the introduction of recurring antagonists the Hellfire Club, and its Inner Circle consisting of Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, Harry Leland, Donald Pierce, along with Mastermind, previously a member of Magneto’s Brotherhood. The new teenage mutant Kitty Pryde was introduced in #129 (Jan. 1980) and joined the X-Men in #139. The Dazzler, a disco-singing, roller-skating mutant, was introduced in #130 (Feb. 1980), but did not join the team, instead headlining her own solo title.
A new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, led by Mystique, was introduced in the “Days of Future Past” storyline (#141-#142, Jan–Feb 1981) in which a time-travelling Kitty Pryde tried to avert a dystopian future caused by the Brotherhood assassinating Presidential candidate Senator Robert Kelly. Byrne plotted the story wanting to depict the Sentinels as a genuine threat to the existence of the mutant race. He then left the series after #143, being replaced by a returning Cockrum, who in turn was succeeded by Paul Smith and John Romita Jr.
Shortly after the publication of the treasury edition, Kirby continued to explore the concepts of 2001 in a monthly comic book series of the same name, the first issue of which was dated December 1976. In this issue, Kirby followed the pattern established in the film. Once again the reader encounters a prehistoric man (“Beast-Killer”) who gains new insight upon encountering a monolith as did Moon-Watcher in the film. The scene then shifts, where a descendant of Beast-Killer is part of a space mission to explore yet another monolith. When he finds it, this monolith begins to transform the astronaut into a star child, called in the comic a “New Seed”.
Issues #1-6 of the series replay the same idea with different characters in different situations, both prehistoric and futuristic. In #7 (June 1977), the comic opens with the birth of a New Seed who then travels the galaxy witnessing the suffering that men cause each other. While the New Seed is unable or unwilling to prevent this devastation, he takes the essence of two doomed lovers and uses it to seed another planet with the potential for human life.
In issue #8 (July 1977), Kirby introduces Mister Machine, who is later renamed Machine Man.Mister Machine is an advanced robot designated X-51. All the other robots in the X series go on a rampage as they achieve sentience and are destroyed. X-51, supported by both the love of his creator Dr. Abel Stack and an encounter with a monolith, transcends the malfunction that destroyed his siblings. After the death of Dr. Stack, X-51 takes the name Aaron Stack and begins to blend into humanity. Issues #9 and 10, the final issues of the series, continue the story of X-51 as he flees destruction at the hands of the Army.
2001 A Space Odyssey 1 CGC 9.6 Off White to White Pages $792001 #1 FN $82001 #2 VF- $52001 #3 VF- $52001 A Space Odyssey #5 VF- $52001 A Space Odyssey #7 VF+ $72001 A Space Odyssey #10 VF- $5
The Micronauts began life as comic book characters thanks to a fortuitous accident on Christmas 1977. Marvel Comics writer Bill Mantlo’s son Adam opened a new present, a line of the Mego Corporation‘s Micronauts action figures. Seeing the toys, Mantlo was instantly struck by inspiration to write their adventures. Convincing then Editor-in-chief Jim Shooter to get the comics license for these toys, Mantlo was hired to script their series.
What If, sometimes rendered as What If…?, is published by Marvel Comics whose stories explore how the Marvel Universe might have unfolded if key moments in its history hadn’t occurred as they did in mainstream continuity. What If comics have been published in eleven series (volumes).
The stories of the inaugural series (1977–1984) feature the alien Uatu the Watcher as a narrator. From the moon, Uatu, a member of an immortal race of “Watchers”, observes both the Earth and alternate realities. Most What If stories begin with Uatu describing an event in the mainstream Marvel Universe, then introducing a point of divergence in that event and then describing the consequences of the divergence. Uatu was used similarly in the second series (1989–1998) until a point where, in the Fantastic Four comic book, Uatu was punished for destroying another Watcher. This made the use of Uatu improbable so the character was phased out to its last appearance in issue #76. Without a framing device, the stories themselves became the focus.
What If #1 CGC 9.4 White Pages $124What If V1 #2 FN+ $8What If V1 #4 FN- $6What If V1 #6 FN $7What If V1 #8 VF $9What If V1 #9 VF- $14What If V1 #17 VF $14What If V1 #20 VF- $14What If V1 #21 VF $12What If V1 #27 VF $8What If V1 #29 FN+ $8What If V1 #33 VF $9What If V1 #34 VF-NM $10What If V1 #36 NM $24What If V1 #37 VF+ $12What If #39 Newstand VF+ $24What If #40 VF- $5What If V1 #41 VF+ $9What If V1 #42 VF+ $9What If V1 #44 NM- $24What If V1 #45 F+$7What If V1 #46 F- $4What If Special #1 NM $8
Marvel Fanfare was envisioned as a showcase of the comics industry’s best talent. Each issue featured 36 pages of material with no advertisements and it was printed on magazine-style slick paper. It was more than twice as expensive as standard comic books ($1.25 in 1982 when most titles were 60 cents and $2.25 in 1991 when most were $1).
Marvel Premiere ran for 61 issues from April 1972 to August 1981. The series introduced new characters and reintroduced characters who no longer had their own titles. Writer Roy Thomas and penciler Gil Kane significantly revamped Him as the allegorical Messiah Adam Warlock in Marvel Premiere #1 (April 1972). Iron Fist first appeared in issue #15, written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Gil Kane. Other introductions include the Legion of Monsters, the Liberty Legion,Woodgod, the 3-D Man, and the second Ant-Man (Scott Lang). The series also featured the first comic book appearance of rock musician Alice Cooper. Later in the title’s run, Marvel Premiere was used to finish stories of characters who had lost their own series including the Man-Wolf in issues #45-46 and the Black Panther in issues #51-53.
Epic Illustrated was a comics anthology in magazine format published in the United States by Marvel Comics. Similar to the US-licensed comic book magazine Heavy Metal, it allowed explicit content to be featured, unlike the traditional American comic books of that time bound by the restrictive Comics Code Authority, as well as offering its writers and artists ownership rights and royalties in place of the industry-standard work for hire contracts. The series lasted 34 issues from Spring 1980–February 1986.
A color comic-book imprint, Epic Comics, was spun off in 1982.
Epic Illustrated #5 April 1981 NM $22Epic Illustrated #9 December 1981 NM $19Epic Illustrated #10 February 1982 NM $22Epic Illustrated #11 April 1982 NM $19Epic Illustrated #12 June 1982 VF+ $17Epic Illustrated #13 August 1982 VF-NM $18Epic Illustrated #15 December 1982 NM $26Epic Illustrated #16 February 1983 NM- $24Epic Illustrated #17 April 1983 NM $18Epic Illustrated #18 June 1983 NM $18Epic Illustrated #20 October 1983 NM $18Epic Illustrated #21 December 1983 VF-NM $16Epic Illustrated #23 April 1984 NM- $17Epic Illustrated #25 August 1984 NM $18
EHT Comics 