G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was published by Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1994. Based on Hasbro, Inc.’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G.I. Joe into a pop-culture phenomenon. G.I. Joe was also the first comic book to be advertised on television, in what has been called a “historically crucial moment in media convergence.”
Secret War is a 2004–2005 five-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics. The series is written by Brian Michael Bendis and painted by Gabriele Dell’Otto. It is loosely based on classified operations told to Bendis by an anonymous high-ranking officer in the United States Intelligence Community during Bendis’ childhood.
The storyline involves a large-scale super-hero crossover featuring Marvel characters such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Daredevil, Luke Cage and Nick Fury fighting a wide array of super-villains who have received hi-tech armaments from a mysterious benefactor.
The first issue was published in April 2004, and though intended originally as a bimonthly publication, it faced long delays. It was completed with issue five’s publication in December 2005.
The aftermath of the series was explored in stories in The Pulse and Bendis has gone on to use many of the same characters in his New Avengers titles. This event begins an eight-year-long series of cross-over events ending with Avengers vs. X-Men.
X-Men Gold and its sister book, X-Men Blue, were created following the crossover series Inhumans vs. X-Men. The new titles were announced October 21, 2016 as part of the ResurrXion brand. The color-coded names are a reference to storylines from the early 1990s when various comics in the X-Men franchise were best-sellers. The first issue was released April 5, 2017 and subsequent issues were released twice monthly. In February 2018, the spin-off sister book X-Men Red was released. On September 2018, the series ended at issue 36.
Sleepwalker is a Marvel Comics character created by Bob Budiansky. He is named after his race, and is the star of a self-titled comic book which ran for 33 issues from June 1991 to February 1994, with one Holiday Special. All but two of the issues were written by Budiansky, with Tom Brevoort and Mike Kanterovich writing the Holiday Special and one fill-in issue. Dan Slott also contributed a humorous side story in issue #25.
Budiansky’s concept dates to the late 1970s; however, he originally called the character Alien until the Ridley Scott film of the same name was released, at which point he shelved the character.
The character finally saw release in reaction to the DC Comics character Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman.
A second Sleepwalker character was planned to receive a self-titled series by Robert Kirkman in 2004 but instead debuted in the 2004 Epic Anthology, which was canceled after one issue. The original Sleepwalker’s next appearance was in Marvel Team-Up #15 nearly a decade after his original cancellation.
The Shi’ar resurrect the dormant Phoenix Force prematurely and without a host, in hopes of destroying it. The Phoenix escapes to Earth where it resurrects Jean Grey and forcefully bonds with her again, despite Jean’s pleas that it is “too early.” Written by Greg Pak with art by Greg Land.
Greg Pak said “The biggest new character is actually the Phoenix Force it/herself, whom we’re exploring as a thinking, learning sentient creature with a big and terrifying and moving emotional arc of her own.”
In 1995, Marvel Comics issued a Gargoyles comic book series which ran for 11 issues. A 12th issue, to be entitled “The Day the Sun Kissed the Earth!!” was announced at the end of Issue 11, but never published. The books did not directly follow the continuity of the series, but they did reference specific events that took place within it. The Marvel series was tonally darker than the television series, dealing largely with Xanatos‘ experiments to create creatures and machines to defeat the Gargoyles. Greg Weisman, television series co-creator, did not have any direct involvement in the story development of the comic series, but was consulted on some plot points to be sure it stayed within certain boundaries.
Nightstalkers, published by Marvel Comics from 1992 to 1994, featured a trio of occult experts reluctantly banded together to fight supernatural threats. Operating under the business name Borderline Investigations, the team was composed of the vampire–hunters Blade and Frank Drake, who had fought Count Dracula in the 1970s series The Tomb of Dracula; and private detective Hannibal King, also introduced in that previous series, a “neo-vampire” with vampiric abilities but only a craving, not a need, for drinking blood. They are gathered by Doctor Strange in Nightstalkers #1 (Nov. 1992) to battle an immediate threat, but under Strange’s larger, hidden agenda.
Blade vol. 4 by writer Christopher Hinz and artist Steve Pugh, ran six issues, published by Marvel MAX in 2002. It was launched during the time that Blade II was in the theater.
Explore the world of Moebius’s Airtight Garage in this limited series of all-new adventures! A young artist joins a group of soldiers who embark on the greatest adventure of their lives! Plus: an all-new tale of Major Grubert.
The team first appears in The Mighty Avengers #1 (May 2007), written by Brian Michael Bendis and pencilled and inked by Frank Cho. The roster, led by Ms. Marvel, also consisted of Ares, Black Widow, Iron Man, Sentry, Wasp and Wonder Man. In the wake of the superhero “Civil War“, Iron Man recruits Ms. Marvel as leader of the revamped team. Together they select the first roster.
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