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Today , Marvel Comicsis a multi - billion - one dollar bill trade name name consociate with film , TV shows , video game , toy , and , yes – comic Scripture . But fans may be surprised to know that when Marvel ’s superheroes first debut , they did not come from a media heavyweight but a pulp magazine company called Timely Comics .
That company would skin for years before evolving into the amusement company that gave fans beloved Cuban sandwich such as Spider - Man and film enfranchisement like theMarvel Cinematic Universe . With so much rich story behind this translation , allow ’s take a look at how Timely Comics add up to take on the name and identity of Marvel Comics .
The Original Timely Comics History
In 1939 , pulp mag publishing company Martin Goodman saw a stand up interest in superhero comic books . Superman had debut a year earlier inactiveness Comics # 1,and Batman quickly be suit inDetective Comics # 27 . Eager to become part of this emerge Golden Age of Comic Books , Goodman hired Funnies , Inc. , a new risible book packager , to provide fabric , and released Timely Comics ' first mirthful book ( prophetically titledMarvel Comics ) in 1939 . The comedian introduce several short story featuring the original mechanical man Human Torch ( decades before Stan Lee created his more popular Fantastic Four counterpart),Namor the Sub - Mariner , and even the hobo camp lord Ka - Zar , the Great ( unrelated to the Marvel character afterwards introduced inThe Uncanny X - humanity ) .
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Marvel Comics # 1sold over 80,000 issues , convincing Goodman to charter author - creative person Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby from Funnies , Inc. for his in - menage staff . The two would go on to create the loyal super solider Captain America , releasingCaptain America Comics # 1months before the United States entered World War II , with a binding showingCaptain America punch Adolf Hitler in the jaw . Meanwhile , Carl Burgos and Bill Everett ( Jehovah of The Human Torch and The Sub - Mariner respectively ) , add up up with the estimation to have the two heroes struggle inMarvel Mystery Comics # 8-#10 . This began a popular figure of superhero battles that would be used constantly in next comics . It also established that these character reference existed in the same shared universe , something that would also be used in ulterior Marvel amusing books as well as the MCU film franchise .
Eventually , Timely Comics ’ most popular heroes Captain America , the Human Torch , and The Sub - Mariner teamed up to organize the Invaders – to contend with the other “ Big Three ” heroes Superman , Batman , and Wonder Woman , who formed their own group at sister companies National and All - American Comics ( which would soon be re - branded DC Comics ) . To make the comparison more obvious , both Captain America and the Human Torch had partner like Batman ’s sidekick Robin . In Captain America ’s event , his pal was a pollyannaish Robin - alike teen Bucky Barnes , who would be retconned into the grim cybernetic antihero the Winter Soldier decades later .
In 1939 , Goodman ’s full cousin - by - marriageStanley Martin Lieber , was engage as an assistant at Timely Comics . Lee was assigned to serve Joe Simon and Jack Kirby with their art duty onCaptain America Comics , and was also give chance to indite Captain America scripts of his own . When Simon and Kirby left to link up DC Comics in 1941 , Goodman promote the still - teenage Lieber to interim editor in chief , giving him write duties on multiple comical books . Since Lieber wanted to use his real name on the peachy American novel he would write someday , he decided to use a pseudonym – and began writing his amusing book stories under the name Stan Lee .
Becoming Marvel Comics
While Goodman ’s comic Bible division was called Timely Comics , the nameMarvel Comicskept demonstrate up on Timely ’s comic book cover throughout the forties and 1950s . One of the shell companies in the Timely Comics ’ division was calledMarvel Comicsand some comics were published withA Marvel Magazineon the cover . Despite this , the company ’s official name remained Timely Comics . As the forties cease , however , superheroes and comic book settle out of fashion and Timely Comics focused on write other story , including Western - themed dangerous undertaking , repugnance stories , funny fauna comics , and romance report , starring devotee favorites like Millie the Model andteen - bodily fluid character Patsy Walker(who would one daylight be reimagined into the Marvel Comics superheroine Hellcat ) . These stories made up the bulk of Stan Lee ’s script in the post - planetary War II old age , although some new heroes like theBlonde Phantom(a secretary who crusade crime in a masquerade party and a red evening gown ) still popped up – and would later incur a place in the Marvel Universe .
By 1948 , however , Timely Comics eliminated almost all of its staff positions and only published a few comedian . Captain America Comics(which no longer even boast Captain America but offer repugnance and suspense tales ) was cancelled in 1950 with issuance # 75 . In 1951 , to relieve money , Goodman go against away from Timely Comics distributer Kable News and used the newsstand distribution company he own , Atlas News Company . This cause the comic book of account division to be renamed Atlas Comics . Lee continue to spell for Goodman , but in his biographyAmazing , Fantastic , Incredible : A MARVELOUS Memoir , he admits feeling the strain of function in a field that was reckon low artistry .
The Marvel Comics Revolution
In 1961 , however , two pivotal events happened . Goodman finally changed his comics part ’s name formally to Marvel , a firebrand that first appeared on the covers of the science - fable anthology comicJourney Into Mystery # 69and humor comicPatsy Walker # 95 . Goodman also saw a devolve interest in superheroes , with comedian like DC’sJustice Leagueproving democratic . The Silver Age of Comics was starting , which cause Goodman to inquire Lee ( who was think of quitting after decades of writing comics ) to come up with a superhero team for Marvel .
Prompted by his married woman to create the case of superheroes he want to read about , Stan Lee puzzle out with artist Jack Kirby ( who had devolve to Marvel ) and co - createdThe wonderful Four # 1 in 1961 . The risible featured character with majuscule depth than past superheroes and personal problems that went beyond fighting A-one baddie . This overture proved a huge hit with reader who could relate to these new characters . Reinvigorated , Lee worked with other creative person to make new superheroes , co - creatingThe Incredible Hulkwith Jack Kirby andThe Amazing Spider - Manwith Steve Ditko . Their popularity root on Lee to also fetch back Timely Comics ’ older heroes , such as theSub - Mariner ( an antagonist of the Fantastic Four ) and would go on to unintentionally free Captain America , who had been frozen in ice since World War II .
Over the following year , other Timely Comics role , include the original Human Torch , Blonde Phantom , and one of Stan Lee ’s earliest existence , the Destroyer , were reintroduced in the Modern comic strip farm under the Marvel name . Lee and other writer established that the adventures these submarine had in the forties “ really ” happened in the world of their comic books , giving a greater gumption of story to their expatiate Marvel Universe . In keeping with Stan Lee ’s approach of granting character extra deepness , these older characters were usually reimagined with greater pathos . Captain America , as a adult male scramble to adjust to life sentence in New societywhen he was n’t battling tops baddie , exemplifies this .
Lee also seized upon the company ’s new name , using it to make devotee clubs for readers likeThe Merry Marvel Marching SocietyandFriends of Old Marvel(orFOOM ) . This , along with his columnStan ’s Soapbox , which ran in the comic book , give a sense of chumminess with readers and helpedStan Lee make Marvel a trust brand name that fans could link to . Lee also spoke about Marvel Comics at many colleges , creating a dandy sensation of reputability for the comic book art manikin . In 1972 , Lee became Marvel Comics ’ publishing company and continued seeking new way to boost Marvel ’s brand and recite their stories through different medium .
However , Marvel ’s brand name did not initially convey much respect outside of the comics industry . Despite many attack by Lee , most of Marvel ’s initial endeavour to break into the moving picture and tv set business were limited to animated shows , TV motion picture , and direct - to - video releases . These include a popularlive actionThe Incredible HulkTV series star Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno , several Spider - Isle of Man animate series , and a largely forgotten and critically panned 1990Captain Americafilm . While the characters were still popular in the comic , the pic industry did not have the confidence to invest bombastic budgets into their movies .
This commence vary in the late nineties when movies based on Marvel properties such asBladeandX - Menproved popular and remunerative with audiences . This serve launch big budget film adaptations ofSpider - ManandHulk – and in 2008 , Marvel come out withIron Man , the first film in what would become its incredibly popular film enfranchisement , the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( or MCU ) . Much like the comic books they were based on , the MCU films interconnected with the events of other movies in its franchise , while featuring lineament labour story that put up cross - generational appeal .
With 23 MCU superhero picture free to escort , Marvel Comicshas further strengthened its brand name as a leader in the entertainment industriousness , with properties that go far beyond the comic record medium . While it is improbable the writer and artists of Timely Comics eff the heights the company would rise to when they created their superheroes , one can not refuse the foot they lay aid establish the base for what has now become the biggest name in superhero entertainment .
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