Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher founded in 1939 as Timely Comics by Martin Goodman. It is one of the two largest and most influential comic book publishers in the United States, alongside DC Comics. The company is known for creating iconic superheroes and has shaped modern pop culture through its characters and stories.
Originally operating under the name Timely Comics, the company published its first issue, Marvel Comics #1, in October 1939. This anthology featured the debut of the Human Torch (an android created by Carl Burgos) and the Namor the Sub-Mariner (created by Bill Everett). During World War II, Timely Comics produced patriotic superhero stories, including the introduction of Captain America by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in Captain America Comics #1 in March 1941. The character punched Adolf Hitler on the cover, reflecting the era's wartime fervor.
Post-World War II, superhero comics declined in popularity due to the rise of horror, romance, and Western genres. Timely Comics struggled and rebranded multiple times, including as Atlas Comics in the 1950s. During this period, it published a wide range of titles but saw many characters lapse into the public domain or obscurity.
The modern era of Marvel Comics began in 1961 with the publication of The Fantastic Four #1, co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. This marked the start of the "Marvel Age of Comics," characterized by flawed, relatable heroes in a shared universe. The Fantastic Four's success led to the rapid introduction of new characters: The Hulk (1962), Thor (1962), Ant-Man (later Giant-Man and then Wasp's partner, 1962), Iron Man (1963), Doctor Strange (1963), Spider-Man (created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, 1962), and the X-Men (1963).
Stan Lee, along with artists like Kirby, Ditko, and later John Romita Sr., developed the Marvel Universe, where characters interacted across titles. This interconnected storytelling contrasted with the more isolated narratives of competitors. By the mid-1960s, Marvel had established teams like the Avengers (1963) and ongoing series for Daredevil (1964) and the Silver Surfer (1968).
In 1968, Marvel was acquired by Perfect Film and International Industries, leading to expansion. The company challenged the Comics Code Authority in 1971 by publishing a Spider-Man story in The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 addressing drug abuse without the Code's seal, prompting revisions to allow more mature themes. This era saw the rise of the Black Panther (1966, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby), the first Black superhero in mainstream comics.
The 1970s and 1980s brought further growth under editors like Marv Wolfman and Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief 1978-1987). Key events included the "Dark Phoenix Saga" in Uncanny X-Men (1979-1980) by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, and the launch of the New Universe imprint in 1986, Marvel's attempt at realistic superheroes that ultimately failed.
The 1990s were turbulent: Marvel filed for bankruptcy in 1996 amid a speculator boom and bust in the comic market. Ron Perelman’s acquisition in 1989 led to overexpansion. Recovery came under new leadership, with hits like X-Men relaunches by Chris Claremont and the "Age of Apocalypse" crossover (1995).
In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, integrating it into Disney's portfolio. Under Disney, Marvel Comics continued publishing flagship titles while licensing characters for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), though the focus here remains on comics. Recent decades have seen diverse storytelling, including the "Civil War" event (2006-2007) by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, exploring superhero registration, and "Secret Wars" (2015) by Jonathan Hickman, rebooting the Marvel multiverse.
Marvel's imprints include Marvel Knights (mature readers, launched 1998) and MAX (mature titles). The company has published over 8,000 issues across thousands of series, introducing villains like Doctor Doom, Magneto, Green Goblin, and Thanos. Key ongoing series include Amazing Spider-Man, Uncanny X-Men, Avengers, and Fantastic Four.
Historically, Marvel has influenced social issues: Captain America's anti-Nazi stance in 1941, Black Panther's debut amid Civil Rights, and modern arcs addressing diversity with characters like Miles Morales as Spider-Man (2011) and Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel (2013).
Marvel Comics publishes monthly, with events like "Infinity" (2013) and "House of X/Powers of X" (2019) driving sales. The company maintains a vast multiverse, including Earth-616 as the primary continuity. As of 2023, Marvel holds trademarks on most characters post-1960s and continues to expand with digital comics via Marvel Unlimited.
Sources consulted: Wikipedia: Marvel Comics, Britannica: Marvel Comics, Marvel Database: Marvel Comics, and official Marvel.com history pages.