The Golden Age Of Marvel

Sizzling with thrills! 16 exciting classics that you demanded!! Starring Marvel Comics' big three - Captain America! Human Torch! Sub-Mariner!

In September 1939 a new voice hit the newsstands and changed the comic book world forever: Marvel Comics #1 had arrived! And this 64-page pulp package wasn't your typical assortment of super-powered, straight-laced, do-gooders--this was something completely new. The amazing android creation of Dr. Phineas Horton, the Human Torch, was neither man nor hero--he was a fiery force of nature that shocked and unsettled mankind. Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner,the half-human/half-Atlantean, ventured from his undersea kingdom into the world of man--not with a mind set on peace, but towards vengeance! These two characters would form the foundation for the style of conflicted hero that defines Marvel to this day. Beautifully restored with an amazing host of bonus material, there's no doubt this volume is an absolute must for every comic reader's library. COLLECTING: MARVEL COMICS 1, MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS 2-4

A Hulk-sized tome spanning eight decades of the heroic rise of Marvel as it magically mutated from 1939's four-color upstart to a 1960s pop-culture dynamo to current Hollywood heavy hitter. With essays by comics historian Roy Thomas and a huge fold-out timeline that chronicles the entire Marvel history

In August 1939 a new voice hit the newsstands and changed the comic-book world forever: MARVEL COMICS #1, with its blazing Human Torch cover, had arrived! And this 64-page pulp package wasn't your typical assortment of super-powered, straight-laced, do-gooders-this was something completely new. The amazing android creation of Dr. Phineas Horton, the Human Torch was neither man nor hero-he was a blazing force of nature that shocked and unsettled mankind. Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, the half-human/half-Atlantean, ventures from his undersea kingdom into the world of man-not with a mind set on peace, but towards vengeance! These two characters would form the foundation for the style of conflicted hero that defi nes Marvel to this day, and you'll see them evolve across twelve full issues from their raw forms into the battling fire and water mega-hits of the Golden Age! They're flanked by an eclectic set born out of the fast-paced energy and imagination of the Golden Age including the heroic Angel; the wild and incomparable robot invention, Electro; the hard-edged detective, the Ferret; Terry Vance, the boy adventurer; the Western Masked Raider; and the ongoing jungle adventures of Ka-Zar, the Great. Featuring an extensive essay on Marvel's pulp magazine pre-history, publisher Martin Goodman and the birth of Marvel Comics by noted historian Will Murray, and topped off with special bonus features including original artwork and items never seen since 1939, this collection forms the cornerstone of Marvel history essential for every comic book fan, collector and historian! COLLECTING: MARVEL COMICS 1 & MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS 2-12

In 1939, Marvel Comics (soon rechristened Marvel Mystery Comics) launched a storytelling revolution that lasted eight decades and ultimately birthed the modern Marvel Universe! The title's first year was a mix of pulp adventure seeded with the first sparks of the colourful heroes to come but in its second year, Marvel Mystery followed the path of the fiery Human Torch and the aquatic Sub-Mariner with super heroes galore! Those twin trailblazers were soon joined by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's Vision, the all-American Patriot and the joyously wild robot Electro. Backed up by boy sleuth Terry Vance, the pre-comics jungle king Ka-Zar and the noir adventurer the Angel, each issue delivered 64 pages of nonstop 1940s action! Now, relive the glories of the Golden Age in this painstakingly restored, oversized omnibus edition! Collecting: Marvel Mystery Comics (1939) 13-24

"See the Human Torch join the police force! Witness the execution of the Sub-Mariner! Plus In the wake of the Sub-Mariner's attack on New York City, the Torch and the Sub-Mariner face off in their historic first meeting!" -- Publishers website.

Hulk, Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, Valkyrie and Nighthawk join up with Luke Cage, Daredevil and Son of Satan to take on the likes of the Wrecking Crew, Satannish and Asmodeus. Then, spinning out of a storyline in Marvel Two-In-One, comes Steve Gerber! Deconstructing genre conventions and adding a healthy dose of absurdity, Gerber's innovative run turned the expectations of readers on their heads, so suitably we're including the original Atlas Era appearances of the Headmen-Gorilla Man, Jerold Morgan and Chondu the Mystic! COLLECTING: DEFENDERS 17-21, GIANT-SIZE DEFENDERS 2-4, MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE 6-7