Origin

Created by current co publisher of Marvel, Stan Lee.

Imprints

• Crossgen (formerly independent)
• Epic (Former)
• Icon Comics
• Malibu Comics (formerly independent, acquired 1994)
• Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited
• Marvel Knights
• Marvel Music
• MAX
• Razorline (Former)
• Soleil
• Star Comics (Former)
• Ultimate Marvel

History

In 1939 Martin Goodman was persuaded by Frank Torpey, the sales manager of Funnies Inc. to start publishing comics. This was the start of Timely Comics Publications, which would later produce its first comic; Marvel Comics #1.

Timeline

1936

• Introduction of Ka-Zar in a pulp fiction magazine published by Manvis owned by Martin Goodman prior to founding Timely Comics. Ka-Zar was created by Bob Byrd who was the author of Ka-Zar #1. Ka-Zar's pulp fiction story would later be adapted in Marvel Comics #1.

1939

• Founding Timely Publications.
• Marvel Comics #1.
• Introduction of The Human Torch.
• Introduction of Sub-Mariner.
• Introduction of Ka-Zar in a comic book.
• Introduction of The Angel.
• Introduction of The Mask Raider.
• Joe Simon is hired to be the first Editor and Chief of Timely.

1940

• Artist Jack Kirby joins Timely’s staff.

• Goodman hired his wife’s teenage cousin, Stanley Lieber. He would later be known as Stan Lee.
• The “Marvel Universe” is created in when Namor and The Human Torch are in the first crossover issue.
• Introduction of The Thin Man.
• Introduction of Betty Dean.
• Introduction of Black Widow.
• First “One off” Red Raven is introduced and the series doesn’t see a second issue.
• The Roman gods Mercury and Pluto made an appearance in Red Raven Comics #1 (Mercury in the 20th Century).
• The Human Torch takes over the “Red Raven” series. Starting with The Human Torch #2. There was never a number 1.
• Introduction of Toro.
• One story of Super Hero Marvel Boy was released.
• Introduction of Vision.

1941

• Introduction of Captain America
• Introduction of Bucky Barnes.
• Introduction of the Patriot.
• Timely comics fight the Nazis.
• Introduction of the Red Skull.
• Introduction of Blue Diamond.
• Introduction of the Fin.
• Stanley Lieber writes first story for Timely, “Captain America Comics #4”, under the pen name of Stan Lee.
• Teams All Winners and Young Allies (formerly Sentinels of Liberty) make the first of Marvel’s many teams.
• Introduction of The Whizzer.
• Introduction of Jack Frost.
• The Human Torch #5 depicts an epic battle between The Human Torch and Namor.
• Introduction of Father Time.
• Introduction of The Destroyer.
• Joe Simon and Jack Kirby leave Timely.
• Stan Lee becomes Editor-in-Chief at the young age of 18 years old.

1942

• The December 7 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor sends several Timely members into armed services.
• Introduction of Citizen V.
• Introduction of Miss Fury. (reprinted comic strips)
• Introduction of Tessie the Typist.
• Introduction of the funny animals Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal.
• Vince Fago becomes Editor while Stan Lee is off at war.

1943

• Introduction of Super Rabbit to Comedy Comics.
• Introduction of Captain Wonder.
• All Select Comics unite the big three, Captain , Sub-Mariner and The Human Torch.
• Introduction of Miss America.

1944

• A Captain America serial film was released as a 15 episode series.
• Introduction of Patsy Walker.

1945

• The end of World War 2 brought the decline of “Super Heroes” sales.
• Introduction of Millie the Model who spawned 207 issues.
• Introduction of Nellie the Nurse.
• Marvel reaches out to a young female audience.
• Stan Lee returns to his chair as Editor-in-Chief after the war.

1946

• Introduction of The Blonde Phantom.
• Introduction of Mighty Mouse.
• Young Allies Comics was canceled.
• All Winners Squad #21 was the last issue for the team.
• Harvey Kurtzman starts doing freelance work for Timely comics. He would later become the original editor of MAD magazine.
• Gene Colan is hired as an artist for Timely.

1947

• Introduction to Namora.
• As Super Hero comic stayed in a slump, Crime, Romance and Westerns gain in popularity.

1948

• Comic Crime-fighters and Lawbreakers Always Lose! debut to increase the popularity of the crime comics.
• Introduction of Two-Gun Kid.
• Introduction of Sun Girl.
• Introduction of Kid Colt.
• Introduction of Venus
• Introduction of Black Rider.
• John Buscema answers an ad to become one of the best know artists in Marvel’s history.
• As Super Hero comics stayed in a slump, Crime, Romance and Westerns gain in popularity.

1950's

• Timely goes through an identity change. From Timely to Atlas Comics to eventually Marvel.

1960's

• As super hero comics make a re-emergence Marvel comes out with it's new heroes. These heroes have more personal and emotional back stories
• 1961 sees the creation of The Fantastic Four.
• In the following years (following the successful relaunch of DC's heroes ) Marvel launches the Hulk, X-Men, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Avengers, The return of the Golden Age Captain America and many more.

The comic-book arm of the company started in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the 1950s was generally known as Atlas Comics. Marvel's modern incarnation dates from 1961, with the launching of Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and others. Marvel has since become the largest American comic book publisher over long time competitor DC Comics.

Editors-in-chief

• Joe Simon (1940-1941)
• Stan Lee (1941-1942)
• Vincent Fago (acting editor during Lee's military service) (1942-1945)
• Stan Lee (1945-1972)
• Roy Thomas (1972-1974)
• Len Wein (1974-1975)
• Marv Wolfman (black-and-white magazines 1974-1975, entire line 1975-1976)
• Gerry Conway (1976)
• Archie Goodwin (1976-1978)
• Jim Shooter (1978-1987)
• Tom DeFalco (1987-1994)
• Bob Harras (1995-2000)
• Joe Quesada (2000-2011)
• Axel Alonso (2011-Present)

Events in the Marvel Universe

1980's

• Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions (1982)

• Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984-1985)

• Secret Wars II (1985)

1990's

• The Infinity Gauntlet (1991) - Collected In Trade
• Operation: Galactic Storm (1992) - Collected In 2 Trades (1, 2)
• Infinity War (1992) - Collected In Trade
• X-Cutioner's Song (1992-1993) - Collected In Trade
• Infinity Crusade (1993) - Collected In 2 Trades (1, 2)
• Maximum Carnage (1993) - Collected In Trade
• Fatal Attractions (1993) - Collected In Trade
• Phalanx Covenant (1994) - Collected In Trade
• Clone Saga (1994-1996) - Collected In 5 Trades (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
• Age of Apocalypse (1995) - Collected In 4 Trades (1, 2, 3, 4)
• Onslaught Saga (1996-1997) - Collected In 4 Trades (1, 2, 3, 4)
• Operation: Zero Tolerance (1997) - Collected In Trade
• Heroes Reborn (1996-1997) No Main Trade For Event
• Contest of Champions II - (1999) - Collected In Trade

2000's

• Eve of Destruction (2001) - Collected In Trade
• The Kang Dynasty (2001-2002) - Collected In Trade
• Infinity Abyss (2002) - Collected In Trade
• Avengers Disassembled (2004) - Collected In Trade
• Secret War (2004-2005) - Collected In Trade
• House of M (2005) - Collected In Trade
• Decimation (2005) - No Main Trade For Event
• Annihilation (2006-2007) - Collected In 3 Trades (Book One, Two, Three)
• Civil War (2006-2007) - Collected In Trade
• Planet Hulk (2006-2007) - Collected In Trade
• Annihilation Conquest (2007-2008) - Collected In 2 Trades (Book One, Two)
• World War Hulk(2007) - Collected In Trade
• Messiah Complex (2007-2008) - Collected In Trade
• One More Day (2007-2008) - Collected In Trade
• Secret Invasion (2008) - Collected In Trade
• Dark Reign (2009) - No Main Trade For Event
• Messiah War (2009) - Collected In Trade
• War of Kings (2009) - Collected In Trade
• Captain America: Reborn (2009) - Collected In Trade
• Utopia (2009) - Collected In Trade
• Nation X - (2009-2010) - Collected In Trade
• Necrosha (2009-2010) - Collected In Trade
• Realm Of Kings (2009-2010) - Collected In Trade
• Siege (2009-2010) - Collected In Trade
• Fall of the Hulks (2009-2010) - Collected In 4 Trades (One, Two, Three, Four)

2010's

• The Gauntlet (2010) - Collected In 5 Trades (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
• The Grim Hunt (2010) - Collected In Trade
• Second Coming (2010) - Collected In Trade
• Children's Crusade (2010-2011)
• Doomwar (2010) - Collected In Trade
• Heroic Age (2010) - No Main Trade For Event
• The Thanos Imperative (2010) - Collected In Trade
• World War Hulks (2010) - Collected In 2 Trades (1, 2)
• Curse of the Mutants (2010) - Collected In Trade
• Shadowland (2010) - Collected In Trade
• Chaos War (2010) - Collected In Trade
• Three (2010) - Collected in Trade
• Age of X (2011) - Collected In Trade
• Onslaught Unleashed (2011)
• Fear Itself (2011)
• Spider-Island (2011)
• Schism (2011) - Collected in Trade
• Shattered Heroes (2011)
• Avengers Vs X-Men (2012)
• Age of Ultron (2013)
• Infinity (2013)
• Original Sin (2014)
• Axis (2014)
• Secret Wars (2015)
• Standoff (2016) - Collected in Trade
• Civil War II (2016)
• Secret Empire (2017)
• The War of the Realms (2019)

2020's

• Iron Man 2020 (2020)
• Empyre (2020)
• X of Swords (2020)
• King In Black (2020)
• Heroes Reborn (2021)
• The Death of Doctor Strange (2021)
• Devil's Reign (2022)

Marvel Animation

• Ultimate Avengers(2006)
• Ultimate Avengers 2 (2006)
• The Invincible Iron Man (2007)
• Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme (2007)
• Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008)
• Hulk Vs Thor/Hulk Vs Wolverine (2009)
• Planet Hulk (2010)
• Thor: Tales of Asgard (2011)

Marvel Movies (Cinematic Releases)

• Howard the Duck (August 1, 1986)
• The Punisher (October 5, 1989)
• Captain America (December 14, 1990 [UK])
• Blade (August 21, 1998)
• X-Men (July 14, 2000)
• Blade II (March 22, 2002)
• Spider-Man (May 3, 2002)
• Daredevil (February 14, 2003)
• X2: X-Men United (May 2, 2003)
• Hulk (June 20, 2003)
• The Punisher (April 16, 2004)
• Spider-Man 2 (June 30, 2004)
• Blade: Trinity (December 8, 2004)
• Elektra (January 14, 2005)
• Man Thing (April 30, 2005)
• Fantastic Four (July 8, 2005)
• X-Men: The Last Stand (May 26, 2006)
• Ghost Rider (February 16, 2007)
• Spider-Man 3 (May 4, 2007)
• Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (June 15, 2007)
• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Punisher: War Zone (December 5, 2008)
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine(May 1, 2009)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• X-Men: First Class (June 3, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (February 17, 2012)
• The Avengers (May 4, 2012)
• The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3, 2012)
• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• The Wolverine (July 26, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (November 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (April 10, 2014)
• X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)
• Fantastic Four (August 7, 2015)
• Deadpool (February 12, 2016)
• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (November 4, 2016)
• Logan (March 3, 2017)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (March 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (November 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (February 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)

Upcoming Films

• Ant-Man and the Wasp (planned release July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (planned release March 8, 2019)

Marvel Headquarters

Located in New York City, Marvel has been successively headquartered in the McGraw-Hill Building (where it originated as Timely Comics in 1939); in suite 1401 of the Empire State Building; at 635 Madison Avenue (the actual location, though the comic books' indicia listed the parent publishing-company's address of 625 Madison Ave.); 575 Madison Avenue; 387 Park Avenue South; 10 East 40th Street; and 417 Fifth Avenue.

Marvel has had 25 television series, 34 live-action films and 72 video games based on the Marvel Universe. There are also several theme park rides based on the characters of the Marvel Universe, too.