The 1970s were a turbulent era for Marvel Comics. While significant characters and storylines debuted—like "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" and Doctor Strange's encounter with God—the 1980s witnessed some of Marvel's greatest creators crafting legendary runs on their most popular titles. This era encompasses Frank Miller's Daredevil, John Byrne's Fantastic Four, David Michelinie's Iron Man, and the peak of Chris Claremont's X-Men, with Roger Stern's Amazing Spider-Man and Walt Simonson's Thor soon to follow. These creators significantly shaped the enduring legacy of these characters.
Considering Marvel's history, the 1980s might be considered the company's true golden age. This is Part 7 of our exploration of essential Marvel comics.
More Essential Marvel
- 1961-1963 - The Birth of a Universe
- 1964-1965 - The Sentinels Are Born and Cap Dethaws
- 1966-1969 - How Galactus Changed Marvel Forever
- 1970-1973 - The Night Gwen Stacy Died
- 1974-1976 - The Punisher Begins His War on Crime
- 1977-1979 - Star Wars Saves Marvel From Bankruptcy
The Dark Phoenix Saga and Other Landmark X-Men Stories
Chris Claremont's transformative X-Men run began in 1975, but its most impactful stories appeared in the early 1980s. The Dark Phoenix Saga (X-Men #129-137) is arguably the most renowned X-Men story, and for good reason. Years after Jean Grey became the Phoenix, this cosmic entity corrupts her, aided by the Hellfire Club, transforming her into the Dark Phoenix, a formidable adversary. This cosmic epic, co-plotted and penciled by John Byrne, features the first appearances of Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat), Emma Frost, and Dazzler. Jean Grey's sacrifice after regaining her senses is a heartbreaking moment, despite her eventual return. While adaptations like X-Men: The Last Stand and Dark Phoenix fell short, the animated series X-Men: The Animated Series and Wolverine & the X-Men offered more faithful portrayals.
Following closely, Days of Future Past (X-Men #141-142) is a famous Sentinels story. This arc, featuring an adult Kitty Pryde traveling back in time to prevent an event that leads to a dystopian future ruled by Sentinels, is one of the X-Men's most iconic. The 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past and Wolverine & the X-Men adapted this story.
X-Men #150, a battle between the X-Men and Magneto, nearly resulting in Kitty Pryde's death, reveals Magneto's Holocaust survivor backstory, a pivotal moment shaping his later character development.
The Introductions of Rogue, She-Hulk, and the New Mutants
Several significant characters debuted in the 1980s, including notable female heroes. Rogue, a popular X-Men member, initially appeared as a villain in Avengers Annual #10, part of Mystique's Brotherhood. This issue features Rogue absorbing Carol Danvers' (Ms. Marvel) powers, a pivotal moment for both characters. It also shows Carol confronting the Avengers for their inaction in saving her from Marcus Immortus. This issue is a crucial moment in Marvel history.
Savage She-Hulk #1 introduced another major heroine, Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk), the last character co-created by Stan Lee during his original Marvel tenure. Her solo series wasn't initially strong, but she became more prominent with the Avengers and Fantastic Four. Tatiana Maslany later portrayed She-Hulk in the MCU series.
The New Mutants, the first X-Men spin-off, debuted in Marvel Graphic Novel #4 before getting their own series. The initial team included Cannonball, Sunspot, Karma, Wolfsbane, and Dani Moonstar (Mirage). Illyana Rasputina (Magik) joined in issue #15. The 2020 film New Mutants featured this lineup (excluding Karma), with Anya Taylor-Joy as Magik.
Iconic Daredevil, Iron Man, and Captain America Storylines
Daredevil #168 marks the start of Frank Miller's defining run, introducing Elektra and reinventing Daredevil's mythology. This two-year saga, characterized by gritty realism and crime noir, established Kingpin as Matt Murdock's nemesis, introduced Stick, featured a confrontation with the Punisher, and culminated in the iconic #181 where Bullseye kills Elektra. The 2003 film and 2015 Netflix series drew heavily from this run.
Two major Avengers also had significant storylines. Iron Man #149-150, the final masterpiece of David Michelinie and Bob Layton's first Iron Man run, "Doomquest," features Iron Man's first solo battle with Doctor Doom, sending them back to Arthurian times. This arc solidified Doom as a key member of Iron Man's rogues gallery.
Captain America #253-254, the best story from Roger Stern and John Byrne's run, features Captain America's confrontation with Baron Blood, a Nazi vampire connected to the Invaders. This darker tale is notable for its artwork and intense conclusion.
Moon Knight's Rise and the Creation of G.I. Joe Mythology
Moon Knight #1 and G.I. Joe #1 are two other influential #1 issues from this period. While Moon Knight first appeared in Werewolf by Night #32, his solo series established him as a hero, detailing his backstory and introducing his alternate personalities.
Although Marvel didn't own the G.I. Joe franchise, it played a crucial role in its creation. The Marvel comic, starting in 1982, introduced Cobra (concept by Archie Goodwin), and Larry Hama developed most of the characters, including Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Lady Jaye, and the Baroness. Hama's work made G.I. Joe a popular title, particularly among female readers due to the equal portrayal of female characters.
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