In the mid-1980s, Marvel Comics was experiencing a golden period, both creatively and financially. Having navigated through the financial challenges of the late 1970s, largely due to the success of Star Wars, Marvel was poised to revolutionize the comic book industry with the groundbreaking release of Secret Wars in 1984. This event not only reshaped the Marvel Universe but also had a profound impact on the entire industry, steering Marvel's beloved heroes and villains into new and exciting narratives for years to come.
This era was also marked by other seminal works, including Frank Miller's Born Again arc in Daredevil, the resurrection of Jean Grey in X-Factor, and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga in Thor, among others. In this installment, Part 8 of our series on Marvel's essential issues, we delve into these landmark stories and other significant developments from the same timeframe. Join us as we explore the narratives that defined this vibrant period in Marvel's history.
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
1980-1982 - Did the Dark Phoenix Saga Usher in the Greatest Decade for Marvel?
Frank Miller's Born Again and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga
For some of the most celebrated narratives of this era, one need only look at Born Again, marking Frank Miller's return to writing Daredevil. This arc, illustrated by David Mazzuchelli and spanning Daredevil #227-233, is often hailed as the quintessential Daredevil story. It follows Karen Page, who, battling addiction, sells Daredevil's secret identity to fuel her heroin habit. This information eventually reaches the Kingpin, who uses it to systematically dismantle Matt Murdock's life. Stripped of everything, Matt finds himself at his lowest point until his mother, a nun named Maggie, rescues him.
Matt's gradual resurgence as Daredevil, coupled with the Kingpin's descent into fanaticism, crafts a true masterpiece. This storyline was loosely adapted in Season 3 of Netflix’s Daredevil and serves as the inspiration for the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again.
Another iconic tale from this time is Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga in Thor. Taking over as both writer and artist starting with Thor #337 in 1983, Simonson introduced Beta Ray Bill, an alien worthy of wielding Mjolnir. His tenure revitalized Thor's narrative with a mythic fantasy flair, culminating in the year-long Surtur Saga from #340-353. This saga features the fire demon Surtur, ruler of Muspelheim, attempting to trigger Ragnarok with the Twilight Sword. He sends Malekith the Accursed to distract Thor, allowing time to forge the sword. The epic concludes with Thor, Loki, and Odin united against Surtur. Elements of Simonson’s saga were later adapted into the films Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok, albeit with significant alterations.
Secret Wars Changes Comics Forever
In Part 4 of this series, we explored how the 1973 Avengers/Defenders War foreshadowed the event crossovers that would become a staple for Marvel and DC. A decade later, this shift fully materialized with the 1984 release of Secret Wars, a 12-issue miniseries penned by then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter and illustrated by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton. Conceived as part of a marketing deal with Mattel for a toy line, the plot is straightforward: The cosmic entity known as the Beyonder transports a group of Marvel heroes and villains to Battleworld to battle for supremacy between good and evil. The series, filled with large-scale combat scenes and setups for future storylines, also includes some character inconsistencies, such as the out-of-character portrayal of the X-Men and an unexpected pairing between Magneto and the Wasp.
Secret Wars is a polarizing work. Its popularity stems from its expansive cast and significant influence on the broader Marvel Universe, yet it lacks depth in character development. While Jim Shooter excels in writing Doctor Doom, he struggles with maintaining the continuity of other characters, creating friction within the overall narrative. The 2015 reboot by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić offers a more cohesive take on the concept, yet the original's impact on the industry is undeniable. The success of Secret Wars spurred a sequel, Secret Wars II, and alongside DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, solidified the event-driven publishing model for both major comic companies for decades.
Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit and Other Iconic Spidey Stories
After foundational runs by Stan Lee and Gerry Conway, Amazing Spider-Man found its next iconic writer in Roger Stern. Following a stint on Spectacular Spider-Man, Stern took over the main title with #224, revitalizing the series for over two years. His most notable contribution was the introduction of the Hobgoblin in Amazing #238, quickly establishing the villain as one of Spider-Man's most formidable adversaries. Although Stern's initial Hobgoblin storyline was cut short by his departure from the series after #251, he later returned to conclude the saga in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.
Simultaneously, Amazing #252 marked another landmark moment with the debut of Spider-Man's black symbiote costume. While Secret Wars #8 explained the costume's origin on Battleworld, its first appearance here sparked a long-running storyline leading to the emergence of one of Spider-Man's most iconic villains. The black costume has become Spider-Man's most recognizable alternate look and has been adapted across various media, including Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2. Another significant Spider-Man story from this period is The Death of Jean DeWolff in Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110 by Peter David and Rich Buckler. This darker narrative follows Spider-Man's pursuit of the Sin-Eater, who killed his ally Jean DeWolff, and his subsequent conflict with Daredevil over justice, showcasing a gripping and authentic Spider-Man tale.
Jean Grey Returns, the Rise of Apocalypse, and Other Mutant Landmarks
The mid-1980s were also a time of significant developments for Marvel's mutants. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 confirmed Magneto as the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, a plot point that remained canon until its retcon in 2015. X-Men #171 saw Rogue's transition from villain to hero as she joined the X-Men, a move that solidified her as a beloved character across various adaptations. Similarly, X-Men #200 featured Magneto's trial, leading to his role as headmaster of Xavier's School for the Gifted, a narrative adapted in the second episode of X-Men '97.
The most pivotal mutant storylines from this era were the resurrection of Jean Grey and the introduction of Apocalypse. Following the Dark Phoenix Saga, Jean Grey returned in a two-part story across Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286. She reunited with the original X-Men to form X-Factor, where in issues #5-6, Apocalypse made his first appearance. Created by Louise Simonson and Jackson Guice, Apocalypse became a central antagonist in the X-Men universe, featuring prominently in various cartoons, video games, and the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse.
