Marvel Super-Heroes

Marvel Super Heroes was one of the first new style titles that, at its inception, would be a vehicle for introducing new characters. However, the book has a very complicated life-arc, perhaps, earlier on, trying to be too many things at once.

Beginning with issue #1, it stuck to it’s statement of purpose with introducing an all-new version of Captain Marvel - they were able to name the character this because the licensing had lapsed on the brand name “Captain Marvel,” so, being Marvel Comics, they would snatch up the name and “make hay while the sun shines.”  Issues #12 and #13 (essentially #1 and #2, continuing the numbering from a previous book) featured this Green and White-clad alien superhero - the basic concept being re-imagined later on in the 70’s. These issues are highly collectible. 

Now, at the same time, this giant-sized title also co-featured (and some would argue more importantly) a number of reprinted stories from The Golden-Age of Timely Comics (Marvel’s trade name in the 1940’s). For a whole new generation of readers, this was their first look at the legendary, oft-referred to, but previously unseen, early incarnations of Captain America, Sub-Mariner, Human Torch, The Vision, The Destroyer, Mercury, Black Marvel, The Patriot, The Whizzer, Miss America, Marvel Boy, and Joe Maneely’s lovely Black Knight stories from the 50’s. This was very exciting stuff to see at a time when this material was unavailable!

However, along with those old treasures, issue #15 featured a solo outing for Inhuman Medusa, issue #16 introduced WWI-era superhero The Phantom Eagle (didn’t really catch on, though). Issue #17 continued with a solo “New” Black Knight story.

Now, #18 was a biggie - giving the world a first glimpse at THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY! Needless to say, this is a big collectible key issue!

A new Ka-Zar story was on tap for issue #19, followed by a solo Doctor Doom story in #20.

The format changed with issue #21 - effectively turning into a reprint book for Marvel’s Silver-Age milestones; X-Men, Avengers, Daredevil, Hulk, Sub-Mariner (60’s stories), and Iron Man reprints from the 60’s would dominate the book until #56. Gone were the fine Golden-Age reprints, lamentably.

From issue #56 until the end of the run (issue #105, 1982), Marvel Super Heroes would settle into being an Incredible Hulk reprint book, with most stories from the 70’s run.

But the Captain Marvel and Guardians issues are the most valuable, fetching respectable prices among collectors and on line.

Check out Quality Comix’s online price guide for up to date prices!