Amazing Fantasy
Encyclopedia
Amazing Fantasy is an American
comic book
anthology
series published by Marvel Comics
from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero
character Spider-Man
in 1962. Prior to that, it introduced Marvel's first Silver Age superhero, the non-costumed, supernatural character Doctor Droom
.
, the first issue of which was dated June 1961. The science fiction
anthology introduced then fledgling Marvel Comics' first continuing superhero
character, the paranormal adventurer "Doctor Droom" (later renamed "Doctor Druid
" when brought back in the 1970s as a supporting character). Doctor Droom was phased out when the book's title was changed to Amazing Adult Fantasy with issue #7 (Dec. 1961). The new title also ceased to be a collaborative effort between a number of artists (Jack Kirby
, Don Heck
, Dick Ayers
, et al.) and reconfigured to reflect the more "sophisticated" nature of its new exclusive content: the quick, quirky, twist-ending tales of writer
-editor
Stan Lee
and artist
Steve Ditko
. The cover of the comic carried the motto "The magazine that respects your intelligence."
Lee in 2009 described these "short, five-page filler strips that Steve and I did together", originally "placed in any of our comics that had a few extra pages to fill", as "odd fantasy tales that I'd cream up with you O. Henry
-type [twist] endings." Giving an early example of what would later be known as the "Marvel Method
" of writer-artist collaboration, Lee said, "All I had to do was give Steve a one-line description of the plot and he'd be off and running. He'd take those skeleton outlines I had given him and turn them into classic little works of art that ended up being far cooler than I had any right to expect."
With issue #15 (Aug. 1962) Amazing Adult Fantasy was renamed Amazing Fantasy and slated for cancellation. With nothing to lose, publisher Martin Goodman
agreed to allow Lee to introduce Spider-Man, a new kind of superhero
— one who would be a teenager, but not a sidekick, and one who would have everyman
doubts, neuroses and money problems. Sales for Amazing Fantasy #15 proved to be one of Marvel's highest at the time and The Amazing Spider-Man
was quickly launched to capitalize on the new character's apparent popularity. Although the interior artwork was by Steve Ditko
alone, Lee rejected Ditko's cover art and commissioned Jack Kirby
to pencil a cover that Ditko inked. As Lee explained in 2010, "I think I had Jack sketch out a cover for it because I always had a lot of confidence in Jack's covers."
The DVD release of the collector's edition of the Spider-Man
movie included an electronic copy of Amazing Fantasy #15. In 2001, Marvel published a 10-issue series called The 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time, and Amazing Fantasy #15 topped the list.
In 2008, an anonymous donor bequeathed the Library of Congress
the original 24 pages of Ditko art of Amazing Fantasy #15, including Spider-Man's debut and the stories "The Bell-Ringer", "Man in the Mummy Case", and "There Are Martians Among Us".
A near-mint copy sold for $1.1 million to an unnamed collector on March 7, 2011.
decided a story gap existed between Amazing Fantasy #15 and The Amazing Spider-Man #1. In an attempt to fill that gap, Marvel published issues of Amazing Fantasy #16–18, each written by Kurt Busiek
and painted chiefly by Paul Lee.
_issue_1.jpg)
The title was restarted for a period in 2004, as a means of introducing new characters for a younger audience.
The first arc ran through issues #1–6 and featured a new teenaged heroine, Araña
. The second arc, in issues #7–12, published after a short hiatus, featured a revamped female Scorpion and a back-up story featuring the character called Vampire by Night
(a re-imagining of the Werewolf by Night
concept and a lead-up to Nick Fury's Howling Commandos
).
In issues #13–14, there were two features once more. The main feature was a two-part story featuring a new hero, Vegas
, with western themes in a modern setting, while the back-up story re-introduced Captain Universe
, which led to a series of one-shots co-starring Marvel characters Invisible Woman
, Daredevil
, Hulk
, Silver Surfer
, and X-23
, and was set to lead to a Captain Universe mini-series in early 2006 which was cancelled.
In an attempt to replicate history, Marvel announced that the new issue #15 would introduce a new generation of heroes in a 48-page standalone issue, in the hopes that they would become as popular as Spider-Man. These heroes included Mastermind Excello
, Blackjack, the Great Video, Monstro
, Heartbreak Kid, Positron and "the guy in Spider-Man's armpit" (who was on the original 1962 cover). , only Mastermind Excello and Monstro have appeared in another comic book, appearing in World War Hulk
and The Irredeemable Ant-Man respectively. Mastermind Excello also regularly appears in the series The Incredible Hercules. Blackjack returned as an international organization in Mighty Avengers. In addition, the cover to #15 was a "revamped" version of the original Amazing Fantasy #15, complete with Spider-Man swinging through a modern-day New York City
, while the new heroes watch in awe in the background.
The final arc, in issues #16–20, introduce Death's Head 3.0, a revamp of the Marvel UK
character, written by the original version's creator, Simon Furman
. Issues #18–19 contain two Tales of the New Universe stories as back-up features, while #20 featured a Western-themed backup.
brought the only known CGC graded 9.6 (near mint plus) copy to market and sold it for $140,000. In October 2007, a near-mint copy sold for $210,000 in an online auction on ComicLink.com. A near-mint CGC graded 9.6 copy sold for $1.1 million to an unnamed collector on March 7, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
series published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
character Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
in 1962. Prior to that, it introduced Marvel's first Silver Age superhero, the non-costumed, supernatural character Doctor Droom
Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid, also known as Doctor Droom and Druid, is a fictional character, a supernatural monster-hunter in the Marvel Comics universe....
.
Publication history
Amazing Fantasy began as Amazing AdventuresAmazing Adventures
Amazing Adventures is the name of several anthology comic book series, all but one published by Marvel Comics.The earliest Marvel series of that name introduced the company's first superhero of the late-1950s to early-1960s period fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books...
, the first issue of which was dated June 1961. The science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
anthology introduced then fledgling Marvel Comics' first continuing superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
character, the paranormal adventurer "Doctor Droom" (later renamed "Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid, also known as Doctor Droom and Druid, is a fictional character, a supernatural monster-hunter in the Marvel Comics universe....
" when brought back in the 1970s as a supporting character). Doctor Droom was phased out when the book's title was changed to Amazing Adult Fantasy with issue #7 (Dec. 1961). The new title also ceased to be a collaborative effort between a number of artists (Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, Don Heck
Don Heck
Don Heck was an American comic book artist best known for co-creating the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, and for his long run penciling the Marvel superhero-team series The Avengers during the 1960s Silver Age of comic books.-Early life and career:Born in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New...
, Dick Ayers
Dick Ayers
Richard "Dick" Ayers is an American comic book artist and cartoonist best known for his work as one of Jack Kirby's inkers during the late-1950s and 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comics, including on some of the earliest issues of Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four, and as the signature...
, et al.) and reconfigured to reflect the more "sophisticated" nature of its new exclusive content: the quick, quirky, twist-ending tales of writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
-editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
. The cover of the comic carried the motto "The magazine that respects your intelligence."
Lee in 2009 described these "short, five-page filler strips that Steve and I did together", originally "placed in any of our comics that had a few extra pages to fill", as "odd fantasy tales that I'd cream up with you O. Henry
O. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter . O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings.-Early life:...
-type [twist] endings." Giving an early example of what would later be known as the "Marvel Method
Marvel Method
The Marvel Method is a form of comic book writer-artist collaboration in which the artist works from a story synopsis, rather than a full script, creating page-by-page plot details on his or her own...
" of writer-artist collaboration, Lee said, "All I had to do was give Steve a one-line description of the plot and he'd be off and running. He'd take those skeleton outlines I had given him and turn them into classic little works of art that ended up being far cooler than I had any right to expect."
With issue #15 (Aug. 1962) Amazing Adult Fantasy was renamed Amazing Fantasy and slated for cancellation. With nothing to lose, publisher Martin Goodman
Martin Goodman (publisher)
Martin Goodman born on was an American publisher of pulp magazines, paperback books, men's adventure magazines, and comic books, launching the company that would become Marvel Comics....
agreed to allow Lee to introduce Spider-Man, a new kind of superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
— one who would be a teenager, but not a sidekick, and one who would have everyman
Everyman
In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances...
doubts, neuroses and money problems. Sales for Amazing Fantasy #15 proved to be one of Marvel's highest at the time and The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
was quickly launched to capitalize on the new character's apparent popularity. Although the interior artwork was by Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
alone, Lee rejected Ditko's cover art and commissioned Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
to pencil a cover that Ditko inked. As Lee explained in 2010, "I think I had Jack sketch out a cover for it because I always had a lot of confidence in Jack's covers."
The DVD release of the collector's edition of the Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
movie included an electronic copy of Amazing Fantasy #15. In 2001, Marvel published a 10-issue series called The 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time, and Amazing Fantasy #15 topped the list.
In 2008, an anonymous donor bequeathed the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
the original 24 pages of Ditko art of Amazing Fantasy #15, including Spider-Man's debut and the stories "The Bell-Ringer", "Man in the Mummy Case", and "There Are Martians Among Us".
A near-mint copy sold for $1.1 million to an unnamed collector on March 7, 2011.
Continuation in 1995
Although publishing decisions were responsible for the termination of the original Amazing Fantasy series, for decades no attempts were made to relaunch the title or continue with a #16. However, in 1995, Marvel editor Danny FingerothDanny Fingeroth
Daniel "Danny" Fingeroth is an American comic book writer and editor, better known for a long stint as group editor of the Spider-Man books at Marvel Comics.-Career:...
decided a story gap existed between Amazing Fantasy #15 and The Amazing Spider-Man #1. In an attempt to fill that gap, Marvel published issues of Amazing Fantasy #16–18, each written by Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
and painted chiefly by Paul Lee.
Volume 2
The first arc ran through issues #1–6 and featured a new teenaged heroine, Araña
Anya Corazon
Anya Sofia Corazon is a fictional half Mexican and half Puerto Rican superheroine in the . She formerly went by the codename Araña, but is currently known as Spider-Girl.-Publication history:...
. The second arc, in issues #7–12, published after a short hiatus, featured a revamped female Scorpion and a back-up story featuring the character called Vampire by Night
Vampire by Night
Vampire by Night is a fictional character within the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2, #10. She is the niece to Jack Russell and has the ability to become either a werewolf or vampire between dusk and dawn.-Fictional character biography:Through her mother's...
(a re-imagining of the Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
concept and a lead-up to Nick Fury's Howling Commandos
Nick Fury's Howling Commandos
Nick Fury's Howling Commandos was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Running six issues before its cancellation and cover-dated December 2005 to May 2006, the series featured a fictional team set in the Marvel Universe, consisting of supernatural characters employed as a unit...
).
In issues #13–14, there were two features once more. The main feature was a two-part story featuring a new hero, Vegas
Vegas (comics)
Vegas is a fictional character from the Marvel Universe. Debuting in Amazing Fantasy #13, Vegas is the protagonist of a modern superhero Western.- Fictional character biography :Little information is known about the man known as Vegas...
, with western themes in a modern setting, while the back-up story re-introduced Captain Universe
Captain Universe
Captain Universe is a disembodied superhero in Marvel Comics' universe who was created by Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden, and first appeared in Micronauts vol. 1 #8. It is the guardian and protector of Eternity...
, which led to a series of one-shots co-starring Marvel characters Invisible Woman
Invisible Woman
Susan "Sue" Storm Richards is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics...
, Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
, and X-23
X-23
X-23 is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring the X-Men. X-23 is a female clone of Wolverine.-Publication history:...
, and was set to lead to a Captain Universe mini-series in early 2006 which was cancelled.
In an attempt to replicate history, Marvel announced that the new issue #15 would introduce a new generation of heroes in a 48-page standalone issue, in the hopes that they would become as popular as Spider-Man. These heroes included Mastermind Excello
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho, also known as Mastermind Excello, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. 2 #15...
, Blackjack, the Great Video, Monstro
Monstro (comics)
Monstro is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, a superhero and supporting character of the Irredeemable Ant-Man. His first appearance was in Amazing Fantasy #15.-Fictional character biography:...
, Heartbreak Kid, Positron and "the guy in Spider-Man's armpit" (who was on the original 1962 cover). , only Mastermind Excello and Monstro have appeared in another comic book, appearing in World War Hulk
World War Hulk
"World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and various other titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk....
and The Irredeemable Ant-Man respectively. Mastermind Excello also regularly appears in the series The Incredible Hercules. Blackjack returned as an international organization in Mighty Avengers. In addition, the cover to #15 was a "revamped" version of the original Amazing Fantasy #15, complete with Spider-Man swinging through a modern-day New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, while the new heroes watch in awe in the background.
The final arc, in issues #16–20, introduce Death's Head 3.0, a revamp of the Marvel UK
Marvel UK
Marvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US produced stories for the British weekly comic market, though it later did produce original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dillon and Grant Morrison.Panini Comics obtained the...
character, written by the original version's creator, Simon Furman
Simon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
. Issues #18–19 contain two Tales of the New Universe stories as back-up features, while #20 featured a Western-themed backup.
Collectible
In September 2000, Metropolis Comics in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
brought the only known CGC graded 9.6 (near mint plus) copy to market and sold it for $140,000. In October 2007, a near-mint copy sold for $210,000 in an online auction on ComicLink.com. A near-mint CGC graded 9.6 copy sold for $1.1 million to an unnamed collector on March 7, 2011.
Reprints and collected editions
Amazing Fantasy #15- Marvel Milestone Edition (March 1992): Comic-book-size reprint of the entire comic with the original ads. Front and back cover are bordered by silver.
- The Birth Of Spider-Man (Applewood Books, 1997): Comic-book-size hardcover reprint of the entire comic with the original ads and indicia. Printed on "aged" paper. Front and back covers appear twice, on the outer covers and inside. "Covers" of interior reprint are printed on the same "aged" paper stock as the rest of the book.
- Amazing Fantasy OmnibusMarvel OmnibusMarvel Omnibus is a line of comic book series collections published by Marvel Comics. These collections provide full color compilations of several comics, aiming at complete runs...
(September 2007) ISBN 0-7851-2458-6- Collects Amazing Adventures #1-6, Amazing Adult Fantasy #7-14, Amazing Fantasy #15 (1961–1962)
External links
- Comics: Spider-Man at Marvel.com
- Archive of McQuarrie, Jim, "Amazing Adult Fantasy No. 9", "Oddball Comics" (column), #1151, April, 9, 2007
Further reading
- Lee, Stan. Origins of Marvel Comics (Marvel Entertainment Group reissue, 1997) ISBN 0-7851-0551-4
- Lee, Stan, and George Mair. Excelsior!: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee (Fireside, 2002) ISBN 0-684-87305-2
- Raphael, Jordan and Tom Spurgeon. Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book (Chicago Review Press, 2003) ISBN 1-55652-506-0