As Marvel continues to thrive among a new generation of readers, it’s become easy to forget the company’s past and neglect their most iconic heroes’ real-life origins. With such an immense impact on the comic book and film industry, it seems that Marvel believes it’s important to continually refresh public awareness of how their groundbreaking characters began.
Over the years, the publisher has reminded fans of the Marvel Universe’s roots in Masterworks, reprinting original issues that proved integral decades into the future. Returning to the Golden and Silver Ages, volumes have typically included the first ten issues of popular titles, like Hulk, Thor, Doctor Strange, and other Avengers. As Marvel has radically reinvented many of their most beloved heroes in the present day, these new editions have brought audiences back to Stan Lee’s timeless tales that set the stage for the eventual Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel has announced that Masterworks will return in June for an all-new line of graphic novels, featuring Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men among many other classic heroes. Under the title “Mighty Marvel Masterworks,” the graphic novels will archive the beginnings of the publisher’s most famous superheroes from the minds of Marvel’s original creative forces, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko. Currently announced graphic novels include The Amazing Spider-Man — With Great Power, The Fantastic Four Vol. 1, and The X-Men — The Strangest Heroes of All. While stories will be reprints, new covers will be drawn by beloved industry artists, such as Michael Cho, who illustrated the cover for the Spider-Man collection. Other volumes will include variant covers by Kirby and Ditko.
Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man — With Great Power will collect Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #1-10, along with Amazing Fantasy (1962) #15. These issues showcase the start of Peter Parker’s career as the web-slinger, with the first appearances of J. Jonah Jameson, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Vulture, Electro, and one of the first team-ups in Marvel history which includes the Fantastic Four.
The X-Men — The Strangest Heroes of All will collect the first ten issues of Uncanny X-Men (1963), following Professor X’s original team of mutants as they attempt to create peace between mutants and humans. Cyclops, Angel, Beast, Iceman, and Marvel Girl—who eventually is known simply as “Jean Grey”—eventually face Magneto and his own mutant team, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Fantastic Four Vol. 1 collects the initial ten issues of Marvel’s first superhero team series, Fantastic Four (1951). Scientist Reed Richard, pilot Ben Grimm, and the Storms, Johnny and Sue, embark on a cosmic adventure which leads them to become Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, the Human Torch, and the Invisible Girl. Their early issues feature first appearances of legendary characters such as Doctor Doom, Mole Man, the Skrulls, and the Puppet Master.
With the Marvel Cinematic Universe reinventing the creations of Stan Lee, Kirby, and Ditko for a new generation, this repackaged collection of reprinted stories will provide an opportunity for younger readers to see the real-life origins behind some of pop culture’s biggest icons. It’s likely even more editions of Mighty Masterworks will be announced as June approaches, potentially involving the Avengers or Jack Kirby’s cosmic creations which have yet to be reprinted, like the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Eternals.