Marvel Graphic Novel

Marvel Graphic Novel (MGN) was a line of graphic novel trade paperbacks published from 1982 to 1993 by Marvel Comics.[1] The books were published in an oversized format, 8.5" x 11", similar to French albums. In response, DC Comics established a competitor line known as DC Graphic Novel.

The decision to launch the line was made in late 1979, after strong sales reports for the summer. Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter envisioned the "books as being in the format of European albums, with cardboard covers, full-color, slick pages."[2] In September 1980, Shooter indicated the line was delayed because of complications in putting together the contracts, which he was drafting in consultation with Marvel attorneys.[3] In early 1981, Marvel hired Michael Z. Hobson away from Scholastic Books to be Vice-President/Publishing. His expertise in writing author contracts, which was greater than Shooter's, was a key reason.[4] A few months later, contracts with writer/artist Jim Starlin were finalized for The Death of Captain Marvel and Dreadstar.[5]

The Death of Captain Marvel, the first book in the line, was published in January 1982.[6] Marvel numbered stories through 1985 up to number 20, but released many other stories in the same format that are considered unnumbered parts of the series according to the Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. Overstreet continued counting beyond the original "official" numbering, following a Marvel-published list of graphic novels. When the list stopped being published, Overstreet stopped trying to number the issues, halting at issue 38, although they list 29 more issues published from 1983 through 1991, although the list is known not to include every graphic novel from this period.

The line was divided evenly between author-owned and company-owned titles. Several characters were featured in an issue of Marvel Graphic Novel before receiving their own miniseries or ongoing series. The most successful of these was the New Mutants which ran for 100 issues.[7] Other series which were spun off from a Marvel Graphic Novel are Dreadstar, Void Indigo, Starstruck, and the Swords of the Swashbucklers. In addition, Star Slammers had a miniseries published by Malibu Comics and Futurians was a short lived title published by Lodestone Comics.

List of graphic novels in the Marvel Graphic Novel line

Number Title Year Writers Artists Notes
Officially-numbered titles
1 The Death of Captain Marvel 1982 Jim Starlin
2 Elric: The Dreaming City 1982 Michael Moorcock
Roy Thomas		 P. Craig Russell
3 Dreadstar 1982 Jim Starlin
4 The New Mutants 1982 Chris Claremont Bob McLeod first appearance of the New Mutants
5 X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills 1982 Chris Claremont Brent Anderson elements of this story are used in the X2: X-Men United film
6 Star Slammers 1983 Walt Simonson
7 Killraven: Warrior of the Worlds 1983 Don McGregor P. Craig Russell
8 Super Boxers August 1983 Ron Wilson
John Byrne		 Ron Wilson
9 The Futurians 1983 Dave Cockrum
10 Heartburst 1983 Rick Veitch
11 Void Indigo 1983 Steve Gerber Val Mayerik
12 Dazzler: The Movie 1984 Jim Shooter Frank Springer
13 Starstruck: The Luckless, the Abandoned and Forsaked 1984 Elaine Lee Michael Kaluta collection of the Starstruck stories serialized in Heavy Metal
14 The Swords of the Swashbucklers October 1984 Bill Mantlo Jackson Guice
15 The Raven Banner (A Tale of Asgard) 1984 Alan Zelenetz Charles Vess
16 The Aladdin Effect 1985 David Michelinie Greg LaRocque features Storm, She-Hulk, Tigra, and the Wasp
17 Revenge of the Living Monolith[8] June 1985 David Michelinie Marc Silvestri
Geof Isherwood
18 The Sensational She-Hulk 1985 John Byrne John Byrne
Kim DeMulder
19 Conan the Barbarian: The Witch Queen of Acheron 1985 Don Kraar Gary Kwapisz
20 Greenberg the Vampire 1985 J. M. DeMatteis Mark Badger
Overstreet-numbered titles
21 Marada the She-Wolf 1985 Chris Claremont John Bolton collects material originally serialized in Epic Illustrated #10-12
22 Amazing Spider-Man: Hooky[9] 1986 Susan K. Putney Bernie Wrightson
23 Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa 1986 J. M. DeMatteis
Dan Green		 Dan Green
24 Daredevil: Love and War 1986 Frank Miller Bill Sienkiewicz
25 Alien Legion: A Grey Day to Die 1986 Carl Potts
Alan Zelenetz		 Frank Cirocco
26 Dracula: A Symphony in Moonlight & Nightmares 1986 Jon J Muth
27 Emperor Doom 1987 David Michelinie Bob Hall features the Avengers
28 Conan the Reaver 1987 Don Kraar John Severin
29 The Incredible Hulk and the Thing: The Big Change 1987 Jim Starlin Bernie Wrightson
30 A Sailor's Story 1987 Sam Glanzman biographical story about Sam Glanzman's service aboard the USS Stevens (DD-479) during World War II
31 Wolfpack 1987 Larry Hama Ron Wilson
32 Death of Groo 1987 Mark Evanier Sergio Aragones
33 The Mighty Thor: I, Whom The Gods Would Destroy 1988 Jim Shooter
Jim Owsley		 Paul Ryan
34 Cloak and Dagger: Predator and Prey 1988 Bill Mantlo Larry Stroman
35 The Shadow: Hitler's Astrologer 1988 Dennis O'Neil Michael Kaluta
Russ Heath
36 Willow: Movie Adaptation 1988 Mary Jo Duffy Bob Hall
Romeo Tanghal
37 Hercules Prince of Power: Full Circle 1988 Bob Layton
38 Silver Surfer: Judgment Day 1988 Stan Lee John Buscema
Unofficially-numbered titles
39 The Inhumans 1988 Ann Nocenti Bret Blevins

Collected editions

Marvel Original Graphic Novel

In 2013, Marvel started publishing a new line of graphic novels titled Marvel Original Graphic Novel or Marvel OGN.

Title Year Writers Artists ISBN Notes
Avengers: Endless Wartime 2013 Warren Ellis Mike McKone ISBN 978-0785184676 Features the Avengers against an ancient enemy from Thor's past.[10]
Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business 2014 Mark Waid
James Robinson		 Gabriele Dell'Otto
Werther Dell'Edera		 ISBN 978-0785184409 Revolves around Peter Parker, not Spider-Man, being targeted by a vengeful Kingpin. As Parker combats the threat, he is helped by a woman who claims to be his long-lost sister, Teresa.[11]
X-Men: No More Humans Mike Carey Salvador Larroca ISBN 978-0785154020 Features the aftermath of the "Battle of the Atom" event.
Thanos: The Infinity Revelation Jim Starlin ISBN 978-0785184706 Features the return of Adam Warlock.
Avengers: Rage of Ultron 2015 Rick Remender Jerome Opeña ISBN 978-0785190400 Explores the early relationship between Hank Pym and Ultron and features two generations of the Avengers.[12]
Thanos: The Infinity Relativity Jim Starlin ISBN 978-0785193036 Adam Warlock, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Silver Surfer, Gladiator, and the reunited Infinity Watch join together to thwart the threat of Annihilus.[13]
Thanos: The Infinity Finale 2016 Jim Starlin Ron Lim ISBN 978-0785193050 Concludes Starlin's Infinity trilogy.[14]
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Beats Up the Marvel Universe Ryan North Erica Henderson ISBN 978-1302903039
Deadpool: Bad Blood 2017 Chris Sims Rob Liefeld ISBN 978-1302901530 The return of Rob Liefeld to Marvel, with a new Deadpool story featuring Cable and Domino.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Marvel Graphic Novel at the Grand Comics Database
  2. ↑ "Newswatch: 'Spectacular' Sales Prompt New Projects". The Comics Journal. Stamford, Connecticut: Fantagraphics Books (52): 7–8. December 1979.
  3. ↑ Groth, Gary (November 1980). "Pushing Marvel into the '80s: An Interview with Jim Shooter". The Comics Journal. Stamford, Connecticut: Fantagraphics Books (60): 80–107.
  4. ↑ "Newswatch: Michael Z. Hobson Named Marvel V.P./Publishing". The Comics Journal. Stamford, Connecticut: Fantagraphics Books (62): 13. March 1981.
  5. ↑ Howe, Sean (2012). "Trouble Shooter". Marvel Comics The Untold Story. New York, New York: HarperCollins. p. 237. ISBN 978-0061992100.
  6. ↑ DeFalco, Tom; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1980s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 207. ISBN 978-0756641238.
  7. ↑ DeFalco "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 209: "Since the first three Marvel Graphic Novels had sold so well, Marvel decided to launch the new series The New Mutants in the same format."
  8. ↑ Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "1980s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 150. ISBN 978-0756692360. In this story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Marc Silvestri, Spider-Man was recruited by Captain America into battle with a giant living monolith of Egyptian origins to prevent the creature from destroying the entire city.
  9. ↑ Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 156: "Writer Susan K. Putney and artist Bernie Wrightson delivered a memorable graphic novel that removed Spider-Man from his usual urban setting and placed him in a fantasy world of magic and mysticism."
  10. ↑ Phegley, Kiel (June 12, 2013). "Warren Ellis Readies Avengers: Endless Wartime". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 7, 2014.
  11. ↑ Truitt, Brian (June 17, 2013). "Spider-Man gets a sister in 2014's 'Family Business'". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014.
  12. ↑ Dietsch, T.J. (July 25, 2014). "SDCC 2014: Avengers: Rage of Ultron". Marvel Comics. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016.
  13. ↑ Morse, Ben (November 19, 2014). "Jim Starlin Returns with Thanos: The Infinity Relativity". Marvel Comics. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014.
  14. ↑ Morse, Ben (July 2, 2015). "Jim Starlin Gives Thanos a Finale". Marvel Comics. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016.
  15. ↑ Arrant, Chris (November 11, 2015). "Liefeld Working On New Deadpool Book With X-Men '92 Writers". Newsarama. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015.
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