Issue Details

Issue	#[nn]
Published	1974
Cover Price	5.95 USD
Pages	264
Editing	Stan Lee

Cover Details

Characters	Fantastic Four [Human Torch; Thing]; Spider-Man; Doctor Strange; Thor; Sub-Mariner; Hulk; Stan Lee (hands at typewriter)
Genre	Superhero

1 page foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "Origins of Marvel Comics"

Letters	typeset
Notes	Title page.

1 page foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "Prologue"

Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset

8 page text article "Part One: If One Is Good, Four Will Be Better"

Script	Stan Lee
Letters	Typeset
Notes	Stan describes his early career and his creation, with Jack Kirby, of the Fantastic Four.

1 page Fantastic Four cover reprint (on interior page)

Genre	Superhero
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	George Klein?; Christopher Rule?
Reprinted	from Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #1

13 page Fantastic Four story "The Fantastic Four!"

Characters	Fantastic Four [Mr. Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Invisible Girl [Susan Storm]; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]]
Synopsis	Dr. Reed Richards takes his friends on a rocket trip that changes their lives forever.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	George Klein; Christopher Rule (assist)?
Reprinted	from Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #1

6 page Fantastic Four story "The Fantastic Four Meet the Mole Man!"

Characters	Moleman [a.k.a. Mole Man] (intro and origin); Fantastic Four [Mr. Fantastic; Human Torch; Invisible Girl; Thing]
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	George Klein; Christopher Rule (assist)?
Reprinted	from Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #1

6 page Fantastic Four story "The Moleman's Secret!"

Characters	Moleman [a.k.a. Mole Man] (intro and origin); Fantastic Four [Mr. Fantastic; Human Torch; Invisible Girl; Thing]
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	George Klein; Christopher Rule (assist)?
Reprinted	from Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #1

1 page Fantastic Four text article "Introduction to Fantastic Four #55"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset

1 page Fantastic Four cover reprint (on interior page)

Characters	Thing; Silver Surfer
Genre	superhero
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Joe Sinnott
Reprinted	from Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #55

20 page Fantastic Four story "When Strikes the Silver Surfer!"

Characters	Fantastic Four [Mr. Fantastic; Invisible Girl; Thing; Human Torch]; Silver Surfer; Wyatt Wingfoot; Lockjaw
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Joe Sinnott
Letters	Sam Rosen
Reprinted	from Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #55

9 page Hulk text article "Part Two: There Shall Come a Jolly Green Giant"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset
Notes	Stan discusses the creation of The Hulk and his inspirations.

1 page Hulk cover reprint (on interior page)

Characters	Hulk; Bruce Banner; Thunderbolt Ross; Betty Ross
Genre	Superhero
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	George Roussos
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1962 series) #1

6 page Hulk story "Part 1: The Coming of the Hulk"

Characters	Hulk [Bruce Banner]; Rick Jones; Thunderbolt Ross; Betty Ross; Igor; Gargoyle
Synopsis	Scientist Bruce Banner saves a young boy from being killed by a nuclear blast but absorbs deadly amounts of gamma radiation which transforms him into a monster dubbed the Hulk.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Paul Reinman
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1962 series) #1

5 page Hulk story "Part 2: The Hulk Strikes!"

Characters	Hulk; Rick Jones
Synopsis	Rick accompanies The Hulk until he reverts back to Bruce Banner.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Paul Reinman
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1962 series) #1

3 page Hulk story "Part 3: The Search for the Hulk"

Characters	Hulk; Rick Jones; Betty Ross
Synopsis	Rick helps cover for Banner and explains to the scientist what happened.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Paul Reinman
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1962 series) #1

5 page Hulk story "Part 4: Enter...the Gargoyle"

Characters	Hulk; Rick Jones; Betty Ross; General Thunderbolt Ross; Gargoyle
Synopsis	The Gargoyle hears about The Hulk and heads out to find and capture him.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Paul Reinman
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1962 series) #1

5 page Hulk story "Part 5: The Hulk Triumphant!"

Characters	Hulk; Rick Jones; Betty Ross; General Thunderbolt Ross; Gargoyle
Synopsis	Banner helps restore the Gargoyle, who turns against his masters.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Paul Reinman
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1962 series) #1

1 page Hulk text article "Introduction to The Incredible Hulk #118"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset

1 page Hulk cover reprint (on interior page)

Characters	Hulk; Namor, the Sub-Mariner; Dorma
Genre	Superhero
Pencils	Herb Trimpe
Inks	Herb Trimpe
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1968 series) #118

20 page Hulk story "A Clash of Titans"

Characters	Hulk; Namor, the Sub-Mariner; Lord Vashti; Lady Dorma; Fara
Synopsis	Dorma finds Bruce Banner floating in the ocean and brings him down to Atlantis where, inevitably, the Hulk and the Sub-Mariner battle.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Herb Trimpe [as Herbie Trimpe]
Inks	Herb Trimpe [as Herbie Trimpe]
Letters	Artie Simek
Reprinted	from Incredible Hulk, The (Marvel, 1968 series) #118

10 page Spider-Man text article "Part Three: The World's Best-Selling Swinger"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset
Notes	Stan describes the improbable creation of Spider-Man.

1 page Spider-Man cover reprint (on interior page)

Characters	Spider-Man
Genre	Superhero
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Steve Ditko
Reprinted	from Amazing Fantasy (Marvel, 1962 series) #15

11 page Spider-Man story "Spider-Man!"

Characters	Spider-Man; Aunt May; Uncle Ben; Flash Thompson
Synopsis	Peter Parker finds that with great power comes great responsibility.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Steve Ditko
Inks	Steve Ditko
Reprinted	from Amazing Fantasy (Marvel, 1962 series) #15

1 page Spider-Man text article "Introduction to The Amazing Spider-Man #72"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset

1 page Spider-Man cover reprint (on interior page)

Characters	Shocker
Genre	Superhero
Pencils	John Romita
Inks	John Romita
Reprinted	from Amazing Spider-Man, The (Marvel, 1963 series) #72

20 page Spider-Man story "Rocked by..the Shocker!"

Characters	Spider-Man; Shocker; Gwen Stacy; Captain George Stacy; Aunt May; J. Jonah Jameson; Lizard (flashback); Flash Thompson
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee; John Buscema (plot)
Pencils	John Buscema (layouts); John Romita (finishes)
Inks	Jim Mooney
Letters	Sam Rosen
Reprinted	from Amazing Spider-Man, The (Marvel, 1963 series) #72

9 page Thor text article "Part Four: Meanwhile, Back in Asgard..."

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset
Notes	Stan describes the creation of Thor and the involvement of his brother Larry Lieber, along with Jack Kirby.

1 page Thor cover reprint (on interior page) "Introducing... the Mighty Thor!"

Characters	Thor
Genre	Superhero
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Joe Sinnott
Editing	Stan Lee (Original Editor)
Reprinted	from Journey Into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #83 (August 1962)

5 page Thor story "The Stone Men from Saturn!"

Characters	Thor (I)(O); Don Blake (I); Gorr (I)
Synopsis	After witnessing the beginnings of an alien invasion, Don Blake discovers the hammer of Thor, and becomes the Norse god.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee (Plot); Larry Lieber (Script)
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Joe Sinnott
Letters	Art Simek
Notes	First appearance of Thor, Don Blake and Gorr, origin of Thor.
Reprinted	from Journey Into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #83 (August 1962)

5 page Thor story "Part 2: The Power of Thor!"

Characters	Thor; Don Blake; Gorr
Synopsis	Don Blake explores his new abilities.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee (Plot); Larry Lieber (Script)
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Joe Sinnott
Letters	Art Simek
Reprinted	from Journey Into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #83 (August 1962)

3 page Thor story "Part 3: Thor the Mighty Strikes Back!"

Characters	Thor; Gorr
Synopsis	Thor repels the alien invasion.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee (Plot); Larry Lieber (Script)
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Joe Sinnott
Letters	Art Simek
Reprinted	from Journey Into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #83 (August 1962)

1 page Thor text article "[Introduction to Thor #143"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset

1 page Thor cover reprint (on interior page)

Characters	Thor; Balder; Sif; Brona; Magnir
Genre	Superhero
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Vince Colletta
Editing	Stan Lee (Original Editor)
Reprinted	from Thor (Marvel, 1966 series) #143 (August 1967)

16 page Thor story "--And, Soon Shall Come: the Enchanters!"

Characters	Thor; Heimdall; Don Blake; Mr. Markham; Balder; Sif; Enchanters Three [Magnir; Forsung; Brona] (I); Living Talisman (I)
Synopsis	Sif and Balder face The Enchanters Three, possessors of the Living Talismen.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Jack Kirby
Inks	Bill Everett
Letters	Sam Rosen
Editing	Stan Lee (Original Editor)
Notes	First appearances of the Enchanters Three (Magnir, Forsung and Brona), the Living Talisman and the land of Ringsfjord.
Reprinted	from Thor (Marvel, 1966 series) #143 (August 1967)

8 page Doctor Strange text article "Part Five: Mainly about a Master of the Mystic Arts"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset
Notes	Stan describes the genesis of Dr. Strange.

5 page Doctor Strange story "Dr. Strange Master of Black Magic!"

Characters	Doctor Strange; Nightmare; Ancient One
Synopsis	Dr. Strange enters a man's dreams.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Steve Ditko
Inks	Steve Ditko
Letters	Terry Szanics
Reprinted	from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #110

8 page Doctor Strange story "The Origin of Dr. Strange"

Characters	Doctor Strange; Ancient One; Baron Mordo
Synopsis	Seeking healing, Stephen Strange stumbles onto the Ancient One and studies with him.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Pencils	Steve Ditko
Inks	Steve Ditko
Letters	Sam Rosen
Reprinted	from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #115

1 page Doctor Strange text article Introduction to "--The Fearful Finish--!"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset

10 page Doctor Strange story "The Fearful Finish..!"

Characters	Dr. Strange; Clea; Umar; Ancient One
Synopsis	Dr. Strange saves Clea.
Genre	Superhero
Script	Marie Severin (co-plot); Stan Lee (co-plot, dialogue)
Pencils	Marie Severin
Inks	Marie Severin
Letters	Artie Simek
Reprinted	from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #155

2 page Origins of Marvel Comics text article "Epilogue"

Genre	Superhero
Script	Stan Lee
Letters	typeset
Notes	Stan talks about the current new wave of Marvel talent.