The mid-1980s marked a golden era for Marvel, not only creatively but also commercially. Having overcome the financial struggles of the late '70s, largely due to the success of Star Wars, Marvel was poised to revolutionize the comic industry with the launch of Secret Wars in 1984. This event had far-reaching effects on the Marvel universe and the wider industry, propelling Marvel's heroes and villains into new and exciting directions.
This period also saw the release of other seminal works such as Frank Miller's Born Again arc in Daredevil, the resurrection of Jean Grey in X-Factor, and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga in Thor, among others. In this article, we'll delve into these new paths and highlight some of the most significant stories from this vibrant time. Welcome to Part 8 of our journey through the essential issues of Marvel!
For standout stories from this era, look no further than Born Again, Frank Miller's return to writing Daredevil in collaboration with artist David Mazzuchelli. This arc, spanning Daredevil #227-233, is often hailed as the definitive Daredevil story. The plot sees Karen Page, in the throes of addiction, betray Daredevil's secret identity for heroin, which ultimately falls into the hands of the Kingpin. Using this knowledge, the Kingpin systematically destroys Matt Murdock's life, leaving him destitute and at his lowest point. It's only through the intervention of his mother, a nun named Maggie, that Matt begins his arduous journey back to becoming Daredevil. The narrative's exploration of Matt's recovery and the Kingpin's descent into fanaticism is masterful, and it has inspired adaptations, notably in Season 3 of Netflix's Daredevil and the forthcoming Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.
Daredevil: Born Again
Simultaneously, Walt Simonson's tenure on Thor, starting with issue #337 in 1983, introduced Beta Ray Bill and revitalized the series with a mythic fantasy feel. His most celebrated work, the Surtur Saga (Thor #340-353), follows the fire demon Surtur's quest to bring about Ragnarok using the Twilight Sword. This epic includes a new villain, Malekith the Accursed, and culminates in a monumental battle where Thor, Loki, and Odin unite against Surtur. Elements of this saga were adapted into the films Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok, albeit with significant changes.
In Part 4 of our series, we discussed how the 1973 Avengers/Defenders War foreshadowed the event crossovers that would become a staple for Marvel and DC. The shift fully materialized with the 1984 release of Secret Wars, a 12-issue miniseries crafted by Editor in Chief Jim Shooter and illustrated by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton. This series was born from a marketing partnership with Mattel, aiming to promote a new toy line through a Marvel story. The premise is straightforward: the cosmic entity, the Beyonder, transports a select group of heroes and villains to Battleworld to determine the supremacy of good versus evil. Despite the series' focus on large-scale battles and the setup of future plotlines, it faced criticism for inconsistent character portrayals, such as the unusual behavior of the X-Men and the unexpected pairing of Magneto with the Wasp.
Secret Wars #1
While Secret Wars has been critiqued for its lack of depth, its impact on the comic industry is undeniable. It spawned a sequel, Secret Wars II, and, alongside DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, established the event-driven model as the predominant publishing strategy for the major comic companies. The 2015 reboot by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić offered a more cohesive narrative, but the original remains a pivotal moment in comic history.
Following the foundational runs by Stan Lee and Gerry Conway, Roger Stern took the reins of Amazing Spider-Man starting with issue #224. His tenure saw the introduction of the Hobgoblin in issue #238, a formidable new villain for Spider-Man. Though Stern's original Hobgoblin saga was cut short by his departure after issue #251, he eventually returned to resolve the villain's identity in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.
Stern's exit coincided with a landmark moment in Amazing Spider-Man #252: the debut of the black symbiote costume. Originating from Secret Wars #8 on Battleworld, this alien symbiote introduced a subplot that would lead to the emergence of one of Spider-Man's most iconic foes. The black costume has been adapted in various media, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3, multiple animated series, and video games, often omitting the Battleworld origin. Another significant Spider-Man story from this era is The Death of Jean DeWolff in Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110, penned by Peter David and Rich Buckler. This darker tale follows Spider-Man's pursuit of the Sin-Eater, who killed his ally Jean DeWolff, and his subsequent conflict with Daredevil.
Spectacular Spider-Man #107
The mid-1980s were also a transformative time for Marvel's mutants. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 confirmed Magneto as the father of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, a plot point that held for decades until a 2015 retcon. X-Men #171 saw Rogue leave the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to join the X-Men, solidifying her status as a beloved heroine. Similarly, X-Men #200 marked Magneto's transition from villain to hero, culminating in his leadership of Xavier's School for the Gifted, a plot adapted in the second episode of X-Men '97.
X-Factor #1
The resurrection of Jean Grey and the introduction of Apocalypse stand out as the era's most significant mutant milestones. Jean's return was detailed in Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286, revealing that the Phoenix Force had created a duplicate body for her. This led to the formation of X-Factor, reuniting Jean with the original X-Men. In X-Factor #5-6, Apocalypse, an ancient mutant merged with Celestial technology, debuted as the team's main adversary, eventually becoming a central figure in X-Men lore and various adaptations, including the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse.
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