It's not the New Universe, but it's a new universe: the Shadow Line, a group of linked super-hero comics from Epic that included Doctor Zero, Power Line, and St. George. Each of these titles ran eight bimonthly issues, and were an early attempt to merge mature readers content with super-hero action.
The Marvel Age article is chock full of self-deprecating jokes, like editor Archie Goodwin saying, "I've got kids ready for college, so I had to do something!"
Goodwin's sometime collaborator, Walter Simonson, gets his own interview this issue as the new writer of the Avengers. This is the series that expanded on the concept of the Time Variance Authority, as seen in the Disney+ series Loki.
Also in this issue, What If...? to pose the question "What If Iron Man Had Been a Traitor?", but which actually makes me ask, "What If Steve Ditko drew Iron Man for the first time in decades?" The issue was intended to be a relaunch of the series, picking up with issue #47, but ended up coming out as a stand-alone special.
Marvel Age #62
Price: $0.50 US
Pages: 36 (32 interior plus four covers)
On sale: January 19, 1988
Cover date: May, 1988
Copyright © 1988 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc.
• Tom DeFalco: Editor in Chief
• Jim Salicrup: Supreme Marvel Zombie
• Dwight Jon Zimmerman: Managing Editor
• Sholly Fisch: Coming Attractions
• Dawn Geiger: Designer
• Fred Hembeck: Sage of Marvel Age
• Craig Anderson, Steve Buccellato, Bob Budiansky, Bobbie Chase, Daniel Chichester, Margaret Clark, Don Daley, Daryl Edelman, Archie Goodwin, Mark Gruenwald, Larry Hama, Bob Harras, Glenn Herdling, Michael Higgins, Laura Hitchcock, Sid Jacobson, Terry Kavanagh, Ralph Macchio, Howard Mackie, Dwayne McDuffie, Marc McLaurin, Al Milgrom, Ann Nocenti, Carl Potts, Pat Redding, Mike Rockwitz, Marc Siry, David Wohl, and Gregory Wright: Consulting Editors
• John Romita: Art Director
• Don Perlin: Managing Art Director
• Donald C. Hudson, Christopher Ivy, and Rodney Ramos: The Raiders
• Virginia Romita: Traffic/Production Manager
• Hector Collazo and Doreen Frederick: Production Assistants
• Adam Blaustein: Manufacturing Coordinator
• Brenda Mings: Typesetter
• Jack Abel: Proofreader
• Paul Becton, Janet Jackson, George Roussos, and Gregory Wright: Colorists
• Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz: Cover art
• Paul Becton, Harry Candelario, Rob Carosella, Harry Eisenstein, Michael Heisler, Brad Joyce, Cindy Kruhm, Ken Lopez, Ed Magalong, Michael Maier, and Eddie Marcaro: Production
• Barbara Arnstein, Christine Aurilia, Kelly Corvese, Dwight Coye, Tom Fardy, Sue Flaxman, Jesus Gonzalez, Len Kaminsky, John Lewandowski, Stu Schwartzberg, Mark Silverman, and Rodney S. Timmons: Friendly Assistance
• Steve Sheffler: Rights and Permissions Editor
• Carol Kalish: Vice President Director Sales
• Dale Kanzler: Assistant Direct Sales Manager Administrative
• Lou Bank: Assistant Direct Sales Manager Customer Service
• Steve Saffel: Promotion Manager
• Irving Forbush: Personal friend of Steve Buccellato
Front cover
• Characters: Heroes of the Shadow Line Saga
Inside front cover
• Salicrup's Section
• Marvel Agenda (contents)
• Masthead
• Indicia
Pages 1 - 5
Marvel Coming Attractions
Titles on sale February 23
- Daredevil #255
- West Coast Avengers #33
- G.I. Joe Special Missions #11
- Strikeforce: Morituri #19
- Thundercats #24
- Web of Spider-Man #39
- Young Wizards #1
- Psi-Force #20
- Tales of G.I. Joe #6
- What If...? Special #1
Titles on sale March 1
- Captain America #342
- Solo Avengers #7
- Strange Tales #15
- Alf #3
- Alpha Flight #59
- The Amazing Spider-Man #301
- Groo the Wanderer #40
- Heathcliff #24
- The New Mutants #64
- Star Comics Magazine #10
- Savage Sword of Conan #148
- Six from Sirius trade paperback
Titles on sale March 8
- Marvel Age Magazine #63
- Marvel Tales #212
- The Punisher #9
- Silverhawks #6
- D.P. 7 #20
- Justice #20
- The Avengers #292
- Flintstone Kids #6
- The Uncanny X-Men #230
- Dr. Zero #1
- Marvel Fanfare #38
- Foofur #6
- The Incredible Hulk #344
- Conan the Barbarian #207
- G.I. Joe #72
- Silver Surfer #12
- Marshal Law #3
Titles on sale March 15
- The Fantastic Four #315
- Iron Man #231
- Thor #392
- Madballs #10
- Classic X-Men #22
- G.I. Joe Comics Magazine #10
- Conan Saga #13
- The Official Marvel Comics Index to the Avengers #6
- Punisher and Daredevil #1
- Cloak and Dagger: Predator and Prey graphic novel
- Fraggle Rock #1
- The Spectacular Spider-Man #139
- Transformers #41
- X-Factor #29
- Alien Legion #4
- The 'Nam #19
Pages 6 - 7
More Coming Attractions
Titles shipping April
Page 8
Newswatch
Item: The first issue of Blood has sold out, and it looks like the second issue will sell out as well. With unusual format projects like this, The Pitt, and Excalibur selling well, more will be coming soon - including the long-awaited S.H.I.E.L.D. bookshelf format limited series.
Item: New collected edition books coming in 1988 include:
- The Savage Land, starring Ka-Zar, Spider-Man, and the X-Men
- Six from Sirius
- The Thing: Project Pegasus
- Hercules
- Power Pack
- Spider-Man - the black costume story
- The 'Name
- The Punisher - limited series
- G.I. Joe
- Machine Man
- Black Dragon
Item: Marvel titles getting mentioned in the media include the new Sledge Hammer series in USA Today and The 'Nam in Playboy.
Item: The Silver Surfer appears on the cover of Joe Satriani's album Surfing with the Alien.
The Top Ten
October 1987
- X-Men #226
- X-Factor #25
- New Mutants #60
- The Punisher #6
- Incredible Hulk #340
- Silver Surfer #8
- Amazing Spider-Man #297
- The 'Nam #15
- G.I. Joe #68
- G.I. Joe Yearbook #4
Pages 9 - 10
The Mutant Report
Article: "The X-Men Are Dead, Long Live the X-Men"
Article: "The Brood Is Back!"
Article: "X-Factor's Trojan Horse!"
Article: "Savage Land Revival"
Pages 11 - 12
Article: "What If Iron Man Had Been a Traitor?", by Scott Lobdell
Page 13
Marvel Trivial Quiz by Brian Nelson
Pages 14 - 15
Stan's Soapbox
Page 15
Willie Lumpkin by Stan Lee and Dan DeCarlo
Pages 16 - 17
Hembeck's Page in Marvel Age
Pages 18 - 22
Epic Spotlight: "The Shadow Line Saga," by Glenn Herdling
Pages 23 - 26
The Marvel Age Interview: Walt Simonson, by Glenn Herdling
Pages 27 - 29
The Marvel Age 1976 Part III, by Brian Nelson
Pages 30 - 32
Letters column: Marvel Messages, suggested by David Steinberg
Inside back cover
Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards for 1987 ballot
Back cover
Ad for The Avengers
